Sprouted Navy Bean Hummus, GAPS legal

Woohoo, GAPS legal hummus!  What is GAPS?  It stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome and it’s the diet that has helped so many.  It is based on the SCD (specific carbohydrate diet) which is the diet that turned our family’s life around.  You can see our story here:  http://www.picklemetoo.com/2011/11/our-journey-with-autism.html

What makes something GAPS legal?  It contains only monosaccharide carbohydrates (the simplest of sugars that can’t be broken down any further, no starches or complex carbs that are difficult for GAPS people to digest).  The basic idea behind the GAPS diet is to give the digestive track a break and allow it to heal.  My oldest son ate this way for a full 2 years.  It was hard but it was worth it.

Usually making a substitute food ends up being sub par.  This is not the case here.  This is good hummus!  my kids are eating it by the bowlful.

Sprouting the Beans

To sprout the beans, place in a bowl with a lid.  Fill with water. Let soak overnight.  The next day, drain the water and rinse but don’t fill with water again.  Just cover the bowl.  Drain and rinse 3 times a day until you see sprouts emerging.  It should only take 2-3 days.  Discard if it starts to smell bad.  Great information on why to sprout your beans can be found here:  http://www.cookingtf.com/2011/04/19/why-i-no-longer-soak-my-beans/

If you don’t sprout the beans, you should at least soak them for 12-24 hrs.

To cook, place beans in a large pot and cover with water to about an inch over the top of the beans.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 4 hrs.  Skim the bubbles off the top and add more water if needed.  Crock pots are great for cooking beans.

Navy Bean Hummus 

• 3 cups soaked or sprouted navy beans, cooked
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup whey
• 1/2 preserved lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice with zest
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin

In a food processor, add all ingredients and process until a smooth paste.  Place in a quart sized mason jar filling only to about 2″ below the lid (you might have some left over to enjoy now).  Cover loosely and let set at room temp for 3 days.  Move to cold storage.

Part of Freaky Friday, Make Your Own Monday

Fermented Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I’ve seen a number of lactofermented hummus recipes out there so I know I’m not venturing into new territory.  Of course I still have to put my own twist on this yummy version of hummus.  My favorite hummus recipe has always included roasted red peppers.  It makes it such a pretty orange color too.  The hardest part about this ferment is not eating it before it’s done fermenting!  This tastes great when used as a dip for crackers, pita bread or veggies.

Fermented Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves (a great use for fermented garlic cloves)
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1 Indian Hot Lemon (any preserved lemon or 2 tbsp lemon juice)
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable culture (or fresh whey)

Combine everything in a food processor and process until it is a smooth paste (might take a while).  Pour into a quart sized mason jar and set at room temp for about 3 days.

Part of Fight Back Friday, Sunday School Blog Carnival, Make Your Own Monday

Fermented Bean Dip

I was just going to skip Ferment Friday this week but I’ve been wanting to try this for a while anyway.  If I were a sports fan, I might have thought ahead and posted this before the Superbowl but I’m not a big baseball fan anyway.

This is based on Nourishing Tradition’s Bean Paste recipe but I found it too salty to be palatable and it needed some spices.  I halved the salt and used Caldwell’s vegetable starter along with some of my favorite Mexican herbs/spices.  Perfect!  It has the most interesting tang but interesting in a very good way.

Fermented Bean Dip

• 3 cups cooked pinto beans (I bet black beans would be tasty too)
• 1/2 med onion, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp vegetable culture or fresh whey, divided

Combine everything, reserving 1 tbsp of culture, in a food processor.  Process until smooth and transfer to a quart sized mason jar.  Smooth top and clean the edges.  Top with remaining tbsp of culture. Let set at room temperature for about 3 days and then move to the fridge.

**A word of caution though, leave enough head space in the jar for the beans to expand because they will expand (ask me how I know, lol!). 3″ should be enough but just in case of overflow, place on a plate to catch any drippings. **

To serve, bring to room temp and enjoy with corn chips, pita bread, veggie dip.  Mix with fermented salsa or shredded cheese for more yum!

For the record, I’m just kidding.  I know the Superbowl is for basketball.

Part of Fight Back Friday, Freaky Friday, Fat Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday…

Orange Ginger Beet Kvass

I know it’s not Ferment Friday yet, but this is too good to wait.


Beet kvass that actually tastes good?  Is it even possible?!  I’ve been determined to make a beet kvass that I not only can drink but actually like.  I think I found it thanks to Jenny from Nourished Kitchen’s Fermented Beets with Orange and Ginger.  I thought I would add orange zest and ginger slices to my normal beet kvass recipe.  That is exactly what was needed.  It tastes great as is but add a second fermentation with orange or apple juice for some extra yum!


What is beet kvass? It’s a lactofermented beverage, it can be fizzy but not necessarily. If you do a second ferment in an airtight container, you have a higher chance of it being fizzy.


Use this beet kvass to make some Lactofermented Purple Eggs. It also colors yogurt a beautiful pink and just a little doesn’t alter the taste.

