Kefir drinks
Make a kefir smoothie
If your smoothie turns into thin, sour fruit milk, try changing the fruit before adding more sweetener. Frozen mango or banana gives it body. Juicy pear and a splash of tea make a lighter drink. Start with this mango version, then choose a different flavour below.
Blend and taste
The method
- Pour the kefir into the blender, then add the mango and coconut. Break apart any frozen fruit stuck in a solid block.
- Blend until the fruit is smooth. If the blades cannot move the mixture, stop the machine and add a tablespoon of cold water or kefir. Never push a spoon into a running blender.
- Taste. Add more ripe fruit for sweetness, or a little more kefir for tartness. Pour into one large or two small glasses and drink while cold.
Pick a flavour
Each combination below goes with 240 ml of plain kefir. These are starting amounts: fruit ripeness, banana size and the thickness of your kefir change the result.
Thick and fruity
Mango and coconut — 150 g frozen mango + 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes. Thick; coconut leaves a little texture.
Banana and black sesame — 1 frozen banana + 1 tbsp unsweetened black sesame powder. Banana thickens; sesame gives a toasted flavour.
Berries and oats — 140 g frozen mixed berries + 2 tbsp rolled oats. Let the oats soften briefly in the kefir if your blender leaves flecks.
Strawberry and basil — 160 g frozen strawberries + 3 small basil leaves. Start with less basil if the leaves are large.
Cocoa and peanut — 1 frozen banana + 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa + 1 tbsp peanut butter. Rich and thick; taste before adding anything sweet.
Passion fruit and banana — 1 frozen banana + pulp from 2 passion fruits. Strain the passion fruit first if you dislike seed flecks.
Red dragon fruit and banana — 150 g red dragon fruit + ½ frozen banana. The banana supplies body; red fruit gives the vivid colour.
Fresh and green
Guava and lime — 160 g ripe guava, seeded and chopped + 1 tsp lime juice. Use ripe flesh and remove the hard seed centre.
Pineapple and spinach — 150 g frozen pineapple + 1 loose handful baby spinach. Wash the leaves; add a small amount first if you prefer a mild green flavour.
Apple and cinnamon — 1 small sweet apple, chopped + ¼ tsp cinnamon + 3 ice cubes. More refreshing than creamy; peel the apple if you want fewer flecks.
Papaya and ginger — 180 g ripe papaya + 1 tsp finely grated ginger. Start with half the ginger, then taste.
Pumpkin and spice — 150 g chilled cooked pumpkin + ¼ tsp cinnamon + a pinch of nutmeg. Use cooked, cooled pumpkin, not raw cubes.
Tea, coffee and other flavours
Peach and oolong — 1 ripe peach, chopped + 40 ml strong chilled oolong tea. Tea makes it more fluid. The caffeine content depends on the tea used.
Avocado and lime — ½ ripe avocado + 1 tsp lime juice; 1 tsp honey if wanted. Very creamy; loosen it a spoonful at a time.
Pineapple and turmeric — 150 g frozen pineapple + ¼ tsp ground turmeric + a pinch of black pepper. Turmeric adds an earthy flavour and can stain; start with a small amount.
Pear and walnut — 1 small Asian pear, chopped + 15 g toasted walnuts. Pear makes a lighter drink; blend the nuts thoroughly.
Coffee and banana — 1 frozen banana + 60 ml chilled espresso or strong coffee. Cool the coffee first. Coffee adds caffeine; the amount depends on the type used.
Matcha and pear — 1 small Asian pear, chopped + 1 tsp unsweetened matcha. Whisk matcha with a spoonful of kefir first to avoid dry clumps. Contains caffeine.
Why the texture changes
Frozen mango and banana make a thicker drink than juicy fresh pear or peach. Oats and nut butter add body; tea and coffee add liquid. Ice chills the mixture but dilutes it as it melts. Choose the texture you want before changing the sweetness.
If it is too thick, add liquid one tablespoon at a time. If it is too thin, add a little frozen fruit. A smoothie with a large portion of oats may continue thickening while it stands.
Want to make it without milk?
A clearly dairy-free cultured soy drink can be used if soy suits you; taste and thickness will differ. Water kefir gives a much lighter result and is not a direct replacement for creamy milk kefir. Try the water-kefir flavour guide for that drink.
Milk kefir still contains milk proteins. Some variations also contain peanuts, tree nuts, sesame or soy; choose ingredients that fit your allergies. Do not give honey to a child under one year.
Drink it fresh
The flavour and texture are best straight from the blender. If you save some, put it promptly into a clean covered container in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and use it within a day, or sooner if an ingredient's storage instructions require it. Stir after chilling. Do not leave a dairy smoothie sitting out as a room-temperature ferment.
Prefer breakfast you can prepare the night before? Kefir oats are designed to thicken in the fridge.
If frozen fruit is labelled for cooking before use, cook and chill it first; blending does not replace that step.