I promised to introduce you to kefir awhile back.
The short version is that it is a kind of yogurt that we grow overnight on our counter. We strain off the yogurt in the morning and add new milk to the "curds" that are left behind to grow new yogurt for the next morning.
We have all been drinking a fruit shake for breakfast every single morning for the past 6 months. Zero complaints. Seriously, zero, which is no small thing. And we stay full until lunch.
Kefir has all the benefits of traditional grocery-store yogurt, but no added sugars or other ingredients. It also has slightly different active cultures, which are even more beneficial for gut-health. It "colonizes" your intestinal tract with the micro-organisms that improve your immune system.
Here's what the "starter" looks like:
Its like friendship bread - you get a starter from someone and you just keep growing it, discarding some when it gets to be too much. You can also buy the starter grains at health-food stores.
Here's how we make our morning shakes:
3 cups of kefir (strained, no starter)
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/4 c. flaxmeal
1 banana
1/2 c. frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches)
squirt of agave nectar (about 1 Tbsp.)
You can also use it in recipes, just like you would yogurt - I've put it in these:
Delicious, filling, and good for you. I am the world's ambassador for this stuff. Get some somehow and start having it daily. You're welcome!