Milk Kefir

When You’re Trying To Get Better…

By Donna Schwenk / February 24, 2024

The Special Superfood Smoothie Scroll down to check out the video 🎥 and 🫙 recipe! If you’ve been sick and not feeling well and trying to recover, or you are…

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Kefir Chia Puddings

By Donna Schwenk / February 17, 2024

Kefir the Immune Booster This is one of my more popular recipes, and I love it because I can make several of them ahead of time to have a fast…

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Asthma and Fermented Foods

By Donna Schwenk / January 27, 2024

One of the first friends I ever told about cultured foods had a little boy with asthma. Making and drinking a kefir smoothie every day allowed him to get off his asthma inhaler and live a normal life. I was quite surprised and thrilled that it worked so rapidly. He had been taking kefir quite regularly and stopped needing his inhaler. […]

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The Thick and Thin of Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / November 21, 2023

I have had my kefir grains for over years and have made kefir every day since. Let me tell you – these kefir grains have a mind of their own. When…

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Fermented Dairy Is Better Than Regular Dairy

By Donna Schwenk / October 14, 2023

History of Milk Many of the foods we eat have been deemed either bad or good. Throughout my life, I have witnessed that many foods once deemed to be super…

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Kefir and Cholesterol

By Donna Schwenk / September 16, 2023

One of my good friends told me her cholesterol had gone up since drinking kefir, and then she said, “That’s my good cholesterol! It went through the roof and my doctor is very pleased.” I got a few emails this week from people expressing to me that since they’ve been consuming kefir […]

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Make Your Condiments – Probiotic!

By Donna Schwenk / August 12, 2023

We all eat condiments. They are easy to make, but most people just buy them. Why don’t you let me help you make them in as little as five minutes? They will have billions of probiotics and are perfectly preserved for months. . .

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Low-Carb Cultured Foods

By Donna Schwenk / July 29, 2023

Low carb and keto diets are very popular right now. I think we’re all different and what works for one doesn’t always work for another which is why I love cultured foods. They fit into any diet be it keto, vegan, low carb, vegetarian, paleo, or raw food diet. These foods can be mostly condiments; or some of these foods, such as a kefir smoothie, can be a whole meal. You can always find a way to add cultured foods to your diet and sometimes you only need a spoonful to flood your body with billions of probiotics that change your microbiome in a powerful way.

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How to Get Started With Cultured Foods

By Donna Schwenk / July 22, 2023

My Special Superfood Smoothie When people ask me how to get started with cultured foods, I give them this formula. Most of the time they’re really sick and desperate to…

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What to Do With Your Cultures While You’re on Vacation

By Donna Schwenk / June 17, 2023

Your cultures (kefir, kombucha, sourdough, and water kefir) are all living organisms and need to be cared for just like a pet. I love them like family, and have found ways to take care of them when I go on vacation. . .

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Benefits of Each Cultured Food

By Donna Schwenk / June 10, 2023

 The many things cultures Can Do Nothing has influenced and changed my body and life more than cultured foods. I’ve done many studies on myself and my family and, hands…

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Kefir And Your Blood Pressure

By Donna Schwenk / May 27, 2023

In 2001, I was battling hypertension and diabetes. It was then that I started drinking kefir and I noticed an interesting occurrence. It seemed that when I drank a glass of kefir every day my blood pressure would go down; and not just a little, but quite a bit. It would put me in the normal range. . .

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Cultured Kefir Butter

By Donna Schwenk / April 1, 2023

 Reasons To Have More Vitamin K2 A few weeks ago I went to 123 Farm to speak, and honestly, one of the big reasons I go is to get their…

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How Many Cultured Foods Do I Eat In a Day?

