If you still have an active sourdough starter sitting on your counter, today’s recipe (sourdough banana bread muffins) is a must-make. And if you’re new to sourdough, don’t click away. You can make this recipe, too. I’ll share how to do that below.

If you’re new to sourdough, it’s a topic we’ve discussed on the blog via the podcast before as well in posts. I recommend listening to this podcast all about sourdough.

Sourdough is made by first creating a starter, which is simply a blend of water and flour and wild yeast. Wild yeast lives everywhere, so the intent of creating a sourdough starter is to capture naturally-occurring wild yeast and use it for baking bread. This means a sourdough starter, the base of every sourdough recipe, is full of life, literally, in the form of healthy and active bacteria.

This bacteria, when mixed with flour (and usually some water and maybe a few other ingredients) and given time (hours to rest and make a fermented dough), goes to work at breaking down (pre-digesting) the gluten and phytic acid found in grains. This makes sourdough easier to digest and full or beneficial nutrients. Sourdough is truly a magical process. It’s fascinating to watch how something so simple (water, flour, and air) can create the most delicious breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles, crackers, and so much more.

(PS: If you have Netflix, I recommend watching Michael Pollan’s Cooked and the episode about Air which is all about fermentation and sourdough.)

When it comes to sourdough, a lot of people think solely about crusty bread. But the truth is, you can use a sourdough starter to make just about any baked good, from muffins to crackers to waffles to cakes to biscuits and pizza dough. (Find 9 easy sourdough recipes in this post.)

To make sourdough banana bread muffins, you need a sourdough starter. You don’t need to purchase a starter (unless you want to, or you can get a starter from a friend), you simply need to make one. Once you make a sourdough starter, it can last hundreds of years (even longer than its owner) and there are tales of starters being passed down by generations of bakers and within families. You can use the same starter for years to make a variety of different baked goods.

If you already have a starter that’s mature and active (meaning it’s bubbly and rises and falls each time you feed it), then you’re ready to make today’s recipe.

If you don’t have a starter yet, now is the time to make one. It’s time to join the rebirth of sourdough in our culture. You’ll need flour and water and patience. It will take about 5-10 days before your starter is ready for baking. After that, it will be ready anytime you want to make something. To make a starter, follow this recipe.

Having a sourdough starter is like having a pet, you must feed it daily (unless you keep a mature starter in the fridge during a hibernation period when you aren’t actively using it–for example: during the week your starter lives in the fridge when it doesn’t require feeding and on the weekend you take your starer out and feed and use it.). Before feeding a starter (with flour and water), you have to discard half the starter first.

Many times, the discard portion is exactly that: discard. That is unless you have a purpose for that discard. With the sourdough discard, you can make pancakes, waffles, or today’s banana bread muffins. You may also use active sourdough starter (as in, you recently fed the sourdough starter just a few hours ago and the starter is now growing and increasing in size). It’s up to you, use discard starter or freshly-fed and bubbly starter–your choice as both work great in this recipe.

Before we make this recipe, I want to mention a few time-saving tips.

• This is a great recipe to add to your recipe list for the school year since the muffins may be made in advance and served for breakfast and lunch during the week.
• The recipe doubles and freezes well. If you have a large amount of starter, double the recipe and store the extra in the freezer.
• The muffins keep at room temperature for about 2 days. After that, store the muffins in the fridge or the freezer.

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Sourdough Banana Bread Muffins

Naturally-sweetened (with honey or maple syrup) banana bread muffins made with a sourdough starter. Inspired by this banana bread recipe from Clever Carrot.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword banana bread, Sourdough, sourdough banana bread, Sourdough Muffins

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 16 muffins

Calories 161kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 400 grams overripe bananas weighed without skin on (about 3 medium bananas)
• 100 grams sourdough starter discard or just fed within a few hours (your choice), about 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted (116 grams)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey (100 grams)
• 1/4 cup kefir or milk (60 grams)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 250 grams whole wheat einkorn flour (2 cups), I believe you could also use a different gluten-based flour, however, I haven't tested this recipe with other flours.
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Or, if you prefer to make bread, line a standard-size bread pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Then whisk in the remaining wet ingredients: sourdough starter, unsalted melted butter, maple syrup (or honey), kefir (or milk), eggs, and vanilla extract.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl: flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
• Fill the muffin cups with the batter (about 3/4 the way full). Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.
• Bake the muffins for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown and the tops feel springy and set when touched. If you prefer to make bread, add the batter to a bread pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes (or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean).
• Store at room temperature for up to 2 days (in an air-tight bag or container) or in the fridge for up to 5 days (or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months).

Notes

Mini Muffins: If you want to make mini muffins for the lunchbox or a toddler breakfast, this recipe will work in a mini muffin pan since there aren't any mix-ins (large chunks of blueberries, etc.) You'll need to reduce the cooking time to just about 12-15ish minutes (my guess). 

Chocolate Chips: I know a lot of people love chocolate chips added to banana bread. You can definitely add chocolate chips to the batter of this recipe. I'm guessing about 1 cup works best. 

Einkorn Flour: Since this recipe is not long-fermented, I like to use einkorn flour as it's easier to digest. Learn more about einkorn flour in this post. 

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Sourdough Banana Bread Muffins (with honey or maple syrup) appeared first on Live Simply.

There are many feelings that surround the current state of the world. (If you’re reading this in the future, we’re currently in 2020, the year of coronavirus, toilet paper and meat shortages, business closures, mask- wearing, and murder hornets…I know it sounds sci-fi like and, trust me, it feels that way.)

Despite the challenging times, there is a glimmer of hope. Folks are turning to local farms and have returned to their kitchens and are now cooking at home (because when you’re not hustling 24/7 you have time to make nourishment a priority). I’ve also noticed the number of people outside, enjoying bike rides and playing with their kids. I know we’re all eager to get back to “normal life,” but I hope we don’t rush back too quickly. I hope we remember the practices we’ve developed during these “slower times.” I hope the sourdough starters continue to thrive, the home-cooked meals continue to be celebrated and enjoyed at our tables, farms continue to experience local demand, and we continue to embrace the beauty and joy that comes from getting outside and connecting with our loved ones. In a way, this virus situation has brought us back to the basics, back to what matters, and for that I’m grateful.

With the hope that all the sourdough starters that were created and loved on during quarantine continue to thrive post-corona, let’s talk about some ways to use that starter beyond just a loaf of crusty bread (which don’t get me wrong is amazing).

If you’re reading this post, my guess is that you already have an active sourdough starter. Or, maybe you’re about to make one and you’re doing some research on how to use your starter once it matures and becomes active. If you’re brand new to the idea of sourdough, then before we proceed on, let’s talk about what a sourdough starter is and why it’s the foundation for all sourdough recipes.

Any type of sourdough (whether pizza or bread or muffins or cake) is made by first creating a sourdough starter. A starter is simply a blend of water and flour and wild yeast. Wild yeast lives everywhere, so the intent of creating a sourdough starter is to capture naturally-occurring wild yeast and use it for baking bread. A sourdough starter is full of life, literally, in the form of healthy and active bacteria. According to Discover Magazine (check out the article, it’s fascinating), “Sourdough is teeming with bugs—some 50 million yeasts and 5 billion lactobacilli bacteria in every teaspoon of starter dough.”

This bacteria, when mixed with flour (and usually some water and maybe a few other ingredients) and given time (hours to rest and make a fermented dough), goes to work at breaking down (pre-digesting) the gluten and phytic acid found in grains. This makes sourdough easier to digest and full or beneficial nutrients.

Sourdough is truly a magical process. It’s fascinating to watch how something so simple (water, flour, and air) can create the most delicious breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles, crackers, and so much more. (PS: If you have Netflix, I recommend watching Michael Pollan’s Cooked and the episode about Air which is all about fermentation and sourdough.)

To make a starter, you’ll need flour, water, and patience. Here’s my tutorial for how to make a sourdough starter. You can also purchase one online or ask a friend.

In order to make sourdough, you need flour. I’ve found the quality of your flour makes all the difference when it comes to making good sourdough. If you’ve been around the blog for long, then you know that I love einkorn flour. Einkorn is the original wheat, an ancient grain that hasn’t been hybridized. You can learn more about einkorn here. Einkorn is very easy to digest compared to most flours so I prefer to keep my einkorn for quick baking projects like quick breads (banana bread, etc.), muffins, biscuits, pie crusts, etc. Here are my favorite (non-einkorn) sources for quality whole wheat and all-purpose flours (the two flours I use most often for making sourdough bread)…

• Sunrise Flour Mill
• Hayden Flour Mills
• Central Milling

Below, you’ll find a few of my favorite ways to use my sourdough starter. Along with the sourdough recipes below, I recommend picking up a copy of Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple. This book is my go-to for sourdough recipes. There are so many ideas for how to use a sourdough starter and every recipe is easy to make.

Pizza

This is my go-to recipe right now to make on Friday night. On Friday morning, I feed my starter and by mid-morning make the dough. In the evening, we roll out the dough and make a couple of pizzas to share with the family. The pizza dough can be made with all-purpose flour or einkorn or a mix of wheat and all-purpose.

Focaccia

This is one of my favorite ways to use my sourdough starter. Trust me, make a focaccia and you’ll see why. Focaccia is a wonderful bread to eat as-is with soup or cut in half and enjoyed as a sandwich. For a quick lunch, I love to cut focaccia in half and top with a red sauce and cheese then broil for few minutes until the cheese is melty. The cookbook mentioned above (Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple) offers a few different variations, from a pesto version to a fresh tomato option. Here is an easy recipe for a basic focaccia.

Muffins

It’s currently blueberry season in Florida so we’ve been making lots of blueberry muffins. This recipe starts by combining a sourdough starter with flour and water and then allows for an overnight fermentation period. In the morning, add a few other ingredients and bake the muffins. You can add a variety of mix-ins to this recipe. I use einkorn flour (since so little flour is used and I love the flavor), but there is room for variation with all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

Banana Bread

I’ve been experimenting with sourdough banana bread, using brown bananas leftover from the week. It’s so good! There’s a slight tangy and sweetness that’s unlike any other banana bread. This recipe only calls for a small amount of honey or maple syrup, too.

Crackers 

Crackers are a good way to use the discard from your starter. (Each day you have to toss half the starter and give the remaining sourdough a fresh feeding, the tossed sourdough is called the discard.) Crackers are a fun way to use that discard and enjoy a delicious and nourishing snack. Pair the crackers with cheese or some homemade hummus.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but it comes from one of my favorite recipe developers (Carrie was on the podcast back in season 2). The fermentation process that takes place in this recipe makes the cookies easier to digest and I’m sure the flavor is amazing.

