Fermentation is a lost art. It’s how our ancestor’s preserved and prepared their food and how they thrived. However, as time has passed and technology has taken over, the quality of our food supply has declined.
We’ve gone from no refrigeration, stoves or microwaves to ready-made, prepackaged foods. Foods that are “convenient” but void of valuable nutrition.
There’s never been a time in the history of mankind that what we choose to eat has been of more importance.
ENTER: Fermented foods.
Today I’m going to talk about the amazing healing power of fermented foods as well as share one of my favorite “DIY” recipes.
Like I mentioned earlier, fermented foods and beverages have been around since the dawn of time but we’ve never needed them more than we do today. They’re rich in vitamins, enzymes and probiotics and have the power to literally turn your health around. They help detoxify your body, improve your digestion, beautify your skin, promote healthy gut flora, control cravings (particularly for sugar and processed foods), increase longevity and when made at home, are super inexpensive!
Fermented foods have a sour or tart taste so it may take some time to adjust to them given our overly sweet and sugary diets today. However, after only a few consecutive days of eating them, something amazing starts to happen! Your prehistoric taste buds begin to reactivate and you may even start to crave them! Your sweet tooth starts to diminish and you start to notice that you are feeling different….better.
Fermented foods and beverages and available at most health stores and, although they are worth every penny, can be a bit pricey. That’s why I decided to make my own. I discovered it’s not difficult at all and I really enjoy the process. Since a batch of veggies can make several jars, it’s fun to share them with friends and family!
I encourage you to give them a try! If you just want to test the waters, a good place to start is with Bubbie’s Sauerkraut. This brand/product is the mildest I’ve found. Otherwise, if you are feeling adventurous, I’m including my basic fermented veggie recipe. I’ve experimented with lots of different ingredients and spices but I’ve found that I like the simpler (more plain) versions much better.
It’s much easier to start with plain and then jazz them up depending on your mood at the time! In the future, I’ll share how to make healing fermented beverages like kefir, coconut kefir water and kombucha!
Ingredients
- 1 Med Head of Cabbage
- 1-2 Carrots
- 1-2 Kale Leaves
- 1 Package Culture Starter
- 1 Small Apple
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt (Optional - for crisper veggies)
Instructions
- Core apple and toss in blender with 2 cups of filtered water. Blend well.
- Stir in Culture Starter and let mixture rest for 15 minutes. This will allow the starter time to "wake up".
- Shred or chop all veggies and combine in a large bowl.
- Add starter mixture (and optional salt) to veggies and mix well with spoon or clean hands.
- Cover with filtered water.
- Spoon into canning jars (ie: Ball) and pack veggies down.
- Make sure veggies are completely covered with liquid and leave at least 2 inches of space at the top for veggies to expand.
- Cover jars and leave on kitchen counter out of direct sunlight for 5-7 days.
- Check jars every day to make sure veggies are still submerged under the liquid. If not, open jar and push down with spoon or clean fingers and reseal jar.
- Begin checking the taste of the veggies daily around day 3 or 4. The warmer your kitchen is, the faster they will ferment.
- Transfer veggies to fridge when they taste tart or slightly sour. The longer they sit the more sour they will get.
- Enjoy plain or mixed in salad or even on pizza!
Notes
I love to mix mine with plain bulgarian yogurt and a couple drops of stevia! It's tastes like cole slaw and is super healthy!! 🙂
Start with just a fork full a day and work up to 1/4 - 1/2 c with each meal.
These are extremely healing and detoxifying. If you have detox like symptoms, start slower and build up.
Tip: If you happen to have a bit too much sugar on occasion, eat these veggies and they will help to eat up the extra sugar in your stomach!
Make sure to share the love by re-posting and sharing this with those you think would be interested! Thanks 
To Your Health!
Lisa Maghrak
P.S. Check out my free video: 9 Secret Tips for Boosting Your Metabolism, Reducing Body Fat and Increasing Your Energy Levels 100% Naturally!
