Welcome to Cultured Food Life

 

 Learn to make probiotic foods in your home.

 

Over 60 recipes and 50+ color pictures on how to make Kefir, Kombucha, Cultured Vegetables and Sprouted flour. Question and answers about each of these, and my story of how my family healed.

Click Here To Order

Available in Soft Cover or E- Book

 

 

 

Dramatically improve your health by eating foods filled with dynamic probiotics that supercharge your body! Ordinary foods become powerful health agents in a few easy steps using ancient wisdom and time-tested techniques such as natural fermentation. Author and educator Donna Schwenk tells her compelling story of how she transformed her family’s health by creating foods that conquer sicknesses, including diabetes, high blood pressure and IBS. Hundreds of families have attended Donna’s seminars and renewed their health, changing their lives forever! After numerous requests from her seminar participants, Donna has provided this compilation of over sixty delicious recipes that were the key to her own success. With her simple step-by-step instructions, you too can learn to make delicious probiotic foods that will create wellness and restore your health.


 

Categories: Uncategorized | 4 Comments

New Cultured Food Class

When: February 23, 2011 7:00 to 8:00 pm   
Where: Greenacres Market
4175 Mulberry Drive
Kansas City, MO
816-746-0010

Learn to make live-cultured foods are loaded with probiotics  and enzymes that can transform your life.

GreenAcres Market
Welcomes back Donna Schwenk to learn how simple it is to make your own kefir, kombucha, and cultured vegetables.
Empower yourself with simple techniques for fermenting these
healthful foods in your own home.

Now is the time to improve our health and make good        
nutrition choices. Fermented foods improve digestion, help
us to better absorb the nutrients we are consuming and
restore the proper balance of bacteria in our system. They
are fun to eat and make and can be less expensive than
taking vitamins and enzymes from a supplement.

Donna Schwenk is the chapter leader for the Weston Price
Foundation, who are dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense
foods to the human diet through education, research and
activism.

This is a FREE class, and reservations are requested. Call
816-746-0010

*There will be starter cultures to purchase at the class for
$15, but reservation is required to reserve and purchase a
live culture.

February 23,2011 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Greenacres Market
4175 Mulberry Drive                                                                   
Kansas City, MO
816-746-0010

 

Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments

The Dog That Kefir Saved

My Holli (on left) and her friend Anna.

Some one of the best friends I have today are because of cultured foods. I meet people who are looking to be well and who either come to one of my classes or who find me through friends, to purchase kefir grains. Dionne is one of those people, who I immediately liked and felt connected too. She is not only a wonderful friend but her little girl Anna is one of my daughter’s best friends. It so happens that Anna raises chickens and used to be allergic to eggs but now can eat them a few times a week without major problems. They feed their chickens wonderful things  and this is where I get my eggs from every week.

Dionne has a dog; Christian that got very sick two years ago in February. He had bloody explosive stools and vomiting. They took him to the vet and ran tests and couldn’t find anything. They put him on three medications, that sort of helped, but he had to have a strict diet of chicken and rice. If they deviated from it, the bloody diarrhea would return, and the vomiting. This went on for seven months, and in September, Dionne came to my class and got kefir grains and started making kefir smoothies for her family. She thought if this was so good for her family, that it might help Christian. She mixed some kefir in his food because she  had run out of medication at that time. In three days of no medication and kefir everyday, the bloody stools and stomach upset stopped.  Now Christian has a cup of kefir a day and can eat anything. He is as happy as he can be. Many times when he sees Dionne with the blender making kefir smoothies, he follows her around begging for more. She told me of this story and how awful it had been when he was sick. She could not believe that in three days after months of being sick, kefir fixed him. They call him, “the dog that kefir saved”.

I have heard of so many stories of intestinal disorders that kefir has fixed.

I had a man who came to my class’s who had been on constipation medication for many years who got off of it quickly after consuming kefir for a few weeks.

I had another mom who had an infant with terrible ulcers that nothing seemed to help, but with in a month of consuming kefir the ulcers were gone.

I had another woman who came to my class whose husband had a rare disease where everything it ate had to be pureed or he would get very sick. After a few weeks on kefir he could eat solid food again with no problem.

Never underestimate how much the colon loves the bacterias in Kefir. It is these very bacteria  that do a myriad of functions everyday.

