Homemade, Naturally-fermented Black Zapote Drink

On some of the websites I've looked at regarding the black sapote (chocolate pudding fruit), it mentions that people in Central American countries have made a traditional fermented drink from the fruit...  but, as with many "traditional" recipes, this one seems to have not been recorded or is no longer in practice.  What else can I do but make my own recipe?  :)  I have experimented with fermented drinks before, so here I go again:

For the fermenting culture, I am using water kefir.  Many people use the grains to ferment, but the water kefir itself is a good culture!  And, you don't have to filter out the grains when you are done... this drink has a lot of pulp, so it would be practically impossible to recover kefir grains anyway.

The final product tastes a lot like the black sapote bread that a friend of ours gave to us... a nice citrus flavor with a delicate chocolate, fruity aftertaste.  I would even make this with lemon peel!  The choice is yours.

Ingredients:
Meat of 1 medium-sized black zapote (chocolate pudding fruit)
1/4 c natural sweetener (I used unrefined cane sugar)
3-4 strips of orange (or lemon) peel, sliced with vegetable peeler
1/4 cup water kefir (NOT the grains)
Filtered, non-chlorinated water- to top off jar

All ingredients are mixed and ready to ferment!

Directions:

• Put all ingredients into a quart-sized jar, leaving a bit of head space.  Cap tightly.
• Shake jar to incorporate sweetener and fruit.
• Leave on counter for 2-3 days, "burping" container daily to remove excess gas.
• Filter and bottle. (You can do a second ferment here, if taste is too sweet) Chill before consuming. 
• Enjoy!

Look at all that carbonation... after only 24 hours.

(I ended up bottling after 36 hours, but it was still too sweet for me.  So, I let it sit on the counter, overnight before chilling...)

Homemade Dandelion Wine

I love dandelions!  Not only are they bright and yellow (which happens to be my favorite color), but they are full of nutrients and can help you perform a "spring cleaning" on your liver! Dandelions have been used as a detoxifier and blood purifier for centuries. I think dandelions are beautiful herbs, not weeds, and they should be used and revered as such.

 From the Bulk Herb Store catalog:

    " (dandelion) is high in vitamins and minerals, especially calcium... This is the herb for improving      low blood pressure and helping build energy and endurance.  It is also one of the best liver                  cleansers and is therefore great for skin diseases."  

A few days ago, I was amazed at the abundance of dandelions in our yard.  So, I took my "little ones" and filled a sack with about 3 quarts of these lovely yellow flowers.  (Be sure to pluck the flowers in the morning when they first open.)

Then, we made a very strong dandelion infusion; just use equal parts flowers and boiling filtered water.  Let the infusion sit in a large stainless steel pot with a lid for 24-48 hours.  Then, strain the liquid into a fermenting vessel. (Be sure to squeeze all the goodness out of the flowers!) I used a small fermenting crock as my vessel.

To your (3 quarts) dandelion infusion, add:

• 3/4 c unrefined cane sugar
• juice of 2 oranges
• peel of 1 orange (I used a vegetable peeler)
• juice of 2 lemons
• peel of 1 lemon
• 3/4 c starter culture (I used water kefir, but you could also use whey)

Once the ingredients are mixed, cover the fermenting vessel with a cloth secured by a rubber band. Let the mixture sit for a couple of days, until you see signs of fermentation- bubbles!  Be sure to stir at least once a day in the meantime...

When you see bubbles, let the wine ferment for another 1-2 days, depending on the temperature of your home.  Stir and taste daily.

The dandelion wine is finished!  Bottle this lovely beverage and chill before enjoying a glass.  And, although it is called "wine", dandelion wine is safe for children to drink, as long as it doesn't sit around too long!  

To me, dandelion wine tastes a lot like European Orangina- So enjoy the benefits of dandelion in this tasty, citrus-y beverage!  And never take the dandelion for granted again ;)

Homemade Orange-Ginger Carrot Kvass

All mixed up and ready to ferment!

I love beets, but I hate beet kvass.  There's no way to sugar coat it... I think it is too salty and tastes like dirt.  Period.  If you're like me, you love fermented drinks, but beet kvass is NOT on the menu. So, I discovered this recipe on the Cultures for Health  website and convinced myself to try kvass again... fingers crossed.


