Apples and blue cheese are a heavenly match in this fennel and apple salad recipe dressed with a tangy cider-vinegar dressing.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large crisp, sweet apple, such as Honeycrisp or Ambrosia, thinly sliced
1 medium fennel bulb, quartered and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
6 cups torn butterhead lettuce
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
PREPARATION
Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add apple and fennel and toss to coat. Chop 1/4 cup of the fennel fronds and add to the bowl along with lettuce and blue cheese; gently toss.
Thanks to Sue Corser

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/apple_fennel_salad.html

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3–4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1–2 tablespoons flour (optional, makes it a bit thicker)
5 cups chicken broth
one 15-ounce can of cannellini beans
4 medium potatoes, diced (any kind of potato will work)
2 stalks kale, ribs removed, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream (can sub half and half)
1/2 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Onions, Garlic, and Sausage: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for 10 minutes or until very soft and fragrant. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Drain out excess grease.

Spices: Add the smoked paprika and flour; sauté for one minute.

Veggies: Add broth, a little at a time. Add potatoes; bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add kale and white beans and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Finish: Add half and half, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. VOILA!

from Ann Crossman
INGREDIENTS
8 red onions
1 red chili, de-seeded
2 bay leaves
25 ml olive oil
200g brown sugar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
150ml balsamic vinegar
150ml red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Cut the onions and chili into thin slices, then cut onion slices in half again and put them into a pan with bay leaves, chili and oil. Cook gently over a low heat for about 20 minutes.
When the onions are dark and sticky, add the sugar, the vinegars and mustard seeds, simmer for about 30 minutes, until the chutney is thick and dark. (Stirring at intervals so the chutney does not stick to the pan).
Pour the chutney into hot, sterilised jars seal and let chutney cool.
You must have a taste but really (before you eat it) this should left for a month or maybe even more for the flavours to blend and mature.
https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/caramelised-red-onion-chutney-recipe-446595

I usually increase the amount of squash and reduce the flour to 1 cup and I still find myself adding some water to thin out the batter but I really like this recipe! If you don’t have oat flour on hand, subbing in whole wheat or any other kind of flour seems to work well. 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1/2 cup mashed)
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Add the cubed butternut squash to a pot and cover with water. 
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the squash is fork tender (about 15-20 minutes). 
Once done, drain the squash and either mash really well or add to a blender and puree until smooth.
Measure out 1/2 cup worth of the butternut squash puree (you may have a bit leftover), then whisk together in a mixing bowl with the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. 
Whisk in the oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. 
Let the batter rest while you heat up a non-stick skillet. The batter will thicken slightly as it sits, but this will keep the pancakes nice and fluffy! 
Add a little cooking oil to the pan, then use a 1/4 or 1/3 measuring cup to add the batter. 
Cook for 1-2 minutes (or until bubbles begin to form), then flip and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. 
Serve with fresh fruit, chopped nuts, or maple syrup and enjoy! 

https://www.jaroflemons.com/butternut-squash-pancakes

Salad
Raw grated beets
Raw grated carrots
Toasted almonds
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Chopped kale massaged with olive oil

Dressing
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
Dill weed
Unrefined sugar

Method
Toss ingredients together and enjoy.
Thanks to Ailís Walker for this recipe.

Suzanne, my neighbour, said she usually doubles the recipe to use the full can of coconut milk.
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 can coconut milk (leftover can be frozen)
In a large, heavy saucepan, cook onion, celery and garlic in oil over med-low heat. Stir until onion softens.
Add carrots, ginger, pepper flakes and broth. Simmer 45 minutes until carrots are very tender.
Stir in remaining ingredients and cool slightly. Blend in food processor in small batches. Return soup to pan and heat over low heat. Do not boil. Makes approx. 6 cups.

