Kid Friendly Rainbow Ferment

One of the best ways to get kids excited about eating real food is to make it fun! You can do this by making the preparation or cooking process fun, giving it a fun name, or making the presentation fun, like eating “Ants on a Log”.

When giving fermented food to your children, it’s best to consider what vegetables they already like and in what forms. For example, if your child really likes coleslaw, then sauerkraut will likely be a favorite but if they like carrot sticks, ginger carrots will probably go over well.

Feel free to discuss and replace any of these vegetables with vegetables of similar color that your family likes better. You should be able to make this fun and interactive ferment a family favorite.

Some of my favorite salts for ferments are baja gold and Redman’s real salt. 

Ingredients for Rainbow Ferment:

• Red Beets

• Carrots

• Yellow Pepper

• Broccoli

• Purple Cabbage

• Baja Salt

• Water

Directions for Rainbow Ferment:

Fill a quart mason jar most of the way with cold filtered water. Remember filtered water is very important here otherwise you will kill your ferment.

Add 3 tbsp of salt. Stir to dissolve completely.

Cut the vegetables into bite size pieces and layer them in the jar in rainbow color order. Try not to overfill the jar. The vegetables should not come any taller than the shoulder of the jar. A jar that is too full is more likely to leak and make a mess in your kitchen.

When you get to the cabbage, set aside one full small leaf. Fill the jar with the brine up to the shoulder. Add the cabbage leaf to the top to hold all the vegetables under the level of the water.

Wipe off the top of the jar & add a lid and band. Close to finger tightness.

Leave on the counter for 5-7 days. Then move to cold storage.

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Kid Friendly Rainbow Ferment

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

Ingredients

• Red Beets
• Carrots
• Yellow Pepper
• Broccoli
• Purple Cabbage
• Baja Salt
• Water

Instructions

1. Fill a quart mason jar most of the way with cold filtered water. Remember filtered water is very important here otherwise you will kill your ferment.
2. Add 3 tbsp of salt. Stir to dissolve completely.
3. Cut the vegetables into bite size pieces and layer them in the jar in rainbow color order. Try not to overfill the jar. The vegetables should not come any taller than the shoulder of the jar. A jar that is too full is more likely to leak and make a mess in your kitchen.
4. When you get to the cabbage, set aside one full small leaf. Fill the jar with the brine up to the shoulder. Add the cabbage leaf to the top to hold all the vegetables under the level of the water.
5. Wipe off the top of the jar & add a lid and band. Close to finger tightness.
6. Leave on the counter for 5-7 days. Then move to cold storage.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Apple Scrap Vinegar

This recipe makes a type of apple cider vinegar. The difference is it’s made with apple scraps, as opposed to starting with apple cider that gets turned into apple cider vinegar. I love the idea of apple scrap vinegar because you utilize the entire apple! 

My main use of apple cider vinegar is detox baths so I don’t necessarily need apple vinegar as rich in taste as apple vinegar made from cider. You can also use it to make this salad dressing.

This is so simple and easy that you can throw a jar together any time you are creating anything else with apples like dried apples or applesauce.

Ingredients for Apple Scrap Vinegar:

• Apple Scraps from 5-6 Apples

• Filtered Water

• Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother

Directions for Apple Scrap Vinegar:

Add your apple scraps to a jar. You want the scraps to be packed into the jar fairly tightly.

Add filtered water almost to the shoulder.

Top with 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to jump start the fermentation process.

Seal with a lid. Leave on the counter for 3 weeks. 

Strain out liquid into a separate jar.

Put the lid back on and set aside for 2-4 additional weeks.

It will develop a vinegar smell and taste. If, after 2 weeks, it does not have that, wait an additional two weeks. 

Once it’s done, keep it in the fridge if it will take you a while to use it.

Fermented Ginger Carrots

These are a kid favorite!  This recipe is based on the Nourishing Traditions Cookbook but I’ve found most kids prefer carrots sliced rather than grated.

If you’re new to fermenting, read this section first! Otherwise, skip down to the recipe. 

Jars: I prefer using wide mouth jars for almost everything because small mouth jars are difficult to clean and access. There’s no need to sterilize jars for fermenting. If you clean your jars in your dishwasher, I recommend a quick rinse under hot water to remove any dishwasher soap residue.

Lids: Start with clean jar lids. You can reuse them as long as they are not very broken down or rusted. You can reuse lids from previous projects like water bath canning or other ferments as long as it is not rusty or the plastic is not visibly broken down.

Water: Be sure to use filtered water. The chlorine added to tap water kills microbial creatures so if you use it in your ferments, it will kill the good bacteria that we are trying to grow in our fermented food.

When you are jar fermenting, you need to have a tight seal with the metal lids but after you open a ferment, you can switch to a white plastic lid which will also save your metal lids from rusting and breaking down. 

I have found that simple tight lids work best, I do not use any gas releasing lids as I find them unnecessary and even detrimental. 

