LOOK WHAT PROBIOTICS HAVE DONE FOR ME WITH A LITTLE "HOPE". PART 2.

Happy New Year from Mary Helens Test Kitchen 2013!! I want to share with you some "HOPE".

H...High fiber.
O...Omega 3's
P...Probiotics
E...Enzymes

My bottled water kifer soda.
I bottle myself.  Once 
capped, it becomes
naturally carbonated, and
more probiotic

"HOPE" was said by Brenda Watson, a famous natural health practitioner who was recently on PBS television.  I got the main message, .  It was "HOPE".  It caught my attention, because in the beginning, all I had was hope.  I still do.  HOPE, for me plants a good seed.  And with that is my desire to plant this seed with you.  But before I continue... 

Mint Kifer Ice Cream.   Made
with milk kifer and mint
herbs.  Yes
I have total control.  It's
all good and probiotic.

I want to take this time to pray you have a wonderful new year with all that you "HOPE" for.  I "HOPE" you are blessed with all that you need in the future.  I "Hope" for a cure for all that ails you. I Hope for Love, World Peace, and True Happiness.  And with that said, I will continue.

Actually it wasn't just probiotics that has helped me with my wellness.  It was healthy oils like coconut, real butter, extra virgin olive, and grapeseed oils, etc.  I also give credit to fiber.  Not just any fiber.  Soluble fiber that comes from fruits and vegetables.  I also thank my Ninja blender, my kitchen assistant for making a lot of my work easier. I realized I was following Barbara Watson and her "HOPE" plan without even knowing who she was until the other day.

H...High fiber....  Not just any fiber.  Solulable fiber like fruits and vegetables, oats, etc.
O...Omega 3's...  Fish, Oils, butter, olive oil, beans, and walnuts, etc.
P...Probiotics...   Milk, Kifer, yogurt, kombucha, and fermented foods like sauerkraut, etc.
E...Enzymes...     Raw foods again!  Including Sushi etc.

Fermented Cabbage
Kombucha Green Tea drink.
So tangy, so tasty...so probiotic.

It was then I realized I really had to share this great news full heartedly.  It's all good, but, it was probiotics where I began to see a difference with my health.

PROBIOTICS and MY RECOVERY

To begin with I am a 64 year young woman, getting better every day.  One day it hit me that food can either harm me or help me.  I got to choose which direction I wanted food to take me.  I realized I had more control over my body than I realized.    I also realized that food was medicine and with that I began my journey into wellness.  One and 1/2 years later after including water kifers, milk kifers, kombucha's, as well and venturing on to other probiotic fermented foods, and the implementation of the "HOPE" plan (didn't know it at the time though).  Today, I am still free of over 300+ pharmaceudical medications.

Milk Kifer Grains for milk
 kifer, cheeses, ice cream
and desserts.  So good, so
probiotic.

Also, I am so glad to say I show no sign of diabetes after being so out of control, and in and out of hospitals for years.  My blood pressure and cholesterol are very much in control.  My doctors visits are less frequent.  My hospital visits are down to zero except for an episode of shingles. This is a big difference from before, because hospitals had become a home away from home.  So sad, I was always depressed.  I feel so much better now.  My energy level has increased by 50%, to the tune of "I have so much energy, I lost 40 lbs. the first year, and another 10 lbs. these last 6 months without dieting".  Did I mention how much softer, and healthier my skin looks and feels?  What a plus at 63!  I'm not saying life is perfect, or I am the perfect size...but life is better today without all that baggage. What a load that was.

Coconut Water Kifer soda.
Naturally carbonated,
naturally good and,
loaded with probiotics

I know I am headed in the right direction.  Did I mention how cheap it is to brew/ferment your own probiotics at home?  It is really cheap to get healthy.  No need to pay for all those pharmaceudical pills that help mask what ails you, but does not cure you.  Let's plant that seed of "HOPE" in all of us. Let's get busy, and check out my other healthy but truly tasty recipes here on Blogger.  Feel free to share my posts with your family and friends.  My last words for your today is to...have"HOPE".  Remember food is medicine, and it doesn't take a lot of money either, just a little "HOPE".  So till the next time, I will keep on doing what I am doing.  To you all, many blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

Grape Kifer Soda, another
naturally carbonated
probiotic drink

Fermented Lemons.  The
rinds are so tender and tasty
they just fall apart.  Also
probiotic.

Rosemary Green Tea
Kombucha. A
probiotic tasty drink

Spicy Fermented Green Apple
Pickle, Indian style.  Oh
so tasty, made with lots'
of herbs and spices.  It's great
and great for the
winter months.  Also rich
in probiotics

Milk Kifer Cheese Spread
with coconut and honey
and spices.
Another healthy,tasty
alternative.  Again,
more probiotics

Strawberry Vanilla Kombucha
Green Tea Icee.  So
Probiotic and so
refreshenly tasty

Carbonated Kombucha
Green Tea
Antiseptic/astringent
for my face and cuts.
P. S. It's so
tenderizingly soft.

