Recipes (4)
Ever notice the strong connection between your skin and your gut? For instance, the Kombuchman is a Nordic dude. Many Nords have intolerances to dairy and the condition presents itself as eczema. So the Kombuchman eats dairy and his skin freaks out? What’s up with that?
We talk a lot about skin being an important barrier but we don’t as often appreciate the gut’s role in protecting us from the outside world. Think about it: you stick forkfulls of outside material into your body every day via the "food tube". The skin and the GI tract are really one continuous sheet that separates you from the harsh microbial world whose sole objective is to infiltrate, multiply and take over!
The GI tract and skin is primarily made of the same cell type : epithelial cells. These cells communicate with each other chemically through the bloodstream so when you eat something that makes your gut lining unhappy, your skin also gets the message and also has a meltdown.
Kombucha nourishes and supports epithelial cells with acids, enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, probiotics and pH adjusting capabilities. It's obvious when you drink 'buch that your insides are being well taken care of, but have you noticed that kombucha drinkers have firmer, more gorgeous skin? And kombucha bathers have truly radiant skin! A few savvy skin care companies have picked up on this creating kombucha cleansers, moisturizers and serums.
Kombucha is not just for the kitchen. Brew some for your bathroom too!!!
In a solid kombucha-brewing household such as ours, we’ve been beautifying the outer layer with ‘buch for years! Here’s a little tutorial from last week’s beauty day :
I’ve used Aztec Secret for years. I love the fine texture and the purity of the clay (calcium bentonite). Put a little in a ceramic bowl and mix in an equal part kombucha until it makes a smooth paste. You can mix in dried lavender, rosemary, rose or elder flower for their herbal and aromatherapeutic properties.
I’ve used under-fermented, over-fermented and perfectly-drinkable ‘buch. They all have their benefits : Sugar is a natural skin brightener containing alpha-hydroxy acids that condition and moisturize the skin. Over-fermented “vinegar” style ‘buch is tonic and promotes blood circulation, reduces scaly or peeling conditions, and regulates the pH balance of skin.
Apply a nice thick layer to the face and neck and relax for 10 minutes or so with some cooling, soothing cucumber slices over your eyes. Listen to Tropicália. Dream of the healthy ocean air. When the mixture starts to dry, you will feel your skin coming alive! Rinse the mask off with water, use a good toner and moisturize with your favorite moisturizer!
Voila….You are GORGEOUS!
Quinoa Pilaf with SCOBY and Roasted Root Vegetables
Written by KombuchmanHey Kombucha Brooklyn! What do I do with all of the freakin’ SCOBYs I’m making brewing my own ‘buch at home?
Answer : There are so many things you can do with them. They make awesome compost fodder. You can dehydrate them and make SCOBY clothes! ORRRRR YOU CAN EAT THEM!
What?!*?!
That’s right. Eat ‘em up yum. They are super probiotic cellulose patties. Cellulose is the structural component of the cell walls of green plants and many algaes so you are already eating a ton of it anyway. One of the main microbes in kombucha, Gluconacetobacter xylinus, makes most of cellulose in the SCOBY while they are busy turning the alcohol made by the yeast into acetic acid. TMI? We think not.
So here we present to you an easy and super healthy recipe for your first venture into eating your super tasty, super probiotic SCOBY.
Quinoa Pilaf with SCOBY and Roasted Root Vegetables
Quinoa! Can you say it? Keen-wah! It’s delicious. It’s nutritious. It’s filling lots of niches….in MY BELLY!
