Making Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut has amazing health benefits. A little of sauerkraut adds zest to a meal and is part of a Happy-Healthy Diet!  My favorite way to serve it is raw, room temperature, under some thinly sliced pieces of grilled chicken or steak.

The fermentation process in sauerkraut produces good bacteria called probiotics which in turn produces beneficial enzymes. They aid digestion and promote a healthy flora in the digestive tract. But one has to be aware of the fact that the sauerkraut sold in the markets is pasteurized and several good bacteria might have been killed. In order to gain the health benefits of fermentation, traditionally prepared sauerkraut has to be diligently purchased or homemade.  Recent research says that sauerkraut when eaten by women during pregnancy can prevent babies from developing certain types of childhood cancer. Earlier studies have indicated that sauerkraut is effective in preventing cancer of the breast. Sauerkraut is fat and cholesterol free and is a great source of fiber as it contains plenty of vitamins C and K, manganese and vitamin B6 and folate. This helps in treating peptic ulcers as well.

*Risks with cruciferous vegetables

The main disadvantage of cruciferous vegetables is that they contain high levels of goitrogens. Goitrogens are substances that prevent the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland, and iodine uptake in the rest of the body. Their primary effect is suppressed thyroid function. Our exposure to numerous goitrogens in the environment and in our food is much higher than 50 or more years ago.

Fermenting does not reduce the level of goitrogens that cruciferous vegetables contain.

Cooking destroys most of the goitrogens in cruciferous vegetables. For example, steaming reduces the goitrogens in cabbage by about two thirds, and boiling cabbage for 30 minutes reduces the goitrogens by nearly 90%. However, you must use RAW INGREDIENTS to make sauerkraut.

Fermented foods such as sauerkraut are wonderful in that they provide probiotics and bio-available nutrients. However, consuming large amounts of sauerkraut could actually be harmful to the function of your thyroid, especially if your thyroid is already compromised. I would advise you to monitor how you feel on a diet high in crucifer vegetables. For most people, moderation is the key. It is best to consume fermented cruciferous vegetables as condiments, not as a large part of your diet.

Sauerkraut is a wonderful, healthy food when consumed in moderation. To counteract the goitrogens in the cabbage, I add iodine-rich *seaweed to my sauerkraut. I also include dill and juniper berries in my sauerkraut as they add a perfect complimentary flavour to the finished product.

Making Sauerkraut

Basic Recipe for Sauerkraut

• Glass jar with plastic lid or spring lid
• 1 Cabbage Medium sized (1kg)
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons of  whey. GO HERE FOR DETAILS ON THE EASY WAY TO MAKE WHEY! ( If whey is not available, use  lemon juice, or apple-cider vinegar. White supermarket vinegar is a poor alternative. The clear liquid whey that forms as kefir or yogurt sours as it ages is by far the best starter, and will make a reliable and delicious sauerkraut by introducing plenty of lactic acid bacteria.)
• 1 Tbs juniper berries (optional)
• 1 Tbs seaweed such as wakame, kelp or dulse (optional) *see above
• 1 Tbs of carraway seeds or fresh chopped dill. ( optional )

Slice the cabbage or grate cabbage with a hand grater or process in a food processor. Pound down with wood mallet to bruise the cell walls.

 Mix in a large bowl with the other ingredients. Continue to pound with a meat mallot or wooden pounder of some kind.  Pound until the juices cause suction when you pull the pounder out of the mix.

Press the mixture into a clean glass jar using a wooden spoon. Press firmly until the juice rises to the top and covers the mixture, which it will do when it is pounded enough. Leave at least one inch or more of space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion. Add water if needed to cover. (Lacto-fermentation is an anaerobic process, which means that it won’t work in the presence of oxygen. The cabbage should be packed down and completely submerged in brine to ensure that no oxygen can get to it.)

Cover the kraut and store the jar in a cupboard for 3-5 days (depending on the ambient temperature) before transferring to the refrigerator. The sauerkraut may be consumed after a couple of weeks, though if you allow the fermentation process to continue for a month or so in the refrigerator you will be well rewarded with a most delicious flavour. I love sauerkraut at 4 months old.