This is a super simple ferment to make and because these carrots taste almost fresh, it’s a great option for getting ferments into your children.  

I have just started creating a brine in a separate jar from the ferments. I really like it because it makes fermenting so much faster. All I have to do is pack my jars and then pour my liquid over it. This is especially great if I’m doing multiple types of ferment mixtures or vegetables.

Fun fact about carrots: if you’re growing your own carrots, leave them in the ground until after the first frost. They become sweeter. 

Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp Sea Salt (I find in Colorado, 3 is plenty!)

• 5-6 Carrots

• 2 inches Fresh Ginger

Directions

Create a brine for the carrots. Fill a quart size jar with filtered water. Add salt. Stir. 

Slice carrots into jar sized spears. Cut off the ends. 

Add carrots to jars. Shake them to make sure they fit completely. Leave 1 inch head room. 

Peel ginger with the back of a spoon or a knife. You can grate it or slice it. I prefer sliced because I don’t like the spice of ginger. 

Wedge the slices of ginger in between the carrots so they don’t float.

Pour the brine of the carrots to the shoulder of the jar.

Make sure all the carrots and ginger are under the water. 

Wipe the edge of the jar with a wet paper towel. 

Put a lid on the jar and seal to hand tightness. You’re not securing it for take off!

Let set on the counter for a week because of the thickness of the carrots. You can always ferment longer or shorter. As long as there is pressure on the metal lid for at least 24 hours, I consider that fermented. The longer you ferment, the softer they will get. Because carrots are so hard, it will take a long time to get them too soft. If they do get too soft, you can simply cook with them!

I do not recommend burping ferments unless it appears that the jar lid is going to break. In general, I find this is only a problem when you have over filled your jars or when you are making garlic.

After a week, move the ferment to “cold storage.” This can be defined as the fridge, a cool place in your basement or a dark pantry. The lower the temperature, the slower the fermentation action will continue to happen. When you’re ready to eat it, switch the lid to a plastic lid. Wash and dry the metal lid to be used again.

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Fermented Ginger Carrots

Author: The Be Well Clinic

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp Sea Salt (I find in Colorado, 3 is plenty!)
• 6 Carrots
• 2 inches Fresh Ginger

Instructions

1. Create a brine for the carrots. Fill a quart size jar with filtered water. Add salt. Stir.
2. Slice carrots into jar sized spears. Cut off the ends.
3. Add carrots to jars. Shake them to make sure they fit completely. Leave 1 inch head room.
4. Peel ginger with the back of a spoon or a knife. You can grate it or slice it. I prefer sliced because I don’t like the spice of ginger.
5. Wedge the slices of ginger in between the carrots so they don’t float.
6. Pour the brine of the carrots to the shoulder of the jar.
7. Make sure all the carrots and ginger are under the water.
8. Wipe the edge of the jar with a wet paper towel.
9. Put a lid on the jar and seal to hand tightness. You’re not securing it for take off!
10. Let set on the counter for a week because of the thickness of the carrots. You can always ferment longer or shorter. As long as there is pressure on the metal lid for at least 24 hours, I consider that fermented. The longer you ferment, the softer they will get. Because carrots are so hard, it will take a long time to get them too soft. If they do get too soft, you can simply cook with them!
11. I do not recommend burping ferments unless it appears that the jar lid is going to break. In general, I find this is only a problem when you have over filled your jars or when you are making garlic.
12. After a week, move the ferment to “cold storage.” This can be defined as the fridge, a cool place in your basement or a dark pantry. The lower the temperature, the slower the fermentation action will continue to happen. When you’re ready to eat it, switch the lid to a plastic lid. Wash and dry the metal lid to be used again

Created using The Recipes Generator

Fermented Ketchup

Most of what I’ve learned about ketchup is from Sally Fallon in Nourishing Traditions. As she points out, ketchup has historically been a term for a fish sauce added to foods for flavor. Various cultures added available ingredients to it to make sauces with unique flavor profiles. Tomato ketchup was created by Americans by adding tomatoes from their neighbors in Mexico. 

Store Bought ketchup, while reminiscent of the traditional flavor, is an unhealthy food choice due to the added sugar. Traditional ketchup, such as this recipe based on Nourishing Traditions, is a live food, and thus healthy and beneficial to your body.

I’ve heard that some parents add this ketchup to empty store bought ketchup bottles because their kids will eat anything from the bottles. Try it if you’re worried about your kids enjoying this version of ketchup!

This ketchup can be used in any way that modern ketchup is used! Add it to our burgers, dip fries in, or top scrambled eggs if that suits your fancy. It is also one of the two homemade sauces in this BBQ sauce recipe. 

You could also choose to make your own fish sauce. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon has a great recipe for how to make it at home. For this recipe I chose not to.

As some of you may also know, my current favorite form of ketchup is another traditional recipe of mushroom ketchup. It’s tomato free so it’s great for anyone with nightshade intolerance. 

