Fermented Beet Kvass

It's Fermented Friday and time for another recipe for a newfound health drink that I stumbled upon as I try to make all kinds of homemade, healthy foods and drinks.

I love beets! They are so yummy and earthy tasting, and they have tremendous health benefits, including purifying your blood. They are great in salads, juiced, sautéed with sweet potatoes, and roasted. Having explored through hoards of fermenting recipes the past few weeks I came across a recipe for homemade Beet Kvass. What a fancy name! What is this concoction? I had never even heard about it, yet my love of fermentation and my love of beets were telling my body that this was something I needed to try!

This post will share with you just how easy this is and drinking 4 ounces each morning and evening have shown to lower blood pressure, purify the blood, aid in digestion and detoxify the liver. It is rich in B vitamins and minerals such as copper, potassium and magnesium. It is a great health tonic to add to any diet.

Ingredients:

Beets (3-4) peeled and chopped (save the discarded greens for yummy salad or sauteed with garlic and onion)
3 tbs sea salt
Filtered water
Whey

Place the chopped beets, in a large glass jar (1/2-1 gallon) add salt and cover with water. Cover with either a paper towel or tea towel and secure with a rubber band. Let the mixture sit on your counter for 3 days then bottle the liquid saving the beets, and a few tablespoons of liquid to brew a second batch. Add about a tbs more of salt and add water to cover and repeat the fermentation process for 2 days and bottle. When the beet kvass has been bottled let it sit in a cool, dry place for another day or two to allow for them to ferment for a couple more days. Place the jars in the fridge where they can stay until you are ready to drink.

Basically the brew tastes like salted beet juice. It has a very earthy, salty taste. Mine did not have the same carbonation taste that I am used to in fermented drink, but it was yummy nonetheless and gave me tremendous energy! I feel so great after I have a glass and really enjoy it.

Have you tried Beet Kvass? Please share your thoughts and experience!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Fermented Probiotic Salsa Verde

A few posts back I wrote about my Homemade Salsa Verde that has become a family favorite. As I have been continuing my goal of making everything homemade and healthy I decided to try a fermented version of the yummy salsa to add a health boost. It turned out amazing and so easy!!

All you need to do is make the tomatillo sauce following THIS recipe. Once you do that you blend in some whey (CLICK HERE to learn how to make your own). Put it on the counter, cover with a secured paper towel and let it sit for 2-4 days. Then you can put a sealed top and put in the fridge. That's it! So easy and full of probiotic benefits!

Salsa Verde is good on chicken, fish or any Mexican dish The sauce is great for enchiladas, but if that is the case you can skip the fermentation process since the heat from cooking will just kill all the good bacteria. Below is the recipes of the meal we ate with my new fermented condiment. The menu is super healthy and gluten free that I put together for one of our dinner during the Spring Real Food Challenge.

A Fermented Feast!

• Turkey Tacos
• Mexican Quinoa
• Homemade Guacamole
• Sauerkraut Coleslaw

Tacos:

I make these bad boys about once a week. My family loves it! You can use any ground meat that you choose. I typically use turkey but you can do beef or even bison! For tortillas it is best to try to get organic corn (since 90% of corn is GMO). I like to add lots and lots of veggies to my tacos too then I usually have leftover meat to make things like spaghetti, lasagna or even taco salad. Chop some garlic, onion and carrots to add to the meat. Place a pan on med heat with a little olive oil. Add veggies and sautee for a couple minutes before adding the meat. Brown the meat adding salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and maybe a bit of cayanne pepper (depending on how spicy you want it) and cook the meat. I like to garnish my tacos with some cheese, chopped cilantro and chopped red onions. Oh and don't forget the salsa!

In a separate pan heat up some oil (I prefer coconut or sunflower) and cook up the taco shells. Placing on a paper towel to cool.

Mexican Quinoa:

Pre-soak Quinoa in water for a couple of hours. Drain an then cook quinoa according to package. Add chopped garlic and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, paprika and cumin. Add some lime zest and some lime juice.

