The wonders of the kefir grain explored.

My temporary landlord Russell Busch, who is also a good friend, just introduced me to kefir making. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that contains plenty of healthy probiotics. To make kefir from milk you need kefir grains which are a live and active culture of yeast and bacteria.

Kefir is a very common drink in Eastern Europe and the Nordic countries. I grew up with it and if I remember correctly, the Swedish kefir is thicker, more sour and has a slightly carbonated feel to it. Swedes often eat kefir (with a spoon) together with muesli, cornflakes, fruit or just with sugar and cinnamon. I like my kefir best just plain with fresh fruit or berries. Others prefer making smoothies with frozen berries and fruits as it takes off some of the strong sour flavor. Luckily Kefir has become increasingly common here in the U.S.

The kefir making process is super easy and you don’t really need to do much as the kefir grains do most of the work.

To make kefir you will need:

• kefir grains (which you order online here or here or somewhere else)
• organic whole milk from cow, sheep or goat
• glass jar
• small piece of cheese cloth + rubber band (or similar)
• wood or plastic spoon/ spatula
• fine mesh plastic strainer (or stainless steel)

Note: no metal such as aluminum etc can be used as it will react with the kefir grains. Although, for some reason stainless steel seems to be OK.

Place the new kefir grains in a clean glass jar (about two tablespoons). Pour about 1 cup organic whole milk over the grains. Cover with the cheesecloth and fasten it with a rubber band (I actually just use a plastic lid that is just placed on top). Leave the jar on the counter in room temperature away from any sun.

When the kefir has gotten thicker it is probably done. It should smell pleasantly and have a mild sour taste. At this stage you will have a drinkable kefir. If it stays longer the kefir will start to separate the curdled milk from the whey. Don’t worry, the kefir is still fine, however it will be slightly thicker and have a richer taste. A longer fermentation will also create more probiotics and less lactose. The fermentation will take about 12-36 hours.

When you think you are ready, give the jar a shake and drain it through the plastic strainer to separate the kefir from the grains. It’s important to be gentle with the grains so don’t press them too hard. The kefir grains don’t have to be totally clean from curds for the next batch. The ready-made kefir can be stored in the fridge, preferably in a glass container. It will keep fresh for awhile. If you think the kefir is too loose you can strain it to reduce some of the whey. Leftover whey can be used for many things (see below).

Next Batch
Prepare the next batch by placing the strained kefir grains into a clean glass jar. This time you should add a little more milk and the fermenting process will probably go faster as the grains have grown larger and become more active.

The more kefir you make the bigger the grains will grow, you will therefore need to adjust the amount of milk depending on their size. At some point you need to split the grains up as there is a limit on how much kefir you can make. I suggest giving some grains to a friend or start making other things with it. You can, for example, make kefir drinks by using almond, soy or coconut milk instead of regular milk. In this kind of process the grains will not grow and therefore not last as long. I haven’t tried it yet but my landlord makes coconut kefir drinks daily.

What To Do With The Kefir
There are many other things you can do with the kefir if you don’t just want to drink or eat it. Kefir is excellent in dips, dressings, cakes and bread. It can also be used instead of yeast when baking bread.

Recently I made my own cream cheese or rather fresh cheese by straining the kefir from the whey through a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheese cloth (takes about 24 hours). This creamy cheese can be served plain or flavored with fresh herbs, garlic or anything you like. It’s also great to make pierogi leniwe (Polish lazy pierogi).

You can do many things with the whey such as ferment vegetables, sauerkraut (cabbage) and when diluted 5 times with water it can be used as a fertilizer for your plants. For about a week I collected the leftover whey to make ricotta. I was amazed how well it worked out as the whey just looks like cloudy water.

Storing The Kefir Grains
At some point you may want to have a break in your kefir making and it’s actually possible to store the kefir grains with some milk in your fridge. Just feed them with new fresh milk every now and again. When you start again the grains may not be as active as before the break, so you probably have to start again with just a small amount of milk.

Illustrations by Johanna Kindvall

The post Recipe: Make Your own Kefir Like a True Swede appeared first on EcoSalon.

A colorful and gluten free rendition of an American classic.

Full disclosure: standard American pancakes have never been my thing. Except for a backcountry version made with M&M’s, they have never been one of my breakfast standards. On the too sweet, too fluffy and too thick side, classic pancakes are optimal if you’re looking for a sugar high with an immediate crash. Not quite my style.

However, once in awhile you come across a version of a recipe that changes your perspective. A good friend named Lisa, who has an ongoing oatmeal vs. pancake breakfast debate in her household, came up with this one. As she says, when someone says “bowl of oatmeal or stack of pancakes?” oatmeal is regularly the winner, so she found a way to combine the two. The result is convincing even for those of us that aren’t usually wooed by the traditional breakfast.