Homemade Kombucha Green
Tea .with the mother SCOBY
on top.  Yes it's probiotic

Homemade fermented sauerkraut
loaded with probiotics.
Folks, if you haven't had
homemade sauerkraut...
you don't know what your missing.

Yummy milk kifer Mayonainse
that melts in your mouth

SPICY FERMENTED SAUERKRAUT-HOMEMADE

 RAW SPICY FERMENTED SAUERKRAUT  NOT ONLY TASTY, BUT A PROBIOTIC FOOD
Food is medicine.

Here is a wonderful easy scum-less sauerkraut I made. Don't let the word scum scare you unless it is green or black.  Ewww.  But if anyone has made real homemade sauerkraut before they know there would most likely be scum on the surface, which usually gets skimmed off and discarded.  I was totally surprised when I opened this container only to see the plate looking back at me. 

I had some sauerkraut left over from a previous batch, so I wasn't in a hurry to open this container containing 6 heads of shredded cabbage. Every day I eat some sort of probiotic food which has allowed me to be diabetic free, and free of all medications. And this one happens to be delicious. My family and I love it.  However, I don't believe in doing smaller batches, because it takes so long to ferment, but its well worth the wait.  Yummy probiotics!   A tablespoon here, a tablespoon there, and that's all it takes to get your probiotic food. intake.  Why waste money on pills, when food is medicine?  Why? Anyway.

Besides the cabbage I added...

• cabbage 6 heads  Shredded or chopped small. (save the outer leaves for the top just in case...)
• Salt 1/2 cup
• Water to cover the salt and cabbage.
• Kombucha 16 oz
• Cayenne pepper 1-3 tablespoons (optional but healthier)

Instructions:

• Add salt and water and shredded cabbage and knead with your hands for a few minutes
• Allow cabbage to soak in salted water for 4 hours.
• Rinse well, and drain
• Add kombucha, and water covering cabbage 
• Put cabbage in container and punch down to pack tightly
• add the outer leaves of cabbage on top of shredded cabbage
• add a non plastic/non metal plate.  
• I also held that plate down with a jar emmersing the plate and kraut under the liquid. 
• I put a lid on that whole container, and put it in a corner for almost 2 months.

Here is a 3 gallon # 2 plastic container I used to put
my cabbage in.  I opened it after almost 2 months of
being undisturbed in a corner.  Can you see the jar, holding the
 plate down?  The plate held the cabbage down.  

It was the total emmersion that made this sauerkraut completely scum-less.  The whole thing was edible.  As you can see for yourself in the picture below, no scum.

These are the outer cabbage leaves I expected to
discard because I assumed
it would have scum on the top layer.
 Yay a scum less sauerkraut!  This was
definetely all good.

I am so glad I made extra, because I love to share, and it's so mouth watering and tangy.  I know it won't last long. It tastes too good to be good for you.  Yes, eating healthy can be expensive but if you make it at home it is so much cheaper right?

It takes so long to ferment this cabbage, it is so much better to
 make an amount you would be able to consume till your next batch is ready.
 I came out with about 5 quarts of  tangy delicious homemade
SPICY SAUERKRAUT.  Yum!

Well, I hope this helps in some way.  Feel free to leave any comments.

Thanking you in advance.

Many blessings,

Mary Helen

ROSEMARY GT KOMBUCHA

Rosemary Kombucha

I love the smell of fresh cut rosemary.  It is such a aromatic herb that makes green tea kombucha so tasty.  Not to mention it has so many nutritional benefits like phyto-nutrients.  Cellular nutrition equals cellular rejuvenation in my books.  So i'm all for adding a little rosemary to my kombucha.  It's also called an anti aging herb, and I believe it because I have seen the results with my own eyes on other folks who's skin alone testify to the health benefits of rosemary, by drinking it as a tea daily.  I have also been using it in my body butters as well for the past year, and I love it. So do my friends. Rosemary has natural salicylic acid, similar to other leading anti blemish lotions, but without all the chemicals.  But that's another blog I posted elsewhere.

Anyway, for the Rosemary Kombucha,  I added...

I disturbed my baby SCOBY, now there's another one
growing circumferencing the diameter of the container.

• water  one gallon
• green tea 4 tea bags
• rosemary dried 2- 6 teaspoons or 1 fresh sprig
• sugar 1/2-1 cup
• SCOBY (I used a small one)

I alway put the herbs in the water while it is still cold.  I heat it slowly till it is almost boiling then I turn the stove off at let it sit with the herbs in till it is barely warm.  I strain it and add that to my continous brew.  If this is your first batch you will add your SCOBY, and your 2 cups of kombucha from your previous brew, or a store bought bottle.  If you have no starter you can always use regular vinegar, but you need a SCOBY.  Yes it will culture.  I've done it a few times in my experiments.  Also, if you don't have a SCOBY you need a starter like a bottle of store bought kombucha if you don't have access to freshly brewed kombucha.  It does has enough live culture in it to recreate another baby SCOBY if left undisturbed for a few weeks.

