My First Attempt at Homemade Sauerkraut

Update:  I have made a few batches of this now and it works great every time!  The trick is to be sure to squeeze all the liquid you can out of the cabbage.  We literally punch it down after each layer.  The salt helps to start breaking it down and you get lots of water out of the cabbage.  The trick is to be sure when you cover it and weigh it down that the cabbage is COVERED in liquid.  If for some reason you have dry cabbage you can add a little water to be sure it is covered in the brine.  I also have found you can do this on a smaller scale using quart jars same thing again just be sure the cabbage is covered with liquid!

Also I have known for a long time that having a good flora in your gut is ESSENTIAL for good digestion and good nutrient absorption.  Actually there is lots of things about your gut and the flora that are so important and many of us neglect and take it for granted but I'll talk more about that later.  Most of us don't get enough of the good flora and/or it all gets destroyed when we take antibiotics. (yes even the good, one reason we always turn to herbs  and more natural methods before drugs, unless in an emergency of course;)  Since we work so hard to eat good healthy food I want to be sure we are absorbing those nutrients!  I feel it's important enough that I'm adding the category of "Friendly Flora" to my recipes so it's convenient for everyone to find something that the whole family enjoys that helps with the flora in the gut!  There are a few there now I hope to add many more!  Enjoy!

 My sister grew some amazing cabbage in her garden this year.  With one of the heads (this head was about the size of 4 at the grocery store or bigger) I decided to try homemade Sauerkraut.  I have been trying to find ways to get more friendly flora into our diet as it helps with digestion, nutrient absorption and helps keep the right balance in your gut keeping yeast in check!  Of course as a lot of first attempts go it didn't turn out perfect but I learned what to do and hopefully you can learn from my mistake!

Sauerkraut

First off you slice your cabbage really thin.  Then layer it with sea salt (I used about 2 really large handfuls of cabbage and 1/2 Tablespoon of salt per layer) ending with salt in a crock or bucket.  My was a 3 gallon crock.  With each layer (now listen careful because I didn't do this) use a plate and press down on the cabbage squeezing as much water out of it as you can.  When all layers are complete put plate on top and hold it down with some sort of weight.  We used a gallon of Olive oil.  A rock, a gallon of water, whatever you have that will fit and weigh it down.  Then wait about 5-7 days or until it is done.  You may want to press it down to squeeze out more water so it has plenty of brine.  Once a day should be plenty.  Or if you find your cabbage seems dry adding a little water would work too.  Within a day or two I imagine you want it pretty well covered with brine or it will start to mold.

Like mine did!  Because I didn't squeeze the water out of the cabbage there was not enough brine soon enough and it started to mold on top.  I knew that couldn't be good.  So I called my Sister.  I told her that underneath the moldy cabbage there was some in a lot of liquid that look, smelled, and tasted just like Sauerkraut.  She said she wouldn't eat the moldy stuff (ummmm yeah)......

....but the Sauerkraut underneath should be just fine.  So I pulled the moldy stuff off the top put it in the garden and stuffed the rest in jars making sure there was plenty of brine and put them in the fridge.  We have been enjoying the Sauerkraut now for about 2 weeks and nobody got sick.  If anything we have better digestion! ;)  Next time I will know better what to do so I hopefully won't waste so much!  Live and learn!

Fudgsicle or Frosty

This is just super fun recipe!  For Fudgsicles I use less ice and make it a little thinner and more carob to make it more "fudgy"  you may want a little more sweetener too.  Just do it to taste!  You will want to hurry and put the Fudgsicles into the freezer right after you pour them into the molds!

 Fudgsicle or Frosty

3-5 cups of ice depending on how thick or thin you want it for

 Fudgsicles I would start with three cups and go from there for Frosties

I would start at 4 cups and add more if you like it thicker.

2-4 Tablespoons raw carob powder up to 4 for Fidgsicles 2 1/2-3 for Frosty

1/3 cup natural sweetener of choice (I have used Sucanat or Agave)

1 can coconut milk

3/4 teaspoon guar gum (optional)

Blend in blender on high until smooth!

Total Time to Make: 5 Minutes (doesn't include freezing time for Fudgsicles)

When I made this and gave it to Ryan after tasting it he knew exactly what it was supposed to be like!  He didn't call it a chocolate shake he said,  "That's a Frosty!"  It must at least taste somewhat close to the "real thing!" 

