I experiment too much...new fermented foods I eat

[lealdragon]

Thanks! I did find some recipes for nut cheeses, which I plan to try. But I didn't realize a lot of the protein would be gone!

What finally worked for you? Did eating a lot of fermented foods help your digestion? Eating meat isn't an option for me, and I get heartburn from yogurt, though not from cheese, oddly enough. Are you saying that more fat in your diet helped your digestion? I do take extra D3, and should get plenty of K and A from juicing.

[MDee]

The links in the earlier posts are to my blog. There I discuss what I eat and my theories as to why it works. I have very severe Crohn's/IBS (depends on the doctor and the medical manuals doesn't give much to clearly distinguish the two) so my choices are more extreme due to my situation. I eat all raw/fermented foods. I get very sick when I eat almost anything "typical".

Just a heads up, Vit A from plants (beta carotene) is not the same as vitamin A from animals (retinol). Beta carotene can be changed by the body but that requires good fats and is not a great ratio. Also be careful and educate yourself about supplements, all vitamins must be in balance with each other. There are often very real consequences to over loading on a specific vitamin. I personally choose to not supplement and choose to ferment foods because I believe they are very rich sources of the vitamins and minerals the body needs. You don't have to take my word for anything though. I would encourage you to diligently educate yourself because no doctor, friend or relative will do it for you (at least well enough) and it is your health that is on the line.

If you have other questions I'd be more than willing to share what I know and have learned.

Good luck

[Denise]

Also: Denise, if you're still around, can you tell me how you ferment raw veggie juice? I do a lot of juicing. Thanks!

Thanks in advance!

Hi lealdragon,

The following is from my post FOLLOW UP SUCCESS: FERMENTING FRESH PRESSED VEGETABLE JUICE, page 3:

I am an amatuer at fermenting, so I really don't feel qualified to give knowlegable information. I am passing along my experience of how I make my fermented fresh pressed veggie juice.

I use fresh pressed veggie juice. Each week I juice 14 pounds of cabbage and 2 pounds of carrots to ferment, which makes about 4 1/2 quarts. I ferment immediately after juicing. (I actually drink this much in a week!)

I use wide mouth mason jars. I clean them, but don't sterilize per Tim Hall's suggestion on the post "Surface Mold on Sauerkraut". And what he has explained there is of utmost importance to this process.

For veggie juice, I use Body Ecology's Culture Starter, 2 packets per 6 quarts juice. This gives a big dose of the good bacteria right away as Tim suggested. With this starter, only low carbohydrate veggie juices can be used (cabbage, a few carrots, no beets, lettuce, celery, etc). The L-Planatarium, which is in the culture and also is the predominate bacteria to culture veggies, can't handle much sweetness. I fill the jars up to the outside rim. I use 3/4 tsp. french celtic sea salt per quart because Sally Fallon suggests it! Some say it helps keeps the unfriendly bacteria from growing, others say it doesn't. I like to be on the safe side.

I then put these jars in my "culture closet" with a towel over them. I let this ferment at about 70 degrees (maybe 74 degrees) for 4 to 5 days. Since this is a "controlled" fermentation, meaning that I started with a culture, it takes less time. After that time, when I open each jar, some of the fiber has risen to the top. On the very top layer, there is a "discolored scum", which is the veggie fiber discolored from exposure to the oxygen in the top of the jar. Simply skim the scum. I then stir each jar, put a on a cap (not an air tight one, just a screw on), and refrigerate. Keeps for months in the refrigerator.

(Note in September of 2012): I learned that liquids don't take as long to ferment, so I have cut the fermentation time to 2 days. Still very tart.)

(I don't know how to do this without the culture starter.)

I haven't experimented with high carb veggie juice and fruit juices yet. I feel confident that a keifer starter would work, just like in coconut keifer.

[Denise]

I would like to share with you all the link for my doctor handling my previously damaged intestines. Dr. Jill Carnahan is brilliant--a medical doctor with additional training in functional medicine, and is on the American Board of Holistic Integrative Medicine. She is a Chrones survivor and cancer survivor. She knows the gut well. We work together. I recently completed a Metametrix/Genova stool sample test. I feel very proud of my achievements with the Fermented Fresh Pressed Veggie Juice and the 24 Hour Goat Yogurt. My intestines are fully populated with beneficial organisms, and no pathogens or yeast! The test showed pancreatic insufficiency, which I believe will heal as I keep nurturing my body with fermented foods and Sea Vegetable Infusion (separate post). Also of importance is [u]The Acid Alkaline Food Guide[u]. My body pH was about 4.5 (needs to be 7.4). After 9 months of working at this, I'm up to 6.5 to 7.0. The book explains the importance of the body pH, how to take your pH daily, and about 70 pages of food charts. Dr. Jill and I look forward to a completely healed body. I wanted you to know that there is help out there. Dr. Jill does phone consultations and can order labs wherever you are.

http://www.drcarnahan.com/index.cfm/fus ... 797042.cfm

[Charzie]

So here is my question: Since I depend mostly on raw, soaked nuts for protein and healthy oils, is it possible to ferment nuts or nut milks? Does anyone have any experience with this? What is the procedure?

I know this is seriously late to the gate, but just thought I'd mention it anyway. I'm also a vegan and I have been having a lot of fun lately experimenting with making yogurt and cheeses from nuts and seeds and various cultures! You would not believe how awesome these can be and how closely they can replicate their dairy counterparts! I'm not talking about the various nut spreads flavored with lemon juice to approximate a cheese-like flavor, but actual dairy free cultured and fermented, and sometimes aged cheeses that you can make easily at home with simple ingredients that are readily accessible. I've used rejuvelac, non dairy yogurt, miso, and probiotic capsules sp far as culture starters for my cheeses, and soaked and ground cashews, almonds, walnuts, and brazil nuts so far as my bases, but the list goes on and will keep me busy for a long, long time! It is fascinating trying out all the various combinations of starters, ingredients, time and aging combinations, not to mention all the flavor enhancers you can add afterwards! Check out Youtube for some videos, though some are just pureed nuts, you have to seek out the cultured vegan cheeses specifically. Miyoko Schinner has some excellent ones and I understand she has a book on the topic also. If you aren't interested in the cheeses, as I said, there are non dairy nut yogurts, kefirs, buttermilk, etc. too. Lots of options! Becoming vegan has really expanded my food horizons, contrary to what most people seem to think. Not to mention the fact that it also help me lose over 150 lbs, get rid of diabetes, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and a whole slew of other SAD diseases! I'm 62 and I feel like I got a second chance! Amazing!