Makes 1 quart
Here’s what Sally Fallon Morell says in Nourishing Traditions about Beet Kvass:
This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, cleanses the liver, and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments.
3 medium or 2 large organic beets, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/4 cup whey or fermented pickle juice
2 cloves garlic, smashed or minced (optional)
Filtered water
Place the beets in a clean 2-quart widemouthed glass mason jar; add the salt, whey, and garlic, and fill to the shoulder with filtered water. Cap and leave on the counter for 2 days. Once you have drunk almost the entire first batch, you can add more filtered water, cap, and leave on the counter for an additional 2 days. After this you must throw out the beets and start fresh. Save 1/4 cup liquid from your previous batch to use as an inoculant instead of the whey. The easiest way I find is to pour what you wish to drink, replace it with filtered water, and return the jar to the fridge. Do this each time you drink some kvass. When the beets are “spent,” throw them out and start a new batch.
Makes 1 quart
1 cup organic fruit (fresh or frozen)
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled (optional, but I usually add to my ferments as it is so good for digestion)
Filtered water
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup whey
Place the fruit and ginger in a quartsized mason jar, filling it about a quarter of the way up. Add filtered water up to the jar’s shoulder, along with a pinch of sea salt and whey. Cap the jar tightly and leave it on the counter, at room temperature, for 2 to 3 days or until the lid is taut. Turn it upside down a few times a day. This is an anaerobic process, so be sure to keep the lid closed.
Depending on the temperature, your kvass may take a bit longer to ferment. You will see little bubbles starting to form; that means it’s fermenting and the pressure is building in your jar. Be sure to check the lid to see if you can press it down or not. If you can’t, that usually means the kvass is fermented and ready to drink.
You can strain out the fruit, if you wish, or enjoy it in your drink. This is a great way for our daughter to get a bit more fruit into her diet—following the fermentation process, the fruit’s sugar content is largely or completely gone. The kvass will last in the fridge for about 1 week.
You can also use the same process as the beet kvass, above. Simply replace the amount of kvass you drink with water, every time, until the fruit becomes colorless and flavorless.
Makes 1 quart
My kids love this beverage, and I am happy to give it to them, knowing that I am populating their little guts with yet more probiotics. Water kefir grains are available online (see resources); you can also ask for them at your local health food store. If you want sparkling kefir water, you have to invest in a Grolsch bottle to allow for more carbonation (see resources).
1/4 cup organic sugar (coconut sugar is great if you have it)
1 quart filtered water, divided
Water kefir grains
Place the sugar in the bottom of a quart-sized mason jar and add 1/2 cup of hot filtered water. Give it a gentle stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the remaining (cool) filtered water, leaving 2 to 4 inches at the top. Making sure that the water is cool, add the kefir grains, and gently stir again with a wooden spoon.
Cover the mason jar with some cloth and a rubber band, and let it sit on the counter for 24 to 48 hours. Once you have fermented the water, strain and drink as is; you can also do a second ferment by straining, adding to the jar 1/4 cup fresh berries (or any of the ingredient combinations below), and leaving it to sit, covered for another day on the counter. This will add nice flavor and color to the water kefir. Cap, refrigerate, and start another batch.
Other kvass and water kefir combinations:
• Cherry, raspberry, cardamom
• Apple, ginger, raspberry
• Blueberry, lemon, mint
• Apple, raisins, cinnamon
• Lemon, dried apricots or prunes, ginger
• Mango, vanilla, chai spices
• Ginger, apple, lime
• Peach, chamomile, lemon
• Blackberry, peaches, vanilla bean
• Fresh lemon or lime
• 1 teaspoon Homemade Vanilla Extract (page 96)
• Mint, lime, ginger
LACTO-FERMENTED CILANTRO SALSA
Makes 1 quart
Many thanks to Nourishing Traditions for this delicious, money-saving recipe. You can make a quart of salsa for pennies, especially if you grow your own tomatoes! You can also switch out tomatoes with peaches if you like.
3 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 1 jar or can (28 ounces) organic whole peeled tomatoes, liquid drained off
1 small onion, diced
1–2 cloves garlic, diced
1 serrano chile or jalapeño pepper, coarsely chopped (seeds optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Cracked black pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup whey or sauerkraut juice (I like Bubbie’s sauerkraut juice or pickle juice, or I use my own if I have it on hand)
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Place all of the ingredients (except the cilantro) in a food processor, and process until smooth and chunky. Add the cilantro, and pulse a few times. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouthed mason jar, filling the jar up to its shoulder. Add filtered water if needed. Cover tightly, and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to the fridge. This will continue to ferment in the fridge and should be good for at least 4 to 6 weeks (peaches will be good for up to 4 weeks).
Makes 1 quart
Several years ago at a Weston A. Price conference, I had the pleasure of hearing Scott Grzybek of Zukay Live Foods speak about fermentation. His delightful demonstration on how to make ginger carrots was revelatory, as I had been spending a small fortune on them at the natural food store (no joke)! They are one of my absolute favorite ferments: delicious as a snack for kids and beautiful on a crudité platter for guests. This recipe can be used with broccoli and cauliflower as well.
