Essential Ingredients and Techniques
The following pages are intended to help you understand and master some essential cooking techniques that you’ll be using on the GAPS Diet. Familiarize yourself with this section and its recipes. They will become the basis of many soups, condiments, snacks, and treats and will give you a foundation to develop your own variations. Once you become comfortable with these techniques, you’ll gain confidence and find yourself creating original masterpieces on a regular basis! Some recipes in this section include ingredients that aren’t allowed until later stages of the diet, so be sure to cross-reference the list of allowed foods on each stage before introducing these to your diet.
Meat Stock and Bone Broth
Boy, was I surprised to learn that there’s a difference between meat stock and bone broth. Say what? In the fall of 2013, I was perusing the booths at a Weston A. Price Wise Traditions Conference when I came upon The Brothery’s booth. The Flavor Chef, as he called himself, had set out samples of his (GAPS-friendly) 2-Hour Stock alongside a “regular bone broth.” Wait a minute! What the heck? Here I was writing a GAPS cookbook and had no idea what the distinction was. Thank heavens for Monica Corrado, a GAPS cooking instructor and certified nutrition consultant, whose booth was nearby and who also happened to have our manuscript in hand, vetting all the recipes. I quickly asked her to tell me what a two-hour stock is and why we needed one. So hold on to your hats, folks, and read below straight from the horse’s mouth. Monica to the rescue!
Meat Stock: The Secret to Thriving Throughout the Intro Diet
Monica Corrado, MA, CNC
What is meat stock? What is bone broth? Aren’t they the same? No, they are not. Meat stock is made by cooking pieces of meat that have a joint in them—such as turkey legs or thighs, a whole chicken cut up, or a beef or lamb shank—for a relatively short amount of time. Bone broth is cooked longer. Meat stock is cooked for an hour and a half to three hours for poultry and no more than six hours for beef, bison, or lamb unless you’re using a slow cooker that will cook low and slow for a slightly longer period of time. Making it is making a meal: You will eat the meat, the cartilage or tendons, and the vegetables, and you’ll drink the stock. It is the foundation of the Intro Diet, and knowing how to make it will help you get through it with ease.
Meat stock is milder in flavor than bone broth and has a different profile of amino acids (specifically glycine and proline), which is why it’s used through the intro portion of the GAPS Diet. Individuals with gut issues often have brain function issues as well, which can be set off by the high concentration of glutamic acid and free glutamates in bone broth. Serving meat stock throughout the Intro Diet for those prone to seizures, tics, or ADD, or on the autism spectrum, can prevent these flares.
However, both meat stocks and bone broths are healing foods. Gelatin, found in the joints and knuckles of bones, is one of the most prominent “super foods” for healing a leaky gut. It protects and heals the mucosal lining of the digestive tract and helps to regenerate cells. It also aids in the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Marrow, found in the larger bones such as the femur, helps to strengthen bones and connective tissues and supports the immune system. Other healing properties promote the development and repair of healthy joints, ligaments, tendons, and bones, as well as hair and skin.
Basic Meat Stock: Turkey or Chicken Thighs or Quarters
Serves 4
2–3 pounds pastured turkey or chicken thighs or quarters, skin on
3–4 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, quartered
3–4 celery ribs, chopped
Handful of black peppercorns
1–2 teaspoons sea salt
2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
2–4 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
2–4 garlic cloves, to finish
Place all of the ingredients except the garlic in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Cover with water, to 2 inches above the ingredients. Place in a 350°F oven for 3 hours or in a Crock-Pot on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve the meat and vegetables with a cup of stock alongside. Use a garlic press to add a small clove of garlic to each cup of stock, along with some good sea salt, whey, or probiotic juice.
Note: You can also use a whole pastured chicken, cut up, in place of thighs or quarters.
