Happy Friday!  Mine has been jam packed with disinfecting of our house (sick nephew), a quick trip to Costco (my favorite stop of the week) and Whole Foods (Whole Paycheck), four loads of laundry, and vacuuming/mopping the floors.  On my trip to Costco I found some awesome new snacks that didn’t upset my stomach.  Which means they are a proper food pairing!  As long as you don’t eat them with a starch or another protein.  I had them after my lunch salad while watching an episode of Chopped.

Aside from snacking and crossing off most of my to-do list I also made a batch of homemade kraut.  It’s surprisingly easy and requires three ingredients.  Water, salt, and cabbage.  I use it on top of my salads and sometimes just have a bowl of it before dinner.  The recipe comes from Kimberly Snyder, she even has a how-to video on her blog.  In her book, The Beauty Detox Solution she recommends eating 1/2-1 cup of raw kraut every day to help keep flora balanced and our bodies pH has neutral as possible.  The kraut is great for cleansing your body and aiding with digestion.  Even though it can make the room you store it in a little stinky, it’s worth the smell and time for such an easy and affordable super food.

Simple Raw Kraut
adapted from: Kimberly Snyder
  • 1 large head of cabbage
  • 1/4 cup Himalayan pink salt
  • filtered water, as needed
  • 2-3 mason jars with lids
Cooking Directions

Rinse and core your head of cabbage, removing 4-6 outer leaves and setting aside.

Use a food processor to shred the entire head of cabbage. If you do not have a food processor, thinly slice the entire head of cabbage to desired thickness. Toss shredded cabbage in filtered water and strain to remove excess water. I make sure to wash the cabbage twice to remove as many pesticides as possible. Once drained, pour cabbage into large bowl and toss with salt to fully coat.

Take one mason jar and fill it 1/4 full with cabbage mixture. Use the end of a wooden spoon or spatula to compact the cabbage and remove most of the air. Add more until 1/2 full, compacting again. Repeat until there is 1" left at the top of the jar. If your cabbage seems dry (often times there is enough water from the cabbage itself) add a little filtered water until all cabbage is covered. Fold or roll up your leftover cabbage leaves, pressing them into the top of the mixture. The water level will rise to the top. Seal the jar and set aside. Repeat with as many mason jars as needed. Depending on the capacity of the jars and the size of your cabbage the amount will vary. Once all the jars are sealed place them in a room where the temperate stays moderately the same (or use a temperature controlled cooler) and allow them to sit for at least 5 days. They may leak if not sealed properly. I usually place paper towels underneath them as a precaution. This will not harm the kraut.

When opening jars be careful as the probiotics and enzymes that have formed cause a build-up of pressure in the jar. Remove the rolled cabbage leaves and refrigerate for up to 30 days. Enjoy!