The main functions of the colon are absorption of water and minerals, and the formation and elimination of feces.The colon contains nearly 60 varieties of microflora or bacteria to aid digestion, promote vital nutrient production, to maintain pH balance, and to prevent growth  of harmful bacteria.

These bacteria provide important functions such as the synthesis of folic acid and valuable nutrients from foods, including vitamins ‘K’ and portions of the ‘B’ complex. Bacillus coli and acidophillus comprise the majority of healthy bacteria in the colon along with many other disease producing bacteria in lesser numbers.

The process of digestion, from ingestion of food to defecation, normally takes between 12 to 24 hours assuming that the colon is fully functional and non-toxic. Irregular or infrequent bowel movements can allow toxic residues, from the by-products of undigested foods, to remain in the colon.

Bottom line, your body needs these good bacteria to help them do their job. Give it to your kids, your dogs and other animals in your house and watch what happens. Kefir saved me too.

 

Me and Christian. Kefir lovers forever!

 

How to Make Kefir.


 

 

 

 

 

Categories: Kefir, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Probiotic Pickle Poppers

I was driving home from gymnastics in the car with my little Holli. She is really an old soul in a little body. There are times that she will cause me to think in such deep ways, that it will astonish me that she is only ten.

That particular day she looked at me in the car and said, ” Mom why do you think you had me so much later in life than Maci, (26-year-old sister) and DJ (24-year-old brother)?” Before I could answer she continued. ” I think I know. You wanted to learn things, and you learned a lot by having me. And you know what else mom? I think when you had me I needed you. So we just needed each other. Don’t you think?” I shook my head and grabbed her little hand. ” I really needed you Holli”, I said. “More than you will ever know.” Then she asked me if she could help me make cook something fun when we got home. She had a new apron and wanted to wear it because it had big pockets.

I did need this little one. I would have never found cultured foods or have the health and life I love so much without the hard road of having a premature infant, diabetes and a slew of other problems that surface when I had her at 41 years old. Turned my life upside down and the pain caused me to search in ways I could never have imagined. The sun was shining just down the road. I just had to keep moving.

I am so thankful for this journey that has brought me such joy. Even though it didn’t look like it in the beginning. Out of the mouth of babes.. sometimes great wisdom comes.

These little bites are super easy to make and something you can take to parties. People will never suspect that they were pro-biotic because they are so delicious. If you don’t have homemade fermented pickles in your fridge you can buy them. The brand Bubbies in the refrigerated section at most health food store and some grocery stores are a great easy way to make these and they are pro-biotic too.

Probiotic Pickle Poppers

5 – pickle spears ( Lacto fermented homemade pickles or, Bubbies is a store bought brand that you can also use.)

5 slices of pasture raised ham

5 tbsp of cream cheese

5 tsp of kefir cheese

Mix cream cheese, kefir cheese, together thoroughly. Spread 1 heaping tbsp of cheese mixture evenly onto 1 slice of ham. Roll ham around pickles. Slice pickle into several pieces and serve. Repeat until all pickles are used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: Cultured Vegetables, Kefir, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Detox, chickenpox, colds, flu and cultured foods

When I began eating cultured foods in 2001, I just drank a cup of kefir a day. I started to feel better, so I began drinking a little more. Than I began researching it and started making kefir with raw milk and second fermenting it. I saw even more improvements and became curious about other cultured probiotic foods. One by one over a couple of years, I began eating and learning more of these cultured foods. Foods like cultured veggies to kombucha, lacto fermented sodas and then sprouted grains and sourdough breads. The more I ate these foods, the more I cleaned up other areas of my diet. I felt so good it became and easy process wanting to eat better and better. Eliminating myself of processed foods and junk food. Ditching diet soda, which kombucha finally helped me eliminate. I began looking at food in a whole new way. These foods trained me little by little with the way they made me feel. There were times when I wouldn’t eat them. In the summer when I got lazy, I would forget to have kefir everyday. After about a week or two of no kefir, my knee would start to ache and my blood pressure would start going up. I would go back on kefir and the symptoms would go away. I probably did this a half a dozen times and every time I stop drinking kefir the old symptoms would return and I would have to return to my kefir again.  Now it is more than a food, it is a friend who helps me be at my best everyday.

