Dave-O's Comments

Just a couple of thoughts. A few people have used fermented vegetables as starter for sour dough bread, although I cannot image the first couple of lots of dough would taste very nice! I imagine the soaked and pureed with kefir wheat would be similar - theoretically no additional yeast is required. The idea with sour dough is that you always hold back some from the baking for your next batch of bread which implies a live culture is involved. The other stray thought is that if you pureed the soaked wheat with water and then rested the result for two or three days you should end up with a pretty decent addition to the home baked bread. I wouldn't be brave enough to use milk for this except for some added with the remaining ingredients. I suspect the kefir culture prevents any undesireable form of fermentation etc

Heather Marsh — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:58:42 GMT

Just a couple of thoughts.

A few people have used fermented vegetables as starter for sour dough bread, although I cannot image the first couple of lots of dough would taste very nice! I imagine the soaked and pureed with kefir wheat would be similar - theoretically no additional yeast is required.

The idea with sour dough is that you always hold back some from the baking for your next batch of bread which implies a live culture is involved.

The other stray thought is that if you pureed the soaked wheat with water and then rested the result for two or three days you should end up with a pretty decent addition to the home baked bread. I wouldn't be brave enough to use milk for this except for some added with the remaining ingredients. I suspect the kefir culture prevents any undesireable form of fermentation etc

next to icons (in the forums) there is the option to send an off-forum message. Did you obtain kefir yet?

Heather Marsh — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:19:45 GMT

next to icons (in the forums) there is the option to send an off-forum message.

Did you obtain kefir yet?

When is the world going to wake up and realize these viruses can be killed on the surfaces we touch every day. 99% of the spread of the flu viruses come from our hands. If someone sneezes into their hand then touches a doorknob the flu viruses can live on that surface for up to 48 hours. Think of public transportation the hand rail to the escalator. Just about everyone touches the hand rail taking the metro here in DC If one person with H1N1 or other super bugs. They could infect hundreds of thousands in a two day period. I challenge anyone to put our products to the test it could make a big difference if we all used it. Goldshield™ Antimicrobial Technology Goldshield is a unique, nano-molecular assembly that is the world’s first water- stabilized antimicrobial formulation providing a long-term residual disinfecting action. It will not leach off the surface or substrate to which it is applied and will render those surfaces inhospitable to microbes. It is the first commercial application of technology developed at Emory University which received three U.S. Patents (Patent Nos. US5,959,014, US6,221,944 and US6,632,805). The first aqueous-based solution. Unlike other antimicrobial agents that modify surfaces, such as the metallic and phenol-based materials, Goldshield is the first to be aqueous-based, non-toxic, mercury free and non-flammable. The primary material and its byproducts are non-hazardous and environmentally benign.y

Goldshield — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:27:35 GMT

When is the world going to wake up and realize these viruses can be killed on the surfaces we touch every day. 99% of the spread of the flu viruses come from our hands. If someone sneezes into their hand then touches a doorknob the flu viruses can live on that surface for up to 48 hours. Think of public transportation the hand rail to the escalator. Just about everyone touches the hand rail taking the metro here in DC If one person with H1N1 or other super bugs. They could infect hundreds of thousands in a two day period. I challenge anyone to put our products to the test it could make a big difference if we all used it.

Goldshield™ Antimicrobial Technology

Goldshield is a unique, nano-molecular assembly that is the world’s first water- stabilized antimicrobial formulation providing a long-term residual disinfecting action. It will not leach off the surface or substrate to which it is applied and will render those surfaces inhospitable to microbes. It is the first commercial application of technology developed at Emory University which received three U.S. Patents (Patent Nos. US5,959,014, US6,221,944 and US6,632,805).
The first aqueous-based solution.

Unlike other antimicrobial agents that modify surfaces, such as the metallic and phenol-based materials, Goldshield is the first to be aqueous-based, non-toxic, mercury free and non-flammable. The primary material and its byproducts are non-hazardous and environmentally benign.y

I ordered mine through 'Dom's Kefir'. http://www.kefir-grains.com/ Dom's sites are an excellent place to get all the information you could ever want about the care and feeding- and uses - of both forms of kefir. I think one of the reasons they are referred to as grains is to remind people that they are alive, and like all other living things have requirements which must be met in order to thrive. Dom is actually in South Australia, but does ship all over the world. I do recommend that you visit this site and check out the links at the bottom of each page before contacting Dom to order grains. Mine are very robust and lively - so much so that I have been 'Freecycling' surplus grains.

