Water Kefir & Healthy Cooking Workshop

It is time to stop drinking soda (which is bad for you) and opt for something that tastes a million times better, is healthy ... and is much more affordable!!!

Instructor: Barbara Lovas, Th.D.
February 28, 2015,  2pm -- 4pm

5324 Canal Blvd, NOLA, 70124

(Enter the side door, downstairs, facing Hawthorne Place)

Cost: $10 (Pay at the door)

(R.S.V.P. -- due to limited space -- 504-722-2967 or bblovas1@yahoo.com)

 Another last minute water kefir workshop because my kefir is growing so fast that I need to give some away!!!

Those who attend will be given some grains and instruction on how to make water kefir. I will include a recipe and resources. Please bring to the workshop a regular canning jar (pint or quart).   I will provide you with all the instructions, ingredients and the recipe needed to make your first batch. So, you will go home prepared to make your first batch. As always, I don't sell my grains or scobies, but will give them away.  

We will go over general guidelines to eating healthy. Topics will include homegrown probiotics, fermented foods, and our body's need for fatty acids. We will also discuss how to make healthy tasty alternatives to replace foods that we need to eliminate from our diets. Of course, you can expect me to fuss a bit about white table salt (poison) and artificial sweeteners (poison) ... but I will give you healthy alternatives! In fact, I will give you an opportunity to taste them.

NOTE: We will not make any other recipes during this workshop ... last time we barely made it through 2 of the three we had scheduled. Instead, I will tell you about recipes and provide any recipes you are interested in via email after our workshop. If you want milk kefir, water kefir or a kombucha scoby, remember those are available according to my supply. That being said; If you ask in advance, I should have some milk kefir grains and maybe some kombucha ready to give away on the day of the workshop.  As I always give away kefir and kombucha for free. If you need an interpreter, please request an interpreter immediately: specify the language needed.

Don't worry, if you accidentally kill the kefir I have given you, I will always be glad to give you more.

If you are interested in attending this workshop, please reply to this e-mail and let me know you plan to go so I can hold your seat.  Feel free to invite your friends, just make sure you inform me, so they are added into my headcount.:)  I am looking forward to seeing you there. Seize the day!!!  Barbara

seizethedayz.blogspot.com

http://bblovas1.wix.com/healthy-homemade-#

To see a video of what kefir looks like while u are making it, go to my Youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3UXqd9R4R8&feature=player_embedded.

This workshop is sponsored by CBBDC  at http://www.neworleansdeafchurch.org and co-sponsored by New Orleans Sign Language Services at http://www.neworleanssignlanguageservices.com/

What's the Deal with Acidic and Alkaline Foods?

You hear that it is not good for your body to be too acidic... that cancer and all kinds of bad stuff love to live in an acidic environment... then, you hear that Kombucha and lemons are good to eat. Go figure! This explanation might help you: Kombucha can be found in both ACID and ALKALINE lists... because sometimes an acidic food can act as an alkaline and visa versa. For example, lemons are acidic and are actually alkaline forming in the body; therefore, good for you.There are several lists of alkaline and acid forming foods. Here is my favorite list, it is the most concise I have found, PLUS it has lots of explanations for everything in the lists. I copied and pasted the list from the ALKALINE/ACID FORMING FOODS. Please take the time to go to this website and read more about this. There is no reason to re-create the wheel -- the info is there ... it is reader friendly, and has been very well put-together. So, let me make my intro short and sweet, so you can get to the real meat of my message here:

The below list has been copied from their chart information. More info is available at http://www.rense. com/1.mpicons/ acidalka. htm

ALKALINE FORMING FOODS

VEGETABLES
GarlicAsparagusFermented VeggiesWatercressBeetsBroccoliBrussel sproutsCabbageCarrotCauliflowerCeleryChardChlorellaCollard GreensCucumberEggplantKaleKohlrabiLettuceMushroomsMustard GreensDulceDandelionsEdible FlowersOnionsParsnips (high glycemic)PeasPeppersPumpkinRutabagaSea VeggiesSpirulinaSproutsSquashesAlfalfaBarley GrassWheat GrassWild GreensNightshade Veggies

FRUITS
AppleApricotAvocadoBanana (high glycemic)CantaloupeCherriesCurrantsDates/FigsGrapesGrapefruitLimeHoneydew MelonNectarineOrangeLemonPeachPearPineappleAll BerriesTangerineTomatoTropical FruitsWatermelon

PROTEIN
Eggs (poached)Whey Protein PowderCottage CheeseChicken BreastYogurtAlmondsChestnutsTofu (fermented)Flax SeedsPumpkin SeedsTempeh (fermented)Squash SeedsSunflower SeedsMilletSprouted SeedsNuts

