Let's just start by looking at some pictures, shall we?
Aren't those some of the prettiest foods in jars you've ever seen?
I haven't made a single one, but I'm telling you: if I could go visit Wardeh and her family out in Oregon, I'd make the trip in a blink and try every single one (even though I'm terribly afraid of the taste of fermented foods other than yogurt!).
Other than looking pretty, fermented foods play a huge role in overall health and wellness and can really help improve one's diet. Wardeh's family eats a ferment at every meal (and there's one included in each weekly meal plan that GNOWFGLINS eCourses also offers), and she is certain that a portion of their continuing and improved good health can be attributed to the wealth of probiotics the family consumes.
You know me – we couldn't live without our homemade yogurt – but I don't ferment a whole lot beyond that. I bow to people who do, though! Aren't you ready to learn the basic skills (and beyond)?
The Lacto-Ferments class at GNOWFGLINS is accessible with any level of plan, starting at only $8/month! You get complete access to all courses, including fermentation, sourdough, cultured dairy and cheese, and the original Fundamentals eCourse. OR WIN IT THIS WEEK right HERE!
If you're currently a member on any of our eCourse plans, you already have access to this class!
When you ferment or culture foods, you make them better! Fermented foods are foods that have been cultured by beneficial organisms. In the right conditions, beneficial organisms feast on the food, producing beneficial acids, and transforming the food into something better. This culturing develops complex flavors and pleasing textures, while the food becomes more nutritious than it was before. And the acids preserve and protect the food from spoiling. It is really a miraculous process!
Fermenting foods covers a lot more than sauerkraut! Did you know you can ferment fruits, vegetables, beans, meats, dairy, and grains? You can even ferment condiments like mayonnaise that you use on a daily basis. Don't be scared – these foods are so delicious!
Traditionally fermented foods contain vitamins, enzymes, and active cultures – conveying benefits to your gut, your immune system, and your digestion.
You can't buy many of these true fermented foods in most grocery stores. The sauerkraut or pickles on the shelf are cooked-to-death veggies in white vinegar and are devoid of any beneficial organisms or nutrition. Sausages are pumped full of nitrates and fake flavors, rather than long fermented with beneficial organisms.
The Lacto-Fermentation eCourse offers simple lessons and tasty, nutritious recipes for pickles, chutneys, relishes, condiments, pickled fish and meats, sourdough, simple cheeses, beverages, and more! The weekly video demonstrations give you multiple opportunities to practice the principles of lacto-fermentation in limitless ways. Visit this page for more information about what's covered in the class.
Why fermented foods are supremely digestible and nutritious — the best kind of food for your gut!
Note from a reader: a concerned KS reader wanted everyone to know that in SOME folks, fermented foods cause migraines – she and I both would hate for you to try to make your family healthier and end up hurting someone without knowing what's going on. I don't think it's anything to be afraid of, but something to be aware of.
If you sign up for the standard or premium plans, you get the monthly thank you video for free, with lifetime access. July's video, just announced, is a probiotic quinoa salad – a cold grain salad perfect for a summer side dish or even a light meal! To learn more about the various plan options, click HERE.
Disclosure: I am a partner with the eCourses and revenue share when my readers sign up…but I'm also a guest lecturer and work with Wardeh on just about everything because she's awesome!
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I am definitely interested in learning more about Kombucha and Sausage. Just don't know if I actually have the time and resources to do it.
How come is says $8 a month on here but on her website the lowest I see it is $10/month?
I have fermentation fears big time! I have tried NT's kimchi, ginger carrots, and pickles with little success. I think the recipes worked ok, but they just didn't taste good enough to do more than choke down. So I have sorta given up for now, but want to try again. This post is making her course very tempting!
I've been exploring some fermenting for about a year. Kombucha's about perfected! Not so great with kefirs yet (milk or water). I'll be doing tons of pickles in a few weeks here when they start coming in. I can buy the Bubbies brand, which are actually fermented, and we all like those. Of course it's expensive! I would love to know more about the "create your own recipe" because I've been thinking about using vanilla beans and fermenting them with sugar water to come up with a cream soda-like drink. The vanilla beans I had were a cross between 'cream' and 'root beer' and my husband would be so happy if I were able to create a probiotic drink from them! I wish I did more fermented foods in our diets but I'm a little afraid of the whey aspect because I really don't like fermented dairy very much (cheese being an exception).
Katie! I'm surprised at you, I thought as into real food as you are, you'd be all about fermentation. It's so easy, really, and so tasty! I'm sure you would like fermented veggies. Try the ginger carrots recipe in NT. Even my toddler loves them.
TRY Wardeh's 5 Spice Apple Chutney recipe! It takes about 5 minutes to put together and is totally yummy–great in yogurt, on oatmeal, on rice pudding, and it occurred to me yesterday that it would probably be awesome on vanilla ice cream, too. My kids call it "apple yummy stuff", and, since we have apricots ripe, I have an apricot version fermenting in my kitchen right now.
I'm so intrigued by fruit….hmm. Now thinking about it.
That apple chutney doesn't taste fermented. It tastes like apple pie in a jar. I have an apple tree, so should have lots of apples in a few months, but the recipes only calls for about 4 large apples' worth of pieces, so I don't mind buying for it.
It is a developed thing, I think. But I have noticed that we really don't like anything that tastes fermented, we all like things that are similar to things we've always liked- like my sweet toothed son likes water kefir mixed with apple juice ( as long as it's not over fermented) and I, who have always been obsessed with pickles and the like, love sour pickles and sauerkraut, like I can sit down and eat half a jar of sauerkraut straight out of the jar. I think that's why I'm more wary of fruit ferments- how are they supposed to taste, sweet, sour, both?
So glad you sound so human like the rest of us. I feel that I only have so much time–so what is important enough to do myself..If I spent all my time at fermenting everything would I even have time to cook a healthy dinner. I make my own yogurt–love your recipe Katie.. and bread and etc.. It is very time consuming but I do love it, however there is laundry, floors and toilets to be cleaned. We do what we can and every little bit helps. Right?