Heather Marsh — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:54:01 GMT

I ordered mine through 'Dom's Kefir'.

http://www.kefir-grains.com/

Dom's sites are an excellent place to get all the information you could ever want about the care and feeding- and uses - of both forms of kefir.

I think one of the reasons they are referred to as grains is to remind people that they are alive, and like all other living things have requirements which must be met in order to thrive.

Dom is actually in South Australia, but does ship all over the world.

I do recommend that you visit this site and check out the links at the bottom of each page before contacting Dom to order grains. Mine are very robust and lively - so much so that I have been 'Freecycling' surplus grains.

Ingredients 2/3 cup organic wheat, (rest in water until berries are soft, but not sprouting, and then drain) 10 oz/1.25cups of kefir-cultured milk 1/2 cup of either 'quick oats', or rolled oats that have been softened overnight with water pinch of salt - optional Up to 1 tbsp honey- optional 2 tsp butter 1 sachet of dried yeast or the equivalent amount of fresh 3 cups of unbleached flour Method Vitamise the softened wheat berries with the kefir cultured milk. Place the liquid in a glass bowl, cover, and allow to rest -at least overnight - for up to 30 hours. Add your oats, softened butter, honey, yeast, salt and stir well. At this stage you may need to transfer this into a larger mixing bowl. Add in your flour, a half cupful at a time, and stir in until it gets too difficult to stir through. (or use an electric mixer to this stage) Knead in the bowl, adding more flour until you have a dough sufficiently stiff to form a ball, leaving the sides of the bowl clean. This may take more or less than the three cups of unbleached flour. If too much less, add a little milk or water to the mix and keep on kneading. Work off any frustrations here - the more kneading, the better the bread. Once the dough is thoroughly kneaded, cover bowl with a clean cloth and leave in a draft-free area for roughly one hour, (or in the fridge for up to 2 days - if you do this you will need to allow the dough to return to room temperature before the next step) Grease your loaf tin, then knead the dough again and place in tin, squashing so it is even. Turn stove on at 425f or 225C to preheat for 10-15 minutes. Once preheated, brush the top of the loaf with warm salted water fora nicer crust, then bake for 10 minutes, then lower temp to 350f or 175Cc and bake for a further 30-35 minutes. NB - different ovens cook at different speeds - mine is fan forced. If you cannot smell the bread it is probably too early to take it from the oven. The bottom of the tin should sound a little hollow when tapped. Tip loaf out onto a cooling rack. (this is when I cut the first slice and have it with organic butter) You can play with this recipe a little if you wish - remember if you use whole meal flour that it soaks up more liquid. Adding a little mashed potato and/or some linseeds works well. Bon Appetit!

Heather Marsh — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:01:45 GMT

Ingredients

2/3 cup organic wheat, (rest in water until berries are soft, but not sprouting, and then drain)

10 oz/1.25cups of kefir-cultured milk

1/2 cup of either 'quick oats', or rolled oats that have been softened overnight with water

pinch of salt - optional

Up to 1 tbsp honey- optional

2 tsp butter

1 sachet of dried yeast or the equivalent amount of fresh

3 cups of unbleached flour

Method

Vitamise the softened wheat berries with the kefir cultured milk. Place the liquid in a glass bowl, cover, and allow to rest -at least overnight - for up to 30 hours.

Add your oats, softened butter, honey, yeast, salt and stir well.

At this stage you may need to transfer this into a larger mixing bowl.

Add in your flour, a half cupful at a time, and stir in until it gets too difficult to stir through.

(or use an electric mixer to this stage)

Knead in the bowl, adding more flour until you have a dough sufficiently stiff to form a ball, leaving the sides of the bowl clean. This may take more or less than the three cups of unbleached flour. If too much less, add a little milk or water to the mix and keep on kneading.

Work off any frustrations here - the more kneading, the better the bread.

Once the dough is thoroughly kneaded, cover bowl with a clean cloth and leave in a draft-free area for roughly one hour, (or in the fridge for up to 2 days - if you do this you will need to allow the dough to return to room temperature before the next step)

Grease your loaf tin, then knead the dough again and place in tin, squashing so it is even.