By Donna Schwenk / March 11, 2023

People have the mistaken idea that I only eat cultured foods all day long. Although there are a lot of days that I do eat only cultured foods, this is not the norm. I mostly eat them because they’re easy for me to prepare and are what I call healthy fast food. […]

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Winter Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / February 4, 2023

I love winter kefir! It’s often creamier and thicker than summer kefir. Kefir acts differently in the winter than in the warmer months of the year, due to cooler temperatures that make it ferment more slowly. […]

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Easy Kefir Eggnog

By Donna Schwenk / November 26, 2022

Admin Notice:This is the placeholder for your Snow module. Visitors will not see this. Making New Traditions Staying Healthy During the Holidays I love eggnog. It was an exciting day…

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Sleep Problems and Your Gut

By Donna Schwenk / September 24, 2022

Sleeping is fundamental to our wellbeing and health, and I have my own experiences with sleep and health. In 2001 when my daughter Holli was born eight weeks early and weighed in at four pounds, I was a woman on a mission to help her. Babies born this early don’t get the mom’s immunities and Holli was no exception. . .

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Make Probiotic Cottage Cheese With Yogurt or Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / September 3, 2022

Cottage Cheese with probiotics I love cottage cheese but I didn’t always love this soft cheese. I used to think it was awful as a kid and wouldn’t touch it.…

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My Kefir ~ L. Reuteri Super Smoothie

By Donna Schwenk / July 30, 2022

Superfood Smoothie Nine times out of ten, I have a kefir smoothie every morning. A cup of coffee and a smoothie has been the norm for me for over years.…

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10 Tips for Summer Kefir ☀

By Donna Schwenk / July 16, 2022

Kefir is a living food that tends to have a mind of its own. It ferments differently in the winter than the summer, so understanding the process can make a huge difference. I’m sharing seven tips to help you make great summer kefir. . .

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Kefir Benefits For Your Heart

By Donna Schwenk / May 7, 2022

Keep Your Heart Healthy Just recently, my dear friend’s husband died at a young age of a heart attack and nobody saw this coming. It can be so devastating to…

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Living Longer on Yogurt and Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / April 9, 2022

Yogurt And Kefir Yogurt and Bifidobacterium I love to eat and make kefir as well as yogurt. Lately, I’ve had yogurt turn my world upside down. I love kefir with…

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43 Ways to Use Kefir Cheese

By Donna Schwenk / April 2, 2022

I make a lot of kefir cheese. I use kefir cheese in place of any recipe that calls for cream cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt. It’s very versatile, and the length of time you strain it will determine how thick it becomes. . .

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Kefir and Diabetes

By Donna Schwenk / February 26, 2022

I remember that day quite vividly. It was over fifteen years ago. It was February and bitter cold outside. I made myself a breakfast that I thought was healthy – high-fiber cereal and skim milk. Thirty minutes later a terrible feeling came over me […]

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How to Make Kefir Cheese and Whey

By Donna Schwenk / October 5, 2021

Kefir Cheese and Whey Making kefir whey and cheese is something I do many times a week. It doesn’t take long, and the whey will culture a multitude of foods.…

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Why People Fight Over Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / August 28, 2021

The Many Legends of Kefir One of my favorite things about kefir is the many stories, legends, and history behind it. It has been around for thousands of years and…

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Kefir Mousse

By Donna Schwenk / August 14, 2021

Staying healthy can be a daunting challenge for most people. Life gets crazy at times, but most of the articles I write are meant to give you little things you can do that can make a big difference. […]

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How Many Calories in Kefir?

By Donna Schwenk / July 31, 2021

Kefir can be made with many different kinds of milk, be it non-dairy or dairy milk. It differs in calories and nutritional differences depending on which type of milk you use. Kefir is far superior to regular milk. Fermentation is the alchemy of milk. […]

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7 Ways to Use Your Extra Kefir Grains

By Donna Schwenk / July 24, 2021

I love my kefir grains and they love me. It’s true! We’ve been in a long relationship for over twenty years and they never cease to amaze me with everything they can do. […]

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Fifteen Kefir Ice Creams

By Donna Schwenk / July 10, 2021

I’m always looking for ways to enjoy my kefir, and kefir ice cream can be enjoyed anytime – even for breakfast! If you don’t have an ice cream maker that sits on the counter, you may want to consider owning one as they are a great investment. […]

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Cooling Down With Cultured Foods

By Donna Schwenk / July 3, 2021

I live in a desert climate – hot during the day and cool at night. When it gets hot, it’s really hot. Today it’s 100°F and I’m looking for foods that cool me down. […]

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What Kind of Milk Do I Use To Make Kefir?

