Fermented Cabbage and Root Veggies

We eat a little bit of fermented veggies almost every day. If fermenting is new to you, you may want to start with just cabbage...very easy! You only need cabbage, sea salt, whey and filtered water. Once you've tried that, start experimenting with a variety of veggies.

What you need:
 1 head organic cabbage
 1 peeled turnip
 1 peeled parsnip
 3 peeled carrots
 1/4 large red onion
 3 cloves garlic
 1 bag organic arugula
 Zest on 1 lemon
 Juice of 1 lemon
 Salt
 Whey*

What you do:
 Remove a few large cabbage leaves from cabbage head
 Finely chop or grate (food processor works well) cabbage, turnip, parsnip, carrots, onion and garlic
 Place in large bowl
 Add finely chopped arugula
 Zest lemon into bowl
 Squeeze lemon juice into bowl
 Mix well with hands
 Place in Mason jars (this recipe fit into 3 one quart Mason jars)
 Push veggies down, leaving an inch or two on top
 In glass measuring cup, add about 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/4 cup whey
 (For every quart of veggies, the ratio is 1 Tbs. salt and 1/4 cup whey)
 Mix to dissolve salt and pour over veggies in one of the Mason jars
 Add more water, up to an inch of top of jar
 Repeat this water, salt and whey step for each quart jar
 Tuck in veggies with a large cabbage leaf
 Place Mason jar lid on, not too tightly
 Put in bowl (ferments are very active and the liquid escapes the jars)
 Set on counter or in cupboard, out of direct sunlight
 Test after 5 days
 When the veggies are fermented to you liking, remove large cabbage leaf, replace lid tightly and    store in refrigerator
 Enjoy!

* To make whey, place a container of full-fat yogurt (from 100% grass fed cows) in a cloth dish towel. Tie the four corners of the towel together and use a rubber band to attach to cabinet door handle with a bowl underneath. Let this drip into the bowl for a few hours or overnight. The liquid is your whey. The yogurt cheese left in the dish towel is yummy mixed with herbs and spread on crackers.

Benefits of fermented vegetables:
Gut and Health Benefits of Traditional Fermented Foods, Dr. David William
7 Health Benefits of Sauerkraut, Dr. Josh Axe
The Health Benefits of Fermented Foods, Sarah Ballantyne, PhD