I lifted the baby SCOBY'S and there is
 the mother SCOBY floating underneath.
Yummy rosemary kombucha beneath
 my SCOBY'S)

Note that rosemary has a lot of oil in the herb naturally, so it will take longer for the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and the tea to culture.  Don't worry, just be patient, it will culture.  Mine took at least 7 days before I saw the baby scoby starting to grow on the surface like a thin film.  It took me 2 weeks of brewing before it started to have that kombucha slight vinegary taste.  Yum.  So after 2 weeks my Rosemary gt Kombucha is ready, and i'm a happy camper.

SPICY FERMENTED CABBAGE & KOMBUCHA JUICE

FERMENTED CABBAGE & KOMBUCHA JUICE.  A LIVE PROBIOTIC DRINK

Top of the day to you.  I remember when every morning I would crawl out of bed walked to the kitchen to start my morning brew of coffee.  I guess I felt the need for speed and thought coffee would do it.  It does to an extent.  But my body would always let me know it didn't like it.  Today my morning drink is this coctail I concocted using...

• 36 oz. kombucha green tea vinegar
•  1/2 cup fermented cabbage aka sauerkraut
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper (totally optional)
• 1 clove garlic (totally optional)

Blend this all together.  You can strain the pulp if you like but I like the fiber too.  Pour in glass jars/bottles, and cap. Store in the refrigerator.  There it will continue to ferment at a much slower rate.

I don't drink this coctail just to wake me up.  My fermented cabbage and kombucha are both  probiotic so I just doubled my probiotic intake right?  Now that's what I'm  talking about.  Also it is not only probiotic, but remember cabbage is high in antioxidants, and phyto-nutrients, as well as fiber.  The Cayenne pepper is also loaded with these ingredients too. 

If you don't know the benefits of probiotics folks, start googling.  It's a wonder food.  Also the benefits of Cayenne Pepper alone has a write up here.  You do the research.  I will continue to test and inform.  By all means test for yourself and see.

By the way this drink is so tangy and tasty.  Better than any V-8 juice. Add some celery, or tomatoes. You will really look forward to it.  Be creative, get involved with your own health and take charge.

Enjoy, and many blessings  

Mary Helen

BREW KOMBUCHA WITHOUT THE SCOBY.

SCOBY (SYBIOTIC CULTURE OF BACTERIA AND YEAST, in Kombucha

Who says you need a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) to make Kombucha?  I remember when I searched for this wonderful baby (SCOBY) I read I needed to make my own kombucha earlier last year.  I did make a drink similar using a Mother from an apple cider vinegar I brewed earlier last year using green tea.  But I only made green tea vinegar.  haha, It was good and also probiotic, but it was not kombucha.  It was altogether a whole different ball game. Well after months of research and experimenting in my own kitchen.  I found you can make kombucha using a bottle of kombucha itself to innoculate your tea to make the SCOBY and the Kombucha.   However, my quest to get my real SCOBY was accomplished here in my own neighborhood.  Anyway,  here is what you will need...

• one gallon of green or black  tea.  Home brewed is preferred but store bought is also an option.  
• one 16 oz bottle of original raw kombucha
• one large glass, stainless steel, or plastic container, big enough to hold your kombucha tea.  Note, if using a plastic container, it must read #1, or #2 on the bottom of the container.
• 1/2-1 cup sugar.  Not less.  Do not substitute.



WHITE FILM QUITE DEFINED...SCOBY 

• clean cloth to cover

Add sugar to steeped tea, disolving before you add your bottle of kombucha. Stir well and pour in large container.  Cover with a cloth to avoid any unfriendly critters that may be flying around.  Because if you make it, surely they will come.  LOL.  Put in a warm quiet place undisturbed.  I like to keep mine by the warm window.  She loves it there, and within 4-10 days, you will see a thin layer of white film, floating on top.  Do not disturb her.  She will grow into a off white beautiful SCOBY.  And you are on your way to a happy successful kombucha brewing.

Note you can always make more or less of this recipe.  However on the note of making less...  May I suggest you still add the full 16 oz bottle of kombucha anyway.  It will just help speed up the brewing process, by maybe a couple of days. Also note that the more sugar you add, the chances of having an alcoholic beverage is also greater.  Not to the point of drinking real alcohol. but it is noticeble in taste. So just be careful there I particularly do not like the taste of alcohol. So I use less sugar. The taste is not sweet at all, but you can always get creative by adding juice, or any sweetener of your choice.  Next will come the carbonation but that is in  the second ferment, and bottling and capping.  We'll talk about that another day.

So let's get healthy and start brewing.

Happy Live Probiotics Folks:)

Many Blessings:)

Mary Helen

sybiotic culture of bacteria and Yeast