Refrigerator pickled onions are a super easy way to not only preserve onions if you end up with a bumper crop, but they make for a delicious condiment too.

Pickled onions can turn the most boring salad or sandwich into a taste explosion and are so simple to make. Actually, pickled vegetables of all kinds are simple to whip up and make for quite an impressive addition to most savory dishes and snacks. Add pickled onions to a hummus-topped bagel, a boring grain-bowl, a bowl of chili, veggie tacos, baked chicken, roasted tofu, rice pilaf, and more!

Just a note of clarification: the process of pickling can refer to preserving foods through the addition of vinegar or through lacto-fermentation with salt. Both are easy, delicious, and nutritious, but for the purposes of this recipe we will be making pickled onions by adding vinegar. There are also two distinctions when using vinegar to preserve food–making quick refrigerator pickles that are meant to be stored for a few weeks at most in the fridge, or the process of canning which preserves food for longer periods of time–this recipe does the former.

Easy Pickled Onions

Ingredients

• Red onion – 1 large or 2 small
• ½ cup of apple cider vinegar – I like Bragg’s
• 1 cup of filtered water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 bay leaf
• Red pepper flakes to taste

Directions

1. Thinly slice the red onion into half moons.
2. Pour the water into a small saucepan and heat up.
3. Whisk in the sugar and sea salt. Heat up just enough to allow the sugar and salt to dissolve. Mix well and allow to cool. Add the vinegar.
4. Add onion slices to quart-sized mason jar.
5. Pour vinegar and water mixture over red onion slices.
6. Add coriander seed, celery seed, the bay leaf, and red pepper flakes to the jar.
7. Put on a lid and shake to distribute the spices.

The onions can be eaten right away, but are much better if you wait at least 24 hours before eating. The liquid will begin to take on a pink hue as the color leaches out of the onions. This is totally normal and is just a sign that the onions are going to be tasty and delicious. The pickled onions will last for several weeks stored in the refrigerator–if they last that long.

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Pickled Onion Image via Shutterstock

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Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help balance your internal flora and maintain a healthy metabolism. The truth is, most of us could use more of them on a daily basis. You could take a pill, sure, but there are more delicious ways to ensure that you incorporate enough probiotics into your diet. Here are five of our favorite ways.

1. Kefir and Greek Yogurt
Yogurt and kefir are two of the most familiar source of probiotics. Both contain tons of good bacteria like acidophilus, lactobacillus or bifidobacteria that help balance your delicate internal flora. If you’re worried about dairy, there are studies that suggest that probiotics can help ease lactose intolerance. Any brand that lists “live and active cultures” among the ingredients is a good choice, but make sure it’s organic to avoid other potential side effects of dairy.

image: Omar de Armas

2. Kombucha
Arguably the hottest thing in the beverage industry right now (even Celestial Seasonings is making their version), kombucha is a form of fermented tea. It’s been used for centuries for various purposes, like increasing your energy levels and maintaining a healthy weight. The large amounts of healthy gut bacteria formed during the fermentation process are the key to kombucha’s health benefits. Always read the ingredients to make sure you are getting authentic kombucha, not a kombucha-flavored beverage. Or, best of all, try and make your own.

image: sarea

3. Sauerkraut and Kimchee
Long heralded in Europe for its health benefits, sauerkraut contains the probiotics leuconostoc, pediococcus and lactobacillus. The health benefits of this fermented cabbage is limited to the homemade or more artisanal varieties, as pasteurization (used to treat most supermarket sauerkraut) kills virtually all the helpful bacteria. The spicy Korean version of sauerkraut, kimchee, is equally loaded with probiotics, as well as vitamins that help ward off infections.

image: Quinn Dombrowski

4. Miso Soup
It’s time to look at miso soup as more than a sushi lunch accoutrement. This fermented soybean paste can really get your digestive system moving, as it contains hundreds or beneficial bacteria strains. In Japan, it’s often enjoyed as a breakfast food, perhaps to kickstart the metabolism.

image: Kathie Lapcevic

5. Pickles
Like most fermented foods, pickles contain lots of good probiotics. Look for naturally fermented varieties that were pickled without vinegar. A pure mix of sea salt and water makes a great pickle brine, that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria.

When you’ve managed to fill your gut with beneficial probiotic strains, it’s important to keep them happy. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria that already live in your system and can be found in foods like asparagus, bananas, oatmeal, legumes, honey, maple syrup and red wine. Consider mixing foods rich in probiotics with those rich in prebiotics (red wine and pickles anyone?) to maximize your body’s ability to absorb them.

