Jane’s Chocolaty Gluten Free Granola

April 3, 2014

I have been in a bit of a breakfast slump lately. My normal rotation of chia pudding, warming grain cereal with coconut yogurt and fried egg sandwiches with avocado and hot sauce on sprouted bread is getting a little repetitive. As I was pondering what new addition I could make to my routine, I remembered an old recipe my friend, Jane, gave me for a super yummy, chocolaty gluten free granola. When I pulled the recipe out of my recipe box, it was covered in peanut butter smears and coconut oil stains- signs of a well used recipe. I remembered this granola not hanging around long in my household which confirmed I should reintroduce it to my family. I was excited to have this back as an option for my breakfast routine (or snack or dinner or any other time I had a hankering for chocolaty goodness!). As I looked at the recipe, I realized there were a few items I wanted to tweak from the original recipe based on the family’s changing eating habits but for the most part I left it as is. (I also changed a few ingredients based on the

types of dried fruit and nuts I had in my house.)

Dry ingredients all combined.

Nut butter, syrup, agave and coconut oil starting to melt.

Melted wet ingredients.

I used a combination of maple syrup and agave for my sweeteners but you could substitute honey or brown rice syrup if those are more to your liking. When you mix in the warm, wet ingredients, your chocolate chips will melt, spreading chocolate throughout the whole mixture. I like it this way because then I get a hint of chocolate in every bite. However, if you like granola with solid chunks of chocolate, I would wait to add the chips after the wet and dry ingredients have cooled a little bit.

Wet and dry ingredients all combined.

As you can see from the photo above, everything is lightly coated but not soaked.

Granola ready to go into the oven.

The recipe calls for only 30 minutes in the oven but mine took much longer (almost 50 minutes). (My oven runs a little cold so be sure to base your cook time on your own oven.)

Yum! A whole container of granola!

Chocolaty Gluten Free Granola

Ingredients

3 cups gluten free oats
1/3 cup of amaranth, soaked (This is optional. I had it so I added it for a protein boost.)
1/4 cup flax seeds (1/2 of them ground, 1/2 of them whole)
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
1/4 cup of coconut
1/4 cup of dried blueberries
1/4 cup of dried cherries
1/4 cup of chocolate chips (vegan or regular)
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (Any nuts will do. Go with what you have available or what you like.)
1/4 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 cup of almond butter (Any nut butter will work in this recipe.)
1/4 cup of agave
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1/2 tsp of vanilla
5 tbs of coconut oil

Instructions

If using amaranth, soak for at least six hours and overnight if possible.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In a sauce pan, over low heat, combine almond butter, vanilla, agave, maple syrup and coconut oil.
Stir until well combined.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
Stir until all dry ingredients covered with almond butter mixture.
Press into a pan.
Place in oven for at least 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes. (Mine took over 50 minutes to be fully cooked but you will have to keep checking for when it looks done to you.)

http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/janes-chocolaty-gluten-free-granola/

Enjoy!

This post is part of a Friday Link party of Nap time Creations, Today’s Creative Blog, Live Laugh Rowe, Gluten Free Homemaker, The Nourishing Gourmet and The Shabby Nest.

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Filed Under: Blog, Breakfast Faire

Tiny Tip Tuesday: Eat with Attention

April 1, 2014

Photo by Tambako the Jaguar.

We have all had the experience of sitting down with a bowl of chips and salsa while watching the big game or sat down to eat breakfast with the morning paper only to look down a few minutes later and realize we have consumed the whole bowl of chips or eaten all of our breakfast with no memory of putting anything in our mouth. Not only have we missed the pleasure of savoring the tasty food we have prepared for our self but we also run the risk of eating past the point of being full. When we overstuff our stomachs, not only can it be extremely uncomfortable but it also makes it more difficult for our digestive system to function properly.

Mindful eating offers us a solution to this problem. Mindful eating is eating with attention to what is going into your mouth. It allows you to be fully present in the experience of eating. It requires you to pay attention to the sight, sound, texture, flavors and taste of your food. When you are eating mindfully, you can listen to the cues your body is providing about satiety, making it more likely you will stop eating before you become over full.

Here are a couple of tips to make it easier to start eating mindfully.

