potato galette

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He became man and lived in this world. He ate and drank, and this means that the world of which he partook, the very food of our world became His body, His life. But His life was totally, absolutely eucharistic—all of it was transformed into communion with God and all of it ascended into heaven. And now He shares this glorified life with us. “What I have done alone—I give it now to you: take, eat.…”

~

Alexander Schmemann

If one intends to raise chickens, it’s a great thing to love eggs!  This spring our family acquired eight hens and as of now, we harvest six eggs a day, on average.  That’s 42 eggs a week.  So we are now gladly sourcing recipes with eggs!

This potato gallette is a really easy weeknight meal.  It’s savory with a hint of herbs from the garden.  Our egg yolks are so absolutely vibrantly orange (like the old fashioned red orange crayola color) it’s abundantly clear they are packed with choline, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, tons of beta-carotene and plenty of omega-3 fats from the flax we feed them and the free range forage they enjoy.  If your interested in how the life and diet of a hen reflect in the nutrient content of her eggs, check out these results from Mother Earth News.

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Now onto the potato galette!  I strongly recommend using a well seasoned cast iron pan if you have one.  I find them non-stick far better than others, and the heat is so nice and even that it really crisps up the galette.

 

Before we begin, a note on the potatoes.  If you are using fresh potatoes, that have not hint of green on them (like right under the peel) then do not peel the potatoes… lots of good nutrition there.  If however, your potatoes where not stored well and they have that green you can either peel the parts with the green or peel the entire potato.  My grandmother, who grew up in Germany during a time of root cellars, world wars and no refrigeration always told me that the green on the potatoes is poisonous.   You can read more about it here in this short article in the New York times.  Storing potatoes properly is very important.  They will begin to sprout depending on light and temperature.  GrowAGoodLife has a great article on potato storage.

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil – enough to coat the potatoes and cover the bottom of the cast iron pan
  • 1-2 pounds potatoes, new or yukon gold
  • 2 teaspoons celtic sea salt or other natural salt
  • 1-1/2 cups onions : I prefer vidalia or some other sweet onion, but your basic yellow onion is just absolutely fine
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, thyme or basil or some combination of fresh herbs
  • 5 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 6 large pastured eggs or 8 small pastured eggs (we have all sizes here!)
  • fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

Using a mandolin, slice potatoes about 1/8 of an inch.  Place in a very large bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper and about three tablespoons of olive oil.  This coats them so they will not stick on pan.

Drizzle olive oil to cover the bottom of  a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Place potatoes in pan and cook them in batches.  You should not hear a searing sizzle, we are just par-cooking them.  They should not be turning color, and should not be soft so that they break when you remove them.  After each batch place potatoes in another large bowl.

While these are cooking, you want to crack your eggs and beat them in a small bowl.  Add herbs and a little more salt.

Once all potatoes are done, add the onions and garlic to the pan.  Saute till softened and fragrant, but not browned.  Rinse the skillet.  Add egg mixture to potatoes and toss well to coat.

Coat bottom of skillet with oil again and place over medium high heat.  Add in potato mixture.  Do NOT stir or move the mixture.

Let it cook for about ten to fifteen minutes.  The sides will start to pull away from the pan.  Again we are not going for a high heat because we want them to cook evenly and thoroughly – as well as get a nice brown on the potatoes.

Okay, now for the fancy flip.

After about ten minutes you can start to tease the side of the galette away from the pan, if it is not starting to do so.    At this point you will want to get a plate so you can flip the galette.  The plate needs to be bigger than your pan.

Take the skillet off of the burner. Carefully, place the plate a top of the skillet.  With your hand on top of the plate turn the skillet upside down so that the potato galette falls out of the skillet and onto the plate.  Now you can slide the galette back into the skillet to brown on the other side.

Let this cook another five to ten minutes until browned.   Remove from skillet and place on serving dish.  Garnish with more fresh herbs if desired.

Serve and enjoy.  This makes a great leftover meal as the flavors continue to melt together as time goes on!