Yeasts and moulds

Kahm yeast. Sometimes a white, velvety or powdery looking yeast or scum develops on the surface. It is not harmful, but does not improve the flavour. If it develops, skim it off the surface of the liquid. Discard any solid matter that has it. As usual, your senses are the test - if it smells and tastes OK, it probably is.

Kahm yeast is likely to develop if:

• your brew is insufficiently acid, especially when you start it
• there is not enough salt
• it is too warm
• over exposure to the air
• from poor hygiene

If black or blue mould forms, throw the brew away. It usually smells horrible, and you wouldn't want to eat it anyway. Mould forms for the above reasons, and also because there was not enough liquid - the solid matter is left exposed to the air and light, especially during the first few days before sufficient acidity builds up.

As with all fermenting, follow your nose. If it smells putrid or you have any doubts about the quality, then discard the sauerkraut and start again.

• Tightly packed sauerkraut can be safely kept in the refrigerator for six months or more.

Benefits of Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut provides a high-density source of a wide range of beneficial live lactic acid bacteria which assist in the digestive process, produce a variety of vitamins and other nutrients, and keep harmful micro-organisms at bay. A single serving of genuine raw sauerkraut gives your body a bigger health boost than any of the expensive probiotic drinks and supplements sold in stores.

Cabbage provides a rich source of antioxidants. Studies have shown that the cruciferous vegetables can help lower cholesterol levels; have anti-inflammatory properties; and help prevent and combat many cancers.

A phytonutrient in these vegetables named glucosinolate significantly enhances your liver's detoxification ability. According to one study (1), eating these foods every day will halve your risk of getting cancer.

Sauerkraut must be raw

Most sauerkraut sold in supermarkets and shops is pasteurised. The beneficial bacteria and other organisms have been destroyed so that it has a long shelf life, and there is no risk of the jar exploding from pressure build-up. To gain the most benefits from sauerkraut, it MUST be made the traditional way and consumed raw - best to learn how to make your own.


For more information about Lacto-Fermented Foods Go Here:                                                 Weston Price Foundation

Sauerkraut recipes

Sauerkraut is best eaten raw. There are many ways to enjoy adding sauerkraut to your meals: 

1. Serve on top of your fried eggs in the morning.
2. Add to your lunch sandwich or roll up.
3. Toss on top of your salad.
4. Raw Sauerkraut makes a wonderful side dish to almost any dish.
5. Sauerkraut seasoned with oil and paprika is served in cold salads.
6.  Kraut juice which is a regional beverage in the US contains the liquid in which sauerkraut is cured.

However, sauerkraut is most commonly served hot. Some ingredients in cooked sauerkraut dishes are bacon, caraway and apples. Sauerkraut is also used in chicken and pork stews.


Recipe for Sauerkraut soup

Ingredients: 1 cup of sauerkraut well drained, ½ cup chopped onions, ¼ cup of chopped celery, butter, ¼ cup flour, 3 cups beef stock, 1 cup shredded beef, 12 oz cheese.

Cook onion and celery in butter in a large saucepan until tender. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in beef stock and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for about five minutes. Add shredded beef, kraut and one cup cheese. Cook for about thirty minutes until slightly thickened. Stir frequently. Ladle into oven proof bowls. Top each with  ½ cup cheese. Broil till the cheese melts. Serve hot.

Recipes with sauerkraut

Sauerkraut with pork

Ingredients: 1 pound fresh sauerkraut, 1 diced onion, 1 can stewed organic tomatoes, ½ cup coconut sugar, 3 lbs pork ribs, celery seed to sprinkle.

Layer all the above mentioned ingredients in a slow cooker beginning with sauerkraut. Cover and cook on low for eight to ten hours. 

Sauerkraut with chicken

Ingredients: chicken cutlets, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup sprouted bread crumbs, 2 cups of sauerkraut, 15 oz tomato sauce, oil to add, 1 ½ cup mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese. Pound the chicken until thin and combine with herbs and bread crumbs. Dip chicken into eggs and then into breadcrumbs. Bake in 400 degree oven. Pour sauce on top of chicken and cover with sauerkraut. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and bake in 350 degree heat oven. Top with mozzarella and bake about five minutes.

Sauerkraut with fish

Ingredients: 2 cups of sauerkraut, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 chopped onion, 4 medium orange roughy fillets, 4 teaspoons butter, 8 table spoon Mayonnaise, squares of foil.

