Lacto-Fermented Garlic-Basil Beans

Tonight I tasted my first lacto-fermented batch of ginger carrots (refer to previous post).  It tasted very strongly of ginger, so if I attempt another batch I will decrease the amount of ginger to 1/3 or 1/4 the original amount.  I had no idea how potent even the smallest amount of fresh ginger root is.  Needless to say, it was a fun first attempt, but definitely not something I liked and want to gobble down.  However, lady genevieve likes it and does not seem to be bothered by the strong ginger taste, so it wasn't a wasted attempt.  I will feed that baby snacks of gingered carrots until that jar runs out or she stops liking it.

Onto the next lacto-fermentation batch: Garlic-Basil Beans (green & yellow wax).  Most recipes I found online were for Dilly Green Beans.  At the moment I do not have dill ready for use, so I decided to go with a garlic & basil combination.  It seems like a nice Italian seasoned snack.  We will see how this combination goes.

Cut & trim ends off fresh green & wax beans.  Then lay 1 quart canning jar horizontal on it's side, as you fill with beans- this keeps them standing straight up and makes it easier to squeeze them in tight.  Then dissolve 2 Tbsp. Sea salt in 3 cups of filtered water.  Pour into jar of beans.  Add 1/2 tsp. minced or fresh garlic.  Add 2 Tbsp. whey (optional).  Add fresh basil leaves to taste- I did about 7 medium size leaves.   Place glass weights on top of beans & basil to keep vegetables submerged under brine.  Fit air lock onto jar and place in a dark cool spot.  The instructions I found, suggested letting it ferment for 24-38 hours and then placing in the door of the refrigerator for a continued slow ferment (since this is the warmest spot in the refrigerator).  This causes the ferment to take longer, but also preserve the beans longer.  That recipe said the beans would be ready to eat in 1-2 weeks.   I think I am going to do a week of room temperature fermenting, and then do a taste test.

Culturing my Life- How to make your own Kefir

I discovered Kefir about a year ago, and absolutely love it.  It's referred to as the "champagne" of yogurt.  It isn't for everyone- the Laird isn't a big fan.  But I on the other hand, really love the sour-yet-sweet taste of this yogurt-like drink.  It is a probiotic drink, that adds beneficial bacteria to your system.  When taking antibiotics, it is important to also take probiotics to re-build the healthy bacteria throughout your digestive system that is depleted by the antibiotics.

Cultures for Health is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in pursuing healthy eating habits.  It is extremely informative and has articles, recipes, a shop and sections about Fermentation, Cultures, Cheese Making, Soy Cultures, & Sprouting.  The articles guide you through each process in detail, basically giving you everything you need to learn any of these practices/ topics.  Hours upon hours of reading material for any interested.  I hadn't ever really heard about Culturing or Fermenting, nor the health benefits associated with cultured foods prior to finding this website.

TOOLS:  Canning jar, plastic strainer, coffee filter

Cultured foods are good for our bodies because they add healthy bacteria to our systems & the nutrients in fermented foods are more readily available for use by our bodies.  It's an ancient method of food preservation, that actually preserves food in a living state.  The canning process of food preservation heats the food to temperatures that kill not only the bad bacteria that can grow in the food, but also the living properties in food as well.

All of it sounds so interesting, and I want to try to learn how to make Kefir... and yogurt... and ferment my vegetables....  But I am going to start small, and depending on how things go, we can expand from there.  

The Kefir grains are mailed in a freeze dried state and have to be activated for a number of days before they are ready to start making kefir.  To activate Kefir grains:  Add kefir grains to 1 cup of of milk.  Cover with coffee filter & secure with rubber band.  Allow to sit on counter for 24 hours at room temperature.  Strain grains and discard milk.  Repeat process every 24 hours for 3-7 days, until the grains are activated.  Activated grains will produce a batch of Kefir, with a buttermilk thickness, within 24 hours.  The Kefir grains look like little cauliflowers when activated.

We are currently activating our grains, and will hopefully be making Kefir within the week.  When a batch of Kefir is completed, strain off grains and store Kefir in refrigerator.  Then add milk to grains and start a new batch.  Kefir is can be enjoyed as a drink, in addition to many other recipes- Kefir cheese, ice cream, smoothies, dips....  I hear the options are endless.  The Kefir can be sweetened with fresh fruit too.  I like eating it over granola.  In time the Kefir grains will grow and multiply, so they can be shared with other people too.  One amazing thing about these grains, is that they can be used indefinitely to make your own Kefir!  

If this is something that you're interested in then check out Cultures for Health!