To make this beverage, you will need:

• 6 carrots, sliced into thin coins
• 2 T fresh ginger, chopped
• 6 large strips orange zest (peel with potato peeler)
• 4 t sea salt
• About 1/2 gallon filtered, non-chlorinated water

I noticed bubbles after only 24 hours.

• Place all ingredients in large glass container and stir to combine.  
• Cover with a secured cloth and let ferment for 3-5 days.
• Strain off liquid and bottle*- you can add a pinch of sweetener for added carbonation.
• If doing a second ferment, let your sealed bottles sit on the counter for an additional 1-3 days.
• Check for carbonation daily and move to cold storage before drinking.

Bottling day!  I added about 1 t honey per bottle for added carbonation.

*To make a second, weaker batch, leave 1 cup of liquid in your fermentation vessel with the remaining carrots, ginger and orange peel and re-fill with 1/2 gallon filtered water.  Leave to ferment for 3-5 days before bottling.  

I have to admit, this kvass is still salty.  It's not as "earthy" as the beet kvass, and I can drink it without making an "eww" face- but, I like bread kvass much better.  Experiement for yourself... which kvass is your favorite?  Whichever one you prefer, you are doing your tummy a favor by drinking this probiotic-rich beverage!  Enjoy!

My carrot kvass, ready for a second ferment!

Homemade, Traditional Rye Bread Kvass

Bread kvass has been a traditional drink in Eastern Europe for centuries.  The drink became popular in the XVI century but was around long before then; some say it has its roots in  IXth century Russia. Peasants and aristocrats alike drank this fermented beverage or made a soup with kvass as its base. Traditional kvass is made from dark rye bread, natural sourdough cultures and honey to sweeten. The word "kvass" comes from the Russian word for "leaven".

Just like many traditional drinks, commercial, high production versions are out there... unfortunately, when some former Soviet countries gained their freedom, Coca-cola and Pepsi entered the markets and made their own faux-kvass.   But, traditional kvass (or "gira"- with a hard "g"- in Lithuania) is still a popular drink in Eastern Europe and is making a comeback in many countries.
For more information on kvass, I recommend this website, written by a native Lithuanian :)

Here is my version of this bubbly, rich traditional drink:

1, 1 lb loaf dark/black rye bread (any loaf will do, but they traditionally used sourdough)
about one gallon filtered, non-chlorinated water
1/2 c organic sugar
4 T raw honey
1 T sourdough starter
mint sprigs, lemon slices, berries, or apples (optional- to taste)
1 raisin per bottle

Directions:

I used black forest rye bread.  Dry it out until it is very crispy.

• Slice bread into 1/2" slices (traditional kvass is made from stale bread) and dry out in the oven. I put my slices in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes, until the bread breaks like a cracker.
• When the bread is finished, bring the water to a boil.  Remove from heat.
• Break up the bread with your hand and drop the pieces into the hot water. Let it steep, covered, for at least 4 hours to overnight (I let mine sit for 9 hours).
• When done steeping, strain off the rye water into a fermenting crock or large glass container. Discard the soggy bread (squeeze bread gently in a cheesecloth to get as much of the liquid as possible).
• To your rye water, add the sweeteners, fruit (if used) and sourdough starter (it does not have to be rye). Stir until combined and leave in a warm place, covered with cloth, for about 12 hours.
• Check for bubbles after 12 hours and scoop off any foam that rises.  Wait another 12-24 hours before bottling. (if more foam rises, just scoop off before bottling)
• You can add a raisin per bottle to help check the carbonation before drinking.  Place bottles in cold storage for 3 days to one month. 

Break the bread before adding it to very hot water.

Strain the soggy bread in cheese cloth after at least 4 hours.

The sourdough starter is beginning to consume the sugars!

Enjoy this beverage chilled, with a meal.  The natural probiotics it contains help with digestion, and the drink provides high levels of vitamin B.  It is also said to help with detox and accelerated healing.
Enjoy your traditional kvass!

