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#1 Trick to Making the Best Smoothies

written by Daniela Klein

I have a trick that I use whenever I make smoothies. It really turns them around in terms of flavor and taste. And today I want to share it with you.

And I won’t keep you hanging on a cliff, because it is a really, really simple trick. It does not involve any expensive ingredients, or freezing the smoothie, or a snazzy blender. It is one ingredient.

If you have a look at a few different smoothie recipes, you will probably notice that this ingredient pops up in most recipes. However if you are making your own smoothies from scratch, it is easy to overlook this ingredient. And the vital smoothie ingredient for great flavor and health benefits is……

 

 

Adding Healthy Fats to Your Smoothies!

This might seem too simple to be a game changer when it comes to making smoothies – but it really is. Trust me : D. If you want to take a smoothie from flat and a little bland, to yummy, creamy and delicious, then include a healthy fat into it. Even if it is a green smoothie. Actually particulary if it is a green smoothie. It really does transform the smoothie, and not only that, you also get the added health benefits from the healthy fats. These  include enhanced absorption of certain fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, K and E. These vitamins dissolve in fat, so without the presence of fats in your smoothie, you will miss out on the full uptake of these.

Additionally, including a healthy fat into your smoothie ensures that it keeps you fuller for longer. This is a great attribute when it comes to smoothie ingredients. Most of us are making smoothies to help us get through busy days, while still getting in decent amount of fruit and greens to keep us healthy and energised. If we are fainting from lack of fuel during the day – then all this smoothie making sort of defeats the goal of reaping more energy and vibrance.

So what kind of healthy fats can I incorporate into my smoothie?

Here are some examples of healthy fats work well in smoothies:

  • Coconut milk / cream
  • Melted coconut oil
  • Avocados
  • Nut oils or butters eg. almond butter or cashew butter
  • Olive oil

Of all of these healthy fats, coconut oil is my favorite one to add to smoothies. Firstly it is very neutral in flavor – which means that you can use it all the time without your smoothies tasting always of coconut.

And the second reason is that coconut oil has some pretty exciting health aspects to it!

 

Coconut Oil as a Healthy Fat Source for Your Smoothies

Coconut oil is an incredibly special oil in that it is a healthy saturated fat which is plant based. Today we are lucky enough to be able to buy it the world over, usually at a reasonable price. Coconut oil keeps well, and as mentioned above is neutral in taste. Meaning you can use it in any smoothie you want, and not have them all tasting of coconut.

Coconut Oil is Not Readily Stored by the Body as Fat –
It is converted to energy straight away

It appears that one of the top reasons why coconut oil is so good for our bodies lies in the type of fat that it is made up of. coconut oil is made up of over 90 percent short chain healthy saturated fat. This fat can be broken down by the body in 3 steps. Unlike other plant derived fats which are broken down in 26 stages!

What this means ultimately is that the fat in coconut oil can be taken up by the body and converted to energy immediately. Short chain fats are processed in the liver, which means pretty much a one way street to energy production.  There is much less chance of coconut oil being stored in fat cells within the body, because it can so easily be converted to energy. Whereas other plant based fats can take so long to convert that they can end up being stored along the way.

Adding Coconut Oil Into Smoothies Can Assist With Weight Loss

If you are interested in shedding a few pounds, or simply maintaining a certain weight, then coconut oil is a great choice in healthy fats. This is because of the fact that it is not easily stored in the body as fat, and tends to get burnt up right away. This means that:

Adding coconut oil to smoothies is a weight loss friendly thing to do, because it is not easily retained by the body in fat cells. It also makes your smoothie more filling, which means that you can go for longer on it before feeling hungry again.

Adding Coconut Oil to Your Smoothie Can Act as An Excellent Source of Energy

This special ability of coconut oil to be broken down into energy in only 3 steps makes it a great source of energy. If you add coconut oil to your smoothies, it will help to keep your energy levels high for longer, with minimal fat storage.

