Lacto Fermented Sauerkraut

My lovely friend Melissa, and I had the pleasure of spending a weekend last October in beautiful Black Mountain, North Carolina, at the Southeast Women's Herbal Conference. During our stay we were introduced to a delightfully delicious treat known as lacto fermented sauerkraut. I believe it was our favorite food for the weekend!

Now, don't get me wrong ... I've made sauerkraut before. But *this* kraut, well, you'll just have to try it yourself to understand. Besides the immense health benefits it provides, lacto fermented kraut is fresh, crunchy, tangy, and I dare say more addictive (and better for you!) than potato chips. Cold or cooked, YUM. I am seriously sitting here eating a bowl of it right now, as I type this.

I'm not going to try and expound on lacto fermentation when you can read all about it from the master herself, Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats (with Mary G. Enig, PhD), a well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods. I couldn't possibly do a better job of explaining the process, so read for yourself and then feel free to enjoy the photos of my very own adventures in lacto fermented sauerkraut making!

The process I used is just the one that works best for me. I find it incredibly simple and satisfying and I hope you give it a try. I started with a wide-mouthed gallon-sized glass jar with lid, a gallon-sized zip-lock bag, large wooden spoon, and a potato masher. I used one large head of cabbage, 2 carrots & 1 medium onion (these are optional), 2 T. sea or kosher salt, and 1/2 cup whey. So here goes ...

I picked a large head of green cabbage from my garden, feeding the sad looking outer leaves to the cows and chickens.


I quartered the head to make it easier to handle, then sliced each quarter into 1/4 -1/2 inch strips. You end up with what looks to be a ton of cabbage. The first time I made this I thought there was no way all that was going to fit into my gallon jar! But wait ...


I then cut the strips into thirds.


I took two large carrots, scraped & halved, then processed them in my snazzy 1970's model food processesor.

Processed carrots.

Coarsely chopped one yellow onion.

Mixed everything together and added 2 tablespoons kosher salt (sea salt is best but I was out),

and 1/2 cup whey. Our milk cow is dry, so I hung 16 oz of plain organic yogurt in cheesecloth over a bowl in my fridge overnight and got a cup of whey from it. (The leftover yogurt cheese is delicious on crackers with red onion.)

Mixed everything well to coat all the veggies with whey & salt.

Then pounded the crap out of it with a potato masher, every 10 minutes or so for about an hour. This allows some of the natural liquids to release from the cabbage, wilting it down a bit and reducing the volume considerably.

Spooned it into my gallon jar. The canning funnel made this much easier.

It looked like I was going to have to add water to cover the vegetables, but a good smash with the potato masher crammed everything down into the jar, covering all with the natural liquids.

Put the ziplock bag into the jar, leaving the zip-top hanging out the top. Then poured water into the bag to within about an inch of the top, making sure the bag completely filled the space above the kraut. The weight of the water helps hold the veg down below the liquid. Lacto fermentation only occurs in an oxygenless environment, so remember .. no air in the veggies!

Sealed the lid, leaving the top of the bag hanging over the sides of the jar.

Let it sit on the counter in my kitchen for three days (needs to be kept around 72 degrees fahrenheit) then, ta da! Lacto fermented sauerkraut! You can eat it now, like me, but it only gets better with time. Kept in a cool dark place (Sally suggests 40 degrees ... I just keep mine in the fridge), it should keep for many months. I just can't seem to keep it for that long.

Come on. You know you want it ;)

Monsanto, GMO's, PCB's, Roundup Ready Crops, and oh yes, there's more...

If you eat (or breathe, for that matter) you need to watch this video. It's about 26.5 minutes, and it's serious stuff. I am not exaggerating when I say it could save your life.

Ever had questions about Monsanto, the safety of genetically modified crops, GMO's, PCB's, Roundup, "Roundup Ready" plants, Cancer, Bioengineering, Biotechnology, the standards by which these things are regulated, or how all of it is tied to government? Have you wondered what exactly is the big deal about organic food? Watch the entire video. This is REAL, and it's happening to you and your loved ones. This is our lives these people are playing with, and they aren't playing fairly. Sitting around on our hind ends thinking someone else will take care of this thing is irresponsible, lazy, and just plain stupid. I don't even have the words to say how it makes me feel, but it absolutely, positively scares me to death.

Anniston, Alabama, is less than one hundred miles from my home. My next door neighbors use Roundup every season. *I* used to use Roundup, many years ago before I became educated about it. Local farmers here are using Roundup Ready crops. And please don't get me wrong, this isn't just about Roundup! All consumers are affected by this genetically modified madness. My husband and mother are cancer survivors. This is a very important subject to me and I hope it is to you, too. After you watch the video, please take a moment and join the Millions Against Monsanto Campaign.