By Donna Schwenk / June 12, 2021

There are many ways to make kefir with many different types of milk, and believe me, I’ve tried them all. Mostly to try to help you. I have some of my favorites, but I will explain which ones you can use and let you know my favorites too. […]

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Kefir Made Easy

By Donna Schwenk / May 29, 2021

When your feet hit the ground in the morning are you pumped about the day? Do you feel appreciation and love for others? Do you have energy that will last all day? Did you know that you are supposed to feel this way? […]

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The Most Probiotic Kefir Dip

By Donna Schwenk / April 17, 2021

This recipe has only two cultured ingredients (cultured veggies and kefir cheese) and has more probiotics than any other dip recipe and it’s crazy delicious. […]

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Milk Kefir FAQs

By Donna Schwenk / March 27, 2021

Kefir is my favorite cultured food. It has the most probiotic strains of any cultured food (over 50 strains) and is also super easy to make. It was the first cultured food I tried and it made me well in so many ways that I started on a journey to learn all I could about this magical food. […]

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My Favorite Cultured Foods

By Donna Schwenk / March 13, 2021

Almost two decades ago I had a revelation. No longer could I rely on any individual to solve all my health problems even if it was a medical professional. […]

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The 12 Days of Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / November 28, 2020

I made a series of videos for my Biotic Pro Members called The 12 Days of Kefir. These 12 videos are all about making holiday Christmas recipes with kefir. It was super fun (and crazy) trying to film it all in a couple of days. It was so intense filming these videos that my video guys nicknamed it “The Beast”! It was an adventure for sure. . .

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You Are The One Thing In Life You Can Control

By Donna Schwenk / November 7, 2020

This is the week of the 2020 presidential election. Needless to say, whatever side you’re on, it’s been an intense week and a lot of people are struggling with strong emotions. I’m surprised to say that I’ve lived a long time (60 years) and now have some life experience that really serves me in times of uncertainty and fear. […]

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Kefir Sourdough English Muffins

By Donna Schwenk / October 24, 2020

Get extra Minerals from your Food Making Cultured English Muffins There is a famous bakery in Kansas City called Wolferman’s that sells their gourmet baked goods to many distributors (like…

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Three Foods That Can Change Your Life ~ The Trilogy and More

By Donna Schwenk / October 17, 2020

Fermentation is an art form and each individual cultured food is, in and of itself, unique. The three foods of The Trilogy each provide different good bacteria and yeasts that enhance the trillions of bacteria in the body and allow them to thrive, grow, and multiply. […]

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I Was Lost, Until I Did This. . .

By Donna Schwenk / September 26, 2020

“How do I apply all this cultured food stuff to my life? Where and how do I get started?” This is something that I hear quite often. People want to change their life and feel better but don’t know where to start. […]

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How to Make Your Kefir Creamy Again

By Donna Schwenk / August 22, 2020

“Kefir is worth the trouble of making. Like all things virtuous, you have to struggle to gain the reward. Trust me, the rewards are many.” Donna In these summer months,…

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Kefir Ranch Dressing

By Donna Schwenk / May 16, 2020

When I was growing up, my mom had a big garden. We would help her pick the green beans, broccoli, and tomatoes; and without fail, I wouldn’t want to eat the veggies. […]

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Prebiotics – As Important as Probiotics

By Donna Schwenk / May 2, 2020

In the last few years, I have been researching and ingesting a lot of prebiotics; and what I have discovered is that prebiotics are just as important as probiotics. What is a prebiotic and why is this so important? Prebiotics are certain indigestible fibers that nourish the good bacteria in the large bowel or colon. […]

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Now is the Time to Start Making Kefir Cheese

By Donna Schwenk / April 25, 2020

If you love cheese then you really need to learn to make kefir cheese. It’s crazy easy, filled with probiotics, and you can use it in a million different ways. I make kefir cheese in big and small batches and I want to show you how you can do it too. […]