Basic Meat Stock: Beef, Bison, or Lamb
Serves 4
2–3 pounds grass-fed beef, bison, or lamb shanks
3–4 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, quartered
3–4 celery ribs, chopped
Handful of black peppercorns
1–2 teaspoons sea salt
2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
2–4 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
2–4 garlic cloves, to finish
Place all of the ingredients except the garlic in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Cover with water, to 2 inches above the ingredients. Place in the oven at 350°F for no longer than 6 to 8 hours or in a Crock-Pot on low for 8 to 10 hours. (Lamb requires less time than beef or bison.) Serve the meat and vegetables with a cup of stock alongside. Use a garlic press to add a small clove of garlic to each cup of stock, along with some good sea salt, whey, or probiotic juice.
Note: Once you’re on Full GAPS, you may wish to brown the meat in lard, tallow, ghee, or another healthy fat as a first step in making meat stock.
The beauty of meat stock is not only that you make your stock and get a meal to eat to boot, but also that you can do wonders with the leftovers. This is truly an efficient way to make stock for this diet! Here are a few options for leftovers:
• Reheat what you have made and eat the same meal again.
• Pick the meat off the bones, save the bones in a freezer bag in the freezer to make bone broth later (see page 12), place the meat back into the pot—and you now have stew. You may need to add a few more cooked vegetables, depending on how many you ate the first time!
• After picking the meat off the bones as described above, make a soup by adding more stock to the pot. Again, you may wish to add more vegetables.
• Strain the stock and reserve it in the refrigerator to drink later or to use as the basis of a vegetable soup. Pull the meat off the bones, saving the bones as above. You can make a meat salad with homemade mayonnaise (see page 107); make gravy with stock and gelatin and serve with cauliflower rice (see page 87); or use the meat for another entrée (see the “Poultry” and “Meat” chapters).
The Time-Honored Tradition of Homemade Bone Broth
Bone broth is made from bones with a little bit of meat on them, which you cook for longer than you would a meat stock. You can introduce bone broths into your diet once you’re through the Intro Diet and following Full GAPS. It’s a good idea to prepare a large quantity of broth at a time; use it to make healthy soups, stews, and casseroles or simply to drink throughout the day as a beverage, complete with probiotic juice, good fat, and mineral-rich salt. What a wonder drug! Occasionally, when I say to a person who is sick, “You need some homemade bone broth,” they look at me as if I’m crazy—like it’s some foreign, exotic food. Yet this humble staple is perhaps the most traditional, nourishing, and nutrient-dense food available. It’s also dirt-cheap to make. It does take a little time and effort, but once you get the hang of it, you will be movin’ and groovin’.
Be sure to source your bones carefully. The best bones are from 100 percent grass-fed and -finished cows, pastured chickens, and wild-caught fish. Of course, you can make bone broth with lamb, turkey, bison, and venison bones, too. Just be sure that the livestock was raised to your standards. The best way to ensure excellent quality is to seek out a local, sustainable farmer, or to find a reputable resource online.
It took me a few years to work up the courage to order chicken feet from our co-op, and another year after that to order chicken heads. These are not ingredients we are used to seeing in the average American grocery store! Nonetheless, they are star players in making a fine bone broth. Often people are reluctant about these ingredients, unless they grew up in a different country, in which case I sometimes hear, “Yes, that’s how we did it when I was growing up.” Or even, “We used to eat the feet right off the bone; they are so delicious!” Even in many parts of Europe they still make use of every last animal part. It is now more important than ever for us to get back to traditional food preparation and honor the wisdom of our past. These inexpensive super foods are a must for the GAPS Diet.
Homemade Chicken Broth
Makes about 4 quarts
When we make chicken broth we make it in one of three ways: using a whole stewing hen or layer; with the carcasses from a roasted chicken or two; or with 3 to 4 pounds of necks, backs, and wings (or a combination). With a roasted chicken, we often save the carcass in the freezer until we have enough to make broth.
1 3- to 4-pound stewing hen, 1–2 chicken carcasses, or 3–4 pounds chicken necks, backs, and wings
4 quarts filtered water
2–4 chicken feet (optional)
1–2 chicken heads (optional)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 onion, quartered
Handful of fresh parsley
Sea salt
Put the chicken or carcasses in a pot with 4 quarts of water; add the chicken feet and heads (if you’re using them) and the vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes, to give the vinegar time to leach the minerals out of the bones. Add the vegetables and turn on the heat. Bring to a boil and skim the scum. Reduce to barely a simmer, cover, and cook for 6 to 24 hours. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, throw in a handful of fresh parsley for added flavor and minerals. Let the broth cool, strain it, and take any remaining meat off the bones to use in future cooking. Add sea salt to taste and drink the broth as is or store it in the fridge (up to 5 to 7 days), or freezer (up to 6 months), for use in soups and stews.
