pH Test Results for 1 Week - Kimberly Frank

pH Strips can be purchased at any pharmaceutical company or online.  You can either test your pH by salvia or urine.  It's best to test first thing in the morning, then afternoon and evening if you're trying to keep a good balance.  Be consistent and log all your ranges to help neutralize your numbers and pH in your body.  There is much help on the internet as to why alkaline forming foods promote wellness and why acid forming foods invite disease.  There are many logs you can find or create your own to keep track of your alkalinity.

FERMENTATION DEFINED - A Day in the Life of Fermenting!

FERMENTATION DEFINED

WHAT IS FERMENTATION?

Fermentation is one of the oldest methods of processing foods into a form that is suitable for presentation.  It is at a low cost means of using bacteria, yeast and molds in preserving food and enhancing it's flavors and nutritional value.  Fermentation happens when micro organisms feed on the sugars and starches in food converting them into lactic acid in ta process known as lacto fermentation.  Lacto fermentation provides the most health benefits creating beneficial bacteria, enzymes, vitamins and many strains of probiotics.  

HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE FERMENTED FOODS INTO YOUR LIFE?

I incorporate fermented foods in my life daily.  It's difficult for all 3 meals daily but I make sure to incorporate them at least once daily with my meal.  Or if I know that I've eaten something I probably shouldn't have or where I need more help with digestion, I definitely reach for some type of ferment.  My favorite "go to" would be sauerkraut, I have several flavors so my taste buds don't get tired of the same flavor and I usually digest 2 tablespoons.  Every evening I also incorporate Apple Cider Vinegar  in my diet.

WHAT IS THE DRIVING FACTOR?

My driving factor for fermented foods is due to my past and present health issues.  Along with the GI issues that formed due to my failing health.  I have found with incorporating fermented foods, along with changing my diet, I have reached a whole new level of health and am in remission.  My body now craves fermented foods, so I know it needs it to flourish.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU CURRENTLY FACE WHEN YOU START A NEW FERMENT?

The biggest challenge I face when starting a new ferment is getting my hands on one that I know is not store bought and pasteurized but yet homemade and full of all the beneficial probiotics.  This is why I took this class was to learn how to begin to make my own ferments and then teach as many as I can.  Another challenge is finding cultures that are supplied by trusted individuals or companies when you're dealing with the internet.  I also find acquiring tastes for new ferments can be a challenge such as tempeh, I don't love it.  

WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU EXPERIENCE FROM FERMENTED FOODS?

The benefits that I have found is that when I eat fermented foods, it helps with my digestive issues, bloating, gas, et.  I have a "clean feeling" through my digestive tract and no issues.  I wake up with a flatter stomach and just feel over all healthier eating fermented foods.

WHY DO YOU NOT RECOMMEND FERMENTED FOODS TO CLIENTS, CO-WORKERS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS?

You mean why "DO I"?  I do recommend fermented foods to everyone, BUT, starting out slowly and with one they're already familiar with like sauerkraut or kimchi.  I just have them start incorporating it into their dietary means and lifestyle.  Have them take notations as to what changes they are seeing.  The fermented foods speak volumes for themselves, I don't have to convince them:)

Idli - A Day in the Life of Fermenting!

Idli

Ingredients:

1 Cup Red Lentils
2 Cups White Basmati Rice

Directions:

 1.  Soak red lentil beans along with rice in water and let sit 2-4 days.
 2.  Put your mixture in the blender to create a paste.
 3.  Take your mixture, put back in bowl to ferment for another 2-4 days.
 4.  Place mixture in an Idli steamer/cooker or you can use a poacher or muffin tin.
 5.  You will cook for 20 minutes.
 6.  Scoop them out and eat like biscuits!  Enjoy!

















Idli proved me wrong - it is actually a very enjoyable ferment that I fell will take the place of my bread and carb cravings!  I began this ferment on September 12, 2016 and baked in on September 15th in a Idli's steamer that I purchased from Amazon.  These did turn out like little biscuits that family enjoyed and we will be making these on holidays and replacing our buns with idli's - Enjoy!

