Kefir Kommunity

Here's another gorgeous pie from Stephanie at Angel Food Bakery! Apple pie is already just about as good as it gets, but top it with an almond ginger streusel and you've got yourself a blue ribbon winner. You'll be the king or queen of the cookout when you present this fine pie. 

Check out the end of this post to see how you can enter to win our amazing pie-themed giveaway! 

Ingredients 

For the pie

• 2c. sliced Granny Smith apples
• 1/2c raisins
• 1/2c. Lifeway Farmer Cheese
• 1t. lemon juice
• 1/4t. cinnamon
• 1/4t. nutmeg
• 1T vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/4c. sugar
• 1/8c flour
• 1/4t. kosher salt
• prepared pie crust 

For the almond ginger streusel

• 1c sugar
• 1c. brown sugar
• 2c.flour
• 3T ground dry ginger
• 1c. chopped toasted almonds
• 1c. cold cubed butter

Instructions

Filling

Combine all the wet ingredients, cheese, juice, eggs, and vanilla with the sugar and mix well. Stir in the flour, spices, and salt.
Fold in the sliced apples and raisins.
Pour into prepared pie crust.

Top with an almond ginger streusel:
Combine all ingredients in stand mixer or using an electric hand-held mixer and blend until crumbly, and just starting to come together. Crumble over top of pie. (Leftover streusel may be kept in a zip loc in the freezer for future use.)

Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.



Lifeway Recipe Swap Giveaway

Do you want to make your own luscious pies at home? Of course you do! To help make pie magic happen in your kitchen, we’re giving away a fabulous prize pack featuring 5 VIP coupons good for free Lifeway products, a Lifeway chef’s apron, an adorable hostess apron from Cupcake Provocateur and a gorgeous pine PieBox, courtesy of PieBox.

To enter:
Share your favorite kefir-centric recipe in the comments on this post (or, if you'd like to share a photo, email it to us at info@lifeway.net). It doesn't matter if it's a pie recipe, a recipe for your favorite smoothie, etc. As long as it contains Lifeway Kefir, it's a good recipe in our book. 

We'll choose our favorite recipe by May 17th, and send our prize package off to the author. (Make sure you enter your email address so we can get a hold of you if you win!) 

If you're a Food Network fan you've probably seen our next pie maker. Stephanie Samuels is the owner and head chef at Chicago's Angel Food Bakery, a cute little bake shop famous for from-scratch versions of classic snack cakes. This decadent recipe pairs bittersweet chocolate with tangy kefir for a grown-up flavor just begging to be paired with a cup of coffee. 

Stick around at the end of this post to find out how you can enter to win our pie-tastic giveaway! 



Silky Chocolate Kefir Tarts

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips 1 & 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/4c. flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 6 eggs
• 1c. Lifeway Organic Whole Milk Plain Kefir
• 1 & 1/2 T vanilla
• 1 - 9" pie shell or 5-6 - 4" tart shells 

Instructions

Let all of the ingredients come to room temperature. Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, Kefir and vanilla.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, and stir into egg mixture. Whisk until combined. Slowly add the melted chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Pour into pie crust or tart shells. Bake at 325 for about 30 min, until top is crackled and custard  jiggles slightly.

Serve warm or cold with vanilla whipped cream!

Tip: If mixture "curdles" slightly after adding the chocolate it just means that the mix was too cold for the chocolate to blend in, just  place the mixing bowl into a bath of warm wather, and whisk until it  comes together. 



Lifeway Recipe Swap Giveaway

Do you want to make your own luscious pies at home? Of course you do! To help make pie magic happen in your kitchen, we’re giving away a fabulous prize pack featuring 5 VIP coupons good for free Lifeway products, a Lifeway chef’s apron, an adorable hostess apron from Cupcake Provocateur and a gorgeous pine PieBox, courtesy of PieBox.

To enter:
Share your favorite kefir-centric recipe in the comments on this post (or, if you'd like to share a photo, email it to us at info@lifeway.net). It doesn't matter if it's a pie recipe, a recipe for your favorite smoothie, etc. As long as it contains Lifeway Kefir, it's a good recipe in our book. 

We'll choose our favorite recipe by May 17th, and send our prize package off to the author. (Make sure you enter your email address so we can get a hold of you if you win!) 

We thought we'd give you a little something different for today's pie recipe. This savory tart features Lifeway Farmer Cheese, our own tangy, low-fat alternative to cheeses such as ricotta and goat cheese. 