Although the kvass seems a bit cloudy, the yeast will eventually drop out.  I made 5-16oz bottles from one loaf of bread!

Homemade Tepache (Fermented Pineapple Drink)

I have to admit, I do miss some things about Florida, especially since I know my citrus trees are in full fruit and we cannot enjoy them.  And, we have gotten more snow here in the past week than I've seen in the past 20 years of my life!  Our friends down south have been enjoying 70-80 degree weather... Winter is definitely the time to visit south Florida, and I am coming to understand why all those snow birds travel so far!

But, I was so excited when I saw that another of my favorite tropical treats was on sale at my local King Soopers:  pineapples!  Right now, they are $1 apiece!   So, I am going to make a tropical drink called tepache that reminds me of warmer climates :) 

What you'll need for homemade tepache:

2 pineapple skins and cores, washed 

filtered, non-chlorinated water

1-2 cups sugar (depending on taste)

1/4 c liquid whey

1 T powdered cinnamon (you could also add cloves)

Although pineapples are not one of the "dirty dozen" fruits, I am not taking any chances- I gave these babies a nice bath in water and white vinegar to rinse off any residual pesticides.  I will be using the skin to ferment this drink, much like homemade ACV.

Once the pineapples are washed thoroughly, I cut off the skin (and about 1/4-1/2" fruit).  Save the interior fruit for eating!

Put the skins (and cores) into a two-gallon fermenting crock or glass jar.  Just cover the skins with filtered, non-chlorinated water that has been sweetened with 1-2 cups sugar.  I also added a couple tablespoons ground cinnamon and 1/4 c whey.  Stir until everything is combined, then cover with a secured towel.

On day 3 (it will be a shorter period for warmer climates), you will notice a layer of bubbly scum on the surface of your brew.  Just skim this off and re-cover the fermentation vessel! You will need to check for scum on day 4 and 5, and skim off whatever comes to the surface...

Day 5:  Bottling Day!

Since I am in a colder climate, I let my tepache ferment for 5 days.  Bottle yours any time between the 3 and 5-day mark.  The earlier you bottle, the sweeter it will be.  I like tart drinks :)  If you bottle earlier, you will have a better chance at putting it away while still bubbly, although mine was still bubbly on day 5! 

I made just enough tepache to fill a one-gallon re-purposed cider jug.  It is still a touch sweet, so I am leaving mine out on the counter overnight.  This will help the good bacteria consume the remaining sugar.  

If you've never had tepache, it is very pineapple-y.  It is a tropical thirst-quencher and a bubbly treat (even on a cold winter day!).  

So, enjoy this tropical treat and think of warmer days to come!  

To view the the original, inspiring post on Cultures for Health, click here.

Homemade, Naturally-Fermented Honey Mead (part 2)

My kitchen smells so good right now!  Every time I stir my melomel (fruit mead), I get a sweet whiff of honey-wine... nothing smells better than fermenting fruit beverages, in my opinion.  I think my body craves them!  By now (day 6), my honey mead has been fermenting for a good two days.  Here are some wonderfully bubbly pictures of this naturally-fermented masterpiece...

Bubbles, bubbles, everywhere!  During fermentation, whatever fruit you put in your mead (if any) will be floating on top because of the wonderful effervescence.

Here's what my melomel looks like after being stirred up

Not too much longer and I'll be bottling...

Bottling Day!! (day 12) :

I am in heaven.  Right now, I am sipping on my finished fruit mead, and it is good!  This lovely fermented drink reminds me of a sweet fruit wine but with a hint of honey at the end.  The fragrance is very floral, and the color is beautiful- slightly pink from the blackberries.

I encourage everyone to try this project, if you are a wine drinker.  Unlike store-bought fruit wine, this drink is packed with enzymes and probiotics that are good for your tummy and promote good digestion.  It's just an added bonus that fruit mead tastes so darn yummy!  Enjoy!

To view part 1 of my mead project, click here.

For more information on aging mead, visit this website.

Homemade SCOBY for Making Kombucha

I refused to pay $20+ for another SCOBY, especially since you can make your own for about $3 and some items found in your kitchen.  Yes, you can make your own culture from scratch!  And I'm going to show you how...