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simplest tomato salad

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Our first and most important spiritual task is to claim God’s unconditional love for ourselves. To remember who we truly are in the memory of God. Whether we feel it or not, whether we comprehend it or not, we can have spiritual knowledge in the heart— a deep assurance that passes understanding— that we are God’s beloved.

Henri Nouwen

It’s the ripe, plump tomatoes which blanket the farmer’s markets and neighbors gardens that make this simplest tomato salad so delectable.  No need to fancy it up – the salt really brings out the savory sweet juicy flavors of the tomatoes.   It’s a family favorite during the summer.

Ingredients

  • 5-6 ripe in season tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve.  Dinner can be that simple…

crunchy bean salad

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“Water falls from heaven as rain, and while it is always the same in itself, it produces many different effects, one in the palm tree, another in the vine, and so on, throughout the whole of creation. It does not descend, now as one thing, now as another, but while remaining essentially the same, it adapts to the needs of every creature that receives it. In the same way the Holy Spirit, whose nature is always the same, simple and indivisible, apportions grace to each person as He wills. Like a dry tree which puts forth shoots when watered, the soul brings forth the fruit of holiness when repentance makes it worthy of receiving the Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit never changes, the effects of His action, by the will of God and in the name of Christ, are both many and marvelous.”  Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

It’s “bean” a while since writing on the blog.  This past year beckoned reprioritizing – faith, family, homeschool and also really to focus on completing my Master’s Degree.  No, I am not done, but almost!  Yay!

We’ve also been battling Lyme disease in this home and I tell you, it is formidable – and affects everyone different!  Lord have mercy.  It really turned our lives upside down.  However, all signs are that my loved one is almost done with treatment and that is a tremendous blessing.

In many ways, the year of Lyme Disease has been a blessing too… just in it’s very own way.

That aside, it’s also “bean” a long time since I have made a bean salad, but since the farmer’s market this week was so plentiful with green beans – I brought home a whole bunch!

This salad is a riff on that old picnic favorite the “three bean salad”.  What I like so much about this is that the beans are green and crunchy, unlike the one I remember from my youth with watery faded green canned beans.   You could easily make this with wax beans or a combination of string beans too.

 

Crunch Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 pound of beans – washed and trimmed
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup finely sliced red onion
  • 1 Tbspn extra virgin olive oil (currently we are using a local favorite, Spartan’s for our salads – it is very tasty and comes in a cute reusable ceramic bottle.  Refills come in a convenient pouch)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or pecans
  • 1 finely chopped red pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

For the preparation, bring a pot of water to a boil and add the trimmed and cut green beans.  You only need to cook them for 3-5 minutes or less.  Test them to make sure they are still crunchy and retain that bright green color.  Once done, immediately place them into a bowl of cold water.  This will stop the cooking process.

Drain the beans in a collander and put them into your salad bowl.  Add all remaining ingredients and toss well.  Salt and pepper to taste.

You can make this the day before, the flavors just get better and better over night!  Great for a picnic and for any summertime meal!

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kale – wonderful kale!

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kale varieties

 

Move over Popeye… kale is precisely what this nutritionist means when she says, “Eat your greens with reckless abandon.”  It is wise to include kale as one of your crucifeorus vegetables of choice on a daily basis.

To start with, kale is a remarkable and ancient superfood, that has gotten somewhat of a trendy reputation in recent years.  Maybe you have even noticed kale chips at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.  A delicious snack, only made better if you venture to make your own.

What you might not know is that kale has nourished people, well, forever really.  Kale is an offspring of wild cabbage. Ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have grown kale.  Even  ancient Egyptians recognized kale as a nutritional superfood – considering that they lined the tombs of pharaohs with elaborate gold and silver carvings of woven kale garlands.

Scientists know that kale has been under cultivation for more than 6,000 years, as there are remants of fossilized kale found in ancient containers from the Shensi Province of China dating back to 4,000 BC.

Roaming Celts evidently brought  kale from Asia to Europe as long ago as 600 BC, and because of it’s easy cultivation, resilience and cold-tolerance, kale proliferated and sustained nourishment for people throughout the European continent.  It’s easy germination and fast growth is one of the reasons early European settlers brought this nutrient rich leafy green with them to North America.

