Listening to last week’s Great Health Debate, I realized that there is so much stuff that I don’t know. Hearing guys like David Wolfe talk about the benefits of wild foods and herbs like medicinal mushrooms (reishi, shitake, chaga, mitake), nettles, and horsetail was pretty cool and actually quite inspiring. I wanted to get on Amazon right then and start buying books about the healing powers of food. But at the same time, I’m becoming more and more aware of the fact that I have a minor addiction to buying books online. Have you seen my living room?
The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem.
Anyway, enough about my Amazon.com dependency. Lately, I’ve been thinking about the whole Paleo thing. I agree that we should eat like our ancestors, that our genes are hardwired for specific traditional foods that we have consumed for thousands of generations. But I also wonder why the Paleo crowd makes little, if any, mention of fermented foods, bone broths, and organ meats. Yeah, I understand that my Paleo friends aren’t trying to exactly mimic the diet of caveman and cavewoman. That wouldn’t be practical for most folks. I always say that the best diet to stick to is one that you can stick to.
I’m even guilty of leaving out these highly beneficial foods. My bad.
But that’s about to change RIGHT NOW!
We’re about to Get Cultured.
Jennifer McGruther of Nourished Kitchen is in the house today to show us how to make sauerkraut. You know, that stuff that tastes really good on your organic hot dogs. I won’t even begin to act like I know a whole lot about fermentation or sauerkraut. So, we’ll just have to ask the expert. Be sure to check out the video above to get the scoop.
What I can say, based on my limited knowledge, was that when Jenny sent over the ingredients, I was wondering if she forgot an ingredient or two. All I needed were cabbage and salt. That’s it? No starter culture? I heard that sauerkraut is loaded with beneficial bacteria. That’s why it’s great to eat if you’re having a hard time going poop.
But, where does it come from if we don’t use a starter?
Peep the video and find out! And learn more about Jenny’s Get Cultured e-course by clicking the link below!
I’m out! See you tomorrow on UW Radio!
Sean Croxton
Gettin’ Cultured
add a lot of dillweed! it’ll make a sauerkraut lover out of anyone!!
Sean I know your interested in the Paleo diet and I wondered about your take on eating carbs in the morning since they will burn off as the day progresses, and your take on grains like corn and quinoa. Corn and quinoa have been eaten for thousands of years, but you seem to like the more primitive caveman diet vs a diet that had some grain added to it (kind of hard to explain, but like caveman diet, Native American diet, and present day diet of lots of veggie oils and grains). Corn can be iffy, but I wanna know about quinoa. I hope you understand what I’m trying to say, there was a time when humans ate no grains and then there was a time when we did eat grains cause Native Americans farmed corn and quinoa, and then there is present day of grains and veggie oils.
How strange… I was just about to make sauerkraut myself, but before I decided to come to your website to subscribe, only to see your video about sauerkraut. What a coincidence!:-)
As much as I know fermentation is an anaerobal (no air required) process. That’s why you have to close the lid. The gases between the lid and the juice will also prevent it all from rotting. So make sure the lid is closed, but not too tight so pressure won’t build up.
A lot of people like to add cumin to the mix, as it will absorb most of the gases.
Wow! That was painless! 🙂 Thanks Sean for the info!
Can’t wait to start fermenting my own foods!
I learnt that method but also another method using a starter – probiotic capsules or kefir whey which is cheaper. If you want a particular bug in your food. Books – me too – thebookdepository.com addict but sweetie you can recycle them through amazon no need to clutter your house, and have you tried the library? Blow me down they have almost every author i wanted to read even out here in the antipodean sticks – except Linus Pauling and David Wolfe 🙂
Love your stuff Sean, your interviews have changed my life for the better! I’m applying everything I learn from you and applying it all to myself! I love it! I can’t believe this recipe was so simple…
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