Top image: haley. s

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ColumnAn interview with a professional fermenter and how to make your own sauerkraut.

You’ve been making your own kombucha for months (ok, years) and pickling is old news to you, but have you taken your fermented food obsession to the next level? Grabbed a slot at the local market and opened up a stand to sell your goods? Spend any time at your weekend farmers market and you’re sure to find an artisan pickle, kraut or kim chi maker.

“We can pickle that,” might be the mantra of any lover of the television show Portlandia, but all jokes aside, fermented foods are good for you (and often served in mason jars). Making fermented foods at home however is one thing, running your own fermented business is quite another.

“You should start a restaurant/catering company/baking business/etc.” are words that many a foodie have heard from a friend or two, but turning a passion for food into a business is a feat in and of itself, which is why it’s inspiring to meet people that are doing just that. I perked up recently when I got an intro to the co-founder of what a friend called “the most elegant pickle company on the planet.” When you’re the Foodie Underground columnist, you just can’t turn such an introduction down.

The pickle company is called Esoteric Food Company, based in Boulder, Colorado and responsible for jars of fermented goodness like Beets, Hijiki & Kale and Dill, Caraway & Cabbage. As they put it:

We love food. Learning about food culture is our impetus, our drive and our reward. We live to tinker with, to savor, to understand flavor and nutrition in old and new ways. We simply love making good things to eat to share with others and these pickles are our way of inviting you in to the esoteric circle.

If there ever was an intriguing food mission statement, that might just be it.

I caught up with co-founder Willow King to learn more about the fermentation business and we even got a recipe out of the deal.

Tell us about your food background, what got you into fermented foods in the first place?

My business partner Mara grew up in Hong Kong and is a long time sushi chef and general food goddess. She and I started getting together for “Food Mondays” about 2 years ago and making things that were hard, weird or that we just generally curious about. We made raw cheeses, butter, sausage, sourdough, we canned and we fermented. Something about the ferments sort of just took over (no pun intended) and we have been doing them ever since. We have a mutual friend in town who has grown many businesses from Karaoke bars to energy drinks and he encouraged us to take it to the wholesale level. Mara and I are both English majors and at the time I was teaching Literature and Mara was teaching yoga and getting ready to give birth to her third child. It seemed like a bit of a pipe dream, but we starting tinkering with label designs, jar options, a website and pretty soon we had a business on our hands.

You have everything from carraway to kale… how do you come up with your recipes?

Our recipes come from both Asian and Euro traditions- Korean, Japanese, Polish, Scandinavian, German. They are a pastiche of flavors from our past and new combinations. This week’s market specials were daikon and d’anjou pear kim chi, juniper berry kraut and brined baby carrots with dill.

Why do you think fermented foods have had such a revival? 

Fermented foods are a really great metaphor. They are a sort of alchemy that you can eat and I think people are really waking up the fact that sanitized, factory made, processed foods have lost a lot of their magic by the time they make it to your mouth. There is a growing awareness and live, raw, organic foods can balance and support our immune and digestive systems, as well as boost our moods.

You are certainly part of a growing movement of artisan food makers. In a world of mass marketed foods and big businesses, why do you think “underground” businesses like yours are seeing such success and positive response? 

We know so many amazing food crafters- bakers, jam makers, kombucha and jun brewers- you name it. It is really encouraging to see these small businesses thriving and really being supported by their communities. In many ways, we are just going back to what we have always known: Good food is simple and comes straight from the source. We like to know who is making what we are eating- it is the oldest form of food safety!

How does one get started doing their own fermented foods?

Fermenting vegetables is a pretty simple process and very fun to experiment with. Fermenting dairy and meats can be a bit more complicated and requires exact procedures and temperatures to be safe. If you are interested in experimenting we recommend starting with simple sauerkraut and then expand from there.

Recipe: Simple Sauerkraut

To begin you will need a ball jar, 1 medium cabbage, sea salt and starter like whey or for a vegan option you can use kombucha. Each starter produces different results and flavors so you can try a few and find the one you like best.

Core and shred the cabbage and then spread on a tray or work surface. Pound the cabbage with a wooden hammer (or a rolling pin can work) until the juices start to release and the cabbage softens. Place in a wide mouth ball jar and press down with a fist (you can use a cabbage leaf as a top and the press on that) until the veg is submerged in liquid- you can add the starter at this time. Cover and leave at room temp for about 3 days- you may like it stronger in which case you could let it go a few more days. When you are satisfied with the taste transfer to cold storage where it will last for up to 6 months.

