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

Roasted Potatoes

Until the past few years, I had not roasted veggies. Once I realized that the recipe is basically the same for all veggies, I am roasting often!

What you need:

 6 Russet potatoes

 Ghee

 Salt and Pepper

 Equipment:

 Baking sheet

 Parchment paper

What you do:

 Preheat oven to 400º

 Line baking sheet with parchment paper

 Place large dollop of ghee onto parchment paper and place in oven while it is preheating

 Remember to remove before ghee burns

 Clean then chop potatoes into uniform pieces

 Put potatoes on parchment paper

 Add salt and pepper

 Use hands to toss and thoroughly coat potatoes 

 (Potatoes should not be stacked. They need room to roast.)

 Place in oven 

 At about 15 minutes, remover and use metal spatula to toss 

 Roast for another 10 to 20 minutes

 Enjoy! 

Bacon Brussels Sprouts

What you need:
 1 package organic Brussels sprouts (TJs)
 1/4 lb. bacon, sliced
 Ghee
 Garlic powder or finely chopped fresh garlic
 Celtic sea salt
 Pepper

What you do:
 Preheat oven to º400
 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
 While oven is preheating, spoon out a big blob of ghee onto baking sheet
 Place in oven to melt ghee
 Clean Brussels sprouts, slice off ends, and cut in half lengthwise
 Toss Brussels sprouts in melted ghee
 Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and toss some more
 Add sliced bacon
 Bake for 10 minutes, then toss
 Continue to bake until Brussels sprouts have browned, about 10 to 15 more minutes
 Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Root Veggie Mash

One thing I like about cooking, versus baking, it that measurements are more suggestions than something to be followed to the t. With this recipe, I didn't measure anything. :-)


What you need:

For the shrimp:
 1 pound Wild Red Argentinian Shrimp (from TJs)
 Lots of butter
 4-8 cloves finely chopped garlic
 Zest of one lemon
 Juice of two lemons
 Several thin slices of lemon
 Salt, pepper, basil and red pepper flakes to taste

For the veggie mash:
 A variety of root vegetables
 4-8 cloves garlic
 1/2 cup bone broth
 Lots of butter
 Salt and pepper to taste

What you do:
 Use carrot peeler to peel root vegetables, then cut into large chunks
 Place in pan with whole garlic and broth
 Heat on medium until veggies are tender when pierced with a fork (about 20 minutes)
 Add LOTS of butter, salt and pepper
 Blend in Vita-Mix until smooth

 In shallow pan, melt LOTS of butter
 Add thawed shrimp
 After several minutes, turn shrimp and add garlic, salt, pepper and basil
 Right before shrimp is finished cooking (and it cooks quickly...don't overcook) add red pepper flakes, lemon juice, zest and slices

 In shallow individual dishes, scoop a mound of veggie mash and shrimp with the juices. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Garlic Caulifower Mash

This is a great alternative to mashed potatoes.

What you need:
 1 head of organic cauliflower
 4-8 garlic cloves, peeled
 1/2 cup bone broth or water
 Sea salt
 Pepper
 LOTS of butter

What you do:
 Clean and break apart cauliflower
 Place in pot with garlic and broth
 Cover and cook on medium/low heat until fork easily goes through cauliflower
 Place in Vita-Mix, reserving some of the liquid
 Add LOTS of butter (preferably organic, cultured butter from grass fed cows)
 Add salt and pepper
 Blend to desired consistency, adding some of the reserved liquid if needed
 Enjoy!

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork

This recipe is from Nom Nom Paleo. Very few ingredients, easy to prepare and delicious! We serve this tasty meat over sauteed cabbage noodles and then use the left overs for tacos or quesadillas! 


What you need:
 5 pound pork butt roast (If my store doesn't have that, I just ask the butcher what cut of meat would work  for pulled pork.)
 4-5 sliced bacon
 3 1/2 to 4 teaspoons Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt (3/4 tsp. per pound of meat)
 Garlic powder


What you do:
 Place the bacon strips on the bottom of your slow cooker
 Salt the pork on all sides
 Sprinkle garlic powder on all sides and place on top of bacon
 Cook in slow cooker on low for up to 24 hours
 Remove meat from slow cooker, pull apart with two forks and add liquid from slow cooker to desired  consistency
 Serve over cabbage noodles with a BIG dollop of sour cream
 Enjoy!


Cabbage noodles:
 Cut large head of cabbage into quarters
 Cut out core
 Slice each quarter into thin, noodle-like pieces
 Saute in LOTS of butter
 Add salt, pepper, garlic powder
 Enjoy alone or in place of grain-based noodles!