All of our farmer’s markets bring in an abundance of kale.  If you are a gardener, then you know the simplicity of growing kale.  In fact it may be one of the easiest vegetables to grow organically.  Whether you are a seasoned gardener or new to the possibilities, growing your own kale is a cinch.  It’s delicious straight from the garden, and grows well in warm and cold climates.  In fact, a little freezing weather only tends to sweeten the kale leaves!

Check out these great resources on growing your own kale – from GentleWorld, Harvest To Table, and Mother Earth News.

Still not sure whether kale is for you?  Try the young tender shoots in a salad.  They are sweet, nutrient dense and delicious.

There are many varieties of kale from Lacinato, Dino Kale, Red Russian Kale, Tuscan Kale and many more.

Kale has stood the test of time, and deserves a spot on your plate and in your garden.  Build a habit of eating more green vegetables, the greener the better!

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Health Benefits of Kale

 

  • Aids in Detoxification : Cruciferous vegetables like kale contain large amounts of health promoting sulfur compounds, such as sulforaphane and isothiocyanate and these increase your liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize toxic compounds and substances.
  • Rich in Phytonutrient Antioxidants : Phytonutrients are biologically active plant substances that are vital to health.  Kale is the most concentrated source of lutein and zeaxanthin,  which are carotenoids that protect the lens of the eye.  They act like sunglasses and protect the eyes from ultraviolet damage and are protective against cataracts.  Studies have shown that people who eat foods, like kale, rich in lutein have a 50% lower risk of developing new cataracts.
  • Can Reduce Natural Cognitive Aging : Green vegetables like kale, spinach and collards can help your thinking!  In experiments, older rats given a diet high in such greens improved learning and motor skill capacity.
  • Repair Damaged DNA : Cruciferous Vegetables such as kale and cabbages contain many vitamins and a chemical called “indole-3-carbinol” which repairs damaged DNA.  One of the reasons is that phytochemicals activate glutathione, and glutathione is critical to cell survival and repair. Glutathione is a potent detoxifier and our mitochondria (which are what provide us energy) depend on glutathione for their well being.
  • Protection Against Cancer : Brassica vegetables offer protection against cancer.  The organosulfur phytonutrient compounds in kale, including glucosinolates and methylcysteine sulfoxides activate detoxification enzymes in the liver which may help neutralize carcinogenic substances.  This helps clear them from the body more quickly.
  • Kale is Anti-Inflammatory One cup of kale has 10% of omega-3’s, which are anti-inflammatory, reducing swelling, arthritis pain and anti-inflammatory issues.
  • Concentrated Source of Many Nutrients : At only 36 calories per serving.  Kale contains an entire spectrum of health promoting minerals, vitamins and nutrients,
  • Rich in manganese and copper – which are free radical scavengers
  • Good source of dietary fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B6 folic acid, and potassium.
  • Contains calcium and magnesium – vital for strong bones,  as well as phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and niacin.
  • Kale is rich in vitamin A which coupled with beta-carotein is supportive of optimal vision and eye health.
  • High in Vitamin C : Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant which is extremely protective against free-radicals and oxidation (including to DNA and cholesterol).  Vitamin C also helps maintain a strong immune system.

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What is the best way to eat kale?  Any way you like, but here is a great recipe for steamed kale…

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Steamed Kale

  • 1 pound fresh kale, washed
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

 

Separate kale leaves from stems and slice the leaves into 1 inch pieces.  Don’t throw away the stems, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  According the the World’s Healthiest Foods, cutting the kale and letting it rest five minutes breaks down the cell walls and enhances the activates enzymes that slowly convert the plant enzymes to a more active form.

Add two to three inches of water to bottom of steamer.  Bring to boil.  Stems kale for five minutes max – to preserve phytonutrients..

Place steamed kale in bowl and add lemon, garlic and olive oil.  Toss.  Salt and pepper to taste.

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More Kale Recipes

Smitten Kitchen has a potato scallion and kale cake that is fantastic.  Poach an egg and have it for breakfast!  Kale is also versatile in many salads such as roasted cauliflower and kale salad or kale salad with avocado and almonds.  Trying it in a soup is an easy way to slip any vegetable in your diet.

Truly, though, one of our favorite ways to enjoy this vegetable are homemade kale chips.  My kids love it, and I think yours will too!

 

 

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Homemade Kale Chips

1 pound fresh kale, washed and leaves removed from the stem (save the stems for smoothies)  Cut or tear leaves into dorito sized pieces.

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon olive oil

pinch of salt

Massage kale leaves and olive oil.  Add salt and nutritional yeast.  Toss again until leaves are fully coated.  Place leaves in a layer on one or two cookie sheets.  Place cookie sheets into a 150 degree oven.  Use convection if you have it.  Let bake until they are dried out.

If you have a dehydrator, you may also use that.

Enjoy!!

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The possibilities for eating kale are endless.  Think your kids won’t like them?  Chop small and add it to meatloaf!  Throw it in a smoothie with a green apple, four ice cubes, a teaspoon of lemon juice, banana and a tablespoon of coconut oil.

 

But still, I have to say, the most tried, tested a true way I know to get my kids excited about veggies is for them to help plant and grow it – on a windowsill, back porch in pots or in the garden proper.

Whatever you do, make room on your plate for this awesome vegetable.

 

kale smoothie

Additional Resources:

Hanna, Sharon (2012). The Book of Kale: The Easy-to-Grow Superfood, 80+ Recipes (Kindle Location 257). Harbour Publishing

Mateljan, G. (2006). In The world’s healthiest foods: Essential guide for the healthiest way of eating. Seattle, Wash.: George Mateljan Foundation.

Kornblatt, S. (2012). Eating For Brilliance. Well Being Journal, 21(2), 7-14.

i heart organic strawberries

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“For a long time now we have understood ourselves as traveling toward some sort of industrial paradise, some new Eden conceived and constructed entirely by human ingenuity. And we have thought ourselves free to use and abuse nature in any way that might further this enterprise.  Now we face overwhelming evidence that we are not smart enough to recover Eden by assault, and that nature does not tolerate or excuse our abuses.”

Wendell Berry ~ Bringing It to the Table: On Farming and Food

 

For about a year of college I lived in Germany, which was my first exposure to farmer’s markets, a way of life at least where my family there lives.  That was some twenty years ago – probably about the very time farmer’s markets were gaining new traction in the U.S.  At the time, I’d never seen eggs so fresh they were still adorned with feathers, or vegetables still smelling of the earth.
One thing about fresh food is that it’s always near death ~ counter-intuitively that makes it alive, and allows it to nourish us with all the vibrancy of it’s vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phyto-nutrients (a word apparently so new that my spell check keeps trying to change it).
With that in mind, any one attempting to stay as local to their food sources as possible knows the importance of preserving the harvest.  Fresh food is not immortal!  At the moment we are at the waning edge of strawberry season here in Virginia.  In fact, we missed getting any at the past two markets due to our late arrival, so this morning we got there early!
Making that effort to find the best food for my family is really important.  These are not delicacies or haute cuisine at all, but no-frill foods that are raised in harmony with the land, in such a way as to be nourishing rather than depleting.
If we don’t eat the strawberries we bought this morning in about four days, they will rot.  So, extending the harvest has become a habit allowing us to enjoy the delights of spring even into the upcoming winter.  There are many ways to preserve what’s currently in season from canning, to lacto-fermentation and even simply freezing.
As a rule we try to stick with organic whenever possible, but particularly with strawberries which are a fruit known as one of the dirty dozen.  That’s because they are covered with some of the most toxic agricultural chemicals available.   Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic and known endocrine disruptors – that means they mess with your hormones.   Nice!   Even after washing, 67% of fruits and vegetables sprayed with these chemicals still contain them.  Hmmmm.
Over time, many of these toxins bioaccumulate in our fat cells.  Our bodies really do not know what to do with these, and that can have negative effect on our physical health.
The blessing of the farmer’s market is being part of a community.  People get to know one another and look forward to chatting, sharing and learning. You know your farmer’s name, and feel confident in his word.  None of our local strawberry growers sprays, which is a testament to their dedication and nurture of the land.  It’s all connected…in providing well nourished soil to the plants, the plants then become strong and less susceptible to disease and pests, which means these farmer’s don’t need all of the toxic pesticides and fungicides in the first place.
Buying organic can seem more expensive – perhaps in the short run it might slightly be – mostly because we buy en masse.  That said, at the farm stand I can pretty much guarantee you will get a discount  – most of the time without even asking – if you buy in bulk.