4–6 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2-inch piece of ginger or 2 cloves garlic, sliced very thin
2 teaspoons sea salt
Starter culture (2 tablespoons whey, juice from previous batch, or vegetable starter culture from Cultures for Health; see resources)
Filtered water
In a bowl, thoroughly mix the carrot sticks, ginger, salt, and starter culture. Place in a quart-sized mason jar, and fill with filtered water to the shoulder, about 1 inch from the top. Shake the jar a bit and make sure that the culture and salt are evenly distributed. Place on your counter, out of the sun, for 2 to 4 weeks. Store in the fridge.
RED CABBAGE, RAISIN, AND APPLE SAUERKRAUT
Makes 1 quart
Monica Corrado, of Simply Being Well, introduced me to this easy and delicious sauerkraut recipe. It’s my go-to kraut.
1 head red cabbage, cored and shredded
1 tablespoon sea salt
Handful of organic raisins
1/2 apple, grated
1/4 cup whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon sea salt)
Filtered water
Thinly slice the cabbage with a knife, a mandoline, or the slicing blade of a food processor. Put the shredded cabbage in a large bowl with the salt, and massage until the juices are released (about 10 minutes). Add the raisins and grated apple, mix until well combined, then stuff in a widemouthed mason jar. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Be sure all the vegetables are covered with liquid. Add filtered water to cover. I usually tuck an extra cabbage leaf on top to make sure all the vegetables are submerged. Cover tightly, and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. You can eat this sauerkraut immediately, but it improves with age.
Makes 2 pints
This is a sweet treat. My kids love a little Fermented Fig Jam on a piece of Coconut Butter Bread (page 118), or with sliced apples and a nice raw cheese. It’s also delicious with yogurt or kefir cheese and some homemade crackers. It will surely impress any guest! This was inspired by a blog called Everyday Healthy Everyday Delicious.
2 cups dried figs (I use a mix of Mission and Calimyrna)
1 cup hot filtered water
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons whey or culture starter
Remove the stems from the figs. Place the figs in a bowl with the hot water, and let them soak for 15 minutes. (I’ve made this without soaking, too, but it makes for an easier blend if they’re moist.) Place the figs along with their soaking water in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the honey, salt, and whey, and process to incorporate. Fill two pint-sized mason jars to the shoulder with the jam and cap. Leave on the counter for 2 to 3 days to ferment, then store in the fridge.
LACTO-FERMENTED JALAPEÑO HOT SLAW
Makes 1 quart
This recipe is inspired by Fab Ferments’ Holy Jalapeño. I wish I had their secret recipe!
1/2 white cabbage, shredded
1/4 Napa cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons sea salt or 1 tablespoon sea salt plus 1/4 cup whey
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 jalapeños
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
5 radishes, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed chipotle chile
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed jalapeño chile
Place the cabbage in a large bowl. Add the salt, and massage for 3 to 5 minutes, until the juices release. You can also cover the bowl with a towel and leave it on the counter for 1 hour; the juices will release more. Add the remaining ingredients, and toss together (including the whey, if you are using it). With well-washed hands, stuff the cabbage mixture into a quart-sized glass mason jar, and push down with your fist to force the liquid to the top. You want the vegetables to be covered by liquid up to the shoulder (leaving 1 inch at the top). Cap and leave on the counter for 2 to 3 days. You can test the fermentation by pushing down on the lid to see if it clicks or not. If it does not click, it means the pressure has built up, and fermentation is happening.
Makes 2 to 3 pint-sized mason jars
The Fabulous Fermented Hot Sauce!
Kerese, our dear friend from Trinidad, was with us in Maine a few summers back. We were making Mexican for dinner, and I grabbed my keys to hit the market and buy some hot sauce. She said, “Why don’t we just make our own?” She then came along with me to the grocery, where I watched her put ten haba- nero peppers in the bag! We have been hooked on her amazing recipe ever since. In fact, for Nick’s fortieth birthday we had a Mexican fiesta, and I gave away little pints of what we now call “Hot Nicky.” Hot Nicky is great with any Mexican dish, or on burgers, eggs—you name it. But be careful, because you don’t need much—just a teaspoon on the side, unless you’re really daring. It’s also delicious mixed with homemade mayo (page 107) on roast beef or fish, or as a yummy topping to oysters on the half shell.
1/4 cup filtered water
1/2 lime, peeled
3/4 bunch parsley
1/2 bunch scallions
1 onion
4–5 cloves garlic
5–10 habanero peppers (little orange hot peppers)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1–2 apples, peeled and cored (I often don’t peel)
1 mango, peeled (optional)
Vegetable starter culture dissolved in 1/4 cup filtered water, or 1/4 cup fresh whey or sauerkraut juice
Big pinch of sea salt
Mix all of the ingredients in a Vitamix or blender, using a tamper to help (if you’re using a Vitamix). Store in pint-sized mason jars. Leave on the counter for 5 to 7 days. Store in the fridge.
LACTO-FERMENTED CURRY CAULIFLOWER KRAUT
Makes 1 quart
1/2 head Napa cabbage
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 white onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons curry
1/8 cup raisins (optional)
Add the cabbage and cauliflower to a bowl, and sprinkle with the salt. Massage the cabbage with your hands for 3 to 5 minutes, until it has released its juices. Add the remaining ingredients, and toss together. Follow the instructions above.