Chocolate Cake

We made this recipe over the weekend. I was skeptical because it’s just so stinkin’ simple, but simplicity is gourmet (as Hilary from Live Yum Yum says, another podcast guest). The kids made the recipe and then we topped the cake with buttercream frosting (this frosting cut in half). The cake was gone that night. We used einkorn flour, but the recipe calls for all-purpose so there’s room to work with what you have on hand. This cake is also dairy and egg free (see why I was skeptical), so it’s great for anyone with an allergy or anyone wanting to use pantry ingredients and a sourdough starter to make a delicious cake.

Garlic Knots

This recipe is sooooo good and comes from the book I mentioned above (Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple). Fresh roasted garlic is added to this sourdough recipe to make the best garlic knots you’ve ever had. I made the knots recently for a friend who had a baby and her family couldn’t stop raving about them. Naturally, my family was quite jealous so I had to make another batch for our family the next night. Not a bad problem to have.

Pancakes

This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I’ve made them with einkorn and they’re so good! A nice addition to our favorite pancake recipes (found on the blog) and a great way to use my sourdough starter.

Waffles

Sourdough waffles are another favorite in our home: light and fluffy with a slight sourdough tang. I think your family will love them, too. This recipe is my go-to right now. I usually make the recipe with all-purpose einkorn flour.

The post How to Use a Sourdough Starter: 9+ Easy Recipes appeared first on Live Simply.

As I mentioned the other day, most people associate sourdough with just bread, but you can make so much than just bread with your sourdough starter. The other day we made muffins and today we’re going to make pizza. Besides these options, you can also make waffles, crackers, focaccia, garlic knots, pancakes, banana bread, and so much more.

If you’re new to sourdough, it’s a topic we’ve discussed on the blog (before it was the cool hobby of 2020) via the podcast. I recommend listening to this podcast all about sourdough.

To make sourdough pizza crust, you’ll need a few pantry ingredients: flour, water, salt, and an active sourdough starter.

Any type of sourdough (whether pizza or bread or muffins) is made by first creating a sourdough starter, which is simply a blend of water and flour and wild yeast. Wild yeast lives everywhere, so the intent of creating a sourdough starter is to capture naturally-occurring wild yeast and use it for baking bread. This means a sourdough starter, the base of every sourdough recipe, is full of life, literally, in the form of healthy and active bacteria.

This bacteria, when mixed with flour (and usually some water and maybe a few other ingredients) and given time (hours to rest and make a fermented dough), goes to work at breaking down (pre-digesting) the gluten and phytic acid found in grains. This makes sourdough easier to digest and full or beneficial nutrients. Sourdough is truly a magical process. It’s fascinating to watch how something so simple (water, flour, and air) can create the most delicious breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles, crackers, and so much more. (PS: If you have Netflix, I recommend watching Michael Pollan’s Cooked and the episode about Air which is all about fermentation and sourdough.)

Once you have an active starter (meaning the starter rises and falls each time you feed it and bubbles are visible throughout the starter), you can make today’s sourdough pizza crust. Simply combine the active starter with water, flour, and salt and then wait. As you wait, fermentation will take place. This generally will take about 6-8 hours (once the dough doubles in size). I usually combine the ingredients mid-morning, about 4 hours after feeding my starter, and then bake the pizza in the evening. If you want, you can also make the dough and then pop it in the fridge and use it the next day. In fact, I’ve found the flavor and texture of the dough actually improves with refrigeration.

One of the myths of sourdough is that all sourdough baked goods (including bread) taste sour. That’s simply not true.

The sourness of a baked good depends on how often you feed your starter (the more spread out the feedings, the stronger the soured flavor) along with how long the dough rests (ferments). For this pizza crust recipe, the resting time is 6-8 hours, so you won’t end up with a sour pizza crust.

Sourdough improves and enhances the taste of wheat-based goodies. There’s no way to perfectly describe this, you just have to experience good sourdough for yourself. Trust me, it’s amazing!

I’ve tested this recipe with both all-purpose einkorn and the heritage white flour (an all-purpose flour) from Sunrise Flour Mill (where I currently order all of my flour outside of einkorn). Both flours work very well in this recipe. I think whole wheat flour could work, but you may need more water. The dough should be soft and have an elastic feel. If your dough is too dry, just add a bit more water. Trust me, this recipe is super forgiving so don’t be scared to just go for it and experiment.

One quick note, when it comes to baking and sourdough recipes, please weigh your ingredients. For most Americans the thought of weighing ingredients versus using volume (cup) measurements is very foreign. Most of our recipes are written without grams so we aren’t accustomed to cooking this way. When it comes to baking and making dough, weight wins for accuracy and precision. I’ve provided cup measurements in this recipe, but the grams (weight) will be far more accurate and reliable. You can pick up a digital scale for just a few dollars (mine is a bit more expensive–this one–but I’ve used it for years now and love it). Trust me, this tool will serve you well on your sourdough journey.

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Easy Sourdough Pizza Crust

An easy homemade pizza dough made with a sourdough starter and no commercial yeast. Make this recipe in the morning and enjoy pizza in the evening or make in advance and refrigerate for up to 1 day (24 hours) before use.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Sourdough Pizza Crust

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Fermentation (Rest Time) 10 hours hours

Servings 2 large pizzas

Calories 2044kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 100 grams sourdough starter (about 1/2 cup) freshly fed so it's active and bubbly (meaning the starter has doubled in size since feeding, usually within 4-10 hours of a fresh feeding)
• 350 grams water (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 15 grams extra virgin olive oil (1 tablespoon)
• 500 grams all-purpose flour (about 4 cups) I use the heritage white flour from Sunrise Flour Mill or einkorn
• 10 grams salt

Special Equipment:

• digital scale the recommended way to measure ingredients needed to make any kind of sourdough
• large bowl
• dough hook not required, but super helpful for mixing sourdough
• dough scraper not required, but super helpful with scraping the dough out of the bowl
• parchment paper
• 1-2 baking stone or baking sheet (this recipe makes enough for one large pizza or 2 medium-size pizzas)
• damp kitchen towel for covering the dough during the fermentation rest

Instructions

Make the Pizza Dough:

• In a large bowl, whisk the sourdough starter, water, and olive oil. I use a dough hook. If you don't have a dough hook, use a fork.
• Add the flour and salt to the bowl and use the dough hook (or a wooden spoon) to stir the ingredients until everything is well mixed and the ingredients form a wet and jagged-looking dough. If this becomes difficult to mix with your spoon or dough hook, you can use your hands to bring the ingredients together.
• Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 6-8 hours, until doubled in size. I like to drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the dough, but this is completely optional.
• After 6-10 hours, the dough will have doubled in size and appear smooth and have an elastic and wet feel. At this point, you can use the dough to make pizza or place the dough in the fridge (in a bag or the same bowl, just be sure to cover with a damp cloth) and use within 24 hours. If you choose to place your dough in the fridge, the flavor and texture of the dough will continue to intensify. I actually prefer dough that's been refrigerated like this and find the crust to be much lighter and fluffy.
• When you're ready to use the dough to make pizza, grab a piece of parchment paper (or two if you're making two medium-size pizzas). Sprinkle the parchment with extra flour. If you want two medium pizzas, split the dough in half and scoop out one half of the dough onto the floured parchment paper. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and roll out the dough using your hand or a rolling pin to your desired size and thickness. If the dough is too sticky and wet, knead in extra flour until it's workable.
• Add the desired toppings over the dough (red sauce--see an easy recipe in the notes, pesto--see an easy recipe in the notes, cheese, veggies, meats, etc.).

Cook the Pizza:

• Preheat the oven to 475F. Place a large baking stone or sheet pan, or two medium-size baking stones or sheet pans, in the oven to preheat. 
• Carefully pick up the parchment paper (we use a pizza peel to do this--this one), and place the parchment and pizza on the hot baking stone or sheet pan (in the oven). Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes, OR until the crust is golden brown (this will depend on your oven). Allow the pizza to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. 

Notes

To make pizza sauce, here's what you need:

• 2 cups crushed tomatoes (from a can)
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Combine the ingredients together and then spoon on the pizza crust before baking. 

To make pesto, check out this recipe. 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 2044kcal | Carbohydrates: 401g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 3905mg | Potassium: 535mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 23mg

The post Easy Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe appeared first on Live Simply.

Now, before you dismiss the idea of making sourdough bread let me just encourage you: If I can find the time to make sourdough bread, you can, too!

I lack the patience for baking on most days. There are those rare times when I’ll get the urge to make cookies or cupcakes, but most of my time spent baking is due to a special occasion or because there are ripe bananas on the counter (hello, banana bread).

On top of the fact that I lack patience in the baking department, making sourdough bread has been a struggle and challenge for me. I’ve taken classes, read online tutorials, and experimented over the years with various sourdough methods. I’ve even purchased sourdough kits from the store. I’ve tried it all. On top of that, it’s hard to find good sourdough bread in my area. Well, that is, real sourdough bread that’s made with basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and a sourdough starter.

Every one of my attempts resulted in less-than-ideal bread. I’d always give up and keep purchasing sourdough bread from the Whole Foods’ bakery (which is actually really tasty and it’s made with good ingredients).

Last spring, I purchased a book from Amazon called, Tartine Bread. The book is written by the master baker and owner (I believe, I’m still a bit unclear about the owner part) of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Tartine makes some of the most famous sourdough loaves in all the land, so I figured the book might help me on my quest to achieve good, homemade sourdough bread. After reading the book–which is very short considering that the first few pages contain the most important information–I felt confident enough to attempt homemade sourdough, again.

Trying to make sourdough bread, again, meant that I had to create a sourdough starter, again. I had the sourdough starter process down, so I quickly whisked together the flour and water needed for the base of the starter and then let it sit for a few days until it “came to life.” Once the starter was active, I was ready to try my hand at the Tartine method.

My first attempt at making sourdough bread, using the Tartine method, was a huge success. I had never created such perfect sourdough before. The crust crackled, the crumb was deliciously moist, and the holes in the bread were definitely Instagram-worthy. It was at that very moment that my love for making homemade sourdough began.

Over the past few months, I’ve tweaked the Tartine method, using the lessons from the book and the classes I’ve attended in my local community, to create a process that works for my schedule. I’ve also played around with using different flours to make the actual sourdough bread.

As I’ve played in the kitchen, I’ve shared my sourdough loaves over on Instagram. Many Instagram friends have messaged me, asking for the sourdough recipe. So here we are today. Together, I want to help you embark on your own (homemade) sourdough journey. I’m going to share my recipe and tips, from making the starter (yeast) to mixing the bread dough to baking the sourdough loaf, and then it’s your turn to experiment in your kitchen.

