Today I’m sharing 5 kefir smoothie ideas with your NutriBullet. Of course we like using milk kefir, but you could also use the milk of your choice. Learn more about kefir benefits in this post.
Learn to make 5 different kefir smoothie recipes with your NutriBullet. Of course we like using milk kefir, but you could also use the milk of your choice.
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Kefir Benefits
I was just talking over on my YouTube Channel about how to make kefir, and it sparked some interest in what recipes we like. We drink a kefir smoothie every day to get all the health benefits of fermented milk, and extra antioxidants from fruit too.
Kefir grains ferment your milk product, similar to making fermented cabbage (also known as sauerkraut) or any other fermented product.
Fermenting food allows the good bacteria to take over, which is how our ancestors ate and preserved food for many, many years before refrigeration.
All that good bacteria is also known as probiotics. You’ve probably heard the word probiotics from your doctor or other health expert.
Probiotics add good bacteria to our gut, which helps us stay healthy and reduces our risk for disease, illness, and other health related issues.
Taking a probiotic every day is good, but drinking something like fresh milk kefir is much better. The probiotic count will be quite higher since they are actually alive instead of dried, preserved, or just old from sitting on a shelf.
This is why we chose to drink kefir smoothies every morning!
Read more about the research-based evidence behind kefir benefits here.
Options for Making Smoothies
Now, you don’t have to use a NutriBullet for these. I talk in this post about why we use the NutriBullet, but any blender will do.
Another note about this post. You don’t actually have to use kefir! We just really love the taste, plus getting all the probiotics every day is a must for us. But you could swap it out for your milk of choice, or even water.
Want to save some time? Download all the recipes in this one FREE ebook by clicking the link below.
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What is kefir?
Milk kefir is milk that has been fermented by kefir grains for 12-24 hours. Kefir is slightly thicker than regular milk, but not as thick as yogurt. Milk kefir will have a slightly sour taste, similar to greek yogurt (but not sour like the milk has gone bad).
Kefir grains aren’t actually a grain. They are little balls of cultures and good bacteria that feed off the lactose in the milk. Once they eat all the lactose in your milk, they become hungry and need to be fed again. You don’t actually eat the kefir grains, you just use them in milk to activate the good cultures. Then you strain them and viola you have kefir.
Caring for Kefir Grains
Ready to start your own kefir? I share all the steps to making and caring your milk kefir in this post here.
Tips for Making Great Smoothies
Now my biggest tip for having great smoothies is to keep lots of organic frozen fruit on hand. At the store you can buy everything from organic berries to mango to pineapple, avocado, and even cherries. They won’t go bad like fresh fruit will, and you can have a lot of fun making up your own smoothie recipes with kefir!
Secondly there is a formula I’ve found that works great no matter what smoothie you’re making. It’s 3 parts liquid, 1 part frozen fruit, 1 part banana, and 1/2 part dried powder. This ratio works for me every time. Adding too little or too much frozen fruit or dried powder can throw off the consistency of the smoothie and may actually ruin the whole thing.
Next always add 1-2 servings of “sweet fruit” to create enough sweet flavor to make a delicious smoothie. Some of my favorite sweet fruit are strawberry, raspberry, mango, pineapple, banana, or apple. Can’t go wrong with any of those.
Lastly be sure to use a good blender. Some blenders don’t have a good blade, so you’ll end up with chunks in your smoothie. We like the NutriBullet after using the same one for over 7 years now (read why we like it here).
What to Make with a Kefir Smoothie
Kefir and fruit are a great combo, but if you want to bulk up the smoothie a little bit try adding frozen greens like spinach or kale, and some macronutrient powder.
Macronutrient powder is your protein powder, maca powder, chia seeds, etc. Organic pit-less dates are another great addition.
But you can also serve kefir smoothies with a “real food” breakfast. Our go to breakfast every day is 2 eggs fried in the cast iron, 2 slices of homemade sourdough toast with grass fed butter, and a kefir smoothie. But if we’re feeling fancy, we’ll make one of these:
Fluffy buttermilk pancakes (you can even use your kefir in place of buttermilk for to make these!)
Cracker Barrel-Inspired Skillet Breakfast
Healthy breakfast pumpkin pie (this would go great with the harvest apple smoothie)
Looking for from-scratch brunch ideas? Here are my farm to table brunch ideas.
Tropical Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 1/2 cups kefir
One cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen pineapple or mango chunks
1/2 frozen banana
juice from half lemon (optional)
Process
Add all ingredients to a NutriBullet or similar smoothie blender.
Top with coconut flakes (optional) Enjoy!
Blueberry Lemonade
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 1/2 cups kefir
One cup frozen blueberries
1/2 frozen banana
juice from 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons
1 tablespoon honey
Process
Add all ingredients to a NutriBullet or similar smoothie blender.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Banana Cake
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 1/2 cups kefir
1/4 cup organic cocoa powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Process
Add all ingredients to a NutriBullet or similar smoothie blender.
Drizzle maple syrup, or top with whipped cream for an afternoon treat.
Enjoy!
Harvest Apple
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 1/2 cups kefir
One apple, sliced. (If organic I like to leave the skin on)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of lemon juice (optional)
small handful of almonds (optional)
Process
Add all ingredients to a NutriBullet or similar smoothie blender.
Sprinkle brown sugar or drizzle maple syrup on top for some added sweetness.
Enjoy!
Sour Cherry
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 1/2 cups kefir
One cup frozen cherries
1/2 frozen banana
juice from half a lemon
Process
Add all ingredients to a NutriBullet or similar smoothie blender. Enjoy!
I compiled all these recipse into one easy download. Grab that below!
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FAQ:
Does Kefir taste good in smoothies?
Yes, in fact kefir adds a great taste to smoothies. It’s kind of like yogurt, and depending on how much fermenting it’s done it could add a good sour flavor. We love it!
Can I Blend Kefir?
Yes, you can blend kefir grains into your smoothie. For the most part you want to strain the grains out and then blend the kefir with your smoothie ingredients. Use a blender with a fine blade, like the NutriBullet. But, if a few kefir grains get in your smoothie its not a big deal.
How long does a kefir smoothie last in the fridge?
A kefir smoothie without the grains would last about 3-5 days in the fridge. It’s best to keep the grains in your milk if you need to leave your kefir for longer than a week.
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