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Tips That Nobody Else Talks About

By Donna Schwenk / February 29, 2020

Years ago when I was young and raising my kids, I was often influenced by well-meaning friends and family. They scared me to death with the latest news they had heard and would say, “Don’t eat this and don’t let your kids do this and did you read that story about how bad this is for you?” […]

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Everybody’s Favorite Kefir Dip

By Donna Schwenk / February 1, 2020

I’ve been eating cultured foods for two almost two decades and this recipe has been on the blog almost from the very beginning. I’m always scrambling to make recipes that my family would enjoy and eat that have probiotics and prebiotics. […]

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Whey – The Liquid Gold in Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / January 25, 2020

Don’t throw out your kefir if it separates into whey and curds. Your whey, although less appealing to many individuals, is a superfood which contains a lot of healing properties. There is something known as “The Whey Cure” which was used throughout history. In fact, Hippocrates and Galen, two founding fathers of medicine, frequently recommended whey to their patients to heal them. This whey was often referred to as “liquid gold.” […]

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7 Reasons I Have Kefir Every Day

By Donna Schwenk / January 11, 2020

Lots of articles are popping up about reasons you should have kefir, but few of the people writing the articles have actually drunk kefir every day for 14 years. This post is specifically talking about milk kefir and not water kefir. My reasons for drinking kefir are very personal and specific to me. […]

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My Kefir Is Too Sour!

By Donna Schwenk / January 4, 2020

Perhaps you’ve seen this happen, and it even happens to me from time to time: My kefir will get really sour. This can happen for several reasons. During your first ferment, you let your kefir ferment too long on your counter, or your house might be warmer than usual. […]

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Second Ferment Your Kefir – Your Taste Buds Will Thank You

By Donna Schwenk / November 30, 2019

Many years ago I discovered a way to make kefir not only taste better but also increase the nutrients in it. It is the only way that I make my kefir now because it is so delicious. The process is called second-fermenting. I have to admit that the reason I second fermented my kefir is that it tasted so much better. […]

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Yogurt Versus Kefir – Which Is Better?

By Donna Schwenk / July 13, 2019

So, what is the difference between kefir and yogurt? Which is better? Kefir is far superior, but yogurt has its benefits too. I read once that yogurt is like wine and kefir is more like champagne. It has more pizazz! […]

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Thoughts and Habits That Changed Everything

By Donna Schwenk / April 20, 2019

In March 2010 I was turning fifty years old and facing down demons in my life. Our home was going on the auction block on my birthday. I was fighting fear and had two voices in my head. One was filled with hope, the other with panic and fear. Looking back on this time, I remember it so vividly. Months of fear slowly began to turn to hope and for no other reason than I stopped listening to the voice of fear and started to believe that no matter what, I was guided and loved and it would be ok. . .

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How To Make Kefir Donut Holes

By Donna Schwenk / March 30, 2019

I’m always looking for recipes that give us healthy foods that are fun to eat and also help feed our good bacteria. It’s also important that the recipe be easy to make and not time-consuming. These donut holes are gluten-free and have lots of healthy fiber-rich ingredients. Not only do these treats have probiotics from the kefir, but they have lots of prebiotics too. You’ll be changing your microbiome with every bite. . .

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History of Kefir, Kombucha, and Fermented Vegetables

By Donna Schwenk / December 1, 2018

We all have trials and struggles throughout our lives and often these struggles have brought me to my knees. But without fail, each and every one of them has been a blessing in disguise. The pain turned to wisdom and I found myself so grateful for the struggle that brought me so much pain. . .

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Which is Better – Water Kefir or Milk Kefir?

By Donna Schwenk / August 4, 2018

People often ask me about water kefir and milk kefir and which type of kefir I think is more beneficial. Water kefir is a non-dairy kefir that is gaining in popularity. Many people start with this method of making kefir because it’s so easy and fun and they want a non-dairy option. . .

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Fermenting Tip: Put a Lid on It?

