Coconut water

The Raw Chef TV | Fizzy coconut & water kefir raw food recipe

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• published: 12 Nov 2012
• views: 94497

Fresh food; better nutrition; improved health, more energy, and weight loss; easy kitchen clean-up; lower environmental impact—all these are positive aspects of a raw food diet. But you may be hesitating to try it because of the perceived disadvantages—unfamiliar techniques; special equipment; unusual ingredients; long preparation times and the need to plan ahead to allow for soaking, sprouting and dehydrating; and lengthy and elaborate raw food recipes. Even worse is the fear of being limited to nothing but boring salads and one cold meal after another, especially in the winter when you really want warming foods. Fear no more. Raw food can be quick, fun, and easy, and you don't need to be 100% raw to benefit from a raw food diet. If you're interested in following a raw food diet or if you already do and want to increase your skills and repertoire of raw food recipes, Russell James, aka The Raw Chef, can help. He offers a wide range of raw food recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, beverages (including smoothies and juices), desserts and more. Many of these are quick and easy to prepare, while others are showstoppers for when you need an impressive dish for a dinner party or holiday meal. Some need special equipment such as a dehydrator, but many others do not. His demonstrations and explanations of such specialized equipment can help you decide if and what to purchase. Through videos and step-by-step instructions lightened with humor, Russell also teaches the techniques you need, from basics such as knife skills to garnishing your dishes so that they are as beautiful as they are delicious. In this video, Russell James explains how to grow water kefir grains and how to use them to make ginger beer and coconut kefir. You can get the grains online or from someone who makes water kefir. You will also need a stainless steel or plastic spoon and strainer, as metals other than stainless steel will damage the grains, and tightly-capped bottles for the secondary fermentation. To grow the grains, place coconut sugar and organic blackstrap molasses in 1.5 liters (6--8 cups) of pure water. Spring water is ideal. Do not use tap water, which has too many impurities, or distilled water, which lacks minerals. The molasses will dissolve better in about 30 minutes. Add 1/8 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to adjust the pH. Stir, add the water kefir grains, and cover with a nut milk bag or other mesh to keep out insects. Leave at room temperature for two days. In about 24 hours, the grains will begin to produce gas and rise toward the top. After two days, they should have increased by 100--150%. Strain out the grains with a plastic strainer and rinse them with pure water. Although the fermented sugar water doesn't taste the best by itself, it can be used in smoothies or for ginger beer. To make ginger beer, add one teaspoon of sugar to a bottle, and fill it with the liquid to about one inch from the top. Add slices of fresh ginger, cap tightly, and let ferment at room temperature for several days. For a less fizzy drink, "burp" the bottle every day. Refrigerate when done. Open over a bowl in case the beer overflows the bottle. Making coconut kefir is even easier. Fresh coconut water is ideal, but pasteurized coconut water will also work. Add the grains to the coconut water, cover with a nut milk bag or other mesh, and let ferment for two days. Strain. You can add ginger or pear, or you can do a secondary fermentation by adding fruit juice. Russell likes to use orange juice. Mix the coconut kefir and juice, pour into a bottle, cap tightly, and ferment at room temperature for two days. Refrigerate. To keep your grains vigorous, alternate making coconut kefir with growing them in sugar, and do not mix fruit juice with the grains. To take a break from making kefir, refrigerate the grains in a water/sugar mix. They can also be frozen for up to six months, but it will take a number of feedings to reinvigorate them after thawing. Russell's passion is to show you that far from feeling restricted on a raw food diet, you have an abundance of options, whether that being eating raw sandwiches all week or putting on a show-stopping dinner party for friends. The Times has hailed Russell as the United Kingdom's leading raw chef, and others have acknowledged his passion and skills: "Russell James is a true professional; talented and creative, and a pleasure to work with. I particularly admire his dedication to raw food cuisine, and his unwavering interest in its forward movement."—Matthew Kenney "I was very impressed with Russell James' raw and living foods cuisine. He's a pleasure to work with and a rising culinary star."—David Wolfe Russell James has now taught thousands of people about the abundance of options in a raw food diet through his blog, videos, online courses, and eBooks. For more raw food recipes, including a free eBook with his top ten recipes, visit http://www.therawchef.com