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give and crack open.
    3. Place the heel of your knife in the opening and rock backward and forward to increase the opening. It should split to create a large, circular opening.
    4. Pull back and remove the top from the coconut. Pour the coconut water into a container.
    To scrape out your coconut’s meat, use a strong, large spoon. I find it easier to hold the spoon’s curve opposite of the coconut’s curve, upside down compared with how we hold it to scoop soup. I like to see if I can get all the meat out in one piece. Place the meat in a bowl and clean it by running your fingers over it to remove any hard pieces.
WATER KEFIR
    MAKE 2 CUPS
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    Whereas kombucha and rejuvelac, and even coconut kefir, can taste a bit vinegary, water kefir’s taste is the most palatable. It’s really delicious, like a soda.
    This is an alternative way to make beneficial kefir when coconuts are not available, or when you want a faster, easier process. Just dissolve sugar or agave syrup in water, add raisins and lemon slices plus the grains, and brew for 24 to 48 hours. This recipe was inspired by Cheree from www.stichingtime.com , where I order my grains.
    As with kombucha brewing, some people are concerned about the sugar used to feed the culture’s fermentation process. I’ve done extensive research and have found that though the water may still taste sweet at 48 hours of brewing, the sugar content is very low.
    Allowing for a secondary fermentation, by placing the water kefir, after the grains have been removed, in a glass jar at room temperature for another day or two, will decrease the sugar content even more, while substantially increasing B-group vitamins.
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    NOTE: Keep metal away from your kefir grains.
    2 cups filtered water
1/3 cup organic Sucanat, turbinado sugar, or agave syrup
1 tablespoon raisins
¼ cup lemon slices, with rind on (about ½ lemon)
1 to 2 tablespoons water kefir grains
    Pour the water into a glass jar with a lid. Don’t fill all the way to the top, and make sure to leave a couple of inches of air. Dissolve the sugar in the water by stirring or shaking with the lid on. Add the raisins and lemon slices, and the kefir grains. Close the lid.
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    Place the jar in a dark cabinet for 24 to 48 hours, to brew and ferment. You can stir the brew once a day, or just leave it alone for 2 days. When ready, use a plastic spoon or sieve (do not use metal) to scoop the lemon and raisins off the top. Then, stir slightly and pour the water through a plastic sieve to catch all of your water kefir grains.
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    Pour the water into a glass container, and either place in the fridge and enjoy immediately; or leave at room temperature for another day or two for secondary fermentation, then place the jar in the fridge to enjoy.
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    Will keep for a month or more in the fridge.
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    Use the kefir water grains to start another batch immediately.

    Is Sugar Vegan? Turbinado vs. Sucanat vs. White Sugar
    I’VE ALWAYS known that white sugar is refined and processed. But, I was really surprised to find out that white sugar is refined with bone char, so it’s not vegan. According to PETA, Sucanat and turbinado are never filtered with bone char.
    Turbinado sugar is similar to white refined sugar except for its color and contains only a tiny amount of molasses. It’s made by evaporating and then crystallizing sugar cane juice. The crystals are spun in a turbine (hence the name) to remove any remaining water.
    Sucanat (“SUgar CAne NATural”) is pure dried cane juice. It’s a nonrefined cane sugar and contains its full molasses content and flavor.
KOMBUCHA
    A healing and detoxifying drink made from tea, sugar, and a culture called the “mother” or “mushroom,” which is actually a symbiosis of acetic acid bacteria and yeast. This mother culture transforms the tea into enzymes; vitamins; organic acids; and substances with antibiotic, antiseptic, and detoxifying