Make sure you are actually hungry before you start to eat. If you are only eating because you are bored or anxious then even if you fill yourself with a piece of delicious chocolate cake, you will still be bored or anxious when you finish.
Choose food you are actually interested in eating. If you are only eating something because it is “good” for you, it will be difficult for you to actually feel satisfied when you are finished. This dissatisfaction could send you hunting in the fridge for something to fill you up.
Create a pleasant environment for your meal. Sit down at the table. Don’t eat while driving or talking on the phone. Choose a spot that is only for eating and have all of your meals in this space.
Eat without distractions. This means no reading the newspaper, watching tv or surfing the web.
Take a few deep breaths before you start eating to center yourself and get focused on the meal.
Allow yourself the luxury of time. Put your fork down between bites and focus on chewing your food completely. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to recognize satiety clues.
Pay attention to your food. Notice the taste, texture, smell and appearance of every bite.
Stop eating when you feel about 80% full. Step away from the table as soon as you are done eating.
Notice how you feel when you finish eating. If you feel over full, don’t beat yourself up. Remember you have another chance to make a different choice at your next meal.

For most of us, eating mindfully represents a shift in our relationship to food. As with all new habits, eating with focus and attention will take some time to develop. However, I am confident that if you keep working on this skill, you will notice a real change in your experience with food.

This post is part of The Party Bunch Linky party.

Filed Under: Blog, Health Information

Sneaky Veggie Filled Buffalo Chili

March 30, 2014

Finished Chili with avocado garnish and corn bread.

In our house, it is still a struggle to get the boys to eat most veggies. I have found, however, that if I can serve them a big, hearty bowl of stew where the vegetables are not the first ingredient that jumps out at you, then I can get much less push back. Spaghetti sauce and chili are two amazing opportunities to sneak in some veggies. Both have the tomato base which allows me to hide finely chopped (When I say fine chopped, I really mean pulverized in a food processor.) carrots, onions, garlic and red peppers within the yummy meat and beans.

Veggies before they hit the food processor.

Veggies after being ground in food processor.

As you can see from the pictures above, this sneaky buffalo chili allows me to pack in a lot of veggies with no protest from the boys. Both the carrots and the red pepper are extremely high in Beta Carotene, the precursor to Vitamin A, which is important for vision, healthy immune systems and cell growth. Red peppers are powerhouses in Vitamin C, an incredibly important nutrient for immune health. It can also lower blood pressure, and is a powerful antioxidant which protects our bodies from free radicals. The tomato base also supplies healthy doses of Beta Carotene and Vitamin C.

All the veggies and buffalo cooking on the stove.

The goodness in this chili does not stop with all the packed in veggies. Instead of using a traditional ground turkey or ground beef for the base of this chili, I used bison or as it is commonly called, buffalo. Buffalo has an incredible 34 grams of protein per pound, It is significantly lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than both beef and turkey. It has more iron than beef, an important nutrient for the blood oxygen delivery system. (If your blood is iron deficient you will start feeling tired, pale, irritable and listless.) Buffalo is also a significant source of B vitamins which are important for energy and provides good doses of zinc and selenium. Currently, most buffalo in the US is grass fed which leads to higher concentrations of inflammation fighting Omega-3s than feed lot produced beef. Buffalo has a similar taste and look as ground beef so it is an extremely easy substitution in chili, stews, hamburgers and other foods where you would traditionally use ground beef.

Chili with cornbread.

Sneaky Veggie Filled Buffalo Chili

Ingredients

1 lb buffalo
1 red pepper
1 onion
3 of garlic
1 cup frozen corn
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomatoes 28 oz
1 tbs of oregano
1 tbs of cumin
1 tbs of chili powder
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of paprika
hot pepper sauce to taste
1 tbs of olive oil

Instructions

Place red pepper, onions and garlic in food processor and chop to desired consistency.
Heat olive oil in deep pot.
Place chopped veggies in the pot and cook for about 6 minutes or until translucent.
Add buffalo and spices.
Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Add can of rinsed and drained beans.
Allow the buffalo to brown.
Turn down to simmer and allow to cook for about 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Taste to adjust seasonings.
Add cup of corn and allow to heat through.
Serve chili with garnish of avocado if desired. (Also good with sour cream and cheese.)

http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/sneaky-veggie-filled-buffalo-chili/

You can feel great about serving this very healthy chili and your kids or other veggie resistant people in your life will never realize they are getting mega doses of protein, zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and B vitamins. They will be too busy asking for seconds.

This post appeared on Skip to My Lou’s linky party.