Makes about 4 quarts
It’s important to include both marrow and knuckle bones so you will reap the benefits of both gelatin and marrow. Broths can be cooked over time, so if you want to turn it off at night you can resume cooking in the morning. Just bring to a boil, skim the scum off the top, and discard.
Some people roast bones in the oven for 15 to 30 minutes before throwing them in the pot to improve the flavor of the stock, but Dr. Campbell-McBride advises using raw bones.
3–4 pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones
2 pounds meaty bones, such as short ribs
1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar
4 quarts filtered water
3 celery stalks, halved
3 carrots, halved
3 onions, quartered
Handful of fresh parsley
Sea salt
Place the bones in a pot, add the apple cider vinegar and water, and let the mixture sit for 1 hour so the vinegar can leach the minerals out of the bones. (Add more water if needed to cover the bones.) Add the vegetables, bring to a boil, and skim the scum from the top and discard. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 24 to 72 hours. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, throw in a handful of fresh parsley for added flavor and minerals. Let the broth cool and strain it, making sure all the marrow is knocked out of the marrow bones and into the broth. Add sea salt to taste and drink the broth as is or store it in the fridge (up to 5 to 7 days) or freezer (up to 6 months) for use in soups and stews.
Fish Broth
Serves 4 to 6
2 pounds whole fresh non-oily fish heads and bones such as cod, sole, halibut, rockfish, whiting, flounder, or snapper (heads alone make a delicious stock)
1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar About 2 quarts filtered water Handful of fresh parsley Sea salt
Place the fish heads and bones in a stockpot. Add the vinegar and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and skim the scum. Simmer for 4 to 24 hours. During the last 10 minutes of cooking throw in a handful of fresh parsley for added flavor and minerals. Let cool and strain. Add salt to taste and drink the broth as is or store it in the fridge (up to 5 to 7 days) or freezer (up to 6 months) for use in soups and stew.
To Keep or Not to Keep?
When Broth (or Stock) Goes Bad
People often call me or email me to ask about their broth. Has it gone bad? How long does it stay good in the fridge? How long can it stay at room temperature? How do I know when to chuck it?
Well, here is the long and short of it, according to GAPS chef Monica Corrado. If your broth is sealed with a layer of fat, then you are good to go for about six months! If the broth is exposed to air, on the other hand, it is good in the fridge for five to seven days. In this case, when you take it out, bring it to a boil, skim the scum—and you will have another week to use it. If you ever find it smells off, toss it out. Likewise, if you bring it to a boil and the scum keeps coming and coming—again, it’s time to throw it out! If you stick to these rules, you will do just fine.
Sally Fallon Morell explains in her book Nourishing Traditions that nuts and seeds are best when soaked and dehydrated. She calls them “crispy nuts.” All nuts, grains, beans, and seeds have phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors otherwise known as “anti-nutrients.” A diet heavy in these anti-nutrients can cause digestive irritation as well as nutrient deficiencies. Phytic acid binds to minerals and blocks the absorption of many key nutrients in the body. Enzyme inhibitors bind to enzymes and decrease their activity. Enzyme inhibitors and phytates are nature’s defense mechanism protecting nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes, allowing them to survive until they are in their optimal sprouting conditions and can become a plant. When we soak nuts and seeds, we are essentially creating the optimal moist environment that nature intended, and allowing them to germinate. Starting this germination process and neutralizing the enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid makes them easier on our digestive systems and allows us to better absorb the nutrients. Traditional cultures went to great lengths to make their nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes more digestible. See resources for information about bulk- ordering nuts. Be careful—they’re addictive!