OTHER
Apple Cider VinegarBee PollenLecithin GranulesProbiotic CulturesGreen JuicesVeggies JuicesFresh Fruit JuiceOrganic Milk(unpasteurized)Mineral WaterAlkaline Antioxidant WaterGreen TeaHerbal TeaDandelion TeaGinseng TeaBanchi TeaKombucha

SWEETENERS
SteviaKi Sweet

SPICES/SEASONINGS
CinnamonCurryGingerMustardChili PepperSea SaltMisoTamariAll Herbs

ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
MaitakeDaikonDandelion RootShitakeKombuReishiNoriUmeboshiWakameSea Veggies

ACID FORMING FOODS

FATS & OILS
Avocado OilCanola OilCorn OilHemp Seed OilFlax OilLardOlive OilSafflower OilSesame OilSunflower Oil

FRUITS
Cranberries

GRAINS
Rice CakesWheat CakesAmaranthBarleyBuckwheatCornOats (rolled)QuinoaRice (all)RyeSpeltKamutWheatHemp Seed FlourDAIRYCheese, CowCheese, GoatCheese, ProcessedCheese, SheepMilkButter

NUTS & BUTTERS
CashewsBrazil NutsPeanutsPeanut ButterPecansTahiniWalnuts

ANIMALPROTEIN
BeefCarpClamsFishLambLobsterMusselsOysterPorkRabbitSalmonShrimpScallopsTunaTurkeyVenison

PASTA (WHITE)
NoodlesMacaroniSpaghettiOTHERDistilled VinegarWheat GermPotatoes

DRUGS & CHEMICALS
AspartameChemicalsDrugs, MedicinalDrugs, PsychedelicPesticidesHerbicides

ALCOHOLBeerSpiritsHard LiquorWine

BEANS & LEGUMES
Black BeansChick PeasGreen PeasKidney BeansLentilsLima BeansPinto BeansRed BeansSoy BeansSoy MilkWhite BeansRice MilkAlmond Milk

HOW TO MAKE KEFIR WATER

Drinking water kefir is a great way to fix just about any stomach problem you are dealing with. It is full of all kinds of friendly bacteria that can colonize in your intestines to help get your stomach's flora back in shape. Surprisingly many of our health problems are directly related to our ability to absorb and use nutrients via digestion. Digestion is large factor in determining our overall health. That is where kefir comes in. Let me steal a quote from Lucille Ball in her skit for the VitaMitaVegimin commercial, "and its so yummy too!"

Lately, everyone is running to buy special yogurts with added friendly bacteria. Yogurt is great! But making it yourself is even better and a lot cheaper. We really should take advantage of all of the friendly bacteria found in such things as yogurts, milk/water kefirs and kombuchas. Each contains different benefits. Here is a basic, not exhaustive, list of the kinds of friendly bacteria found in Water Kefir:

* Lactobacillus brevis
* Streptococcus lactis
* Saccharomyces cerevisae
* Betabacterium vermiforme
* Saccharomyces pastorianus.

There are many variations of kefir water. My favorites are are made with Ginger/Figs and Ginger/Raisins. Before I begin to explain how to make kefir water, I first want to give credit to Dom, the man who taught me everything I know about it. He has helped me more times than I can count. If after reading this you become interested in making your own kefir water, I highly recommend that you check out Dom's website:
Dom's kefir info webpage http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html .

Here are the measurements I use for a quart size jar:

water kefir
3 cups spring water
3.5 - 4 TBS of grain
1/4 sugar
1/8 tsp sea salt (Celtic or Himalayan is best)
2 small ginger slices
slice of lemon
2 small or one large dried fig (or raisins)

mix (stir) water, salt and sugar well (until dissolved)
add grains
add lemon, figs and ginger
(carefully stir one more time)

-- Stir after 24 hours and ferment for another 24 hours -- when the temperature is warmer it ferment faster. Taste it to make sure it is ready. When the sweetness is gone, it is ready! Be sure to leave enough room in your container for it to grow... and burp it in the fridge from time to time. I have heard of exploding kefir bottles. So don't forget to burp your bottles!

Of course, I make mine in gigantic pickle jars. Which, for you, would just require multiplying the ingredients accordingly. If you are interested in learning more about making your own water kefir or finding out more about the benefits of drinking it, check out these websites:

How to make kefir http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html
Kefir FAQ http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefir-faq.html

Some of you are now wondering about milk kefir. I will talk more about that later!