This is the simplest way to enjoy milk kefir - blended with frozen berries into a thick, probiotic-rich smoothie that's best served icy cold. The frozen fruit creates the perfect texture, but here's a brilliant trick: pour excess milk kefir into ice cube trays and freeze. You'll always have kefir cubes ready to add to smoothies, creating an even creamier result.
Milk kefir is perhaps the most powerful ferment you can make at home. It's loaded with tryptophan, an amino acid renowned worldwide for soothing the nervous system. Kefir also contains active lactase enzymes, which is why even people with lactose intolerance often digest it with ease, and why it provides such effective support for digestive health.
Note - I often add half a frozen banana or for sweetness and creamier outcomev
Ingredients
Use frozen berries of your choice. Blackberries, raspberries and blueberries are always a fabulous blend. If you have your own source, pick and freeze while you can. Adding frozen fruit to this makes it more delicious I think. You can also use a frozen mango for a Mando lassi effect, forgoing the spices and just blending the frozen mango and milk kefir. YUM.
750ml Milk Kefir
1 cup of frozen berries
1/2 cup banana, frozen or fresh
A dash maple syrup, if you don't have a banana
A drop of vanilla (takes the edge off for fussy people)
A pinch of cinnamon (good for you)
Directions
Add milk kefir to blender - 500mls liquid and 6 frozen into cubes if you have.
Add berries and broken banana
If you feel the need, a dash of maple syrup is good, vanilla and cinnamon too
Blend.
Enjoy. Pour excess into icy pole molds, or if frozen enough add to a bowl with nuts and seeds to eat for breakfast.
Recipe Note
Scale the recipe up or down using roughly 150g frozen berries per 500ml milk kefir
Kefir ice cubes create an extra-thick, frosty texture - make them whenever you have excess kefir
Use any combination of frozen berries you enjoy
The tanginess of your kefir will vary batch to batch - adjust sweetness accordingly
This smoothie is naturally thick - add a splash more milk kefir if you prefer it thinner
Why This Works
The cold temperature is essential - it masks any sharpness from the kefir's natural tang and creates a refreshing drink rather than a sour one. Frozen fruit does double duty, providing both flavour and the icy thickness that makes this feel like a treat rather than a health drink (though it's absolutely both).
Ingredients
Use frozen berries of your choice. Blackberries, raspberries and blueberries are always a fabulous blend. If you have your own source, pick and freeze while you can. Adding frozen fruit to this makes it more delicious I think. You can also use a frozen mango for a Mando lassi effect, forgoing the spices and just blending the frozen mango and milk kefir. YUM.
750ml Milk Kefir
1 cup of frozen berries
1/2 cup banana, frozen or fresh
A dash maple syrup, if you don't have a banana
A drop of vanilla (takes the edge off for fussy people)
A pinch of cinnamon (good for you)
How to
Add milk kefir to blender - 500mls liquid and 6 frozen into cubes if you have.
Add berries and broken banana
If you feel the need, a dash of maple syrup is good, vanilla and cinnamon too
Blend.
Enjoy. Pour excess into icy pole molds, or if frozen enough add to a bowl with nuts and seeds to eat for breakfast.
Drink as is, pour over your granola or as a base in a frozen bowl. So yummy for a breakfast smoothie in the summer. Also great for freezing into icy poles. You could add a splash of coffee too (we did).
