If you just love belly-healing fermented drinks like coconut kefir and kombucha then it might be time to level up and get to know this other probiotic powerhouse known as Rejuvelac.
Rejuvelac is a fermented beverage made from grains. Traditionally it was made with wheat-berries however, since so many of us are steering clear of gluten these days, quinoa makes a stellar substitute that not only sprouts faster than wheat but tastes a lot better too!
Rejuvelac is a powerful tonic for the digestive system, filled to the bubbly brim with enzymes, probiotics, vitamins and minerals, and is super easy to make. You can drink it straight up, add it into your green smoothies or, my personal fav, throw in some tropical fruit like pineapple for added yumminess. Another great reason to know how to make Rejuvelac is because it makes ideal starter for your raw vegan nut and seed cheeses.
Rejuvelac is made through a simple three-step process:
- Soaking
- Sprouting
- Fermenting
Piece of gluten-free cake! Are you ready to give it shot?
Ingredients you will need:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 6 cups water
Soaking:
- First your going to want to soak the quinoa overnight or for about 8 hours. Use a large enough glass jar and cover it with either a sprouting lid or a piece of cheese cloth secured with a rubber band.
Sprouting:
- Now your ready to drain the quinoa and rinse it thoroughly with fresh water
- Next, put the quinoa back into the jar and cover it again with lid or cheese cloth. This time you’ll want to turn jar on its side to allow any excess water to drain out. Alternatively, you can use a sprouting bag or a nut milk bag and hang it to drain.
- Make sure to re-rinse quinoa every 6-8 hours. It will take about 24 hours of this for the quinoa to sprout. You’ll know it is ready when you see cute little white tails appearing on the grain.
Fermenting:
- Next, separate the sprouted quinoa into 2 clean glass containers.
- Pour 3 cups of purified water into each jar and cover them once again with the sprouting lid or a clean cheesecloth and secure.
- Put the jars in a warm dark place, like a cupboard, for about 2 days. You will notice the the water turning cloudy and white.
- When it begins to smell like baked bread, it is ready. Strain the liquid into a clean jar and discard the quinoa.
- Now its ready to drink! It will keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks.
Rejuvelac is one of the best probiotic drinks you can make at home. Loaded with the enzymes, it enhances every aspect of the digestive process and delivers a ton of easy to assimilate nutrients. Not to mention it’s super easy to prepare and very inexpensive to make.
Have you ever tried making Rejuvelac at home? What did you think?