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s weekly column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground, discovering what’s new and different in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to the culinary avant garde.

Image: Esoteric Food Company

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Easy to make recipes for a 4th of July bbq revamp.

Nothing captures the 4th of July quite like images of outdoor eating with family and friends. It marks the beginning of barbecue season and kicks off the summer with cheer. All is fun and games until you stop by the food table, which boasts fare that is everything but forgiving to your waistline. But there’s no need to miss out on that which makes the 4th of July so special! We’ve revamped typical July 4th barbecue dishes so that you can have a happier and healthier holiday feast without missing out on the tastes you expect from an outdoor summer celebration.

Potato Salad

Mayonnaise makes this otherwise vegetable-centric dish a nightmare for health enthusiasts. One tablespoon of mayonnaise contains some 90 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 5 milligrams of cholesterol. These stats alone are reason why the potato salad actively contributes to heart disease and weight gain.

Switch up the traditional recipe with a Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette, which includes hearty  dried cranberries, nuts, parsley, sage and arugula. And whistle while you work to a playlist fit for a potato salad maker!

Burgers

We’ve explored the nutritional downfall of the Big Mac, but homemade versions are not always much better. If you are still using white buns and cooking animal protein, there still exists the hurdle of empty calories and saturated fat.

To give the burger a healthy twist, use a whole-wheat or whole-grain bun and cut the saturated fat by using lean cuts of meat and reducing other superfluous additions, such as bread crumbs and egg yolks. For a much healthier alternative, nix the animal protein and opt for a Chickpea Burger. Not only is this variation healthier but also packs a ton of flavor.

Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are severely low on the scale of nutritional value. Hot dogs are processed meat crammed with some 18 grams of fat per serving. They clog arteries and increase the risk for heart disease. Hot dogs are also loaded with sodium – up to 1,000 milligram – leading to weight gain, water retention, bloating and increased blood pressure.

When searching for a hot dog to lay out on the grill, keep your eyes on nutrition labels. Look for a brand with no more then 3 grams or less of saturated fat and 370 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. Remember that the less ingredients there are, the better for your health the hot dog is bound to be. Avoid white flour buns and opt for either a whole-wheat or whole-grain bun or eat the hot dog wedged between lettuce leaves. Avoid sugar and sodium-packed condiments and opt for a topping of fresh vegetables. Check out the My Vegan Cookbook website for an excellent Seitan Hot Dog recipe.

Chips

Original variations often included the preservative, Butylhydroxytoluene, commonly known as BHT. This fat-soluble chemical is also used in petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. BHT can lead to cancer when consumed in high amounts. Other health violations include high levels of sodium, artery-clogging trans-fats and calories. However, there are now so many brands offering healthy alternatives – vegetable-based or baked –without sacrificing the taste and crunch.

Homemade chips may be an intimidating endeavor, but they’re much more hassle-free than you think. Try these simple Sweet Potato Chips and then individualize them with your favorite spices and oils, like as was done for these Mustard and Dill Potato Chips.

Pickles

Pickles are essentially cucumbers that have soaked in vinegar and salt and fermented over time. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average 4-inch long dill pickle has about 1,181 milligrams of sodium, which is nearly your maximum daily intake requirement. As a basis of comparison, a 4-inch cucumber prior to pickling contains only 6 milligrams of sodium.

To avoid the sodium overload, soak a sliced cucumber in a bowl with red apple cider vinegar for a few hours before serving. The cucumbers will soak in the sourness of the vinegar without the addition of salt. If you are keen on the pickled effect, homemade pickling is a great way to control what goes into the process. Fermented vegetables are exceptionally good for you. The healthy bacteria created during pickling benefits your gut flora when consumed, improving digestion. Try the Healthy Green Kitchen blog’s Spicy Lemon Cucumber Pickles, which keeps the sodium in check and the flavor on high!

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a health violation that really shouldn’t be. All is well until the butter is slathered and the salt is shaken one too many times. To make this July 4th staple healthier, try brushing the corn with olive oil instead of butter to ensure less saturated fat. Also, dash salt into your palm first, as opposed to shaking it directly over the corn, in order to avoid over seasoning.

To bring some extra nutritional value to the dish, chop some chives, parsley, garlic, dill, or any of your favorite herbs and mix them with olive oil before applying to the corn.

Baked Beans

Beans are full of heart-healthy fiber and plant-based protein, but canned baked beans are often so full of sugar, their nutritional benefits are canceled out. The sugary syrup that canned beans generally come with will only cause an increase in blood sugar and insulin levels, contributing to heart disease and diabetes.