This version ups the ante, bringing in flaxseeds, blueberries and a dash of cardamom; they’re even good as an afternoon snack if you manage to set a few aside.

Oatmeal and Flaxseed Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 cup coconut milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 cup blueberries
• Coconut oil for frying

Strawberry and Nectarine Medley

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large organic strawberries, sliced
• 1 organic nectarine, sliced and cubed
• zest of one lime
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar (place a vanilla bean in a jar of sugar and store in your pantry for easy use)
• 2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Directions

Prepare Strawberry and Nectarine Medley by combining all ingredients in a bowl and setting aside.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs together with coconut milk and olive oil.

In a separate bowl. mix together dry ingredients. Add to egg and coconut milk mixture. Stir in blueberries.

Drop about a quarter of a cup into a hot frying pan, greased with coconut oil. Flip the pancakes when the top is bubbly and the edges are slightly dry.

Top with fruit and a dash of powdered sugar if you’re really looking to impress.

Want more food inspiration? Check out the rest of our Sunday Recipe series.

The post Sunday Recipe: Oatmeal and Flaxseed Blueberry Pancakes with Strawberry and Nectarine Medley appeared first on EcoSalon.

A salad that’s as easy to make as it is bright. 

This colorful salad is a springtime staple in my kitchen. Light and fresh, it takes only a few minutes to put together, and the sweeter taste of orange is a perfect offset to the raw cabbage. It’s packed with vitamin C, but if you’re in the mood for a salad that is a little more substantial, add in some cubed avocado.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped red cabbage
• 3 medium sized carrots, chopped
• juice of 1/2 an orange
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Directions

Combine cabbage, carrots and orange juice in a food processor and mix until evenly chopped and blended. Be careful not to over blend, as your salad will end up on the soggy side.

Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with walnuts.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For April it’s all about food that’s easy to travel with, perfect for your spring outings. Enjoy!

The post Sunday Recipe: Red Cabbage and Carrot Citrus Salad with Toasted Walnuts appeared first on EcoSalon.

Vegan cupcakes based on Sex and the City’s famous Vanilla Vanilla Cupcake recipe.

From New York City to Dubai, we’re living in a sugar coated world of cupcake mania. Many reports (like this one from the UK Telegraph) put the addiction blame on the famed Magnolia Bakery.

What started 16 years ago as the tiniest of local cupcake spots on Bleeker Street in New York City’s West Village, has now become an over-heated sensation. Sex in City, followed by Saturday Night Live’s “Lazy Sunday” and The Devil Wears Prada, have all been accused of instigating and spreading the cupcakes-gone-wild craze. Flash through old episodes of Sex in the City and you’re sure to find the one where Carrie and Miranda munch on frosted treats outside the original Magnolia Bakery – back in the day before lines circled around the block.

“I have a crush,” Carrie confesses to Miranda, lips lined with pink buttercream frosting. Was it a cupcake crush? Tourists who happily fork over $48 and more than three hours of their time to take the official Sex in the City Hotspots Tour in New York City–  including a stop at this very spot – can answer best. Walk inside the flagship Bloomingdale’s, or simply follow the trend from New York to Chicago, LA to Dubai or the 120 new locations in the works, and you’ll see that a bad case of the Magnolia cupcake crush is taking the world by sweet-toothed storm.

My memories of Magnolia Bakery go back to those one-location wonder days, post Sex in the City. As a transplanted New Yorker, I recall once dedicating an afternoon standing in the Magnolia line – for what felt like hours – simply to snag a cupcake for a friend’s birthday. Five years later, I tasted a tiny crumble of the infamous Vanilla Vanilla Magnolia Cupcake.

Fast forward to today where I’ve masterminded a vegan, gluten-free edition – starting with the original Vanilla Vanilla Cupcake recipe, compliments of Magnolia Bakery and the Food Network. While this is no baking adventure for the weary, the results are well worth it.

If you’ve already tried your hand at vegan baking, eggs, you well know, can put you in a baker’s bind. Especially when it’s four eggs you’re substituting which serve as a binding agent for your wet and dry ingredients. Since I’m always striving to merge decadence with health, I used a flax seed mix in lieu of eggs?

Flax seeds, it turns out, have been traced back to human consumption since 3000 B.C., and for good reason. It’s even been reported that King Charlemagne, recognizing the incredible health benefits, enacted a law requiring his subjects to consume the tiny, golden seeds daily. Today, flax seeds have been studied and recommended as a preventative treatment for nearly all ailments – from cancer to heart disease to diabetes. Rich in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidant-rich lignans and soluble and insoluble fibers, flax helps cancel out the sugar-high effects of these cupcakes, making them virtually guilt free and easy to digest.