It's really just so sad this little girl has NEVER had a artificial colored and flavored sugar water Popsicle, Otter Pop or the like!  She's just so deprived and looks really upset about it doesn't she!

Dairy Free Kefir

I mentioned we have been working on getting more friendly flora into our diet.  The Pickled Beets and Sauerkraut is one way and this is another way.  One that we are finding to be very simple and everyone likes it!  Unlike the Beets and Sauerkraut.  My 3 year old doesn't like sour stuff.  But she'll eat this in a smoothie or made up as "yogurt."

This Kefir Starter is what makes it so simple.  No grains to tend or keep alive.  I just use this freeze dried starter for the first batch then 2 Tablespoons of the made Kefir for next batches.  The down side is it only does about 7 batches before you need to use another packet.  But this comes in a bundle of 6 packets so it should last a long time!

Dairy Free Coconut Milk Kefir

2 cans coconut milk

1 packet freeze dried Kefir starter

In a quart jar place 2 cans of room temperature or warmer (up to 90 degrees) coconut milk.

Stir in one packet of Kefir starter.  I cover it with a cloth and place it in my cupboard.  If you think you will forget about it you can just leave it on your counter.  It is done in about 48 hours.  I then stir, it may foam up and grow so have an extra jar ready.  Put lid on and place in fridge.  We will use this in smoothies.  We have also taken some and added a little agave to sweeten and vanilla.  Tastes like yogurt!  Great with fresh fruit we all love it!  Be sure to save 2 Tablespoons for next batch.  Make just like before with 2 cans of coconut milk only adding 2 Tablespoons of already made Kefir instead of the packet.  Do this up to 7 times before it is not longer potent.  Then start over again with a new packet of starter.

NOTE:  For those of you who want all raw.  Using Young Coconut water and/or the Young Coconut meat blended will work in a similar way.  Just watch it close it may be done sooner because of all the active enzymes!  It's not quite as cheap or as simple but it's even that much better so if time and money permits GO FOR IT!

Homemade Vegetable Broth Powder

I'm so excited to share this!  I use Vegetable bullion type powder in a lot of my recipes.  The best brand I could find was Rapunzel the ingredients were all pretty good and they passed my radar but I still was sort of worried that it may contain hidden MSG (most all bullion's do even when they say they don't) I haven't noticed the same symptoms I get when I go out and unknowingly eat MSG.  But making it this way is just as tasty, much, much cheaper, and I know for certain it does NOT contain anything I don't want it too especially MSG!  I can't take credit for the recipe so I will be sure to give credit where it is due!  Traci gives this recipe away so I'm sure she won't mind if I post it!  I have not tried her other recipes yet but I'm excited too.  Be sure to check below for her book!  I put in all optional ingredients it smelled so good I had to taste just the plain powder.  It tastes just like chicken broth to me!  And it's even better in a recipe! ;)  Also I'm sure I have mentioned this before but for those of you who may not know Nutritional Yeast is NOT bread yeast!  It is yellow flakes you can find it at pretty much any health food store usually in the bulk foods section.

Vegetable Broth Powder

2 cups Nutritional Yeast

1/2 cup sea salt

2 Tablespoons onion powder
1 Tablespoon turmeric

2 teaspoons dried dill weed

2 teaspoons marjoram (optional)
2 teaspoons dried powdered lemon peel (optional)

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon powdered thyme

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

Place all, except parsley, in a blender in the listed order. Blend until powered together. Add parsley and pulse to chop. Store in an airtight container indefinitely in the cupboard. To make veggie broth, add 1 tbsp of powder to every quart of water.

Recipe from:
(click on picture to order and no they aren't paying me to tell you about it.  I just love sharing all good things that I come across, this book is EXCELLENT!)

Grandma's Pickled Beets Made Healthier

I have always really liked pickled beets but obviously not all the sugar they contain.  My Mom recently told me using Agave to sweeten them works great.  Also my Sister gave me lots of beets from her garden we have been making lots of Beet Smoothies, but we also had enough to Pickle some.

So I found Grandma's old recipe which was the one I really, really, liked!  And I not only got rid of all the sugar but I figured since I was using my good RAW apple cider vinegar with all the healing properties that I would change it enough to keep from over heating the vinegar so ALL the healing properties and friendly flora remained.  Now it's a super great appetizer to have before dinner because it gets the juices flowing and aids in digestion!

ENJOY!  We sure are!  Thanks for all the Beets Em!!!!