 

Kombucha had its own methods for training me. When I began drinking kombucha I noticed two things; first I was urinating like crazy and I smelled awful. Body odor that I could not seem to rid myself of for 3 or 4 days. You see kombucha is a huge liver detoxify-er and it pulls out plastics and heavy metals and eliminates them through the bowels and skin. It stopped after a couple of days and I also noticed it did this to my daughter and a friend. We were all needing some serious detoxing after years of eating rather poorly. There was one time when I stopped drinking kombucha for about a month, because I read somewhere that someone in the know didn’t recommend it. I remember that day quite vividly because I felt confused and concerned that I was doing the wrong thing. I had seem dramatic changes in my husband and family. I started researching the types of properties that kombucha made, and discover  a myriad of good yeast, B vitamins and beneficial bacteria that kombucha made and delivered to the body. It was late one night and I had been up researching it and I got a call from my sister Debbie. She is someone who struggles with chronic diarrhea and I had told her about the good yeast in kombucha that helps with this. Saccharomyces boulardii is the powerful good yeast, abundant in kombucha.  It is used as the number one pro biotic in hospitals, called  florastor. She called me that night to tell me that as long as she drank a half a bottle of kombucha a day her diarrhea was under control. Something even drugs couldn’t stop. Her husband is a medical doctor and even he was surprised. The longer I didn’t drink kombucha the more phone calls I got from friends, that kombucha had been helping them. I began drinking it again and once again and I felt so much better that I was convinced of its benefits. It literally can make you feel better in 20 minutes with the amount of B vitamins it delivers to you adrenals.

 

Cultured veggies are such powerful little scrub brushes to the colon and deliver powerful anti-virus abilities, that it astonishes me that everybody doesn’t know about them. Over and over again I have seen these veggies knock out colds and flu and even work magic on food poisoning. The thing that most surprised me was how well they help with my daughters chickenpox.

My 10-year-old Holli was in a theater play where someone had chickenpox, and so everybody in the play who had not had the virus got it. I was actually relieved to see that she was exposed so her body would build up immunity to it. The body is actually made stronger after a virus because of its ability to make its own immunities to it.  In the evening one night I started seeing spots on Holli. She is not one who gets sick, so she started to cry. She was afraid of what all this would mean. I checked her temperature and it was 101, so I knew she had chickenpox. I gave her a spoonful of cultured veggie juice and put her to bed. The next morning she had quite a few pox and kept getting more. I told her she wouldn’t have school for a while and so she thought having chickenpox was going to be ok. The funny thing was the only symptoms had been the fever that one night and the pox. The second day I called my husband into the living room to show him Holli doing hand stands in the living room. The 3rd day she asked me if she go out in the backyard for a little while. Looking out the window I see her twirling around in circles in her pajamas and jumping on the trampoline. I had given her cultured veggies about a spoonful every 6 hours but never expected this. I don’t know about you but when I had chickenpox I was sick as a dog that first week. Was it the veggies? I can not be entirely sure, but I have seen them do miraculous things; from curing food poisoning in an afternoon, to stopping severe vomiting, to killing candida, colds and flu.

 

These foods have guided me to living a healthier life. They  gently pointed the way for me as I followed the bread trail they left for me. These are just a few of the many many stories I have witnessed, and of their ability to heal and make well all who consume them. Counting my blessing everyday that these foods made their way to me. How can I not share  what has been so life changing for me and others? Don’t take my word for it, try them for yourself. Your own life experience is the best teacher. I wish you all a healthier and more joyful 2012.

These food speak for themselves I am just the messenger. ~ Donna

 

Categories: Cultured Vegetables, Kefir, Kombucha, Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Happy New Year Kefir Soda!

This is my favorite kefir soda. It is the mulling spices that make the taste something special. So much better for you than regular soda or holiday drinks. This has kefir cultures in it which gives your body probiotics, and consumes some of the sugar, so you get a delicious drink without tons of sugar. You don’t have to use cranberry peach juice. Pick any flavored juice you like; cranberry, apple, or pomegranate and just add the mulling spice tea bags, culture and water.

Kefir soda is so easy to make and gets super bubbly. Keep tabs on it, because it can get super carbonated. It calms down when you put it in the fridge. Open slowly and it is best to use clamp down bottles to let the carbonation escape naturally. Be careful pulling out the tea bag when ready. It can tear and go into the soda. It taste like the holidays with the mulling spices, but I will be drinking this soda all year-long. I bought 2 boxes of mulling spice tea bags to make sure I had enough to last me through out the year. This way I can make the holidays last all year-long.