If you are using your smoothie to act as an on-the-go light meal, then it is important that it has ingredients in it that will keep you energized.

 

Kale & Orange Smoothie Recipe

 

How to Add Coconut Oil to Your Smoothies

There are three things to know when it comes to adding coconut oil to smoothies.

How Much Coconut Oil Should I Add?

Usually I find that one can add a little more coconut oil than one thinks to smoothies. I used to only add a couple tablespoons, but I have now upped that to roughly 1/4 cup for a smoothie which makes roughly 1.5 – 2 glasses. This might seem like a lot, but if you are skipping any other kind of ingredients which contain fat – then this will distribute through your smoothie and make it deliciously creamy.

A good rule of thumb when making a smoothie and wanting to add coconut oil is to stick to this rough ratio:

7 parts volume of smoothie:1 part coconut oil
                                    or
For every 250 ml of smoothie that you make, add in 30 ml (just over 2 tablespoons) of coconut oil.

 

You Might Have to Melt Your Coconut Oil

Coconut oil tends to harden in temperatures below 76 degrees F. Above this temperature it is in a liquid form. If your coconut oil is in liquid form, then great, you can simply add it into your smoothie.

If however your coconut oil is in its solidified state, then you will need to melt it before incorporating it into your smoothie. If you do not do this, what can happen is that one can get lots and lots of little solid bits of coconut oil in your smoothie – no matter how much you blend!

How to Melt Coconut Oil for Using in Your Smoothies

To melt the coconut oil, simply put the required amount into a saucepan and put this over a very low heat for about 1/2  a minute. The coconut oil will melt almost instantly.

The important thing is to not allow your coconut oil to overheat. It must just get warm enough to melt into its liquid state. If it is sizzling hot, then it will make your smoothie warm when you add it in, and probably denature some of the raw ingredients in the smoothie.

 

Blend Everything Else, Then Add the Melted Coconut Oil While the Blender is Still Running

Once the coconut oil is melted, all you need to do is add it to your smoothie. Take note however that if your smoothie and its ingredients are very cold, then the oil could solidify into clumps again when you pour it in. To avoid this, do the following.

  • Blend and process all of the other ingredients in your smoothie until it is smooth and creamy looking.
  • Now slowly pour in your melted coconut oil, while the blender is still running. This will evenly incorporate the coconut oil into your smoothie, so that even if it is cold, or goes into the fridge, no oil clumps will appear in the smoothie.

 

Savory Kale & Kefir Green Smoothie Recipe

 

When Not to Use Coconut Oil

As you can see, coconut oil is a really awesome healthy fat option for adding to your smoothies on a daily basis. It is neutral in flavor, and is weight loss friendly, but also provides lasting energy thanks to the ease with with coconut oil is turned into energy by the body.

There are however some instances when you might not want to use coconut oil in your smoothies, and rather use one of the other healthy fats available.

You Are Making a Savory / Gespatchio Style Green Smoothie

If you are making a gazpacho style smoothie, then you may wish to use an oil such as olive oil as your healthy fat. Olive oil has a beautiful savory flavor, and can really make a green smoothie taste delicious and extra savory. Olive oil has its own set of health benefits, so you won’t be missing out. : )

You Are After a Certain Flavor in Your Smoothie

Sometimes you may want to use a fat source in your smoothie which has a stronger flavor than coconut oil. For example, if you want to make a smoothie which tastes like coconut, do not use coconut oil. Rather use coconut milk or cream, as that will bring the signature coconut flavor.

Another example might be that you want to make a peanut and chocolate flavored smoothie. Then again, ditch the coconut oil and use peanut butter instead, just in a slightly larger quantity.

Try This Trick!

If you have been making your smoothies without healthy fats as an ingredient – try this trick! I am sure that you will be happy with the results you see and taste in your smoothie.