Filed Under: Blog, Soups and Stews

Dark Chocolate Chip Gluten Free Cookies

March 27, 2014

As I have adapted my families diet, one of the biggest requests I still get from my boys is for some sort of “treat”. To them, a “treat” means something sweet. (Unfortunately, their definition of “treat” reflects the language I used with them as young kids. How I wish I had realized that referring to apples and nuts and other healthy fair might have made them as excited to eat whole foods as they are to eat junk!) To help combat this idea of “treat”, I am always looking for recipes for whole foods that are packaged like “treats” but contain some good for you ingredients. It seems like a never ending quest which is why I was so happy when my school introduced me to these super yummy gluten free, dairy free cookies.

These cookies contain oats filled with fiber, manganese, molybdenum, B vitamins and phosphorus. They also have hemp seeds for a shot of omega-3’s and hazelnuts for increased fiber, folate, manganese and copper.

These cookies offer another health benefit. Instead of using butter or margarine, they are made with coconut oil. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, however, it is made of medium chain triglycerides not the long chain triglycerides found in cheese or red meat. Medium chain triglycerides go straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they are used as a quick source of energy or turned into ketone bodies. These fats have been shown to increase daily calorie expenditure by about 5% a day. Also about 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is lauric acid. Lauric acid has anti microbial properties including killing bacteria, viruses and fungi. Lauric acid has also been shown to increase HDL (the “good”) cholesterol and reduced LDL (the “bad”) cholesterol. When buying coconut oil be sure to buy organic, virgin coconut to enjoy all these amazing benefits.

I made these cookies gluten and dairy free because these are two substances we are trying to reduce in our house. However, if you don’t have these same restrictions, regular flour and non-vegan chocolate chips would be just as tasty.

Dark Chocolate Chip Gluten Free Cookies

Ingredients

DRY Ingredients
2c GF all purpose flour
1c vegan chocolate chips (could use chopped dark chocolate or regular chocolate chips)
1/4 c unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup of hemp seeds
½ c hazelnuts chopped (could be replaced with walnuts)
½c dried cherries
¾c oats
½tsp sea salt
¾tsp baking powder
¼tsp cinnamon
1/8tsp nutmeg
WET Ingredients
2/3c maple syrup or agave (I used maple syrup)
2/3c safflower oil or coconut oil (melt first)
1tsp vanilla extract
3tb water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl from the wet ingredients.
Combine wet and dry ingredients together until well combined.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Scoop dough into equal size balls and place on oiled parchment paper or silicone baking sheet.
Slightly flatten.
Bake 12-15 minutes until slightly brown on the edges.

http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/dark-chocolate-chip-gluten-free-cookies/

Dry ingredients.

Wet ingredients before refrigeration.

The ingredients might look and seem a little runny when first combined. However, once the mixture spends 15 minutes in the fridge, the dough will stiffen up, making it easy to scoop into cookies.

Dough scooped out and ready to head to the oven.

Cookies cooling on the wire rack.

Yummy! Yummy! Cookies!

This post is part of a linky party on Rock My Vegan Socks, Tip Junkie and a Southern Fairytale.

Filed Under: Blog, Dessert

Tiny Tip Tuesday: Eat With People You Like

March 25, 2014

Photo by Dana Robinson.

Everyone knows the pleasure and joy they receive when they are fortunate enough to share a meal with people they love and enjoy. Conversely, most of us have also suffered through a tension filled meal and experienced the dissatisfaction and indigestion that can be a result. But how is it possible we walk away from the table after a relaxing meal feeling satisfied and step away from a stress filled meal with a stomach ache? The answer lies in our age old survival instincts.

Our body’s autonomic nervous system has two divisions- the parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic system is responsible for digestion, fuel storage, rest and recuperation, and circulation to non-vital organs. This is the system in control when you are relaxed and have time to enjoy your life.

The sympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is responsible for your flight or fight response. When your body perceives a danger or is stressed, your sympathetic nervous system diverts blood and energy away from your non essential organs and speeds up your heart rate. It also increases adrenaline and blood pressure. While your body is in a heighten state of arousal, it is unable to focus on non- essential tasks like digestion. It has to focus on helping you escape the danger. Consider this. If it is a question of being eaten by a bear or digesting you food, where do you think your body will put the most energy?

