HEARTh and Home – New Year’s Detox – The Benefits of Plant-based Kefir

December 30, 2018 Conscious Community Magazine, Health, Healing & Wellness, Healthy Eating, HEARTh & HOME

By Janae Jean

What do the most popular New Year’s Resolutions have in common? Looking at polls on Statista.com from 2016, 2017 and 2018, eating healthier, improving self-care, increasing overall fitness, losing weight and trying something new were favorites every year. I’m confident that those will still be the favorites for 2019.

One way we can make all of those goals this January is by changing how we start our days. Breakfast is often called “the most important meal” of the day. In fact, it sets the tone for our entire day. Starting the morning with empty calories sets us up for a low-energy day. Including kefir in our morning meals adds good bacteria and protein into our diets. Smoothies are fun to improvise. Do you like strawberries and kale together, or banana and cacao powder? Try it! One word of warning, when creating smoothies with kefir, it’s important to keep an eye on how much sugar we are including. A mix of vegetables and fruits keep smoothies balanced. Including plant-based proteins like cashew or almond butter make them even more healthful.

Kefir comes in many varieties. Most common varieties are made with cow’s milk. If you are committed to a plant-based 2019, look for kefir made from plant-based sources such as coconut, soy or rice. There is even water kefir made from sweetened water or coconut water. All varieties contain probiotics and have antibiotic properties. Kefir fights various digestive problems as well as improves allergic and asthma symptoms.

Spinach Blueberry Smoothie

¾ cup frozen blueberries

1 ripe banana

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon almond butter

1 cup plain kefir

½ cup ice

Add kefir and ice to your blender. Blend until mixed. Then add the banana and almond butter and blend more, followed by the frozen blueberries and spinach. Continue blending until smooth. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

CBJ Smoothie

2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

2 large frozen strawberries

2 tablespoons cashew butter

1 ripe banana

1 cup plain kefir

½ cup ice

Add kefir and ice to your blender. Blend until mixed. Then add the banana and blend, followed by the frozen strawberries, cashew butter and cacao powder. Continue blending until smooth. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

Mucho Matcha Green Smoothie

1 avocado

1 teaspoon ceremonial grade
matcha powder

1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup

1 cup plain kefir

¼ cup purified water

½ cup ice

Add avocado, kefir, water and ice to your blender. Blend until mixed. Then add the honey and matcha. Mix until smooth and powder is completely mixed in. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

On the Beet Smoothie

½ cup frozen mixed berries

½ cup baby spinach leaves

¼ cup orange juice

½ cup unsweetened beet juice

1 cup plain kefir

Zest of one lime

Juice of one lime

Pinch of cayenne

Add frozen berries, baby spinach,
fruit juices and kefir to your blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into two glasses, top with zest and cayenne and serve immediately.

Food Facts:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ 9-health-benefits-of-kef
New Year’s Resolution Statistics:
https://www.statista.com

Janae Jean serves as editor, media coordinator, and podcast co-host for Conscious Community Magazine. She enjoys improvising in the kitchen and creating recipes with her loved ones and is very grateful for their input and assistance. She is also a creative professional and music instructor.
For more see www.janaejean.com orwww.perennialmusicandarts.com.

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