I’m unsure exactly how long this will keep in the fridge. However, similar ferments are fine for 1-3 months. If there’s any obvious mold or any putrefied (vomit like) smells, it’s probably time to make a new batch!

Ingredients for Fermented Ketchup:

Makes one pint of ketchup

• 1 ½ cups of  tomato paste, ideally glass canned and organic

• ⅛ cup whey

• 1 ½ tsp salt

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed

• ½ cup fish sauce

Directions for Fermented Ketchup:

Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

Add to a mason jar with a lid tightly closed. Allow to ferment at room temperature for two days.

Be sure to give some head space, at least an inch at the top of the jar.

After two days, move the ketchup to the fridge. 

Enjoy!

How to Make Sauerkraut - DIY Sauerkraut

Fermented cabbage is very high in vitamin C which is essential for healing a leaky gut. Vitamin C is anti-inflammatory and immune boosting.

While good quality sauerkraut can be obtained in most stores now, I still prefer to make my own as I think it tastes the best. I put a lot of love and anticipation into my sauerkraut, as I don’t eat it until it has been fermenting for at least three months.

Making your own sauerkraut is very cost effective if you are eating on a budget. Not only are you making it for pennies, fermenting vegetables increases the bioavailability of nutrients, making this a ‘food hack.’

I used to cut my cabbage in a food processor but I feel that all time considered, including clean up time, it’s actually faster to cut it yourself. Plus, I like touching the cabbage myself instead of letting a machine cut it.

Sauerkraut works anaerobically, meaning it does not require oxygen. Any vegetable that is above the level of the water can grow mold or undesirable bacteria strains.

I do my sauerkraut in one quart jars because I prefer to open a smaller amount at a time. You can use any size jar that you want. An open jar in the fridge will keep for six months to a year. If kept at cooler temperatures, unopened, like in a root cellar or in the fridge, sauerkraut will keep for two or more years.

You can add whey to your cabbage to make the sauerkraut. Not using whey is called wild fermentation. It allows for different bacteria to grow than using a dairy based whey. I prefer to make my sauerkraut without whey.

With all ferments, variety is key. Using both whey and simply salt to make your ferments provides good variety in your diet.

Ingredients for Making Your Own Sauerkraut:

• 1 Medium Cabbage

• 2 tbsp Salt

• Filtered Water

Directions for Making Your Own Sauerkraut:

Remove and rinse outside leaves and reserve them for the tops of your jars to keep the vegetables from coming up the level of the water.

Slice cabbage into slivers. As you slice it, keep turning it to keep yourself safe and keep your cabbage evenly sized.

Add a little bit of salt and massage with your hands for a few minutes. The salt starts breaking down the cell walls of the cabbage, which will save you from having to beat the cabbage a lot.

After you have massaged your cabbage, let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes.

Knead your cabbage again.

Once you have kneaded your cabbage to the desire texture, fill your jars. It’s best to continue kneading until you can squeeze a little bit of water from the cabbage.

Fermenting cabbage produces a decent amount of gas, Make sure to leave head room in your jars to accommodate. This means lightly packing cabbage into your jar, about ¾ full.

Add water to just under the shoulder of the jar.

Sometimes cabbage produces enough liquid while it's fermenting. If it doesn’t feel free to add more liquid.

Top your sauerkraut off with a whole cabbage leaf, packing it along the sides of the jar to keep all the vegetables below the level of the liquid.

Seal with a two piece lid.

Leave on your counter. No need to burp this ferment! This process works anaerobically, without oxygen. If your jars burp, overflow or explode, you simply packed your jar too tight with vegetables.

GAPS Friendly Waffle Recipe

Recently the idea struck me to try to make a GAPS waffle. I had made many GAPS pancakes, so I thought maybe it could be done. And it turns out... it can! It was not a simple task, however.

The ratios are fairly different than a GAPS pancake... for one thing, putting in too many eggs caused it to overflow and made quite a mess. But after some trial and error I found a recipe that is delicious, and delivered consistent results (which is a big deal when cooking without flour).

I was also excited to make this a dairy-free recipe (except for the whey). Unfortunately, I can't make it nut free, the almond butter is essential! I hope you enjoy them!

GAPS Friendly Waffles

(makes about 8 waffle squares or 2 full-size waffles)

GAPs legal waffle Batter Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked butternut squash

• 4 TBS fermented almond butter (see note)

• 1 TBS melted lard

• 2 eggs

• ¼ tsp sea salt

Additional Ingredients

• About ¼ cup melted lard or butter to grease the waffle iron

Tools for gaps legal waffles

• Food processor or high-powered blender

• Waffle iron

• Chopsticks (this is very helpful to get the waffles off in one piece)

Directions for gaps legal waffles

This recipe is quick to put together if you do a little prep work first!

Prep the Fermented Almond Butter:
At least 24 hours in advance, ferment the almond butter. Add 2 TBS whey to 1 cup almond butter. Stir. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours. This will keep in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.