Thanks so much to Chef Jerry Korab, Lead Instructor and Kitchen Manager at Chicago's Give Me Some Sugar for this recipe. Be sure to pay them a visit if you'd like to learn to make more tasty recipes like this one, and check out the end of this post to see how you can win our awesome prize package! 

Rustic Garlic and Tomato Tart
Makes one 11-inch tart
Ingredients 

For the pastry

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2-3 tablespoons ice cold water

For the filling

• 6-7 pounds (about 24) vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeds & juice removed
• Olive Oil
• 8-10 sprigs thyme
• 2 heads garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 container Lifeway Farmer Cheese

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Into the bowl of a food processor, add flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add the egg and pulse until just combined. Add water and pulse until dough just begins to form. Transfer to a large piece of plastic wrap and compress dough into a disk. Chill in refrigerator for a half-hour.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Fit into an 11-inch tart pan; trim. Chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prick the base of the pastry shell. Line with a piece of parchment paper, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Blind-bake the shell for 25 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and return shell to oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

Roasted Tomatoes
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Arrange tomatoes on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter with thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly roast, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool.

Roasted Garlic
Remove tops from garlic. Place garlic on a piece of parchment-lined foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Repeat with other head. Gather parchment-lined foil so that the garlic is completely covered. Roast garlic until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Assembly
Season Farmer Cheese with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Smear baked shell with roasted garlic and then spread the cheese mixture on top. Top with roasted tomatoes. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and scatter with thyme. Bake 10 minutes, until the tart is warm. Cool slightly and serve.

Cooks Note: Feel free to chop different fresh herbs to mix in with the Farmers Cheese.



Lifeway Recipe Swap Giveaway

Do you want to make your own luscious pies at home? Of course you do! To help make pie magic happen in your kitchen, we’re giving away a fabulous prize pack featuring 5 VIP coupons good for free Lifeway products, a Lifeway chef’s apron, an adorable hostess apron from Cupcake Provocateur and a gorgeous pine PieBox, courtesy of PieBox.

To enter:
Share your favorite kefir-centric recipe in the comments on this post (or, if you'd like to share a photo, email it to us at info@lifeway.net). It doesn't matter if it's a pie recipe, a recipe for your favorite smoothie, etc. As long as it contains Lifeway Kefir, it's a good recipe in our book. 

We'll choose our favorite recipe by May 17th, and send our prize package off to the author. (Make sure you enter your email address so we can get a hold of you if you win!) 

Today we’re sharing another fabulous pie recipe from Adrienne Blumthal, creator of Piebox, handcrafted, raw pine boxes designed to safely transport your precious homemade pies anywhere! Be sure to check out the end of this post to find out how you can enter to win a Piebox of your very own.


Photo By Steven Karl Metzer

Ryazhenka Rhubarb Pie
Makes one 9-inch deep dish pie.

Ingredients

Pie Dough
1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
4 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling
4 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup Lifeway Ryazhenka Traditional Kefir
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs


Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Pie Crust
Combine flour and butter in a food processor. Pulse 7 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition. If dough seems too dry, add additional cold water by the tablespoon. Remove pie dough from food processor and mold into a circular disk. Cover and let refrigerate for at least 25 minutes.

Roll out dough on a floured surface and transfer to 9-inch pie pan. Trim any crust overhang, fold under and crimp the edges. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Place a large piece of aluminum foil on top of dough and fill with dry beans or use pie weights. Par-bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil/beans or pie weights. Add the filling (prepared in next step).

Filling
While the crust is par-baking, prepare the filling.

Clean and chop rhubarb, set aside. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk the butter and sugars until the butter is fully melted. Add the flour and continuing whisking until incorporated. Remove from heat and whisk in the Ryazhenka, vanilla extract and eggs. Continue whisking the mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.

Place the chopped rhubarb into the bottom of the par-baked pie shell, then pour the filling directly on top. Return to the oven and continue baking for 40-45 minutes or until filling has set.

Remove from oven and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.



Lifeway Recipe Swap Giveaway

Do you want to make your own luscious pies at home? Of course you do! To help make pie magic happen in your kitchen, we’re giving away a fabulous prize pack featuring 5 VIP coupons good for free Lifeway products, a Lifeway chef’s apron, an adorable hostess apron from Cupcake Provocateur and a gorgeous pine Piebox, courtesy of Piebox.

