Kimchi O-So-Easy! Holiday Gift

Kimchi is made with the hope of healing the world!

(One gut at a time)

A traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables: napa cabbage, Korean radishes, and seasonings 🔥 . Totally natural and oddly delicious.

Holiday Gift Ideas 🎉 🌟 🎁

How to Make Simple Vegan Kimchi

There are over a hundred different kinds of Kimchi recipes! The recipe for mak kimchi, or simple kimchi is a great place to start. Yield: 1 quart.

Simple Kimchi

  • Servings: 1 quart
  • Difficulty: medium-easy
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INGREDIENTS
1 medium head napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup iodine-free sea salt or kosher salt
Water, preferably distilled or filtered
1 tablespoon grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or salted shrimp paste, or 3 tablespoons water) to taste
1 to 5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
8 ounces Korean radish or daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks -optional
4 medium scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup julienned carrot (about 1 small -adds colour you can add julienned red cabbage)
DIRECTIONS
1. Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. Cut the cores from each piece. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
2. Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the spice paste.
3. Make the spice paste. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water and stir into a smooth paste. Stir in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons); set aside until the cabbage is ready.
4. Combine the vegetables and spice paste. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. Add the radish and scallions.
Pack the kimchi into the jar. Pack the kimchi into a 1-quart jar. Press down on the kimchi until the brine (the liquid that comes out) rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. Seal the jar.
5. Let it ferment for 1 to 5 days. Place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid.
6. Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, opening the jar and pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it’s best after another week or two.

Kimchi ~ Dos and Don’ts

Rely on your own sense of smell and taste and you’ll end up with a fine batch. A word of caution: too much garlic can make the kimchi bitter, and too much ginger can make it sticky. Adjust the amount of other spices to your liking. Kimchi can be mild or fiery, it’s your choice. I have received all kinds of opinions. Some cooks swear by a little bit of sugar, others completely shun sweeteners. There are people who include carrots and there are people who wrinkle their noses at the idea.

25 Fermented Recipes

Want to Eat More Fermented Foods? Here Are 25 Recipes You’ve Got to Try.

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 slices Sour Dough Bread
  • ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
  • ¼ cup Kimchi (fine chop)
  • 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

MY FAVORITE KIMCHI: Leftover water melon rind (pictured above) Watermelon rind contains citrulline, which is loaded with antioxidant properties that convert to arginine, an essential amino acid. Arginine is great for the heart, immune system and circulatory system.). Add seeds such as chia, black sesame or pumpkin seeds. You choose. Add the watermelon rind – include the green part. Delicious! I like adding cumin seeds and maybe mustard seed and turmeric.

Storage

If you are planning to keep it in a fridge, make sure that all of its ingredients are fully covered in the brine before you reseal it.

Kimchi can last 3–6 months in the refrigerator. It continues to ferment as it matures, though, becoming more acidic and softer. So, If you prefer a milder flavor or crunchier texture, you may want to eat up your kimchi before 3 months. 

Napa cabbage: A broom that sweeps {your system} clean. Kimchi: Contains protease, lipase, and amylase enzymes making it good for breaking down and absorbing protein, fat, and carbs.

The beneficial power of kimchi comes from vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamine (B 1 ), riboflavin (B 2 ), calcium, and iron. According to some researchers, the antioxidants, and the lactic acid bacteria in kimchi helps with digestion, heart disease and diabetes. Good in a weight loss plan and clear skin. Kimchi boosts your immune system.

David Chang adds sugar to his kimchi along with salty shrimp. Making authentic kimchi with sugar – helps in the fermentation and acts as a preservative and improves the flavour. The probiotics actually consume sugar during fermentation.

David Chang: Chef and Owner of Momofuku, New York

Kimchi hot dogs!

Kimchi pairs well with fried rice, dumplings, and summer rolls, or, ahem, straight out of the jar.

Christmas ‘RED’ Cabbage

WHAT IS THE SECRET OF RED CABBAGE?
A True Story:
One day, as I glanced at my book shelf,  I noticed an old paperback, “How I Survived A Heart Attach“.

I started leafing through the pages and noticed a recipe section in the back of the book.  It caught my interest and I read on..
Basically,  the patient  started to include cabbage salad every day with his meal, plus more raw vegetables from his garden. After 6 weeks of a daily exercise routine along with healthier food selections, he went back to see his cardiologist.  Initially, the cardiologist had recommended surgery. He was baffled to find that six weeks later, surgery was no longer required. The author purported that, “daily cabbage was a must have – every day”.  That my friend,  is the secret of  “Red Cabbage”! NOTE: By no means is this a rule…only a story of one man’s experience.

Red Cabbage is PH10 [alkaline] Green Cabbage PH6 [alkaline] (Water is PH7)

What do we  know about cabbage? Years ago,  a nutritionist told me that cabbage is  The Broom That Sweeps Clean” . Words of encouragement are always good to hear.