I stumbled upon directions for making a SCOBY years ago, but since I always had a few of them on hand I never had the opportunity to make my own. Now's my chance!  I referenced the kitchn blog, just to make sure I was doing everything right, but honestly the directions are pretty much the same as brewing a batch of kombucha with a SCOBY.  If you've made kombucha before, this is a cinch!  (All the same, there are some fantastic pictures on the kitchn blog!  Check it out for more precise directions)

What you'll need:
about 7 cups filtered, non-chlorinated water
5 small tea bags (black or green-I used green)
1/2 c sugar
1 c store-bought, raw, unfiltered, non-flavored kombucha
A fermenting vessel (clear glass)

Start with brewing your tea.  Bring the water to a boil, then (off heat) add your tea bags.  Let the tea steep at least 15 minutes.  Remove tea bags and add sugar while the tea is still warm.  Let the tea cool completely.  Pour sweetened tea into your fermenting vessel and pour in the kombucha.  Cover with a towel secured with a rubber band.

If you have more than one culture sitting on your kitchen counter at once, be sure to separate them to prevent cross-contamination.  I have my sourdough and kombucha at opposite ends of my kitchen.

The SCOBY will be ready in 1-4 weeks, depending on the temperature in your home.  Since it is pretty cold here, mine will take closer to 4 weeks...

4 days later:

I noticed that "yeasties" were starting to form on the surface of my brew.  If you are familiar with kombucha, the "yeasties" are the brown tendril-like things that grow beneath (or between) your SCOBYs.  After all, SCOBY means: Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast.  The yeast isn't bad, but it does show me that something is alive in there!  In the upper left of the picture, you can see the baby SCOBY that was in my store-bought bottle of kombucha.  I included it in my cup of starter, just to get things moving along!  The bubbles around it tell me it is consuming the sugar in the tea and breeding more good bacteria.  Life is beautiful!

6 days later:

The new SCOBY is a thin film over my kombucha.  It is finally forming!  As I said before, it can take up to 4 weeks for the SCOBY to fully develop, so I will keep checking it daily...

1 1/2 weeks later:

As you can see, the SCOBY is starting to take shape!  The bubbles are normal- that's just co2 that was trapped underneath the developing culture.  The "yeasties" look a bit gross, but that's normal, too!

2 weeks later:

The SCOBY is gaining girth!  Since I am using a clear glass container, it is easy to see the thickness of my culture... in the pictures below, you can see its continued growth:

I still need to let the culture grow, as the thickness is not ideal.  I think one more week will suffice!

You can tell that the SCOBY is growing a bit unevenly, but it will smooth out after continued fermentation.  

3 weeks later:

That's what I'm taling about!  My SCOBY is finally thick enough and even enough to use full-time!  Other than the bubbles, my culture is an even thickness and a nice creamy-white color.  It looks healthy (no mold) and smells like a well-cultured kombucha.  

I am so pleased with how this project turned out!  :)  Now, go make your own SCOBY and enjoy some homemade kombucha!

For more info on fermenting your own kombucha, go to:

The Healthy Home Economist

Kombucha Kamp

The Happy Herbalist

Homemade, Naturally-Fermented Honey Mead

I am fascinated by history!  I have been researching the history of mead (honey wine) and have been thrilled with my findings... Apparently, the first mead was probably a happy accident :)  A beehive may have been flooded with rain water, which released the power of natural yeasts contained in the honey and BAM!  fermented honey wine!  I know, it would have taken days or weeks for the mead to develop, but that's basically the story :)

Some other neat facts about mead:

*Mead was considered a drink of the gods in ancient Greece.  Ambrosia, they called it.  It was thought to make you stronger, live longer and give you better overall health.   

*Mead was thought to be the first things given to the Viking warriors as they entered Valhalla.

*Celts believed that a river of mead ran through paradise!

*Even the term "honeymoon" refers to the gift of honey mead for the newly-married couple.