Before we can make an actual loaf of sourdough bread, we need to make a sourdough starter–the base on which sourdough bread is formed. Before sharing how to make a starter, let’s talk about what exactly a starter is and why it’s so important. Then, I’ll share how to use this starter to craft a loaf of homemade sourdough bread (see this post for the method I use).

A sourdough starter is simply yeast. Sourdough yeast differs from commercial active dry yeast (and other store-bought yeast varieties) in that a starter is made up of wild yeast. Wild yeast lives everywhere, so the intent of creating a sourdough starter is to capture the naturally-occurring wild yeast and use it for baking bread.

To make a starter, two simple ingredients are combined: water and flour. Wild yeast is already in the flour and air, so at this point it’s just a matter of “capturing” that yeast. After just a few days of the water and flour mixture sitting on the counter, the starter will begin to show signs of life–there will be visible air bubbles throughout the batter, the batter will rise and fall, and it will smell slightly sour (but not in a rotten food way). Once the starter shows signs of life (the good bacteria at work), the starter needs to be maintained with regular feedings of fresh flour and water. Think of the starter like a pet. A pet that gives you delicious bread! That’s my kind of pet.

Once the starter shows signs of life, a loaf of sourdough bread can be made using the starter as the yeast. Not only does a starter help the sourdough bread rise, it also breaks down phytic acid in the bread (thanks to the bacteria), making the bread easier to digest. <–This is just one of the reasons why I’ve wanted to learn the art of making sourdough at home, and why I think it would be beneficial for others, too. According to Discover Magazine (check out the article, it’s fascinating), “Sourdough is teeming with bugs—some 50 million yeasts and 5 billion lactobacilli bacteria in every teaspoon of starter dough.”  

Using wild yeast to make bread is a practice that’s been around for a very long time. It’s a practice that’s beneficial for us in a day when people are afraid of bread and gluten. We’ll talk more about this next time, when we actually make bread together.

Above, you’ll notice my active and mature sourdough starter. This starter was made with all-purpose organic flour from Whole Foods (365 brand), and it’s maintained (fed) with all-purpose flour.

Notice the white line, that’s where the starter sat after discarding half and then feeding the leftover starter with 60 grams water and 60 grams flour. After about 5 hours, my starter grew to where you see it in this photo (double in size). This is a very mature and active starter. Your starter will start to behave in a similar way after about 7-12 days of starting–you just need patience and daily feedings.

Notice the bubbles, these are air pockets and a sign the starter is active and full of good bacteria (the kind that will make your bread rise and also predigest the gluten). When you first start, you’ll notice these bubbles are gradual and small. Overtime, the longer you maintain your starter, the more active and noticeable they’ll become. Seeing bubbles throughout your starter and also seeing it double in size after feeding (and then fall back down to the white line when it’s ready to be fed again) is a sign you can use this starter to bake!

Once your sourdough starter is active (which can take anywhere from 5-10 days, depending on the temperature in your home–bacteria thrives in warm conditions so if your home is cold it may take longer), you can begin baking. Active = you notice air pockets in the sourdough starter and the starter rises (actually doubles in size) and then falls back down each day. Yes, you can make a classic sourdough bread, but there’s so much more you can do. Here are some ideas for how to use your active starter.

• Focaccia: An Italian classic. This is my favorite sourdough bread to make. Enjoy with soup, make it into a pizza, use it to make sandwiches, or just snack on it throughout the day.
• Garlic Knots: A fun garlic bread made with fresh garlic and grated cheese.
• Muffins: Add any filling, such as blueberries or chopped apples or shredded zucchini.
• Banana Bread: I use 1/3 cup of maple syrup instead of the brown sugar in this recipe.
• Waffles: This is a great way to use the discard from your starter once active (you’ll need to discard half your start each day so why not use it?). I’ve used einkorn as the flour in this recipe with good results.
• Pancakes: Another great way to use the discard from your active starter.
• Crackers: Another great way to use the discard from your active starter.
• Pizza Dough: I’ve used einkorn flour in this recipe and it works great.
• Chocolate Chip Cookies: Yep, you can even satisfy your sweet cravings with a sourdough starter.

Tools make the sourdough process easy and enjoyable. While you’re working on your starter, gather these supplies so you’ll be ready to bake in a few days.

• Artisanal Sourdough Made Simple: This is the best sourdough book for easy recipes. Every recipe in this book is easy to make and delicious!
• Flour: If you’ve been around Live Simply for a while, then you know that I love baking with einkorn flour (an ancient grain). When it comes to sourdough, I prefer to use other wheat varieties. Einkorn is expensive and easier to digest (easier than most grains), so I reserve this flour for non-sourdough baking adventures. The sourdough process breaks down the gluten protein in wheat (predigests it), making wheat easier to digest. For flour, I love Sunrise Flour Mill, Hayden Flour Mills and Central Milling.
• Glass Jar: A tall jar (quart sized works well) for storing your starter. Think of this jar as your starter’s home. I like to pour my starter into a new jar (home) every couple of weeks to keep the sides and top of the jar from getting too crusty.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Most recipes will require mixing the sourdough in a large mixing bowl and then letting it rest for several hours (this is when the magic happens).
• Proofing Basket: This is not required, but does help with making a crusty, traditional sourdough loaf.
• Bread Pan: If you want to make a loaf bread (or banana bread), you’ll need a bread loaf pan.
• Dutch Oven: A Dutch oven creates the perfect steam oven for making a crusty loaf of sourdough.
• Dough Whisk: This is particularly helpful for keeping your hands clean when mixing your dough. The dough scraper is also nice for scooping the dough out of the bowl without dirtying your hands.
• Bread Lame: This tool allows you to score the bread (make cuts in the dough before baking), which allows the bread to expand and rise during baking.

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Sourdough Starter

How to make a from-scratch sourdough starter, and maintain that starter, for making homemade sourdough bread. 

Course How To

Cuisine American

Keyword Sourdough Starter

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 starter

Calories 510kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

To Make a Starter:

• 100 grams whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
• 100 grams filtered water

To Maintain/Feed an Active Starter:

• 60 grams whole wheat flour about 1/3 cup or all-purpose flour
• 60 grams filtered water a bit less than 1/4 cup

Special Equipment:

• digital scale you'll also need this to make the sourdough bread
• high-rimmed jar a large mason jar works well
• cheesecloth
• rubberband
• patience

Instructions

To Make a Starter:

• In a high-rimmed jar, mix together the 100 grams of flour and 100 grams of water. Once combined, the flour and water will be thick and resemble a very thick pancake or waffle batter. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or small towel and secure the cloth over the jar with a rubber band. 
• Your work is done for now. It's time to wait and let the natural yeast (bacteria) do its work and bring your starter to life. I recommend placing your starter near a fruit basket (on the counter) or if your home is cold put your starter in the warmest location of your home.
• After about 1-2 days, you should notice that your starter looks and smells different. It may have a slightly sweet and sour aroma, air bubbles may appear in the starter, and the starter has risen. The starter will also change from a thick and hard-to-stir to batter to one that's a bit more pliable. You're not looking for any kind of crazy WOW changes, just slight changes here.
• Discard 50% of your starter.
• Feed the sourdough starter with 60 grams of fresh flour and 60 grams of filtered water (it's important to stick with the same flour for your starter versus change things up). Stir the fresh ingredients into the starter, place the cheesecloth (or towel) back on the jar, and secure the cheesecloth or towel with a rubber band. Place the starter back on the counter (near a fruit basket or warm spot, if possible). Continue to do this for 4-7 days.
• Once your starter is mature (around 5-7 days after starting and consistently feeding it, depending on the temperature of your home), you'll notice that it grows and shrinks throughout the day. Growth happens after you feed your starter with flour and water (and discard half of your starter before doing this)--growth usually happens during the first 2-12 hours of a fresh feeding. It's ideal to feed your starter when it shrinks back down as this means it's ready to fed again (it's consumed all the food you gave it and now it's ready for more so it can grow again). The more you feed your starter (between 1-2 times a day, depending on the current temperature in your home as warmer weather can make for a lively starter while cooler temps so it down), the healthier and more active it will be. When it rises (roughly 2-12 hours after feeding), this is considered an "active and bubbly or freshly fed starter" and it's the ideal time to make bread dough. You can use the discard starter (what you toss each time you feed it), to make waffles or pancakes or crackers.

To Maintain an Active Starter (AKA: Keep It Alive):

• Once a day, refresh your starter by feeding it with fresh flour and water (60 grams each). If your starter is super active (rising and falling often), you can feed it twice a day.
• If you're not going to regularly bake bread, you can keep your mature starter (it's been alive and healthy for a couple of weeks now) in the fridge. To do this, at feeding time, discard 50% of the starter (remember, you can use this to make waffles, pancakes, or crackers if you want), feed the starter with 60 grams of water and flour, and cover the starter. Let the starter sit at room temperature for an hour and then place the starter in the fridge to hibernate. This is also a good way to keep your starter alive if you're going to be traveling and won't be around to feed the starter on a daily basis. There's no need to feed the starter until you pull it back out of the fridge because you're ready to start baking bread again. The starter doesn't need to be fed while it's hibernating in the fridge. I recommend feeding it once a week, if possible, when keeping it in the fridge. You'll need to pull the starter from the fridge at least 1 day before starting the sourdough bread process, discarding 50% of the starter, giving the starter a fresh feeding (60 grams of flour and 60 grams of water), covering the starter, and placing it back on the counter in a warm spot.
• If you need help with troubleshooting or maintaining your starter, I recommend this quick-read guide: https://www.baileyraeskitchen.com/blog-hq/2020/3/25/troubleshooting-amp-maintaining-your-sourdough-starter

Notes

I've had the most success using whole wheat flour to make and maintain my starter. Plus, whole wheat flour is pretty inexpensive, which is important to me since I'm discarding and feeding my sourdough starter on a daily basis. 

I personally don't keep my starter in the fridge, because I usually bake bread 1-2 times a week and don't mind the regular feedings. I keep my starter in the fridge to hibernate when we travel, or during busy seasons of life when I won't be able to regularly feed my starter and make bread. 

Now that my starter is mature and thriving, I don't actually weigh the 50 grams of water and flour each time I feed the starter. I know, just from eye balling it and using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, what my starter should look like when it's fed. Once you get to a point of regular feedings, you'll get to know your starter and the ideal feeding appearance and consistency very well--so don't feel like you need to use the scale for this once you're a pro. You will need a scale for the initial starter creation and each time you make bread, because weight measurements are far more accurate than volume measurements. 

Now that you have a starter, you can make sourdough bread. A Sourdough starter can also be used to leaven more than just a loaf of sourdough bread. You can use a sourdough starter to make sourdough waffles or in place of the leavening agent (i.e. baking powder) in quick bread recipes. It can also be used to make pizza dough. Google is a wonderful resource for recipes. 

