strawberry kefir milkshake

May 5, 2011

Since I’ve been pregnant this time my dairy cravings have shot up like they did with Maggie. But, instead of (near nightly) pizza & ice cream, I have been eating healthier versions of my favorite cravings. Home-made sugar-free ice cream & cheesecake, bacon and goats cheese loaded salads, fluffy egg scrambles with onion and cheddar, and this perfect milk shake.

Kefir is the star in this drink. It’s a fermented yogurt drink with a ton of probiotics in it, and it’s 99% lactase free which is great, meaning it is very low in milk sugars, and highly digestible. Some quick facts about kefir:

Interesting Facts
Kefir dates back to the shepherds of the Caucasus mountains. They discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage. Its uniqueness from all other cultured milk products is the presence of more than three species in the culturing process.

Nutritional Facts
Kefir is rich in Vitamin B12, B1, and Vitamin K. The numerous benefits of maintaining adequate B vitamin intake range from regulation of the kidneys, liver and nervous system to helping relieve skin disorders, boost energy and promote longevity. -from kefir.biz

This couldn’t be easier to throw together. I eyeball the ingredients as usual, but it tends to be about:

2/3 cup Organic plain Kefir
1/3 cup heavy cream (yes! crucial for getting it to taste like a milk shake, not just a smoothie)
about a tablespoon of Truvia (sugar-free stevia sweetener)

or honey