Make your own Sauerkraut

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Did you know it is simple to make your own sauerkraut and that eating fermented foods can be a great way to add good bacteria into your digestive tract? Overall health has been proven to start in the gut, with the foods that we eat. Gut health connected to overall health is a fairly new concept. Sauerkraut is one of those fermented foods that is so simple to make it’s almost laughable. Two ingredients… Cabbage and salt. That’s it.

Let me show you how easy it is!

But first, I would love to highlight a couple of doctors who are leaders in the field of gastroenterology… Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, and Dr. Zach Bush.

They both can be found speaking about gut health on podcasts here. Dr. Will and Dr. Zach with Rich Roll. If you have never listened to Rich Roll, who is a plant-based athlete, you are in for a treat. His podcasts are outstanding.

If you are looking for someone who is extremely knowledgeable about the regeneration of our soil in order to bring back the microbes we all need to thrive, look no further. I can’t imagine someone more perfect to highlight than Dr. Zach Bush. He will make you fall back in love with our world and give you hope for the future. Dr. Bush has many interviews on various topics available to enjoy on his website at www.zachbushmd.com. I hope you check him out!

Why eat sauerkraut?

• Sauerkraut is rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins.
• Fermented foods contain naturally occurring probiotics, which are good bacteria, vital for gut health. 
• Probiotics have been well documented for their ability to aid against chronic inflammatory diseases, which are known as the leading cause of mortality worldwide. (1)

Can I add other foods and spices to this cabbage?

Absolutely! There are lots of other vegetables that can be added to the cabbage. These include: beets, onions, garlic, kohlrabi, turnips, carrots, herbs such as dill or parsley, caraway seeds, or grated ginger root.  I would suggest only adding one or two to start, to find out which flavours you like or dislike.

I would suggest starting with ½ cup of each additional ingredient (or 1 teaspoon for dried herbs), and adjusting from there.

Homemade Sauerkraut

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Serves: makes 4-5 cups Prep Time: 15 minutes to make, then 1-4 weeks to sit and ferment

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 small heads of cabbage,(around 2-3 pounds), chopped into 1/4" strips
• 1 tablespoon sea salt, or himalayan salt (use 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage)

Instructions

1. Remove any old or damaged looking outer leaves.  Cut the core of the cabbage out and discard.
2. Save one or two of the outer leaves to place over the sauerkraut if you like.  
3. Wash the cabbage and chop it into 1/4" strips.
4. Place in a large bowl.
5. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt over the cabbage and toss.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes. 
6. Using clean hands, massage the salt into the cabbage, squeezing it between your fingers for 5 minutes.  It's a good arm workout!
7. The cabbage will start to soften and become watery. 
8. The cabbage will eventually become covered in liquid the salt has teased out. 
9. Place the cabbage in one large or two smaller jars (with lids) and cover with the liquid from the bowl. 
10. Press the cabbage down with your fist until submerged.  Cover with the outer cabbage leaf cut to size (optional) and either fermentation weights, if you have them, or something heavy like a clean rock in a plastic bag.  
11. Screw on the lid and place in the pantry at room temperature to ferment for 1-4 weeks.  You can taste each week to see what flavour you like. 
12. Once it has reached your desired fermentation flavour, remove the weight and cabbage leaf and place in the fridge.   
13. Sauerkraut stays freshest when it is submerged under liquid.

                                      www.thevibrantveggie.com

If you would like another recipe for a fermented food, check out this one on how to make your own Kombucha!