For troubleshooting (mold, etc.), Cultures for Health is a great resource. I recommend checking out this article. 

Nutrition

Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 16g | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 5.4mg

The post How to Make a Sourdough Starter (and Keep It Alive) appeared first on Live Simply.

This isn’t just any normal salsa; it’s the best fermented salsa. A probiotic powerhouse salsa with live cultures and the most amazing flavor!

You don’t need any fermentation experience to make this easy recipe. My recipe uses a quick ferment process (ready in a couple days) and requires no special equipment. Made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. 

Salsa Ingredients 

• 2 lbs of tomatoes (cherry or grape tomatoes work best), chopped 
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 hot peppers, such as: jalapeno pepper, poblano pepper, or serrano pepper, chopped (all based on personal taste; the fermentation process mellows the pepper taste so you won’t end up with a super spicy salsa)
• 2 fresh cilantro bunches, chopped
• 1 medium red onion or yellow onion, chopped (about 1-2 cups once chopped, depending on taste preference)
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tablespoon fine salt

Tools Needed 

• 1 large bowl for mixing the ingredients together
• 2 liter tall glass jar with an air-tight lid (such as a mason jar) OR a fermentation jar with fermentation lid 
• 1 weight to weigh down the vegetables and submerge them under the surface of the liquid (weight examples: half a bell pepper, cabbage leaf, half an onion, a clean stone, or fermentation weight)

Time-Saving Tip: Use a food processor or blender to chop the tomatoes, garlic, pepper, and cilantro. Pulse the vegetables a few times (don’t blend non-stop) until chopped. This will make for a more blended (less chunky) salsa, too.

How to Make the Best Salsa (Instructions & Photos)

The Easy Process: Making fermented salsa is a super easy process (perfect for first time fermenters). If you can chop tomatoes and onions, and mince garlic, you can ferment salsa. You don’t need any special fermentation tools, a culture or whey, or prior fermentation experience. Below, you’ll find full instructions and photos to guide you.

Step-by-Step Instructions

• Step 1 Combine the Vegetables, Salt, Lime Juice in a Bowl: Cut the tomatoes into small pieces, chop the onion and spicy pepper, mince the garlic, and chop the cilantro. Add the ingredients to a large bowl, along with lime juice and salt. Mix the ingredients together.
• Step 2 Add the Vegetables to the Fermentation Jar: Add the vegetables to a tall glass jar (whatever you’ll be using to ferment the salsa). Once you’ve added the salsa ingredients to the jar, add the juice/brine found at the bottom of the bowl to the jar. Push the salsa down with your hand (fist) to ensure the veggies are fully covered in the juice/brine. This takes some faith at first, because it doesn’t seem like there’s very much juice/brine compared to veggies. But, trust me, there’s enough juice/brine to cover the veggies.
• Step 3 Add a Weight to the Jar: Once the veggies are fully submerged in the brine, add a weight on top to keep the vegetables submerged in the liquid. You can use half of a bell pepper, a clean rock, a cabbage leaf: anything that will keep the veggies underneath the juice/brine.
• Step 4 Seal the Jar & Ferment For 2 Days: Tightly seal the jar and place in a spot that’s away from direct sunlight. Ferment the salsa at room temperature for 2 day (48 hours). You should notice, after about 24 hours, small bubbles begin to form in the salsa. This is part of the fermentation process as it comes “alive” and the beneficial bacteria works to ferment the vegetables. The bubbles won’t be super fizzy or aggressive, but should be apparent. 
• Step 5 Enjoy & Store in the Fridge: After 2 days, the salsa is ready to enjoy. At this point, you can immeadiately open the jar and eat the salsa or store the salsa in the fridge. Either way, open the jar and remove the weight.

How to Serve & Enjoy

I can’t guarantee that your family will love fermented salsa, but I can say from experience that my family remains very apprehensive about fermented veggies but loves this recipe.

Sauerkraut, kimchi, or the fermented carrots that I purchase at market? Nope, they’re skeptics. Salsa, on the other hand, has been the key to introducing fermented veggies into their diet. Even Dustin, a picky eater when it comes to ferments, loves this salsa and asks for second and third helpings.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy this salsa…

• Perfect accompaniment to tortilla chips for snacking
• On top of homemade chicken nachos 
• On top of ground beef tacos 
• With sheet pan chicken fajitas 
• On top of ground beef quesadillas 
• on top of ground beef taquitos
• On top of homemade enchiladas
• In a school lunch with tortillas chips  

Helpful Questions & Answers

Can I use canned tomatoes to make this salsa? 

I haven’t used canned vegetables to make this salsa or any lacto-fermented foods. I recommend only using fresh produce to make this salsa. Save the canned tomatoes for spaghetti sauce and chili or “normal salsa.” 

Can I reduce the salt or make this recipe without salt? 

No, salt is vital to the fermentation process. Salt is what keeps the bad bacteria from overtaking the ferment. The amount of salt used is perfect for the amount of vegetables used.

My salsa has been sitting on the counter for 2 days and isn’t bubbly, what should I do? 

Fermentation timing depends on the temperature in your home. During the summer, when your home is warm, the salsa may ferment quickly, in just 24-36 hours. In the winter, when your home is cold, it may take longer. Bacteria thrives in a warm environment. Placing the jar in a warmer area (near a lamp or away from a cold draft) will help speed up the fermentation process.

My salsa has a tangy flavor. Why? 

A tangy taste is normal for fermented foods. If the salsa is too tangy, you may need to reduce the fermentation time in the future (your home was probably very warm and the salsa fermented quickly). The amount of time it takes to ferment salsa all depends on the temperature outside the jar: a warm environment will cause the salsa to ferment very quickly and the longer it ferments the more tangy the flavor. This isn’t bad or unsafe, just part of the fermentation process. 

Why Ferment Salsa?

1. Fermented salsa tastes amazing

• Fermentation adds a deliciously tangy flavor to foods. That’s all thanks to the bacteria and natural yeasts at work.
• Fermentation takes cabbage, in the case of sauerkraut, and turns it into a slightly sweet and tangy food. It takes tea and sugar, in the case of kombucha, and makes a bubbly, slightly sour tea. In the case of salsa, fermentation offers a slightly tangy flavor that’s hard to resist.

2. Gut Health & Probiotics

• When you ferment fresh salsa, you end up with a bacteria-rich food. And do you know what thrives on good bacteria? Your gut (and immune system).
• Having a gut that’s healthy and thriving is important. This is why people take probiotic pills. And while I certainly think supplements have their time and place, I believe food should always be our #1 source when possible. Instead of instantly turning to a pill, we need to get back to consuming fermented foods, just like our ancestors did for thousands of years.
• An easy, natural, and budget-friendly way to populate your gut with good bacteria is to consume more fermented foods in your daily diet. This could include fermented cheese (real cheese, not a cheese product), yogurt, sauerkraut, salsa, kimchi, and kefir (make ranch dressing with kefir).

3. Fermentation preserves the salsa 

• For thousands of years, people have fermented foods. Before refrigeration, fermentation played a major role in preserving a bountiful harvest (from the garden) or a large amount of milk (which would be turned into cheese).
• Fermentation encourages the growth of good bacteria so the bad bacteria doesn’t take over (causing food to spoil and rot).
• If you make regular salsa, it will likely go bad within a few days. When you ferment salsa, you extend the life of the salsa for up to a couple of months. 

What Else Can You Ferment?

Once you make fermented salsa, and realize just how easy it is to make your own probiotic-rich, fermented foods, you may want to branch out and try making other ferments.

I’m still in the branching out phase. I’m slowly learning how to do more, and with each success my fermentation confidence grows. Here are a few ideas for what else you can ferment…

Fermented Recipes

• Yogurt: Make homemade yogurt in the slow-cooker or use the Instant Pot yogurt method. 
• Ranch Dressing: Use fermented kefir (a dairy product) to make homemade ranch!
• Sourdough Bread: Of course, the most iconic of all fermented foods. 
• Fermented Carrots: Next on my list to make. I love the fermented carrots found at the market (from St. Pete Ferments), now it’s time to make my own.
• Fermented Salsa Verde: Branch out from red salsa with this green salsa made with tomatillos.
• Ginger Bug: This is another ferment on my list to try.
• Kefir: One of the easiest ferments you can make. Use kefir to make smoothies (as all or just some of the liquid), yogurt sticks, or Ranch.
• Sauerkraut: A classic and so easy to make.

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Fermented Salsa

The best homemade salsa you'll ever make and eat, and it's full of probiotic goodness. Super easy! No prior fermentation skills or special equipment needed.

Course Condiment, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword fermented salsa, lacto-fermented salsa

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Fermentation Time 2 days days

Servings 6 cups

Calories 47kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Equipment

• 1 large bowl (for mixing the vegetables)
• 1 2-liter glass jar with an air-tight lid OR fermentation jar with lid (for fermenting the salsa)
• 1 weight such as: half a bell pepper, cabbage leaf, half an onion, a clean stone, or fermentation weight (to submerge the salsa in the liquid)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs cherry or grape tomatoes chopped
• 6 garlic cloves minced, or to taste
• 1-2 jalapeño pepper chopped, or a serrano pepper or poblano pepper
• 2 cilantro bunches chopped, just the leaves not the stems, depending on taste preference. I like a lot of cilantro. You could also skip the cilantro if desired.
• 1 medium red onion chopped (about 1-2 cups once chopped, depending on taste preference)
• 2 limes juiced
• 1 TB salt I use a fine salt (meaning the grind is fine, not coarse). Use a mineral-rich salt, like Redmond's Real Salt.

Instructions

• To a large bowl, add the chopped tomatoes, minced garlic cloves, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and salt. Toss to thoroughly combine.
• Taste the salsa. It should be salty, but not overpowering. If you can't taste the salt at all, add a few more pinches. You don't want a super salty salsa, but you should taste the salt. The salt is key in aiding the fermentation process and keeping the "bad bacteria" from populating. I usually add a bit more salt, after the initial 1 tablespoon. Use your sense of taste as your guide.
• Add the salsa to an air-tight glass jar. I use a 2 liter jar from Fido (pictured in this post). Ball Jars also work well. You may also divide the mixture between two jars, if needed.
• Once all the salsa is added to the jar, add the brine/juice left at the bottom of the bowl to the jar.
• Press the salsa down in the jar so the veggies are fully submerged in the juice/brine. Then add your weight of choice. I've been using half a bell pepper as a weight. This is used to keep the veggies fully submerged in the juice/brine. The weight, if perishable, will be tossed at the end of the fermentation process (unless you're using a stone).
• Tightly seal the jar and place in a spot that's away from direct sunlight. Ferment the salsa at room temperature for 2 day (48 hours). You should notice, after about 24 hours, that bubbles begin to form in the salsa. This is part of the fermentation process as it comes "alive." The bubbles won't be super fizzy or aggressive, but should be apparent.
• After 2 days, your salsa is ready to enjoy. At this point, you can immeadiately open the jar and eat the salsa or store the salsa in the fridge (it will keep for a couple of months). Either way, open the jar and remove the weight. If you choose to store the salsa in the fridge, the fermentation process slows down, but the flavor will continue to develop so keep this in mind.
• Use this salsa just like any fresh salsa: topped on quesadillas, taquitos, or enchiladas, in tacos, with tortilla chips, etc.

