Simple Tools for Immune Support – Fermented Veggies
You know the basics to keep the coronavirus from spreading: wash your hands often, stay away from others, keep a 6-foot distance even when you enjoy a walk outside together–with those who have had no symptoms. But what can we do to strengthen our body with simple food choices?
My post yesterday included a link to a video by Susun Weed with the basics for strengthening your body against all kinds of bacteria and virus’. You already know to stay away from sugar and include the three musketeers for your immune system (garlic, ginger and onions) regularly in your diet. But those vegetables have even more benefits–along with a colorful variety of others–when they go through lacto-fermentation. That link will provide great details about the health benefits, and I have posted the recipe below for these simple Italian Pickled Vegetables. For more information like this, please ‘like’ my Essentrics with Susan page on Facebook.
Lacto-Fermented Veggies, Italian Style
I love this recipe from Sarah Fragaso’s Everyday Paleo Italian Cuisine for several reasons:
- It’s easy to make and only takes a few minutes to chop veggies while briefly heating a vinegar solution on the stove with olive oil and dried herbs.
- It’s super quick to serve with any meal to up your veggie consumption, and lasts for weeks in your refrigerator–but you will gobble it up before then.
- These fermented veggies truly taste good. I have never been a fan of sauerkraut, but these are a tasty addition to any meal.
Italian Pickled Vegetables, Well-Used recipe page from Everyday Paleo Italian Cuisine
You can purchase lacto-fermented veggies at the market on your infrequent trips there, but when you make them at home they have the secret ingredient: love. Soon we will hopefully be able to actually pluck our own carrots and garlic and broccoli from our own gardens to make this colorful “food as medicine”. I have included a number of recipes in my own book, Take Back Your Body, to further interest you in using food as medicine.
Hmmm…sounds like it’s time to pull out our seeds form last year and place an order to fill things in for when the snow melts. It’s happening, even in Steamboat Springs!
Find the space and peace in this time of isolation. Silver linings in this situation abound, and cooking at home more is one of them.