*Mead is featured in 1999 version of A Christmas Carol, with Patrick Stewart.  During the Christmas party at Scrooge's nephew's house, they heat a bowl of mead with a hot poker from the fire.  That is the traditional way to heat a Christmas mead

The reason mead production declined was due to the discovery of wine made from grapes and ale made from grains- both of which are cheaper than honey.  But, since mead was considered to be a divine gift, it was still used in religious ceremonies.

So making your own mead isn't just a hobby- you are carrying on a tradition that has been handed down for millennia.  Honey mead is considered the first fermented beverage in the history of the world, and you can make it right in your own kitchen :)

Honey mead can be made with only two ingredients:  honey and water. You might ask, "Where's the yeast??"  Well, believe it or not, honey actually contains yeast, enveloping it and preserving it until you release it in water to make mead.  

Think about it... everything in this world has yeast on it- leaves, flowers, fruit, even your own skin!  So, it's no wonder that the little honey bee picks up some yeast as it's gathering pollen!  I am going to make use of this wonderful wild yeast and ferment some honey to make a delicious holiday drink.

Here's all you need to make your homemade mead:

3-4 cups raw, local honey (less will give you a dryer mead, more will be sweeter)

1 gallon spring or non-chlorinated, filtered water

2-gallon fermenting vessel (either glass jar or fermenting crock)

1 c non-sprayed fruit (optional)

I do not have well water anymore, so I purchased some mountain spring water along with a  bottle of local raw honey.

In your fermenting vessel, pour the gallon of water and 3-4 cups honey.  No need to heat, as heating too much will kill all the beneficial enzymes and wild yeasts in the honey!

Stir vigorously until honey and water are incorporated- maybe a couple minutes.  At this point, you could just cover with a secured cotton cloth and wait for your mead to ferment!  I have chosen to add fruit to mine:  1 lemon and about 1 cup blackberries.  I have seen other traditional recipes that incorporate cloves, cinnamon sticks, apples, pears and oranges. Even Queen Elizabeth I had a favorite recipe that called for rosemary, sweet briar, thyme and bay leaf!  

As your mead ferments, stir often every day (at least twice, preferably 3 times) to aid in yeast growth and hinder mold from developing.  Take care of your mead and it will turn out beautifully!

Here is my fruity mead (also called melomel), ready to ferment!  I am going to leave it on the counter, covered, for about 10 days.  When the bubbly, fermenting stage is over (it should start around day 4), you can strain and drink the young mead -or- bottle in a carboy and let it develop into a more alcoholic beverage.  Check out this blog for more info on long-term mead fermentation.

Day 4:

I was excited this morning when I woke up to... bubbles!  Yes, they were small.  BUT, later in the day (for stir #2), I saw this:

My melomel is well on its way!  I'll keep you updated on the progress... and let you know how it ends up tasting! Stay tuned!

For Homemade, Naturally Fermemted Honey Mead (part 2), click here!

This post was inspired by a blog post by Jesse Frost and countless other recipes for traditional honey mead.  Check out Jesse's original post here.  You can also find traditional mead recipes in the vintage cookbooks on archive.org.  Mead fun facts were gathered from various websites, including Sky River Brewing.

Homemade Fizzy, Fermented Tea

Did you know that you can ferment just about any food/drink?  You don't need any fancy equipment or ingredients, and the result is good for your tummy and taste buds! 

I have a lot of loose herbal tea around the house, so I decided to make a recipe I found online for fizzy, fermented tea. The original post was featured in a Cultures for Health newsletter (click here to view original).

Since I have more peppermint/spearmint than any other herb, I decided to make a good-for-your-tummy drink for my kids. :) 

To make this yummy drink, just put 1/4 c loose tea into a pan with one quart boiling water and let it steep for about 10 minutes.  Strain the tea into a quart jar and let it cool to about 100 degrees F.  Add 1/3 cup whey and 3 T sweetener (honey or unrefined sugar).  Cover the jar with a rubber band-secured cloth and let it ferment on your counter for 2-3 days.  Then, bottle your tea (or just cap your canning jar tightly) and let it sit out for another day or so, until you have plenty of bubbles (you can see the bubbles at the top of the bottle in the picture).  Chill until you are ready to drink!

The original recipe recommended adding a touch more sweetener when bottling your tea to give it more carbonation, but ours didn't need it!  

