So you’re officially onboard the homemade kefir train! (If not, go read the Kefir Basics)
It’s time to make delicious smoothies!
Once you’ve strained your kefir, or let it double ferment, it is now ready for consumption. Since I typically start each fermentation process in the morning, it’s ready right in time for breakfast smoothies. I’m all about saving on dishes, so I will make the smoothie right in the jar, using an immersion blender. This one is my favorite! But that will only work if you have wide mouth jars, like these.
Making Smoothies
Unfortunately for all of you, I measure with my heart and rarely make the same smoothie twice, but here’s the general formula for making about 4 servings:
- 3-4 cups of kefir
- 1/2 – 1 cup of frozen fruit (while you can use fresh fruit, I find frozen is better if you’re using room temperature kefir that just finished fermenting, otherwise add a few ice cubes to make the smoothie chilled)
- optional sweetener: sugar, stevia, honey, etc (I typically add 3-6 packets of stevia for about 4 cups of double fermented kefir
- add the fruit and optional sweetener directly to the jar and blend with the immersion blender, then stick a straw in it and enjoy!
Flavor options: There’s a reason fruit like strawberry and banana are the most common; they’re delicious! But don’t let that keep you from checking out the frozen fruit section of the grocery store and getting creative! Or try some exciting fresh, seasonal fruit for a special treat and just add ice before blending.
- Strawberry and/or Banana
- Raspberry
- Blueberry
- Peach
- Mixed Berry
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Kiwi
- Cherry
- Pomegranite
- Dragonfruit
Getting Fancy
Fruit Cocktail: Try adding a couple frozen strawberries, half a can of fruit cocktail, some sweetener, and a splash of heavy cream! Tastes like Grandma’s fruit cocktail!
Mango Lassi: Kefir is perfect for mango Lassi because the delicious Indian beverage typically calls for yogurt and milk, so the kefir is an easy substitute. Use a cup of fresh or frozen mango for each cup of kefir, then, if you don’t have a mix (like the one pictured by Epicure), add a few tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of cardamom.
Adventurous
If you are new to kefir or still adjusting to the tangy flavor, consider cutting the kefir amount in half for the following recipes and incorporating a different milk (dairy or nut).
Chocolate Mint: This one is a hit with my kids!
- 1.5 cups of kefir
- 3 packets of stevia
- 2-3 Tb of cocoa
- a couple drops of mint extract
- 4-5 ice cubes
Mocha: This recipe was born from the desperation of a mama who wanted her healthy probiotics but also really wanted that cozy coffee flavor (and the helpful caffeine boost). While I will eagerly share my favorite combination, I know people’s coffee preferences are just as numerous as the variety of products. Black? Cream? Flavored coffee? Espresso? Sugar? Non-dairy? Sweetener? Syrups? Spices? Caffeine-free? I urge you to experiment with your favorite syrups, espresso shots, and additions and share them with us in the comments!
Given the kefir’s strong yogurt taste, I aimed to find the right balance of flavors that would complement the tang and not fight with it. This was my favorite:
- 1.5 cups of kefir
- 1 shot of espresso
- 1 Tb of cocoa
- Splash of heavy cream or oat milk
- 2 packets of stevia (or sweetener of your choice)
- 4-5 ice cubes
- And maybe just a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top
