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Gut-healthy Fermented Salsa Verde is a quick and easy recipe made with fresh tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, and a kick of jalapenos. Fermented salsa is made fresh then allowed to culture for several days in a closed container on the kitchen counter. This process imparts a uniquely complex flavor with acidic undertones. Fermentation helps preserve the food and makes it more nutrientdense.
It happens when microbes such as yeast and bacteria metabolize the carbohydrates in a food and produce acid, says Jennifer McGruther, author of The Nourished Kitchen cookbook.
Fermented foods like salsa, sauerkraut, kimchi, and certain drinks are a great source of probiotics. The chemical process to culture a good probiotic sourced food is simple to do. The probiotics that are created through fermentation are very beneficial for digestive health. Fermenting foods can also change the nutritional content a little bit. It can increase the B vitamins in the food, accoording to Torey Armul, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Columbus, Ohio, and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“[Fermentation] has been linked to bowel regularity, even improvements in blood pressure, and blood sugar control.” There are a lot of things that happen when a food is fermented – the probiotics, the nutritional value, can all lead to good benefits for a healthy gut.
Here are some tips to help you create great fermented salsa:
Look for bubbles. Tiny bubbles should appear at
Fermented Salsa Verde
the surface of your salsa while it ferments. They are a good sign that the beneficial bacteria are doing their job. Look for color changes. As the salsa ferments, it will become more acidic, and this may cause it to change color from vivid green to a dull green.
Don’t skimp on salt. Adding salt to the salsa helps keep mold and other microbes that can cause spoilage away, allowing beneficial bacteria to grow.
Fermented Salsa Verde
Ingredients: • 14 oz fresh tomatillos, husked and quartered • 3 medium jalapenos, seeded and quartered • 3 medium garlic cloves • 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro • 1 teaspoon ground coriander • 1 medium lime, juiced • 2 teaspoons salt • 1/3 cup sweet onion quartered
Instructions:
Place all ingredents into a food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes until salsa is smooth.
Place in a glass quart jar and seal tightly with lid. Allow to ferment for 4 days on the counter at room temperature, then place in refrigerator for up to 3 months. I like to write the use-by date on the lid. +
by Gina Dickson, an Augusta mom to six and Gigi to ten. Her website, intentionalhospitality. com, celebrates gathering with friends, cooking great healthy meals and sharing life around the table. Also on Instagram @ intentionalhospitality
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NUTRITION NO NONSENSE Janice from Rotary Club asks: “Which is better, the DASH Diet or the Mediterranean Diet? I’m doing DASH. Should I switch?”
No need to switch diets, Janice. Just pick one and stick to it. They are both, basically, the same diet, and they are both great ways of eating. In fact, forget about using the word diet. Diet always seems to be a temporary concept. You go on a diet and then you go off a diet. Rather, your mindset should focus on a way of eating for life.
It is true that news reports and social media like to jerk people around from one diet to another, promoting these “diet wars.” It’s simply good for business and has little to do with science and evidenced-based nutrition. It’s marketing. It sells products, books, newspapers and magazines. The fact is that diets aren’t in a horse race. Nutrition scientists from all over the world are in agreement about what constitutes a healthy diet.
Did you know that the DASH diet, The Mediterranean Diet, The American Diabetes Association Diet, The American Heart Association Diet, The Alzheimer’s Diet, The Parkinson’s Diet and many other evidenced-based diets are all basically the same diet? In science, there is no race going on, no competition and no doubt. Stick with the science and your vision becomes pretty clear. Listen to the ads or what’s on social media and you will be befuddled. Here’s a simple nutrition rule; ignore nutrition claims in ads, in the news or in social media. See how simple that is?
