uses for kefir

I'm always trying to get everybody into making and using kefir, so I thought I'd gather the main uses for it for those who are new to the art thereof.

1. Drink it straight. It is an acquired taste, but it's delicious. It makes a good snack. I consider eating fermented foods every single day to be essential to good health for everybody, universally, but especially if you or your loved ones are pregnant, nursing, have any kind of intestinal issues or immune system issues, y'all need to be consuming raw fermented foods.
2. Blend it into smoothies. It won't taste so sour for the faint-of-heart.
3. Use it in place of buttermilk in any recipe that calls for it (biscuits, pancakes, etc.).
4. Use it to soak grains (porridge, pancakes, waffles...).
5. Let the whey and curd separate fully, carefully tilt the jar, and let the whey trickle out. Use the whey to ferment things like salsa, lemon preserves, pickles and so on (use about 1 tbsp/500mL; be sure to also salt liberally and research lacto-fermentation before starting).
6. Once the whey has drained out, use the remaining firm curd as an alternative to sour cream - on potatoes, tacos, you name it. Delicious!
7. Use it to make a sourdough starter. Mix a cup of kefir with a cup of bread flour in a bowl, with a 1/4 tsp salt, cover, let stand 24 hours. Feed it 1 tbsp flour, stir, cover and let rest. repeat for a week or so. It should get bubbly.