And do I miss it already.
I never thought I would love sauerkraut. I remember trying it when I was a kid on hot dogs or with sausage. I thought it was gross and mushy. You couldn't have paid me to eat it.
In 2010 I discovered a book (well, there were two actually) that changed the way I thought about food and my body.
Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions
One of the most important things I got from this book was the importance of fermented foods.
I had already been making my own Kombucha tea for years. But that was really the only source of "good" bacteria I was getting at that time. (There was yogurt too, but I was eating low fat, pasteurized stuff that really isn't that beneficial)
There are ads everywhere for Probiotic supplements, beverages, even chocolates. That's all good and fine, but what is the point of adding good bacteria to "dead" foods?
Enter SAUERKRAUT. I spent a lot of time that fall fermenting. It's addicting. Seriously addicting. I was making my own sourdough starter. I made sourdough pancakes, bread, crackers.
I got up the nerve to buy a head of cabbage and make my first batch of kraut. All I remember about it was that it seemed too salty to me. I probably let it age about a week before trying it. I can't say I loved it right off the bat. But it definitely wasn't the commercial kraut I remembered trying before.
What makes sauerkraut (and other fermented real foods) so great? Lactic Acid Bacteria. This bacteria helps aid digestion and create good gut health (the health of your gut can make or break your whole body health). Lactofermentation (the use of lactic acid bacteria) has been used for thousands of years to preserve food. Long before we had sterile factories producing our foods, our ancestors used bacteria to help preserve the fall harvest into winter.
Among the benefits are:
Adding Vitamin C to your diet (sauerkraut was once used to prevent scurvy)
Reduction in inflammatory bowel disorders
Increase healthy gut flora (which can help aleviate systemic symptoms)
Reduction in constipation
Reduction in allergies
And it tastes good!
According to most people, sauerkraut is good to go after 2 weeks of fermentation. I have to say the best I've made had been sitting for about 4 months. I say check it at 28 days. It's usually pretty good to go. Don't worry about eating it quickly. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
I didn't get my step by step photos done tonight (I'll post those tomorrow), but I've got some lovely purple cabbage upstairs calling my name.
Also, another thing to note about the wonders of sauerkraut is that it is recommended as a part of many healing diets, such as GAPS and AIP. I'm currently doing AIP and I have to say one of my favorite meals is homemade pork sausage (no sugar, nitrates or nitrites and EASY TO MAKE) with sauerkraut. In fact, I think that is where the entire half gallon of kraut went this month between Justin and I.
There are ads everywhere for Probiotic supplements, beverages, even chocolates. That's all good and fine, but what is the point of adding good bacteria to "dead" foods?
Enter SAUERKRAUT. I spent a lot of time that fall fermenting. It's addicting. Seriously addicting. I was making my own sourdough starter. I made sourdough pancakes, bread, crackers.
I got up the nerve to buy a head of cabbage and make my first batch of kraut. All I remember about it was that it seemed too salty to me. I probably let it age about a week before trying it. I can't say I loved it right off the bat. But it definitely wasn't the commercial kraut I remembered trying before.
What makes sauerkraut (and other fermented real foods) so great? Lactic Acid Bacteria. This bacteria helps aid digestion and create good gut health (the health of your gut can make or break your whole body health). Lactofermentation (the use of lactic acid bacteria) has been used for thousands of years to preserve food. Long before we had sterile factories producing our foods, our ancestors used bacteria to help preserve the fall harvest into winter.
Among the benefits are:
Adding Vitamin C to your diet (sauerkraut was once used to prevent scurvy)
Reduction in inflammatory bowel disorders
Increase healthy gut flora (which can help aleviate systemic symptoms)
Reduction in constipation
Reduction in allergies
And it tastes good!
According to most people, sauerkraut is good to go after 2 weeks of fermentation. I have to say the best I've made had been sitting for about 4 months. I say check it at 28 days. It's usually pretty good to go. Don't worry about eating it quickly. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.
I didn't get my step by step photos done tonight (I'll post those tomorrow), but I've got some lovely purple cabbage upstairs calling my name.
Also, another thing to note about the wonders of sauerkraut is that it is recommended as a part of many healing diets, such as GAPS and AIP. I'm currently doing AIP and I have to say one of my favorite meals is homemade pork sausage (no sugar, nitrates or nitrites and EASY TO MAKE) with sauerkraut. In fact, I think that is where the entire half gallon of kraut went this month between Justin and I.
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