Quinoa was domesticated by Andean farmers in what has come to be known as Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia and Peru over 3000 years ago. Have you seen them? They are cute cute cute! AND they pack a wollop of a nutritional punch. Not much vegetable matter can boast containing essential amino acids (the kind your body DOES NOT make and relies upon food to directly supply) but quinoa does, in fact, contain such nutrients. It’s great for die-hard veg-heads who really need those complete protein packages. It’s also great for meat-heads who require all that protein on their nights off from meat. Here's a bucolilc scene of red quinoa growing peacefully in the sun:
Yield : 4 (1/2 cup) servings
Ingredients:
1 small beet
1 medium carrot
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons EVOO
1/2 c red quinoa
Salt
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons minced Kombucha SCOBY
2 teaspoon Kombucha Vinegar
Pepper
3 basil leaves, finely shredded
¼ cup almond slices, toasted in a pan until aromatic
Procedure:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Clean, peel and dice the beet and carrot. Toss in 1 tablespoon of EVOO with a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. When oven is heated, roast the vegetables for 12-15 minutes turning once. Test with a fork for doneness.
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add quinoa, reduce to simmer and cook until all water is absorbed, 15- 20 mins. Toss quinoa with a fork occasionally and allow it to cool to a temperature that you can comfortably eat before proceeding. Cool it down before adding the SCOBY so that you don’t kill the yummy probiotics in the SCOBY!
- With a fork, toss roasted vegetables and all other ingredients except the basil into the Quinoa.
- Add the basil just before serving either tossed in or as a garnish.
- Serve immediately after preparation or chilled.
Copyright © Eric Childs and Jessica Childs. All rights reserved.
2011’s hot, fast and furious summer is losing ground to fall’s cooler notes. While you are out cleaning up beer cans from the horseshoes court, putting away the swim noodles and arm floaties from the pooldeck or shrink-wrapping your yacht, you are definitely going to need :
- a side-project that is less boring than that other stuff you have to do
- sustenance for all your hard work
- a good reason to invite friends over as the summer parties become sparse
Impress the Jones’ with your knowledge of Slow Food by making
Grass-Fed, Dry-Rubbed, Kombucha-Mopped Ribs!
While the Kombuchman and family were weathering Irene upstate in Kingston, NY, here's what we came up with....
The Grocery List :
Fleisher’s Meat Dry Rub (Cayenne, Salt, Pepper, Garlic, Parsley….)
1 TBS Maple Syrup
Soaked Birch Wood Chips
Charcoal
What to do :
Start up your brother-in-law's smoker and bring the grill temp up to 225 F.
Score your ribs, dry rub them and toss them on the grill.
Let them smoke at this temperature in just the dry rub for the first hour.
Add the maple syrup to the ‘buch and mix well.
Rotate and mop! Move the ribs around the grill every hour and mop them with the ‘buch mixture every 1/2 hour until the internal temperature is 165 F. Use a thermometer to check the temp.
It took us about 5 hours and a six-pack of Keegan Ales' Hurrican Kitty. Once they were done, it was Pure Pleasure on a Bone. Serving suggestion : raid your sister's garden for whatever fresh produce you can pick and eat raw - it's easy!
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!
Cheers,
Kombuchman and Fam
What better way to minimize the bad than to mix it with some good?
Beer isn't all bad. In fact, we are huge fans of our brother from another Mother! (Get it? ...Kombucha Mother? We know we are dorks.) But beer comes with some less desirable qualities such as bloating from all those carbs, aldehydes that cause hangovers, cases of extreme laziness have been reported and many people just flat out get a belly-ache when they swallow down beer's hoppy goodness. That's not to mention that when you're really thirsty after a long day, sometimes a beer in hand is just asking for trouble!
Kombucha Brooklyn has done you a solid by inventing THE REVERSE TOXMOSIS. After years and years of experiments involving more pints than we should have taken, one night we were tinkering in the shop and the idea struck. Instead of getting all Mel Gibsoned in a hurry, why not mellow out with a smooth blend of beer and 'buch!!!!
The idea: Detoxify while you toxify.
The recipe:
1 part KBBK Lemon Drop Kombucha
1 part Pilsner (we like Kelso's or Belgian White Ale (we like Southampton's Double White)
Do you have your own kombucha mixer? Do tell....
Cheers,
Team KBBK