Fermentation is an ancient art of food preservation that has made a comeback recently, as more individuals have become aware of the health benefits of fermented foods that contain probiotics. Popular foods and beverages like cheese, yogurt, pickles, hot sauce, sauerkraut, sausage, wine, and beer have roots in traditional fermentation practices for preserving dairy, meat, and seasonal harvests of fruits and vegetables. This form of preservation allows for these foods to be enjoyed for an extended time. Since microorganisms are a key player in creating many fermented products, many fermented foods are a rich source of probiotics that can benefit your health.

When individuals come to me with interest in exploring the world of probiotic-rich fermented foods, and especially if they want to make their own, I often suggest trying fermented vegetables. Making fermented vegetables is a great place to start because it requires very little equipment, can be done through simple processes, and can be ready to eat in a few days or weeks. You can also choose from a large variety of vegetables and experiment with different flavorings, making the process a lot of fun

How Fermentation Works for Us

Most fermented vegetables are created through lactic acid fermentation, an anaerobic process in which lactic acid bacteria help to convert the natural sugars of vegetables into cellular energy, producing lactic acid in the process.1 In lactic acid fermentation, the pH of the vegetables drops, which prevents the growth of undesirable microbes and allows for the vegetables to be preserved.1 Most traditional vegetable fermentation techniques rely on naturally occurring bacteria on the vegetables and in the environment to do the work. For example, in the fermentation of kimchi, a popular fermented cabbage product originally from Korea, numerous lactic acid bacteria are involved, including several Leoconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Weissella species.2

There are many health benefits to eating fermented foods. Lactic acid bacteria can enhance the nutritional quality of vegetables by synthesizing B vitamins such as folic acid, riboflavin, B6, and B12, and vitamin C, increasing the availability of nutrients to be absorbed.1 Lactic acid bacteria also produce antioxidants, which scavenge harmful free radicals to protect our health.1 In addition, lactic acid bacteria themselves promote healthy microbial balance in the gastrointestinal system which strengthens the immune system.3 Studies have suggested that regularly consuming fermented vegetables may reduce risk of chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.3 To reap the probiotic benefits of these foods, it is important to eat fermented vegetables that have not been pasteurized.

Many cultures around the world have traditional practices of making fermented vegetables, and the techniques have been passed down through generations of knowledge and practice. Most of the techniques involve the use of salt or salt brine, or sun-drying for non-salted vegetables. Kimchi is traditionally made by first soaking cabbage in a salt brine, then combining the cabbage with hot chili peppers, garlic, ginger, scallions, radish, fermented fish, and other special ingredients, stuffing the vegetables in earthen pots, and then burying the pots underground to ferment and store through the winter.4 In the Himalayas, the fermented vegetable gundruk is made from local mustard-like greens, and made by wilting the greens outdoors for 1-2 days, crushing and pressing the wilted leaves into airtight containers to ferment for 2-3 weeks, then sun-drying the greens for 2-4 days before consumption.5 In Nigeria, fermentation is used to break down toxic compounds in cassava root. To make a popular food called gari, traditional Nigerian practices involve grating the cassava, collecting it in mesh sacks, squeezing out the starch by pressing the sacks between stones or logs or hanging the sacks, leaving the sacks to ferment for 3-4 days, and then further processing the fermented cassava for consumption.6 These are just a few of the many traditional practices of fermenting vegetables, with techniques also varying across local communities and households. Exploring cultural traditions of making fermented vegetables linked to your family heritage may offer opportunities for reconnection and healing.

How to Get Started

Getting started with making fermented vegetables can be very simple. The basic process of fermenting vegetables involves cleaning and chopping vegetables, drawing out the juices of the vegetables with salt and squeezing or pounding the vegetables, packing the vegetables tightly in a container submerged in its juices to ferment, and waiting until the desired taste and texture is achieved. While some fermentation techniques don’t require salt, many recipes use salt to help pull juices out of the vegetables, create a crispier texture, and create an environment that inhibits harmful bacteria (e.g., sauerkraut, miso).7 Warm temperatures speed up the fermentation process, and cool temperatures slow it down. Some people consider temperatures in the 50-65˚F range to be ideal for fermenting vegetables.7 When stored in the refrigerator or in a cool environment of approximately 35-50˚F, the vegetables can retain flavor and texture properties for months and sometimes years.

