Coconut Milk Kefir
Kefir is an age-old nourishing fermented beverage traditionally made with cow or goat milk. It has powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, probiotic properties and has loads of beneficial bacteria that are known to boost the immune system, heal the gut and reduce digestive issues.
Fermented foods should be consumed daily to add beneficial bacteria and enzymes to your intestinal flora, increasing the health of your digestive system and gut microbiome which is beneficial to the immune system. Here is an article that provides good info about fermented foods and includes an easy recipe for Spicy Pickled Veggies! There is also a Collective blog post about fermentation worth reading!
Coconut milk kefir is very similar to dairy milk kefir. It has all the same benefits but without the lactose. It is dairy-free so coconut milk kefir is a great alternative for those who wish to reduce dairy in their diets, those with dairy allergies or those who follow a vegan diet.
For this kefir recipe, you can use homemade coconut milk or a canned variety. I have never made my own homemade coconut milk as we are lucky to have a wide variety of great store-bought brands available. Remember to look for a brand that is as pure as possible and has few ingredients other than coconut extract, water, citric acid and maybe guar gum (often used for thickening and stabilizing), with no additional additives or sweeteners.
I make my kefir with probiotic capsules. There are kefir ‘grains’ that act as a starter for kefir that you can get at health food stores. I find the probiotic capsules are easy to come by, the results are perfect each time and the same fermented goodness as using grains.
Prep Time: 5 minutes Fermentation Time: 12-24 hours Makes: 400mL / 14 oz (the size of the can used)
Ingredients
1 400 mL can Coconut Milk
2-3 Acidophilus Probiotic Capsules – contents of the capsules only. I use one that is 2 Billion Active Cells/Capsule.
How It’s Made
Shake the coconut milk can well to make sure the cream and the water are mixed together well.
Pour the coconut milk into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Empty the probiotic capsules into the jar with the coconut milk. Stir. I find that 2 capsules work for me. Start with 2 as well and depending on your brand and the number of active cells in each capsule you might need 3 next time if your kefir doesn’t thicken as much as you would like it to.
Put the lid on and leave the jar on your counter for 12 hours. After 12 hours, check your kefir. It might have separated and that’s ok, just give the jar a good shake to mix it up again. With a clean spoon, taste the mixture. If you like the taste, put it in the fridge.
I leave mine on the counter for 18-24 hours as I prefer it to be a richer sour taste and the mixture thickens more like yogurt when left longer. 24 hours is max, though, for it to be on the counter. Put it in the fridge after 24 hours. The kefir will thicken a little more in the fridge regardless of how long it was on the counter – 12 or 24 hours. Your kefir might separate in the fridge as well. As above, just give it a good shake to mix it up again.
Use it within 4-5 days. Keep a 1/4 cup to act as a starter and add it to the new batch you make along with the probiotic capsules.
Enjoy!
Variations:
Enjoy it as a drink, serve with cereal/granola, cut-up fruit or with some applesauce.
Note: If kefir is new to you, like with other fermented foods, start slow – a ¼ - 1/3 cup to begin with! Too much fermented food to an uninitiated gut could cause bloating. Very likely you won’t have any bloating reaction at all but since it’s new to you, start with a little each day of this deliciousness and within a few days you’ll be fine to increase the amounts.
