What’s the deal with fermented vegetables? Fermented vegetables are beneficial for gut health. They add good bacteria to your gut, and this good bacteria helps to strengthen your immune system and regulate your appetite. A strong immune system is of utmost importance, in my humble opinion.

Do you ferment your vegetables? Fermented vegetables are available in many grocery stores, but I find it easier and much more costeffective to make our own.

Fermented is my favorite way to eat cauliflower - crunchy and a little tangy, with hints of whatever herbs or seasoning I added to the brine to make it so tasty. Food that is fermenting doesn’t leave your kitchen smelling wonderful, but it’s a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.

Having gotten pretty good at canning over the years, I have a dozen lids that are specially made for the jars, and will ferment whatever veggies and brine that you put in the jars with minimal effort, maximum variety, and somewhat minimized smell factor.

The first time I made sauerkraut at home in a big crock, the house smelled so bad I almost didn’t want to eat the two gallons of fermented cabbage. But it was delicious and healthy, and I ate it and loved it. I might’ve been the only one in the house who enjoyed it, but I did. I also fermented okra and green beans that I picked from a friend’s garden, and made spicy kimchee. Again, I was the only person to eat it, but that was fine by me.

You can ferment pretty much any vegetable, some just need a little more care or process than others. Leafy greens and cabbages have enough moisture in them that you don’t need a brine recipe, they make their own with some salt. I also like to ferment carrots, peppers, radishes, beets, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Other vegetables with a higher water content like squash and sliced cucumbers may get mushy during the ferment, and need an ingredient high in tannins like grape leaves or black tea leaves added to their jars.

While it seems daunting to ferment, it really isn’t. Be sure you cut your ingredients roughly the same size and shape so they ferment at the same rate.

Use a salt brine to cover the veggies completely and keep them submerged. The magic can only happen in an oxygen-free environment. Mold will grow if any veggies are exposed to air. You can keep the ingredients submerged by nesting a smaller jar in a larger jar, placing a glass weight in the jar, or covering the ingredients with a cabbage leaf.

The fermentation is done when the veggies taste good to you - and tangy is good. Depending on the veggies and the temperature they’re kept, fermentation will be quick, or it could take a little longer. Taste it every few days, and be sure to keep it submerged.

When they’re done, store your vegetables in a cool place. They’ll stay good for months in the refrigerator since cool will slow the fermentation process.

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