To enter:
Share your favorite kefir-centric recipe in the comments on this post (or, if you'd like to share a photo, email it to us at info@lifeway.net). It doesn't matter if it's a pie recipe, a recipe for your favorite smoothie, etc. As long as it contains Lifeway Kefir, it's a good recipe in our book. 

We'll choose our favorite recipe by May 17th, and send our prize package off to the author. (Make sure you enter your email address so we can get a hold of you if you win!) 

We’re thrilled to share this tasty cream pie recipe with you, courtesy of Cynthia Lagudi, owner of Cupcake Provocateur. Not only is Cynthia a talented apron designer, but she’s also a gifted pastry chef who sells her cupcakes-in-a-jar online.

Be sure to check out the end of this post to find out how you can enter to win one of Cynthis'a aprons along with lots of other fun pie prizes! 



Coconut Kefir Cream Pie

Ingredients
Filling

• 15 oz cream of coconut
• 13 oz coconut milk
• 3/4 cup Lifeway Greek Style Plain Kefir
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Crust

• 18-20 shortbread cookies
• 5 tablespoons softened butter

Topping

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Crust
Preheat oven to 350°F
Crush shortbread cookies and butter in food processor until a sand-like constancy. Press mixture evenly into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake for 8 minutes, set aside to cool.

Pie Filling
Heat cream of coconut, coconut milk, coconut extract and kefir in a medium sauce pan until a simmer.
Beat egg yolks and corn starch in a small bowl until yellow ribbons form. Add 1 cup of heated milk mixture, whisking till eggs are tempered. Add egg mixture to sauce pan and simmer for 5-8 minutes till thick and bubbly. Stir in shredded coconut. Pour into pie crust and cool for 4-8 hours.

Topping
Toast shredded coconut in small frying pan until light golden brown, set aside in small bowl to cool.
Beat heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar and coconut extract until stiff peaks form. Garnish cooled pie with whip cream and toasted coconut.



Lifeway Recipe Swap Giveaway

Do you want to make your own luscious pies at home? Of course you do! To help make pie magic happen in your kitchen, we’re giving away a fabulous prize pack featuring 5 VIP coupons good for free Lifeway products, a Lifeway chef’s apron, an adorable hostess apron from Cupcake Provocateur and a gorgeous pine Piebox, courtesy of Piebox.

To enter:
Share your favorite kefir-centric recipe in the comments on this post (or, if you'd like to share a photo, email it to us at info@lifeway.net). It doesn't matter if it's a pie recipe, a recipe for your favorite smoothie, etc. As long as it contains Lifeway Kefir, it's a good recipe in our book. 

We'll choose our favorite recipe by May 17th, and send our prize package off to the author. (Make sure you enter your email address so we can get a hold of you if you win!) 

Spring weather is finally here in the Chicago area. There’s just something about opening all the windows to let the warm breeze flow through that has us hankering for a fresh slice of pie and a tall glass of kefir. To help us make our cravings come true, we’ve enlisted some of the finest pie makers we know to create unique pie recipes using Lifeway Kefir and Farmer Cheese.

Today we’re sharing a recipe from Adrienne Blumthal, creator of Piebox, handcrafted, raw pine boxes designed to safely transport your precious homemade pies anywhere! Be sure to check out the end of this post to find out how you can enter to win a Piebox of your very own.


Photo By Steven Karl Metzer

Lemon Kefir Blueberry Pie
Makes one 9-inch deep dish pie.

Ingredients

Pie Dough

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 4oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
• 4 tablespoons ice cold water

Lemon Filling

• 4oz (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup Lifeway Organic Whole Milk Kefir
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs

Blueberry Compote Topping

• 4 cups fresh blueberries, divided
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F

Pie Crust
Combine flour and butter in a food processor. Pulse 7 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition. If dough seems too dry, add additional cold water by the tablespoon. Remove pie dough from food processor and mold into a circular disk. Cover and let refrigerate for at least 25 minutes.

Roll out dough on a floured surface and transfer to 9-inch pie pan. Trim any crust overhang, fold under and crimp the edges. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Place a large piece of aluminum foil on top of dough and fill with dry beans or use pie weights. Par-bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and beans or pie weights. Add the lemon filling (prepared in next step).

Lemon Filling
While the crust is par-baking, prepare the filling.

