The Kefir Cookbook: An Ancient Healing Superfood for Modern Life, Recipes from My Family Table and Around the World

by Julie Smolyansky

When Julie Smolyansky's parents immigrated from the Soviet Union to America in 1976, they left behind the beloved drink so many Eastern Europeans relied on to keep themselves healthy. Kefir was nowhere to be found in the states back then, and by 1985, her father had built an edible laboratory in the basement of their house, to perfect his own kefir recipe. He’d go on to start Lifeway Foods a year later, and introduce Americans to kefir for the first time.

To Julie's parents, kefir represented comfort, wellness, and a sense of home, and she continues that tradition as the current CEO of Lifeway Foods. Drawing on her family’s story and culinary inspiration from around the world in THE KEFIR COOKBOOK, Julie shares over 100 sweet and savory kefir-based recipes, including some of her family’s most treasured dishes. You’ll find new and surprising ways to use kefir for healthier and more nutritious recipes, like Huevos Rancheros with Kefir Crema, Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Soup, Grilled Lamb Chops with Kefir Verde Sauce, Panna Cotta with Red Wine Syrup, Raspberry Chocolate Chip Scones, and so many more.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2018

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I received this cookbook from HarperOne in a Goodreads giveaway.)

I love kefir and use it both at home and in my restaurant so was very interested in this book for potential new ideas and recipes. What I didn't realize was that the book was written by the daughter of the founder of Lifeway Foods, the company that produces the kefir I use!

The book offers a brief family biography and introduction to kefir as well as a guide to healthy food options and pantry basics. The family stories and cultural information are always a highlight for me; why we eat certain foods and how we share those foods add another layer to the actual recipes.

The book offers traditional recipes as well as adaptations to other cuisines all accompanied with beautiful photographs. Recipes start with very basic options -- homemade kefir, kefir-cultured butter, labneh (traditionally a yogurt cheese, here made with kefir) -- and cover the full range of dishes from soup through desserts. The options all offer healthy, beautiful dishes.

The best compliment for a cookbook: I can't wait to take this into my kitchen! Apricot Coconut White Chocolate Pudding, Uzbek Shashlik, Garlicky Sweet Potato Fries (baked), Roasted Carrots with Cumin & Kefir Labneh, Fig & Beet Salad with Candied Pecans: if your mouth isn't watering yet, there may be something wrong with your tastebuds!

[Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was disappointed that this book only focused on single-use kefir powder rather than cultured kefir with the reusable grains. It wasn't really helpful at all.

[Marzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year I reviewed a book on Probiotic Beverages by Felicity Evans about six weeks after I started making my own goat milk (different type of casein and lower lactose) kefir from scratch. Making kefir was easy. But staying on top of production at the consumption end, ah, that was a challenge. With only two of us in this house, adding kefir to recipes was a natural way to make sure we didn't waste any kefir. Enter this cookbook!

I have now tried a variety of recipes from this book, which is about as thorough a book on kefir as I can imagine. Smolyansky provides a huge array of recipes, from other ways to use your kefir (butter to cheese) to breakfast, baked goods, smoothies, salads, and dressings, in soups (in lieu of cream), small plates, entrees, and desserts. (YUM). Every recipe that I have tried (some have to be adapted for my gluten-free diet) was delicious and goat milk-kefir is one way that I can indulge in my butter chicken fantasy without having regular dairy. I use ghee on the rice and chicken but my kefir adds the right touch of creaminess. (I have to further adapt this recipe to be low FODMAP but it's doable and still yummy!

If you are looking for a great and affordable way to get a wide spectrum of probiotics in your diet, kefir is the way! And this book will teach you how to enrich your meals with those probiotics. A great find for those seeking to improve their gut microbiome.

I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! Thank you for the ARC. I did not know anything really about kefir and now I'm eager to try it. This is exactly my favorite type of cookbook, too. Wonderful little stories and anecdotes along with the recipes. And almost every single recipe features a beautiful color photograph.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully presented cookbook for those using kefir on a regular basis. There are full page colour illustrations, clear recipes, and I like that each section has a mini-index at the start of it. This goes beyond the standard use of kefir in smoothies to incorporating in baking (it has a leavening effect like buttermilk), in marinades, in dips, etc.

[Ambur Taft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, great recipes & history/tips on kefir.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic recipes! Very informative and I do recommend for those who are looking to add healthy ingredients into their life

[M M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh