Dairy free people like me can make kimchi. It's a probiotic food as well, AND it contains ginger.

Edit-didn't see page two yet. You guys were ahead of me.

Lacto-fermented salsa

The traditional salsa, lacto-fermented, so it stays good for a very long time and brings a great fuzzy and pungent taste.

Ingredients

• 12 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped;

   

• 2 cups chilies, seeded and chopped (Jalape±os and Serranos are good choices);

   

• 1/4 cup dried oregano;

   

• 2 tbsp cumin;

   

• 8 garlic cloves, chopped;

   

• 2 onions, chopped;

   

• 1/4 cup sea salt;

   

  Preparation

   

  • Wear gloves to handle the chilies and combine the chopped tomatoes, chilies, oregano, cumin, garlic and onions together.

     

  • Place the tomato mixture little by little in your fermentation jar, pounding it vigorously and sprinkling some of the sea salt as you go.

     

  • Make sure the mixture fills the jar up to 1 inch bellow the top (because of the expansion), adding more if needed, and that the extracted water covers the vegetables entirely.

     

  • Press the mixture and keep it under the brine by placing a plate or a lid on top weighted down by a rock or a jug of water. Cover with a clean towel if needed to keep out fruit flies.

     

  • Place the fermentation jar in a warm spot in your kitchen and allow the salsa to ferment for 3 to 5 days.

     

  • Check on it from time to time to be sure that the brine covers the mixture and to remove any mold that may form on the surface.

     

  • A good way to know when it™s ready is to taste it during the fermentation process and move it to the refrigerator when you™re satisfied with the taste.

     

     

    Lacto-fermented peach chutney

     

    When we think of lacto-fermentation, we often think of vegetables being fermented, but fruits are also a great choice and some very interesting combinations can be prepared this way. Here we use peaches, but feel free to use any of your favorite fruits or those that are in season. Pears, plums and apples are great choices too.

     

    Ingredients

     

    • 16 pears, cored and chopped coarsely;

       

    • 2 cups raisins;

       

    • 2 cups pecans, chopped;

       

    • 2 1/2 tbsp sea salt;

       

    • Juice of 5 lemons;

       

    • 4 onions, finely chopped;

       

    • 4 tbsp grated fresh ginger;

       

    • 4 hot peppers, fresh or dried, chopped;

       

      Preparation

       

      • Combine the chopped pears with the raisins, pecans, sea salt, lemon juice, onions, ginger and hot peppers together.

         

      • Place the mixture little by little in your fermentation jar, pounding it vigorously to release the juices.

         

      • Make sure the mixture fills the jar up to 1 inch bellow the top (because of the expansion) and that the extracted water covers the mixture. If not, create a brine of 2 tablespoons sea salt to 4 cups water and add it to the mixture.

         

      • Press the vegetables and keep them under the brine by placing a plate or a lid on top weighted down by a rock or a jug of water. Cover with a clean towel if needed to keep out fruit flies.

         

      • Place the fermentation jar in a warm spot in your kitchen and allow the chutney to ferment for 2 to 4 days.

         

      • Check on it from time to time to be sure that the brine covers the vegetables and to remove any mold that may form on the surface.

         

      • A good way to know when it™s ready is to taste it during the fermentation process and move it to the refrigerator when you™re satisfied with the taste.

         

         

        

         

        Lacto-fermented vegetable medley

         

        Vegetable combinations are a great idea when lacto-fermenting and this summer vegetable medley of cucumbers, carrots, apples and cauliflower is a great example.

         

        Ingredients

         

         

        • 4 apples, cored and diced;

           

        • 4 cups cauliflower florets;

           

        • 4 carrots, peeled and diced;

           

        • 8 green onions, sliced thinly;

           

        • 3 tbsp grated fresh ginger;

           

        • 8 tbsp sea salt;

           

         

        Preparation

         

        [*]Combine the apples, cauliflower, carrots, onions and ginger together.

        [*]Place the mixture little by little in your fermentation jar, pounding them vigorously and sprinkling some of the sea salt as you go.

        [*]Make sure the mixture fills the jar up to 1 inch bellow the top (because of the expansion), adding more if needed, and that the extracted water covers the vegetables entirely. If not, create a brine of 2 tablespoons sea salt to 4 cups water and add it to the cabbage.

        [*]Press the mixture and keep it under the brine by placing a plate or a lid on top weighted down by a rock or a jug of water. Cover with a clean towel if needed to keep out fruit flies.

        [*]Place the fermentation jar in a warm spot in your kitchen and allow the mixture to ferment for 3 to 5 days.

        [*]Check on it from time to time to be sure that the brine covers the mixture and to remove any mold that may form on the surface.

        [*]A good way to know when it™s ready is to taste it during the fermentation process. It™s ready when you™re satisfied with the taste.

         

         

         

        Beet Kvass

         

        Beet Kvass is a lacto-fermented beet juice loaded with nutrients that is very useful as a digestive tonic. The beets used in this recipe can of course be enjoyed as well, but the resulting liquid is the main attraction here and can be used instead of vinegar in salad dressings.

         

        Ingredients

         

        [*]4 large or 6 medium beetroot, peeled and chopped roughly;

        [*]5 tbsp sea salt;

         

         

        Preparation

         

        [*]Combine the sea salt and the chopped beets and place the mixture in your fermentation jar.

        [*]Add enough water to fill the jar, stir to dissolve the salt, cover and let ferment in a warm spot of your kitchen for about 2 days before removing it to the refrigerator.

         

         

Oh--for those on gluten/grain free diets, use apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar, and skip the tamari.

Having my first batch of beet kvass tomorrow, exciting! It's a really nice looking drink too.

I'm becoming obsessed with fermenting, lol

I have Sally Fallon's book and know it has recipes for fermenting other veggies and such. One of these days, I'll post some.

I had an article that named some strains that specifically reduced allergic response, but lost it. Lactobacillus reuteri seems to be one. Here are some other articles/studies.

Allergic reactions inhibited by probiotics.

http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=fulltext&file=000098318

http://www.umcutrecht.nl/research/specials/allergies-in-children/

Oral Treatment with Live Lactobacillus reuteri Inhibits

the Allergic Airway Response in Mice http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/content/175/6/561.full.pdf

Article on fermentation and probiotics in several products, but predominately about dairy. They are talking about commercial products: http://www.ajcn.org/content/73/2/374S.long

Latin american Sauerkraut aka Cortido

If you've ever had Salvadoran or Honduran Pupusas, this is the slaw they serve them with. See below for how to use your pineapple skin and core to make pineapple vinegar to make it the traditional way. Also, look for Mexican oregano. I don't know what the difference is, but it is different. It tastes 'Latino.'

1 large cabbage, cored and shredded

1 cup carrots, grated

2 medium onions quartered and finely sliced

1 T dried oregano

1/2 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 T sea salt

4 T whey (or 1T additional salt)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pound with a wooden pounder or meat hammer, (maybe a potato masher?) for about 10 minutes to release juices. Divide among mason canning jars and press down until juices rise over the top of the cabbage mixture. There should be 1" of space at the top of the jars. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

Variation: Real Cortido made with Pineapple vinegar in place of the salt and whey.

Pineapple Vinegar

skin and core from 1 pineapple

2 quarts water

2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp red chile flakes

2 T whey (optional)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and leave at room temperature for about 36 hours. strain vinegar into clean jars and cover tightly. Store in a cool place for several months.

Ginger Carrots

4 cups grated carrots

1 T freshly grated ginger

1 T sea salt

4 T whey (or another T of salt)

Sweet carrots counter the acidity. and go well with ginger.

Mix all ingredients and pound with a mallet or something to release juices. Place in canning jars, pressing down so juices cover the carrots. Leave 1" of space at the top of the jars. cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 3 days. Refrigerate.

You can make a Japanese Sauerkraut variation using a head of Napa cabbage, green onions, 2 T naturally fermented soy sauce, 2 T lemon juice, 1T sea salt, Whey or another T of salt.