Guacamole:

Scoop out avocado and place in a bowl saving at least one pit. Add chopped garlic, lime juice and some salt and pepper and mash with a fork. Add the pit to keep from browning and put in fridge.


Sauerkraut coleslaw:

Making your own sauerkraut is easy CLICK HERE (but takes about a week to ferment so plan accordingly). In a bowl add sauerkraut with some of the liquid, you can add chopped red onion, garlic and cilantro. Add some lime zest and lime juice, salt and pepper and a dash of cumin. Mix and let it sit in the fridge for at least two hours.

This meal was so simple, so healthy and so delicious! I can't wait to make it again.

I would love for you to try your own fermented salsa and tell us how it was!



Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Sourdough Starter

"What in the heck is that on the counter?" is usually a question I hear weekly from my husband. This time it was in reference to the jars of goopy stuff in mason jars with paper towels fastened on the top. AKA my sourdough starters. Sourdough bread has been my favorite since I was a little girl. Only until my recent homesteading obsession did I learn that you can actually make your own starter at home, and very easily! Of course I had to do it. While I am still working on mastering the art of homemade bread I did discover a yummy pancake recipe using the starter. This post will share with you just how easy it is to make your own sourdough starter and also include a pancake recipe your family will love!

What you need:

Glass Mason Jar
Unbleached Flour

Unsweetened Pineapple Juice (or non-chlorinated water)

Now while I said the process was easy, it does take time. It can take up to a week for the starter to come alive so don't get discouraged. Basically all you have to do is put 1/4 cup of flour in a jar and 1/4 cup of  liquid. Pineapple juice works well because the acids and the sugars help to feed and initiate the yeast to come alive. Leave your starter out at room temperature and feed it once a day. I set an alarm because otherwise I will most likely forget since the sourdough can't remind me like my real babies or fur baby do when they are hungry!  All you need do is add the flour and liquid and stir up until there is no more dry flour and cover. You may begin to see bubbles in the mixture after 3 days, but my first time I didn't till about day 5. It takes about a week for the starter to get going. The warmer the temperature, the faster it comes alive. The mixture will rise after each feeding so depending on how much starter you have on hand, you may need to transfer to a bigger container.  The best thing to do is to get the starter up and running with pineapple juice and you can always switch to water later on. That is what I usually do. After about a week you will begin to smell the sourdough and the mixture will be bubbly and beautiful! (well maybe goopy looking, but I think it's a beautiful sight!) If the starter doesn't look very active you can also add a bit of unfiltered apple cider vinegar to help regulate the PH levels. I actually add a bit of the ACV to the mixture every couple of days and have had great success. If you don't feel like feeding your starter every day you can refrigerate it and I've read it can last up to 30 days without needing to be fed. So far I've made a whole wheat flour starter and a rye starter and had good luck with both.

So now that you have this jar full of goopy goodness, what do you do with it? Well, I tried to make a loaf of bread, that turned out to be a big bust. I was so distraught. How am I supposed to be a homesteading goddess when I can't even make a loaf of bread! Then I heard from others that it's actually harder than most people think. So I will have to try again. I did stumble upon a great Sourdough Starter Pancake Recipe from What's Cooking America. It was delicious and the kids loved it!

2 cups of starter (room temperature)
2 tsp of sugar
1 egg
4 Tbs oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1Tbs warm water

Mix together the first 5 ingredients. Warm up the pan or pancake griddle and right before you are about to cook you mix the warm water and baking soda and then add to the pancakes and it will begin to bubble and fluff up. These were so light and yummy. My daughter kept screaming "THESE ARE THE BEST PANCAKES I EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!" and my son kept asking for more. I have also made them adding bananas and another time with leftover fruit pulp from juicing. The results were equally as amazing. I can't wait to experiment with other Sourdough Starter recipes. I promise, if they turn out great, I will post them!

We would love to hear your stories if you have experienced making your own sourdough starter, and of course any recipes you have!