This recipe takes 20 minutes to prepare and about 30 minutes to cook.

Apples and Prunes  ( no brown sugar)

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CHRISTMAS CABBAGE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp avocado oil ( or select extra virgin olive oil,  sesame oil, walnut oil)
1-2 cloves of garlic-minced
2 -3 sprigs of rosemary – fresh
1 red cabbage – chopped
1 large or 2 medium apples -chopped (jicama, pears or 3/4 cup of dried cherries)
1 sweet onion (finely chopped)
1 inch piece ginger ~ peeled and grated
2-3 tsp. of butter
5-8 prunes
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
A pinch of  salt and fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil and 1 tsp of butter in a large heavy-based fry pan.  Add the rosemary by taking the soft needles off the stem. The rosemary will change colour to a dark green and get crispy.  Add minced garlic and stir. Remove the rosemary and garlic with a slotted spoon. Add chopped onion and fry until slightly translucent. They will disappear while cooking. Then, add roughly chopped prunes and grated ginger to the oil/butter mixture, followed by the chopped cabbage, chopped apples and the balsamic vinegar. Then, add a good pinch of salt and pepper.

2. Bring to a boil while stirring. Then, turn down the heat and cover for 25-30 minutes. Stir regularly, about every 5 minutes. When done, remove the lid to reduce the remaining liquid. Make sure the liquid has reduced and the cabbage is cooked well.  Add 2 tsp of butter  (optional). Stir the cabbage mixture.  Do a taste test.  Sprinkle crispy rosemary on top of the dish.
Serve hot.
Optional: Mix in a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, chia seeds, black sesame seeds or protein powder at the end of the cooking process, before adding  crisp rosemary.

CHRISTMAS RED CABBAGE 

Crispy Rosemary Makes An Impression on your Taste Buds

GUT HEALTH
Lately, we are  hearing a lot about  “Belly Be Well”.  Red Cabbage is a major component in not only ‘GUT HEALTH’ but your brain and nervous system.


IMPROVE YOUR FOCUS
Are you struggling to keep your brain on task? The red pigment in red cabbage called anthocyanins produces the focus enhancing acetyicholine. Your focus and concentration will improve as much as 32% in 10 days when you enjoy 1/4 cup of crunchy ‘red’ cabbage DAILY .  Our gut  is like a second brain. So, when it’s off balance, it can seriously affect your mood, digestion, and energy.

SUPER FOOD
“Cabbage
is a disease-fighting, gut healing SUPER FOOD: COMBATS CHRONIC DISEASE:  Degenerative or chronic disorders — such as Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, among others — affect more than 45 million people worldwide and often strike older adults characterized by progressive deterioration of nerve cells, eventually leading to cell death” …. published by  consciouslifenews.com

FREEZER FRIENDLY: Up to 3 months in your freezer.
Stay Well:. Take some quiet time for yourself this holiday season and reflect on your happy memories.  Have a wonderful life.  Eat smart!


Swedish Red Cabbage and Apples

animated-swedish-flagA traditional dish served during the Christmas season in Sweden. Pair the Swedish red cabbage and apples  with Finnish meatballs  or as a side dish with just about anything.  A bright and colourful addition to your festive holiday dining! Easy to make in advance. This dish is actually better the next day.  Enjoy your red cabbage/apple dish in the summer since it is equally delicious served cold.  Any leftovers will disappear quickly from your fridge.
Note: I have used olive oil instead of the traditional butter, so you can served cold. Yumm!!!

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cabbage-ingredientsINGREDIENTS
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 organic Granny Smith, Macintosh or other slightly tart apples
1 large onion, chopped
1 red cabbage (1 lb. before trimming)
3 Tablespoons sweetener
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon red currant or hot pepper jelly
salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Place olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot.
2. Add chopped onions and saute until translucent on medium low heat.
3. While they are cooking, peel and chop the apples and add to the onions stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the inner core of the cabbage and roughly chop. Add to the onions and apples and cook for about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low if it is boiling.
5. Add the salt, vinegar, spices, and sugar substitute. Cook covered for 10 minutes.
6. Add wine and jelly and cook uncovered for 5 minutes longer.

I try not to overcook this dish as texture is a very important part of food appreciation.  Crunchy and chewy textures slow you down and help you eat more deliberately and more joyfully.

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didyouknowRed cabbage is an excellent source of vitamins C and K and a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamin B6, and omega-3 fatty acids.  It is also a good source of vitamin B1, B2, calcium, vitamin A and protein.  One cup of boiled cabbage has just thirty-three calories.  Cabbage is good for reducing your risk of cancer and possibly of Alzheimer’s disease.  In the laboratory, red cabbage protects against oxidative stress in the brain, reducing the buildup of plaque and again reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s.  Also, a Chinese study found that women who ate the most cruciferous vegetable such as cabbage were at half the risk for breast cancer as those who ate little or none.