Strawberry Rose Coconut Kefir

Recently I’ve been making a lot of drinks with coconut kefir… combining all sorts of ingredients (elderberry-ginger coming soon). And there are certainly more recipes to come out around this probiotic joy!

This strawberry-rose edition has a lot of complexity without being overwhelming. The rose water adds a floral layer which compliments the tropical flavor of the coconut. While the strawberry and lemon bring in a fruitiness and lightness to the drink. All in all the drink is delicate but gulp worthy.

Birch syrup is from the birch tree, much like maple, but with a more mellow of flavor profile. It’s loaded with B vitamins and other nutrients that support the body’s health. I’ve been using it as my main sweetener for tea, porridge, and my coconut kefir drinks. Birch is harvested up north, like Canada and Alaska. If birch isn’t accessible for you, replace it with maple.

Coconut kefir is a rock star when it comes to booster foods that you can add into your daily routine. All that good bacteria found in the kefir promotes optimal digestion, gut flora, and supports a healthy immune system - not to mention all the great benefits that coconut alone has to offer: is antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, improves digestion, and reduces sweet cravings.

This is a quick recipe and perfect for the holiday weekend!

Let me know how it goes! Happy 4th ya’ll!

Ingredients

5-7 strawberries

1/4 cup rose water

1 tsp sweetener, like birch or maple syrup

2/3 cup coconut kefir (coconut probiotics)

1/2-1 lemon, squeezed

a few sprigs of mint, optional

mineral water

Preparation

Total time: 10 minutes (plus time to ferment) | Serves: 2 | Tools needed: muddler, strainer, a few ice cubes

To Make Coconut Kefir:

1. You can simply purchase coconut kefir in the store, also known as coconut probiotic. I like Inner-eco best.

OR, you can make it at home! I’ve used Cultures For Health Starter Kit in this recipe, but have had success with their grains as well. Follow their instructions on how to make the kefir! It’s a very easy process and takes about 12-18 hours to ferment before you can drink it. Though, it’s best if you can ferment a few days ahead so the coconut kefir can get effervescent. You can reuse each batch a few times to make a new one, so it definitely pays off.

To Make Drink:

1. Wash the strawberries and slice off the stem. Place in a tall glass and mash with a muddler. Add in the rose water, sweetener. Mix well with the muddler. You don’t want any chunks of strawberry.

2. Strain the drink into another glass using a drink strainer (or any fine mess strainer). Use a spoon against the mixture to get all the juice out. Add in the coconut kefir and lemon. Mix with a spoon. Split into two glasses and top off with mineral water. Taste, make any desired adjustments! I like mine super lemony, so I’ll usually add some more lemon juice. Add a few ice cubes and garnish with mint.

Enjoy!