Let’s just quickly review some of the basic principles found in all evidenced-based diets, regardless of their names. First of all, vegetables and fruits are healthy. Does this surprise you? It shouldn’t. The more veggies
and fruit you eat, the healthier you will be, especially if you are moderating your use of high fat meats, cheeses, fast food and junk food. Which vegetables and fruits? All of them. Eat a variety of them. Terms like “superfood,” “organic,” “natural,” “clean,” etc. are marketing and advertising terms. Just buy lots of regular veggies and fruits and eat them. Today, people spend more time talking, thinking and arguing
about veggies and fruit than eating them. Stop talking and start eating
Whole wheat and whole grain foods are healthy. Shocked? Even my grandma, who only made it to the 6th grade, knew this one. So eat whole wheat and whole grain foods. It’s easy. Buy breads and cereals made from whole wheat and eat whole grain foods like corn, oatmeal and brown rice. Avoid high calorie, high sugar cereals, and when you buy whole grain cereals, make sure they are fortified with folic acid and the B vitamins. When you buy whole grain breads, make sure the ingredient label states it is whole grain, not just stone-ground, millground or any of those other “warm and fuzzy” nutritionally meaningless words.
Dairy is healthy, but make sure it is low fat or skim. Dairy is simply a great source of protein, calcium and Vitamins A and D. Try to remember what dairy actually is. I’ve never seen udders on a soybean or coconut, have you? We really need to change the food labeling laws so that milk is actually milk. When I go shopping, I buy the store brand skim milk, which is, by far, the cheapest thing in the dairy case. Certain veggies and beans also contain calcium.
Are you with me so far? Get this. Eggs are healthy and have always been healthy. They are a great source of protein, which resides in the white part of the egg. Most of the cholesterol and fat are found in the yolk, so if you have to moderate your cholesterol intake, then just cook with the white. And, if you want a whole egg now and then, that is ok, too. Egg advertising hype arrives with terms like “free range” and “enriched with omega fat.” Ignore all that. Just buy
Please see KARP page 16 the cheapest eggs you see. I actually buy egg substitutes because they are convenient and they are pasteurized. They are a bit more expensive, though.
Peas and beans are healthy, so eat lots of them. Peas and beans are sometimes referred to as “legumes,” but I don’t use that term since most people don’t know what it means. Peas and beans are wonderful sources of fiber and protein. Also, they are cheap, cheap, cheap, especially if you buy the dried beans rather than the canned beans. Just soak the dried beans before you use them. An inexpensive sack of beans can last a long, long time. If you like the flavor of bacon with your beans, use Liquid Smoke instead. It tastes the same, but has no fat.
Red meat is healthy. Just make it lean and eat way, way less. Did you know that many Americans eat meat twice a day? When I say eat way, way less, I’m talking about eating meat twice a week or less. Fish (not fried) is healthy, especially oily fish like salmon or sardines. Chicken is healthy. Sometimes the way you prepare meats, chicken, and fish can turn an otherwise healthier meal into a nutrition disaster. That means go easy on the grilling and frying. Bake,
Dr. Karp Have a question about food, diet or nutrition? Post or private message your question on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/AskDrKarp) or email your question to askdrkarp@gmail.com If your question is chosen for a column, your name will be changed to insure your privacy. Warren B. Karp, Ph.D., D.M.D., is Professor Emeritus at Augusta University. He has served as Director of the Nutrition Consult Service at the Dental College of Georgia and is past Vice Chair of the Columbia County Board of Health. You can find out more about Dr. Karp and the download site for the public domain eBook, Nutrition for Smarties, at www.wbkarp.com Dr. Karp obtains no funding for writing his columns, articles, or books, and has no financial or other interests in any food, book, nutrition product or company. His interest is only in providing freely available, evidenced-based, scientific nutrition knowledge and education. The information is for educational use only; it is not meant to be used to diagnose, manage or treat any patient or client. Although Dr. Karp is a Professor Emeritus at Augusta University, the views and opinions expressed here are his and his alone and do not reflect the views and opinions of Augusta University or anyone else. TIRED OF THE WHOLE IMPEACHMENT SAGA? n n
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