The Critical Place of Healthy Fats in the GAPS Diet
Healthy fats are one of the pillars of the GAPS Diet. Without the proper fats, you will not last long on the diet. The fats are where it’s at! As a former fat-free girl, let me tell you that fat does not make you fat. Fat is in fact what satiates you, keeps your blood sugar stable, and helps to heal the gut lining. Dr. Natasha Campbell- McBride tells us to eat “natural fats in their natural state,” and that the most important fats for those on the GAPS Diet are animal fats (Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Revised and Expanded Edition, page 275).
The healthiest fats are pork lard, beef tallow, duck fat, goose fat, shmaltz (chicken fat), olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, palm oil, and butter. You will also get fat from your homemade stocks since bone marrow contains fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, and E. Fatty acids provide essential raw minerals to aid and rebuild the gut lining. Make sure to mix it up so you are getting different fatty acid profiles all the time. But avoid all saturated vegetable fats and transfats; these are not healthy fats and are actually quite damaging to the body.
When you add fats to your broth or stock, you are helping your body assimilate the nutrients. Feel free to add a tablespoon or two of animal fat, coconut oil, ghee, or cultured cream to every bowl of soup! When I call for you to add “good-quality animal fat” to any of the recipes in this book, you choose! I will give you a suggested fat, but feel free to substitute what you have or go by the flavor you desire (coconut oil or ghee may be more desirable in a sweet dessert, for instance, whereas lard and tallow may pair better with savory meats and roasted vegetables). As long as you stick to the “healthy fats” mentioned above, it’s your call.
Sprouted Seeds
Place 1/2 to 1 cup raw seeds in a clean quart-sized mason jar, and cover 2 inches above the top with filtered water. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and a rubber band, and let it sit overnight for 10 hours in a cool place. Drain the seeds, rinse, and drain again; replace the cheesecloth, then invert the jar and position it at an angle in a Pyrex measuring cup or bowl. This will allow air to circulate and water to continue draining. Rinse the seeds every 12 hours, and repeat the process until sprouting begins—about 2 days. Dump the sprouted seeds onto a plate or cookie sheet, and let them dry completely. Then put them back into a clean, dry jar, cap it, and store in the fridge.
Place 4 cups raw nuts in a large jar or glass bowl. Cover with warm filtered water. Gently stir in some sea salt (use the measuring table). Soak for 7 hours. Strain, rinse, and place in a dehydrator or oven at no more than 150°F for 24 hours, or until crisp. Store all nuts in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 months.
Note: Cashews are not truly raw since they’re heated to 350°F while still in their shell to neutralize a toxic oil called cardol before they go to market. Therefore, it’s not necessary to dehydrate them after soaking, but roasting will make them the tastiest. Follow the regular soaking instructions (soak for no longer than 6 hours), then spread them out on a cookie sheet. Roast in the oven at 200 to 250°F for 12 hours for optimal flavor and crunch.
Salt measurements for soaking nuts (4 cups nuts):
| Pecans | 2 teaspoons |
| Walnuts | 2 teaspoons |
| Peanuts | 1 tablespoon |
| Pine nuts | 1 tablespoon |
| Almonds | 1 tablespoon |
| Macadamia nuts | 1 tablespoon |
| Hazelnuts | 1 tablespoon |
| Cashews | 1 tablespoon |
| Pumpkin seeds | 2 tablespoons |
| Sunflower seeds | 2 tablespoons |
| Pistachios No soaking required! | |
Nut Milk
In a blender or Vitamix, place 1 cup crispy nuts and 4 cups fresh filtered water. Blend for 30 seconds to a minute. Strain the milk into your pitcher through a sieve or nut milk bag. Gently press down on the solids or squeeze the bag to release all of the milk. Add spices or sweeteners as you wish. Store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. See “Nut Pulp” (page 257) for several nut pulp recipes.
Place 4 cups crispy nuts in a food processor or Vitamix. Process until a flour-like consistency is achieved. Watch carefully, as the mixture will quickly turn to nut butter if you let it go too long! Store in a dark airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Nut Butter
Place 4 cups crispy nuts in your food processor. Blend for a good 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add a generous pinch of sea salt and about 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil. For a sweeter nut butter, add a tablespoon of raw honey. Scrape the nut butter into a jar, cap, and store in the fridge.