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Whether you freeze them, make them into jams, pile them atop of shortcake or eat them right out of the flat, they are a seasonal delight that brings a smile to everyone’s face!

contain yourselves

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“Odd as I am sure it will appear to some, I can think of no better form of personal involvement in the cure of the environment than that of gardening. A person who is growing a garden, if he is growing it organically, is improving a piece of the world.”  Wendell Barry – The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays

 

Even if you have only a tiny patio or balcony, growing your own food is a possibility.  No matter how little space you have, with a packet of seeds, a few pots or other container of your choice, you can turn a blank space into an edible landscape.  Whether you grow an assortment of kitchen herbs or potted potatoes, carrots and beans it’s easy and can transform an urban space into a haven and retreat.

A few weekends ago, we picked up some cedar planters at our local plant store DePaul’s Urban Farm and then the kids got to work staining them and planting some carrots.

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Soon we will have an awesome harvest of carrots.

Also too we have potted potatoes – so much easier to harvest because they are confined to one space than planting in a larger garden.  For something a little different we added sunflowers into the mix – for a little flowery effect.  They will bloom soon!

Whatever you chose, the main thing is to have fun with your planting and make a space which is visually and edibly pleasing.

At the end of the day, nothing compares to your own fresh grown food.  Just as wonderful is that you really don’t need a lot of expertise or skill to grow them – especially beans, tomatoes, peas and any salad vegetable.

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The past ten years have seen a rapid increase and high demand for real local sustainable food.  Not a new idea, just one misplaced for about a century!… previously all food was local, mostly because there was not the ability to transport it, or the chemical fertilizers to mass-produce it.

Family gardeners restore and heal their little part of the world starting with their own space and being.  Working the dirt, it is inevitable that knowledge, experience and success from those lessons unearthed in the garden tills into other areas of our lives ~ gratitude and thanksgiving for the harvest, family and friends!

“In almost every garden, the land is made better and so is the gardener”. ~Robert Rodale

 

grow.harvest.enjoy

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In farming, as in gardening, I happen to believe that if you treat the land with love and respect, then it will repay you in kind.  – Prince Charles

The life of a garden is in perpetual motion.  It’s a dynamic place, hustling and bustling with the growing harvest and buzzing with life.  It’s a place were nature thrives and in so doing nourishes hungry family and friends.

This beautiful bouquet is not a gift from my husband, but our dinner salad!  Full of an assortment of fresh salads from the garden as well as carrot tops, baby kale, dandelions, cilantro and peppery nasturtiums we snipped it just before dinner and it is a crispy delicious addition to our meal.

Growing your own organic vegetables is practical in many ways – from reducing use of fossil fuels and exposure to toxic chemicals to increasing the vitamin content of your meals  – although as modern consumers “organic” seems a relatively new concept, this is how our great grandparents gardened.  They didn’t “certify” it or have any special name for it.  Caring and nurturing the land was just a way of life – and in return the earth gave sustenance for their nourishment.  Our forefathers had a greater understanding of healthy soil and plants than do we.

In my own family, it was my German grandmother who gave me a love of gardening.  She tended her little plot of backyard garden with a vibrant happiness and care – even to the point of setting aside water in the morning and waiting a few hours to hydrate the plants so that it would warm to the air temperature.   I am not sure of whether that made any difference to the plants, but I can say that hers were some of the best beans and tomatoes I’ve ever had and she always had a very high yield.  But the point is that small farmers tend the planet better than big business.  Small farmer’s and family gardeners work in harmony with the seasons and Mother Nature rather than fight her and that makes all the difference.