Notes

I’ve purposely adapted this recipe to make a large amount because…

• we go through this salsa quickly 
• it does take some time to chop the veggies and I want to use my time wisely (making enough to last multiple snacks and meals) 
• it keeps in the fridge for a couple of months, so there’s no need to use it up super fast

You’re welcome to adjust the amounts as needed, just remember to also adjust the salt amount. 

Nutrition

Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1181mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 820IU | Vitamin C: 46.2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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Fermented Salsa: The Best Homemade Salsa You’ll Ever Eat

How to Make the Best and Easiest Homemade Yogurt (Instant Pot Method)

The post Fermented Salsa: The Best Homemade Salsa You’ll Ever Eat appeared first on Live Simply.

No one comes to real food (that is, if you’ve grown up eating processed food) knowing how to make “all the things.” Most of us come to this lifestyle knowing next to nothing about cooking and nourishing ourselves. Each small step, whether that’s learning how to read an ingredient list or make yogurt or cook a whole chicken, empowers you take another step and then another. Small steps build momentum and, ultimately, a new lifestyle.

Now, I’m not saying you have to make everything at home in your own kitchen. Personally, I rely on store-bought options for most of our condiments, like: mayo, ketchup, and mustard. And I always purchase crackers in a package and usually stick with store-bought yogurt. I’m incredibly thankful that real food companies exist today, and these companies are making this lifestyle easier to enjoy in our current culture.

That said, I think it’s important to learn how to make these foods, even if we choose to purchase them.

Why?

Because when you know how to make these food, you also know exactly what ingredients should go into making these foods, which means you’re an informed consumer.

When you see an ingredient list on a yogurt container, you begin to question why so many chemical fillers are needed. The same goes for bread, salad dressing, crackers, mayo, and the list could go on.

Learning how to cook is essential. It’s empowering and also equips you with the knowledge needed to be wise about store-bought purchases.

Today, I’m going to show you how easy and simple it is to make homemade yogurt.

Recently, I’ve had a sudden desire to make homemade yogurt again. Mainly because I’ve been wanting to try the Instant Pot method.

Last month, I picked up a gallon of (raw) milk from the farmer’s market and pulled out the Instant Pot. I was amazed at how easy it was to make yogurt in the Instant Pot. Almost too easy. And the results were amazing. I’m talking about thick yogurt with the most pleasant taste.

I was skeptical at how easy this was, so I tested the Instant Pot method over and over again, using a variety of different milk (from local raw milk to various store-bought brands). I’m pleased to say that each attempt has produced very similar results. If you haven’t made yogurt before, you need to give Instant Pot yogurt a try. It’s seriously the best and easiest way to make your own yogurt.

Yogurt is a fermented milk product that’s made by culturing milk using (good) bacteria. Yogurt (the word) is of Turkish origin, dating back to at least 6BC. Yogurt, the product, transcends just one single origin. According to Cultures for Health, ” Yogurt can be found in nearly every culture that has kept animals for milk and it was likely discovered in similar ways in each region.”

Traditionally speaking, milk has been consumed in a way that’s either raw or fermented (such as cheese, kefir, soured, etc.). The milk used to make these traditional foods came from animals raised as nature intended (grazing on pasture).

Most of the yogurt sold today is far from the yogurt our ancestors enjoyed. This yogurt is filled with extras, from artificial sweeteners and colors to candies and cookies. Not to mention the lack of nutrients in the milk that’s being used to make this yogurt. Just like with so many of our foods, the problem isn’t yogurt (or bread or meat). The problem is how we’ve manipulated these foods by cutting corners and making them in the cheapest possible way.

When we consume yogurt that’s full of gut-friendly bacteria, that has been made using milk from healthy animals (grazing on pasture, without additional hormones, etc.), yogurt is an incredibly healthy food.

To make homemade yogurt, you only need two ingredients: milk and a yogurt starter.

When it comes to milk, you can use raw or pasteurized milk. However, you can NOT use ultra-pasteurized milk. Ultra-pasteurized milk is processed to such a degree that it doesn’t even need to be refrigerated. It’s dead milk (that’s why it will keep for months) and the good bacteria needed to make yogurt can’t thrive in this environment. Ultra-pasteurized milk is clearly labeled with these words (ultra-pasteurized) on the label.

If you can find a pasteurized milk that hasn’t been homogenized, even better. This means a layer of cream remains on top of the milk–the way nature intended. This layer of cream produces a super creamy and thick yogurt. All raw milk is non-homogenized, but only a few pasteurized options are also non-homogenized. You’ll be able to tell if a milk has been homogenized by reading the label. There are a few brands out there selling milk like this, including: Organic Valley (they also sell ultra-pasteurized milk, so reading the label is key), Natural by Nature, and a few others.

A starter is the culture (good bacteria) needed to turn the milk into yogurt. You can purchase a starter from companies like Cultures for Health or you can use plain yogurt. I recommend the latter since it’s easy to find yogurt.

Purchase plain yogurt (no flavorings) that contains active cultures (the ingredient list will include a list of active cultures, such as: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus). The starter can be regular yogurt or Greek-style yogurt.

Once you make your own yogurt, you can use a small amount of this yogurt as the future starter. But when you’re just getting started, you’ll need to purchase a starter yogurt from the store.

Beyond these ingredients, you’ll need an Instant Pot to make today’s recipe. Not every Instant Pot is equipped to easily make yogurt.

I have two different Instant Pot models. My first Instant Pot is the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1. The second Instant pot (recently acquired) is the Instant Pot LUX60V3 V3 6 Qt 6-in-1. The 7-in-1 model includes a yogurt button which allows you to easily make yogurt. The second model, the 6-in-1 model, does not include the yogurt button. This is very important. If you have a yogurt button on the front of your Instant Pot, continue on. If not, you’ll need to follow slightly different (although the process is pretty much the same) instructions. I recommend this tutorial if you don’t have the yogurt button. 

The consistency of homemade yogurt can vary greatly. The final yogurt can be incredibly thick, gelatinous, or even thin and more like a drinkable yogurt. There are a couple of factors that determine the thickness of the yogurt: 

1. Yogurt can range in consistency because of the type of bacteria used to culture the milk (the active cultures/bacteria in your starter).
2. The thickness can vary based on whether or not the milk is homogenized. Non-homogenized milk has a layer of cream on top that produces thicker (and tastier) yogurt.

No matter what strands of bacteria your starter contains or whether your milk is homogenized or not, you can still achieve thick yogurt. There are a couple of ways to achieve thick yogurt:

1. Once your yogurt is ready (after the fermentation/culturing process), place it in the fridge and chill the yogurt for several hours. This helps the yogurt to set, thicken, and develop a wonderful flavor. With this method, you’ll end up with yogurt that’s similar in consistency to a store-bought yogurt.
2. If you want super thick, Greek-style yogurt, you’ll need to strain the finished yogurt in a towel that’s draped over a sieve or colander. This method will separate the yogurt from the whey (the liquid that remains after the fermentation/culturing process). Once the whey has been removed, you’ll be left with a super thick yogurt.

Homemade yogurt tastes as yogurt should: tangy. The longer you ferment/culture the yogurt, the tangier the yogurt tastes. I like to ferment my yogurt for 10 hours. I’ve found this results in the best flavor.

That said, plain yogurt can take some time to get used to, and some folks still prefer a flavored yogurt.

Here are a few ways to naturally flavor your homemade yogurt…

• Stir in frozen or fresh fruit just before serving, or a fruit jam.
• Add honey, maple syrup, and/or vanilla extract to the yogurt. You may need to add more sweetener at first and then over time, as your palate gets used to the tangy flavor of a fermented food like yogurt, slowly decrease the amount of sweetener needed.
• Add spices. Such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves.

Finally, before we make some yogurt together, let’s talk about how to use your future homemade yogurt.

Of course, there’s the obvious way: served in a bowl with fruit or granola (or on its own). Beyond this, use the yogurt in a variety of other ways:

• make healthy yogurt bowls
• make yogurt fruit dip
• make a high protein chocolate yogurt bowl
• make muffins or waffles
• blend it up with fruit to make a smoothie or pour that smoothie into popsicle molds
• make your own yogurt sticks
• make your own parfaits
• use yogurt to make coleslaw instead of mayo
• make homemade tzatziki to serve alongside Greek-inspired chicken
• make chicken salad, using yogurt in place of traditional mayo
• serve the yogurt on baked potatoes or quesadillas, in place of sour cream
• make a yogurt face mask for your skin

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Homemade Yogurt (Instant Pot Method)

I've made yogurt using a number of methods of the years. Using the Instant Pot (or electric pressure cooker) is the best and easiest method. This step-by-step recipe will help you make a delicious homemade yogurt, with a consistency and flavor you'll love.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, French, Indian, Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword Homemade yogurt

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting Time 10 hours hours

Servings 6 cups

Calories 1192kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1/2 gallon raw or pasteurized whole milk DO NOT use ultra-pasteurized milk
• 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt that contains live active cultures

Special Equipment:

• Instant Pot *
• large bowl to make an ice bath, or partially fill up your sink with a few ice cubes and cold water
• candy thermometer or any thermometer used for cooking

Instructions

• Pour the milk into the Instant Pot.
• Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to sealed. Press the Yogurt button. Press the button again, until the screen reads "boil." It will take about 30-45 minutes for your yogurt to go through this initial warming/boiling phase. Once the yogurt has been warmed, the Instant Pot will beep and the screen will read "yogurt."
• Remove the lid from the Instant Pot. There isn't any pressure built up, since you didn't pressure cook the milk, so there's no need to release steam from the valve. Simply open the lid.
• Prepare an ice bath in the sink by placing a large bowl in your sink, filled with cold water and a few ice cubes. The bowl needs to be large enough for the Instant Pot liner to fit inside. Alternatively, use a stopper to plug your sink and fill about a quarter the way full with cold water and a few ice cubes.
• Carefully, with hot pad holders, remove the liner from the Instant Pot and place it in the ice bath. The goal of this step is to cool the milk so you can reach a desirable temperature for the good bacteria to thrive and culture, without killing the bacteria.
• Place a thermometer in the milk. Once the thermometer reaches between 115-110F, remove the thermometer and the Instant Pot liner from the ice batch. It takes the milk about 10ish minutes to reach this desired temperature.
• Add the yogurt to the milk and whisk to combine.
• Return the liner to the Instant Pot. Place the lid on the pot and make sure the valve is set to sealed.
• Press the yogurt button (again) and this time use the + button to increase the time on the screen to 10:00. This tells the Instant Pot that you want to keep the pot warm for 10 hours so the milk has time to culture, which is what will turn that milk into delicious yogurt. The longer you culture, the tangier the yogurt. Between 8-12 hours is the usual recommendation. I've personally found that 10 hours in the sweet spot for me.
• Now, walk away. Your job is done, for now.
• After 10 hours, the Instant Pot will beep, indicating the yogurt is ready.
• At this point, I like to remove the lid and then the liner from the Instant Pot, checking on how thick my yogurt is. Depending on your milk, the yogurt may be super thick or slightly runny (still thick, just not super thick).
• I highly recommend placing the lid back on the liner, or covering the liner with a towel or whatever you desire, and placing the yogurt in the fridge for several hours. This step helps the yogurt thicken and develops the flavor.
• After a few hours in the fridge, remove the liner and spoon the yogurt into a storage jar. The yogurt is ready to enjoy, or may be refrigerated and enjoyed later. Serve as-is or flavor with fruit, honey, vanilla, or spices.