Place 2 cups sprouted and finely ground nuts in your food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (or 1 tablespoon dried), 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 egg (or 1 flax or chia egg; see the note below), and 1/2 cup raw Parmesan cheese (optional, on Full GAPS). Blend all the dry ingredients together; add in the wet ingredients and blend again. Mold into a ball and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Using a cutting board, or two pieces of parchment paper, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut with a knife in your desired shapes. Place on a nonstick sheet in your dehydrator at 145°F for 12 hours. Flip and dehydrate for another 12 hours. If you don’t have a dehydrator, place in your oven on the lowest setting for about 1 hour or until crisp, flipping halfway through. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Note: To make a flax or chia egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flax or chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let stand for 5 minutes.
Coconut to the rescue! For people who cannot tolerate dairy, coconut is a wonderful alternative. Coconut oil is made up of medium chain triglycerides and is an easily digested fat that supplies a quick boost of energy to the body. It’s great for the brain and is also antiviral, antimicrobial, and antibacterial. For those with a dairy intolerance—as well as those without—this is a great alternative with loads of nutrients and delicious flavor to boot!
Opening a Young Thai Coconut
Scrape away the thick white husk until you see the coconut’s rounded top. Using a cleaver or a heavy knife, strike swiftly and make four marks around the dome, creating a 2-inch square. As you keep striking these spots, the coconut will open up. Peel off the top, and pour the coconut water through a strainer to remove any bits of shell from your fresh coconut water. Use the back of a spoon to remove the young coconut meat; it will be more rubbery than that of a mature coconut. Use it in smoothies, or to make yogurt (recipe follows). The water can also be used in smoothies, or it can be popped in the fridge for a nice electrolyte drink. You can also ferment the coconut water and make a refreshing coconut water kefir using water kefir grains (see resources).
Rinse the meat from 1 young Thai coconut, making sure to discard all hard brown bits of shell, and toss it in the blender with 2 cups filtered water (or coconut water for a sweeter drink). Blend for a minute or so, strain through a cheesecloth, and enjoy! If you’re using a mature coconut, use 1 cup meat with 3 cups water.
Variation: Coconut milk with dehydrated coconut flakes. Place 21/2 cups just-boiled, filtered water in your blender (the hot water helps to release the fat from the flakes, making a thicker, better-tasting coconut milk). Add 11/2 cups coconut flakes. Blend for a few minutes, then strain through a cheesecloth. Squeeze gently to get out all of the “milk.” Store coconut milk in a glass jar in the fridge. Use coconut pulp to make coconut flour (recipe follows) or for yummy desserts such as Chocolate Truffles, Gingersnaps, or Macaroons (see “Nut Pulp,” page 257).
Pour 4 cups unsweetened coconut flakes into a food processor or high-speed blender. Start by pulsing, scraping down the sides with a spatula. This will take 10 to 20 minutes to process (a food processor is faster than a blender). Store in a glass jar in the cupboard. Add flavor if desired (see Coconut Bark, page 275).
Coconut Milk Yogurt
Blend 2 cups of young Thai coconut meat with 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut water, water kefir, or filtered water until smooth and creamy. Pour through a strainer into a clean, quart-sized mason jar, filling it three-quarters of the way, allowing room for the yogurt to expand. Add two capsules probiotic powder, or 1/4 teaspoon loose powder, and stir. Place the jar in a yogurt maker, oven (with the light on), or dehydrator at 110°F for 24 hours and up to 72 hours.