Grandma's Pickled Beets Made Healthier

4 quarts cooked
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cups raw apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 1/2 - 2 cups Agave
1 teaspoon sea salt

Boil Beets until tender then drain (we saved the water and used in to make Borscht, recipe soon to come) Place the beets in cold water then peel by using and knife and slipping the skins off. (Some came off easier then others.)  Cut the beets into medium sized chunks.

Tie spices into a spice bag or piece of cotton cloth. Add to pickling mixture. Warm on stove keeping liquid under 115 degrees.  Add cooked, peeled and drained beets. Let sit for about 10 minutes on warm stove again still keeping under 115 degrees.  Take out spice bag.  Put beets and liquid in about 8 pints or 4 quart jars.  Keep in fridge.  Stays good for quite some time.  Can be boiled in hot water bath for 10-15 minutes to keep on shelves.  But will probably loose most if not all healing properties and flora.  Still works to get the juices flowing though! ;)

Homemade Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract

We use quite a bit of vanilla at our house and we use it for more than just baking.  We also use it in our smoothies and other raw treats so I didn't want the alcohol in it for the flavor and other obvious reasons.  Anyway I also didn't want sugar, coloring or other additives.  So the vanilla we were buying wasn't what I would call cheap.  I figured there must be a more affordable way to have good vanilla!  I knew people could make their own but that usually required vodka!  Remember I wanted to avoid the alcohol.  Anyway this was my solution.  It's much cheaper and still gives our food that great vanilla flavor!  I think I will make two jars to rotate because it does need to sit for a few weeks for the vanilla flavor to absorb in.

Homemade Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract

1 jar tall enough for the vanilla beans

3-5 whole vanilla beans

2 parts vegetable glycerin

1 part water

Bend and kind of crack open a little but don't break the vanilla beans and place them in the jar still whole.  Fill the jar 2/3 of the way with the glycerin and the last 1/3 of the way with water.  Shake to mix.  Let sit for a few weeks in your cupboard.  Then use just like vanilla!  You can reuse the vanilla beans and just refill with the water and glycerin when it's gone.  The beans should last for some time when you notice it's lacking in flavor then you may want to rotate some of the beans through.

Pico de Gallo {garden style}

With tomato, onion and pepper season
right around the corner, where I live...
I can almost taste the bursting
flavor of this wonderful Spring time snack.

{You can, obviously, use store bought produce...
but, as always, fresh from the garden
tastes mucho better!}

Pico de Gallo

1.5 cups grape tomatoes chopped into fours.
{BTW: Costco has the best tasting 'store bought' grape
tomatoes known to man. :)}
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 jalapeno, minced {if ya like it spicy}
1/2 serrano pepper, minced {if ya like it not so spicy}
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp raw honey
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and toss
in small bowl.


Grab some tortilla chips and dive in!

{The flavor is best if allowed to
sit in fridge for a couple hours first...
if ya have the patience.}

Onion Rings

I know what your thinking. How on earth could these be healthy! Well just look at the ingredients, it's all good food and just be sure that it is coconut oil (learn how to get your own high quality affordable coconut oil here) that you fry them in. It is one of the only oils I know of that is heat stable. Meaning it keeps it's true form. Most other oils when heated very hot become unstable, basically their molecular structure can change and they actually become carcinogenic or worse. So because of that I only fry with coconut oil! Also coconut oil is a great source of good fats and has lots of health benefits for more info I suggest The Coconut Oil Miracle. So with that all said I will say that I probably don't recommend you eat these every night but if you are craving them just know that I had no problem with posting them here on my Healthy blog!

Onion Rings

1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon coriander (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 cup water
1 large onion sliced
coconut oil for frying

Mix together the dry ingredients, add water. Feel free to add more water or flour if you don't think it's the right consistency. It should be thicker then pancake batter but still batter like! ;) Separate the onion into individual rings, dip in the batter coat well and fry in already heated coconut oil. Put on plate with paper towel to cool.

Notes: I ground my own dry garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) in my Wonder Mill I had to put them in slowly but it worked great. Be sure to read your instruction manual on your grinder before trying this. Most mills should be able to grind dry beans and I'm sure a hand grinder would work as well. Also I think frying other veggies in this batter would be really tasty and a great way to get your picky eaters to eat more veggies. I bet broccoli, cauliflower, round sweet potato, zucchini, and carrot slices would all be good! Enjoy!

