Smart and Tasty Uses for Kefir
May
8Posted in [education], [Recipes], [superfood] By LifeWayKefir LifeWayKefir
5/8/2012 9:19 AM
By now you already know that Lifeway Kefir is delicious in smoothies, over fruit and granola and straight out of the bottle –at least we hope you know that! But there are oh-so-many other uses for our Kefir, we had to share them with you.
Recipe Swap
Eastern European folks have been cooking and baking with kefir for years. It adds richness to baked goods, much like buttermilk, and a creamy, tangy quality to dressings, dips and other dishes. We recommend cooking and baking with plain, or Greek-style plain – although we have heard that some of our fruit-flavored kefirs are tasty in pancakes and other sweet dishes.
In raw applications like dips and dressings, all 12 probiotic strains stay live and active – so you’re not only adding flavor, but you’re also supporting your digestive and immune systems. When cooked, some of the less-hearty strains will die off, but you’re still cutting fat and calories from your favorite recipes without sacrificing flavor. Plus, reaching for a bottle of Lifeway Kefir can save you a trip to the store when your recipe calls for sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk or yogurt.
Here are a few tips for cooking and baking with kefir:
- Use a 1-to-1 ratio when substituting for buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt in a recipe that will be cooked or baked.
- When making dips, substitute ½ the mayonnaise, yogurt or sour cream called for with kefir – we recommend Greek Style Kefir to maintain a thick consistency.
- When substituting for sour cream or yogurt in a dressing recipe, place kefir in the freezer for about 30 minutes before measuring it – this will help to thicken it without adding corn starch or other thickeners. Use a 1-to-1 ratio for substitution.
- Mix kefir with a little powdered sugar to make a quick, tangy glaze for pound cakes, donuts and more – tastes great with fresh orange or lemon zest, too!
- If you aren’t sure where to start, check out the recipes we’ve already blogged. Some of our favorites include a basic kefir salad dressing, honey nut panna cotta, creamy guacamole and spinach dip, tomato bisque and even donuts. Oh, and don’t forget pancakes! Our customers love to replace buttermilk with kefir in their favorite pancake recipes.
Kefir for Your Skin and Hair
There are so many ways to cook and bake with kefir, you’ll have no trouble getting kefir in your belly every day – but what about putting kefir on your body?
You’ll find Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) in most trendy skin care products these days – it helps to expose more radiant skin by dissolving the lipids that hold old skin cells together. You will also find AHA in… kefir!
So why pay extra for added perfumes, artificial coloring and other junk when you already have a bottle of kefir in your fridge? Check out DIY recipes for facial cleansers, scrubs, masks, hair conditioner and more on our Kefir Beauty Secrets page!
Have you found any interesting uses for Lifeway Kefir? Leave a comment, we’d love to hear about it!
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