Homemade Mustard Recipe

It's Fermentation Friday!! Who am I kidding, I've always got something going! But this week I tried something new. Homemade Dijon Mustard. It was so easy and came out delicious. With grocery prices increasing a bottle of dijon mustard is typically $2.99-$12.00 but you can make 3 times the amount for less than $5. Plus, it's fermented which includes health benefits that cannot be found in store bought mustard.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup of yellow mustard seeds
2 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup of filtered water
2 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of whey (click here for homemade whey recipe)
Juice of a small lemon

I let the seeds soak overnight and then drained them. Soaking seeds, nuts and grains before cooking allows for the production of numerous beneficial enzymes which contain many vitamins. The soaking process also breaks down difficult to digest proteins into simpler components which are easier for the body to absorb.

Add all the ingredients into the food processor or blender and blend. Pour the mixture into a bottle, and cover with paper towel or cheesecloth and a rubber band. Let it sit on your counter for 3 days. You will begin to see bubbles in the mixture and will see a yellowish liquid at the bottom of the mixture within 24 hours. Give yourself a high-five! Your mustard is making beneficial probiotics to boost the immune system and balance the body! After the 3rd day you can remove the paper towel/cheesecloth and mixup  the mustard, place in the fridge and -Viola! You have homemade dijon mustard! So simple!

I would love to hear if you try this recipe and your comments on it!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Not Yo Mama's Yogurt!

Those of you that have been following my blog know that I have been experimenting with fermenting for months now. Im hooked. I love being able to create my own probiotic, healthy foods for me and my family. One of my New Year's resolutions is to have my fridge and pantry at least 85% all homemade goods by the end of the year. I have learned how to brew my own Kombucha and make yummy Sauerkraut and am even trying to create different vinegars. My latest experiment was homemade yogurt, and I couldn't believe how easy it was! This post will share with you just how easy, and cost effective it is to make your own yogurt. Yogurt can be expensive and with grocery prices going up, I have been looking for ways to reduce spending and making my own food is a great way to do that. Not only do fermented foods have tremendous health benefits but it is a simple and rewarding way for me to take control of my family's well-being.

You can make yogurt with most any type of milk. Raw milk, goats milk, almond, coconut or soy. I made my first batch with organic, grass-fed non-homoginized milk. You also want to use a culture from a yogurt you like. I used our favorite Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt. You only need a couple of tablespoons of the store bought yogurt, after that you can just use your homemade version for the subsequent batches.

The process was very easy! Pour 32 ounces of milk into a large saucepan and bring to a boil stirring often. Once it comes to a boil turn the heat off and remove from the heat. When the milk cools you can pour into a large glass container and allow it to cool to room temperature. After it has cooled you can mix in a couple of tablespoons of yogurt mixing until smooth. Cover (cheesecloth, tea towel, paper towel, etc.) and let it sit on the counter for 24-48 hours (the warmer it is the faster it will process). You want to keep it as warm as possible and can wrap a towel, or some sort of insulator to keep it warm. Once the mixture gets thick and begins to pull away from the container when you tilt it, or when you can stir it and it is the consistency you like it's finished.  You can continue making batch after batch just by adding a few tablespoons of your previous culture! It's best to do a batch about once a week. The yogurt can be used for smoothies, salad dressing, to make your own cheese (which is definitely on my To Do list!) The yogurt itself won't be sweet when using cow's milk. I added a bit of local honey and cinnamon and some fruit. You can use any additives you like, granola, nuts, etc.

That's it! It was so simple and came out beautifully and my daughter LOVED it (she is on her second bowl as I type!) This is definitely something I will be doing more often and experimenting with different types of milks (checkout this coconut milk yogurt recipe by The Holistic Mama!). The homemade method costs less than half of what I was spending on yogurt before- I am so excited to always have yogurt on hand and as a natural foodie it excites me that it was made by me!!

