Fermented dairy is wonderful for the gut. Even if you are not doing the GAPS diet, you would do well to include as many fermented foods into your diet as possible. They are natural probiotics - good bacteria. Forget those sugared yoghurt drinks claiming to feed your gut good bacteria, while feeding it a 'healthy' (or unhealthy) dose of sugar to feed the bad bacteria! Although many people don't like fermented vegetables, fermented dairy can be enjoyed by many, including many who are lactose intolerant, as the lactose has mainly been 'eaten up' by the fermenting action. For the GAPS patient, they are the means of sweeping the bad bacteria out of the gut, so encouraging healing in the gut to take place. Be careful to increase your intake slowly as they produce 'die-off' symptoms otherwise (i.e. you could be running to the bathroom very quickly!).
Sour cream
For the GAPS diet sour cream has to be home-made and soured for 24 hours to remove most of the lactose. I do not have a yoghurt maker and have no room for one, but a flask does a good job and is so convenient. If you are not doing the GAPS diet, you need only ferment for 8 hours. I have used my slow cooker for this before we started GAPS, but a flask is so much better and less hassle.
You should introduce sour cream made with yoghurt first and then when that is well tolerated, start to introduce sour cream made with kefir, again building up slowly while still having it made with yoghurt, until you can take it all made with kefir. This is because kefir can cause a stronger die-off reaction in some people and you don't know if it might be you!
First gather your equipment/ingredients:
1 litre flask,
measuring jug
saucepan
1/2 cup measure
900ml double cream (if you are fortunate enough to be able to afford raw (unpasteurized) cream, then no need to heat.)
1/2 cup yoghurt/home-made milk kefir.
Before you begin, pre-warm the flask with boiling water from the kettle (this is not necessary in a warm house/warm weather) and 1/3rd fill the sink with cold water. You will soon be performing these tasks without thinking.
You should introduce sour cream made with yoghurt first and then when that is well tolerated, start to introduce sour cream made with kefir, again building up slowly while still having it made with yoghurt, until you can take it all made with kefir. This is because kefir can cause a stronger die-off reaction in some people and you don't know if it might be you!
First gather your equipment/ingredients:
1 litre flask,
measuring jug
saucepan
1/2 cup measure
900ml double cream (if you are fortunate enough to be able to afford raw (unpasteurized) cream, then no need to heat.)
1/2 cup yoghurt/home-made milk kefir.
Before you begin, pre-warm the flask with boiling water from the kettle (this is not necessary in a warm house/warm weather) and 1/3rd fill the sink with cold water. You will soon be performing these tasks without thinking.
2. Put the saucepan on the stove and heat the cream until just before boiling point. Do not let it boil.
3. Remove from the heat, put the lid on the pan and immediately put the pan in the sink of cold water.
4. Leave it to cool (usually not more than 10 mins, often less) until you can put a clean little finger in and not feel
it burning.
5. Remove from sink and add 1/2 cup good quality commercial yoghurt (e.g. Yeo Valley, plain, full fat organic), or some of your home-made milk kefir.
6. Mix it in, then empty the flask of hot water and pour in the cream.
7. Put on the lid and I shake it gently to make sure the yoghurt/kefir is mixed in thoroughly.
8. Leave on the kitchen counter for 24 hours (8 hours is sufficient if you are not ont he GAPS diet).
9. Pour into a container and store in the fridge.
Beware, if you use kefir, you might get very fizzy cream!
it burning.
5. Remove from sink and add 1/2 cup good quality commercial yoghurt (e.g. Yeo Valley, plain, full fat organic), or some of your home-made milk kefir.
6. Mix it in, then empty the flask of hot water and pour in the cream.
7. Put on the lid and I shake it gently to make sure the yoghurt/kefir is mixed in thoroughly.
8. Leave on the kitchen counter for 24 hours (8 hours is sufficient if you are not ont he GAPS diet).
9. Pour into a container and store in the fridge.
Beware, if you use kefir, you might get very fizzy cream!
Yoghurt
Yoghurt is made in exactly the same way as sour cream, except you use whole milk instead of cream, preferably not homogenised and preferably from grass fed cows. If you use raw milk you can miss out the heating part.
