Kickin' it with Karen : Beyond Sauerkraut

Kickin' it with Karen: Beyond Sauerkraut In previous posts I have mentioned that I started making and eating probiotic foods such as sauerkraut because I had been diagnosed with something called "Leaky Gut Syndrome".  Leaky gut syndrome occurs when there is an increased intestinal permeability which causes bacteria and toxins to leak through the intestinal wall directly into the bloodstream (McMillan). Though, in the Western medical community, the debate rages on as to whether this is a real thing (GI Society),  I know for me it is definitely REAL! Before the diagnosis and the subsequent treatment with probiotic food and supplements, I felt awful! All the time! So why probiotics? Because they heal the gut! Probiotics are the good bacteria that line the intestines and help break down food and help your body absorb nutrients as well as help regulate and increase energy (Krajmalnik-Brown et.al.). I no longer take probiotic supplements because I get all of this through...

Kickin' it with Karen: Beyond Sauerkraut After a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday with my husband, here I am back at work. I love my job. I teach some beautiful students and have the best colleagues anyone could ask for. But there is something about the onset of winter and nesting in the cold climes of Minnesota. All I want to do is be at home and make things. I have a cabbage waiting for me, ready to be turned into sauerkraut. Not just any sauerkraut, but an Apple Jalapeño Red Sauerkraut. I have Apple Ginger and Orange Ginger Beet Kvass waiting to be bottled. I have a batch of Apple Cider Vinegar that is ready to be placed in a secondary fermentation vessel. And it's Kombucha time! I am ready to make some Pomegranate Kombucha (TO DIE FOR!!!). Oh, and lets not forget the Fermented Green Chili Sauce -SOOOOOOOO GOOD! But, alas. I am back at work. Dreaming of these delights. Ah well. Work I must. And, somehow, I must find joy today in teaching these young minds and bodies. And ...

Kickin' it with Karen: Beyond Sauerkraut For the past 12 years, Troy and I have ventured north to brave the cold and snow of Lake Superior's North Shore. We do this because most everybody else in Minnesota travels south on Thanksgiving leaving us alone with the calming and rhythmic swells of the waves of Gitchi Gummi. Well, not exactly alone, each year we plan this tradition with Troy's parents Deb and Phil.  In truth, Deb and Phil started this tradition by inviting us up to "Gooseberry Cabins" with them to celebrate the holiday. We always complement this tradition with the tastiest of menus. On our menu for this and most Thanksgivings is: Deep Fried Turkey, Collard Greens, Baked Macaroni & Cheese, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes Pureé, Cranberry Sauce (out of the can - of course), Apple Pie, Apple Crisp, and plenty of Wine and Spirits! Today, I will share two of these recipes with you: Palmen's Collard Greens & my version of Bob Mer...