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We make our own Milk kefir using milk kefir grains and whole milk. If you don’t have any kefir made at home, you can buy thick kefir from the grocery store (we like the Lifeway brand). Look for the plain culture to make fruit smoothies. Milk kefir smoothies are good for gut health and are so easy to make!
A kefir berry smoothie is packed with nutrients and can boost energy like no other snack! I love that you can add protein powder and a handful of antioxidant-rich fruit and mask it in a probiotic drink. When I was pregnant, I would dehydrate venison, chicken, and beef livers to make a powder and add it to my smoothies for extra iron.
Smoothie recipes were the only way I could eat liver powder, and it disguised it very well.
Kefir Milk Smoothie
My kefir smoothie journey began when my cousin gifted me milk kefir grains to make batches of kefir at home. She had me try her strawberry chia kefir smoothie when I visited and sent me home with these wondrous live grains. Kefir smoothie recipes were the easiest way to use up a lot of kefir, and then I advanced to kefir pancakes and Kefir Ranch Dressing.
Kefir is fermented milk, so it keeps very well as long as it’s refrigerated. I typically make kefir, batch after batch, in my quart-sized jar and then collect it into a bigger half-gallon jar until it’s full and then make smoothies anytime.
I honestly didn’t have a kefir fruit smoothie recipe; I just winged it. To my surprise, my children were begging me for these healthy probiotic smoothies almost daily! My father-in-law even loved the smoothies I would make, and so this smoothie recipe came to be.
It finally hit me that I needed to make a blog post and measure everything out because when I was asked for the recipe multiple times, I didn’t have one I could share; it was a handful of this and that. So, it only made sense to share a legit recipe. After all, I do want my children to make these smoothies on their own one day, so a recipe will only benefit!
Smoothie with Keir
For low-fat kefir, use low-fat milk without cream. I use raw whole milk and sometimes skim the cream off the top before pouring it over the kefir grains.
To make kefir, I typically ferment milk and kefir grains at room temperature until they set like yogurt, then strain off the grains and repeat. I store the strained-off kefir in the fridge for drinking in smoothies, pancakes, or ranch dressing. It’s really easy to make and very hard to mess it up.
The best way to use kefir in smoothies is to use fruit like strawberries as the base; then, you can build your flavors with berries, protein powder, bananas, and greens like kale and mango. If you don’t like fruit, you can make an avocado and cacao smoothie or chocolate peanut butter kefir smoothie. I like to add sugar to dilute the sour tang from kefir.
Benefits of Kefir Smoothies
Homemade kefir smoothies are so good for gut health. Traditional kefir is fermented milk, generally cultured with kefir grains, to create a sour drink full of probiotics and good bacteria. During fermentation, the bacteria and yeast break down the lactose present in milk, making it more suitable for people with lactose intolerance and improving digestion.
I love to make a kefir smoothie for gut health, and because it’s sour in taste, I like to add a good amount of sweetener to make a delicious smoothie and balance out the tartness.
Ingredients Needed For a Kefir Smoothie:
My kefir smoothie recipe is very versatile! I have made them with blackberries, raspberries, and bananas, but they can be made with any kind of fruit you enjoy. So, for me, I always try to add three handfuls of strawberries for a good base and then add a couple of handfuls of berries (of choice) or two to three bananas. I typically buy my frozen strawberries and blueberries in bulk from Azure Standard.
- Strawberries—Use frozen berries and fruit to make the smoothies thick. Soft bananas will work but do try to have the rest of the fruit frozen.
- Blueberries- two to three handfuls of berries are my rule of thumb if I am not using bananas.
- Cultured Milk Kefir- is fermented milk; you can buy kefir at Aldi or make it at home with milk and kefir grains.
- Organic Granulated Sugar- is what I have been using all along. I like my smoothies on the thicker side, so I prefer healthy sugar over liquid sweeteners. If you do wish to use maple syrup or honey, use 1/3 cup.
How To Make a Kefir Smoothie with Strawberries and Blueberries:
Kefir smoothies take seconds to blend using a heavy-duty blender like the Vitamix Blender. This strawberry kefir smoothie turns out on the thicker side, so a good blender is key to making a thick and creamy smoothie.
- Gather your frozen fruit.
- Measure out the sugar.
- Combine all of the ingredients (kefir, fruit, and sugar) into a blender.
- Blend on high for up to 30 seconds until smooth.
- Pour into three tall glasses, and insert straws into each cup. Enjoy!
Tips for Making a Kefir Smoothie:
- Add lots of fruit to the kefir for a thick smoothie. If you don’t add enough, your smoothie will be runnier and less refreshing. My smoothies turn out like slushies: very thick and creamy.
- For more kefir smoothie ideas, substitute half of the blueberries for different berries, such as blackberries, raspberries, or bananas.
- Smoothies with kefir tend to be a bit tarter than yogurt, so add a sweetener of choice to balance out the tangy taste.
- Avoid over-blending; leaving the blender on too long can heat up the blades and make a runnier smoothie.
- Pour the smoothies into stainless steel cups or tall glasses for appeal, and it feels very refreshing and cold.
- Use frozen fruit for a thicker smoothie that stays cold longer.
More Kefir Recipes To Make:
Kefir can be used in place of buttermilk for pancakes or muffins!
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Strawberry Blueberry Kefir Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 heavy-duty blender, ( I used a Vitamix E310)
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 3/4 cups milk kefir
- 3 cups organic frozen strawberries
- 1 1/4 cup organic frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
Instructions
- Pour the kefir into a blender.
- Add the frozen fruit and sugar.
- Blend over high-speed for up to 30 seconds until smooth.
- Pour the kefir smoothies into three 16-ounce glasses. Enjoy cold.
Notes
- Use frozen fruit for a thick smoothie.
- Milk kefir is thick and creamy, you can use store-bought or dilute some yogurt with milk.
- Add 1 Tbsp of protein powder or Desiccated Liver powder for extra protein and iron.
Nutrition (per serving)
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