By Donna Schwenk / July 18, 2018

When making milk kefir, many people have been taught to use a cloth and rubber band over the jar. This is one of the most common things that cause problems. When a cloth is used to cover a vessel for kefir, there is a risk of cross-contamination with wild yeasts in the air or even from other cultures, or foods nearby. . .

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Kefir for Breakfast ~ My Favorite Four

By Donna Schwenk / July 14, 2018

I learned a long time ago that if I wanted to feel good, I had to have kefir every day. It seems to work best for me to have kefir in the morning, but sometimes I have it other times too. I’ve kind of played around with different ways to have it and found these four breakfasts give me lots of energy. . .

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Fermented Asian Salad Video! 📹

By Donna Schwenk / June 9, 2018

This salad is one of my very favorite cultured meals. It’s perfect for summertime and a wonderful way to change your microbiome from the inside out. I try to eat fruits and veggies at every meal. It is one of the best ways to stay balanced and it’s fantastic for lowering inflammation, balancing your hormones, and keeping those little microbes in your gut fed and happy. . .

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Cocoa Kefir Krunch Puff Breakfast Video! 📹

By Donna Schwenk / May 19, 2018

This is my daughter Holli’s favorite breakfast. I make extra servings of the crunch topping and store it in a jar for her to use whenever she makes her morning smoothie. This was the recipe that really changed her more than any other recipe. My family is like everybody else. . .

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Probiotic Kefir Nut Butter Video! 📹

By Donna Schwenk / May 12, 2018

This recipe is in my new book Cultured Food in a Jar. I only make recipes that are easily incorporated into my life because I’m crazy busy and I want recipes to care for my body and busy microbes. This recipe fits the bill. It has only two ingredients and it’s so easy to make. […]

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Is Kefir the Answer for Acid Reflux?

By Donna Schwenk / April 14, 2018

One of the first things I noticed when we started drinking kefir was the help my husband received with eliminating his acid reflux. It was quite surprising to me since he popped antacids like they were candy. . .

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The Tale of the Disappearing Kefir Grains

By Donna Schwenk / March 31, 2018

We make a lot of kefir. We drink it every day along with making kefir cheese and kefir sodas, so we make it daily. As usual, my husband and kids were helping me make kefir on April 1st, 2014. As I poured out the jugs into the strainer, no kefir grains appeared. . .

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Your Kidneys Might Need Some Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / February 17, 2018

I’ve received several emails from people who have been greatly helped by cultured foods in regards to kidney health. More and more medical research is showing great benefits to using probiotics for kidney health […]

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I Am Having Difficulty Straining My Kefir 📹

By Donna Schwenk / February 3, 2018

I love kefir that is thick like yogurt. However, it can sometimes be difficult to strain out the kefir grains. There is a super easy remedy for this. Enjoy the benefits of kefir and find an easy and quick way to strain it. Check out the video for tips. […]

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7 Reasons to Make Goat Milk Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / January 27, 2018

Goat milk was a godsend for my tiny daughter, Holli. She was born eight weeks premature and this little one rocked my world. I became a woman on a mission to help her be well. Nursing this tiny infant was a challenge […]

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🎄 Twas the Night They Made Kefir — 📹 Video 🎄 🥛

By Donna Schwenk / December 23, 2017

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
no creature was stirring not even a mouse. When out from the kitchen there came such a clatter, a bubbling, and hissing . . . and even a splatter. […]

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Kefir Blueberry Pecan Pancakes

By Donna Schwenk / October 14, 2017

We love pancakes at our house. I mostly make sourdough pancakes, but I made a new pancake recipe this week, and switched out my sourdough starter (which I love) and replaced it with kefir. Oh my, they were wonderful, fluffy pancakes. […]

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Kefir is Your Ally Against Toenail Fungus

By Donna Schwenk / July 15, 2017

So, do you want to know why you have certain persistent problems with things like ringworm, toenail fungus, and athlete’s foot? All of these are caused by a fungus that can spread and grow like crazy and last for years and years. […]

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The Real Reason Men Need Cultured Foods

By Donna Schwenk / June 14, 2017

My husband was the last one in my family to try cultured foods. I experimented on my children first. My kids were sick and I wanted them to be well, so we all ate cultured food; and much to my surprise, everybody got better. […]

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9 Ways to Use Extra Kefir Whey!