Check out the Homemade Classic Baked Beans from the Recipe Renovator blog to slim down the traditional recipe without compromising taste or texture.

Condiments

Ketchup, mustard, relish, and mayonnaise are barbecue mainstays, and for good reason. We often don’t realize how heavily we rely on them to kick up the flavor, and we often ignore their significance in our daily diets. However, it’s in these condiments where we find those empty calories. Ketchup, mustard, and relish are no stranger to sugar, sodium, and preservatives while mayonnaise has a lot of artery-clogging saturated fat.

Why settle for store-bought sugar and sodium-packed condiments when you can make your own in a matter of minutes? Even if you aren’t slicing the fat and calories, it’s always important to keep the ingredients real and untainted by preservatives, coloring and other sketchy add-ins.

Seltzer with Bitters

Regular soft drinks have been linked to stroke risk, elevated blood pressure, obesity, cancer and kidney failure. They’re full of sugar, and even their zero-calorie alternatives hold some dreaded preservatives and chemicals.

Get the bubbly without the downsides. Prepare a Honey, Ginger Sparkling Lemonade with Rosemary and expect to quench your thirst in a much more refreshing and aromatic way.

Dessert

A lot can go wrong come dessert time. First there’s the obvious bad guys – nutritionally-empty white sugar and white flour – and then there’s the addition of butter that has you worried.

Try your hand at some healthier alternatives, such as Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Sea Salt, Avocado Chocolate Pudding, Fig and Coconut Walnut Cake, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Vegan Strawberry Shortcake. These recipes are forgiving to the waistline and overall easy crowd pleasers.

Photo by The Recipe Renovator. © 2012. Used with permission.

The post Extreme Makeover: Revamping the Traditional 4th of July BBQ appeared first on EcoSalon.

The markets are full of every kind of produce imaginable. At the same time, backyard gardens burst with bounty, and the feral fruit trees in my neighborhood litter the sidewalks with juicy bombs. The harvest is upon us.

The cooks that I know are in a rush to preserve what is so abundant now for those days of kale, cabbage and rutabaga that we all know are ahead. So here’s a little inspiration from around the web.

Before you start, here’s an overview of helpful canning tips and recipes from Simple Bites.

Sour Cherries are a super short season crop so if you see any in your market, take them home and try this recipe for preserved sour cherries from Doris and Jilly Cook. They’ll taste mighty good in December.

From Put up or Shut up, there’s an interesting sounding Mexican Strawberry Jam recipe with candied hibiscus.

I love Japanese pickles. They always showcase the best qualities of the vegetables and aromatics used without overpowering with vinegar. And they’re great alongside just about anything from rice to noodles to meats to sandwiches. I’m trying this recipe from Japanese Food Report next time I have a bounty of cukes.

Image: Vanessa Barrington

The post Get Canning! 3 Recipes Plus Preserving Around the Web appeared first on EcoSalon.

As healthy food and eating locally have gained more traction, pickling is no longer an old-fashioned past-time of our grandmothers. Eco-friendly folks are aiming to re-gain control of the food supply, and many of us are looking at ways to preserve local, organic food while it’s in season. What better method than pickling?

Brooklyn is particularly known for embracing the locavore movement, which I read in a NY Times article over a year ago. Case in point, when I last visited, I checked out a flea market in Fort Greene, and was amazed at the number of people selling their home-pickled wares. I was notably impressed with the number of pickled beets on the scene. I’ve since learned that you can pickle just about anything!

Not surprising then, to discover a plethora of pickling activity in San Francisco. For example, I found the Happy Girl Kitchen Co. at the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market a couple weekends ago. The Happy Girl Kitchen Co., based in Oakland and certified organic, is known for its highly refined preserving techniques and sells pickled beets, carrots and dill pickles, as well as sauerkraut and kombucha. (And fruit preserves. And canned tomatoes. And, and.)

I’ve been meaning to try pickling myself after tasting a friend’s pickled beans that were inspiring. But where to start? Happy Girl Kitchen Co. offers a variety of workshops. Classes are a bit pricey, but then again, you’re paying for a lifetime of knowledge. I also heard from a friend that the Joy of Cooking has a great recipe, and I noticed that Alice Waters included a recipe in her most recent book, In the Green Kitchen: Techniques to Learn By Heart. With all the Persian pickles and tiny, fresh carrots at the farmers’ markets right now, I’d say it’s high time to start pickling!

Image: rachel is coconut lime

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