Orange Ginger Beet Kvass

• 6 medium beets, scrubbed and very roughly chopped
• 2″ knob of ginger, sliced thin
• Zest and juice of 1 orange (since we’re using the skin, I recommend using organic oranges)
• 4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable culture, reserved kvass from a previous batch, whey or an extra 2 tbsp sea salt
• Filtered water

Place beets, ginger, orange (zest and juice), salt and culture in a 1 gallon jar.  Top with filtered water and cover loosely.  Let set at room temperature for 3 days.  Strain and bottle the rich red liquid.  Use strained beets again for another batch.

For a second fermentation, fill air tight bottles like these flip top bottles, about 3/4 full.  Fill the rest of the way with orange juice (apple juice is great too) cover tightly and set 12-24 hrs at room temp.  Move to fridge and enjoy!


Part of Fat Tuesday, Whole Food Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Fight Back Friday

Lactofermented Mushrooms

Why, oh why had I not thought of this earlier?  Pickled mushrooms are one of my favorite pickles and I’ve only ever had the vinegar pickled kind.  Of course mushroom ought to make a great lactoferment!  These are great on their own or as a salad topping.  Flavoring with thyme and marjoram just seemed right.

Ever on a mission to perfect my mad fermenting skilz, I mixed things up quite a bit this week.  First, I ordered some Caldwell Starter Culture for vegetables from Cultures for Health.  Why use this instead of whey?  Because it contains bacteria that is found in soil not milk, which is perfect for vegetables.  It contains b.plantarum, Ln.mesenteroides, and Pc.acidilactici. Yes, whey works and I’ve never had a problem with it, but that’s not the case for everyone.  The thing that kept me from using it all my fermenting years was the price.  I have a ready supply of whey and didn’t want to spend money on something extra.  But curiosity got the best of me.  I want to see the difference.  In the coming weeks as I’ll use the culture more and more, I’ll let you know my opinion.

Second change?  I’m going to be using a 3.6% salt brine solution instead of just guessing.  I don’t like guessing.  It usually works out but sometimes it doesn’t.  I put too much salt in one of my ferments making it unpalatable.  To obtain a 3.6% solution, mix in 4 tbsp sea salt per 8 cups filtered water (or for smaller batches, 2 tbsp salt per 4 cups water).  If I wanted to be extra cautious, I would weigh the salt but I haven’t reached that level of crazy yet.  Fermenting for me needs to be easy.

I expect great things from these changes.  Here is the first great thing.

Lactofermented Mushrooms

• 8-16 oz mushrooms (I used crimini)
• 1/4 cup whey or vegetable culture or an extra tbsp of sea salt
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme
• a few sprigs of fresh marjoram
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 3.6% salt water brine to cover (4 tbsp sea salt dissolved in 8 cups filtered water)

Makes 1 quart.

Quarter mushrooms and layer into a quart sized mason jar with thyme, marjoram and garlic.  Fill to the top with the brine solution. Use a weight to hold the mushroom under water (I just used a small spice jar filled with water that fits nicely inside my jar). Cover loosely and let set for 3-5 days.  If you don’t use all the brine, place remaining in the fridge for future use.

One thing to keep in mind with mushrooms, they are filled with quite a bit of air.  I found that I had to add some brine throughout the week to keep the mushroom submerged and take extra care to hold them under the water.  Try placing a few cabbage leaves on top of the mushrooms and weighing it down with something.  You’ll also notice this jar is only half full.  It was full when I started.  Next time I might try pressing more mushrooms in.

Part of Friday Food Flicks, Freaky Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Living Well Blog Hop, Fight Back Friday, Traditional Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Whole Food Wednesday

Curried Lemon Dressing

I am having fun coming up with ways to used my Indian Hot Lemons.  After making the Probiotic Rich Lemon Poppyseed Dressing, I wanted to make something with the Indian Hot Lemons.  You might be able to make this with a plain old preserved lemon or even just lemon juice but I’m sure it won’t be quite as awesome 🙂

Curried Lemon Dressing

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup yogurt (I used filmjolk for mine)
• 1/2 a medium onion, chopped
• 1 Indian Hot Lemon, seeds removed, thinnly sliced peel and all
• 3 cloves garlic or 1 1/2 tsp fermented garlic paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

In a food processor, add all ingredients and process until smooth

Of course my first thought is to use this on top a salad with chicken, golden raisins and walnuts. Yup, perfect.

Sauerrueben

If you like sauerkraut, you’ll love sauerrueben.  Sauerrueben is similar to sauerkraut instead you use shredded turnips instead of cabbage.  It has the most interesting tang to it and is quickly becoming one of my favorite ferments.  My love to serve it on top of various patties.  Salmon patties, hamburgers, turkey patties and sausage patties.  So good!

Sauerrueben

• 3 lbs turnips, trimmed, peeled and shredded
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp whey (or an extra tbsp of sea salt)

Trim, peel and shred your turnips.  I like to use a food processor for the ease of it.  Dump the shredded turnips in a large bowl.  Add salt and whey if using and pound away with a wooden spoon or kraut pounder until they begin to release their juices.  Layer and pound into a quart sized mason jar.  Once all the turnip is in the jar, push down to submerge the solids under their juices.  You’ll want to make sure there is at least 1″ of head space to avoiding bubbling over.  Cover loosely and set in a warm place for about a week. Remove to cold storage.

