Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Day 5/ Reintegration: Holy Kraut! I am full of it!

Yes I love my Krauts... Sauerkraut's that is!


Nothing like unpasteurized (raw) bubbly Sauerkraut... rich, spicy or not, sweet or tangy on the tongue... It's filled with oodles of probiotics for the gut, making your intestines happy, and your body shine from the inside out! There is really no comparison between the "live" version of probiotics and the "over the counter" version.


Sauerkraut is the name given to the process of fermenting vegetables, cabbage is a common ingredient but it doesn't have to be the only one! In the lacto-fermentation or "culturing" process the friendly bacteria already present in the vegetables convert the starches and sugars into lactic acid creating more Lactobacilli (probiotics). There are lots of options when it comes down to it, and lots of different health benefits that stem from your choices as always.


Sauerkraut, Kim chi, Fermented coconut water kefir, Rejuvelac all have a number of common well known health benefits on their resumes... worth taking a look?


They are well known for:
∗ Increasing nutrient bioavailability: increasing your body's ability to absorb the nutrients you consume.
∗ Boosting our immune system: probiotics help friendly bacteria colonize the intestines and keeping potentially harmful bacteria in check. 
∗ Decrease inflammation: eating small amounts of Sauerkraut daily can help with inflammation of the colon. It also helps to keep Candida in check.
∗ Regular bowel movements
∗ Very high in Vitamin C and digestive enzymes.


Ready for the goodness? Get your mason jars out, or undust your grandmother's ceramic crock if you got one .... here are two delicious recipes my family loves... yeap.. my kids fight over it!


Simple Sauerkraut Recipe:
3 heads of green Cabbage, shredded in food processor (keep a few outer leaves intact aside)
6 large carrots, shredded in food processor
3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
4 cups of water
Several 1 Litre wide mouth mason jars sterilized in the dishwasher.


Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 
Remove 3 cups of the shredded mix and place together with the water into blender. Blend until smooth to create the 'Brine'. It should look like a thick juice.
Mix 'Brine' back into the bowl with the shredded vegetables and massage well.
Tightly pack vegetables and brine into the mason jars. (Use your hands or wooden spoon). Leave 2 inches at the top.

Press the cabbage down firmly to cover it with the Brine and place the cabbage leaves you had left aside on top. Roll them up to create "logs" and place them down against the top of the jar. 
Place a cheese cloth with an elastic band around the mouth of the jar and close the jar with the lid.

Let the culture sit at room temperature (about 70 degrees is best) for at least 3 days, a week is even better. The longer they ferment the more "pickled" they will taste. Refrigerate to slow down the fermentation process.

Your culture should be alive and bubbly !!!


Live Kim chi
3 heads Napa Cabbage, shredded in food processor or chopped into 1/4" strips (keep a few outer leaves intact aside)
3 cups of water
5 tablespoons dried paprika powder
6 large cloves garlic
10 Medjool dates
1 - 3 inch long piece ginger
3 TBS salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 hot peppers
1 packet vegan kefir starter (available health food stores)
1 sterilized glass gallon jar (wide mouth jars are best!). I sterilize mine in the dishwasher.


Tightly pack the cabbage into the glass gallon jar leaving about 2 inches at the top. (Use your hands or a wooden spoon)
Blend all remaining ingredients for 1 minute until smooth to create the Brine, and pour into gallon jar, completely submerging the cabbage. 
Shake and move the jar around to make sure the Brine reaches all areas of the jar. 
Press the cabbage down firmly to cover it with the Brine and place the cabbage leaves you had left aside on top. Roll them up to create "logs" and place them down against the top of the jar. 
Place a cheese cloth with an elastic band around the mouth of the jar and close the jar with the lid.


Let the culture sit at room temperature (about 70 degrees is best) for at least 3 days, a week is even better. The longer they ferment the more "pickled" they will taste. Refrigerate to slow down the fermentation process.


Your culture should be alive and bubbly !!!




Now I know there are only so many of us Kraut lovers who can open up a jar and eat it up straight.... mmmh, but to those of you who are not quite ready for that just yet, there are many ways to integrate your Krauts, Kim chi's and other fermented goodies into your life. I often add them to salads, roll them up into my kale rolls, or simply add to them as a side to any meal.


Here is a simply recipe for an explosion in your mouth kinda salad. I made it yesterday and was happy to welcome back my dear friend the Kraut into my life.




Rainbow explosion in your mouth kind-a salad:
a few hand fulls red cabbage sprouts (any sprouts will do)
3 Celery stalks, chopped
1 grapefruit
1/2 cup blueberries
2 TBS black sesame seeds
a few TBS of Sauerkraut (trust your tummy)
small strip of Dulse (seaweed, cut into small pieces)
Flax seed or Hemp seed Oil (optional- I left those out yesterday)


Mix all ingredients together and get ready for a one of a kind taste sensation in your mouth! 




So there you go, tonight I am full of it!, full of recipes for you that is.


As the days go on I will continue to post, but will focus on new explorations in the kitchen, all things yoga, meditation, breath and health! I will not be posting so much my every bite, but more so my every inspiration!
__
"Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit."
Frank Borman
__


It's been a full and busy day and I have been exploring new taste sensations in my kitchen so much I don't remember all I have had! It's been good. I've continued juicing,  I have reintegrated greens and salads yesterday and today. Tonight I was daring and tried my delicious dahl (cooked lentil recipe) and have not had any reactions!!!! So far so good.






No comments:

Post a Comment