Vegetables are the hard-working heroes on the menu.
Loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals and more, vegetables can do no wrong. Unless of course if they are dosed in pesticides while growing. Or when deep-fried or slathered in butter: French fries are the most popular vegetable in America!
Respect the pure goodness in vegetables.
Eat them raw, steamed, or baked. Season well with herbs and spices including turmeric, cumin and garlic—these also boost immune systems.
Try fermentation. Long (thousands of years) a preservation method before refrigeration, fermenting vegetables is back in vogue. Trendy restaurants including Baroo in Los Angeles are reviving the traditional art. (Swap in Instagram chef for everyone’s great- grandma).
Cabbage may be the most fermented vegetable. But there are plenty of other options. Just about any vegetable can be fermented by lactobacillus bacteria. Use spices and herbs for enhanced flavor: cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole peppercorns, coriander seeds and mustard seeds.
PaleoLeap online offers a good lesson on the process if you want to try this at home.
“Even though the whole process might seem long and complex, fermenting food at home takes nothing but a few basic instruments and ingredients. At its basis, most lacto-fermented foods are nothing more than whole, chopped, sliced or grated vegetables placed in a brine of salt and water for a period of time at room temperature to let the beneficial bacteria develop.”
Here is a quick and easy tutorial on how to ferment your favorite veggies. This fun video shows you how to easily ferment sauerkraut & pumpkin and get probiotics into your system without spending loads of money.
More to learn:
Cabbage Heads to Front of Health Class