If you are not sure about growing your own food, but are thinking to give it a try – remember that it’s not necessary to have a green thumb.  Seeds want to grow.  Even if you make mistakes, you’ll learn from them and that is a great blessing!   The best part is that your little victory garden will give you the chance to reacquaint yourself with all you thought you knew, from radishes to carrots to kale.  Cultivating the land gardeners cultivate patience – the joy of waiting to taste  a strawberry or sugar snap pea and also forgiveness for the imperfections those natural and organic sometimes yield – while not always perfectly shaped they are always delicious!  In so doing a gardener also learns a little something about life and community.

 

Dinner Bouquet

Farmer’s Market Parking Only

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Good food should be grown on whole soil, be eaten whole, unprocessed, and garden fresh.   Helen and Scott Nearing

 

Today is a great day… the return after a very cold winter of our local Farmer’s Market.  It’s been a difficult winter in Virginia for those wishing to eat locally and seasonally.  With temperatures hovering in the 20s fora majority of days per week this winter, there was very little local produce, outside of what had been preserved at the end of the summer.

The asparagus at the farmer’s market is a sure sign that spring is here to stay, and by consuming these light spring vegetables our bodies can also spring clean.  The vegetables making their way to the local farmer’s markets now and in the coming weeks are deliciously sweet, naturally cleansing and help our bodies clear the internal stagnation of our heavy winter foods or from winter’s inactivity.

Salads are the liveliest vegetables we eat. The chlorophyll in green things gives the body the greatest vitality and relays the sun’s forces directly to the inner man. It is the green life-blood of the plant, the giver of strength and energy.   Helen Nearing

 

Twelve Months of Monastery Salads is a wonderful cookbook full salads and mindful eating.   There are plenty of delicious recipes for all these wonderful cleansing and spring vegetables on hand!   Within the book you will find thoughtful and wonderful quotes to accompany your meal !

 

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sauerkraut

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Farm Fresh Cabbages

“I have come to the conclusion that the most important element in human life is faith.  If God were to take away all the blessings, health, physical fitness,  wealth, intelligence, and leave me with but one gift, I would ask for faith— for with faith in God, in God’s goodness, mercy, love for me, and belief in everlasting life, I believe I could still be happy, trustful, leaving all to God’s inscrutable providence.” —Rose Kennedy

 

Most people would agree that we live in a germ-ophobic country.  YET, all around us and within us there is a microscopic world, things invisible – an interconnected multitude of fungus and bacteria.  (uh-oh…)  From the beginnings we coexisted with these little organisms; we even harnessed their help to age and preserve our food without refrigeration.  However, when Louis Pasteur uncovered the role of bacteria in disease, (which is a great thing!) we began to fear them as dangerous enemies and in fearing them we forgot about their role in health.

Not all bacteria and fungi are bad.

In our modern antiseptic world, it can take a leap of faith – and maybe even a little science – to calm our fears, reacquaint ourselves and get comfortable with the microcosmos around and within us.  A little reminder that the world God created is good  (it was also raw and unpasteurized, by the way!) and that I can rely on that whole food creation -more than food scientists and industry- for the plentiful nourishment of my family!   You know what?  So can YOU!

The word sauerkraut is German for “sour cabbage” – but the French call it choucroute.  Whatever you call it, sauerkraut is probably to most widely known fermented food behind, pickles, olives and yogurt.

Probably the most widely known sauerkraut is Bavarian style, which is shredded cabbage, salt and seasoned with caraway seeds.  Some other German styles use juniper berries to season the kraut.

 

A word on the nutritional virtues of sauerkraut.

 

Fermented sauerkraut is not only pre-gested thereby making it’s nutritional profile more bioavailable, it is also low in calories, high in fiber, and is a good source of vitamins K, C and folate and also the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, manganese and iron.  It has a great profile of antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory.  Cabbage is exceedingly nutritious on it’s own merits, but let it ferment and it’s full potential is silently revealed.