Place a fillet in the center of each foil and on top of fillet place 2 table spoon mayonnaise. On top of this place ¼ cups of onion, sauerkraut and tomatoes. Finish off with breadcrumbs and a pat of butter. Fold the corners of the foil and place the pouches on a cooking sheet. Cook for about ten minutes and then rotate. Continue to cook for another ten more minutes.

Sauerkraut and potato

Ingredients: 2 cups sauerkraut, 1 can condensed cream of celery soup, 1/3 cup of coconut sugar, 1 ½ cup of sausage, 4 medium potatoes peeled and cubed, 1 cup chopped onion and 1 cup shredded mild cheddar or jack cheese.

In crock-pot, combine the soup, sugar and sauerkraut. Stir in sausage, potato and onion. Cover and cook on low heat for about 8 hours. Skim off excess fat. Add shredded cheese on top.

Bratwurst Sauerkraut Recipe 1

Ingredients: 2 pounds bratwurst, 1 quart sauerkraut, ½ cup coconut sugar, ground pepper and hot mustard to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer sauerkraut in a baking dish and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Score the bratwurst and place on the sauerkraut. Bake for an hour. Serve with mashed potatoes and a dollop of hot mustard.

Bratwurst Sauerkraut Recipe 2

Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh bratwurst, 2 table spoon oil, 2 onions chopped, 2 garlic cloves minced, 2 cups chicken, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 table spoon caraway seed, 4 cups of drained sauerkraut, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill and 1 baguette.

In a large pan, heat oil over high heat. Brown bratwurst in oil and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and garlic and cook light. Add stock, paprika, caraway seeds and sauerkraut and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh dill. Serve on baguette.

Benefits of Lacto-Fermentation

What is Lacto-Fermentation?

Lacto-fermentation happens when the starches and sugars in vegetables and fruit convert to lactic acid by a friendly lactic-acid producing bacteria.

This produces not only a tangy, delicious product (like the sauerkraut pictured above), but it also preserves it….. and does so much more than that!

Health Benefits
The daily use of living, fermented, acidic foods prolong life and are a secret to ongoing good health. Fermented vegetables and milk are rich in lactic acid, which inhibits the bacteria that cause putrefaction. Along with many other organic acids, lactic acid also greatly assists people with weak digestive systems (ie most people who are over 40).

Sauerkraut combines the health benefits of cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables with the probiotic advantages of the fermentation process. Cabbage and other vegetables turn into a superfood when pickled.

Humans have been eating pickled vegetables for thousands of years. As people first moved into the higher latitudes they needed to store food for the sparse, snow-covered winter months. Sauerkraut was a means of preserving cabbage and other vegetables for easy consumption throughout the winter. Historical evidence suggests that workers on the Great Wall of China ate a version of pickled cabbage 2,000 years ago.

Lacto-fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchee) store virtually all the benefits of fresh vegetables for long periods. Captain James Cook always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught him it prevented scurvy among his crew.

It is important to get healthy, good bacteria from numerous sources, including lacto-fermented vegetables and cultured drinks every day. Today, instead we bombard our bodies with chlorine (not just in the water we drink but we also absorb it from our showers and baths) and antibiotics (in our milk, meat, and what we take ourselves).

I would encourage you to give this a try. It is fairly simple, frugal and makes the most of your hard-earned real food. You can use whey as a starter culture in your brine, which Sally Fallon recommends in Nourishing Traditions. Go here to get information on THE EASY WAY TO MAKE WHEY. 

I have included below a number of recipes to help get you started on enjoying these Happy-Healthy Foods!  Let me know how it goes!  

Cortido

from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Recipe Notes: I sometimes leave out the carrots and halve the amount of onions. Be sure all vegetables are below the liquid or this can cause mold. 

• 1 large cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 cup carrots, grated
• 2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and very finely sliced
• 1 tablesoon dried oregano
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)

1. In a large bowl mix cabbage with carrots, onions, oregano, red chile flakes, sea salt and whey.
2. Pound with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer for abou 10 minutes to release juices.
3. Place in 2 quart-sized, wide mouth mason jars and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage mixture should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jars.
4. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

Pickled Cucumbers

from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Recipe Notes: For pickle slices simply cut cucumbers into 1/4 inch slice and cut back the fermentation time to 2 days instead of 3. 

