Coconuts with Kombucha Tea

A coconut which has been stripped of its husk. The top has been hacked off and it is shown here as served in a hawker centre in Singapore. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Following my post yesterday about kombucha tea and biscuits, I totally forgot to mention another favorite biscuit of mine to go with my kombucha brew : coconut biscuits.

Now coconuts have had a bit of a health revival recently with many celebrities and sport teams using it to boost metabolism and maintain weight.

According to Dr. Oz :

Studies have show that intake of coconut oil can help our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that can cause illness. Even more, it also can help to fight off yeast, fungus and candida.

Coconut oil can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control. People who take coconut oil also tend to have improvements in how they handle blood sugar since coconut can help improve insulin use within the body. Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

Here is another quick rundown on the benefits of coconut

I love using coconut oil for cooking, especially curries and some stews as it adds a certain extra bit of aroma to it and it is also a lot healthier.

I also love it as a body oil especially now that the weather is getting colder and your skin tends to dry out more. The smell is glorious and it does bring back the fleeting memories and images of a nice hot summer!

Coconut is also fabulous to drink on its own - coconut water - very fashionable these days or mixed in with something else - preferably healthy (oh alright, here is a really good selection of coconut rum based cocktail recipes....)

Oh healthy drinks..... just got a bit diverted there :)

Lassi can be mixed with coconut water or coconut milk and also kefir, which is also a yogurt based probiotic drink which I will do a post on soon. You can also add some coconut water to your kombucha tea to give it a totally different flavor.

If you cannot wait, here is a good drink recipe for coconut and kefir and the whole family can enjoy it. Honest :)

Let me know your favorite recipes with coconut in it!

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My Favorite Biscuits With Kombucha Tea

Biscuit Plate (Photo credit: Caro Wallis)

The English are famous for their tea and biscuits.

English garden tea parties, high tea, tea dances and a whole host of tea related products (tea cosies being my favorite - you can wear them as a hat if you are desperate for head warmth:)) are an essential part of British life (watched Downton Abbey lately? Always a cup of tea around).

According to the UK Tea Council:

"Tea is by far the most popular drink consumed in Britain today, with over 165,000,000 cups being drunk in the UK every single day of the year."
 
Now although kombucha tea is not quite main stream in the UK yet, I started thinking about biscuits that will go well with kombucha tea (as you do).

Here are a few that I think go really well (feel free to add to the list)

• Ginger biscuits
• Scottish shortbread biscuits
• Sesame seed biscuits (especially with honey)
• Dark chocolate orange biscuits

So what's your favorite biscuit with your kombucha brew? Would love to know so hit reply!

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Try This Indian Pro-Biotic Drink - Lassi

English: Mint Lassi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you are in an Indian restaurant sometime in the future, see if they have the drink Lassi. Most good Indian restaurants will have this drink and even if they do not have it on the menu, they will be able to whisk one up for you in no time.

So what is Lassi?

Lassi is a watery yogurt drink originally from the Punjab region in India. It can be served sweet (mixed in with fruit for example) or salty (spices like cumin goes well with a salty Lassi) and it can come in a variety of flavors, not unlike smoothies.

The only difference is, Lassi is full of probiotic goodness that is essential for good gut health. It will increase the good bacteria in your intestines to help ward off illnesses and diseases. Many scientists are now linking gut health to mental health so it pays to drink up and a good Lassi is ideal.

A lesser known Lassi called the Bhang Lassi contains liquid derivatives from the cannabis plant. No doubt this Lassi will have the benefits of elevating your mood, relaxing your body and promoting happiness as well as great gut health. It is legal in India and drunk during the festive celebration of color Holi (which is great fun and a must see!)

I find a good mildly sweet Lassi (say with a touch of honey or mint) is a perfect accompaniment to a nice hot curry. It cools off your palate and it blends in so well with a curry - just make sure it is nice and cold!