If you try this and what to share, post a pic of your smoothie creation on instagram and tag me! The tag is @rebels.kitchenpics.

For now, all the best with your smoothies, and hope everybody is enjoying the long weekend. : )

 

Pomegranate Overnight Oats Smoothie Bowl Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

November 26, 2017 0 comment
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How to Make the Best SOup
Cooking HacksHow To'sSoups

How to Make the Best Soups

written by Daniela Klein

Soups are a wonderful way to incorporate healthy foods into your meals. Vegetables, pulses, grains like barley, split peas…. Soups are easy vehicles for just about any healthy food you can think of. They can also allow you to include a variety of different things into one meal, without the hassle of cooking each thing as a separate dish.

There a millions of tasty soup recipes out there, but sometimes you might find yourself not wanting to follow a recipe – because you are trying to use what you’ve got, and not have to run out to the store for a set of called-for ingredients.

Also, even if you are following a recipe, it is a great to be able to know how to adjust the seasoning to make the soup the tastiest version of itself! : )

How to Make Tasty Soups Everytime

The secret to making amazingly tasty soups is to create what hot shot chefs call a ‘flavor balance’. The main way to do this is to play with the quantities of these below tastes / ingredients which determine the balance of flavor:

  • Salt
  • Sweet
  • Acid (usually vinegar or wine)
  • Fat (cream, butter, olive oil etc)

Besides these basic four, there are also two other flavors which can lift your soup to even tastier heights:

  • Umani
  • Heat

Note: I have not included herbs here, because they are usually part of the more ‘core’ ingredients to a soup. However if you want me to add in a section on herbs – let me know!

 

Step 1: Adding the right amount of salt!

The first thing I do when beginning to flavor, is to incorporate the salt. Adding the right amount is very important. Too much, and the soup will taste terrible. because of this it is tempting to just put in a little salt, and allow everyone to add their own if they want more. This does not always work, because many people might not even realise that the soup needs salt – and not add any. Also, remember that some people are scared to add salt to food someone else has cooked for them, because it can be thought of as rude. Like, ‘this is so blandddd, please pass me the salt’!

The way to get the salt amount right is to add a little, and taste. Keep adding and tasting until you reach a point where the soup tastes more flavorful than before, but not yet to where one can actually taste ‘in your face’ saltiness.

Tip: If you do accidentally over salt your soup, the way to fix this is to add more liquid. This might mean that you also have to add something to re-thicken your soup, like some cornstarch mixed in a bit of cold water to form a slurry. 

Step 2: Add an acid (vinegar, wine, lemon juice etc.)

This is one of my favorites way to make a soup taste delicious. You have to add an acid! Most soups do not contain any acidic tasting ingredients. Adding something like apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, or a red or white wine itself, will usually do wonders for the flavor of your soup.

How much to add? Usually more than your think. Of course do not go crazy, simply add a little vinegar or other acid a little at a time, tasting along the way until it you think it tastes good.

Of course there are some soups, like a tomato soup which can be pretty acidic already. In this case, do not add more acid! Rather, focus on step 3 below.

Step 3: Do you need extra sweet?

Most soups get enough sweetness from their vegetable components. Carrots, onions, peas, cabbage, are all slightly sweet in taste – and provide the perfect hint of sweet that a soup needs. So usually you do not have to add any sweetening. However there are certain soups which do need it on occasion. Examples of these are some tomato soups, or soups which do not contain many vegetables.




Step 4: Do you need extra fat?

Fats in soups can take the form of things like cream, sour cream, oils, butter etc. Cream is one of the most popular fats for soups, and is usually added towards the end, at the flavoring stage of a soup. The amount of extra fat which you add to your soup at the end, is also something which should be done so that it is in balance with the soup. Too little fat and the soup will taste like boiled up stuff. Too much, and it will be overly oily / rich and not yummy.