First gather your equipment/ingredients:
1 litre flask,
measuring jug
saucepan
1/3 cup measure
900ml whole milk
1/3 cup plain organic yoghurt/yoghurt starter
First, pre-warm the flask with boiling water from the kettle (this is not necessary in a warm house/warm weather) and 1/3rd fill the sink with cold water.
1. Measure out 900ml whole milk into a jug and then pour it into a saucepan.
2. Put the saucepan on the stove and heat the cream until just before boiling point. Do not let it boil.
3. Remove from the heat, put the lid on the pan and immediately put the pan in the sink of cold water.
4. Leave it to cool (usually not more than 10 mins, often less) until you can put a clean little finger in and not feel
it burning. Empty the flask of hot water (if used) and pop the lid on to keep the warmth in until the milk is ready.
5. Remove from sink and add 1/3 cup good quality commercial yoghurt (e.g. Yeo Valley, plain, full fat organic), or some of your home-made milk kefir.
6. Mix it in to the milk, pour in the cream.
7. Put on the lid and I shake it gently to make sure the yoghurt/kefir is mixed in thoroughly.
8. Leave on the kitchen counter for 24 hours.
9. Pour into a container and store in the fridge.
First gather your equipment/ingredients:
1 litre flask,
measuring jug
saucepan
1/3 cup measure
900ml whole milk
1/3 cup plain organic yoghurt/yoghurt starter
First, pre-warm the flask with boiling water from the kettle (this is not necessary in a warm house/warm weather) and 1/3rd fill the sink with cold water.
1. Measure out 900ml whole milk into a jug and then pour it into a saucepan.
2. Put the saucepan on the stove and heat the cream until just before boiling point. Do not let it boil.
3. Remove from the heat, put the lid on the pan and immediately put the pan in the sink of cold water.
4. Leave it to cool (usually not more than 10 mins, often less) until you can put a clean little finger in and not feel
it burning. Empty the flask of hot water (if used) and pop the lid on to keep the warmth in until the milk is ready.
5. Remove from sink and add 1/3 cup good quality commercial yoghurt (e.g. Yeo Valley, plain, full fat organic), or some of your home-made milk kefir.
6. Mix it in to the milk, pour in the cream.
7. Put on the lid and I shake it gently to make sure the yoghurt/kefir is mixed in thoroughly.
8. Leave on the kitchen counter for 24 hours.
9. Pour into a container and store in the fridge.
Milk Kefir
Milk Kefir is so simple to make at home, and much, much cheaper than buying it ready made. I purchased kefir grains and have had them for over a year now with no problems. I bought them from Happy Kombucha. They come with instructions. They also have a FAQ page on their website if you need more help. I also find http://www.yemoos.com/faqmprepandsup.html to be very helpful. One good thing about these grains is that you can take a break from making kefir by popping them in the fridge, in their usual amount of milk for up to two weeks. Great for holidays if you can't take them with you, but I tend to pack them up with us so we can have their benefits while travelling. They will travel in a sealed container for a few hours, but do remember to release the lid once at your destination, or you might find them leaking or exploding!
You can either use raw milk or milk as above for yoghurt. I use either depending on whether I've been to our raw milk farm recently or not. Some GAPS websites/books seem to suggest that you heat the milk as per cream and yoghurt if you use pasteurized milk. Others say just pop the grains in cold milk, place a loose lid over and leave in a warm room for 24 hrs. I have done the latter as that's what I've been doing before starting GAPS and I find heating milk for cream/yoghurt and kefir hard work, especially when we are consuming vast quantities of it. It seems to work alright.
You can either use raw milk or milk as above for yoghurt. I use either depending on whether I've been to our raw milk farm recently or not. Some GAPS websites/books seem to suggest that you heat the milk as per cream and yoghurt if you use pasteurized milk. Others say just pop the grains in cold milk, place a loose lid over and leave in a warm room for 24 hrs. I have done the latter as that's what I've been doing before starting GAPS and I find heating milk for cream/yoghurt and kefir hard work, especially when we are consuming vast quantities of it. It seems to work alright.