Try making your own fizzy fermented drinks!  Experiment and Enjoy!

Homemade Coffee Kombucha

This post is for all those coffee lovers out there!  I have been drinking coffee since I was a teenager and still love an occasional sip or two of that wonderfully warm, invigorating beverage.  So, I was so excited to find out you can make kombucha from coffee (instead of tea)!!  The process is almost exactly like making tea kombucha.  So, those of you who make kombucha regularly (and are ready for a new treat), just substitute ground coffee for the tea and you are ready to go!  For those of you who don't usually make kombucha, here's a neat project that your tummy will enjoy...

Here's my coffee booch on day 1 (on the far left).  I simply brewed enough coffee for my 1 gallon container.  I used 1t ground coffee per cup of water, so about 5 T for about 1 gallon water.  Since my spoonfuls were heaping, I rounded down :).  Then, I added 1 cup organic sugar and let it dissolve.  When the sweet coffee was cooled down to around 100 F, I added my scoby and about 1 cup left-over liquid from my previous batch- you can use either tea or coffee booch as a starter.



I go by taste when bottling my booch, and this batch took about 2 1/2 weeks to finish fermenting.  Remember, even the caffeine is being changed at a molecular level- the finished product will not be sweet or caffeinated.  I bottled as soon as I could no longer taste the sugar and the nice kombucha tang was developed. 

Usually, I let my booch rest for a second ferment, either with fruit or juice as a flavoring, but I really couldn't decide what to flavor this with... maybe a vanilla bean?  or cinnamon stick?  The choice is yours!  There is definitely a coffee aftertaste to this beverage, so anything that would compliment that would work :)  I am skipping the second ferment this time and putting this baby right in the fridge.  Now, I can enjoy two of my favorite morning beverages together in one cup!  Enjoy!!

Homemade, Fermented Raspberry Lemonade

My husband was raving the other day about a raspberry lemonade he had tasted... so, I went to the store and looked at the ingredients label of the brand he indicated.  What a waste of lemons and raspberries!  The second ingredient was sugar, and it was (of course) pasteurized and had been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long.  My solution:  make my own! 

My first thought (as I schemed while driving home) was that I would make it fermented, with very little sugar in the finished product.  I already had some organic, frozen raspberries from our local Publix and whey left over from some raw milk that had soured.  I happen to LOVE the "Punch" recipe in Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon,  so I had a good recipe to tweak.

Here's my recipe for delicious- and nutritious- homemade raspberry lemonade:

juice of 7 organic lemons
1c + fresh or frozen organic raspberries, pureed with a little filtered water **
1/2 c organic evaporated cane juice
1/4 c whey
filtered water

That's it!  Just mix the ingredients (except water) together in a 2 quart canning jar and fill with water to about 1" from the top.  Secure lid and let it ferment on the counter for 48 hours (this should not need to be "burped" as citrus ferments slower than other fruit, but you may want to check at the 24 hour mark).  Strain out the pulp and seeds when the 48 hours is up, then stick in the fridge to chill!

It has been hot around here lately, and it will probably stay that way through November. So, we will be drinking this well into fall!  Enjoy!

**UPDATE:  This also works wonderfully with blueberries or strawberries instead of raspberries :)

Homemade Herbal Wine

I have been wanting to make my own wine for years!  Not the nitrate-ridden, chemically enhanced wine you buy at the store, but naturally-fermented, organic wine that I have made without any added crud.  When researching online for wine recipes, I had a very hard time finding anything that didn't call for "yeast and nutrient", "enzymes", or "Campden tablets".  All I want is old-fashioned wine, is that too much to ask?  Way back when, they didn't have all those fancy additives, and I don't want to use them.

I discovered that my favorite online herb store, The Bulk Herb Store, carries a product called Berry Herbal Brew- a naturally-fermented herbal wine mix!  I was curious and wanted to try it for myself... I already had a few cups of organic, homegrown, wild muscadine grapes that I picked on our property- that was a good start!

