Start your year right. Reclaim energy with a clean liver!

We are planning to do our spring cleaning early this year...

That's right! No waitin' for spring to finally poke it's pretty little head out, we're just going to go for it. That way, maybe this white stuff will get inspired to leave and things will warm up a bit around here. I know the animals would appreciate it, as much as we would!

The spring cleaning I am referring to is actually a little internal 'tune up' we do, as a family, every year. We usually wait 'till spring, but this year we are going to start early.

Have you ever had a hard time getting your energy up in winter? We start to feel that way about January. Sometimes it's tiredness, but you can also feel a little achy in the liver area. At times, we're just feeling the wear and tear from a busy year, but usually, it's time for us to start a little clean up!

So, we like to start this out with some delicious beet kvaas! The kids didn't think it was so delicious when they were younger, but they understood that it really helped them, at an early age...and they've grown to enjoy the flavor, and even crave it throughout the year.

For us, it has worked fabulously! We always feel an upswing in energy and mental clarity. It has been tremendous for our three kids and their health too. We drink it throughout the year as upkeep, or if we are just feeling a little run down. When spring does finally roll around we add freshly juiced dandelion greens to our cleanse. (about a teaspoon daily) ~It's a good strong wake up for your liver that time of year.

It's pretty amazing how good, quality food can be so healing. After adding lacto-fermented foods, pasture-fed raw milk and pasture fed bone broths to our diet, our immune systems noticeably improved, not to mention our energy levels.  

Here are a few of my favorite tid bits about this special beet tonic:

• It has liver supporting properties and, according to some, can actually help prevent morning sickness
• It is an excellent liver cleanser
• It is a wonderful source of probiotics
• It is an amazing blood tonic and is rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron and carotene, as well as B complex and vitamin C
• It's full of important nutrients and aids in digestion
• It is so simple to make and only takes two days to be ready to drink!
• Beets protect the liver and stimulate the flow of bile
• According to some scientists, lacto fermented beets have a very favorable effect on disturbed cellular function and have a regenerative effect on the body.
• Beet Kvaas is widely used in Europe for cancer therapy and for chronic fatigue syndrome
• Beet kvaas is Russian drink used for many years as a digestive aid that was served in small amounts with each meal...I love that old fashioned stuff!

Try it and this just might become one of your favorite drinks, too!  (Scroll down for your printable recipe)

Step 1:  Strain 1/4 cup whey from your raw, pasture fed yogurt,  using cheese cloth

Straining the yellow whey from raw, pasture-fed yogurt - this works to promote the growth of good bacteria and prevent the growth of bad bacteria while your Kvaas gets started

Step 2:  Cut 2 large (or 3 medium) organic beets into coarse chunks (not to small)

Coarsely chop beets ~ not too small, and do not grate!

Step 3:  Place whey, beets and 1 tablespoon sea salt in a half gallon glass jar.  Fill with filtered water.

Step 4:  Place lid on jar and tighten. Shake well. Allow to sit in a room where it is about 70 degrees for 48 hours. Refridgerate and drink about 4oz twice daily.

Some tips to help you along the way:

1.  Make sure you don't chop you beets to fine or grate them.  This releases to much juice, speeding fermentation and will favor production of alcohol rather than lactic acid.  If they are medium sized, I quarter them, if large I cut into about 6 to 8 pieces.

2.  If your water has chemicals or any other issues, use filtered water.  Otherwise it will not properly ferment.  I use water from the tap (we have good spring water and I have had no problems)

3.  If your room is about 70 degrees, it will take about 2 days.  If it is cooler, let it sit another day or two.  If warmer, it will take less time. 

4.  The whey is a very important ingredient, so don't skip it.  It allows you to reduce sea salt by half and suppresses harmful bacteria multiplication while the lacto bacilli have time to multiply. This  creates an invironment where harmful bacteria cannot survive.  - Pretty amazing, huh?

5.  After you have drank most of your kvaas,  don't throw out the beets.  Hold a little liquid back and the beet chunks.  The liquid will act as a starter for a second batch.  Fill with water and allow to sit 48 hours again.  ~No salt this time.  It will have a slightly different flavor, but same great results.  After your second batch, toss the beets and start fresh.

Now, just print your recipe card and hop on over to our Ranch Store  page to order your yogurt!  

click here to order your pasture-fed, raw milk yogurt

To print your recipe, just click on the recipe card below!