I will keep you updated on other types of yogurt I make and would love to hear about your experiments as well!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Fermentation Fun!- Homemade Sauerkraut

My name is Victoria, and I'm a fermentaholic. Seriously, I'm obsessed in a where-has-this-been-all-my-life, type of way! I started about 6 months ago brewing my own Kombucha and have been experimenting since.  It's such a fun easy way to make your own food and the health benefits of fermented foods are tremendous.

My most recent experiment was Sauerkraut. It was very easy, with the hardest part being patient and waiting for the food to naturally do it's thing! I always get a little nervous when I ferment. We have all been conditioned to believe that pasteurization is necessary and to be fearful of all bacteria. The truth is that fermented foods have lots of health benefits, and can increase vitality and wellbeing. This post is to share with you how easy it is to make your own sauerkraut!

Homemade Sauerkraut:

• Head of green cabbage
• Sea Salt
• Filtered water
• Jar
• Cover- Paper towel, tea towel, coffee filter, cheese cloth, etc. 
• Rubberband
• Something to weigh down the cabbage to stay submerged (right now I use a plastic baggie filled with water but am still searching for a better alternative that is nonplastic) 

Shred the cabbage and place into a bowl and cover with salt. Massage and knead the salt into the cabbage to bruise and help to release the juices needed to help ferment. Pour the cabbage/salt combo into the container and fill with water enough to submerge the cabbage. Place the weight on to help hold the cabbage under the water.  I cover my container with a paper towel and use a couple of rubber bands to keep it safe and clean from bugs, dust, etc. 

Let your batch sit for 7-14 days and it will be ready to bottle. Now beware! This is a stinky, smelly process. My fermentation station is setup in the garage because, although I've grown to love that smell, I don't want it in my house. I check on my brews every couple of days, testing and trying until it matches my taste. That is the beauty of fermenting. You can extend the process if you want it more sour and tart, or shorten if you want it more sweet tasting. 

Now chances are there will be some sort of whitish scum on the top of the batch- Don't despair! This is "The Mother" a sign of healthy bacterias infusing our food creating your own homemade probiotics! Amazing isn't it! You can just scoop off and discard a bit of the top layer and below should be beautiful, yummy sauerkraut! When bottling leave just a little room for air at the top and the batches will continue to ferment until placed in the fridge. They can be stored in a pantry almost indefinitely!

Fermentation is one of the safest and healthiest ways to preserve food. Many people fear bacteria in their food but good bacteria, lactic acid producing bacteria, can be used to extend the life of your food.  Warning signs to look for when fermenting are: pink cabbage, mold, slime, and a yeasty odor. If you see a white film on top- Smile! You are fermenting! You want to allow your food to ferment for at least two weeks when its warm out and even longer when the weather gets cooler. Allowing it to fully have time to ferment increases the Lactic Acid Bacteria lowering the PH and preventing spoilage.

Im hooked and so excited for all the possibilities that lacto-fermenting has to offer. I can't wait for all the future experiments such as making my own yogurt, adding veggies and other ingredients to future sauerkrauts, fermenting salsas and chutney's! Who knows, maybe even trying to brew my own beer and wine!

Have you tried fermenting? We would love to hear all about it!!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Get Your Kombucha On!

So here is another one of my obsessions. Kombucha!! For anyone who hasn't tried it, it's definitely an acquired taste. I will never forget my first sip! It tasted tangy and sweet at the same time with a bit of effervescence. I didn't know what to think. It took me a couple of bottles (on different occasions) to get a taste for it. But once I learned of all the benefits it offered I was hooked. Being  $5+ dollars a bottle it was something that I would get occasionally, but wanted to get my hands on more for a cheaper deal. That's when I looked into making my own. I was so excited when I saw how easy it was and how cheap! You can basically make a gallon for less than a $1 (not including supplies) I'm going to share with you my super fun Kombucha experience and I encourage you all to try it yourself (if you dare!) and share your story with us!