Coconut Milk Kefir
Add 1 package kefir starter, 2 tablespoons milk kefir grains, or 1/2 cup kefir from a previous batch to 4 cups homemade coconut milk and stir. Cap and leave on the counter in a warm spot for 24 to 36 hours (I like to place mine on the top of my turned-on dehydrator, especially in the winter months when my countertop isn’t too warm). Shake a few times throughout the day. Strain the grains and start a new batch. Store kefir in the fridge. For additional information see “Raw Milk Kefir,” page 28. (Note: Photos reflect smaller serving)
After straining your coconut milk, spread the pulp on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a nonstick sheet in your dehydrator. Dry in the oven on the lowest temperature, or in your dehydrator on 90°F for about an hour, or until all the moisture has evaporated. Pour the dried coconut pulp into a high-powered blender or your Vitamix, and blend on high for 30 seconds until you have coconut flour. Store in an airtight jar. This will be considerably lighter and fluffier than what you buy in the store—not to mention healthier. Store-bought coconut flour is not allowed on the GAPS Diet because it’s too high in fiber.
Note: For a quicker method, you can also blend dried coconut flakes in a high-speed blender until they become flour. Just be careful not to let it go too long, or you’ll end up with coconut butter.
Raw dairy is filled with beneficial bacteria and is easily digested because its enzymes haven’t been altered or destroyed by the high heat of pasteurization. If for some reason raw dairy is absolutely not available, you can substitute high-quality pasteurized organic whole milk from grass-fed cows. When you culture dairy into foods like kefir and yogurt, you will at least be adding back some of the beneficial bacteria that have been lost through pasteurization.
Raw-Milk Yogurt
To make raw-milk yogurt, it’s best to find a trusted source of raw milk. If you’re unable to find raw milk, you can still make yogurt with the very best-quality organic whole milk from grass-fed cows. Try to find lightly pasteurized, not ultrapasteurized or homogenized milk. Raw-milk yogurt tends to have a thinner consistency than yogurt from pasteurized milk. If you would like a thicker-consistency yogurt, you can strain it through cheesecloth and separate out some of the whey. You can then use the whey to culture vegetables, soak nut flours, or add to smoothies or juices for some extra probiotics. Goat’s-milk yogurt is a great first option since it’s often easier to digest; many people on GAPS tolerate this better. If you cannot find goat’s milk, go ahead with raw cow’s milk and see how you do.
If you’re using raw milk, it’s preferable not to heat it; otherwise you might destroy its molecular structure. Instead, just place raw milk into a quart-sized mason jar and add 1 tablespoon starter culture (yogurt) per cup of milk. Stir gently to incorporate; cap and place in a dehydrator at 110°F or in your oven with the light on for 24 hours or longer (with a reminder sticky note on the oven door). Monica Corrado recommends finding a very good-quality stainless-steel thermos and heating it with hot water before adding raw milk and starter. Cap and leave on the counter for 24 hours. The thermos will keep it at 110°F for 24 hours. After 24 hours, place the yogurt in the fridge and cool.
If you are using pasteurized dairy, place 1 quart milk into a pot over low heat, and attach a thermometer. Heat the milk to 180°F. Remove from the heat and cool to 110°F (about 10 minutes). Place 1/4 cup of starter yogurt in a quart-sized mason jar. Carefully add the heated milk up to the shoulder of the jar (about 1 inch from the top). Stir gently to incorporate; cap and place in a dehydrator at 110°F (it needs 110°F for 24 hours to ensure that the lactose is fully digested) or in your oven with the light on for 24 hours (with a reminder sticky note on the oven door).
After 24 hours, place the yogurt in the fridge and cool. You will notice that the cream separates to the top. Just give it a big stir before serving—or enjoy a little cream. It is delicious and so healing for the gut!
Making your own yogurt is a huge money saver. I make 8 quarts of yogurt for $20 since I pay $10 per gallon for my raw milk. You might be able to find your raw milk for as low as $7 per gallon. To buy 8 quarts of organic yogurt at the grocery store would cost me about $60, not to mention the time traveled to get there and the waste of eight plastic containers.
Raw-Milk Kefir
Making kefir is very easy, and it is so nutritious. The lactic acid produced in the fermentation process is very soothing for the gut. Kefir is an excellent source for B vitamins, vitamin K, and biotin. Kefir provides us with many additional strains of probiotics beyond what yogurt can supply. Kefir grains are rubbery, look like little gummy bears, and often vary in their size and shape. They are safe to eat if one escapes through your strainer. Kefir is an excellent option for salad dressings or as a substitute for milk, buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream. I often use kefir to soak store-bought almond flour if I’m not making my own from soaked and dehydrated nuts.