Prep the Butternut Squash:
Cut the butternut squash in half and place face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 min until soft. Remove the squash flesh and place in a bowl.

For the GAPS Waffles:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth and mixed.

I recommend pouring the mixture into a bag and using it like a pastry bag. The more quickly you can get the waffle batter on the iron and close the lid, the better it turns out!

When everything is ready, and the waffle iron is hot, use the pastry brush to spread fat on the upper and lower waffle irons. Do this as quickly as possible.

Add batter to the waffle iron, then close the lid.

There is a lot of moisture in this recipe, so expect a lot of steam!

Wait for the green light to go on, and then another 30 seconds or so.

Slowly open the waffle iron.

Remove the waffles from the iron, using the chopstick in the groves in any areas it is sticking.Top with fried eggs, honey, date syrup, berries, homemade whipped cream, or anything you want to!

Enjoy!

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GAPS Friendly Waffle Recipe

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

Waffle Batter Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked butternut squash
• 4 TBS fermented almond butter (see note)
• 1 TBS melted lard
• 2 eggs
• ¼ tsp sea salt

Additional Ingredients

• About ¼ cup melted lard or butter to grease the waffle iron

Tools Needed

• Food processor or high-powered blender
• Waffle iron
• Chopsticks (this is very helpful to get the waffles off in one piece)

instructions:

How to cook GAPS Friendly Waffle Recipe

1. This recipe is quick to put together if you do a little prep work first!
2. Prep the Fermented Almond Butter:
3. At least 24 hours in advance, ferment the almond butter. Add 2 TBS whey to 1 cup almond butter. Stir. Leave at room temperature for 24 hours. This will keep in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.
4. Prep the Butternut Squash:
5. Cut the butternut squash in half and place face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 min until soft. Remove the squash flesh and place in a bowl.
6. For the GAPS Waffles:
7. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth and mixed.
8. I recommend pouring the mixture into a bag and using it like a pastry bag. The more quickly you can get the waffle batter on the iron and close the lid, the better it turns out!
9. When everything is ready, and the waffle iron is hot, use the pastry brush to spread fat on the upper and lower waffle irons. Do this as quickly as possible.
10. Add batter to the waffle iron, then close the lid.
11. There is a lot of moisture in this recipe, so expect a lot of steam!
12. Wait for the green light to go on, and then another 30 seconds or so.
13. Slowly open the waffle iron.
14. Remove the waffles from the iron, using the chopstick in the groves in any areas it is sticking. Top with fried eggs, honey, date syrup, berries, homemade whipped cream, or anything you want to!

Created using The Recipes Generator

Buckeye Cookies

Another one of my favorite Christmas cookies are Buckeyes. These delicious cookies are traditionally peanut butter and powder sugar balls dipped in chocolate, made to look like the buckeye nut. The buckeye nut is commonly found back East, like Ohio and Michigan, where my family is originally from.

The roots for this recipe go deep in our family. Much like the Force.  

Ok, maybe not the Force (although I am excited for the new Star Wars movie that comes out this week!)

But we do make Buckeye cookies a lot. Since powdered sugar is hardly GAPS legal, I haven't had these cookies for a while either. But all that is about the change!  

Introducing Buckeye cookies, made with real food!  

These no-bake cookies are egg free, and casein and lactose free (contains whey and butter). They are also coconut free!  

Please note that while cassava flour is not technically on the GAPS-illegal list, it is still quite starchy. These cookies should be a special treat, and consumed infrequently and in small amounts. Same with cocoa powder. And, as always, observe if YOUR body is okay with this particular food at this time. Just because something is "GAPS legal" does not give you a free pass to eat it! Pay attention to what your body is telling you. But if it's telling you that these cookies are okay for you, then by all means ENJOY THEM!!!

GAPS Legal Buckeye Cookies

Makes about 48 cookies

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 cup peanut butter

• 2 cups cassava flour

• 8 TBS whey

• 1/2-1 cup honey

• 8 oz butter

• 2 tsp vanilla

Coating:

• 1 1/2 cup cocoa butter chips

• 1/8 cup raw honey

• 1 TBS cocoa powder

Directions:

Prep time: Need to start this recipe 24 hours in advance, 5 minutes prep time. Then it takes about 30-45 minutes to finish on the following day.  

Filling:

Twenty-four hours in advance: mix 1/2 cup peanut butter, 4 TBS whey, and 1 cup cassava flour together until everything is moist and crumbly. Try to eliminate as many clumps as possible. Leave on the countertop in a glass container with a lid. This is to give the legumes and cassava flour a chance to lacto-ferment. This makes them more digestible and increase the nutritional value. For more on why we should only eat nuts and seeds that have been properly prepared, watch my video on this.

After 24 hours, the mixture should look something like this...just a little more moist than what you started with the day before.

Add to this the vanilla extract, honey and 8 oz of softened butter (it's not the end of the world if you melt it, but try not to).

