Can my Fermented Salsa help you Reduce Inflammation? I say yes!
Cultured vegetables such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and lacto-fermented pickles are excellent sources of probiotics, which help the gastrointestinal tract heal and stay strong. These are incredibly nourishing for your gut bacteria and also delicious. You can purchase cultured vegetables from most stores, but it’s also easy to make your own using one of several methods. The easiest way only requires salt, water, and clean glass jars. You can also add a starter culture, which you should be able to purchase from your local health food store (use the kind you would make kefir or yogurt from). This will speed up the fermentation process, but it’s not strictly necessary. Start by eating small amounts of fermented veggies to see how they agree with you, and increase the portion as your taste and tolerance for them increases.
What you need:
- The vegetables of your choice, chopped or shredded into smaller pieces - good choices are cabbage, green beans, zucchini, cauliflower, sliced carrots, and of course, cucumbers
- Large, sterilized wide-mouth glass mason jars with lids - enough to hold the number of vegetables you want to culture
- Filtered water
- Sea Salt, approximately 3 tablespoons for every 5 pounds of vegetables
- Optional: kefir grains or freeze-dried starter culture
Step by Step
- Place the vegetables and salt in a large bowl and toss to coat. Stir in the starter culture, if using.
- Pack the veggies into a mason jar, leaving 2 inches of headspace.
- Add filtered water, just enough to barely cover the vegetables. Cover the jar and leave it on the counter at room temperature for three to ten days. Taste periodically with a clean spoon - when the liquid tastes tangy, your cultured veggies are ready. The longer it ferments, the tangier it will get, so taste it to find the level of tartness you prefer.
- When they are finished, keep the jar in the refrigerator. The veggies should keep for four to six weeks and will continue to ferment slowly in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your fermented veggies with any meal, plain, gently heated, or added to a salad. Start with this recipe for Fermented Salsa.
Fermented Salsa
Phase 1 and 3 | Makes about 2 quarts
Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 2 to 3 days
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, minced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
DIRECTIONS
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Transfer to clean glass jars (leave some room at the top) and screw the lids on tightly.
- Leave the salsa on the counter for 2 to 3 days, and then refrigerate. The flavor will continue to intensify in the fridge.
- Use the salsa as a topping for meats or veggies, or simply eat it on its own.
For Phases 1 and 3 of the Fast Metabolism Diet, it’s a great anytime snack.
Make sure you find out more about our Metabolism Pro-Biotic.
Use your 10% Membership Discount on Metabolism Pro-Biotic now!
Enjoy this recipe! Remember Pleasure stimulates the Metabolism
Cultured vegetables such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and lacto-fermented pickles are excellent sources of probiotics, which help the gastrointestinal tract heal and stay strong. These are incredibly nourishing for your gut bacteria and also delicious. You can purchase cultured vegetables from most stores, but it’s also easy to make your own using one of several methods. The easiest way only requires salt, water, and clean glass jars. You can also add a starter culture, which you should be able to purchase from your local health food store (use the kind you would make kefir or yogurt from). This will speed up the fermentation process, but it’s not strictly necessary. Start by eating small amounts of fermented veggies to see how they agree with you, and increase the portion as your taste and tolerance for them increases.
What you need:
- The vegetables of your choice, chopped or shredded into smaller pieces - good choices are cabbage, green beans, zucchini, cauliflower, sliced carrots, and of course, cucumbers
- Large, sterilized wide-mouth glass mason jars with lids - enough to hold the number of vegetables you want to culture
- Filtered water
- Sea Salt, approximately 3 tablespoons for every 5 pounds of vegetables
- Optional: kefir grains or freeze-dried starter culture
Step by Step
- Place the vegetables and salt in a large bowl and toss to coat. Stir in the starter culture, if using.
- Pack the veggies into a mason jar, leaving 2 inches of headspace.
- Add filtered water, just enough to barely cover the vegetables. Cover the jar and leave it on the counter at room temperature for three to ten days. Taste periodically with a clean spoon - when the liquid tastes tangy, your cultured veggies are ready. The longer it ferments, the tangier it will get, so taste it to find the level of tartness you prefer.
- When they are finished, keep the jar in the refrigerator. The veggies should keep for four to six weeks and will continue to ferment slowly in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your fermented veggies with any meal, plain, gently heated, or added to a salad. Start with this recipe for Fermented Salsa.
Fermented Salsa
Phase 1 and 3 | Makes about 2 quarts
Prep time: 10 minutes | Total time: 2 to 3 days
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds tomatoes, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, minced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
DIRECTIONS
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
- Transfer to clean glass jars (leave some room at the top) and screw the lids on tightly.
- Leave the salsa on the counter for 2 to 3 days, and then refrigerate. The flavor will continue to intensify in the fridge.
- Use the salsa as a topping for meats or veggies, or simply eat it on its own.
For Phases 1 and 3 of the Fast Metabolism Diet, it’s a great anytime snack.
Make sure you find out more about our Metabolism Pro-Biotic.
Use your 10% Membership Discount on Metabolism Pro-Biotic now!
Enjoy this recipe! Remember Pleasure stimulates the Metabolism
