Summer Waters ~ Savor Your Health

Store-bought mayonnaise often contains unhealthy refined vegetable oils like soybean oil, canola oil,  and safflower oil (among others).  Even so “olive oil” or “organic” mayonnaises often lack the healthy fats you can incorporate into your food (and your kid’s bellies!) when you cook from scratch at home. To enjoy a life giving, healthy mayonnaise, particularly in various dressings and salads, give this recipe a try.

Makes 2 cups.

Basic Ingredients:

2 eggs* at room temperature (preferably from local, pasture raised hens)

1 Tbsp. lemon juice*

1-3 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar (ACV)*

1/2 cup olive oil* (can add a little sesame oil* in part if you prefer a more mild tasting mayonnaise)

1/2 cup coconut oil (CO)*, warmed to liquid (can use a more refined CO if you prefer less of a coconut taste) CO is available in the WWCA Wellness Shop!

1 tsp Probiotic Whey* (the liquid drained off living yogurt or kefir) or sauerkraut juice* (the liquid drained...

Store-bought mustard is usually made with vinegar from genetically-modified corn. While certified organic mustards are available, it's deeply satisfying to make your own. Furthermore, you can naturally ferment the condiment to get that sour flavor rather than relying on vinegar. This boosts the probiotics, turning your condiment into a veritable health food.

Makes 2 cups.

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup whole yellow mustard seeds*

1⁄2 cup water (pure, non-chlorinated water is best)

2 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar*

1 Tbsp. honey* (local, raw honey is preferred)

2 Tbsp. probiotic whey* (the liquid drained off living yogurt or kefir)

1 tsp. sea salt

1 lemon*, juiced

1 clove garlic*

*It is best to choose organic ingredients to avoid increased exposure to toxic pesticides in conventionally raised foods.

Method:

Put all ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth.

Transfer to a small, pint sized jar and close the lid tightly.

Leave on your counter for two to three days to...

If you saw the “Carved Pumpkin” stuffed peppers photo in the October Edition of Savor Your Health e-newsletter, you will want to try this recipe.  If you haven’t subscribed yet to Savor Your Health, a monthly healthy living e-newsletter, enter your email address in the sidebar sign-up form.

Ingredients

•  4-6 sweet bell peppers

Filling

• Spoonful of Bacon Fat, Ghee or Butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots shredded fine
• 1 stalk celery diced fine
• 1 small zucchini or preferred squash shred fine
• Several large handfuls of spinach
• 1 lb pork sausage
• 1 egg
• 2-3 t rubbed sage
• 1 t salt
• ½ t pepper
• ½ t ground mustard or 1 T stone ground prepared mustard
• 2 T Worchester Sauce
• ½-1 c cooked grain, optional
•  Preheat Oven to 350F

Preheat Oven to 350F

In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion, carrots and celery in bacon fat until crisp tender.  Add zucchini and spinach.  Cook until the spinach is wilted.  Allow the...

Does your belly hurt after you eat sauerkraut?

Over years of teaching people how to incorporate authentic traditional foods such as properly prepared ferments, I have heard my share of stories.  This is the first of three blog post with tips and stories about how to make integrating sauerkraut into your diet fun for your gut as well as your tastebuds. 

Tip # 1: Start S-L-O-W-L-Y when introducing ferments.

Often times, folks are so delighted to eat new deliciously sour fermented foods that they do not heed my warnings and dive right in to devouring sauerkraut in MUCH larger quantities than I ever advise.  Several years ago, a friend of mine heard all about the beneficial aspects of traditionally fermented foods and decided to try some.  He started with a taste and his eyes lit up.  So good!  He decided to have a half cup (4 oz) of sauerkraut with his dinner.  He then thought, “If some is good, more would be better!” and ate about that...

Tip #3: Brine shots anyone? 

I've shared my sauerkraut recipe, plus two important tips (here's #1 and here's #2) for eating ferments like kraut without regretting it. Here is your third and final additional tip with a simple 2-3 ingredient recipe to help make life-giving ferments a staple in your life.

For some folks who are dealing with more severe gut and overall health challenges, it may be best to start with fermented sauerkraut juice and skip the roughage (cabbage) for a period of time, depending on your particular health concerns and the severity of your issues.  Sauerkraut juice is also an excellent tonic for those suffering from sluggish bowels, This includes the common perception of constipation in which no stool moves from the bowel for a day or longer (a serious bowel health issue to remedy) as well as some version of the more typical scenario in which only a small amount of stool is passed and the individual does not feel fully evacuated. In conjunction with...