I used 1 cup of honey for this recipe, and to my non-sugar eating palate they are very sweet (which is the point, I suppose)! I plan to reduce the honey by about half the next time I make this. The mixture just needs to be formed into balls.

Mix well, and smooth out as many clumps as possible. You should be able to easily for this mixture into little balls.

Form the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper

Place the balls in the freezer to chill (about 10-15 minutes)   Next, make the coating   The most important part of making the coating is to heat things just hot enough to melt. Nothing should be cooked here! You are gently heating them up to mix. Then gradually cooling them back down again.  

Using a double boiler (or as I just discovered, my glass 2 cup measuring container fits perfectly into a medium saucepan) On low heat, melt the cacao butter chips.

When they are fully melted, turn off the heat and add the honey.

Next, stir in the cocoa powder (I recommend using a whisk to mix well.) 

Finally, remove the mixture in the top half of the double boiler to the coating is allowed to start cooling   Continue whisking the coating mixture occasionally. The honey cools faster than the cocoa butter, and you need to keep them mixed.

When the mixture is cool enough, remove the dough balls from the freezer. Stick a toothpick (or broken-off bamboo skewer in our case) into a ball and dip it into the coating. Depending on the temperature of the coating, you may need to dip more than once to achieve a satisfactory coating. After allowing the extra coating to drip off for a few moments, return the ball to the parchment paper.

Maintain the coating within a narow temperature margin. Keep the water from the lower part of your double-boiler ready. If your coating begins to cool too much, slip the top of the double-boiler back on top of the hot water for a minute or so to warm it back up (you probably don't need to turn on the heat). Do not let it cool too much or reheat it too quickly or too much—these can cause the chocolate to clump (this happened), and there's not going back from this. You would just need to start over making the coating.  

Traditionally the coating is darker than this recipe. I originally made a darker coating, but more cocoa powder required more honey, which seemed to throw everything off balance. I think this is part of why it clumped. Once you master the basics of temperature and consistency, you can try increasing the cocoa powder to darken the color. I will be doing that myself. In the meantime, even though this isn't as dark as traditional Buckeye cookies, the coating dries hard at room temperature. I'm calling that a win!

When they are all dipped to your satisfaction, use a toothpick to roll over the holes, filling them in.

There you have it! Rich, delicious Buckeye cookies.

Enjoy!

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Buckeye Cookies

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups cassava flour
• 8 TBS whey
• 1/2-1 cup honey
• 8 oz butter
• 2 tsp vanilla

Coating:

• 1 1/2 cup cocoa butter chips
• 1/8 cup raw honey
• 1 TBS cocoa powder

instructions:

How to cook Buckeye Cookies

24 Hours in Advance:

1. Twenty-four hours in advance: mix 1/2 cup peanut butter, 4 TBS whey, and 1 cup cassava flour together until everything is moist and crumbly. Try to eliminate as many clumps as possible. Leave on the countertop in a glass container with a lid. This is to give the legumes and cassava flour a chance to lacto-ferment. This makes them more digestible and increase the nutritional value. For more on why we should only eat nuts and seeds that have been properly prepared, watch my video onthis.

The Next Day:

1. After 24 hours, the mixture should look something like this...just a little more moist than what you started with the day before.
2. Add to this the vanilla extract, honey and 8 oz of softened butter (it's not the end of the world if you melt it, but try not to).
3. I used 1 cup of honey for this recipe, and to my non-sugar eating palate they are very sweet (which is the point, I suppose)! I plan to reduce the honey by about half the next time I make this. The mixture just needs to be formed into balls.
4. Mix well, and smooth out as many clumps as possible. You should be able to easily for this mixture into little balls.
5. Form the dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper
6. Place the balls in the freezer to chill (about 10-15 minutes) Next, make the coating The most important part of making the coating is to heat things just hot enough to melt. Nothing should be cooked here! You are gently heating them up to mix. Then gradually cooling them back down again.
7. Using a double boiler (or as I just discovered, my glass 2 cup measuring container fits perfectly into a medium saucepan) On low heat, melt the cacao butter chips.
8. When they are fully melted, turn off the heat and add the honey.
9. Next, stir in the cocoa powder (I recommend using a whisk to mix well.)
10. Finally, remove the mixture in the top half of the double boiler to the coating is allowed to start cooling Continue whisking the coating mixture occasionally. The honey cools faster than the cocoa butter, and you need to keep them mixed.
11. When the mixture is cool enough, remove the dough balls from the freezer. Stick a toothpick (or broken-off bamboo skewer in our case) into a ball and dip it into the coating. Depending on the temperature of the coating, you may need to dip more than once to achieve a satisfactory coating. After allowing the extra coating to drip off for a few moments, return the ball to the parchment paper.
12. Maintain the coating within a narow temperature margin. Keep the water from the lower part of your double-boiler ready. If your coating begins to cool too much, slip the top of the double-boiler back on top of the hot water for a minute or so to warm it back up (you probably don't need to turn on the heat). Do not let it cool too much or reheat it too quickly or too much—these can cause the chocolate to clump (this happened), and there's not going back from this. You would just need to start over making the coating.
13. Traditionally the coating is darker than this recipe. I originally made a darker coating, but more cocoa powder required more honey, which seemed to throw everything off balance. I think this is part of why it clumped. Once you master the basics of temperature and consistency, you can try increasing the cocoa powder to darken the color. I will be doing that myself. In the meantime, even though this isn't as dark as traditional Buckeye cookies, the coating dries hard at room temperature. I'm calling that a win!
14. When they are all dipped to your satisfaction, use a toothpick to roll over the holes, filling them in.
15. There you have it! Rich, delicious Buckeye cookies.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Making the Vegetable Medley

