Fermented Foods

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KBGirts
KBGirts Posts: 882 Member
I was reading on MDA at some point that we should consume fermented foods. What's the best thing or what do you do? I really cheese so I have been buying those (expensive) cheeses like Gouda that have the cheese cultures in it. Is there any particular amount of fermented food we should be eating?

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  • justaspoonfulofsugar
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    I make my own fermented cabbage.It's super easy,cheap and it works a charm for getting in the good bacteria…it's also far cheaper than buying over the counter probiotics.
  • JeffinRaleigh
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    I make my own fermented cabbage.It's super easy,cheap and it works a charm for getting in the good bacteria…it's also far cheaper than buying over the counter probiotics.
    Do you have a recipe or method that you would be willing/able to share? Would love to see it.
  • justaspoonfulofsugar
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    Of course!
    I use green cabbage,carrot,salt,dry red chillies and dried oregano.
    Slice the cabbage on a mandolin,grate carrot.I use about half a head of cabbage and 1/2 a medium sized carrot.
    Salt generously and leave to sit at room temperature for an hour or so.
    Mix in chillies and oregano.I use 1/2 a tsp of each.Depends on how spicy you like it.
    Place it all into a sterilised mason jar.
    I have a wooden press I use to push it down hard for the water to rise above the cabbage.To keep the cabbage covered,I use some olive oil.There should be about an inch or so from the top as the liquid will increase in those first few days.
    I keep mine on the counter and open around day 3 to remove the gas build up.
    Everyone has different amount of times they like to ferment.I keep mine out of the fridge for at least 10 days but the last one I did was over a month.
    This is a great website with loads of information to help you along
    http://www.wildfermentation.com
  • JeffinRaleigh
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    ^^ Many thanks!
  • KBGirts
    KBGirts Posts: 882 Member
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    Wow! Thanks! I'll have to try this!
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
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    I am primal , so I also eat those types of cheese and yogurt with live bacteria cultures.
    Plus we eat sauerkraut, but I usually buy it, because I have no idea how to make it paleo style. My mom used to make it at home, but she uses a slice of bread and clearly that is not an option for me. My mom also makes fermented pickle, but again uses a slice of bread.
    I am really interested about what other people do about this.
  • feisma
    feisma Posts: 213 Member
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    bump
  • shar140
    shar140 Posts: 1,158 Member
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    sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha - all of these I can get locally made. They also have what they call curtido - it's similar to kimchi, but some different veggies. Still delicious!

    I'm trying another batch of kombucha - it's brewing now!

    I also eat full fat greek yogurt, and apple cider vinegar (mrs. braggs), though I prefer the tastier kombucha. :)
  • Lizzard_77
    Lizzard_77 Posts: 232 Member
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    I am a fermented foods *kitten*!!! I consume homemade raw yogurt, all types of home fermented veggies and fruits, Water kefir and kombucha, sourdough, and so on. I have probably 7 or 8 jars of different ferments in the fridge right now. My general recipe is for a 2% brine in which I combine 19 grams of salt with 1 quart of filtered water. It is best to weigh your salt but most times this comes out to 2 tbsps. I use himalayan pink salt or kosher salt. I then pack a quart jar with the veggie I am fermenting, pour the brine over top. I will add Caldwell's starter culture if the veggies are not from my garden and that usually gives a little boost. Cap em and let em sit for a few days. They should start to bubble then when the bubbling subsides some I will begin tasting till I acheive the sourness I am looking for. Easy peasy! My fave veggies are beets, carrots, and radishes.

    I consumes approx 32-48 oz of Kombucha and Water kefir a day and will typically have about a quarter cup of fermented veggies or yogurt 1-2 times a day. I have heard that when first starting out with ferments you will need to start slow due to candida die off which can cause rashes. As your body gets used to it then you can increase your intake. i never experienced this and my only recommendation would be try to vary the types of fermented foods so you are getting a wide scope of bacteria.

    Happy fermenting!
  • olerolls
    olerolls Posts: 70 Member
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    Mostly kombucha and raw sauerkraut for me. I get both from local producers and they are paleo-friendly. I'm not sure that I've noticed any specific benefit from adding them to my diet, but I started eating/drinking them after I'd only been paleo for a few weeks, so it's hard to know what changes are from paleo in general and what, if any, are from the fermented foods.
  • Howbouto
    Howbouto Posts: 2,121 Member
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    Bump so I can find this later!!
  • DevoteeofIset
    DevoteeofIset Posts: 77 Member
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    Love the fermented foods *kitten* comment! I feel the same way! Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon has some great fermented foods section and is a great resource. I consume kombucha, veggies, beet kvass, fermented cod liver oil and raw apple cider vinegar.
  • Septlondon
    Septlondon Posts: 45 Member
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    bump
  • debrawallin
    debrawallin Posts: 55 Member
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    I buy lacto-fermented sauerkraut and pickles at my co-op.
  • camtosh
    camtosh Posts: 898 Member
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    I live in Japan, where nukazuke pickles are a tradition. My hubby loves them, and he makes them every day. You start with a nuka bed (wet, salted rice bran powder -- see this site for preparation directions http://kyotofoodie.com/how-to-make-nukazuke-nukadoko/) and you mix it up by hand once a day. Add carrots, turnips, cucumbers, potatoes, whatever you like really. Push the veggie into the nuka bed (it is like thick moist sand) and leave it to ferment about 24 hours. After that, take out and wash and slice and serve as a side dish at dinner! The veggies ferment quickly in hot summer, sometimes hardly at all in cold winter -- most Japanese homes are not centrally heated, so the room temp varies greatly through the seasons.
    The weird thing for most people is the smell -- it can get pretty funky in warm weather! Took me a while to get used to it. But these pickles are tasty and good for you, so worth the trouble.
    As to where to buy powdered rice bran outside Japan, try an Asian market. It is sold here in 1 or 2 kg bags.
    edit: Here is a wiki with a pic of the finished pickles. Be sure to wash the nuka bran off before serving.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nukazuke
    :drinker:
  • pixlamarque
    pixlamarque Posts: 312 Member
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    Bumped for BabyPhit's instructions. Must ferment beets.
  • SteamClutch
    SteamClutch Posts: 433 Member
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    I will be getting into this soon, thanks for the info.
  • pixlamarque
    pixlamarque Posts: 312 Member
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    I wanted to try water kefir before I bothered with purchasing water kefir grains to see if I liked it. I bought some Inner Eco Berry Flavor coconut water kefir at Whole Food. I really like it. It does not taste like coconut water. It reminds me of a very lightly flavored dry seltzer water. A tiny bit of fizz which is nice. Since it's a win I'm going to order some kefir grains and start making my own and experimenting with flavors. I see some cranberry lime headed my way.
  • Nutmeg76
    Nutmeg76 Posts: 258 Member
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    I'm just finishing my first batch of homamde sauerkraut. It is so good! Way better than Bubbie's which was the only kind I was able to find at the store that wasn't pastuerized. I will be starting a new batch today. I have the "fancy" jar with the water seal on top that a friend bought me, it makes it simple since you don't have to worry about the escaping gas. But, I only have one so I think I'll be fermenting other things in mason jars. I want to do some garlic and cucumbers. I don't have the wood press, so I used a clean rock from my daughter's rock collection, I put a cabbage leaf on top of the sliced stuff and then the rock on top of that. It kept everything below the water line.

    I need to get some water kefir too. I had it before we moved and the kids really liked it.
  • ramadog
    ramadog Posts: 2 Member
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    bump