Pineapple Cornbread Muffins

I love making these muffins...because
they turn out good every single time.
They are yummy to eat on
their own, or enjoy them along
side a big bowl of
hearty chili or steamy soup.

Pineapple Cornbread Muffins


1.5 cup cornmeal
1.5 cup soft white wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sucanat or 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup vanilla almond or rice milk
20 oz. can of crushed pineapple in its own juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven 400 degrees.

Stir together first 5 (dry) ingredients in a large bowl.

In a different bowl, stir together the wet
ingredients and then add them
to the dry ingredients.

Mix together just until everything is moist.

Spoon into lightly oiled
muffin tins until they're full.

Bake for 18 minutes or until an
inserted toothpick comes out clean.

After removing muffins from oven
wait about 5 minutes, then take muffins
out of pan and let cool
on rack.

Enjoy 'em!

Parmesan Cheese Spread/Dip

I have made this recipe a few times now! We love it! My kids like to dip snap peas and carrots in it! I would love to give you the recipe but it isn't mine. It was already Simple, Healthy, and Tasty so I couldn't even modify it to make it mine! ;)

But you can purchase it here!

Cream of Something Soup

(I call this cream of something because I use it in place of things that call for cream of mushroom or chicken etc.)

2 1/2 cups rice milk
1 Tablespoon vegetable bullion
3 rounded Tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tablespoons Nama Shoyu

In a sauce pan put 2 cups of the rice milk mix with the bullion bring to a boil at medium heat. In a cup or small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup rice milk with the flour. When the first mixture is boiling; slowly add the flour mixture while stirring. Turn off heat mix in rest of ingredients.

Flax Seeds

Lately I have felt like we needed to add a bit more flax to our diet and of course I think raw and soaked is best! So I made GreenSmoothieGirl's flax crackers this week and we have been enjoying them! They are pretty tasty plain or you can dip them in Salsa or Cheezy Sauce or slice veggies and have on them. Avocado and/or slices of tomato would be very good! Also they are very good crumbled up on a salad!

Some other good ways to add more flax to your diet would be to throw some seed and/or flax seed oil in with your smoothies. I like to grind some up and add it to my granola AFTER it's baked it's not soaked that way but it is still raw! I also make some really good Maple Walnut Cookies (A recipe that came from my sister and that I just realized is NOT on here! I will fix that soon!) that uses lots of ground flax and are so tasty! Also my Rice Crispy Treats use ground flax! (Oh my heck I thought that recipe was on here too! And I thought I was running out of really Simple, Healthy, Tasty recipes to post! I better be taking some time to do some serious blogging!) What tasty ways have you found to add more flax into your diet?

Zesty Dairy Free "Cheese" Ball

I can't take credit for this one! My Mom and Sister came up with it quite a few years ago. But I made it a 3 or 4 years back at Christmas and now my husband asks for it every year. It has become a tradition! So I thought I would share. It's very good with veggies or crackers!

Zesty Dairy Free "Cheese" Ball

2 cups almonds, soaked for 8 hours

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for 4 hours and sprouted for 4 hours (or just add 3 cups of soaked almonds instead of 2)

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1/2 cups chopped green onions

1/4 to 1/2 cup Tahini

1/4 cup Shoyu

3 slices sweet onion, cut in small chunks

1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

6 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

2 to 3 medium cloves garlic, minced

pinch of cayenne pepper

pinch of ginger powder

pinch of cumin

pinch of paprika
1 can crushed pineapple, drained very well

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Place the soaked and drained almonds and/or sunflower seeds, lemon juice and water in a food processor and process until smooth. Scoop into a large bowl. Stir in the chopped green onions, tahini, shoyu, onions, parsley, bell pepper, garlic, cayenne, ginger, cumin, and paprika. Add the crushed, drained pineapple into the mixture till well blended. Shape with dampened hands into a rounded ball shape and place carefully on a plate or dish (approx. eight inch diameter) Press the chopped pecans onto the ball with your hands so that the ball is covered with nuts. Can garnish with a parsley leaf and dried cranberry if desired.

Lime Rice

This is very Simple and oh so Tasty! We love it on taco salad or in burritos! It's also a great side dish! Sorry I don't have a picture it pretty much looks like cooked rice. ;)

Lime Rice

3 cups COOKED brown rice

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

zest of 1 lime

juice of one large lime

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 Tablespoons Sucanat

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat all ingredients except the cilantro, in a pan on the stove. When it's warmed through and well mixed remove from heat and stir in the cilantro if desired!