One of the most important ferments in the GAPS™ diet is the vegetablemedley. You can find this recipe in Dr. Natasha Cambell-McBride's book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome. Her recipe is for a bowl ferment, but you can also make it in a jar, which is how I prefer to make it. And this is the recipe we are going to do today! This recipe contains five different vegetables: beets (good for liver and blood cleansing), cabbage (stimulates digestion), carrots (contain vitamin A), and cauliflower (makes it taste better, believe me), and garlic (good for immune support). It makes a very rich and flavorful liquid, which is also a wonderful probiotic drink.

No matter how delicious this is, and how much you like it, drink only a little bit in the beginning to avoid die-off. Respect the ferments, man!

Ingredients and Supplies for Vegetable Medley

• Glass jar, 1/2 gallon

• Sea salt, 3-4 TBS

• 1 Medium beet

• 3 Carrots

• 1/2 Cauliflower

• 1/2 Cabbage

• Garlic (5-7 cloves), fresh or fermented

Instructions for Vegetable Medley

To a clean half-gallon jar, add about 1/2 cup of each vegetable. You can add them in any order you like. The main purpose of the vegetable medley is to drink the liquid, so make sure the ingredients you add only fill the jar half way (or a little more). This will create enough liquid to make it worth it!

Add the beets. Then the carrots. And so on...

Last of all, add the garlic. When all the ingredients are in the jar, it should be less than 3/4 full.

Create a brine of the salt and about a 1 cup of filtered water. Swirl and shake to dissolve the salt.

Add filtered water, to the shoulder of the jar.

Finally, add a cabbage leaf or two to hold all the ingredients under the water. I add a pinch of salt after the cabbage leaves are in place to discourage bad bacterial growth. All that's left is to tightly screw on the lid and leave it on the counter.

After 7 days, move the jar to the fridge and consume the liquid until it's gone, and eat the vegetable pieces. This can be a perpetual ferment. To do this, daily drink what you need, then replace that amount with filtered water, and continue to leave it out on the counter. Keep up with this process until the vegetables are spent (they turn grey and tasteless).

That's it! You have successfully made the veggie medley! Once you get the basics down, you can experiment with different vegetable combinations (eg. broccoli instead of cauliflower). Let us know your favorite combinations!

Onward!

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Vegetable Medley

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• Glass jar, 1/2 gallon
• Sea salt, 3-4 TBS
• Medium beet
• Carrots (3)
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Garlic (5-7 cloves), fresh or fermented

instructions:

How to cook Vegetable Medley

1. To a clean half-gallon jar, add about 1/2 cup of each vegetable.You can add them in any order you like. The main purpose of the vegetable medley is to drink the liquid, so make sure the ingredients you add only fill the jar half way (or a little more). This will create enough liquid to make it worth it!
2. Add the beets
3. And carrots
4. And so on...
5. Last of all, garlic and salt
6. When all the ingredients are in the jar, it should be less than 3/4 full. Add filtered water, to the shoulder of the jar. Finally, add a cabbage leaf or two to hold all the ingredients under the water. I add a pinch of salt after the cabbage leaves are in place to discourage bad bacterial growth. All that's left is to tightly screw on the lid and leave it on the counter.
7. After 7 days, move the jar to the fridge and consume the liquid until it's gone, and eat the vegetable pieces. This can be a perpetual ferment. To do this, daily drink what you need, then replace that amount with filtered water, and continue to leave it out on the counter. Keep up with this process until the vegetables are spent (they turn grey and tasteless).
8. That's it! You have successfully made the veggie medley! Once you get the basics down, you can experiment with different vegetable combinations (eg. broccoli instead of cauliflower). 

Created using The Recipes Generator

Vintage Food Hack: Fermenting (Part 2)

Recently we talked about why I love fermenting so much. If you missed the post, you can read it here. Today, let’s talk about what in the world lacto-fermentation is, and how you can start doing it yourself!