Place your kefir grains, starter (see resources), or 1/2 cup kefir from a previous batch in a clean, quart-sized mason jar. Fill the jar to the shoulder with room-temperature, fresh, raw milk, cap, and leave on the counter for 24 hours— longer if you like a more sour taste. (I like to leave mine on top of my warm dehydrator.) Gently shake the kefir a few times throughout the fermentation process to make sure all the milk is being fermented. When the milk is finished fermenting, you can either pop it directly in the fridge or strain and start a new batch immediately. I have about four batches of kefir going at a time, so I just keep them in the fridge with the grains and rotate as needed.
When I’m making a new batch of kefir, I use about 1/2 cup of my existing kefir as a starter for the next batch.
If you’re using pasteurized milk, heat the milk to 180°F and allow it to cool to 110°F before adding the starter. Follow the instructions above.
Kefir can be quite sour or effervescent, so it may take a little doctoring for kids to really enjoy the taste, especially if they’re used to the sugary store-bought kefirs. I recommend starting your children with it unsweetened early on, so they develop a taste for its natural sweetness. We enjoy kefir with a little raw honey, coconut shreds, ground flax seeds, some crispy nuts, and fresh fruit. Another great idea is to do a second fermentation. Just strain your fresh-made kefir into another mason jar, add fresh fruit, cap, and leave it on the counter for an additional 24 hours.
Homemade Cultured Cream or Sour Cream
Place slightly less than 1 quart raw cream in a quart-sized mason jar. Inoculate with 1/2 cup of your starter (either store-bought crème fraîche, sour cream, yogurt, kefir, a previous batch of cultured cream, or 1 packet of yogurt or kefir starter). Cap and let sit in a warm spot for at least 24 hours; it might take up to 48 hours to properly thicken. This is delicious with honey and cinnamon or garlic and herbs (fresh herbs in Stage 2 and dried herbs in Stage 5). And it’s a perfect way to add some great fats and live cultures to any smoothie, soup, or Mexican dish. (Photos reflect a smaller serving)
Place 1 quart fresh cultured cream into a food processor or standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high until the cream starts to turn yellow as it separates from the buttermilk. In about 2 minutes, you will have a ball of butter. Turn the machine off, pour out the buttermilk, and briefly beat again. Repeat the process until all the remaining buttermilk is really strained out, then place the ball in a bowl and press out the last of the buttermilk. Rinse the butter under cool water, pat it dry with a paper towel, add sea salt if desired, and store it in a crock in the fridge.
Another fun way to make butter, especially with kids, is to shake it yourself. My kids all did this in preschool. If you place a pint of cream in a quart-sized mason jar, cap the jar, and start shaking, you will rather quickly see it turn to butter. Remove from the jar and pour off the buttermilk. Run the butter under cool water to remove the last drips of buttermilk.
Ghee is a wonderful fat for cooking because it has a higher smoke point (485°F) than most oils, so it’s great for sautéing, pan-frying, and roasting at higher temps. It’s not as hard as you may think to make your own ghee.
Place 1 cup butter in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt over low heat, or put it in a pan in the oven at 200°F. Simmer until the butter clarifies (it should be foamy on top and clear butter underneath)—about 10 minutes, or until the butter stops crackling. Let the ghee cool for 20 minutes, then carefully skim any foam from the top with a fine-mesh skimmer or a large spoon, and strain it into a jar or crock through a double layer of cheesecloth. Store in an airtight container in the cabinet or fridge. Ghee does not need to be refrigerated.
Yogurt or Kefir Cheese
Place cheesecloth, or a tea towel, in a strainer over a glass bowl and pour in 1 quart fresh raw-milk yogurt or kefir. Cover with a plate or towel, and leave on the counter or refrigerate overnight. You may also hang the tea towel or cheesecloth from a cabinet knob with a rubber band and allow it to drip into a bowl set below overnight. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth and strainer, and shape it into a ball.