Most of us are not running from bears on a regular basis. However, our body doesn’t recognize the difference between the stress of eating in a tense business lunch meeting and the need to escape a charging bear. In both cases, our sympathetic nervous system takes over, diverting blood from the non-essential task of digestion to focus on safety. I know we don’t always have the luxury of controlling who shares our meals- sometimes, we have to join drunk uncle Tom for Thanksgiving dinner or we are stuck trying to explain those disappointing fourth quarter numbers to the boss. However, we can try to control how we respond to the stress. Sometimes just naming for yourself that this meal is going to be stressful, taking five deep breaths before starting and focusing on chewing your food well can make a big difference in how you feel when you step away from the table.

Filed Under: Blog, Health Information

Red Pepper Walnut Spread

March 20, 2014

Finished Dip ready to eat!

I love hummus as much as the next person but with almost daily consumption, I am starting to get a little tired of it. I like the idea of a dip that can be a quick snack with carrot sticks or crackers or that can serve as a spread to liven up a sandwich. The amazing thing about this Red Pepper Walnut Spread is that it can serve all of those purposes. Within minutes of making it, I had slathered it on crackers, slapped it on carrot sticks and heaped it on pasta for lunch. Yummy! (Even though I was too hungry to wait, it was even better the next day when the flavors had time to meld in the fridge!)

Roasting walnuts.

Ingredients all blended up.

This spread is a nutritional powerhouse with two cups of omega-3 filled walnuts and 1/4 cup of walnut oil. It also gets a healthy dose of vitamin A and a mega dose of vitamin C from the red peppers! Both the red peppers and the walnuts offer a shot of fiber to your diet. So go ahead, don’t be shy! Whip some up in your food processor so you can discover for yourself all the different ways you can enjoy this dip!

Yum!

Red Pepper Walnut Spread

This recipe is amazing on thick, hearty crackers. It would also make a great topping for pasta or a filling for a lasagna.

Ingredients

2 cups of dry roasted walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of walnut oil
1 full roasted red pepper
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp of salt
2 tbs of lemon juice
2 tsp of honey
handful of fresh parsley

Instructions

Dry toast walnuts in a large pan. Let cool.
Place all ingredients in a food processor.
Pulse until coarsely chopped.
Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight to let flavors meld.

http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/red-pepper-walnut-spread/

Filed Under: Blog, Snacks

Dark Chocolate Cherry Snack Bars

March 19, 2014

Finished Bars.

In our house, I am always looking for the easy grab and go snack for my active family. As I have moved through this journey towards healthier eating for me and my family, I have been appalled at some of the ingredients listed on food boxes- especially foods marketed towards kids. My kids love their snack bars so I like to try to develop recipes that appeal to their desire for a bar but without all the extra “special” ingredients of commercial bars. With these Dark Chocolate Cherry Snack Bars, I think I have scored a winner.

They are crunchy, chewy, chocolaty, nutty mounds of goodness with tons of healthy omega-3’s, protein and other vitamins and minerals. And best of all they have no “mystery” ingredients that you need a science degree to pronounce!

Chopped and roasted pistachios.

In this bar, I have used both quinoa, a seed most people are familiar with and millet, a grain most people aren’t familiar with eating. (Even though people in Europe have been eating it for centuries, most Americans will only recognize it as one of the ingredients in bird seed.) I like to add millet to baked goods because it is a gluten free, high protein, high fiber grain that adds a little crunch to whatever I am whipping up. Millet is high in amino acids, B-complex vitamins including niacin, folate, thiamine, and riboflavin, and is high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and potassium. It also is a good source of calcium and zinc. However, if the thought of eating “bird food” makes you squeamish or can’t find millet, you can replace it with quinoa or another of your favorite grains.

Oat mixture before the almond butter.

Oat mixture combined with the almond butter mixture.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Snack Bars

Ingredients

1 cup soaked uncooked old fashion oats
1/4 cup soaked uncooked quinoa
1/4 cup soaked uncooked cup of millet
3/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries
1/2 cup of salted dry roasted pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup of hemp seeds
2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds
1 ounce of dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup of almond butter, smooth
6 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

Soak oats, quinoa and millet for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight- (if you are going to soak).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain oats, quinoa and millet and then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake at least 10 minutes but until lightly brown. Stir to break up any clumps that form.
Let cool.
Place oat mixture in a large bowl and add the coconut, cherries, pistachios, flax meal, chocolate and hemp seeds.
Combine the almond butter, coconut oil and maple syrup in a pot.
Bring to a boil. Stirring constantly.
Pour almond mixture over the oat mixture. Stir to combine.
Press mixture into an 8x8 pan greased with coconut oil.
Bake for 13 minutes or until lightly brown.

http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/dark-chocolate-cherry-snack-bars/

Finished product. Yum! Yum!

