Raw Cultured Vegetables

[Earth Mother]

Cultured vegetables add valuable probiotics and enzymes to your body, which help stamp out Candida, boost your immune system and curb your cravings for sweets.

Like women and fine wine, they become even more delicious with time. (*wink*) Fermented vegetables can keep in your fridge for months. You can pull one of these living salads out whenever you're hungry and have some "fast food."

For easy-to-follow instructions, please visit the Culinary Center's How To Make Raw Cultured Vegetables. And, let's get fermenting!

[Barbara Hassan]

I've used fresh grape leaves to keep veggies crisp - - 'just finished a jar of mixed lacto-fermented veggies that was 4 mos. old and still crisp - - apparently it's the tannin in the leaf that fosters crispness, so I suppose there are also other options

Angie Norman-Meadows said:

Hi Margaret...You can buy horseradish root at the grocery store, plant it in a pot or your garden (it spreads, so put it somewhere that you don't mind it spreading). It will grow indoors in a pot and you can even eat the young leaves in salads, as well as using for your pickling! Happy Fermenting! :)

Margaret Gamez said:

I'm told that adding horseradish leaves to pickles (particularly cucumber pickles) will keep the pickles crisp. I haven't been able to find any horseradish leaves. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I can get horseradish leaves (of course, on-line, or else in New York City)
Thank you
Margaret

[Ayn]

Hey E.M. I am interested in trying out two of these recipes. I was wondering, do you just cover the recipe with filtered water and put a tight lid on it? Or do do use a jar to press it down and have a light cover? Also, does this recipe take a few days or a few weeks? I would love some assistance on this! I have cultured a few things in 2 days and some that take weeks, so I have no idea what to do with these yummy ingredients!!!

Earth Mother said:

Cucumber Kimchi

3 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
6 inches fresh ginger, grated
2 daikon radish, grated
4 scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp cayenne
1 Tbsp sesame seed


Sweet Kraut

3 heads green cabbage, shredded
2 beets, grated
3 carrots, grated
1 Fuji apple, grated
1/2 lemon, juiced

Spicy Pink

3 heads red cabbage, shredded
6 carrots, grated
3 inches fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic, chopped

[Earth Mother]

Visit the link up top and head over to the Culinary Center. Great video "how to" that will answer all your questions, Ayn. Happy fermenting!

Ayn said:

Hey E.M. I am interested in trying out two of these recipes. I was wondering, do you just cover the recipe with filtered water and put a tight lid on it? Or do do use a jar to press it down and have a light cover? Also, does this recipe take a few days or a few weeks? I would love some assistance on this! I have cultured a few things in 2 days and some that take weeks, so I have no idea what to do with these yummy ingredients!!!

Earth Mother said:

Cucumber Kimchi

3 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
6 inches fresh ginger, grated
2 daikon radish, grated
4 scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp cayenne
1 Tbsp sesame seed


Sweet Kraut

3 heads green cabbage, shredded
2 beets, grated
3 carrots, grated
1 Fuji apple, grated
1/2 lemon, juiced

Spicy Pink

3 heads red cabbage, shredded
6 carrots, grated
3 inches fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic, chopped

[HippyDaisyChick]

Grape leaves are the way to go...fresh ones...the tannins keep the pickles crisp.

HippyDaisyChick

Margaret Gamez said:

I'm told that adding horseradish leaves to pickles (particularly cucumber pickles) will keep the pickles crisp. I haven't been able to find any horseradish leaves. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I can get horseradish leaves (of course, on-line, or else in New York City)
Thank you
Margaret

[HippyDaisyChick]

Does anyone have a recipe for Beet Kvass...without using whey...........I have looked all over the internet with no luck.

[Ayn]

Beet Kvass Recipe

Ingredients:
2 large beets
6 cups water
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Scrub your beets very well. You won't be peeling these, so you want to make sure all the dirt comes off.

2. Cut off the tops and bottoms of your beets, like so, and discard the ends.

3. Chop your beets into small squares with a sharp knife. Place in a large glass jar. They should fill the jar approximately 1/3 of the way up.

4. Add 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of salt, and 6 cups of water to the jar of beets. Mix well.

5. Cover the jar with a breathable cloth and secure it with a rubber band. Set it in a semi warm (or room temperature) place to ferment for a few days.

6. After 3-4 days, taste the liquid. It should have become a dark red color, taste mildly tart, and may be slightly effervescent. If it tastes more noticeably salty than sour, let it sit one more day and then taste it. The warmer the place, the quicker it'll be ready.

7. Strain the beet kvass (if desired) and put in your refrigerator to chill. Drink daily for best results.
HippyDaisyChick said:

Does anyone have a recipe for Beet Kvass...without using whey...........I have looked all over the internet with no luck.

[Olga Lightle]

Can squash be fermented?

Earth Mother said:

Cucumber Kimchi

3 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
6 inches fresh ginger, grated
2 daikon radish, grated
4 scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp cayenne
1 Tbsp sesame seed


Sweet Kraut

3 heads green cabbage, shredded
2 beets, grated
3 carrots, grated
1 Fuji apple, grated
1/2 lemon, juiced

Spicy Pink

3 heads red cabbage, shredded
6 carrots, grated
3 inches fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic, chopped

[Olga Lightle]

Ginger does amazing things to fermented foods, mmmmm

[Rebecca Rodriguez]

How often are we supposed to eat cultured vegetables?

[June Dean]

Is there a difference between kefir  used in milk vs kefir used in water?  If not, can kefir used in milk be rinsed and used in water?  I reached out for Kefir to make the coconut water.  Friend brought me kefir in milk and said I couldn't use it for water because that kefir is different..I just don't know enought about it..

 

[Earth Mother]

Absolutely, Olga. Enjoy!

Olga Lightle said:

Can squash be fermented?

Earth Mother said:

Cucumber Kimchi

3 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
6 inches fresh ginger, grated
2 daikon radish, grated
4 scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp cayenne
1 Tbsp sesame seed


Sweet Kraut

3 heads green cabbage, shredded
2 beets, grated
3 carrots, grated
1 Fuji apple, grated
1/2 lemon, juiced

Spicy Pink

3 heads red cabbage, shredded
6 carrots, grated
3 inches fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic, chopped

[Earth Mother]

As often as you like, Rebecca. The more you eat, the healthier your gut will become.

Rebecca Rodriguez said:

How often are we supposed to eat cultured vegetables?