Joy's Organic Kitchen

I have often been asked how I prepare healthy food on a daily basis. This is my way to show you my daily life with food: shopping at the Hollywood Farmers Market; turning beautiful produce into delicious feasts; buying, storing and cooking food within the confines of my busy life; and doing it all on a budget. I hope you will get some ideas that will fit into your life; and an expanded way of looking at food and its connection with your body, your health, your community and the planet.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Kefir Cheese with Flowers

As an appetizer on Sunday, I served kefir cheese with herbs and flowers. It was great on rye crisps as well as on carrot and celery sticks.

To make it, I stirred nasturtium petals, Egyptian walking onion leaves, mint and dill (along with a little sea salt) into homemade kefir cheese.

The cheese was made by spooning kefir into a coffee filter-lined strainer and letting it drain for a couple of hours. A creamy cheese formed in the strainer, and nutritious watery whey drained into the bowl underneath.

A lot of people have told me that drinking probiotic-full kefir is tough because it is so sour. Somehow, making it into cheese takes away the sourness but none of the beneficial bacteria. (Putting a strip of lemon peel in the kefir while you strain it helps too.) And it makes a wonderful creamy dip when you add your favorite seasonings.