This post is part of a link-up party on Tip Junkie.

Filed Under: Blog, Snacks

Tiny Tip Tuesday: Chew Your Food

March 18, 2014

Photo by Christian Scheja

Today I am going to begin a new feature on my blog called Tiny Tip Tuesday. I plan to use each Tuesday as an opportunity to offer information focused on tips for a healthy life. Sometimes I might examine a particular food or supplement. Sometimes the focus might be on a cooking tip or explore healthy digestion. I will just see where the mood takes me on each week. (Of course, I am always open to reader suggestions.) So on the inaugural post of what should be many more tiny tips, I would like to remind every one to CHEW YOUR FOOD!

Taking the time to thoroughly chew your food is one of the single most important things you can do to aid digestion. Mechanical digestion begins in the mouth. Thoroughly chewing your food breaks the food down into smaller particles which are easier for your body to digest. Being in smaller pieces makes it easier for your body to absorb all the vitamins and nutrients in your food. Also, the longer you chew, the more your food is exposed to the digestive enzymes in your saliva. (Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth with the digestive enzyme amylase and lingual lipase starts digestion of fats. Both enzymes are found in your saliva.) More chewing also means a longer dinner time. Given that some researchers believe it takes the body up to 20 minutes to recognize signs of satiety, slowing the chewing process down gives the body time to recognize it is full. Finally, chewing more gives you a longer opportunity to enjoy your food.

So the next time you sit down to enjoy your poached salmon dinner or flourless chocolate cake, remember to take the time to chew your food to a uniform consistency. Your tummy will thank you!!

See other photos by Christian Scheja on flickr.

Filed Under: Blog, Health Information

Why Does my Pee Smell Weird After Eating Asparagus?

March 17, 2014

Photo by Brenbot

Spring has sprung and that means it time for a whole new crop of fruits and vegetables. One of the vegetables I am most excited about cooking in the Spring is asparagus. To my ultimate pleasure, the grocery stores and farmer’s markets are filled with asparagus right now- often on sale!!

Unfortunately, one of the VERY unpleasant side effects of eating asparagus is asparagus pee-a seriously stinky pee that hits within 15-30 minutes after consuming asparagus. I have often wondered if this pungent pee was normal or a sign of faulty digestion. I was happy to learn, it is totally normal. (In fact, between 22-50% of people report detecting stinky urine after eating asparagus.)

There are competing theories about what causes asparagus pee. Some researchers believe only some people produce asparagus pee. Others believe, everyone produces the stinky urine but only some people possess the ability to smell the distinctive odor.

Whatever the case, researchers believe during digestion, the vegetable’s sulfurous compound called asparagusic acid breaks down into smelly chemical components. (These smelly compounds can also be found in rotten eggs, onions and garlic.) When you visit the bathroom after eating asparagus, these smelly compounds then become airborne, perfuming the air for all to smell.

So with asparagus season upon us, know that you are not the only one experiencing asparagus pee. I, however, believe that with such a short season of green goodness, it would be ashamed not to take advantage of every opportunity to get your asparagus fix. Go ahead! Cooked up asparagus risotto, grilled asparagus, Creamy asparagus soup or any other asparagus yummy you can devise.

What are some of your favorite asparagus recipes?

See more of Brenbot’s photos here.

Filed Under: Blog, Health Information

Easy Instructions for Making Kombucha

March 16, 2014

It seems like every time I pick up a magazine or look on the internet there is an article about adding probiotic foods to your diet. Besides the “normal” items you read about like yogurt or sauerkraut, kombucha, a fermented tea, has become a big part of the conversation. It is amazing how easy it has become to find this naturally carbonated, fermented beverage filled with amino acids, probiotics and a spectrum of B vitamins. In fact, the other day, I even saw some on the self at Target! But what is kombucha and why are so many people talking about it?

Kombucha’s origins can be traced all the way back to the Chinese around 220 BC. From there, it spread to Tibet and into Russia where talk of the “miracle fungus” drink began to appear. Over the years, it continued to spread, eventually, appearing in the US in the Sixties. Since that time, it has grown in popularity.

