Cultured & Fermented Vegetables

Fermented cultured vegetables have been used for healing purposes for thousands of years. Fermented vegetables have large amounts of potent active, living, friendly aerobic bacteria strains; the most popular being lactobacillus.  During the culturing process, lactic acid is produced which acts as a natural preservative for the foods which are fermenting, ensuring the foods do not rot and putrefy. The starches and sugars in the vegetables are converted into lactic acid which helps in the growth of aerobic friendly bacteria. In the beginning stages of introducing cultured foods, you may experience increased gas and detoxification. This is expected and is a welcomed good sign for it represents cleansing. These symptoms will subside once your body becomes more balanced. 

Why eat raw fermented vegetables?

• Excellent source of Vitamin C, lactobacilli, and other nutrients
• Contains cancer fighting compounds
• Excellent for flu prevention
• Regulates gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea, constipation, ulcers, intestinal mucosa, etc)
• Helps bronchitis and other respiratory conditions
• Helps with anemia
• Helps with headaches
• Neutralizes the effects of alcohol consumption (hangovers)
• Cleanses the liver

Serving suggestions: 2-4 tablespoons about 3x to 5x per week

Sauerkraut

4 heads of organic white or purple cabbage

5 organic carrots (optional)

3 cloves of garlic

1 organic apple

1 lemon

1 Tablespoon Himalayan salt or sea salt

Directions:

Cut the cabbage, carrots and apple into small pieces with a knife so it will go into the cuisinart food processor comfortably. Shred the cabbage, carrots, apple and garlic into small pieces and remove into a bowl.

Take 2 cups of the mixture and add it to your blender. Add the lemon juice and salt to the blender and blend it into a liquid which you will be pouring into the air tight crock full of shredded vegetables. Take all the shredded vegetables in the bowl and pack them into your air tight seal container.

Pour the liquefied mixture from the blender into the container and pack the I ingredients down as hard as you can into the container any way you can. I like to use a clean wet towel and my hand.

Press the ingredients down with a cabbage leaf leaving the large cabbage leaf as the “cover” ontop of the shredded vegetables. Place lid on top of the container and let the process begin. Leave a small space between the level in which the vegetables come to the top and the top of the container for the fermentation process has a tendency to expand and grow as the vegetables culture

Make sure the temperature is between 70 and 78 degrees for ideal and predictable results. You should be able to see the fermentation bubbles from the outside of the container if you are using glass. You will also be able to smell the process.

Allow your vegetables to culture for 3 to 4 days before removing them from their container and placing them in refrigeration. Your fermented vegetables will last up to 8 weeks before the go bad. You will know they have gone bad when the color gets very dull or if you see visible mold growing.

Kimchee

4 heads of white asian, white or purple cabbage

3 large organic carrots

1 8 inch piece of raw fresh peeled ginger

2 White daikon radishes

5 scallions

3 pieces of fresh garlic

2 Tablespoons of cayenne powder

1 Tablespoon of Himalayan salt or sea salt

½ lemon juiced

Directions:

Cut the cabbage, carrots, daikon, scallions, ginger into small pieces with a knife so it will go into the processor comfortably. Shred the cabbage, carrots, daikon, scallions, ginger and garlic into small pieces and remove into a bowl.

Take 2 cups of the mixture and add it to your blender. Add the cayenne pepper, lemon juice and salt to the blender and blend it into a liquid which you will pour into the shredded vegetables. Take all the shredded vegetables in the bowl and pack them into your air tight seal container.

Pour the liquefied mixture from the blender into the container and pack the ingredients down as hard as you can into the container any way you can.  Press the ingredients down with a cabbage leaf leaving the large cabbage leaf as the “cover” on top of the shredded vegetables. Place lid on top of the container and let the process begin. Leave a small space between the level in which the vegetables come to the top and the top of the container for the fermentation process has a tendency to expand and grow as the vegetables culture

Make sure the temperature is between 70 and 78 degrees for ideal and predictable results. You should be able to see the fermentation bubbles from the outside of the container if you are using glass. You will also be able to smell the process. Allow your vegetables to culture for 3 to 4 days before removing them from their container and placing them in refrigeration.

Your fermented vegetables will last up to 8 weeks before the go bad. You will know they have gone bad when the color gets very dull or if you see visible mold growing.