Harmony on a Plate: Green Valley Recipes

yogurt and kefir serving suggestions

Here are a few serving suggestions we like…

As a Beverage: For breakfast, lunch or midnight snack. Or mix equal parts plain kefir with orange or tomato juice. For variety, stir in chocolate or maple syrup.

For a Cold Soup: Equal parts of kefir, tomato juice and a mixture of finely chopped cucumber and dill.

As a Topping for Fresh Fruit: Add a little honey and several drops of vanilla extract or rum. Serve over fresh berries, bananas, or a mixed fruit salad.

On a Baked Potato: Use in place of sour cream or butter. Sprinkle with chopped chives.

In Muffins and Pancakes: Use in place of milk or buttermilk for light, fluffy results.

As a Marinade: Makes an excellent tenderizer for grilled lamb, chicken or fish. Plain or with soy sauce, oil and vinegar.

In Coleslaw: Use in place of mayonnaise with garlic, oil, rice vinegar, lemon juice and a good sprinkling of celery seeds.

What About Lactose In Butter?
During the fermentation of milk, such as in the production of most cheeses, yogurt and buttermilk, the bacteria or yeast in the fermentation culture produces enzymes that will break down the lactose, improving digestibility.

Sweet creamery butter, the ordinary butter in North America, may contain a fair amount of lactose, depending on the way it’s made, but "European" or "cultured" butter is usually low in lactose because “fermented” cream is used in the process.

Traditionally produced sweet butter and real cream should be low in lactose, since the milk sugar would normally remain in the whey after separation. However if either the separation is incomplete or milk solids are added to the final product, lactose levels can be elevated.