To Make Thick Greek-Style Yogurt:

• If you want super thick Greek-style yogurt, place a sieve or colander over a large bowl (it's best if the sieve can sit on top of the bowl versus sitting down in the bowl). And drape a clean linen towel (or a thin towel of choice, or a couple sheets of cheesecloth) over the sieve.
• Remove the yogurt from the fridge (or you can do this once the 10 hours is up and skip the fridge stage) and carefully pour (or spoon) the yogurt into the cloth. Allow the yogurt to sit at room temperature, until you've reached the desired consistency. You'll notice the whey separating through the sieve and into the bowl. Keep in mind, when you do this, you'll end up with significantly less yogurt (2-3 cups less), but it will be super thick.
• Carefully spoon the yogurt from the towel and place in a jar. The whey may be saved in a separate jar and used in a variety of ways, or discarded. Store the yogurt (and whey, if keeping) in the fridge.

Notes

*Important Instant Pot Note:

I have two Instant Pot models. My first Instant Pot is the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1. The second Instant pot (recently acquired) is the Instant Pot LUX60V3 V3 6 Qt 6-in-1. The 7-in-1 model includes a yogurt button which allows you to easily make yogurt. The second model, the 6-in-1 model, does not include the yogurt button. This is very important. Check your Instant Pot before continuing with this recipe.

The silicone seal ring inside the lid of the Instant Pot has a tendency to trap odors. If you cook fragrant meals in your pot, there’s a strong chance your yogurt may have a cumin or garlic taste. I personally haven’t had this happen, yet, but I’ve been told by others that it’s an unpleasant experience. If you plan to make yogurt regularly, you may want to purchase a separate seal ring to use–just to ensure strong odors don’t transfer over to your yogurt. 

Nutrition

Calories: 1192kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Cholesterol: 197mg | Sodium: 842mg | Potassium: 2593mg | Sugar: 98g | Vitamin A: 3125IU | Calcium: 2213mg | Iron: 0.6mg

The post How to Make the Best and Easiest Homemade Yogurt (Instant Pot Method) appeared first on Live Simply.

We start today’s conversation talking about Greg’s health story, and then get right into a discussion about gluten:

• is all gluten created equal
• is there a healthy or traditional way to consume gluten
• what kind of bread should we look for (or make)

Our conversation then turns to talking about sourdough:

• what is sourdough
• why is sourdough good for you
• how to make your own sourdough bread at home or how to source sourdough bread in your area if you don’t want to bake at home.

I learned so much from today’s chat with Greg and I know you will, too.

Listen On iTunesListen On Stitcher Listen On Spotify

• Pizzeria Gregario (Facebook)
• Follow Greg on Instagram
• Asheville Bread Festival
• Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
• My Sourdough Attempts (Instagram account)
• The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book (cookbook)
• Bread (cookbook)
• Tartine (sourdough cookbook)
• how to make a sourdough starter from Live Simply
• sourdough recipe from Live Simply

Q1: Tell us about yourself. 

Q2: What does eating real food look like for you?

Q3: Let’s talk about gluten. I would love to hear your thoughts on gluten–why do you think it’s so feared, should we fear gluten? Is there a “healthy” way to consume gluten?

Q4: Is all gluten created equal? Is gluten a problem, or is it how we’re consuming gluten? 

Q5: What should people be looking for when buying bread? What type of bread do you recommend consuming? And how can we spot a quality store-bought loaf? (This is a question a lot of folks asked about.

Q6: Talk to us about sourdough. What is sourdough, what makes sourdough unique compared to “standard” bread. What does souring grains do to gluten? 

Q7: Why should we incorporate sourdough into our diet?

Q8: Can you share about your sourdough baking process? What does the process of making a sourdough loaf look like in your kitchen?

Q9: How can someone start baking sourdough at home? 

Q10: You’re a big advocate for getting to know your grain source. Why do believe this is so important? And how can consumers be more informed about where their grains are coming from? 

Q11: You also source ancient grains, like einkorn, for your loaves. Can you share more about ancient grains.  

The post Podcast 042: Let’s Talk About Gluten and What Makes Sourdough Different with Greg Seymour appeared first on Live Simply.

Sarah shares:

• why we should add fermented foods to our diet
• the benefits of consuming fermented foods
• examples of fermented foods (we’re going beyond kombucha–there are so many options)
• the importance of local ferments versus ferments that are shipped from far away
• why you need to consume more than just kombucha
• how we can add ferments to our diet

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• St. Pete Ferments (website)
• Follow Sarah (St. Pete Ferments) on Instagram
• Wild Fermentation by Sander Katz (book)
• Fermented Vegetables by Christopher and Kirsten Shockey (book)
• Fiery Ferments by Christopher and Kirsten S hockey (book)

Q1: Tell us about yourself.

Q2: Tell us about St. Pete Ferments. 

Q3: What exactly is a fermented food?

Q4: What are some examples of fermented foods?

Q5: Why ferment foods?

Q6: Why eat fermented foods? What are the benefits of consuming fermented foods?

Q7: It may appear that fermented foods are trending right now, but fermentation is a process that’s been around for a very long time. Can you share more about the traditional aspect of fermented foods? 

Q8: Tell us about the importance of local when it comes to fermented foods? 

Q9: In your opinion, what part should fermented foods play in our daily diet? 

Q10: How can we add fermented foods to our daily diet?

Q11: Can you walk us through the process of a ferment in your kitchen? Let’s say you pick up a veggie at the market and want to ferment this veggie? What does this look like from start to finish.

Q12: If someone wants to begin fermenting foods at home, what resources will they need? 

Q13: What are the easiest foods to begin fermenting?

Q14: Are there any resources you recommend for people who want to explore fermenting at home? 

Q15: What about safety? Are there precautions to consider or things to look for when fermenting foods at home?  

The post Podcast 041: What Are Fermented Foods and Why Should We Consume Ferments with Sarah from St. Pete Ferments appeared first on Live Simply.

This new lifestyle change meant that I had to be very savvy at reading ingredient lists on boxed and packaged food products. Have you ever read the back of a ranch dressing bottle?

There are quite a few real ingredients used to make the dressing. I know, surprising! Ingredients that I would use in my own kitchen: egg yolks,  vinegar, buttermilk, and seasonings. There are also some not-so-recognizable ingredients: monosodium glutamate, polysorbate 60 (also used in cosmetics as an emulsifier), and the very vague “natural flavors.”

I gave up on ranch dressing after making our lifestyle change, and slowly fell in love with veggies for their unique flavors and textures.

And then I had kids.

Kids that go to school and see other children’s lunchbox options.

A few months ago, after seeing her friend’s lunch, Londyn asked if I would pack a white dip in her lunch to enjoy with veggies (usually carrots, celery, or cucumbers). I knew she must be talking about ranch.

My first reaction was to find a “clean” store-bought option. After looking at Whole Foods, I found a couple of brands, but none of them passed the taste test. They just didn’t taste like ranch. And Londyn thought they were all too spicy. <–A word she uses often to describe an unpleasant food experience.

My next step was to create a homemade ranch. With a few basic seasonings (from my capsule pantry), a tub of sour cream, and kefir, I got to work. Londyn tasted the dressing after the initial test, and we tweaked it until the ultimate ranch dressing was created.

We’ve been making this dressing ever since that initial experiment. Londyn loves dipping her veggies in the ranch. And I love using the ranch as a salad dressing, tossed with whatever greens we may have in the fridge.

The dressing, or dip, is made with the simplest of ingredients: sour cream, kefir (a cultured, probiotic dairy food–good for the gut), fresh lemon juice, seasonings. It takes only five minutes to whisk the ingredients together and make what we think is the best ranch dressing.

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Homemade Ranch Dressing / Dip with Kefir

The dressing, or dip, is made with the simplest of ingredients: sour cream, kefir (a cultured, probiotic dairy food-good for the gut), fresh lemon juice, seasonings. It takes only five minutes to whisk the ingredients together and make what we think is the best ranch dressing.

Course Condiment, Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Ranch Dressing

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup

Calories 395kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup plain kefir or filmjolk, similar to kefir (Siggi's brand), or whole milk
• 1/2 lemon juiced, or 1 lemon juiced (based on taste preference)
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Equipment:

• medium bowl
• whisk
• storage jar with a lid

Instructions

• Add the ingredients to a medium-size bowl. Whisk to combine. 
• Serve immediately, or pour the dressing into a storage container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to a week. Use as a dressing or dip.

Notes

If want to use fresh seasonings, here's what I would try in place of the dried spices: 1 garlic clove, minced in place of the garlic powder, 1-2 TB minced fresh parsley in place of the dried parsley, 1-2 TB chopped chives in place of the onion powder. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1336mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1195IU | Vitamin C: 30.2mg | Calcium: 279mg | Iron: 0.6mg

The post Homemade Ranch Dressing / Dip (with Probiotic Kefir) appeared first on Live Simply.

Making sourdough bread is a traditional practice that’s been used to make grains more digestible and to help unlock the nutrients found in grains. 

