Live-Long Sauerkraut

I'm a big fan of fermented foods. I've written before about the benefits of the good bacteria that fermented foods add to our diet. Check out my kim-chee recipe for the details!

I love to make homemade sauerkraut, and with this easy recipe, you, too, can have your own homemade sauerkraut in just a few days. I call it my Live-Long Sauerkraut because, well, it's one of the deceptively humble superfoods that people have been eating for centuries to strengthen their immunity against disease.

This recipe uses powdered probiotics to get the fermentation started and to add an extra dose of probiotics to the sauerkraut. If you are unfamiliar with powdered probiotics, please take a look at my E3Live Probiotics page for information about what they are and how they are used. This is my own proprietary blend and I proudly recommend adding it to your daily diet.

Make a batch of this delicious sauerkraut and have some every day as a side dish, a salad topping, a snack - use your imagination! And, now, without further ado...

Live-Long Sauerkraut

1/2 head of green cabbage, sliced thin and then cut into 2-3 inch lengths

3 carrots, grated

3 cloves garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon spring, well or bottled water (never use tap water)

Contents of 1-3 capsules of powder probiotics

Mix all ingredients together in a large stainless steel bowl.  Crush and squeeze with both hands until the cabbage and carrots soften and start to release their water. Pack the mixture into a quart glass jar and place a leaf of cabbage on top. It is normal to have a small amount of mold form at the very top of the jar. Putting the cabbage leaf on top allows the mold to grow on the leaf, which you can then discard without having the mold affect the sauerkraut.

Place a leaf of cabbage on top.

Place the lid on the jar but don't tighten too much, as the mixture will need to breathe and the fermenting gasses and juice will expand and flow over. Be sure to sit the jar inside of a bowl to catch the juice that runs out of the jar as it ferments.

Allow the mixture to sit on a counter top at room temperature for 3-5 days. How long you allow it to ferment depends on how tangy you like your sauerkraut. You will know when it's ready when it bubbles somewhat and "smells" fermented. Refrigerate and enjoy.

VARIATIONS:

Instead of probiotics, you can use a small amount (about 3/4 teaspoon) of miso, as it will serve the same purpose. Sauerkraut made with miso will have a sweeter taste.

Substitute shredded red beets and daikon radish for the shredded carrots.

For hot and spicy sauerkraut, add one chopped medium heat jalapeno pepper.

For different flavors, add dill seeds, cumin seeds or rye seeds, but use them very sparingly as their taste intensifies 10-fold in the mixture.

Add a variety of veggies, such as chopped celery, cauliflower, burdock root, or even your favorite seaweed.

Different varieties of sauerkraut.

Go ahead and play with the recipe. You really can't go wrong, plus it's easy and fun to discover new flavors and textures.

Best of all, your body, digestive system and colon will LOVE YOU for it!

Enjoy!

-Tamera