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Kombucha and the State of Our Processed Food Bodies

Health (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

The general consensus is that you start losing your memory when you get older. You know, where are the car keys? what did I do with my book? where on earth is the cable for the camera that connects with the computer that connects with the printer etc... etc...

It's just the passage of getting old, right? Wrong.

Scientists are now linking gut floral or gut health with brain function. As we live more and more on a process food diet, and view fast foods as a staple - our gut health deteriorates to the extend it affects our brain function and our moods.

In fact, the further we move away from simple organic home cooked meals, fresh produce, fermented foods and good old fashion water; we are moving further and further away from good health.

Our gut health is also much more intrinsically linked with our weight. Don't believe me? just look at the rising obesity rate.

Read these excellent articles about food and how it affects our bodies and behavior here and here.

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Grow Better Vegetables With Tea

Found a cool thing to do with the tea bags or tea leaves after making kombucha tea.

It is a Amish secret actually and they do this to grow 8x more vegetables! And all it requires is some tea leaves that you will throw away anyway.

Of course, you need a vegetable patch (or a few herbs in a pot) and you just throw the used tea leaves onto the soil and voila!

Left over coffee is fantastic for roses - if you drink filtered coffee that is. Nescafe just does not cut it (literally!)

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Is Kombucha a Mushroom?

Kombucha culture fermenting in a jar
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

People always ask me if Kombucha is a mushroom (then they ask me if you can get high on it...,) and the answer is yes and no.

The rubbery thing floating on top of your kombucha tea is referred to as the kombucha mushroom (or just mushroom) but it has nothing to do with the varieties you find underneath big oak trees. It is called a mushroom more for its esthetic appearances rather than the fungi reference.

It is also referred to as a scoby or the mother culture (a bit like the mother ship which it kind of is because you cannot make kombucha tea without it).

It is a living organism so it is alive (and may visit you during the night...) ha ha only kidding..... but it is full of probiotic goodness and we all know that good gut health = a healthy body = a healthy mind.

Get the low down on scobies and kombucha mushrooms here.

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How Easy Is Kombucha To Make?

In a word : Very. Well, as long as you have all the ingredients handy and all the utensils available to make it. (Don't worry, I am sure you have those things in your kitchen already - it's very straight forward).


The video below best explains it :





Didn't I tell you it was easy??

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Why Mason Jars Are Not The Best For Kombucha

So are mason jars the best for Kombucha? No. Aside from the metal lid that will rust over time there is also the shape of the jar to consider. Watch the video to find out more......

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Making Kombucha with Black Tea

Ceylon Tea Leaves (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So what is the deal with black tea and why is it black?

If you like your teas with a stronger flavor and with a bigger punch, then black tea is for you. Fully fermented to retain its flavor (and give it its color), black tea was so sought after that thousands of years ago, it was made into bricks and used as a type of bartering currency.

The benefits of black tea is many folds. It has theaflavins to lower the risk of heart disease, its relaxing properties helps to lower blood pressure and catechin to make sure blood vessels are dilating properly.

It is also used as a mouth wash and gargle for throat ailments and gum diseases which in turn, helps prevent viruses and diseases from spreading.

All in all pretty cool. There are many types of black tea on the market and you can also learn more about it here. And get more information about its benefits here.

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Oolong Tea for Kombucha

A small tea pot filled with loose leaf Oolong (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many people ask what is the best tea for Kombucha and my answer is always whatever tick your boxes.

Seriously though, I would steer away from teas that have too much flavoring and perfume and stick with the tried and tested for Kombucha.

Now if you like a bit of flavoring and fragrance, there is nothing to say you cannot add it after the brewing process.

One of my favorite teas for brewing kombucha is the semi fermented Chinese Oolong tea.

Drunk by the Chinese for centuries to help digestion, rejuvenate the body and improve concentration, it is a great complement to kombucha.

Find out more about Oolong tea here

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