The directions for Berry Herbal Brew called for ingredient in "parts":  one part herbal mix, three parts water, two parts seeded grapes, one part blueberries, one and one-half parts sugar.  The ingredients in the herbal mix are listed here- nothing artificial, no commercial yeasts, no crud!  \

The final product is a non-pasteurized, no-nitrate wine that is fruity, tasty and full of herbal goodness!  I let mine brew for three weeks and finally strained and bottled it today.  It filled an empty wine bottle I had saved for this purpose, plus there was about a glassful left over to sample :)  I am amazed that my first attempt at homemade wine turned out so well!

So, if you are interested in making your own homemade wine, don't settle for those recipes calling for extra crud!  Wonderful homemade wine can  be made from  nothing but fruit, herbs and sugar.  Enjoy!

Homemade Wormer for Pets

I am happy to say that my dogs are not on any medications.  Aside from being slightly overweight, our 7-year-old lab mix is a happy, healthy middle-aged pooch.  Our 4 month old Doberman is also very healthy, despite living in a region of the country known for lots of mosquitoes, ticks and other parasites.

Recently, I discovered (through a Yahoo group) that Guinness Beer can be used as a wormer for pets and I was excited to do some independent research on the subject... To my surprise, this remedy has been studied in Japan and is used in many animal rescue centers when the animal is too weak for conventional treatment, mainly for heart worms.  Yes, this treatment kills heart worms!

From my research, I learned:

1. The Black Label Guinness Draught (see photo), which is brewed in Dublin, Ireland, is the ONLY beer that works for worming pets.  This is because of the ancient strain of hops used in the brewing process.  The hops actually causes the worms to become sterile, so they are no longer able to reproduce.  (In conventional treatments for heart worms, the worms "know" they are being poisoned and release harmful toxins into your pet's bloodstream.)

2.  DOSAGE should be 1oz beer per 25lbs body weight.  For prevention, the first two doses should be two weeks apart, then monthly from then on.  To treat a severe case of worms, you may up the dosage to every 2 weeks for the first 3 months, then back off to a once-monthly dose.

3. The small dosage does NOT get your dog drunk.  After their first dose, my dogs showed no signs of dizziness or sleepiness. 

4. The beer will keep in the fridge between doses, even if it goes flat.  If you don't drink Guinness (like I do), just put the cap back on between doses and stick it in the back of your fridge... I have to admit, I just drank what was left in the bottle :)  YUM.

5. In addition to dogs, this treatment has been used successfully in cats, dogs and ferrets!  And, you could see die-off of parasites the same day of the first treatment.

**I read in one article that whip worms will not be affected by this treatment... ? I'm curious to know why, but haven't found an answer yet. **

So why pump your animals full of expensive drugs when the answer is right in your fridge?  Get your pets off the prescription meds and let them enjoy a happy, drug-free life! 


For additional research, see these sites:
http://briarwoodpups.blogspot.com/2011/10/beer-as-wormer.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_beer_kill_heartworms
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-guinness-heartworm-challange

Homemade Probiotic Slushies

Well, the heat of the summer is just relentless, and I am searching for more ways to cool us off.  This idea came to me the other day when I saw a friend of my son with a nasty 7-eleven slushy, made with tons of sugar and not much else... The sound of something cooling and fruity really got my gears turning and here's what came of it:  Kombucha Slushies! 

Not only are Kombucha Slushies thirst-quenching, but they pack a power punch of probiotics!  (Try saying that five times fast.)  Sugar content is very low and depends on how much fruit juice you add to the kombucha ice...

Here's what you'll need to make your own homemade slushies:

*about 2 c kombucha (I had strawberry kombucha, so that's what I used), frozen and broken up-or-frozen in ice trays.

*organic or fresh-squeezed grape juice

As you can see, I am using a magic bullet blender to make my slushy, but a carafe blender would probably work better, since you may have to add more juice while blending.



Add a small amount of juice to your kombucha ice and mix in a blender.  If mixture is too thick, just add additional juice until desired consistency is reached.

Here you go!  A thick, frozen treat for a hot summer day!  As you can see, there are even bubbles from the kombucha.  My kids couldn't get enough of their kombucha slushies and they made me promise to make it again tomorrow :) 

Treat yourself with a cooling, probiotic treat and Enjoy!