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a living health drink that consists of fermented tea and sugar. It has been known to cure a wide range of conditions such as arthritis, intestinal disorders, cancer, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, baldness and much more. The tea has been shown to boost the immune system and even reverse aging due to being high in antioxidants that attack free radicals from damaging cells. It is especially beneficial in detoxing the liver and kidneys. Kombucha is high is glucaric acid which helps to ward off cancer, contains glucosamines which prevents and treats arthritis and is also a probiotic to improve digestion, fight candida and eliminate the symptoms of depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.  All these wonderful benefits thanks to the living mushroom type bacteria culture that grows and makes this all possible!

That's right, a living growing culture that feeds off the sugar and transforms into all sorts of wonderful health benefits! Making it was a pretty cool process, very easy, and very much like a science experiment. If you are pretty squeamish I probably wouldn't try to make your own, but anyone who is up for it and enjoys Kombucha, I would totally try it!

What you need:

• One gallon of water (fresh purified) 
• One cup of sugar
• 10-12 tea bags or 1oz of self bagged tea
• One cup of Liquid Kombucha
• One piece of solid Kombucha Culture- "The Mother"
• Large glass 1 gallon brew container
• Cheesecloth or paper towel
• Rubber bands
• Dark warm place with good ventilation (I used a space in my garage. I wouldn't do it in my house due to the slight smell from the fermentation process.)

If you know someone who makes Kombucha you can ask them for a piece of their culture to start your own. If not you can purchase a kit that contains the tea, the culture and instructions. I got mine at People's Organic Coop in OB. The brand is Oregon Kombucha and I got the Jasmine Green Tea version (as opposed to black tea). I'm almost done with my second batch so if anyone in San Diego would like a little starter culture let me know! I would love to share!

To process is simple! Bring the water to a boil, brew the tea, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Now you just wait for the water to cool completely. It cannot be too warm or it will kill the culture. I let mine sit for about 2 hours just to make sure its nice and cool. You add the water to the brew container, add the liquid kombucha and culture. You finish by covering with the cheesecloth or paper towel and securing with a rubber band. Place the container in a warm dark place and wait for the magic to happen. The process can take 7-28 days depending on the heat and your taste preference. It grows fast at 80-85 degrees and much slower in cooler temperatures. 

In a few days you will see a solid film grow on top of your batch. This is the new "Mother" culture forming. It will most likely not be a pretty sight. It could be white, brown, lumpy and bumpy and slimy on the underside with strings of dark material. Smile! This is a sign of a healthy culture. It may float or sink and will eventually grow into thick layers which can be separated and used to batch more, shared with others or even composted. 

After 7 days you can try your kombucha and see if its ready. If you want it more bold and tangy you can keep testing it every couple of days to find the flavor that is right for you. That is the beauty of making your own! To taste, I would use a straw and a small glass. I would stick the straw in the brew with my finger on the top of the straw to capture the tea, and then transfer it over into the glass to taste. This helps to prevent contamination of the batch. 

Once your kombucha is ready you can remove the culture with clean hands (no gloves) and just place the culture in a bowl with about a cup of the kombucha and cover with a clean cloth until you are ready to make a new batch. Or you can store the culture and liquid in a closed container and even in the refrigerator for an extended period of time.  When you are ready to bottle the kombucha you can pour it into clean jars with tight fighting lids. Fill almost all the way to the top. Next store the kombucha at room temperature for another 2-4 days to allow for the second fermentation process. You can then store your kombucha in the refrigerator for months if needed and still enjoy the same yummy flavor and natural carbonation.  

I had so much fun brewing my own Kombucha and will definitely make it a habit (although will probably have to take a hiatus once it really cools down). Not only has it been a fun experience, I have felt so much more energized since I have been consuming the healthy elixir almost daily!

Supplies; Kombucha Starter kit: Culture from starter kit. 

The Brew and Storage Process

Finished Product

Kombucha with the new "Mother growing on top" 

The "Mother" removed and placed in a bowl with about a cup of kombucha. Ready for me to start my new batch!

All bottled up and ready for the second fermentation process before serving!

Disclaimer:  Please note: I am not a medical professional. Please use your careful discernment and double check with your naturopath or doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements

PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.