How to Make Milk Kefir and a Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Learn how to make your own Milk Kefir with this easy to follow post. Use it in a fruit smoothie and enjoy your tasty drink. 
My husband is one of them people who is always immersed in some sort of nutrition or healthy living book. He loves to learn about new health foods, and how to improve the quality of our lives.

I can’t say I mind because he has even taught me a thing or two about superfoods, and such. About 5 months ago, he learned about the history and health benefits of drinking kefir, and even started to even make his own.

There are so many nutritional benefits of drinking kefir that you can easily find online. My husband has truly noticed some improvements in his health, and really feels as if the kefir is doing its job. While I am not in the position to make health claims, I can tell you all how to make milk kefir.

How to Make Milk Kefir

The first thing you will need to make milk kefir is kefir grains. These are rubber like grains that are needed to turn ordinary whole milk (not the double pasteurized varieties) into a thick and delicious kefir. You can purchase them on Amazon for under $10 and they are reusable with proper care.

The second thing you will need is a clean quart-sized mason jar. Always make sure it is clean, and dry to keep your kefir sanitary.

Place your kefir grains into your clean jar.

Next, you will need regular “red capped” homogenized whole milk. For standard kefir grains, it is recommended to not use organic, or double pasteurized varieties because it will not culture properly.

Fill your milk into the mason jar and leave about 2 inches at the top because the kefir will expand the milk.

To allow for air flow, use a coffee filter to cover the jar and use the jar lid ring to secure it, or a clean rubber band.

Place your kefir milk on the counter for around 18-24 hours. Depending on the temperature inside of the house, your drink may be ready sooner. An indication that it is ready is that there will be clear whey on the bottom of the jar, and the milk will look thick and will rise to the top of the jar.

To strain your kefir, I recommend getting a clean large mason jar and cap. You will also need a fine mesh strainer, fork, and funnel to transfer the kefir into the clean jar. You want to leave the grains behind to make more. I typically pour a little kefir mixture into the mesh strainer and gently press down to get the creamy kefir into the funnel, and then jar.

If you are looking to drink your kefir regularly, you will want to start another batch right away with a new clean jar, and fresh milk. Repeat the process above.

Here are some key tips for making kefir:

• Don’t use ultra-pasteurized milk
• Purchase kefir grains from a quality source
• Rinse grains periodically with purified water
• Use whole milk for best results
• Don’t use honey because it has antibacterial properties and will kill the “good” bacteria.
• Kefir grains will multiply over time. Store excess grains in whole milk to make extra batches
• You will need one tablespoon of grains for every cup of milk

You can drink your kefir plain but we always prefer to add in at least some stevia to sweeten it. It has a plain yogurt-like taste, and is really filling too! We love to mix in fresh fruits, and even add some mix-ins like vanilla, or cinnamon to add some variety to our kefir beverage.

Here is an easy fruit kefir smoothie we drink most often:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of milk kefir
• 1/2 a banana
• 1/2 cup frozen berries
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 stevia packet

Directions:

Gather ingredients and place them all inside your blender. Turn on and blend until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy right away! Have you ever made your own milk kefir before?