Turn stove on at 425f or 225C to preheat for 10-15 minutes.

Once preheated, brush the top of the loaf with warm salted water fora nicer crust, then bake for 10 minutes, then lower temp to 350f or 175Cc and bake for a further 30-35 minutes.

NB - different ovens cook at different speeds - mine is fan forced. If you cannot smell the bread it is probably too early to take it from the oven.

The bottom of the tin should sound a little hollow when tapped.

Tip loaf out onto a cooling rack.

(this is when I cut the first slice and have it with organic butter)

You can play with this recipe a little if you wish - remember if you use whole meal flour that it soaks up more liquid. Adding a little mashed potato and/or some linseeds works well.

Bon Appetit!

I visited the video link that you had left on my comment about the mercury fillings, although it was hard to follow, I stuck with it anyway. There's so many people coming out with the truth of things these days and it's a relief, even though we're learning of these horrors. I remember when I began to look into the truth...I had gotten sick and many doctors told me all different things until one told me there was no cure...that made no sense so I started doing research on EVERY thing in my home. What were things made of? What ingredients were used in making it...and if I couldn't find an answer I stopped using the product and if I read words I didn't understand, I researched those words. I still have toxic substances in my home, but far far less then in all my life. If I got rid of all toxic substances I wouldn't even be living in this house. So, we do the best we can. When I began to learn about the things all around me and about the things I ate and drank I was literally flabergasted. Literally everything in my home was killing me. In my bathroom alone I threw out 7 walmart bags full of make up, cleaning supplies and spa supplies. Then I learned not only are most everything we have around us toxic, but the very things that are toxic are made to seem to be safe by our own government and they are anything but. Not only that, but in vitamins and prescriptions that you get, are filled with toxins and bacteria and virus's and god knows what else, which are bad for us, too. Even vaccines are terrible bad for us...the list is ENDLESS. I've spent the last two years trying to learn what I can and have decided that I cannot go on like I have been. If I had a choice to live like I have been ignorantly or learning everything I've learned about and changing my life, I would change my life...and right now, living VERY simple is the only answer. Living simple means you have time and room to actually be alive while you live. Where as, living like I was is dieing while I live. I'm in the process of learning how to live without electric, plumbing, how to grow my own food and save the seeds so to grow food from them, how to clean drinking water, how to heal with herbs and organic earth materials...it's a long lesson, and I may not get to finish, it, but I have to try.

merginglight — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:57:45 GMT

I visited the video link that you had left on my comment about the mercury fillings, although it was hard to follow, I stuck with it anyway. There's so many people coming out with the truth of things these days and it's a relief, even though we're learning of these horrors.

I remember when I began to look into the truth...I had gotten sick and many doctors told me all different things until one told me there was no cure...that made no sense so I started doing research on EVERY thing in my home. What were things made of? What ingredients were used in making it...and if I couldn't find an answer I stopped using the product and if I read words I didn't understand, I researched those words. I still have toxic substances in my home, but far far less then in all my life. If I got rid of all toxic substances I wouldn't even be living in this house. So, we do the best we can. When I began to learn about the things all around me and about the things I ate and drank I was literally flabergasted. Literally everything in my home was killing me. In my bathroom alone I threw out 7 walmart bags full of make up, cleaning supplies and spa supplies. Then I learned not only are most everything we have around us toxic, but the very things that are toxic are made to seem to be safe by our own government and they are anything but. Not only that, but in vitamins and prescriptions that you get, are filled with toxins and bacteria and virus's and god knows what else, which are bad for us, too. Even vaccines are terrible bad for us...the list is ENDLESS. I've spent the last two years trying to learn what I can and have decided that I cannot go on like I have been. If I had a choice to live like I have been ignorantly or learning everything I've learned about and changing my life, I would change my life...and right now, living VERY simple is the only answer. Living simple means you have time and room to actually be alive while you live. Where as, living like I was is dieing while I live. I'm in the process of learning how to live without electric, plumbing, how to grow my own food and save the seeds so to grow food from them, how to clean drinking water, how to heal with herbs and organic earth materials...it's a long lesson, and I may not get to finish, it, but I have to try.