Although the process of fermenting vegetables really is simple, it takes practice to get to know the qualities of different vegetables as a fermented product and to play with recipes and flavors. It took me a couple of growing seasons of practice and a few batches of non-tasty ferments before I could consistently make batches that my family and I love to eat. But don’t be intimidated and discouraged! You will be blown away by the flavors, cost-savings, and health-giving qualities of your own fermented vegetables. Some popular vegetables for making vegetable ferments that are grown in the northeast region of the U.S. include cabbage (green, red, and Asian varieties), radish, carrot, turnip, beet, cauliflower, and cucumber.

If you are a beginner at making fermented vegetables, here are some tips for getting started:

Taste some of the fermented vegetable products out there to find types you enjoy eating. Most grocery stores in the U.S. carry sauerkraut, kimchi, and naturally fermented cucumber pickles in the refrigerated section. At health food stores you might find fermented radish, carrot, beet, turnip, and other root vegetables. Make sure the fermented vegetables have not been pasteurized (if they are jarred or canned at room temperature on the shelf, they are likely pasteurized).
Start with making small batches in quart or half-gallon sized jars. This will allow you to explore different recipes more quickly without investing a lot of time and money.
Start with simple recipes with few ingredients and easy steps, such as the cabbage kraut below. You will be encouraged to make your own if the process isn’t a hassle or overly complicated.
Use vegetables that are in season and grown locally. Freshly harvested vegetables tend to taste better and are crunchier and more appealing when fermented. In-season vegetables tend to be cheaper. If you buy from a local farm, try to find vegetables that have been grown without pesticides and herbicides to minimize harmful contaminants and maximize beneficial bacteria.
Taste your vegetables daily and monitor the progression of fermentation. The time it takes to achieve the desired texture and flavor of fermented vegetables varies greatly and depends on personal preferences, environmental temperatures, and type of vegetable ferment. If your vegetable ferments quickly in warm temperatures, it’s best to transfer them to a fridge after 2 days or eat them up before they get too mushy.
Start with fermenting cabbage. While you can ferment virtually any type of vegetable, some are harder to get the right texture and flavor. Cabbage is a relatively inexpensive and easy vegetable to ferment, and there are many options for creating flavors you might like. Experiment with herbs and spices such as ginger, garlic, hot pepper, caraway seeds, curry powder, and turmeric.
Have fun! Explore different recipes and flavors and share your products with family and friends. Making fermented vegetables is an opportunity to learn about the science and art of fermentation, try new food flavors, reconnect with family traditions, and actively engage in your journey for health.
Spicy Cabbage Kraut

Ingredients:

1 head green or red cabbage, shredded (save aside 1-2 full sized leaves)
¼ onion, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red chili pepper, seeded and minced (optional if chilis are not tolerated)
2 teaspoons unrefined sea salt
This recipe should make 2–3 quart sized jars or about 1 half-gallon jar.

Instructions:

Grate, shred, or cut cabbage very finely, and place in a large bowl
Sprinkle salt on the cabbage as you go until all the salt has been added
Massage cabbage with your hands or pound with a meat hammer until juices start coming out of the cabbage and it becomes very juicy
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly
Stuff the cabbage mixture tightly into cleaned glass jars and allow the mixture to be fully submerged by the juices. Add 1-2 full sized leaves to the top of the jar to help keep the shredded cabbage from floating above the juices. If you can’t keep the vegetables from floating above the juices, you can add a small weight on top, such as a small bag of water.
Loosely place a lid on the jar. The fermented vegetables will release gasses that need to escape from the jar, so you want to have the lid loose enough that gasses can escape.
Taste the vegetables every day. Discard vegetables that have floated above the juices. Transfer the fermented vegetables to cold storage such as a refrigerator when the desired flavor and texture have been reached. This will likely take a few days to a few weeks, depending on the temperature.

https://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/blog/blog-posts/2022/7/make-your-own-fermented-vegetables/

Leekchi is like kimchi’s little cousin, a highly flavorful fermented condiment made simply of leeks, salt, ginger, garlic, and hot peppers. (Recipe Credit: Aube Giroux of Kitchen Vignettes.)

