Beet Kvass & Whey Recipe
From Nourishing Traditions
First you have to make the whey which can be used for a lot of recipes. It is full of minerals. One tablespoon in water will aid digestion and keep your joints moving. Those who live a long life eat fermented foods. The bright red drink of the Beet Kvass reminds you of drinking blood. In fact, it is very good for your blood and liver.
Whey and Cream Cheese:
(Makes 5 cups of Whey and 2 cups cream cheese)
~ 2 quarts of organic whole-milk buttermilk or organic plain yogurt (if you can get raw dairy products)
Whey is a starter culture for lacto-fermented vegetables and fruits, for soaking grains and as a starter for many beverages. The cream cheese (by-product) is far more superior than commercial brands.
If using buttermilk let it stand at room temperature 1-2 days until the milk visibly separates into white curds and yellowish whey. If you are using yogurt, no advance preparation is required.
Line a large strainer set over a bowl with a clean dish towel or cheesecloth. Pour in the yogurt or milk, cover and let stand at room temp for several hours (longer for yogurt). The whey will run into the bowl and the milk solids will stay in the strainer. When the bag stops dripping, the cheese is ready. Store whey in a small mason jar (or recycled jelly jar) and cream cheese in a covered glass container. Refrigerated cream cheese keeps for 1 month and the whey for 6 months.
Beet Kvass:
Makes 2 quarts. (Best to invest in 2 quart, 1 quart and small mason jars. Preserve your foods in glass not plastic! Recycle all glass containers.)
3 medium or 2 large organic beets, peeled and chopped (not grated)
¼ cup of whey
1 tablespoon sea salt
Filtered water
Place beets, whey and salt in a 2-quart glass container. Add water to fill the container. Stir and cover securely. Keep at room temp for 2 days before refrigerating. When most of the liquid has been drunk (starter still in bottom), you may fill up the container with water and keep at room temp. another 2 days, then refrigerate. After 2nd brew, discard the beets and start again. Reserve some liquid to start anew batch or start from scratch.
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