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk the butter, sugar and lemon zest until the butter is fully melted. Add the flour and continuing whisking until incorporated. Remove from heat and whisk in the lemon juice, Kefir, vanilla extract and eggs. Continue whisking the mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour the lemon filling into the bottom of the par-baked pie shell and return to the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until filling has set. Remove from oven and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add the blueberry compote, (prepared in next step) and return to refrigerator for 3 more hours before serving.

Blueberry Compote
While the pie is baking, prepare the compote.

Combine 3 cups blueberries, water, sugar and honey in a medium sauce pan. Stir coat the blueberries, then cook over medium-high heat for 10 -12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining 1 cup of blueberries. Set aside until ready to top on the lemon pie.



Lifeway Recipe Swap Giveaway

Do you want to make your own luscious pies at home? Of course you do! To help make pie magic happen in your kitchen, we’re giving away a fabulous prize pack featuring 5 VIP coupons good for free Lifeway products, a Lifeway chef’s apron, an adorable hostess apron from Cupcake Provocateur and a gorgeous pine Piebox, courtesy of Piebox.

To enter:
Share your favorite kefir-centric recipe in the comments on this post (or, if you'd like to share a photo, email it to us at info@lifeway.net). It doesn't matter if it's a pie recipe, a recipe for your favorite smoothie, etc. As long as it contains Lifeway Kefir, it's a good recipe in our book. 

We'll choose our favorite recipe by May 17th, and send our prize package off to the author. (Make sure you enter your email address so we can get a hold of you if you win!) 

If you read our previous post about anxiety-fighting foods featured on The Doctor Oz Show you may have found yourself wondering how to incorporate more mood-boosting foods into your diet. We’ve packed a whole bunch of featured foods into this Soul Bowl - from GABA-boosting kefir to tryptophan-rich pumpkin seeds and soybeans to Magnesium and Vitamin B6-containing quinoa! Top it with grilled chicken or tofu if you like, or serve it with a side of kefir cornbread!

Makes 4-5 hearty helpings.

Kefir Ranch Dressing (adapted from From the Yellow Kitchen)
Makes 1 cup

• 1 cup Lifeway Lowfat Plain Kefir
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh dill weed, chopped

Whisk ingredients together and refrigerate in a sealed container for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop.

Quinoa and Soybeans

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 16 oz frozen edamame (soybeans)
• 1 & 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until lightly browned (2-3 minutes). Stir in quinoa and edamame and cover with vegetable broth. Add cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper and raise the heat to high until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes. 

Steamed Kale

Wash and stem one large bunch of kale. Rip the leaves into bite sized pieces. Pour one inch of water into the bottom of a large soup pot. Place a metal vegetable steamer on top. Place the kale leaves on top, cover, and steam on high heat for about 4 minutes. Remove the cover and test for texture - kale should be slightly wilted, but still somewhat crunchy. If you like your kale slightly softer, keep cooking with the cover off until it’s the texture you like.

Other Ingredients

• assorted steamed veggies seasoned to taste (zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc)
• grilled chicken or tofu (optional)
• BBQ sauce
• pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

To assemble, scoop quinoa mixture into the bottom of a deep bowl. Top with steamed kale and any other steamed vegetables you like. You can also add grilled chicken or tofu. Drizzle with kefir ranch and BBQ sauce, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds for crunch and dig in!  

• 4 tomatillos
• 3 red tomatoes
• 1 jalapeño
• ¼ cup white onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• Small handful cilantro
• Pinch salt
   

• 1 pkg Lifeway Farmer Cheese
• 2 cups Lifeway Original Kefir (Or Greek Style Plain Kefir)
   

• small bowl of warm water
  
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 cups Lifeway Lowfat Plain Kefir
  
• 1 cup nutritional yeast
  
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, diced
  
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 & ½ teaspoons salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Add cashews to water and soak for at least 1 hour.

Drain the cashews, and place into a food processor along with all other ingredients - blend until smooth. There will be specks of pepper visible, which is fine – taste at this point and determine if you’d like to add more peppers. If you’d like to keep all of the probiotics intact, do not heat the sauce; simply serve it at room temperature. Otherwise, transfer the mixture into a medium saucepan and heat over medium flame, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until it’s hot to the touch and the sauce is thick.   



Nacho Champion

After a lot of smack talking, and even more eating, we were able to decide on a winner – our Marketing Director, Marina. After all, it was her birthday and she got to spend it eating nachos with her friends.