Ingredients
6 cups thinly sliced leeks (about 1 ½ pound or 3 large leeks)
2 tsp sea salt (pickling or kosher salt is ok but do not use iodized table salt)
2 large cloves of garlic (about 1 Tbsp, minced)
1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
2 tsp hot red pepper powder (ideally Korean kimchi pepper, but a mix of cayenne, paprika, or dried chili flakes is fine – for a really hot leekchi, increase the amount accordingly)
Instructions
1. First, rinse the leeks very well. Soil tends to get stuck in between the layers at the part of the leek where the dark leaves begin to branch out. Also, wash your hands well before starting this recipe because you’ll be using them to mix everything together.
2. Place the thinly sliced leeks (including some of the green tops) into a large bowl. Sprinkle the salt on top. Use your hands to massage the leeks and salt together until the juices begin to release (about 5 minutes). Cover the sliced leeks and allow them to rest for about 45 minutes so the juices continue to release.
3. Add all of your flavoring ingredients: minced garlic, grated ginger, and hot pepper. Mix well until fully incorporated.
4. Press the leek mixture into a clean 2-quart mason jar or crock, or a 1-quart jar if using a clamp-down Fido or Le Parfait jar. In order to ferment vegetables properly, you must keep them submerged under liquid. You’ll want to compress the leeks down to remove all air pockets and to encourage their juices to rise to the top, really packing them down. If you don’t have a wooden tamper, you can use the back of your hand or the end of a wooden spoon or rolling pin to press down. If you’ve pressed the leeks down but there is still not enough liquid to cover them, you can add a bit of homemade brine. Stir 1 tsp salt into 1 cup water until the salt has dissolved. Pour just enough of this brine on top of your leek mixture to cover it.
5. The fermentation process will push the leeks up out of the brine so you may need to weigh them down, depending on the vessel you’re using. If using a mason jar or a crock, top your leeks with a follower and weight combination or use a simple weight made out of a quart-sized ziplock bag. Press the plastic down onto the top of the ferment, then fill it with water and seal. For a jar, screw the lid loosely on top. Do not seal so that gases can escape during the fermenting process. Clamp-on jars such as Fido and LeParfait do not need a weight to keep the vegetables submerged because they can remain closed until the ferment is ready to eat. However, if using this technique, be aware of the small risk that a jar can shatter, as explained in my write-up above. Though this is unlikely, you should wrap any jars in rags or towels and place them in a closed cardboard box in a closet for the active fermentation part, as a safety measure. This article has additional information about how to keep ferments submerged.
6. Leave your leekchi at room temperature, away from direct sunlight for about 1 week. The contents may bubble and seep out so you may want to keep your jars on some newspaper. Unless you are using the clamp-down jar option, you should check your ferment daily to ensure the vegetables are still submerged under brine. Scoop out any scum that develops on the top. Your leekchi is ready when it has turned yellowish, the leeks have softened and developed a nice sour aroma.
7. After about 7 days, the active part of the fermentation should be complete and you can move your jar or crock to the fridge where they will keep for about 6 months.
8. Leekchi is wonderful as a condiment served alongside a warm meal. It’s also lovely with cheese and crackers. You can add it to stir-fry’s, soups, omelettes or scrambled eggs.

https://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/leekchi

(Old Friends Farm)
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup sugar (sugar in the raw works really well for this)
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat ginger, butter, and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Gently fold in flour mixture until just combined. Chill for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and then roll them in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
4. Bake until edges start to brown, about 15 minutes. Centers will be slightly soft. Let stand on cookie sheets 1 minute and remove to racks to cool completely