The Original – Magnolia Bakery’s Vanilla Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups confectioners’  sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

The Vegan and Gluten-free Vanilla Vanilla Cupcake Concoction

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

For a gluten-free, self-rising flour mix

• ½ cup sorghum flour
• ½ cup brown rice flour
• ¼ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

For the gluten-free all purpose flour mix

• ½ cup sorghum flour
• ¼ cup brown rice flour
• ¼ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup tapioca flour

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted vegan butter, softened
• 2 cups vegan sugar
• 4 tablespoons ground flax seeds blended with 12 tablespoons warm water (let sit for two minutes to meld)
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (For an extra creamy version, I made my own almond milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted vegan butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups vegan confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cupcakes:

Line 2, 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. In two small bowls, combine each of the flour blends, separately. When mixed separately, whisk together the two blends (self-rising and all purpose). Set aside.

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, and beat until fluffy, for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the egg mixture, in 4 small doses, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well blended.

Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of plant-based food coloring (like beet juice) and mix thoroughly.

Because vegan frosting tends to melt easier than it’s dairy counterpart, store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yields approximately 2 dozen cupcakes.

Images: Jennifer Barckley

The post Vegan This: Vanilla Cupcake Recipe From Magnolia Bakery appeared first on EcoSalon.

Flourless, sweet and salty goodness.

Short on time and ingredients? These gluten free cookies are as easy as a jar of peanut butter sitting in your pantry and an egg in the refrigerator. They can also be made quick enough that you can have them finished before your morning coffee break (no really, we tried it), and the end result is a perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Ingredients

• 1 cup crunchy, salted peanut butter
• 1/3 cup organic turbinado sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions

In a bowl, combine egg, sugar and vanilla extract. Add in peanut butter and chocolate chips and stir together.

Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place on greased baking sheet and flatten carefully with a fork.

Bake at 350F for 12-16 minutes.

Let sit for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For April it’s all about food that’s easy to travel with, perfect for your spring outings. Enjoy!

Images: Anna Brones

The post Sunday Recipe: Peanut Butter Cookies appeared first on EcoSalon.

A cracker that’s jam-packed with everything that’s good for you.

I recently found myself in an upscale grocery store pulling an overpriced box of “Flackers” down from the shelf. There was a dinner party and I was out of time, but let’s be honest: crackers are the last thing you should be paying top dollar for, especially when you can make a delicious version yourself.

These five seed crackers (my mother gets credit for the original recipe) are as easy as mixing some seeds and nuts in a bowl and letting them sit for awhile, and you end up with a crunchy, gluten-free, vegan cracker that’s healthier than you may wish to admit. Top them off with Olive and Cilantro Tapenade and you have your new favorite appetizer.

Five Seed Crackers

Ingredients

• 1 cup flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup water

Directions

Combine water and flaxseeds in a bowl and let sit for three hours.

Mix in rest of ingredients and let sit for an additional hour.

Spread out mixture onto lined baking sheet (a Silpat works great for this) and bake for 45 minutes at 300F.

Reduce heat to 230F and open oven door to let out steam. Bake for another 15-30 minutes and open door again. Check how crispy the crackers are by breaking off a corner. If they still feel soft, bake for an additional 15-30 minutes.

Let cool, and then break into pieces. You will find that you will get some small crumbles. Keep those on hand for sprinkling over salad or your morning yogurt.

Store in an airtight container.

Note: I prepped the flaxseeds and promptly forgot about them – these things happen sometimes – and when I returned home later in the day, the flaxseeds had been soaking for much more than the recipe recommended three hours. I added in the rest of the seeds, let them sit for about an hour and then baked. In this case, letting them sit longer meant slightly less baking time, only about 20 minutes after reducing the oven to 230F.

Olive and Cilantro Tapenade

Ingredients

• 1 6-ounce can of organic black olives
• 1/2 of a roasted pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients in food processor until well blended. Store in airtight container in refrigerator until serving.

Don’t love cilantro? This recipe is just as good without it.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For April it’s all about food that’s easy to travel with, perfect for your spring outings. Enjoy!

The post Sunday Recipe: 5 Seed Crackers with Olive and Cilantro Tapenade appeared first on EcoSalon.

Better than popcorn.

There has been a lot of talk about the benefits of popcorn, but what about other worthy snacks that are quick to make and pack some taste? Start with these roasted chickpeas. The recipe is simple and straightforward and the end result is easily transportable, perfect for outdoor spring adventures.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas with Lime

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can organic garbanzo beans
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• zest of one lime

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Drain and rinse chickpeas.
• Mix all ingredients together in bowl until chickpeas are evenly covered.
• Bake for about 30 – 40 minutes, tossing a few times with a wooden spoon to ensure chickpeas are evenly baked.
• Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For April it’s all about food that’s easy to travel with, perfect for your spring outings. Enjoy!

