The holidays are right around the corner which means big feasts and food comas will
ensue. However, what if there was a way to feed your family nutritious meals that won’t make them feel too full and are packed with tons of probiotics? Luckily, there are several ways to sneak fermented foods into your regular recipes that are both tasty and good for the gut. We promise even the pickiest of eaters won’t know the difference. But their gut will, in a good way.
Kefir is a fermented drink, traditionally made using cow’s or goat’s milk and is made by adding kefir grains to milk. These are not cereal grains, but grain-like colonies of yeast and lactic acid bacteria. Over 24 hours, the microorganisms in the kefir grains multiply and ferment the sugars in the milk, turning it into kefir. The grains are then removed from the liquid and can be used in all types of recipes.
Kefir is all the rage in the natural health community and research supports several
benefits including being a more powerful probiotic than yogurt, having potent
antibacterial properties, improving bone health and helping with digestive problems.
If it isn’t appealing on its own, try this amazing spin on traditional mashed potatoes.
Probiotic Mashed Potatoes
- 3 lbs of russet potatoes
- 1 stick of grass-fed butter
- 1 Tbsp of fermented garlic
- ½ cup of half and half or bone broth
- ½ cup of kefir
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Wash potatoes and chop into quarters, throw in pot, cover with water and gently boil until fork tender. Drain water from potatoes. Add rest of ingredients. Blend with mixer or potato masher.