Poppyseed Dressing

This dressing is very Tasty! It is good on pretty much any green salad! We really like it on a spinach, strawberry, and almond one or lots of dark greens with all kind of sprouts and tropical fruits like mango and pineapple!

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup Grapeseed Oil (remember cold pressed is always best when it comes to oils)

1/4 cup Veganaise

4 Tablespoons Agave

3 1/2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Soy Lecithin (optional)

up to 1/4 cup of water for desired consistency

1 1/2 -2 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds

Just put it all together and stir it up! Also this recipe is very flexible if you want it sweeter add more agave if you want it more tangy add more vinegar. Make it to suit your tastes! Enjoy!

Limeaide

Limeaide

Juice of 3 limes

2 quarts of cold water

2/3 cup Agave Nectar

Mix all together and enjoy! If you like it more sour add more lime and/or less water. If you like it more sweet add a little more agave.

I love this recipe because it is so Simple and such a refreshing mild drink. It's not over powering sweet and artificial but still super Tasty! I love agave because it has such a mild sweet flavor and it doesn't mess with your blood sugar because it has a low glycemic index. I like to use it to sweeten smoothies and drinks. I love it in jams and muffins and I have used it in place of corn syrup in some things. It's one of my favorite sweeteners!

Super Simple Pizza Sauce

1 large can tomato puree

1/2 Tablespoon Oregano

2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1-2 Tablespoons Sucanat

1 pinch crushed fennel seed

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

Mix all ingredients together. Adjust seasonings to taste! Spread on pizza crust.

Just Like Mom's Homemade Ranch Dressing

(NOTE: The picture is of a "Mexican pizza" it is just a whole wheat flour tortilla fried in some olive oil and topped with refried beans, olives, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms and onions, lettuce, Cheezy sauce, and of course the Ranch Dressing!)

Just Like Mom's Homemade Ranch Dressing

1 cup of Sunflower Seed Sour Cream (recipe below, Note: This can be left out if you are in a hurry or just want it more simple! It's not quite as rich, thick, and creamy, but still really good)

1 cup Vegenaise

3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (more if you like it really tangy)

1 Tablespoon Parsley

Chives (optional)

Dill (optional)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/3 teaspoon garlic

salt & pepper to taste I usually use about 1/4 teaspoon of each

Blend all ingredients in blender until nice and smooth. It will be dip like consistency and great for carrot sticks etc. To make more dressing like consistency add some water or rice milk. Also it will thicken a bit in the fridge so keep that in mind.

MMMmmmMMMmmm, CREAMY, & Delicious

Sunflower Seed Sour Cream

1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup water
4+ Tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove pressed or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon salt


Place ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Kettle Corn

This has become one of my Family's new favorite snacks! So very Simple, Healthy, Tasty! We love it!

Be sure you have a nice big pot with a lid that fits well. Mine is 5 quarts but I think a 4 quart one may work but no smaller unless you half the recipe.

Kettle Corn

2-3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
1 drop natural butter flavor (optional)
3-4 Tablespoons Sucanat (or other natural sugar)
1/2 cup popcorn
sea salt to taste

In large pot on stove heat oil, butter flavor and popcorn on high heat. Stir constantly, when it starts to sizzle add the Sucanat. Continue stirring until popcorn starts to pop. Quickly place the lid on and grab the pot handles and shake/stir the pot! Keep moving over the unit until the popcorn popping slows down. Remove from heat shake the pot well it should still be popping a bit but just slowly. When it is done popping, pour popcorn into a bowl and lightly salt to taste! While pan is still hot feel free to make another batch ;) Lightly sweet, very crunchy, super tasty! But most important SIMPLE!!

Healthy Strawberry Freezer Jam

Healthy Strawberry Freezer Jam

(this jam is very healthy cause it uses a natural sweetener and it's not cooked!)

4 C. crushed strawberries

(I just wash and hull the strawberries and then pulse them in the blender until desired consistency)

1 1/2 C. Agave

1 pkg powdered pectin (low or no sugar kind)

3/4 C. water

Combine strawberries and agave in a bowl. Combine pectin and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pectin to fruit mixture; stir 3 minutes. Ladle jam into can or freezer jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Put lids on. Let stand at room temperature until set. Label and freeze. Yield: about 7 half-pints