• 4-5 pickling cucumbers or 15-20 gherkins
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, snipped
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
• 1 cup filtered water

1. Wash cucumbers well and place in a quart-sized wide mouth jar.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over cucumbers, adding more water if necessary to cover the cucumbers. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.
3. Cover tightly and keep and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.
4. TIP: To make pickles keep their crunch a bit more – add grape leaves. It is the tannins in the grape leaves that are said to perform the delicious act.

Apple Chutney

Makes 1/2 gallon or 2 quarts.

• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup whey
• 1 cup water
• 6 cups coarsely chopped (cored) organic apples
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans or other nuts **I don’t believe the nuts need to be soaked ahead of time,     as the fermentation should neutralize enzyme inhibitors.
• 1 cup chopped raisins
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 4 TBSP 5 Spice Blend **You’ll find 5-spice in nice herb/spice departments, or you can easily make it yourself by mixing together equal parts of (all ground) anise, white pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and fennel. Try using  it instead of cinnamon in oatmeal during the winter. People say that 5-spice is wonderful in marinades and rubs for meat. Delish!

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Transfer to clean 1/2 gallon jar or 2 quart jars. Pack down so all ingredients are covered by liquid at least 1/2 inch below the rim of container. Add more water if needed to submerge. Cover tightly. Let sit out at room temperature for 2-3 days. Check for mold daily and skim off. Repack. Taste for desired texture. If weather is hot it may only take a day or so. Burp the jar if necessary to prevent pressure build up. When you are happy with taste and texture transfer to cold storage and it will keep for a few weeks.  

      Serving Suggestions: 

Enjoy mixed with kefir or yogurt. 

Serve on top of oat meal. 

Spread on toast or pancakes.

Eat alongside of chicken or turkey.

link for: Home Made SAUERKRAUT

The Truth About Unfermented Soy and Its Harmful Effects

With vegetarianism gaining increasing popularity from the 1970's, reaching its peak in the 1990's, soy has emerged as a 'near perfect' food, with supporters claiming it can provide an ideal source of protein, lower cholesterol, protect against cancer and heart disease, reduce menopausal symptoms, and prevent osteoporosis - among many other things. It seems like a good thing - or is it really?
How did such a 'healthy food' emerge from a product that in 1913 was listed in the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) handbook not as a food but as an industrial product?

According to lipid specialist and nutritionist Mary Enig, PhD, "The reason there's so much soy in America is because the soy industry started to plant soy to extract the oil from it and soy oil became a very large industry." There was a lot of soy oil and with it came a lot of soy protein residue as a left over by-product, and since they couldn't feed it to the animals, except in small amounts, they had to find another big market which, of course, was human consumption.

This excess soy production and its protein residue was the motivation for the multi-million dollars spent on advertising and intense lobbying of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which resulted in about 74 percent of U.S. consumers believing that soy products are healthy. Australia has traditionally prided itself as being a dairy consuming nation, due to the fact that we have such abundant supply of cattle. However, lactose intolerance is becoming a health concern recognised by the medical profession; accordingly, soy is becoming very popular as an alternative to dairy, following in the footsteps of US consumers in believing that all soy-based products have health benefits. In reality, the research that has concluded that all soy products are healthy is far from accurate, and very much skewed by economic motives.

Let's examine why soy products are far from healthy:

For greater clarity, soy products are classified into two main groups: fermented and unfermented. There are also another two sub-groups: organic and Genetically Modified (GM). The GM soy is to be avoided at all costs, as the hazards of GM are some of the worst innovations of modern day bio-technology. Not only are all GM products unhealthy to humans and animals but also to the normal plants that grow in the surrounding area, due to the natural process of winds causing cross-pollination, resulting in mutated species of what were once natural variations of plants. This topic is too vast to cover in this article but for more research, visit (http://www.non-gm-farmers.com) .

The unfermented soy category is a most problematic one. It includes soy products, such as tofu, bean curd, all soy milks, soy infant formulae, soy protein powders and soy meat alternatives, such as soy sausages/veggie burgers, made from hydrolysed soy powder.

So what is wrong with unfermented soy products?