So taste your soup, and add a little cream / sour cream oil etc. Taste again, add more if desired, until the soup is perfectly creamy! : )

Step 5: Adding Sources of Umami

Something that all soups should have is an umami flavor. Umami refers to what we term ‘savory’. If you have used a stock in your soup, you might not need to extra things for umami, especially if it is a meat based stock.

However, if you have not used stock, or have used a vegetable stock which is not very savory in taste, then you might want to add something to up the umami factor of your soup.

These are some things which you can use to add umami flavor to soups:

  • Fish oil (just a drop or two!)
  • Nutritional yeast (you can be generous)
  • Dried and powdered mushrooms
  • Miso paste
  • Parmesan
  • Soya sauce

My personal favorite out of these is the nutritional yeast. Its full of B vitamins which is really great if you do not eat meat.

The last two options, parmesan and soya sauce I would use discerningly. This is because while they are both full of umami, they are also full of their own signature flavor. The parmesan of course has strong cheese tones, and the soy sauce’s flavor is associated with eastern food. Of course if you want a cheesy flavor, like in a potato, onion, cauliflower soup, or tomato soup, then parmesan is a great choice. And if you are making a eastern style broth, then soya sauce is definitely a must.

 

How to Make the Best SOup

Step: 6 Adding Heat

Adding heat (in the form of spice / pepper) to your soups is a great way to make them even more mouth watering. I usually use black pepper, white pepper, or chilli pepper like dried cayenne.

The Trick: Do not add too much heat – unless you specifically want a very hot / spicy soup. Soups are a great conductor of heat from peppers / spices. A little goes a long way. I find that for most soups, the best is to use a small amount of pepper, most often freshly ground black pepper.

And that’s my list of tips for how to make the tastiest soups! Don’t hesitate to comment if you have any question. I also want to do a post on the different ways to construct a soup – is this something which would be useful to you my reader?

In the meantime – enjoy the soups! : )

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

November 17, 2017 0 comment
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Refried Lentils with Shredded Kale, Red Pepper and Baby Onions
Fast Healthy MealsGluten FreeHow To'sSneaking in the VeggiesStir FriesVeganVegetarian

Refried Lentils with Shredded Kale, Red Pepper and Baby Onions

written by Daniela Klein

Did you know that lentils can work well in a refried beans style recipe? I love lentils like this. The extra oil and braising in the pan gives them lots of flavor and umami.

In this recipe I combine the refried lentils technique with some shredded kale, some red pepper and some young onions. The result is a filling, nutrient dense meal that is quick and easy to cook.

For sides, you could have a salad if you want something to lighten up the amount of lentils, or you can serve this on rice, couscous or millet.

Before we go to the recipe, I just want to touch on how I do the refrying of the lentils.

How to Make Refried Lentils

For non-sloppy, chunky textured refried lentils do the following:

  1. After simmering the lentils, drain off any excess water and set back onto the heat. Allow any last excess moisture to steam off. Remove the pot before any discoloring on the bottom of the pot happenings. This step will only take a moment or two.
  2. Pour a lug of oil into a wok or skillet, and bring up to heat. Add your seasoning and lentils and toss gently. Keep tossing.
  3. You can refry the lentils for quite a few minutes, just make sure to keep turning and mixing them. This way you will get lots of nice crunchy little braised bits in your re-fried lentils.

If you like your re-fried lentils more smooth and sloppy, then you should rather opt to skip step 1 and mash your lentils before beginning to refry them.

Health Benefits of Lentils

Last thing! I just want to mention that lentils are an excellent source of nutrition. They are high in fibre, contain good amounts of vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of protein. If you do not eat much or any meat – then lentils can be a great pulse to fall back on when scratching your head for how to get protein into a meal.

Unlike most other beans and legumes, lentils are quick cooking. So even if you do not have a lot of time and forgot to cook them before hand – you can still boil them up in about 15 minutes. This is a similar cooking time to most starches.