The World According to Monsanto 1 of 4 27min

Great Article on Eating Locally-Grown Produce

I wanted to share this fantastic article I found today at Time.com, by John Cloud. I hope you take the time to read it!

Eating Better than Organic

Marinated Vegetables

I made this for a family reunion this past weekend and it's one of my favorite things in the world to snack on. Hope you try it!

Prepare the vegetables except for the tomatoes; place in an 11" x 14" glass pan (they won't fit in a 9" x 13") and cover with vinaigrette (recipe below). Refrigerate overnight. Toss in tomatoes before serving. Serve chilled or room temperature.

1 head broccoli florets, rinsed, patted dry, divided into small pieces
1 head cauliflower (ditto)
4 carrots, sliced
3 medium zucchini, sliced
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced (size the slices to your liking)
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced (ditto)
1 cup sliced black olives
1 or 2 cups whole grape tomatoes

Vinaigrette (play around with the ingredients to suit your own tastes)

1 c. olive oil
1 c. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh dill
2 scallions, minced
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
4 freshly torn basil leaves
3 tbsp. lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Place in a jar and shake well. To make a Creamy Vinaigrette, add 2 tablespoons sour cream to above ingredients and shake well.

March is National Nutrition Month

And as usual, Dr. Andrew Weil has some fantastic advice on his website about food safety. If you've got the time, browse his site. You'll be glad you did!

I am a firm believer that poor and inadequate nutrition is at or near the root of most health problems found today. It isn't always easy or economical to eat whole foods, or at the very least foods as close to their natural state as possible, but it can be done with planning, patience, and a ton of perserverance. Eating healthy shouldn't be so complicated. It can save your life. I have to drive over 50 miles one way to the nearest Whole Foods Market or Greenlife Grocery, and with current fuel prices that trip costs me $30 just for gas. Not what I consider economical. Luckily there are alternatives. Local produce stands generally offer seasonal, locally grown foods at reasonable prices, and some even accept special farm market senior citizen and WIC coupons and food stamps, so if you have one in your area, there's really no excuse for not eating well, at least some of the time. Do a little research, ask around, or visit your local county extension office and find out if there are farmers in your area who sell at markets or roadside stands. And if you have a patch of dirt in your yard big enough to plant a cabbage head in, give it a try. You might stumble upon something that will sustain you physically, mentally and emotionally for the rest of your life. A garden!

Chicken Soup for the Body & Soul

This is my favorite chicken soup recipe from the Old Farmer's Almanac. I make it anytime my family is under the weather, and it never fails to do the trick. It might not make you well, but it will make you feel better! I also make it just for the heck of it because it's sooooo yummy.

You can cheat and use canned chicken stock -- but it won't be the same. Yield: 8 to 10 servings

4 quarts cold water
1 4- to 5-pound chicken, quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 parsnips, peeled and chopped (or diced, your preference)
4 to 5 stems parsley
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a couple of handfuls of rice or egg noodles, optional (I like the egg noodles)

Measure water into a large soup pot and add all the ingredients. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours, using a spoon to frequently skim the soup as well as possible. Remove from heat and cool. Skim fat from the surface and strain the soup. Wash out the soup pot and return the strained stock to the pot.

Remove and discard bay leaf and parsley. Mash the carrots, celery, and garlic and stir them into the soup. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, chop the meat and add to the soup. (If the chicken meat has completely fallen apart, that's ok, too; just use as is, with bones removed.) Heat and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Winter Wonderland Stew

I just found this recipe in an e-newsletter I received from the Polishing Stone magazine, and it sounds like an extremely hearty, healthy and yummy dish for a cold winter day. I'll be whipping this one up very soon.

Winter Wonderland Stew by SunnyApril & Birk Vail

1 large rutabaga
3 turnips
2 carrots
1 sweet potato
3 white potatoes
1-2 parsnips
1 medium onion
2-3 broccoli stems
1 celery stalk
1 zucchini
1 cup crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 16oz can whole peeled tomatoes, squished
1/2 cup barley
1/3 cup red lentils
2 bay leaves
5-8 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
8 cups chicken stock and/or water
Optional meat options: Lamb, venison, or beef

To make:
Peel and cube rutabaga, turnips, sweet potato, potatoes, and parsnips. Peel and slice broccoli stems and zucchinis. Cut up rest of veggies and put all veggies in a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add tomatoes, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and add stock to cover. Let simmer for an hour or so, until veggies are almost tender. Add lentils. Simmer until lentils have fallen apart and thickened the stew. Add more stock if needed. Remove bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.

If using a meat, sear in same pot before adding veggies and stock.

Serve with crusty rustic bread. Enjoy!