Soy belongs to the family of legumes. Other members of the legume family include beans - such as adzuki, red kidney, navy, barlotti, etc., as well as chickpeas. Peanuts are included as well, as they are technically not a nut but a legume. All legumes and whole-grains - such as, rice, barley, oats, wheat and rye - contain amounts of phytic acid. Being a legume, soy contains a high amount of phytic acid. So, what's wrong with phytic acid? A number of things - yet, in some cases, phytic acid can also be beneficial.

Phytic acid's structure gives it the ability to bind minerals, proteins and starch, and results in lower absorption of these substances. Hence, phytic acid, in large amounts, can block the uptake of essential minerals, like calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and especially zinc in the intestinal tract. Soy also inhibits the uptake of one of the most important minerals needed for growth and metabolism, iodine, which is used by the thyroid gland in the production of thyroid hormones.
However, for non-vegetarian men, phytic acid may prove to be quite helpful, due to its binding/chelating ability with minerals.

Since a large percentage of non-vegetarian adult males have excess iron, phytic acid would be helpful to them by binding the excess iron. But we need to bear in mind phytic acid will simultaneously bind other minerals, such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. In the case of children and menstruating women, the phytic acid in soy can be a serious negative, as women and children need iron. In women, iron is needed to replace the loss during their menses and in children iron is required for growth and development.

Apart from the phytic acid-related phenomena, there are additional factors that make soy an unhealthy choice.

Soy:

* contributes to thyroid disorder, especially in women

* promotes kidney stones

* weakens the immune system

* contributes to food allergies and digestive intolerance

Perhaps the most disturbing of soy's ill effects on health has to do with its phytoestrogens, which can mimic the effects of the female hormone, oestrogen. These phytoestrogens have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues, and drinking only two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough of the chemical to alter a woman's menstrual cycle.

Soy is particularly problematic for infants and it would be very wise to avoid giving them soy-derived products, since it has been estimated that infants who are exclusively fed soy formula receive the equivalent of five birth control pills worth of oestrogen every day. Check out (www.westonaprice.org) to find some alarming research and statistics on what can go wrong when infants and children are regularly fed soy formula.

In order to derive some benefit from soy, consuming only fermented soy products - such as organic miso (mugi barley and genmai miso are the best), organic tempeh, soy sauce or tamari and natto - is the way to do it. This is because the phytic acid, which is inherent in soy beans, has been neutralized in the process of fermentation. Consuming fermented soy is very beneficial in recolonizing the friendly bacteria in the large intestine, which neutralizes the 'unfriendly' bacteria and allows for greater general assimilation of foods and nutrients.

So, fermented soy is of benefit and unfermented soy is not. It is not only soy that needs to be fermented but whole-grains as well. In fact, grains (apart from millet, buckwheat and couscous) and legumes are best consumed after soaking them for 48-72 hours prior to cooking, which allows fermentation to take place. The soaking of grains and beans is also advocated in the principles of macrobiotics, which is very popular amongst vegetarians. Yet many vegetarian restaurants do not have time or forget to incorporate this very important process in their vegetarian cooking and thus people who regularly eat out at vegetarian restaurants might develop severe mineral deficiencies due to the large consumption of phytic acid in their diet.

Another common fallacy is that soy foods couldn't possibly have a downside because Asian cultures eat large quantities of soy every day and consequently remain free of most western diseases. In reality, the people of China, Japan and other Asian countries eat very little soy. The soy industry's own figures show that soy consumption in China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan ranges from 10 to 90 grams per day. That is grams of soy food, not grams of soy protein alone. Compare this with a cup of tofu (250 grams) or soy milk (240 grams). Many Americans and Australians today would be consuming a cup of tofu and a couple of glasses of soy milk every day. They might also add veggie burgers to this, thinking they are getting their much needed protein intake. Infants on soy formula are probably the most disadvantaged, as that is their main source of nutrition and they ingest large amounts of soy relative to their body weight. Often the side effects are not noticed but, as they are growing up, runny noses, frequent colds, irritability, severe sugar cravings and food intolerance develop.

The summary below outlines the adverse effects of unfermented soy products:

* Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.

* Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.

* Soy phytoestrogens are potent anti-thyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D.

* Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.

* Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.

* Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.
Source: (www.westonaprice.org)

In contrast, consuming organic fermented soy products is quite beneficial. Consuming even small amounts of unfermented soy on a regular basis could cause some adverse effects in our body. Next time you consider drinking soy milk; perhaps instead consider oat milk, coconut milk or goat's milk. Some people who are allergic to dairy can tolerate goat milk and goat cheese products in small quantities. Replacing soy and regular milk with these alternatives allow us to enjoy our beverages and cereals without harming our health.

References:

(http://www.phytochemicals.info/phyt...)

(http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/ind...)

Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favourite Health Food by Kaayla Daniel (http://www.mothering.com/articles/g...)

About the author

Teya Skae M.A. ATMS
Corporate Wellness Presenter/Researcher and Author
As the founder of Empowered Living Teya has developed a results based I.D.E.A.L Solutions for increasing your energy, focus and personal Success!

Easy Way To Make Whey

"Allevato con la scotta il dottore e in bancarotta."                                                            Which translates into English "If everyone were raised on whey, doctors would be bankrupt.” - expression from Italy regarding the benefits of whey (circa 1777). 

Whey is the liquid left behind when separating curds from fermenting milk, yogurt, kefir or other cultured dairy products, and is a nourishing food in its own right!

Whey, called "healing water" by the ancient Greeks, is filled with nourishing probiotic (pro-life) activity, protein, healing fats, vitamins, and minerals (particularly potassium) and is an excellent digestive aid, yet lacks lactose.  In reference to its living friendly bacteria, Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, explains:  “These friendly creatures and their by-products keep pathogens at bay, guard against infectious illness, and aid in the fullest possible digestion of all food we consume.”    

This healing water will encourage repair of gut dysbiosis – a condition that is more and more common in today’s world and is an underlying cause of numerous, now common “diseases” from allergies to candidiasis to autism.

SO LETS GET STARTED....  THE EASY WAY TO MAKE WHEY!

Makes about 2 pints

Making Whey With Yogurt or Kefir

Ingredients:

Yogurt or kefir (2 cups) — (Whole Foods sells organic Kefir and Yogurt)

Equipment:

Strainer
Clean cheesecloth, or clean butter muslin or a tightly woven, non terrycloth dishtowel

Directions:

1. Set a large steel mesh strainer in a large glass or plastic bowl or pitcher (do not use metal) and line it with some cheesecloth, butter muslin or a very thin dishtowel (if you use a thick one, it will soak up too much of the liquid)

2. Transfer the yogurt or kefir into the strainer.

3. Let it drip for a few hours. When the dripping slows, tie the cheesecloth or towel to a wooden spoon (or any big spoon) and place the spoon on top of the pitcher to where the towel of yogurt is hanging suspended in the pitcher from the spoon. You can also tie the cheesecloth to a cupboard handle and let it drip into the bowl below.

4. Let it drip overnight.

5. When it is has completely stopped dripping, pour the the liquid whey that dripped into the bowl or pitcher into a clean glass mason jar and store in the fridge. It will keep for about 6 months.

6. The white creamy stuff in the towel is cream cheese, and can be used in recipes or spread on toast. It will last a few weeks to a month in the fridge.

How to Make Whey With Raw Milk

Ingredients:
Raw milk (2 quarts) — *see where to buy milk below.
----*Whole foods also carries Straus Milk which is the next best thing to raw milk as it is pasteurized using the HTST method. 

 (don’t try this with ultra pasteurized found in most grocery stores!).

1. Place 2 quarts of the milk in a glass jar, bowl or pitcher and leave at room temperature for 2-4 days until the milk separates into curds and whey.

2. Pour into the strainer lined with cheesecloth. Follow instructions above.

Want to make something now, with all that Whey that you just made?

Make ricotta. Just take the whey and heat it to 200 degrees F plus. If your whey is acidic enough, little specs of the albumen will start to precipitate out once it gets to around 200. If this does not happen, add a tablespoon or two of white vinegar. Once the albumen starts to separate, maintain the heat for a few minutes so it all has time to set up, then pour through a very fine cheese cloth. In a pinch, you could use papertowels in a colander to drain it. It usually takes several hours, if not overnight, to drain completely.

Salt if you like, then use it however you like. 

You can save the leftover liquid to water plants with (use it with acid loving plants), or your dogs would love it on their next meal!

