Yes, fermenting. It’s my new thing. Pickles the way they were meant to be. The more I read and learn about probiotics, the more convinced I am that I need MORE of them. And not the kind in a powder or pill. The kind that live in food, that are happy and living and squirming. Sounds gross, but I have discovered some truly delicious, easy and inexpensive ways to make them myself. I was buying fermented veggies by the jar at the store and local farmers market. They are super delicious, and if I had more money than time, I would stock up on those. But, since everyone in my family loves all kinds of fermented veggies except the “sthpithey ones” (translation: spicy, meaning kimchi), we were going through a $6-7 jar every day. Expensive habit.
So, I did a quick search and found LOTS of intimidating recipes…..then a couple of simple ones. All you need is brine. That’s 1 quart water:2 tblsp natural salt. Really, that’s all.
1. Put your favorite veggie in a mason jar.
2. Add a few fun seasonings (fresh garlic cloves, fresh dill, or whatever you like).
3. Top off with the brine once the salt has dissolved.
4. Here’s the ONE tricky part. Make sure the veggies stay completely submerged. I put a few layers of plastic wrap down in the brine over the veggies with just a bit hanging out over the lip of the jar. Then I put something on top of the plastic to weigh it down (baggie of beans, small glass jar or bowl, small ramekin). They also sell kits with special lid attachments that solve this problem for you. I got mine at Tree House home improvement store in South Austin. They also have crocks for pickling, and those come with special weights to do the job (also at Tree House).
5. Close the lid tightly.
6. Put the jar in a cool spot out of the sun and let the fun begin.
Some veggies, like green beans, get pickled quickly. They take about 4 days. Others, like whole cucumbers, take 2+ weeks. After 4 or 5 days, check on your creation. If there is some white-ish mold growing on the top, scrape it off. It should still be good. If it smells fine, have a taste. It should taste a little sour or “fizzy”. If you like it more “fizzy”, put it back for another couple of days. The longer you leave it, the more “pickled” it gets. You will see that the water becomes cloudy. Those are all the lovely little by-products of lacto-fermentation, lactic acid and yeast. They are safe and let you know it’s working. Once you like the flavor, put the jar in the fridge and enjoy. They should keep for weeks, or even months. But they won’t be around that long, trust me. There are lots of recipes out there if you want ideas for special combinations, but it’s really just this simple. These days, I’ve got 2-3 jars brewing at all times. We can’t get enough.
OTHER PROBIOTIC FOODS
If you’re not a big fan of the pickled veggies, try these:
- Milk or water Kefir
- Kombucha
- Plain yogurt (preferably whole milk)
- Tempeh
- Miso
WHY PROBIOTICS?
More and more information and evidence is coming to light about the benefits of probiotics in our diets. Not all are created equal! It is definitely more beneficial to consume naturally occurring probiotics through your food. Here are a few ways you can benefit from eating them:
- Reduce obesity
- Improve immune function
- Women’s health – Probiotics can prevent vaginal infection which is especially important during pregnancy when we become more susceptible. Vaginal infections can contribute to preterm birth, so it’s better for your baby too!
- Allergies – There is new and very compelling evidence that consuming probiotics during pregnancy can decrease your baby’s risk for future allergies. Woo!
- Urinary health
- Digestive health
- Mood – There is an amazing study I read about where the attitudes of rats were tested on and off probiotics. The rats were given a stressful task then tested. The rats who HAD been on a probiotic rich diet performed better, had more sustained energy, AND when their blood was tested, had significantly lower levels of a stress hormone and had produced an ANTI-stress hormone to counteract the effects of the stress hormones. The rats not given probiotics did not have ANY of the anti-stress hormone in their blood. Wow. So, the conclusion of the researchers was essentially that the rats that were given probiotics had a better attitude due to the combination of hormones they were able to release or not release in excess during a stressful situation. I have definitely noticed less irritability these days. I can’t help thinking of the possibilities for postpartum moods.
Go have some pickles!
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