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immune system

Kraut

March 8, 2011 by gracefulfitness 14 Comments

Spring is a powerful force!

And so is inspiration, which sometimes strikes at odd times.  I was sweeping my entire house at 7:30 this morning and elbow deep in sauerkraut by 10.

Homemade Raw Sauerkraut

Start with a couple pounds of green or red cabbage.  Today I used about 3 pounds of green.

My KitchenAid food processor made quick and easy work of the shredding.

Salt it up.  I used 1 tablespoon of high quality sea salt.

And dig in.

Squeeze, mix, and mash to break the cell walls of the cabbage and release the natural juices.

Work it.

At this point I threw in a pinch of ground coriander and celery seeds.

After about 4 minutes of muscling it I deemed it jar-ready. Pack, pack, pack it down with your hand.

I placed an upside-down jar full of water just inside the lid to ensure that the brine completely covers the cabbage.

Covered with a clean dish towel (to keep it clean) and set in the pantry to work it’s fermenting magic.

I’ll check the ‘kraut every few days and will put and lid on it, put it in the fridge, and start to eat off of it in about a week.

Raw sauerkraut is an awesome source of vitamin c and probiotics.  You don’t have to worry about “bad” bacteria because the acidic environment is not conducive to those nasty buggers.  Botulism can only form in an anaerobic environment, there is oxygen present in the jar because it just has a towel over it.

The whole process took 15 minutes and cost less than $2.

Have you experimented with fermented foods?  I think it’s really fun and rewarding and I fully believe that including fermented foods in my diet this winter has helped keep me healthier than usual.

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Posted in: Fermented Food, recipes Tagged: food choices, immune system, sauerkraut

So Soda Crazy

January 26, 2011 by gracefulfitness 17 Comments

“Rain, sleet, freezing rain, snow…”

Yep, still January!

I just got my butt kicked in Pilates Reformer class.  It was a new-to-me teacher and she was super tough, 2/3rds of the class was leg work! Ugh!  I love it though, I feel so amazing when I walk out of there, strong, lean, and flexible.

Someday I will teach Pilates Reformer and have access to Reformers all the time!

The training to teach Reformer is extensive and expensive so for now (well, once my gym membership is up next week) I will settle for teaching and doing Mat Pilates. 🙁  (Which I also LOVE.)

It’s official.  I am obsessed with Water Kefir Soda.

One of the reasons I wanted to get to Ikea on Saturday was to pick up some bottles for my soda!

Vanilla on the left and grape on right.

Oh but wait, there’s more.

Yeah, it’s a little out of control.  For real.

That chunky stuff on the bottom right is ginger.  Mmmmmm homemade Ginger Ale.  I’ve also made Lemonade, Grape-Vanilla, and Coconut (yuck).

Wondering what’s the deal with this stuff?

It is a fermented soda made with Water Kefir Grains

These “grains” have the power to turn sugar water into a probiotic rich beverage.

Probiotics is a catchall term for thousands of live microorganisms that deliver a myriad of health benefits.  Basically it means that it is full of healthy, live bacteria that promotes gut health.  Maintaining a healthy belly is crucial to keeping your immune system healthy.

Why am I on a Kefir Soda kick?  Because it’s

  • all about the probiotics
  • rich in B1, B6, B12
  • an awesome source of right-rotating lactic acid, which is really important in cancer prevention and heart health
  • bubbly
  • low-sugar (the grains eat the sugar in the fermentation process)
  • delicious

And SO easy to make.  The only challenge, besides finding the space to store all of your soda :), is obtaining the grains.  I scored mine for free from a very random encounter but they can be bought online.  I’ve heard that the best source to buy them is at Cultures For Health.  They may seem a little expensive but they not only last forever, they multiply!

But really, does it taste good?

YES!

It is lightly sweet with a fine fizz, super tasty and refreshing.  The fermentation continues even after removing the grains so it gets less sweet, more fizzy, and a slight yeasty taste as time goes on.  The grape is the winner and coconut the loser but all of the flavors have turned out fantastic.

Time to paint!

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Posted in: Fermented Food, recipes, workouts Tagged: exercise, immune system, Kefir Soda, Pilates
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I am Faith Levine, a movement instructor, home gardener, mountain biker, hiker, pickle maker, closet poet, and best of friend to some of the most amazing women in the world.

I’d love to hear from you,
gracefulfitness@live.com

Header photo: Meredith Coe

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Hi, I'm Faith! New? Check out I Am for my story, I Cook for recipes, and I Move for some motivation to get moving! I'd love to hear from you, e-mail me gracefulfitness@live.com
Header photo: Meredith Coe

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