First, what lacto-fermentation is NOT:

• It is NOT making an alcoholic beverage (necessarily)

• It is NOT taking rotting vegetables and facilitating more rot (that is composting, and it belongs in the garden)

• It is NOT (necessarily) making things with dairy or into a dairy product

• It is NOT something only hippies do, modern-day people all over the world continue fermenting in the traditions of their ancestors

• It is NOT something new, it has been done for centuries, likely as long as humans have been around

And here is what lacto-fermentation IS!

• It IS a process of preserving food in a way that keeps the enzymes alive and the nutrition in its natural form

• It IS a way to eat those beneficial bacteria, which have been shown to aid in digestion, boost immunity, regulate metabolism, facilitate weight loss, and more

• It IS facilitating the growth of beneficial bacteria and yeast that produce lactic acid (a substance that pathogenic bacteria cannot live in the presence of)

• It IS easy to “put up” ferments, and very difficult to mess them up

• It IS safe to eat your own fermented foods, because if they turn rancid instead of fermented, there are obvious signs which clue you in that you should throw it away!

• It IS inexpensive to make ferments, your only recurring costs are the food you are fermenting, salt and water

• It IS a lot of fun, and an activity you can do as a group with other interested people

Have I convinced you yet?

Yes?

Good!

“How do I get started?” you might ask.

I’m glad you asked!

There are a lot of resources for fermenting.

• Books and blogs: Katz is a leader in the fermentation world, but there are many others as well

• Online groups: You can join the very active Wild Fermentation facebook group, and there are others

• Websites: Cultures for Health is a website I visit often. They offer instructional videos, a blog, books and other fermenting supplies, and different starter cultures for purchase.

• Classes: There are a variety of classes offered if you like the hands-on approach of fermenting. Many people, including myself, offer these classes. A real-foods chef, Monica Corrado of Simply Being Well, regularly offers and other classes--both locally here in Colorado, and around the Americas.

• Friends: Fermenting is becoming more popular, so ask around. Someone you know may already be fermenting, and probably would love teaching you as you do it together!

The most important thing about getting started is to just DO IT! There is an aspect of fermenting that can only be learned by doing, feeling and trying it out, and failing! And, because it doesn’t cost much, you can throw it away and try again! Next week I will post a simple ferment recipe--it’s an easy one to start with!

Disclosure: I am not an affiliate of any of the above resources, I just like them!

Happy Fermenting!

Onward!

Vintage Food Hack: Fermenting (Part 1)

Ever kept a book around forever unopened? Then you finally crack it open and realize you have been missing out?I recently had this experience with The Art of Fermentation by Katz. I loved the idea of this book, (and of having time to read all its 438 pages) but I just never did. In fact, I didn’t even open it, not once!

That is, until I had to write an article on lacto-fermentation. I opened “the book” to see if it would be useful and credible as a reference. Wow, was it ever! If I didn’t have a deadline, I would have sat down and read the entire thing cover to cover then and there!

Side note: In the category of things you should know about me. I love to read, and I am a procrastinate-until-the-last-minute-but-somehow-get-it-done kind of person. Hence, my situation. Okay, back to the point.

I wrote a pretty good article, if I do say so myself. It was informative and official and all that jazz (and you can read it here). But what I want to share with you, my readers, is the joy and excitement I get when I learn about and think about fermenting!

Why, you ask?

Well let me tell you...

• I LOVE learning to do things that our ancestors knew how to do. I am an Old Soul, and I try to make the most of every opportunity I have to do things the old-fashioned way.

• I HATE throwing food away. It comes from growing up in a large family, I suppose. Or perhaps my Hungarian ancestry. But fermenting allow me to preserve food longer.

• I LOVE using fermenting as a hack! I can get more out of my vegetables by fermenting them because it increases the nutritional availability of what is present in the vegetable naturally, without adding anything else!

• I CAN buy vegetables in season, and locally!

• I GET probiotic benefit from the vegetables, and variety matters.

• I KNOW what I am eating in my sauerkraut, banana peppers, etc because I added the ingredients.

• I SAVE money by making my own ferments.

• I GET to know and connect with what I am consuming, which is an important part of thoughtful eating.

Does that jazz you up at all?

Can’t wait to get started, you say?

Keep calm and hold on.

Soon we will talk a little more about what fermenting is and how to get started.

Stay tuned!

And Onward!

Beneficial Bacteria: Why Lacto-ferment?

Fair warning: the following post was originally written as an article. It is longer and more technical than a normal blog post. It contains great information, including the history of fermentation and some basic fermentation chemistry, but may be more than you need to know. Feel free to read (or not) accordingly!

The Benefits of Bacteria: How Lacto-fermentation is Good for You

The history of lacto-fermentation is rich and alive. There are signs of people groups fermenting their food as far back as we have found artifacts in various archaeological digs. It remains a mystery how the first people discovered fermentation.

However, as science has discovered now, a large part of “our” body’s makeup is not our own DNA, but rather a body-shaped shell containing a symbiotic environment teeming with bacteria, yeast, protozoa, and other microbes. Therefore, consuming probiotic foods is not only beneficial, but it is vital to our very life. Without the symbiotic relationships working in our body, we would be unable to function.