“Traditional societies usually soak or ferment their grains before eating them, processes that neutralize phytates and enzyme inhibitors and in effect, predigest grains so that all their nutrients are more available. Sprouting, overnight soaking, and old-fashioned sour leavening can accomplish this important predigestive process in our own kitchens. Many people who are allergic to grains will tolerate them well when they are prepared according to these procedures.” -Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions 

I don’t soak, sprout, or sour every grain we consume. This is evidenced by the number of recipes on the blog that call for simply combining flour and other ingredients in a bowl and then putting those ingredients in the oven to bake. Just because I can’t/don’t/won’t soak, sprout, or sour every grain we consume doesn’t mean I can’t incorporate these time-honored, gut-loving techniques into my kitchen from time to time.

PS: If you have a Netflix account, I highly recommend watching Micheal Pollan’s Cooked Series, particularly part three, Air. Pollan explores the art, science, and reason why we should get back to making sourdough, particularly in a day and age when so many folks are afraid of gluten. If you don’t have a Netflix account, or don’t want to watch the documentary, read this short article. 

Most sourdough recipes are written in very complicated formats. The recipe formats are well and good if you know what you’re doing, but, to me, these instructions have made sourdough recipes feel intimidating.

Because of this, I’m going to share today’s recipe in steps. To me, this makes logical sense. This is how I initially wrote down and tweaked this recipe, so why change it up and try to make it all fancy.

Sourdough isn’t a process that’s meant to be fast or quick–that’s why active dry yeast was invented and became so popular–but don’t let this fact discourage you. Most of the process is a hands-off process, which means you can have a life outside the kitchen and still make sourdough bread.

Also, I highly recommend picking up the book, Tartine Bread. The book uses technical, baker terms (which are helpful as you progress along in your sourdough journey) for what I’m calling “steps.” The book is also filled with recipes, from pizza dough to olive sourdough bread. The Tartine recipe and method was published by the New York Times a couple of years ago, too. So if you want to try out the full method, which I’ve adapted to work for my schedule, check out the recipe.

So, step one…

In the first step, I combine some of my sourdough starter (here’s a tutorial), with the majority of the water and flour used to make the dough. At this point, the dough is jagged and thick. The dough is covered with a towel, and then rests on the counter for about 6 hours.

After about 6 hours (I’ve tried other time periods and this works best for my schedule), the dough has spread and increased in size. Now it’s time for step two.

To knead the dough, I use the method described in Tartine Bread, “…dip one hand in water to prevent the dough from sticking to you and then grab the underside of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back over the rest of the dough. Repeat this action three times so that all the dough gets evenly developed. This is considered one turn.”

It’s fascinating to watch how the dough develops and transforms itself. By the end of this process, the dough is smooth and easier to handle. Some air bubbles develop in the bread during this process, too.

After 3 hours, the dough is ready to be placed on a floured surface and folded. After folding the dough over itself, on each side, I dust the dough generously with flour and cover it with my towel. The dough then rests for 30 minutes, during which time it will flatten out like a thick pancake.

Note: This is a very wet dough, so if this is your first time working with sourdough, you may want to add a bit more flour to the dough (about 30 grams, up to 50 grams) to make it easier to work with.

The dough is placed in the floured proofing basket, and then into the fridge it goes to rest overnight.

Once removed from the oven, and the Dutch oven, the bread is ready to rest and cool.

Sourdough bread is just as much of an art as it is a science. No two loaves are the same, and no two methods are identical (thanks to different environments, schedules, and personal taste preferences).

The more you make sourdough bread, the more you can tweak and perfect your ideal bread, and the process that goes into making the bread. This recipe and method, which I’ve tweaked from Tartine Bread and the classes I’ve taken in my local community, works for my schedule and produces a loaf of bread that’s slightly sour, but too sour; slightly dense, but not too dense; slightly imperfect, but absolutely perfect to me and my family.

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Homemade Sourdough Bread (Spelt and Wheat)

Homemade sourdough bread made with spelt and wheat flours. A recipe and method adapted from Tartine Bread. 

Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Bread, Homemade, Sourdough

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 44 minutes minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Calories 2305kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

Step One:

• 50 grams sourdough starter about 2 tablespoons*
• 400 grams filtered water
• 100 grams whole wheat flour
• 450 grams white spelt flour unbleached, unbromated and unenriched**

Step Two:

• 25 grams filtered, warm water
• 10 grams salt
• 30 grams white spelt flour
• white spelt flour for dusting the countertop and top of the dough

Step Three:

• whole wheat flour for dusting the proofing basket
• white rice flour for dusting the proofing basket

Special Equipment:

• digital scale because you'll need to weigh the above ingredients
• large bowl ceramic, glass, or stainless steel work best
• dish towel
• proofing basket or a medium-size bowl--you'll also need a dish towel if using a bowl
• bread lame or a very sharp knife
• Dutch oven I use a 3 quart oven
• sharp bread knife

Instructions

Step One:

• In a large bowl, using your hands or a spoonula, combine the starter, water, and flours. The dough should be jagged and thick. Cover the bowl with a towel (or you could use plastic wrap or beeswax wrap), and allow the dough to rest for 6 hours. I usually start this in the morning, before I leave the house for the day, and allow it to rest on the counter until I get home. After about 6 hours (it can go for a bit longer, if needed), the dough should have spread and increased in size.

Step Two:

• Add the water and the salt to the dough. To do this, fold the ingredients into the dough by grabbing the underside of the dough, stretching it , and folding the sides over and on top of the dough. This is all done within the bowl. Cover the bowl with the towel and set a timer for 3 hours. 
• During this 3 hour time period, every 30 minutes, return back to the dough to "knead" it or "turn it." To knead the dough, I use the method described in Tartine Bread, "...dip one hand in water to prevent the dough from sticking to you and then grab the underside of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it back over the rest of the dough. Repeat this action three times so that all the dough gets evenly developed. This is considered one turn." The goal is to knead or turn the dough 3-4 times during this resting period--I've found that every 30 minutes works well. 
• By the end of this step, the dough should have increased by 20-30%, if not let the dough rise for another hour. <--This may be particularly true during the winter if your home is very cold. 
• Turn the dough onto a well-floured countertop surface (I use extra spelt flour). If the dough feels unreasonably wet to you (the dough should be a "wet dough"), you can knead in 30 more grams of spelt flour. If it still feels too wet to work with, you can add 20 more grams of flour (up to 50 total grams of flour). 
• Using the same kneading/turning method, fold the dough together to form a ball. Sprinkle the top of the dough with extra spelt flour and cover the dough with a towel. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. During this time the dough will flatten and spread, like a very thick pancake. 

Step Three:

• Now it's time to shape the dough and get it ready for a final rise. Before doing this, you'll need to prep a proofing basket.
• Whisk together 50/50 whole wheat flour and white rice flour--I mix 1 cup of each flour and keep this in a dedicated container that I pull out for this step.
• If you're using a proofing basket, mist the basket with water and generously sprinkle the basket with the flour mixture. If you don't have a proofing basket, place a dish towel in a medium-size bowl, mist the towel with water and generously sprinkle the towel with the flour mixture. (The water misting helps the flour stick to the surface.) 
• Now it's time to shape the dough into what Tartine describes as a "neat package." To do this, fold one side of the dough (the side near you) up and over the center of the dough. Stretch out the dough to your right and fold the dough up and over the last fold. Repeat this with the left side. Now fold the dough "in the back" (furthest from you, I don't know what else to call this part) up and over the previous folds. At this point, you should have a compact dough ball. Gently roll the dough away from you, creating a smooth ball, and dust the top of the ball with some of the wheat and rice flour blend. 
• Let the dough rest for a minute, and then place your hand under the dough and drop it in prepared basket (with the floured top now at the bottom). Cover the basket with a towel, or plastic wrap or beeswax wrap, dust the top with a bit of the wheat and rice flour mixture, and place it in the fridge. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 12 hours before baking. Alternatively, you can leave the basket on the counter, covered, and let it rest for only 3-4 hours before baking. 

Step Four:

• To bake the bread, preheat the oven to 500F and place a Dutch oven, with a lid, in the oven. Remove the bread from the fridge and allow it to rest on the counter (at least 30 minutes before baking). Once the oven reaches 500F, remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Flip the bowl upside down and drop the bread into the Dutch oven. Use a very sharp knife, or a bread lame, to make a couple of cuts on the top of the bread to allow steam to escape. 
• Place the lid on the Dutch oven. Reduce the oven to 450F. Bake the bread, with the lid on, for 24 minutes (this creates a natural steam oven). After 24 minutes, remove the lid and and bake the bread for 20 minutes. 
• Remove the Dutch oven from the oven, and then remove the bread from the Dutch oven. Place the bread on its side to cool. 
• Cool the bread before slicing and enjoying. Use a sharp bread knife to cut the bread. 

Other Recipes:

• There are many ways to make sourdough bread. This is just the method I use. Here's another method I've used with good success that calls for all-purpose flour: https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2020/04/artisan-sourdough-with-all-purpose-flour/

  To learn more about all the ways to use a sourdough starter, check out this post.

Notes

*Try to use a starter that's been fed in the last 12 hours--so it's fresh and very active. After using some of the starter to make the bread, you'll want to feed your starter. You shouldn't need to dump any of the starter (since roughly 50% just went into your bread) before feeding. 

**The price on Amazon is much higher than what I pay in the store. I purchase the white spelt flour (and the rice flour) from Whole Foods. I believe the spelt flour costs $10 for the same bag. I've tried making this bread with both 100% whole wheat and stone ground spelt, and I don't care for either one. The texture is far to dense for me. You're welcome to try stone ground spelt, if desired, just know that the texture may be a bit more on the rustic side and the flavor may be, too. All-purpose flour is the flour Tartine Bread calls for in the book. Tartine Bread does offer a 100% whole wheat recipe in the book. 

Don't worry if the bread looks like it's a "flop" when you remove it from the bowl and drop it in the Dutch oven. It's okay! I've had this happen several times, usually because I didn't add enough flour to the proofing basket to prevent the loaf from sticking. The bread will be fine, don't mess with it in the hot Dutch oven. If you find that the dough continues to be difficult to remove from the proofing basket, try adding the 30 grams (up to 50 grams) of spelt flour during the step 2. 

As you practice the art of making sourdough bread, you'll learn what to expect at each stage, including what the dough should feel like and what it should look like. Just like with anything, the more you practice the better you get. You'll also be able to develop a schedule that works best for you. I begin with step one in the morning, set a timer, and then come home in the afternoon/early evening and start step two while I'm making dinner. After the dishes, I finish up on step two and step three. The next morning I bake the bread (step four). During the school year, I make bread on Saturday and then bake the bread on Sunday. 

If your first loaf comes out too flat (the loaf spreads and doesn't hold its round shape), try adding the extra 30-50 grams of spelt flour during step 2, as talked about in the recipe. This should fix the issue. The bread will still be usable and tasty, even if it spreads and flattens while baking. 

