Raw Sauerkraut

RAW Sauerkraut is super easy to make!
I was so intimidated by raw foods, fermented foods, and sprouting for a long time… I am NOT a chef and I can do this…so you can too 

INGREDIENTS:
1 large head Organic cabbage (green or red), shredded
1 Tbsp Himalayan sea salt (use less if CELTIC sea salt)
Reverse Osmosis (RO), Distilled or Spring water

Optional (get creative):
1 Tbsp Caraway seeds (traditional sauerkraut flavor)
2 Tbsp Dulse flakes (great for the Thyroid)
Sliced Garlic cloves (enhances Candida die-off)
WILD OREGANO ESSENTIAL OIL (2-4 drops; enhances Candida die-off! Start slow & Mix well.)
Any herbs: sage, thyme, rosemary, lavender (these 4 combine well! And boy do they enhance Candida die-off together. You could do the actual herbs or use 1-2 drops of each of these essential oils IF they are 100% pure, unadulterated essential oils. ALL of the essential oils I carry on my ONLINE STORE are safe to ingest; NOTE: few brands are safe for ingesting).

Massage & smash your cabbage (with your hands, tongs, the bottom of another jar,  or a wooden spoon, etc) until it produces moisture and shrinks down. Mine only took about 2-3 minutes to break down.

Then transfer your wet cabbage (and every drop of juice) into your jar(s). Be sure to fill them to the top, packing your kraut to maximum capacity. You want to top each jar with a couple layers of your outer cabbage leaves that you had set aside, and make sure the liquid in the jar covers the top of the whole cabbage leaves. Add water (NOT tap water) to top off your jar so that there is NO AIR left in the jar. See photo.

Put your clean lid on tightly and store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month. You can start checking your kraut for flavor after a few days. The warmer the room temperature, the faster the fermentation. The more sour you like it (I LOVE SOUR-kraut)…the longer it takes. 1 week in our coastal Southern California home without air conditioning is usually plenty.

Place your jar of kraut in the fridge once it reaches the flavor you like, and this will stop the fermentation process EASY! It will keep for months (but be sure to woof it down sooner than that!)

Enjoy a little each day. I love sauerkraut on a bed of salad greens with ground (taco) meat, chopped veggies (whatever I have in the fridge), avocado, and healthy hot sauce (Melinda’s Original Hot Sauce to be exact..haha). I eat a couple bites before any meal to help with digestion. It pairs perfectly with any sausage, roast, steak, poultry, etc. Great condiment OR side. It even goes with eggs (true german style!).

NOTE: DO NOT COOK IT! It is RAW for a reason…that’s how it produces and maintains all those YUMMY probiotics that heal your gut and immune system!! For the same reason, store-bought kraut that says “Organic” but is not RAW, will have zero probiotic cultures in it and will make your Candida overgrowth WORSE. It is still pasteurized (aka: dead) if it only says Organic. Organic IS NOT the same as RAW….RAW ORGANIC would be BEST!!

IT MUST BE RAW. Trader Joe’s sells the least expensive one I’ve found (if making it isn’t your thing!). The one on the right is from our Local CSA that I order sometimes at $9/jar (SEE…that’s why you need to make it for a total of like $3 for 2 BIG jars!!!) You can also find RAW kraut at Mother’s Market, Whole Foods, and other health food stores.

THE BENEFITS ARE ENDLESS:
1. Natural source of probiotics
2. Rich in Calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin K1, Beta-carotene
3. Naturally kills Candida overgrowth & helps heal your gut
4. Detoxes liver
5. Builds energy
6. Builds immune system to protect you all year round
7. Rich in Sulfer & natural antioxidants (glutathione & superoxide dismutase) which lowers free-radical damage.
8. Cancer prevention, particularly breast cancer.
9. Helps break down hard-to-digest lactose from milk/dairy into the more easily digestible lactic acid
10. Helps digest proteins; essential for ALL healing
11. Helps heartburn/GERD
12. Anti-inflammatory
13. Traditional “treatment” for peptic ulcers in Europe
14. Clear skin (because most skin conditions start with an imbalanced gut, liver, immune system.)
15. Better bowel movements (can help with diarrhea OR constipation).
16. Healing the gut is the start to naturally balancing hormones and healthy thyroid function! It is all related!!

FOOD REALLY IS MEDICINE!!!  WHAT TO EXPECT:
You MAY break out, get (BAD!) gas…stinky gas, have an itchy bum (no pain no gain!), notice some cloudy urine, get stinky pits, or notice bad breath at first because of the initial die-off reaction that is taking place in your body. CONGRATULATIONS!!! IT’S WORKING!!!  Keep going kraut warrior!! It will eventually subside and you will benefit greatly from making this a staple in your diet If the gas or bloating is too bad, eat less for a week, then increase. RAW, FERMENTED foods are nearly absent from the American diet (and replaced with DEAD, sugar-laden, genetically modified, processed foods) leading to endless health problems that are 100% within OUR CONTROL. Take responsibility for your health and eat yourself healthy.

Let me know your feedback. I LOVE hearing from you guys!

Read more about Candida overgrowth if you suspect you have this! 90% of the American population does now. CHECK OUT THESE OTHER BLOGS ON CANDIDA OVERGROWTH:
WHAT IS CANDIDA OVERGROWTH?
BALANCING YOUR MICRO-BIOME
HOW KOMBUCHA HEALED MY GUT