(Old Friends Farm)
Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 minced or crushed garlic clove
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced

Directions
Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and dill together in a bowl, using a whisk. Add ginger to sour cream mixture and blend until smooth. Chill. Serve with fresh vegetables. Note: You can substitute light mayonnaise, light sour cream, or strained yogurt for the ‘creamy’ ingredients

(thanks to Denison Farm, NY)
Ingredients
1/4 cup minced shallot (onions will work as well)
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger (ginger root from Abundant Acres does not need to be peeled)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup rice vinegar (available at Asian markets and some supermarkets)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups finely shredded carrots
4 cups finely shredded peeled raw beets (about 3/4 pound)
spinach or lettuce leaves, washed thoroughly, for garnish if desired

Directions
In a blender purée shallot, ginger, and garlic with rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. With motor running add olive oil in a stream and blend until smooth.
In separate bowls toss carrots with half of the dressing and beets with remaining half. Divide carrot salad and beet salad among 4 plates and garnish with spinach or lettuce leaves.

1 lb. (about 2 c.) fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 c. honey
1 c. plus 2 tbs. white wine vinegar
3/4 c. plus 2 tbs. water
2 1/2 tsp. salt

• Clean and thinly slice the ginger.
• You can very the thickness based on your preference. Thinner slices will be more like traditional sushi ginger (gari), but thicker slices (1/8 – 1/4 in.) will hold more of the lovely crunch of the fresh ginger.
• Toss ginger with salt and 1/4 c. of the honey and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Combine water, vinegar, and remaining 3/4 c. of honey in a pot and begin to heat the mixture over medium heat (using a pot with a thick bottom will help prevent scorching).
• Add the ginger to the heating liquid and bring the mixture to about 185 degrees (that’s gently simmering if you don’t have a thermometer) and then remove from heat. Try not to keep the mixture at a high temperature for too long, as it will start to soften the ginger.
• If you are planning to use your pickles soon, all you need to do is put them is a sealed container and keep them refrigerated. They should keep for many weeks in the fridge.
• If you want to can your pickles, just keep them at or above 185 degrees when you put them into your jars, and follow safe canning practices. If properly canned they should last at least a year, unopened.
• This recipe makes about 1 to 1 1/2 quarts of pickles.
  Have fun pickling!

Thanks to our friend Susan for this recipe
Toss together in a non-reactive bowl:
1 mounded cup Old Friends ginger (Clean the ginger first, and slice as thinly as possible)
1 teaspoon organic cane sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
Let stand for one hour, stirring a couple of times during that hour. A good bit of liquid will collect in the bottom of the bowl.
Meanwhile, mix together, in a non-reactive pan or microwave safe 4- cup measuring bowl:
5/8 cup distilled white vinegar (from grain)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
Procedure: Dump the ginger into a big metal strainer, and rinse it well under running cool water (you want to wash off the salt/sugar mix); also rinse the nonreactive bowl it was in. Let the ginger drain for a minute or so. Using a clean cotton tea towel, dry the bowl, and pat the rinsed ginger to remove excess water. Dump the ginger slices back into the bowl.
Heat the vinegar-water-sugar mix to boiling, making sure the sugar is dissolved. You can do this on the stove or in the microwave. Pour the boiling vinegar-water-sugar mix over the ginger slices, and stir gently to free up the slices that are stuck together. Let sit for one hour. Then put it in a scalded jar with an airtight lid. Refrigerate.
Alternately, pour the just-mixed, still-really-hot proto-pickles and vinegar into a scalded jar and screw down the lid. Let this cool, and as it does you will get a basic vacuum seal, though not a true canning seal. Store in fridge. ENJOY! Remember to use any gingery vinegar brine leftovers for salad dressing! Delicious!

In a jar combine lemon slices, organic honey and sliced ginger. Close jar and put it in the fridge, it will form into a “jelly”. To serve, spoon jelly into mug and pour boiling water over it. Store in fridge 2-3 months.