Studies that “analyzed cabbage before and after fermentation to see how the elements had changed  found that the glucosinolates in cabbage dissolved into a class of enzymes that have been shown in prior studies to prevent cancer.” (Preventdisease.com)

But that’s not all!  Sauerkraut also helps to maintain the acid/base balance of the body, helps to regulate blood sugar levels making it useful for hypoglycemics and diabetics and has been associated with preserving ocular health.

Like all ferments, sauerkraut  is high in naturally occurring lactic acid which helps maintain a healthy acidity in the large intestine, thus creating an environment that is hostile to parasites  and yeast but comfortable for good bacteria.

 

Ready to give it a try?

 

Fermentation takes neither much time, or effort.  It’s a great way to add great nutrition to the table, and making it yourself is a real money saver when you’re on a budget and feeding a large family.

It’s super nourishing, unassuming and delicious.  We eat it because it tastes great.  On it’s own, adorning a brat or hot dog, or even as a great garnish on a wintery day’s BLT.  You can buy sauerkraut in the store, but if you want all the benefits of the ferment, then it’s best to look for small batch, artisinal, organic, lacto-fermented varieties that are also non-pastuerized.

 

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Michael Pollan says about fermenting, “Koreans, who know a thing or two about fermentation, distinguish between the “tongue taste” of various foods and the “hand taste“.  Tongue taste is a simple matter of molecules making contact with taste buds – the kind of cheap and easy flavors any food scientist or food corporation can produce.  Hand taste is the far more complex experience of a food that bears the indelible mark – the care and sometimes even the love – of the person who made it.  The sauerkraut (and most anything else) you make yourself will have hand taste.”

That makes a lot of sense here at Nourishing Grace, because the word nourish is quite beautiful and comes from the latin nutrire, which means to feed or cherish, to preserve, look after or suckle. That implies a “hands on” relationship!

 

“Better is a dish of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” —Proverbs 15: 17

 

Of all our nourishment let it be rooted in goodness and love as we prepare and enjoy our meals with loved ones at the table!

 

 

how to make your own sauerkraut

Equipment

1 – 1 gallon Ceramic crock or  wide mouth mason jar

plate or plastic that will fit inside

 

ingredients for sauerkraut

2 medium heads fresh cabbage (fresh local cabbage is the best because of it’s higher moisture content the salt will draw out more water for the brine.

3 tablespoons sea salt

 

process

chop or shred the cabbage.  We use a food processor

As you process the cabbage, place in bowl and sprinkle salt on each layer.  The salt osmotically draws the water out of the cabbage.  This becomes the brine in which the cabbage ferments without rotting.

mixing the sauerkraut

mixing the sauerkraut

 

Mix the ingredients together and you can either pound the cabbage, or massage with good firm squeezing.  That will all serve to draw out the brine.  You can also mix it and leave it for a half an hour and then start the pounding or massaging.

 

massaging the cabbage

massaging the cabbage

 

Transfer the mixture to the crock or mason jar.  Tamp it down firmly.  You can use a tamper or your fist.  I use my hands.  Push the cabbage below the brine level.  Fermentation works because the vegetables stay below the brine.  So in this oxygen deprived environment, anaerobic, only the good bacteria are able to survive and thrive.  Place a clean weight over in the crock over the cabbage to keep it down.  This can be a smaller jar with water in it.

To be honest, I do not always use a weight.  My ferments are always on the kitchen counter, so I wash my hands and push it beneath the brine several times a day.  But if you are not able to do that, it’s best to use a weight.

 

Sauerkraut on the Ferment

 

The sauerkraut will develop at a rate directly correlated with temperature.  At 45 Fahrenheit, fermentation is very slow, at 90 Fahrenheit it is notably faster.  Lower temperatures, in the 70 Fahrenheit range make a superior kraut.

After 3-5 days, give the sauerkraut a taste.

See if it suits you.  Some people love the flavor of an immature green kraut.  If it’s not the flavor profile you want, let it sit longer for the flavors to develop.  Once it is to your liking, place in smaller jars and move to the refrigerator or other cool spot (like a root cellar).  The slows down the fermentation process.