Here are some more ways to incorporate whey into your diet. 
1. Drink it- straight, mixed with tea, a smoothie or fermented beverage
 
2. Freeze it into cubes and add to smoothies
 
3. Replace a portion of the water used to cook grains- a great way to infuse more minerals into the dish
 
4. Soak your legumes in it to improve digestibility (1 tablespoon for every 1-cup of water as recommended by “Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon”)
 
5. Lacto ferment fruits and vegetables - see Sally Fallon's "Nourishing Traditions" or "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Ellix Katz for instructions

6.  Make it into cheese!  

7. Feed to your pets 

8.  Use whey to pickle

9.  Substitute for raw vinegar in sauces.

10.  Mix whey with 5 parts water and feed your plants - indoor or outdoor.

and... one more simple way to enjoy Whey: 

WHEY LEMONADE: Add 1/3 cup of honey OR 1/4 cup agave nectar OR 1/3 cup coconut crystals and the juice of 2 lemons to 1 quart of whey. Add ice! That’s it! (be sure to dissolve the honey in room temp. whey before adding ice ) 

Where to buy raw milk in Arizona

• Benson/Pomerene (45 mi E of Tucson ): Fiore di Capra, "Flower of the Goat," Alethea and Michael Swift, Phone: (520) 586-2081, E-mail: altrece@q.com, Web:http://www.goatmilkandcheese.com (dairy) and http://www.altrece.com (farm). Arizona's only Grade A goat dairy and creamery located 45 miles SE of Tucson in Pomerene, AZ. They ship raw goat milk via UPS Ground service throughout Arizona. They sell a variety of goat cheeses and raw goat milk in 1/2 gallon bottles at the Tucson St. Phillip's Plaza Farmers Market on Sundays. On-site sales available (please phone to coordinate). Handmade goat's milk soaps and lotions also available. Visit the farm website to view the farm and animals. Sign up for e-mail list. Telephone calls and questions are welcome.
• Colorado City: Meadowayne Dairy, Terrill Johnson, 385 Juniper St, Colorado City AZ 86021, Phone: (928) 875-2568, Email: meadowaynedairy@gmail.com , Web:http://www.meadowayne.net. State-certified raw milk, cream, and several kinds of raw cheese, plus cottage cheese and squeaky cheese curds.
• Fountain Hills/Scottsdale/Phoenix area: Chubby Cheeks Farms, Aunt Z, E-mail: chubbycheeks@gmail.com, Web: http://naturopathicfood.com/?p=43. Beyond organic practices results in a very high butterfat content and heavenly milk. Cow and goat dairy is available, and current pick up is in Fountain Hills, but with demand anywhere in the surrounding area can become a drop off point. Best way to contact is by emailing your name and number to the address above. Website above gives more details, but actual farm site is currently under construction.
• Queen Creek (SE of Phoenix): Save Your Dairy, Jackie Calamos, Phone: (480) 279-4474, Web: http://saveyourdairy.com. They are a small, Grade A dairy, licensed by the state of Arizona. They produce, bottle and distribute only raw cow's milk throughout the state. They are committed to the education of their employees and consumers regarding the health benefits of raw milk. Currently located at the NW corner of Higley & Riggs, but need to find a new home very soon, as a shopping center will be built on the land they lease. Anyone knowing of a small dairy for sale, or acreage to lease or purchase, please contact Owner Jackie Calamos through the website or phone listed above.
• NW Tucson/Marana: Hoofs 'n Horns, Shelby Brawley, Email: shelby.hoofsnhorns@yahoo.com , Web: http://www.hoofsnhorns.com. Small mother/daughter farm animal rescue. Milk is not sold or distributed, members pick up at the farm, groups available to rotate all over town, mainly full cream Jersey or Holstein cow milk, some goats milk available year round.
• South-West of Phoenix: Email: justamorgan@live.com. Small family owned operation with La Mancha Dairy Goats, horses, pony, sheep, and chickens. Milk is not sold or distributed. Currently under Arizona Law they are only allowed to sell milk for pet food use only. AZ Dept. Of Ag. Environmental Services Division License No. 3657.
• Tucson: Hoofs 'n Horns, Shelby Brawley, Tucson AZ, Email: shelby.hoofsnhorns@yahoo.com , Web: http://www.hoofsnhorns.com. Cow and goat milk shares.