Anyways, enough of Dr. Daniela talking – here is the recipe. Enjoy!

x

 

Refried Lentils with Shredded Kale, Red Pepper and Baby Onions




Refried Lentils with Shredded Kale, Red Pepper and Baby Onions

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dried lentils or 2-3 cups cooked / canned lentils
  • 4 large kale leaves
  • 3-4 small young onions (you can also use shallots)
  • 1 red pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons dried and crushed cilantro seeds
  • Black pepper
  • Cayenne pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Dash of apple cider vinegar
  • 3-4 cloves garlic

Instructions

  1. Start of by simmering the lentils according to their packet instructions.
  2. While the lentils are simmering, de-rib and chop the kale into shreds. Dice the red pepper and slice the onions into rounds. Peel and slice the garlic.
  3. Once the lentils are done drain off any excess water and set back onto the heat.
  4. Allow any last excess moisture to steam off. Remove the pot before any discoloring occurs on the bottom of the pot. This step will only take a moment or two.
  5. Pour a generous lug of olive oil into a wok or skillet, and bring up to heat. Add the crushed cilantro seeds, some black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste, and the dried rosemary. Quickly add your lentils, and toss gently. Keep tossing. Add in some salt to taste which you are tossing.
  6. You can re-fry the lentils for quite a few minutes, just make sure to keep turning and mixing them. This way you will get lots of nice crunchy little braised bits in your re-fried lentils.
  7. Once the lentils are refried to your liking, spoon them out of the wok / skillet and back into the pot you cooked them in. Add a little more olive oil and the kale, pepper and onions. Stir fry this well on a highish heat. You want the kale properly cooked, otherwise it will be tough. You should see the kale reduce a lot in volume, this means that it is nearing being well cooked.
  8. Now add your lentils back into the wok, sprinkle with a dash of apple cider vinegar and your raw chopped garlic, and stir to combine roughly.
  9. Serve hot.

Notes

You can eat this dish plain, side it with a salad, or serve it on a bed of rice, millet or couscous.

November 2, 2017 0 comment
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How to Make Probiotic Lacto Fermented Vegetables
Homemade condimentsHow To'sSides & VegetablesSneaking in the VeggiesVegan

How to Make Lacto Fermented Vegetables -And Why You Will Want to!

written by Daniela Klein

Did you know that most pickles used to be made using only salt and water, no vinegar? The pickles were still tart when finished, even without the addition of vinegar.

Nowadays this method of pickling is called ‘Lacto Fermentation’.  And it is the rage! For good reason too..

It turns out that this is the best way to pickle, because of its health benefits! It is completely safe to do at home, and does not require the lengthy boiling and sterilizing that regular pickling does. The reason for this is that lacto fermentation harnesses bacteria to cure and keep the vegetables. This means that the pickles inside the jar and the water they are in naturally keeps out pathogens and agents of decay. They do all of the hard work for you!

All you have to do is get a few jars together and make a salt water mix. But before we get into that, let’s take a quick look at some of science behind vegetable fermentation. Its pretty interesting!

The Science Behind Lacto Fermented Vegetables

The reason why vegetable ferments do not go off is because the heavily alkaline environment from the salt inhibits the development of decay causing bacteria. At the same time – in this ‘space’ – a different set of microbes develop. These are called lactic acid bacteria.  Lactic acid bacteria are part of the colony of  bacteria which make up the probiotic bacteria in our gut. These probiotic lactic acid bacteria also produce lactic acid, which is what makes pickles taste tart.

Besides curing the vegetables via fermentation, the lactic acid bacteria present in fermented vegetables are also a powerful probiotic.

Probiotic Power of Lacto Fermented Vegetables (Old fashioned pickles)

As mentioned aboved, when pickles are made this way, without vinegar – just salt water – they ended up becoming a veritable powerhouse of probiotic bacteria.

So much so that Dr Mercola stated the one teaspoon of sauerkraut (traditional sauerkraut is an example of a lacto fermented vegetables) contains more probiotics than a whole bottle of of probiotic capsules.