 

 

Happy New Year Kefir Soda

Makes 1 liter

2 cups cranberry peach juice (I purchased this at whole foods)
2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh kefir whey or  1 kefir culture package
I tea bag with Mulling spices  or 1 tsp of Mulling spices sealed in a tea bag. (I purchased this at whole foods but have also seen it at my regular grocery store by the apple cider.)

Place kefir pack in water and mix well.
Add all ingredients into a 1-liter bottle with a clamp down lid. Add the tea bag last and it will float at the top so you can remove it when you are done fermenting. Be careful pulling the tea bag out. It can rip and tear open.
If you use the culture package let sit for 2 to 3 days or until bubbly and fizzy. If you use the kefir whey it can take longer 2 to 5 days to become fizzy. You should check it by opening the lid and you will hear and see the fizz. Then it is ready. It should also not be overly sweet but a little tart.
Then place in refrigerator.

You can take 1/3 cup of this fermented soda mixture and add some more peach juice, water and Mullen spices and ferment again. It will ferment faster, usually in a day and sometimes even faster. I have even let it ferment in the fridge. If you use the Kefir culture packages you can do this up to 10 or more times or until it stops becoming fizzy. Then you will need another culture package. If using kefir whey you will have to add more kefir whey (fresh) every couple of batches.

Categories: Kefir, Other Recipes, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Chocolate Kefir Sourdough Waffles

 

I do recommend a piece of good-quality dark chocolate as a healthy snack . . . It is a source of polyphenols, the same type of antioxidants found in red wine, and the fat it contains is stearic acid, which doesn’t affect cholesterol levels. The latest good news for chocolate lovers comes from a study indicating that flavonoids in chocolate are good for your heart. These compounds reduce the stickiness of platelets, cells that play an important role in blood clotting. By eating a 1.5-ounce of chocolate, you get the same amount of these protective compounds as in a 5-ounce glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. – Andrew Weil, M.D.

These wonderful waffles are my little Holli’s favorite recipe to help me make.  You have to start the night before to let the flour soak in the kefir and sourdough. They are so light and crisp you would never guess that they are made with whole wheat flour. I use stevia to cut the sugar but you can add sucanat if you like. Top them with whipped cream and strawberries or raspberries, but they are also delicious with maple syrup. You can save them in the refrigerator or freezer and crisp them up in the toaster the next day. When you soak your flour in kefir and sourdough you deactivate the enzyme inhibitors and sky-rocket the nutrients. These are a special treat around our house and the house is filled with the scent of chocolate all day. We have made them for dinner around the holidays. They are comfort food and also a special treat on a cold winter day. I love them so much, and when I eat them it feels like Christmas morning even when it is summer time. Food was meant to be enjoyed and I can’t think of a recipe that does it better than chocolate kefir waffles.

The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the same preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain. – Thomas Jefferson


 

 

 

 

 Chocolate Kefir Sourdough Waffles

The night before you want the waffles you will make a levain and let it sit out overnight. In the morning it will be ready.

Levain

The next morning you will make this to add to the Levain.

Batter

  • 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon salt
  • pinch of  cinnamon
  • 1/2  cup sucanat (I use stevia to cut the sugar about 4 packages of Truvia)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons  butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 to 3/4  cup dark chocolate chips,  mini chips work especially well

To make the Levain: The night before you want the waffles, or early in the morning if you are planning them for dinner, Weigh 4 ounces of sourdough starter into a glass jar or bowl. Stir in one cup of flour. Stir in one cup of kefir and mix thoroughly till combined. It will be pretty thick. Place cap or cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 8 hours.

To make the batter: When you’re ready to make the waffles, stir the cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.  In  a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the cocoa mixture and stir well; then add the cocoa egg mixture  to the sourdough mixture all at once. Stir thoroughly: you don’t want streaks of unmixed sourdough in your batter. The batter will start to swell from the baking soda acting with the kefir and sourdough. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pre heat your waffle iron and cook according to your manufacturers instructions. About 3 to 5 minutes for my waffles. The waffles will feel soft coming out of the waffle iron but will crisp up again when you remove them.