By Donna Schwenk / May 27, 2017

If you’re making kefir, and especially kefir cheese, you’re going to wind up with a lot of whey. Whey has been called liquid gold, and it has been used throughout history to help with many diseases. In fact, Hippocrates and Galen, two founding fathers of medicine, frequently recommended whey to their patients to heal them. […]

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What Are Cultured Foods? Restorative Foods for the Body

By Donna Schwenk / April 8, 2017

Cultured Foods and LACTO-Fermented Foods are the same thing. The “lacto” in “lacto-fermentation” comes from the bacteria “lactobacillus.” Many strains of lacto-bacteria and yeasts are involved in culturing or fermenting foods. […]

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Six Easy Ways To Store Your Cultured Foods

By Donna Schwenk / March 25, 2017

Having lots of fermented foods in your fridge is the same as having a medicine cabinet stocked with natural remedies. We reach for these foods not only to keep us healthy and disease free but also when we find ourselves struggling with a virus, stomach ache, or any other kind of ailment that requires extra body support. […]

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When Are My Kefir, Kombucha, and Veggies Done Culturing?

By Donna Schwenk / March 18, 2017

Do you wonder when your kefir, kombucha, and cultured vegetables are done fermenting? I have a few tips to help you understand how and when they’re at the perfect place with lots of probiotics and will taste the best. […]

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The Foods That Made Me Change My Life

By Donna Schwenk / November 13, 2016

A lot of suffering in this world comes from the fear of discomfort. In my own personal life, pain has come to teach me things and get me to change. I resisted it, fought it, and finally changed when I could do nothing else. […]

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Starter Cultures ~ The Science Experiment

By Donna Schwenk / August 13, 2016

So, let’s talk about starter cultures! I would like to clear up some confusion involving starter cultures and ratios. In my first book, Cultured Food For Life, the recipe for kefir called for 1 cup of milk to 1 tablespoon of kefir grains. […]

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Probiotic Pets!

By Donna Schwenk / March 20, 2016

This little guy in the picture is my puppy Scoby (pronounced like kombucha SCOBY) enjoying his kefir. Kefir is incredibly good for dogs and we hear many stories of how it helps them in so many ways. Did you know that your pets need probiotics, too? […]

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The Secret According to Kefir Ice Cream

By Donna Schwenk / February 7, 2016

Somebody asked me the other day how I come up with recipes for cultured foods. Many times they come suddenly into my brain. This will often make me miss my exits while driving on the highway because I am thinking about the specifics of how to make it. […]

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Foolproof Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / November 15, 2015

I love kefir grains, but I didn’t start my journey making kefir using kefir grains. I started with the powder kefir and was very glad I did. I was pretty much a wreck at that time in my life and I needed something easy and foolproof or it wasn’t going to happen. […]

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My Grandparents Knew

By Donna Schwenk / August 30, 2015

They knew the grandkids were eating badly. They fussed at our parents but nobody listened, because the foods we were eating were so addictive. We reasoned that they were the older generation and they were just being cranky. They didn’t like it when we ate sugar-laden cereals for breakfast or soda pop with lunch and dinner. […]

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Red, White, and Blue Smoothies

By Donna Schwenk / July 4, 2015

Many years ago, I was desperate to feel better. I had no one to help me get started with cultured foods. In fact, everybody I talked with told me I was crazy and not to consume them. But I had an overwhelming desire to figure it out. Little did I know they were calling me to wellness. […]

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Culture Your Broccoli – It’s Better

By Donna Schwenk / June 13, 2015

When I was growing up, my mom had a huge garden. She grew lots of broccoli and we would pick it for her. Even though broccoli is one of the plants least affected by pests, it is not uncommon to find worms on broccoli heads. Without a doubt, I was always the one to find those worms on my broccoli and often it was right before I put it in my mouth so I declared broccoli my least favorite vegetable. […]

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Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired

By Donna Schwenk / May 31, 2015

Why on earth am I writing about bacteria? A few years ago I was nearly non-functional. I felt terrible. I had zero energy. All food made me sick – especially healthy food. I didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything and was seriously thinking I would end up going on disability at work. […]

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Video: How to Make Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / February 8, 2015

A few weeks ago I had a dream about kefir. I was watching TV in my dream and heard a newscaster say that kefir had swept the world and there was now kefir in every kitchen. I woke up and carried that dream with me for weeks. If everybody drank kefir, the world would be a better place. I am convinced of this. […]

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Cashew Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / November 15, 2014

This is a cashew apple tree. Cashew nuts are actually the kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple grown mostly in Brazil. Interesting, isn’t it? Cashews are all the rage these days and used in all kinds of health food dishes – and for good reason. They’re delicious and good for you. […]

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Video: Is Your Kefir Separating?

By Donna Schwenk / November 9, 2014

Is your kefir separating into whey and curds? Is your kefir thin and runny? Most of the time this is because it is over fermenting and you need to add more milk or remove some of the grains. It also might be warm in your home and this will make it separate faster as well. […]

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How to Travel With Kefir and Be a Pioneer

By Donna Schwenk / May 7, 2014

This last month my husband and I had our 30th wedding anniversary. Ron and I and our three kids are a tribe and we’ve always done everything together. This was the first vacation we have had alone since our honeymoon which we spent on a houseboat in Lake Powell, Utah. […]

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Should Babies and Children Have Cultured Foods?

By Donna Schwenk / July 6, 2013

Having babies is a big event. For me, it was life-threatening and life-changing. My third pregnancy was actually the catalyst for this blog, my website, and my books. My pregnancy was a scary event – things quickly went from bad to worse and they delivered my baby 7.5 weeks early to save my life and hers. […]

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Coconut Almond Kefir Ice Cream

By Donna Schwenk / June 23, 2013

Probiotic Ice Cream If I had to choose only one cultured food, which would it be? If I were banished to a desert island, which one would I take to…

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Salad in a jar

Salad in a Fermenting Jar

By Donna Schwenk / April 27, 2013

Travel Food with Culture I spend almost all of my weekends in the spring and summer out of town at the lake. Because of this, I have to pack coolers…

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Walnut Kefir & Chocolate Fig Pudding

By Donna Schwenk / April 13, 2013

Have you tried making your own nut milks? Walnut milk is delicious and easy to make. I have been trying a lot of different recipes using different nut milks and I am really enjoying them. Kefir is easy and fun to make using nut milk, and is a great dairy-free alternative to regular kefir. […]

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Pumpkin Kefir Cheese Ice Cream

By Donna Schwenk / September 9, 2012

Pumpkin Kefir Treat My dad’s (Don) birthday is coming up in a few days. Several years ago he died suddenly. Three months before he passed, my mind was filled with…

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Popeye and Olive Oyl Kefir Ice Cream

By Donna Schwenk / March 10, 2012

This is a wonderful smoothie that can be made into kefir ice cream This is probably one of the things I make at least once a week. I love it,…

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The Dog That Kefir Saved

By Donna Schwenk / January 16, 2012

Some of the best friends I have today came to me through cultured foods. I meet people who are looking to be well – they either come to one of my classes or they find me through friends to purchase kefir grains. […]

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Kefir Sourdough Waffles

By Donna Schwenk / May 11, 2010

I love sourdough bread. I love that it takes time to develop the bread and turn it into something warm and crusty from the oven. So many people are struggling…

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What is Kefir?

By Donna Schwenk / January 24, 2010

What is Kefir? “What is kefir?” You’ve probably asked yourself this before. Pronounced “KEE-fuhr,” kefir is a tangy, slightly fizzy, FANTASTIC fermented milk beverage. It can be made with all kinds of…

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How to Make Kefir

By Donna Schwenk / January 19, 2010

Gather Your Materials Milk or Non-Dairy Milk Most milk types are acceptable, including whole milk, fat-reduced, non-fat, pasteurized, and homogenized. Fresh raw whole cow’s milk is delicious too and goat…

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