The post Sunday Recipe: Spicy Roasted Chickpeas with Lime appeared first on EcoSalon.

A healthier alternative to your weekly hamburger patty.

Somewhere in between burgers and falafel you get quinoa cakes. The benefits? These ones are gluten-free, vegan and packed with protein, but you’d never guess it. Serve instead of a veggie burger, or throw on top of a salad and drizzle with tahini.

Whatever you do, you should probably make a double batch.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup finely chopped kale
• 1/2 cup Cannellini or Great Northern beans
• 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts
• 3 cloves of pressed garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons buckwheat flour
• Oil for frying

Directions

• Combine 1 cup water, a dash of salt and quinoa in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until water has boiled off, about 15 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine kale, beans, hazelnuts, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix until a pureed consistency and pour into a separate bowl.
• Add in cooked quinoa and buckwheat flour and mix together until well-blended.
• Place bowl in refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Note: you don’t have to do this, but when the mixture is colder it is easier to form into patties. If you want to fry them up directly, make them a little smaller.
• Form mixture into patties and fry for 2-4 minutes on each side, until they are crisp.

Yields about 6 medium sized cakes depending on the size you make them.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For March it’s all about revamping classics into healthier versions. Enjoy!

The post Sunday Recipe: Kale and Hazelnut Quinoa Cakes appeared first on EcoSalon.

Banana bread revamped and loaded with essential fatty acids.

When it comes to recipes, we all have a few go-to classics, many that we grew up on. Be it apple pie, banana bread or oatmeal cookies, these are our comfort foods. But a lot of the comforting concoctions stashed in our mothers’ and grandmothers’ recipe books were born straight out of the 50s, a time certainly not equated with being health conscious. Fortunately classic recipes can be revamped, and this month in Sunday Recipe we’ll be doing a little experimenting in the kitchen to bring you healthier versions of our favorite classics.

EcoSalon’s Managing Editor Amy DuFault came to me with her mother’s recipe for banana bread, along with the comment, “Been eating this since I was a kid, and this is still how I make it- help!”

Challenge accepted. Here is the original recipe:

Elly D’s Banana Bread

• 2/3 Cups Shortening
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups mashed, ripe bananas
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs

A pretty straightforward recipe, the main culprits are the mass amount of sugar and the shortening, and although I tend to always err on the side of “more butter” in recipes, there is always a time and place for trying new things. Enter, avocado. Yes, avocado. It’s a great substitute for butter and in this recipe, it makes for a very dense and moist bread. And while we’re packing this bread with essential fatty acids, why not throw in some walnuts and sprinkle it with flaxseeds for a nice finishing touch?

Elly D’s Banana Bread Revamped With Avocado and Flaxseeds

Ingredients

• 1 mashed medium size avocado
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups mashed, ripe bananas
• 2/3 cups nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup hempmilk (you can use any type of milk)
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (this depends on how sweet you want your bread)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• Flaxseeds for topping (optional)

Directions

Beat eggs and add in rest of wet ingredients. Beat with a whisk until you get a pureed consistency.

In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased baking pan. Sprinkle with flaxseeds.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.

If you’re really feeling decadent, top it off with some chocolate hazelnut spread.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For March it’s all about revamping classics into healthier versions. Enjoy!

The post Sunday Recipe: Healthy Banana Bread appeared first on EcoSalon.

Forget the oven, just mix and roll.

These Fig and Almond Energy Bites are quick, easy, and don’t involve any baking. They go just as well with an afternoon bike ride or post-run recovery snack as they do with a Sunday evening movie. This is cookie dough without the need for an excuse.

This recipe is adapted from an original recipe by Gimme Some Oven. If you’re up for experimenting, this is your recipe. Since you don’t have to bake them, you can switch out a number of ingredients depending on what you’re in the mood for. Peanut butter instead of almond butter? Sure. Dried cranberries instead of figs? Why not. Make a couple of different batches for the sake of “culinary research.”

Fig and Almond Energy Bites

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats (if you’re gluten-free, make sure they are gluten free certified)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup dried figs, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

• Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, then add in almond butter and honey. Mix together and let sit in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
• Roll into balls.
• Store in refrigerator.
• Eat.

Every month on Sunday Recipe, we bring you a new theme of recipes, perfect for whipping up on a Sunday. For February it’s all about easy things to make for a day with friends. Enjoy!

Images: Anna Brones

The post Sunday Recipe: Fig and Almond Energy Bites appeared first on EcoSalon.