 

 

Categories: Kefir, Sourdough & Sprouted, Uncategorized | Tags: | 5 Comments

Kefir Peppermint Brownie Cupcakes (Gluten Free)

I went to the Nutcracker Ballet a few weeks ago. My good friend Nancy, had a daughter who was playing Clara in the production. Nancy is not only a dear friend but the editor for my book. She  is so special to me for many reasons. First she is one the biggest givers I know. She is constantly doing things for me. When I went to see the Nutcracker she left a bunch of tickets at will call for me and refused to let me pay for them. This is a nice jester, except Nancy is always doing things like this for me and everyone else in her life. I am constantly thinking of ways to repay her for her kindness. Honestly, I come up with a bunch of recipes for cultured foods, because I am always trying to think of ways to repay her. She loves them too and nothing is more fun than showing up at her house with  new creations that will impress her. When I saw the ballet with her daughter Kayli, it totally inspired me. Such beauty in this ballet and the music creates inspiration in my soul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These little cupcakes are for my friend Nancy and her family, because I know she loves brownies.

This brownie recipe I have made many times. I love that they are made out of walnuts ground into flour. The frosting is so delicious. Decadent brownies, full of a deep rich chocolate taste with a creamy pudding like frosting with a hint of peppermint. Gluten free and the frosting has a surprising ingredient.

Kefir Peppermint Brownie Cupcakes

Walnut Meal Brownies

Makes 12 cupcakes

1- ¾ cup of walnut meal (Walnuts that have been soaked if possible. You can grind them into meal in  a food processor pulsing a few times till ground.)

3/4 cup of cocoa powder

1- ½ baking powder

1- ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup coconut-kefir-eggnog or coconut milk full fat

½ cup honey

2 tsp vanilla

1/3 coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8X8 baking pan. In a small bowl, mix dry together ingredients until well blended. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk eggs for one minute, then add coconut milk, honey and vanilla and whisk again. Stir in melted coconut oil and whisk again until all ingredients are completely blended. Stir liquid into dry ingredients and mix well. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so no pockets of dry ingredients remain. Batter will appear thinner than regular brownies. Scoop with ice cream scoop into muffin tin and fill cups 1/2 full. Bake in over for 25 to 30 minutes.

Peppermint Kefir Frosting

 

1/2 cup kefir cheese (If you don’t have any you can use Greek Gods Kefir cheese)

1 block cream cheese softened

1 ripe avocado, skins removed

3/4 cup coconut sugar or sucanat (grind into powder in blender before adding and it dissolves easier).

2/3 cup coconut cream or butter

1 tsp rum vanilla or regular vanilla

1 tsp peppermint extract

1 tsp celtic sea salt

In food processor or with hand mixer, mix first four ingredients until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and process again until smooth and well mixed. Spread or pipe on top of brownies.

 

 

Categories: Kefir, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Coconut Kefir Eggnog (sugar free)

I have an eggnog addiction. I wait all year till Christmas to justify drinking eggnog everyday. I put it in everything.  My coffee and make iced lattes. I put it in my tea and then a Christmas mug. I use it in my scones and cupcakes and even have made it into a custard for breakfast and an eggnog strada. I love it, and when I made a recipe with kefir eggnog and replaced the sugar in it, all my guilt went away.  I could justify why I drink it everyday. It is after all just kefir with a few other ingredients that are incredibly decadent. It is the holidays and I need it. I keep it in a special eggnog jug. I bought this commercial eggnog bottle, just so I could have the glass jug that said eggnog on it to put my own homemade version in.

A couple of times this week my husband asked me why I wasn’t eating much dinner. It was because I had a big glass of eggnog while cooking and was completely stuffed.

 

This is my favorite version. I have many recipes for kefir eggnog but this is the one I keep making because it is super easy and oh my word.. so good.

Don’t you just love the specks of nutmeg in eggnog? It is my favorite part, the little specks.

 

Coconut Kefir Egg Nog

Makes 6 cups

4 egg yolks from pasture raised chickens

27 ounces of coconut milk, full fat

1-cup kefir

4 packages of stevia (I use truvia)

1 tsp. almond extract

¼ cup rum vanilla extract  (You can substitute ¼ cup rum with 1 tsp. vanilla extract)

1-cup heavy cream

Grated nutmeg

Place first six ingredients in blender and blend for 15 seconds. Chill for at least an hour in a cover container. Whip cream with electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Fold into chilled eggnog. Pour into glasses and top with grated nutmeg.

 

Happy Holidays To Everyone. Don’t forget  to have your probiotics through the holidays. People would never guess this is probiotic and good for you. Food should bring you comfort and JOY!