Kombucha is amazingly easy to make. Black or green tea is combined with filtered water, sugar and a scoby (a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and then left to ferment on the kitchen counter. After 7-10 days of fermentation, you are ready to bottle your own probiotic drink. It has the effervescence of a soda but without all the sugar and calories. (Sugar is used to brew kombucha. However, most of the sugar is consumed in the fermentation process.) Kombucha is easily and inexpensively produced at home using either the continuous brewing or single batch brewing method.

I have to admit. I was a little nervous to begin producing my own kombucha. However, with a single bottle of commercial kombucha ringing in around $3.99, my daily habit was getting too expensive for my budget. As I started to research at-home production, I found the Kombucha Kamp website. This website is a treasure trove of information about kombucha brewing. Here I could buy my scoby, get my starter liquid and find the answers to all my questions.

: Starting Scoby.

: Scoby forming at top of brewing jar.

: Growing Scoby

I was so excited when my scoby arrived and was even more excited when I realized how easy it would be to start producing my own kombucha. Kombucha Kamp’s directions are straight forward and are the ones I continue to use today.

Since producing my first batch of kombucha, I have produced hundreds of bottles. The best part is I no longer have to spend $3.99 a day to support my addiction.

Directions as Taken From Kombucha Kamp

Supplies Needed

tea kettle or large pot
1 gallon glass container (no metal or crystal)
3 quarts of purified water (no chlorine)
1 cup of sugar
4-5 tea bags or 4-5 tsp of loose leaf tea
1-2 cups of starter liquid (non-flavored kombucha from previous batch or included with your scoby purchase)
Scoby (obtain from kombucha making friend or purchase- I bought mine from Kombucha Kamp on the internet and it included the starter liquid)
Tightly woven cloth and rubber band (no cheese cloth because weave is too loose and fruit flies will get in)

Steps

Heat 4 cups of purified water in tea pot or large pot.
As water starts to boil, turn off heat and let cool 1-2 minutes, then add to your brewing vessel. Make sure your vessel isn’t too cold to prevent it from cracking.
Add 4-5 tea bags (green, black or a combo) and steep for 5-10 minutes.
Remove the tea bags and stir in 1 cup of sugar until dissolved.
Add 2 cups of purified water, lowering the temperature of the water. It needs to be no warmer than body temperature or it can kill the scoby.
Add your starter liquid.
Add scoby.
Cover container with tightly woven cloth and seal with a rubber band. (I used two layers of coffee filters held with a rubber band.)
Place container in dark, warm, ventilated area for 7-21 days. Try to disturb as little as possible during this time.
After 7 days, gently insert straw under the scoby to taste your brew. When it has the right balance of sweet and sour, it is time for bottling. (This is personal preference.)
With clean hands, remove the scobies and place in clean bowl.
Pour 2 cups of brew over the scobies to use as starter liquid for next batch. Cover with cloth and set aside for next brew.
Use clean glass bottles with tight fitting lids. (I reused bottles from store bought kombucha.) Metal lids are not ok.
If flavoring the brew, put juice, fruit or flowers in the bottles.
Insert funnel in the bottle and ladle or pour brew into the bottle. Leave some room at top for secondary fermentation.
Repeat with remaining bottles. Screw on the lids and allow to sit for 1-3 days on the counter, burping the bottles to release carbonation as needed.
Move bottles to fridge as they reach desired carbonation. Refrigeration halts secondary fermentation from flavoring.

Tips for Success

Cleanliness is VERY important. Be sure all utensils, hands and vessels have been thoroughly cleaned and rinsed of soap.
To dechlorinate water, allow to sit out overnight or boil for 10 minutes then allow to cool.
Kombucha brews best between 72-85 degrees. If below 70, will ferment slower and you run the risk of the scoby growing mold. (If your scoby looks like it has mold, you must throw it away and start over.) If your environment is below 70, you can use a heating pad to maintain adequate temperature.
Keep out of direct sunlight.
Your scoby is a living organism. Do not put it in water above 100 degrees or touch it with dirty hands or hands that have been cleaned with anti-bacteria soap.
Avoid contact between your brew and metal (except stainless steel). It can affect the taste and will weaken the scoby over time.

Filed Under: Blog, Drinks

Category Archives: Blog

Directions as Taken From Kombucha Kamp

Supplies Needed

Steps

Tips for Success