Nutrition

Calories: 2305kcal | Carbohydrates: 433g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 3915mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 75g | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 26.6mg

The post Homemade Sourdough Bread appeared first on Live Simply.

Months ago, I shared about a magical placenta-looking mushroom, growing on my counter, “I’ve been brewing a colony of bacteria and yeast, fed by pure white sugar, which looks like a placenta, on my kitchen counter for weeks. All for the purpose of drinking the resulting liquid.” Remember that? (Don’t wonder too far, but if you need a refresher you can read more, here)

It freaked a few people out, but an overwhelming amount of the online world rose up and declared their great love for this liquid called, “Kombucha”. It’s been nearly nine months since I confessed my love and shared the step-by-step details on how to make this delicious drink, and guess what? I’m still brewing my delicious colony of bacteria and yeast. In fact, my family (at least some of them) have also started making their own. It’s good, friends, and if you’re not making and drinking this good-for-you tea, it’s my duty today to convince you to start.

Let’s recap a few reasons I drink this delicious golden blend of fizz and probiotics (and why you should too):

1. I’m a mom- Motherhood is an amazing experience. The delight of watching little people grow and learn, make messes, and explore and love life. It’s a magical responsibility, but it’s also beyond tiring. I want to go back to my “younger” self and demand I catch up on all the rest I now miss. By afternoon my energy has been zapped to nil, gone, with no sign of returning. Rest? Ah, no!  Dinner must be made and laundry folded (or at least run through the dryer for the tenth time). Along with baths, playtime, and bedtime. I need a pick-me-up. So, I pour myself a tall glass of fizzy tea, flavored to my liking, sit in my comfy chair and sip for at least a couple minutes, enjoying every last drop. I look forward to my daily Kombucha time, it’s rejuvenating and just the healthy pick-me-up I need.

2. Gut health- I’m on a quest to get back to the days of great-grandma, days of simplicity, in terms of food and natural living–just let me keep my washing machine and dishwasher.  Our great-grandparents knew a simple secret to good health, fermented and probiotic food. Whether they actually knew the science behind such food, I don’t know, but they consumed lots of them. From pickling to sourdough and culturing- all contain bacteria which replenish our guts and boost our immune-system.  We’ve lost such food in our modern day culture and are paying the price with gut-related issues. Kombucha is a super simple way to get the beneficial bacteria the gut needs. Plus,  it’s much cheaper than expensive pills or supplements.

3. I’m a former soda addict- It’s true. I used to crave the fizz, the sugar, the syrupy-taste. Addiction might be a bit mild of a word. I drank at least one or two tall glasses, daily. Switching to real food meant soda had to go. Mourning took place, but over time I slowly lost my desire for the dark syrup.  Kombucha was a joyous discovery, a fizzy drink with amazing health benefits. A welcome break from constant water and the occasional green juice. Sometimes you just need fizz and flavor in life.

All that to say, I still love my kombucha and enjoy a glass everyday (and you should too). Since I’m an easily bored person (I think we call that “ADHD” in the modern mainstream medical community– I’m sticking with curious and a love for life), I’m always playing with new combos and flavors.  With berries in season and the desire for a pitcher of springtime lemonade, I created a berry lemonade kombucha. And oh, friends, it’s good. By far one of my favorite kombucha flavors.

Sharing is caring, so today, I pour you a glass of this berry-filled lemony tea and share my simple recipe. All  because I love you and your gut, and if you’re mom, I know you need a special fizzy treat in your life and probably a quiet, rejuvenating bathroom break. Since I can’t give you the later (sorry, mom) I bring you a tall glass of fizzy berry-lemonade kombucha.  Rejuvenating, gut-pleasing, and a delight to the taste buds.

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Homemade Berry Lemonade Kombucha

I bring you a tall glass of fizzy berry-lemonade kombucha. Rejuvenating, gut-pleasing, and a delight to the taste buds.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword Kombucha

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 8kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• kombucha I use 4 green tea and 1 black tea for this particular brew
• 2 strawberries or 4-5 blackberries, cut into small chunks, per liter of kombucha
• 1 inch lemon cut into small chunks, per liter of kombucha

Instructions

• Add the berries and lemon chunks to each bottle, squeezing a bit of juice from the lemons as you add them. For one batch of kombucha, I'm able to make two liters of berry-lemonade kombucha. I usually make one bottle with lemon and strawberry chunks and the second bottle with whole blackberries and lemon chunks.
• Pour the kombucha (which has just gone through a first ferment, see step-by-step details here) into each bottle. The lemon and berries will float to the top.
• Close the top of the bottle, store on the counter for two days. This is called the "second ferment". This ferment infuses the berry-lemonade flavor and gives the kombucha soda-like fizz.
• After two days, store bottles in fridge and enjoy, daily.

Nutrition

Calories: 8kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Potassium: 36mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 15.4mg

The post Homemade Berry Lemonade Kombucha appeared first on Live Simply.

Let’s see, where do I begin?

I’ve been brewing a colony of bacteria and yeast, fed by pure white sugar, which looks like a placenta, on my kitchen counter for weeks. All for the purpose of drinking the resulting liquid.

There it is.  The simple truth.

Kombucha.

If you are a little turned off by the whole idea, you’re not alone! In fact, my entire family thought I’d completely lost it. That is until they tried this amazing drink and learned of its amazing health benefits. So, don’t stop, continue to read. I promise, it gets better.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a naturally carbonated sweet, fermented tea which contains probiotic benefits. Kombucha is produced by using tea, water, sugar (plain ol’ white organic sugar), and a giant “mushroom” (I think it looks more like a placenta) called a “SCOBY.” The sugar feeds the SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast) which ferments into a delicious, nourishing tea.

I know that sounds even scarier. A giant mushroom placenta that eats sugar. Just keep reading.

After the SCOBY has done its job, a simple mixture of tea and sugar is turned into a naturally carbonated drink filled with naturally occurring health benefits.

As a result of the fermentation, almost all of the sugar is converted by the SCOBY and when fermenting is finished, there will be about 2-3 grams per 8 ounce glass. By contrast, an 8 ounce glass of orange juice has about 24g of sugar. Natural carrot juices have 13g per 8 ounces. Source

Kombucha is a traditional drink enjoyed first by the Chinese and later spread to Russia, Japan, and Korea.

Kombucha is enjoyed for its unique taste (a wonderful way to replace sodas and juice) as well as its many health benefits. One of its greatest health benefits is detoxing the body. It’s also rich in glucaric acid and amino-acids which can help prevent (and possibly) treat cancers. Kombucha boosts the immune system as is anti-oxidant rich. This wonder drink is also a mom’s best friend as it gives energy.

What mom couldn’t use an energy boost? Sleep deprivation is a real thing, folks.  Come over for a night.

Remember, that colony of bacteria and yeast?  All that goodness is part of the amazing health benefits of Kombucha. We need good bacteria to maintain a healthy gut.  The good bacteria makes Kombucha the perfect probiotic which helps restore good gut flora in your system and fight off the bad yeast (candida). You can read more about the health benefits of Kombucha here.

Now that you’re just longing for Kombucha, you have a couple of options:

• Pay $3-5 for a small bottle of store-bought Kombucha

• Make your own for just pennies

Print

How to Make Homemade Kombucha

Kombucha is enjoyed for its unique taste (a wonderful way to replace sodas and juice) as well as its many health benefits.

Course Drinks, Homemade

Cuisine American

Keyword Homemade Kombucha

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Fermentation(DAYS) 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Gallon

Calories 666kcal

Author Kristin Marr

Ingredients

• 1 scoby you may be surprised to find a fellow Kombucha-brewer willing to share the love or check out Culture for Health
• 3 quarts water filtered
• 1 cup organic cane sugar
• 3 black tea bags
• 2 green tea bags
• 1/2 cup kombucha you will need at least 1/2 cup of already fermented Kombucha
• fresh fruit frozen fruit, herbs, spices, even juice (optional)

Instructions

• Bring 12 cups, 3 quarts, of water to a boil. Add in 1 cup of sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add in 5 tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for about 5 minutes and remove the bags. Allow the tea to completely cool.
• Once cooled, pour the sweet tea mixture in a gallon-size jar. Place your SCOBY inside the jar with 1/2- 1 cup Kombucha. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth and rubber-band. Store in a warm, dark place for at least 6 days up to 28-30 days. The longer your SCOBY and tea ferment the less sweet and more sour the tea will taste. I like to go about 12 days.
• Remove the SCOBY and any babies from the Kombucha and reserve 1 cup of Kombucha liquid with the SCOBY in a bowl. Strain the Kombucha through a mess strainer to remove any loose pieces. This is optional. If you don’t mind drinking the pieces, you’re welcome to skip this part of the process. I skip the straining.
• Now, it’s time to add flavor and add fizz. Use about 1/4-1/3 cup of fruit per 1/2 gallon of kombucha. You can also add fruit juice of choice (about 1/2 cup). When adding fruit (or something like fresh ginger), I also like to add 1 teaspoon of honey to give the kombucha bacteria something to feast on. I find the honey makes it even fizzier!
• Pour the Kombucha into bottles (I use 1/2 gallon beer growlers--like this). A funnel is a handy tool for pouring. You don’t want to waste any of that precious Kombucha. Seal your bottles and leave the Kombucha on the counter for 2-7 days, until fizzy. This is called the second ferment. During this time the tea and flavor will infuse together creating a delicious, fizzy beverage. Once the kombucha is to your liking, you can refrigerate your tea and start drinking.

Notes

Tools needed to make kombucha: 

• 1 gallon jar-not metal as it will kill the SCOBY-- Cultures for Health is a great resource for getting a SCOBY
• 1 large stock pot (for making tea)
• cheesecloth or dish towel (where to buy)
• mesh strainer (where to buy)
• funnel (where to buy) 
• bottles for fizzy Kombucha (where to buy) or mason jars (where to buy) or beer growers (where to buy)

Nutrition

Calories: 666kcal | Carbohydrates: 200g | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 66mg | Sugar: 200g | Calcium: 85mg

I ferment my tea for seven days.

The SCOBY will grow a baby (I told you this was like a placenta.) A new SCOBY (a thick film) will also grow over the top of your Kombucha and the original SCOBY, “the mother”.

Real Food RN has great suggestions for flavoring your Kombucha. You can also check out Cultures for Health’s suggestions. You can find my recipe for Berry Lemonade Kombucha here.

Yes, a tad bit unusual, but once you start drinking Kombucha you’ll forget you ever handled a placenta-looking “mushroom”.

The final result is a tea that’s delicious and full of health-giving benefits.

The post Homemade Kombucha 101: How to Make Homemade Kombucha appeared first on Live Simply.