I like to write the date I started my ferments on the top with a dry erase marker like this:

Part of Friday Food Flicks and Fight Back Friday

Probiotic Rich Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

I believe I just created the. best. salad dressing. ever.  Not exaggerating.  Perfect blend of sweetness, tartness and down right goodness.  I’m always on the look out for a good use for my preserved lemons and this is a great one.  Using a whole preserved lemon instead of just lemon juice adds a whole ‘nother level of awesomeness.  My batch even includes some lactofermented hot mustard.  No preserved lemons or lactofermented mustard?  No need to fret, you can easily substitute Dijon mustard and leave out the lemon.  It’s still super yummy.

Probiotic Rich Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 4 tbsp lemon juice (from fermented lemons)
• 1 preserved lemon, cut into pieces small enough to blend (just leave out if you don’t have any or use the zest of 1 regular lemon)
• 1/4 of a small onion, diced
• 1 tsp fermented hot mustard (see below or sub regular Dijon style mustard if needed)
• sea salt to taste (I use about 1/4 tsp)

Place all ingredients in a quart sized mason jar and using an immersion blender, puree ingredients (you can use a blender but this is a much easier clean up).  

For a great preserved lemon recipe go to http://nourishedkitchen.com/morrocan-preserved-lemons/

I love my immersion blender.  This baby is almost 10 yrs old and going strong.

Lactofermented Hot Mustard

• 2 jars of ground mustard, 1.75 oz each (or you can ground whole mustard
• whey

Slowly mix in whey until the mustard is at the consistency desired. Loosely cover and let set at room temperature for about 3 days.  Remove to cold storage.

Part of Homestead Barn Hop, Fat Tuesday Probiotic Food Challenge

Indian Spiced Cauliflower

It’s Ferment Friday again!

So the Indian Spiced Carrots were so good I had to apply that thought to cauliflower.  I’ve had the image of golden colored cauliflower in my head and having had cauliflower curry in the past, I knew this combo would be smashing.  I did change up the spices a bit simply because I didn’t have fenugreek on hand and am too impatient to wait for some to come in the mail (it’s not at an local grocery stores).  Normally I don’t use spice mixes but prefer to mix my own but this curry powder had all the spices I wanted.  Adjust the amount of cayenne to taste or leave it out completely.  In my batch, I used 1/4 cup of carrot ginger kvass as a starter instead of whey.

Indian Spiced Cauliflower, makes 2 quarts

• 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup whey, veggie starter or an additional tbsp of salt
• filtered water

In a 1/2 gallon mason jar, layer cauliflower, spices and salt, gently pressing cauliflower in.  Pour whey over the top and fill jar with filtered water.  Cover tightly and shake to disperse spices and dissolve salt.  Loosen cover and let set at room temp for 3-5 days. I like to tighten the lid on the last day of fermentation to seal in a little effervescence.  Nothing more fun than fizzy vegetables!

Part of Fight Back Friday and Friday Food Flicks and Traditional Tuesday and Fat Tuesday and Probiotic Food Challenge

Carrot Ginger Kvass

I’ve made beet kvass before and suffered through drinking it because it was good for me. This is coming from someone who normally likes beets.  I don’t know what got in to me to try making carrot kvass but maybe it’ll be friendlier to my taste buds.  Ginger of course just seems natural with carrots.  I made 3 different kinds in order to experiment. One with whey, one with no whey, and one with the carrot just scrubbed not peeled.  I actually forgot to peel it before I put it in the food processor, lol!  I figure it probably has extra good soil bacteria.
I gave it a try yesterday night and was pleasantly surprised. I actually liked it. I added a few drops of stevia to sweeten but even without the stevia it was palatable.  It’s not something I would drink for the sheer enjoyment of it but since it’s good for me, I can enjoy it.  I decided to try a second fermentation with added juice and now it’s very good.

Carrot Ginger Kvass (makes a little under 1 qt)

• 3 medium organic carrots, peeled and chopped finely
• 1″ piece of ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp whey (substitute 1 more tsp of sea salt if not using whey)
• Water to cover
• Stevia to taste (added after fermenting)

Place carrots in a quart sized mason jar.  Add salt, whey and water.  Cover tightly and shake to dissolve salt.  Loosen cover and let set at room temperature 3-5 days.  Strain out carrot solids, squeezing out the juice.  Refrigerate.  Save solids for baking or soups.  Reserve some liquid and use in place of whey to inoculate future batches.

Optional Second Ferment
I found doing an optional second ferment makes it much tastier and effervescent. Once you’ve strained the kvass, pour into flip top bottles or a mason jar, about 2/3 full.  Add juice to top it off.  Seal tightly and leave at room temp for another 8-12 hours.  Remove to cold storage.  I made one with apple and one with carrot juice.  Both are great.

Part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday and Real Food Forager’s Probiotic Food Challenge and Fat Tuesday, and Friday Food Flicks.