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What Are Cultured Vegetables?

Sauerkraut? What I am talking about is different than the pasteurized canned sauerkraut you find in supermarkets. The idea of eating raw cultured vegetables has been around for centuries. The Chinese cultured cabbage for source of greens in the winter. Genghis Khan fed fermented vegetables to his armies. Captain Cook stowed barrels of sauerkraut to prevent scurvy during long months crossing the ocean.

What is Fermentation? Fermentation is the addition of beneficial bacteria to foods. Vegetables are cut, placed in a container, and left at room temperature, out of sunlight, for several days. As they sit, friendly bacteria multiply and convert sugars to starches.

Bump Up Your Salsa:

by Geraldine Plato

August 2015

My Favorite Fast Food During the dead of winter there are not as many opportunities to go to the garden for a snack, I assess my refrigerator options and find a “mustshare” favorite. Cultured vegetables. I call it “fast food” because once made, which takes thirty minutes for a month’s daily supply, all that is required is a bowl and fork. What Do You Need? Shredded cabbage is a good base ingredient, but the vegetables you can culture are endless. (See recipe on reverse side) The fermentation of vegetables happens in a glass, stainless steel, or ceramic container on your kitchen counter. A tight lid provides the best environment for bacteria to thrive with less chance of mold. You’ll want to open the jar and “burp” it every day to ensure gases are released. If you hear a bubbling sound when you open the lid, it’s a good sign that your vegetables are fermenting. Salt and Culture Packets There are some excellent products on the market known as culture packets or “starters” that provide a fuller spectrum of first-rate bacteria. I’ve used a few and find they improve the taste considerably, but don’t let that be a barrier to getting started. Salt works fine. I prefer Celtic sea salt for its rich mineral content, although it will give the vegetables a grey cast. Kosher salt will keep your vegetables look brighter. You decide, more minerals versus a fresher look. They are both important. Read the label on your Kosher salt, some contain additives you may want to avoid. Using salt will make your vegetables crunchier. You can also open a few capsules of a purchased probiotic and add that powder for a diversity of microorganisms.

At the end of the summer, I pick buckets of tomatillos and ferment them alone, or with garlic and hot peppers. I use them as a topping on Mexican dishes all winter or to bump up the nutritional value of a premade salsa by turning it into a living, probiotic topping.

When It’s Time to Eat It’s your choice when to slow the bacterial activity by moving the vegetables from the counter to the refrigerator. Even if the vegetables sit in your refrigerator for months, they will not spoil; their flavor will become more tangy and tart.

Bump Up Your Salad:

There are many good reasons to eat cultured vegetables with every meal, but I like them even better as a snack. If you heat the vegetables you’ll destroy the good bacteria and enzymes you’ve worked to create, so avoid all cooking. To allow these robust bacteria to work while I sleep, I take a forkful of vegetables or a spoonful of the juices before I go to bed.


Just before the first heavy frost, I pick my green nasturtium seeds. I culture these seeds with a clove of garlic and a bay leaf, then use them all winter as “capers” on my salad.

Serve with a clean fork and refrain from eating out of the jar, as you will contaminate the batch with bacteria from your mouth. Be sure the remaining vegetables are covered with the brine before replacing the lid.

Geraldine Plato is a Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She teaches, offers group and individual coaching, and will work with your doctor to develop a holistic approach to helping you stay well. She can be reached at 828.467.0979.

My Favorite Fast Food

by Geraldine Plato

August 2015

Traditional Sauerkraut: 1 Head of organic green cabbage, rinsed 1 Tablespoon caraway seeds 1 Tablespoon Celtic sea salt 1 Quart clean jar with lock-down lid • Reserve two or three outer cabbage leaves uncut, you’ll need them at

the end. • For a change of pace, make batches with red cabbage, kale, ginger,

Benefits of these nutritional powerhouses: • The good bacteria, enzymes, and high lactic acid in raw cultured vegetables improve digestion by re-establishing a healthy inner ecosystem. • Raw cultured vegetables are alkaline and cleansing. They are a perfect food to ward off colds, flus, and infection.

shredded carrots, red or golden beets, radishes, turnips, fresh turmeric root, nasturtium seed, etc. You can also purchase bags of pre-washed and chopped vegetables. • To cut the vegetables, use a food processor and experiment with the

blade for the consistency you prefer. When I have time I like to cut by hand; I enjoy the process and the uneven look. Eight Easy Steps 1. Combine all vegetables in a large bowl. 2. If you have a blender, you may opt to make ”brine,” although this is not critical. To make brine, remove several cups of the cut vegetables and add enough water to blend to the consistency of a thick juice. Then mix the brine back into the cut cabbage. 3. By hand add salt and caraway seeds then mix well.

• Cultured vegetables are a less expensive alternative to probiotics yet contain the same benefits.

4. Pack the mixture into a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel airtight container. Use a wooden dowel, a rolling pin, or your fist to tightly pack the vegetables.

• Eating fermented foods is a great way to begin reconstructing your taste buds. The tart flavor eliminates the craving for sweet.

5. Leave about two inches at the top for the vegetables to expand; otherwise, you’ll have juice all over your counter.

• Cultured vegetables are loaded with vitamin C and fight inflammation — both are important for your immune system when trying to ease seasonal allergies or mitigate the effects of chronic disease.

For more recipes visit GeraldinePlato.com

6. Fold or roll several whole cabbage leaves and place on top to fill the remaining two-inches. When exposed to air the vegetables could mold after a few days, so use the whole leaves to push the shredded vegetables below the water line; this will also help them keep their color. Add water as needed. 7. Clamp the jar closed, but remember to burp it everyday, or use a crock with a weighted lid and a cloth over that. With this system gases escape naturally so you don’t need to burp. 8. Let cabbage sit at room temperature (about seventy degrees) for three to five days. Then place in the refrigerator. Since the container you ferment in might not be ideal for storage consider transferring your veggies into an different jar.