Purple Sauerkraut Radiant Recipe

when I first started learning about the microbiome, I was shocked to hear that when you look in the mirror, what you see is actually 80% bacteria and 20% human! how awesome is that? each person’s microbiome is different — it is our individual, symbiotic relationship with the bacteria around & within us. what’s also incredible, is that 80% of our immune system resides in our gut, so making sure all is happy & well down in there is key to restoring, maintaining & building our overall wellness. the easiest way to do this is with the help of probiotics (fermented foods) and prebiotics (whole, plant fiber that feed the good bacteria).
“All disease begins in the gut.” — Hippocrates
making sauerkraut at home is a delicious, satisfying way to get more probiotics — good bacteria that are essential for a healthy gut flora and digestive system. it’s super easy to make, crazy cheap & always brightens up your plate! a dear friend recently told me that my sauerkraut is so good, her partner put it on his pancakes one morning! I don’t recommend it but you’re a free being…
gather:
white cabbage
red cabbage
carrot (optional)
himalayan pink salt
ground black peppercorn
garlic
ginger
filtered water

make:
finely shred 1 purple & 1 white cabbage (I remove the hard middle stems of the cabbage when chopping) and rinse in a colander. grate a few carrots and combine both in a large non-metallic bowl.
sprinkle with 2 tbsp salt and give it a nice massage for a couple of mins, infusing it with your love and healing energy. I love listening to mantra music & chanting along. I honestly believe it makes the food taste better & raises its vibration.

cover with a tea towel & let sit in room temperature for 2 hours. the volume of cabbage should have softened and reduced to about half, with a good amount of liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
add 1 tsp cracked black pepper, 4–5 cloves garlic & 1 tsp ginger, both finely chopped, and mix well.
divide into jars and really squeeze it in there, pressing down firmly to submerge the cabbage under the natural brine. leave a 1–2 inch space at the top and make sure the kraut is totally covered with liquid (top up with filtered water if needed).
secure jar with a plastic lid, preferably not metal. if you can’t get plastic, use a piece of baking paper between the jar & lid as metal slowly corrodes from acidity and can be absorbed by the kraut.
sit jars on top of an old cloth or plate (because it’ll often leak out some juice) in room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 7 days minimum.
after patiently waiting a week, carefully open the jar to release the pressure that built up & check all kraut is still under the surface of the water. give it a sniff, it should smell sour but still fresh and there shouldn’t be any mold in sight!
when you’re happy with where it’s at in the fermentation process, refrigerate with the lid on tight and it’ll last months.
makes approx 64oz/half gallon mason jar

if you still feel a bit overwhelmed by fermenting, this video of Sandor Katz makes it super clear & easy :) he’s the best.
thanks so much for reading. if you like this recipe, please give it a clap so more people will see it and be inspired to get up to their elbows in homemade kraut!