The Importance of Probiotic Bacteria in Our Bodies

While they used to be prescribed only after courses of antibiotics, studies are now suggesting that healthy levels of probiotics are vital to all over body health. This might sound crazy, but it makes a lot of sense once you take a close look at it.

Better Digestion

Probiotics play a massive role in the uptake of food and nutrients. The are like the software of the gut, and are responsible for facilitating the exchange of substances into the body. The are like the workers, and the gut is the walls of the processing plant.

Proper uptake of nutrients is a huge part of good health. It does not matter how many superfoods we eat, if we are not absorbing the nutrition – it’s pointless! On the other hand, if we are taking up our food fully, this means that there are more building blocks and nutrient for the body to health and maintain itself with.

Detoxification

Probiotic bacteria also do a lot of the work involved for the body to carry out proper elimination and detoxification. Probiotic bacteria assist in making sure that waste such as faeces is excreted smoothly without conditions like as diarrhea or constipation developing. Certain probiotic bacteria also have the ability to grab hold of toxins and contaminants such as heavy metals and thereby excrete them out of them body via the faeces.

Probiotics Gut Bacteria Make up 80% of Our Immune System

Not only do probiotic gut bacteria make do most of the work when it comes to digestion and detoxification – they are also the largest component of the immune system. They protect us from ingested or inhaled pathogens by crowding them out from taking hold on our digestive tract walls. By doing so they protect us from viral infections, parasites, Candida overgrowth etc.

I always thought that the immune system was located under one’s armpits for some reason….! lol

Probiotic Gut Bacteria Produce Neurochemicals….

Yes, probiotic bacteria produce some of our brain chemicals. Like serotonin. Because of this having good levels of probiotic bacteria in our gut is essential for proper brain functioning and mood regulation.

This research is very new, but there are published studies available now, which are getting everybody very excited about this new scientific link between the gut and the brain!

Other

There are many other areas which science is showing can benefit by probiotics such and cancer, heart disease, overly high cholesterol and allergies.

So…How Difficult Are These Things to Make?

Ok ok, that is all great – but how complicated is it to make probiotic fermented vegetables?

Answer: It is dead easy.
The basics are as follows: All you need to do is submerge your veggies in salt water and let them cure.

Yes. That is it. There are some guidelines to success, which I have listed below – but in essence it is that simple. Vegetables, jar and salt water!

Best Way Ever to Use Up Excess Veg

And the cherry tomato (pickled of course) on top is – this is one of the simplest ways to use up excess veg. If you have a garden and are experiencing excessive yields, or have bought too much at the farmer’s market and are feeling guilty because you won’t get to eat it all – simply seal the vegetables in salt water.

Making lacto fermented vegetables is ridiculously easy, and really the ultimate way to process excess produce. And of course, the end result of your bottling is a jar full of powerful probiotic veggies!

 

Do’s For Safe Bottling

While making lacto fermented vegetables is incredibly simple – there are some ‘good practices’.

  • Use fresh vegetables
  • Wash your jars beforehand
  • Seal your jars with a lid
  • Use a pickle pebble or regular stone to keep the vegetables submerged
  • Open the lid once a day for the first week or two

I like to use a pebble from the garden to keep the tops of my vegetables from bobbing above the brine. If they do bob, it it is not a catastrophe. However they then tend to discolor on the tops. If you are selecting a pebble from the beach or your garden, make sure that it is a shiny and hard kind. Porous stones tend to chalk off into your ferment. This is thanks to your lactic acid produced by the bacteria.

IMPORTANT Safety Precaution

The last point above is very important. Once you have bottled your vegetables, you must be sure to crack the lids once a day. The reason for this is that as the lactic acid bacteria do their good work they produce carbon dioxide. This creates a buildup of pressure in the bottle.

