By Gisela Hoffman
Why? Eating cultured vegetables is one of the best ways to improve digestion and thereby positively affect the whole immune system. Cultured vegetables provide an amazing amount of friendly bacteria, enzymes, fiber and B-vitamins. The culturing process pre-digests the vegetables and makes the minerals much more accessible to the body. Use organic vegetables when you can; they have more minerals.
Equipment Needed: Good food processor, blender, wide-mouth glass jars (sterilize jars for 10min).
Produce Needed: Use two or more of the following: green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, turnips, beets, carrots, daikons, ginger root, sea vegetables, yams or sweet potatoes, green apples. Also have on hand previously-cultured vegetables or a vegetable culture powder. (If you use 3/4 or more green cabbage, the cultured vegetable powder is optional, but you get more bacteria and less chance of a bad batch if you use the cultured vegetable powder or a previous batch of cultured vegetables.)
Step 1: Wash vegetables. Peel off the outer leaves from cabbages. These will be used to top off the jars later. (Use 1-2 leaves per jar.) Peel vegetables as necessary and appropriate.
Step 2: Shred the vegetables in a food processor. Place into a large bowl, (up to 18 in diameter.)
Step 3: Put 1-2 cups of non-chlorinated water (i.e. pure spring water) into blender. Add 1 packet of vegetable starter or 1 cup of previously cultured vegetables, plus 1 cup of freshly grated veggies from the bowl. Blend.
Step 4: Pour water and culture mixture over the bowl and mix with your hands.
Step 5: Pack the mixture tightly into the sterilized jars to within 3/4 inch of top. Pack the vegetables tightly to get rid of air pockets.
Step 6: Dip the cabbage leaves from step 1 into hot water for about 2 minutes to soften them. Then roll up the leaves and place on top of the vegetables in the jar. This will keep oxygen from the vegetables and thus prevent ‘moss’ from growing. (If you do get white ‘moss,’ just spoon it off. The veggies are still good.) Tighten lids on jars to medium tightness.
Step 7: Put jars on a tray in a 70 – 78 degree place. (Like the kitchen counter, covered with a blanket, or a foam cooler with a jar of warm water – change twice a day.) The jars will probably leak. That is ok. It’s just working. After 3 to 10 days, the veggies are done. Stop the culturing process by placing the jars in the refrigerator. They keep in the refrigerator for 6 months or more. So don’t be afraid to make plenty. (Many people just leave the jars out to culture for weeks – no problem, they just get more mushy and maybe even more sour.)
Step 8: Enjoy. Eat at least two heaping tablespoons with each meal. The rolled up cabbage on top can be eaten, but it is not too tasty. Some people make cultured vegetables their major vegetable with each meal. A good oil (olive oil, flax seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, or lemon-flavored fish oil) drizzled on the vegetables will cut the sour taste for those not used to sour.
Note of Quantity: Two heads of cabbage plus three pounds of carrots make approximately 4 quarts. One packet of vegetable starter is very adequate for that amount.
History of Cultured Vegetables
Until modern times, every culture had a tradition of cultured drinks or foods. These were ceremonial as well as for subsistence living. The Native Americans buried meats and fats for months with juniper berries as well as other berries and herbs. These became very needed and desirable foods during lean times. Sauerkraut, of European descent, is an easily preserved food that also provides people with nourishment during the winter months. Kefir and soured milk are ancient, mid-eastern and Russian drinks that were honored for their healing and life-sustaining energies.
What can Cultured Vegetables Do For You?
- Help you lose weight
- Heal the body from inside out
- Increase vitamin and mineral absorption
- Increase friendly bacteria (often killed with antibiotics and other drugs)
- Alkalize the body
- Improve immune system functioning
- Candida overgrowth protection
- Help ease Fibromyalgia
- Reduce bloating
- Improve digestion
Other Resources: http://www.bodyecology.com