Some sites on fermented dairy

Clabbermouth - new blog on fermenting unpasteurized dairy: http://www.clabbermo...a-clabbermouth/

Discussion forum with recipes on a site supporting a book called 'Keeping the Family Cow" http://familycow.pro...s.com/index.cgi

Post on someone's experience making Queso Fresco http://familycow.pro...ay&thread=50946

List of bacteria cultures involved in various cheeses and other products. I'm not sure this applies to the products found in the average American supermarket though:

http://benm.myweb.uga.edu/

Blog post on fermented foods: http://healthfoodlover.com/hfl/2010/06/24/guest-post-all-about-fermented-foods-with-naturopath-helen-padarin/ with recipes and sources.

How do you feel about raw dairy/cultured raw butter, alternativista?

http://healthfoodlover.com/hfl/2009/10/28/spicy-pink-purple-sauerkraut/

Spicy Pink & Purple Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

• 1 whole purple cabbage

   

• 1 big beetroot or 2 small beetroot

   

• 3 or 4 tsp.A Himalayan sea salt, finely ground

   

• 3 tsp. caraway seeds

   

• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

   

• optional: 1 small chili, chopped finely

   

  Your Tools & Equipment:

   

  • a mandolin (useful but notA necessary)

     

  • a sharp knife

     

  • a chopping board

     

  • a potato peeler

     

  • a crock pot/bucket

     

  • a mortar & pestle (to grind salt & pound cabbage)

     

  • a ziplock bag

     

  • a tea towel

     

   

   

  see link for instructions and pictures. It had more than allowed in a post so I couldn't just copy and paste it.

Lacto-fermented Hummus (Garbanzo Bean Dip)

http://www.cookinggo...banzo-bean-dip/

3 cups cooked, drained, garbanzo beans (see *note* below)

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons unrefined sea salt

1/4 cup whey (see how to obtain whey)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin, to taste

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste

2 to 4 Tablespoons filtered water, or more as needed

You Will Also Need:

1-quart sized wide-mouth jar (preferably with air-lock lid)

*NOTE* For best nutrition soak dried garbanzo beans 12 hours (or more) in filtered water to cover, along with a few Tablespoons of whey. View more research on the importance of soaking beans from Amanda Rose Ph.D. @ Rebuild from Depression.

After soaking, drain the beans and cook as you would normally. (I like to cover the soaked beans with filtered water and cook in the crock pot on low all day about 6 to 8 hours.)

In the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic and pulse to mince. Add in the beans, lemon juice, sea salt, whey, cumin, and cayenne. Process until a paste forms.

Add in filtered water, a little at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Transfer bean mixture to a 1-quart wide mouth jar. Place lid (preferably air-lock lid) on the jar tightly. If using air-lock fill with water according to instructions. Allow to ferment at room temperature for 3 days.

Remove air-lock lid, if using, and replace with storage lid transfer to cold storage.

Serve at room temperature. For a nice presentation, drizzle dip in serving bowl with olive oil and/or sesame oil. (A light dusting of paprika on top also makes a lovely addition.) Serve with fresh veggies and/or pita chips

Makes 1-Quart.

I just learned that you can freeze yogurt to use as a starter for your next batch. So I put some in the freezer a week ago. I'm going to test it soon.

Mercola article on the importance of gut microflora in prevention of all kinds of diseases. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/01/probiotics-for-optimal-gut-flora.aspx?e_cid=20120801_DNL_artNew_1

Specifically names a few strains and what they do for you:

Bifidobacterium lactis

 

resulted in increases in both the number and disease-fighting capacity of white cells.

 

 

Lactobaccilus reuteri can help protect against foodborne infection

⁵

 

.

 

However, just because a study has not been done with a particular strain does not mean it is not effective. These studies need to be paid for and most are not done unless there is a potential to commercialize a strain.

Like the L. Casie Immunitas advertised by DAnno or Yoplait or whoever. You can get L Casei from many other sources. L Casei Immunitas is nothing but a name they copyrighted and gave to the L Casei they produce in their factories.

Hey Alternativista, this part of the kimchi recipe:

1.Halve cabbage and remove core. Cut into 1-inch slices and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sea salt. Use a plate or other weight to press cabbage down for at least 2 hours. Rinse cabbage, being sure to squeeze out excess moisture.

They don't say so, but you're supposed to add water to the bowl with the cabbage and salt, right? Isn't that the point of the "pressing down" with the plate, to get it under the liquid? Every time I've made kimchi I've soaked it in salt water first, except I was soaking it for an entire day, not 2 hours. Have you used this recipe and did it work? Because it seems like it isn't fermenting when I do it my way. I'm trying to figure out why.