 

 

 

 

Categories: Kefir, Uncategorized | Tags: | 9 Comments

Free Book Give Away.

Happy Holidays to my cultured foodie friends. I will be giving away two free signed books this week.

How to enter: Do one of these or all of them to enter more than once.

Contest over on December 12th. I will notify the winners and send the books as soon as I receive their address.

1.Post a comment on one of my posts on my website.

2. Hit like on Facebook page; Cultured Food Life

3. Follow me on Twitter @Donnakefir

4. Subscribe to my blog on my website. (On the column on the right of my website.)

 

The story of my book.

Summer  2010 I was sitting in a gym class watching my daughter with  my friend Nancy. Nancy is one of those women who has achieved much success in her life. She is full of confidence and her ability to see clearly is indeed something to behold. She looked me square in the eyes that afternoon and with a lot of  intensity  she said to me, ” Donna you have to write this book. It is important, that you share with others what comes so easily to you.”

It was a few months later I had another friend, Shelley who I met at one of my classes.  She again said the same thing to me. ” Girl you need to get this book done, don’t wait”.

You never know how others can impact your life but these two women changed mine. Their words showed up in my dreams and followed me around ringing over and over again in my head, feeling like a gentle hand on my back. Both of these women in their own right inspired me to be more through their own confidence. I was just someone who loved cultured food like I loved my children, but had no idea how to write or publish a book. But the truth was I was already teaching people everywhere I went, how to make these wonderful foods, and I had been doing it for almost 10 years. It was their constant prodding and watching events unfold in my life that caused me to realize that I was being led. Don’t we all have things in our lives that we love and do on a daily basis that others find hard or complicated, but to us they come easily and effortlessly? These are  the gifts I see in others that I admire and respect and wish I could do as easily as they do.

My two friends; Nancy who became my editor for this book and designed the layout that I love so much. Shelley who did the beautiful graphics for my book without me ever asking for it. I had laid in bed one night wishing I had some graphics for my book. I did not know that this was Shelley’s profession and a few days later she sent me the little cultured food pots that you see in my book. She told me that she couldn’t sleep one night until she drew them out.

Shelley’s Sketches


  One other person who also has put her stamp in pictures upon this book, is my daughter Maci. She has for years taken constant pictures and spent hours upon hours editing. She is so good at capturing the heart and soul of a picture whether it is a person or food on a plate. Watching her take pictures of me and pictures of my food always amazed me.  When she had to take a picture of me for the book, I pitched a fit and was not a very good subject. I hate having my picture taken. She would just keep taking them until I would relax and then she would find the shot. She is not just my daughter she is my best friend.

 

This book is a combination of these woman at their best helping me and in turn helping you.
It is my firm belief that we are all in this together, helping one another find our way.

So to all of you who find cultured foods daunting and difficult. I hope I can clear the mucky waters and help you make these foods with ease and regularity. Then watch as they change you from the inside out. Yes, they are that life changing. I have lived it and watched many others do the same.

It is my heart felt desire that I can help you understand what does come easily to me. I do love these foods. They are like good friends who showed up to help me on my life’s journey.
My prayer is that they will help you too. ~ Donna

Categories: Uncategorized | 87 Comments

Parmesan Crisps with Kraut and Cheese

I had these for breakfast this morning. Parmesan crisp with  orange zested goat cheese with some Christmas kraut on top. They take about 10 minutes to make including the time it takes to put them together. Great for people with gluten allergies and for a quick alternative to store-bought crackers. You can add different seasonings if you would like to change the flavor. Paprika adds a  smoky flavor and black pepper can be nice too. Homemade crackers are always better for you. These are so easy you can whip them up in no time. Little things like a spoonful of cultured veggies on a homemade cracker can reap big benefits. One spoonful of cultures veggies has billions of probiotics in it. This can boost your immune system all day. Helps your body fight colds and flu’s and protects you from all kinds of pathogens. On these little crackers it feels like a treat. I love healthy food, but it better taste good or my family won’t touch it!

 

Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary or Italian seasonings (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine seasonings with grated or shredded cheese. Pour a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan or Romano cheese onto a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet and lightly pat down. A silicone baking sheet is highly recommended. Repeat with the remaining cheese spacing the spoonfuls about a 1/2 inch apart.

Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp. Cool. Store in a closed container.

 

Categories: Cultured Vegetables, Other Recipes, Uncategorized | Tags: | 5 Comments