Making kefir cheese

When I make kefir, I like to make it thick like sour cream. Then it's good eaten plain as yogurt, stirred into salad dressings, potato salads, or cooked vegetables, and used in baked goods (although its probiotics are destroyed by heating).

I make thick kefir by draining it through a coffee filter set in a strainer over a bowl until it's the consistency I want — from 30 to 90 minutes.

If I let it drain longer, it becomes even thicker like cream cheese. Then I stir herbs and vegetables into it and use it as a spread.

When the kefir is the consistency I want, I scrape it from the filter into a covered glass container and store it in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks. The whey can also be stored for a while, but it's probiotic benefits do wane with time. I drink it straight and Larry puts it in smoothies — usually within a couple of days of making it.

I really like these simple foods that are high in health benefits, low in cost, and add to our enjoyment of our daily meals.