In New Zealand it’s summer right now so fresh salads is what I eat all day alongside my latest obsession: quinoa muffins.
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Susie, one of my Yoga teachers gave me of couple of live cultures in organic milk to take home with me and look after like a pet – assuming:
a. I was eating/drinking dairy;
b. I didn’t mind the committment of performing a ritual every day and drinking it like a form of medicine.
I’m not fantastic with routine especially when not out of choice but since probiotics are a good thing against infection thought I’d give it a go. The first week or so I just drank it. Yesterday, I decided to pour it in my salad and was lovely.
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A short definition on probiotics:
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.
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My salad had the following ingredients:
– shredded green and red cabbage, celery, kale, carrots, red onions and coriander
– fresh ginger in slices for ultimate impact alternatively you can grate some which is what I usually do
– juice of one orange – I actually prefer orange and sweet grapefruit to lemon
– one pack of fresh blueberries
– a pack of cherry tomatoes
– Greek olive oil
– Himalayan salt
– lots of pepper
– live yogurt either bought or maintained at home (see live cultures ritual below)
Live cultures daily ritual:
Not sure how the original cultures were created because they were given to me. You have to preserve them in a glass with a cup of milk preferably organic and cover with a piece of muslin. You leave the glass 24h outside the fridge in a shady area in the house. A time you decide works for you, you do the following daily:
- Separate the live cultures and place them in a new glass (they tend to form small balls so you pick them up with a spoon).
- Add a cup of milk (preferably organic) and cover with the muslin.
- What remained in the original cup you pour into a new glass through a sieve.
- The substance is like liquid yogurt and is ‘live’. Tends to be a little sauer which is actually quite nice and refreshing. You can either drink it or use it as a salad dressing.
- The following day around the same time you repeat the same ritual. If you go away you can place in the fridge. I left it in the fridge for 2 nights in the same glass and muslin cover and was fine.
It’s important that you use a glass and try and avoid staineless steel. I don’t have a plastic sieve so use the metal one but always keep it and drink it from a glass. The cultures will multiply so eventually you need to give away a couple to someone interested.
Admittedly, this process is not for everyone. Some people take probiotics in the form of pills when using antibiotics.
This is a daily ritual that will keep you gut healthy or so I’m told:)
Photos – Yanna P
Have a lovely Day!!!