The clear yellow liquid that is the by-product of straining the cheese is called whey. Reserve the whey for use in smoothies, soups, and juices; as a starter to inoculate your cultured vegetables; or to soak your nut flours. Whey is an excellent source of healthy bacteria, and it’s great for the gut when tolerated.
You can add whatever you want to the cheese. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
• Fold in chopped garlic, fresh thyme, and rosemary with a pinch of salt and a generous drizzle of olive oil on top.
• Fold in a tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of vanilla, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt for a sweet frosting or cheese.
• Yogurt and kefir cheese have become staples in our house. With homemade crackers, there really is no better!
Note: Fresh herbs are not allowed until Stage 2, and dried spices are not allowed until Stage 5 of the Introduction Diet.
If you have digestive disorders or food intolerances, Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends starting with the GAPS Introduction Diet, which calls for initial abstinence from dairy. This will help your gut lining heal faster than it will on the Full GAPS diet; thus you might be able to handle some well-fermented raw dairy after the Intro’s initial stages. However, before reintroducing dairy to your diet, it is important to do the sensitivity test. (See Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Revised and Expanded Edition, page 120, for details).
At night, place a small dab of the food in question on the inside of your wrist. You may have to blend it with a little water if it’s a solid or dry good. Let it dry and leave on for the remainder of the night. In the morning check to see if there is any irritation to the skin. If so, then avoid the food for another few weeks and repeat the sensitivity test. If there is no irritation, then you can slowly introduce the food to your diet. Start with 1 teaspoon per day for three to five days. Follow along with instructions from once again, my hero, GAPS chef Monica Corrado: Bear in mind that medical conditions more complicated than a basic dairy sensitivity may require diagnosis via in-depth clinical testing, such as blood work.
Monica Corrado, MA, CNC, traditional food and GAPS chef
If you have no sensitivity to dairy, you can start with any kind of dairy on the Introduction Diet: whey, yogurt, cultured cream, and kefir. (There is no cheese allowed on the Introduction Diet.) For those with known dairy allergies, those who have shown an allergy to dairy products on the skin sensitivity test, or those who are on Full GAPS but did not do the Intro Diet, here is the protocol for introducing dairy. For additional information, refer to “What About Dairy?” and “Dairy Introduction Structure” in Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Revised and Expanded Edition by Dr. Campbell-McBride (pages 119–27).
1. Begin with homemade ghee or a ghee free of preservatives and other additives. Ghee is pure milk fat. It contains no lactose or casein.
2. If ghee is tolerated, six weeks later introduce organic butter (preferably unsalted or with sea salt). Organic butter is pure milk fat and a little whey. (Whey is a milk protein, which is easier to digest than casein.)
3. If butter is tolerated, six to twelve weeks later introduce homemade sour cream (crème fraîche) made with full-fat raw cow’s cream. Homemade sour cream is mostly milk fat. It contains some milk protein, but no lactose if cultured for twenty-four hours. Culture the cream with yogurt and start by eating 1 teaspoon per day; increase to 1 to 2 cups per day. Introduce also homemade yogurt made from full-fat raw cow’s or goat’s milk. Be sure to culture the milk for twenty-four hours to predigest the lactose. Start with 1 teaspoon per day and increase to 1 to 2 cups per day.
4. If yogurt and sour cream are tolerated, six to twelve weeks later introduce homemade kefir made from full-fat raw cow’s or goat’s milk, and raw cream cultured with kefir for twenty-four hours. Start with 1 teaspoon per day and gradually increase the amount until you are having 1 to 2 cups per day.
5. Introduce cheese (start with cheddar and Parmesan) by eating a mouthful with a meal and checking for a reaction after three to five days. If there is none, then continue with cheese. Cheeses allowed on the Full GAPS Diet (organic and raw-milk are preferred) include Romano, Havarti, Roquefort, Swiss, Stilton, Muenster, blue cheese, brick cheese, Brie, Parmesan, cheddar, Colby, Limburger, Gorgonzola, cottage cheese, Gouda, Edam, Asiago, and Camembert.
6. After about two years on the diet, try some commercially produced, full-fat, live, organic yogurt, sour cream, and crème fraîche.