We often use the word “culture” to describe the ideals held in common by a group of people. In the same way, when we use “culture” to describe food preservation, we are also recognizing the grouping of different organisms, working together in symbiosis. This relationship, both inside the body, as well as out, demonstrates a beauty that not only brings tactile benefit, but is in many ways soul-soothing. You cannot ferment without paying attention to, and giving credit and help to the beneficial microbes that will, in turn, help to bring health and balance to your own body.

So what is lacto-fermentation?

Lacto-fermentation is one of the ways humans have used (for centuries) to preserve food. It does not necessarily involve milk, as the lacto-  prefix seems to suggest, but it involves creating an environment that encourages the growth of lactic acid producing bacteria. These type of bacteria work symbiotically with our bodies, and have been shown in research to be helpful in metabolism, detoxification,  immunity and allergies, preventing dental caries, kidney stones and cancer, and in reducing anxiety, cholesterol and blood pressure.If that list doesn’t convince you that you need to be consuming probiotic foods daily, scientists have also found that the nutritional value of most foods is increased through the fermentation process. An additional benefit, which is decidedly less important in the American culture, is food preservation without refrigeration.

How does lacto-fermentation work?

The concept of lacto-fermentation are simple. An environment needs to be created that promotes the growth of lactic-acid producing bacteria (LABs).  Many harmful and pathogenic bacteria and viruses are unable to live in the presence of lactic acid, so in this situation the body is working symbiotically with the LABs to control the environment of the body to be hostile to unwanted microbes. When we create a correctly hostile environment, beneficial flora are allowed to flourish, and unwanted flora moves on. It is very simple to create this desired environment, at it’s most basic, it only takes salt and water. The purpose of the salt is to create an environment that the LABs, and only the LABs, can thrive in. Other bacterial growth is stunted by contact with salt, allowing the LABs to flourish, eventually producing enough lactic acid that the salt is then unnecessary. In addition to preserving the food, the lactic acid helps with other aspects of fermentation, such as pre-digesting our food (starting the digestion process before it even enters our body) and nutritional enhancement.

Why have we moved away from lacto-fermented foods?

There are several reasons why we stopped fermenting our foods, the two main reasons being refrigeration and the “sterilization” or pasteurization movement. The first is simple to explain and understand, with refrigerators, we began to have the luxury of keeping food longer by keeping it cold. Previously, with only a few exceptions, people had two options--eat the food they hunted or gathered very quickly, or find some way to preserve the food. With the advent of electricity, refrigeration became available to almost everyone in a developed country, and with it the ability to store fresh food for a longer amount of time. Spoilage happens at a much slower temperature, so even fresh meat will keep for about a week. Because of this, and the accessibility of grocery stores, we can buy our refrigerated food, bring it home to our own refrigerator, and eat at our convenience throughout the week. No need for preservation here.Secondly, since 1857 when Louis Pasteur discovered that heating (killing) bacteria created more control over the process of alcoholic fermentation, we have been using heat to sterilize, or pasteurize, allowing us to store food, even at room temperature, for longer periods of time. However, because pasteurization kills the LABs as well as harmful microbes, there is a risk of spoilage, rancidity or putrefaction associated with any pasteurized food if contamination occurs. 

Can you learn to ferment?

Anyone can ferment--the process is very simple, almost foolproof, and safe. It is also fun, relaxing, grounding, adventurous, and sometimes exciting! Even if food prep is not exciting to you, the process is fulfilling and satisfying. And when you know that you have prepared food that has numerous health benefits, costing very little money or effort, you can sit back and feel accomplished at a job well done. And as you grow more comfortable with the process, you can experiment with different recipes--some in a book, some made up on the spot. That is the beauty of fermentation! You can ferment anything! And by following some basic principles, it’s really rather difficult to mess up!

How do I get started in fermenting?

There are several good resources available as you start on your fermentation journey. Books, like Sandor Ellix Katz’s The Art of Fermentation, will give you comprehensive instruction on this subject. There are website such as Cultures for Health, and various YouTube channels that will give written and video instructions on different ferments. Finally, there are various people (including myself) who teach the basics of fermentation in a classroom setting. Search these people out and sign up for a class--the information you will learn is invaluable to your health!

I like to call my ferments my children--because they need to be taken care of in the same way--you need to create a safe environment for them, feed them, keep them clean, and most of all, love them!

Part of the art of fermentation is the intention you put into them. When you are grateful for the health and support they are going to bring you, it will fill your soul (and usually makes them taste better). While, at times, the weight of responsibility for making ferments is heavy, it is always overshadowed by the benefits--physically and spiritually. So what are you waiting for--start on this journey today!

Citations:

• Katz, Sandor. 2012. The Art of Fermentation: An in-depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World. Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, VT.

• Katz, Sandor. 2003. Wild Fermentation: the Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods. Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, VT.