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Colorful Fermented Holiday Vegetables

Naturally fermented vegetables are easy to make, pretty to look at, and make a healthful addition to holiday snacking. I used to make and decorate 1500 holiday cookies; it was a 3 day process that cumulated in platters of cellophane wrapped cookies, tied in French wire ribbon. They were gorgeous,… and I am over it! No one needs more sugar, but we do need more vegetables and foods that support health and wellness. I still enjoy a nice holiday cookie, but I love these fermented vegetables as an appetizer or side — and they make the prettiest gifts!
Course Appetizer, healthy snacks
Keyword fermented foods, vegetables
Servings 6 1 pint mason jars

Ingredients

  • 6 cups fresh preferably organic, cauliflower, red and orange carrots, bell peppers and celery.
  • 6 cloves crushed garlic
  • 6 slices of jalapeño or serrano pepper
  • 6 tsp. pickling spice
  • 6 sprigs fresh dill
  • 6 cups filtered water
  • 6 tsp. sea salt
  • 6 cabbage leaves

Instructions

  1. Wash and trim the vegetables. I make a variety of shapes so I can fit them in the jars. Carrot ovals, celery sticks, chunks of cauliflower, strips of pepper.
  2. Combine water and salt and set aside.
  3. Pack the vegetables into the 6 mason jars. Add a clove of crushed garlic, slice of jalapeño and sprig of dill to each. Top each with a tsp of pickling spice.
  4. Carefully pour the salt water brine into each jar, leaving 1” at the top. Use a cabbage leaf on top of the vegetables to keep them submerged in the brine and carefully screw the lids on the jars.
  5. Place jars of vegetables away from direct sunlight in a room temperature spot between 65-75 degrees. Let the veggies ferment and after 3 days check them to see if they taste to your liking. They can ferment for up to a week. Then refrigerate them to stop the fermentation process. They keep for 6 months in the refrigerator.

Click here to download the holiday recipe card to give this as a gift! 

I am a passionate advocate for food as medicine, life navigator and culinary coach. This is my space for sharing what excites, inspires and motivates me to live my best life. It began as a recipe blog for nourishing, simple, weekday meals and has become something much bigger… a guide to resilient wellness. I am excited to share my knowledge of how daily habits can cumulatively help you to live like you mean it and age like you want to.