Hey Alternativista, this part of the kimchi recipe:

1.Halve cabbage and remove core. Cut into 1-inch slices and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sea salt. Use a plate or other weight to press cabbage down for at least 2 hours. Rinse cabbage, being sure to squeeze out excess moisture.

They don't say so, but you're supposed to add water to the bowl with the cabbage and salt, right? Isn't that the point of the "pressing down" with the plate, to get it under the liquid? Every time I've made kimchi I've soaked it in salt water first, except I was soaking it for an entire day, not 2 hours. Have you used this recipe and did it work? Because it seems like it isn't fermenting when I do it my way. I'm trying to figure out why.

 

The only recipe I've done is the Cortido where you make and add pineapple vinegar. And I thought the salt and the pressing was supposed make the cabbage release it's moisture?

From a livestrong article. I plan to pare it down to a simple list. Lactobacillus

A number of microbes in the Lactobacillus family are considered to be probiotics. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that Lactobacillus acidophilus is the probiotic that consumers use most often. This friendly bacteria can live in the intestines, leaving less space for harmful bacteria to take over. Lactobacillus bacteria also digest food in the intestines, and the byproducts of this process make the intestinal environment less attractive to harmful bacteria. Lactobacillus acidophilus is present in enriched milk, yogurt, miso and tempeh, and also is available as a supplement in capsules at natural foods distributors. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus acidophilus are generating a lot of interest from health care researchers, and scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have stated that gastric bypass patients who consume these friendly bacteria lose more weight than those who do not.

Bifidobacteria

Bifidobacteria is a type of probiotic that is present in kefir, a fermented milk beverage first consumed in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia thousands of years ago. Acidic and slightly carbonated, kefir sometimes is used in soups, sauces and cakes. Consumption of products containing bifidobacteria helps to improve the microfloral population of the colon. This probiotic may be helpful in relieving the diarrhea and constipation experienced by those with irritable bowel syndrome. Dr. Peter Whorwell, of the University of Manchester, reported in the "American Journal of Gastroenterology" in July 2006 that after four weeks of taking Bifantis, a freeze-dried, encapsulated source of bifidobacteria, patients with irritable bowel syndrome showed significant alleviation of abdominal pain, bloating and bowel dysfunction.

Streptococcus

Some streptococcal bacteria are associated with infectious diseases. Others are more closely related to delicious dairy products. Varieties of Streptococcus thermophilus, for example, are commonly found in yogurt, as well as cheddar, Emmental and Italian cheeses, while Streptococcus diacetilactis is found in sour cream, butter and buttermilk. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that probiotics, such as Streptococcus thermophilus, may help prevent infections in the genital and urinary tracts, but notes that more research is needed to confirm the benefits of probiotics in alleviating these types of conditions.

References

• Stanford School of Medicine:Probiotics Help Gastric-Bypass Patients Lose Weight More Quickly, Stanford Study Shows
• Pennington Biomedical Research Center: Probiotics
• University of Massachusetts: Microbes Involved in Dairy Products
• RawHealth's Probiotics The Kefir Curds Article
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Candidiasis
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Lactobacillus Acidophilus

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/amazing-healing-properties-fermented-foods?utm_source=www.GreenMedInfo.com&utm_campaign=fe9a9147f4-Greenmedinfo&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_193c8492fb-fe9a9147f4-86969685

• Kimchi a probiotic strain isolated from the fermented cabbage preparation kimchi known as Lactobacillus brevis is capable of degrading organophosphorus pesticides.
• Kimchi a probiotic strain known as Bacillus pumilus found within this fermented food is capable of degrading bisphenol A, a powerful endocrine disruptive chemical.
• Miso a fermented soy food has been shown, when consumed regularly, to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women by up to 54%.
• Miso capable of regressing colon cancer growth in the animal model.
• Natto A fermented soybean extract that has been shown to suppress plaque buildup (as measured by the intima media thickness) in the arteries in an animal model.
• Natto capable of contributing to nerve regeneration following sciatic nerve crush injury.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june11/antibiotics_06-16.html