Taste-testing the developing sauerkraut has become my daughters job and her taste buds are definitely evolving.  We currently have a jar of sauerkraut that has been on the counter for three weeks.  We are using it, but she has not asked to have it moved the fridge.  Surprisingly it has not gotten very very sour, just more delicious.

There are many ways to enjoy your kraut, most recently we had ours atop BLT’s served on a great sourdough made during the big snow storm.

sourdough BLT with sauerkraut

sourdough BLT with sauerkraut

 

 

Sources:

Katz, Sandor Ellix. The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes From Around the World.  White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub., 2012. Print.

“What Are The Benefits Of Sauerkraut Juice?”. Livestrong.Com

Ten Reasons to Eat Fresh Unpasteurized Sauerkraut | Vitality Magazine | Toronto Canada alternative health, natural medicine and green living

matzoh ball ~ soup for the soul

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“Real humility is light and buoyant, not weighted down by insecurity, self loathing or an obsession with being known and admired. Humility spends the time and energy freed up by not agonizing over one’s self reveling in the grace of everyday blessings big and small. Humility genuinely rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep. Humility retains forever its childlike sense of hope and wonder.” ~ Molly Sabourin

Matzoh ball soup is comfort food at its finest and a great use for your homemade chicken stock!

Food sustains physical life and yet is greater than the nourishment it brings to the table.  Food gathers people  and traditional foods – passed from generation to generation tell a story.  These generational foods – shrouded in history, symbolism and ritual tell the story of peoples and their journeys of life and in that category Matzoh Ball Soup definitely tops the charts.

The Matzoh is probably one of the best known Biblical foods and one that has humbly stood the test of time.  It is a food which tells the story of the exodus of a chosen people and the guiding Hand that frees them from bondage in Egypt.

Matza is unleavened bread –  and one of the three biblical culinary components of the Jewish Passover Seder – it is also called the bread of affliction.  For Jewish families, Matzo is the only type of bread eaten throughout the Passover festival.  The generational story of the matzo is one of slavery and freedom.   The last shared act that every Israelite performed before being freed from slavery in Egypt, as well as the very first act that the entire nation shared as free people at their first stop, was eating matzo. (Encyclopedia of Jewish Food).

The first time my family ever tried matzoh ball soup was last year, visiting grandparents in Florida.  We went their favorite Deli, TooJays  in Orlando.  Such a simple dish, utilizing the most basic and unassertive ingredients – chicken broth, seasonal vegetables, eggs, schmalz (saved chicken fat – from your stock) salt and pepper.  This is quintessential comfort food!

Traditionally, matzo balls are served in a broth only served with carrots – but you can make it your own with whatever favorite vegetables you love!  This recipe doubles and triples nicely!  It also freezes well if you make a big batch.  We portion it into servings for two or four and freeze.  That way it is on hand, ready to thaw, heat and nourish on those busy school nights laden with activities and little time!

Matzoh Ball Soup – it brings nourishing comfort to the body and as the old saying goes – the soul too!

 

ingredients:

3 eggs

9 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup grated onion

1/2 cup melted chicken fat (Note: Jewish families would not substitute butter as that is prohibited during the Passover.  We used butter (preferably pasture raised).

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

1 cup matzo meal (you can make your own by placing Matzo crackers and pulse in food processor or blender.  The other option is to buy it ready to use)

4- 5 diced carrots, sauteed

2 talblespoons chopped parsely  and/or chives (optional)

 

preparation

Beat the eggs together and 1/2 cup of stock.

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Stir in the grated onion, salt, pepper and fat.

Add the matzo meal.  The dough will be moist.  Cover the mixture and refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

 

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Shape into matzo balls – about 1 inch in diameter.

Now, you can either heat a pot of salted water or heat your chicken stock (which is a personal preference.)  Drop matzo balls into boiling broth.  The matzo balls will expand and absorb a lot of liquid.  Turn the heat ti medium and let the balls cook for about 30 minutes to set.

 

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Serve one to two matzo balls with broth and sprinkle with chopped parsley and or chives.