Tempeh - A Day in the Life of Fermenting!

Tempeh

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Aduki Beans

Tempeh Starter Culture
Ziplock Plastic Baggie

Directions:

1.  Soak the beans for 8 hours.

2.  Cook the beans and once they get to 105 degrees put them in a bowl.
3.  Start to dehull each bean and separate them by massaging each bean.

4.  Add your Tempeh starter culture and mix thoroughly.

5.  Add your mixture to the plastic baggie that has several holes in it to breath and grow.
6.  Flatten out your mixture in the plastic bag.
7.  Incubate between 95 - 105 degrees in a dehydrator or oven for 24 hours.
8.  Remove the Tempeh from the bag.
9.  Slice the Tempeh and fry up - NEVER EAT WITHOUT COOKING! - Enjoy!

Tempeh for the first time and it was perfecto!!!!  I started this process on September 20, 2016 and tried it on September 22, 2016.  The only problem I have is that I never enjoyed tempeh in the first place but I will tell you that mine was much better tasting then the store bought.   I purchased the tempeh starter from the internet and used aduki beans in which I love, maybe that's why it tasted much better since the store bought usually uses the soy bean.

Nut Cheese - A Day in the Life of Fermenting!

Almond Nut Cheese

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Raw Almonds

1Cup of Spring or Filtered Water
2 Capsules live probiotics

Directions:

1.   Soak your nuts overnight in a salt/water liquid that is filled about the nuts.

2.   Cover and let sit overnight.
3.   The next day, you need to dehull the skin off.

4.   Once you have all your almonds delude, add to your Vita-Mix or high speed mixer. 

5.   Add 2 capsules of live probiotics by opening up the capsules and pouring in.
6.   Add 1 cup of filtered or spring water to the nut mixture.
7.   Blend until creamy.
8.   Pour into a cheesecloth that is sitting a either a colander or strawberry/tomato basket so
      it can drain.
9.   Let sit on counter top for approximately 12 hours to ferment, then transfer to the
      refrigerator to sit for another 8 - 12 hours to set.
10. Unwrap your Almond nut cheese and enjoy!











This ferment began in my kitchen on September 13th and we were eating it on September 16th.  This is definitely one recipe I'm going to have to play with.  It turned out perfectly according to following directions with taste and consistency but I would like to try other nuts and add flavors.  Not my favorite, but experimenting with nut cheese may bring me back around to enjoying it.

Injera - A Day in the Life of Fermenting!

Injera

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Teff Flour

1-1/2 Cups of Spring or Filtered Water
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Directions:

1.  Mix Four and Water together and stir until completely mixed.

2.  Cover and let sit for 24-48 hours.
3.  Once it's fermented - add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda & 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, mix well.

4.  Fry up in Coconut Oil and in a cast iron skillet.
5.  Makes 1 dozen Injera pancakes. - Enjoy!

This is the husbands favorite ferment so far!  I began this process on August 17th and we were eating like Ethiopians on August 20th!  This is their staple food and made from the smallest grain in the world with a big punch of flavor.  My husband eats them like pancakes and adds butter to finish his off. 

Kombucha - A Day in the Life of Fermenting!

Kombucha

Ingredients:

1 Gallon Spring or Filtered Water

5 - 6 Black or Green Organic Tea Bags

1 Cup Organic Sugar

1 Mother Scoby

Directions:

1.  Bring water to boil, turn off and add tea bags and sugar - stir until dissolved.

2.  Wait until the liquid cools - remove tea bags.

3.  Add liquid to mother scoby in fermentation vessel.

4.  Repeat every week to feed the mother:) - Enjoy!

How fun is this?!?!  We LOVE Kombucha, we LOVE watching the process of Mothers and Baby Scobies, it's a great family experiment with such beneficial benefits.  We started with a borrowed Mother in August and as of today we have two hotels of babies and drink Kombucha daily.  Weekly we feed them and we're just now beginning to learn how to F2 with many flavors - so stay tuned!