If left uncracked, the bottles can build up enough pressure to the point that they can explode! Needless to say this can be very dangerous. So crack those bottles!

Kahm Yeast

Sometimes when making your own fermented vegetables, a white film develops on top of the salt water. I researched it, and this is called kahm yeast. It is non toxic (in fact probiotic as well!) and completely safe to ingest. However it has an odd smell and I finds makes the ferment unappetising.

Kahm yeast is not a regular brewing occurrence – instead there are two factors which directly influence the chance of developing kahm yeast. Those are:

  • Freshness of vegetables
  • Amount of exposure to fresh air while fermenting

If your vegetables are slightly old, there is a chance that your ferment might develop kahm yeast. So try to bottle any excess veg before it loses all of its freshness.

And as far as exposure to air goes, if you do not seal your ferment this can also increase chances of kahm yeast. There are different ways that people seal their fermented vegetables, here is a breakdown of the three main ones.

Different Ways to Bottle

I always use a regular jar with a lid that seals nicely. Bail wire jars work great, but so do normal salsa jars.

  • Ordinary jar with lid (with daily cracking)
  • Lid with airlock
  • Open ferment (no lid, just a cloth cover)

The first option is the simplest,  all you need is a bottle or jar with a well sealing lid. I personally find this method to work well.

The second method with the airlocks is recommended for those who want to do lots of fermenting on a regular basis. The airlock releases any pressure buildup, so no daily cracking. It can also prevent the build up of kahm yeast. Have an airlock on your ferments is great, but not a requirement.

The third bottling method is one where you leave off any type of lid, and simply cover the top of your jar with a cloth and rubber band to keep out dust and bugs. It is highly recommended by some people, but I find that this method heightens the chance of kahm yeast developing. Almost every ferment I did this way got kahm yeast.

 

How to Make Probiotic Lacto Fermented Vegetables

Below you will find my exact process for how I make my fermented vegetables There are lots of guidelines out there for fermenting vegetables, many varying slightly in instructions. This is what I do, and I find it works great.

As far as what vegetables to use, most vegetables work great. Softer vegetables will go even softer, which is why people often stick to harder types like onions, carrots, beans, etc. However the options are endless, and you can even do things like fermented salsa by simple blending softened fermented tomato and peppers together after they have cultured.

If you are wondering if a certain type of vegetable will work – give me a shout in the comments and we can chat. : )




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Ingredients

  • Vegetables of your choice
  • Jars enough to hold them
  • Salt
  • Pure water (do not use chlorinated water, rainwater or filtered water is preferable)
  • Pebbles to keep down the veggies (optional)

Instructions

Salt to Water Ratio

Before starting, the most important point is your salt to water ratio. This does not have to be excruciatingly exact, but it does have to be salty enough so that the vegetables preserve properly, and not so salty the you can eat the stuff later.

The standard salt:water ratio is 1.5 tablespoon salt:4 cups of water or 0.3 tablespoon salt:1 cup water

Instructions:

  1. Wash your jars with some hot water and vinegar.
  2. Fill them with the vegetables.
  3. Pour in water, until it almost reaches the brim.
  4. Then pour this water off into a measuring jug.
  5. Add the required amount of sea salt for the amount of water you have.
  6. Stir to dissolve.
  7. Pour back into the jars over the veg.
  8. Place a pebble on top to keep the vegetables submerged.
  9. Screw on the lid!
  10. Crack everyday.

Spicing

You can also flavor and spice your jars. Pickling spices work well, or you can use things like whole garlic or chilies. To spice, simply add the extra ingredient(s) in after you have poured the salt water into the jars.

You can give your pickling vegetables a taste every so often to see how they are getting on. You can eat them at any point that you feel that are ready for your liking. To stall the culturing process (and to stop them getting more tart) you can refrigerate. However you can also store the bottles at room temperature. They will get more potent this way.

Pin to save this recipe : )

September 3, 2017 2 comments
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