This is so easy and makes your kitchen smell delicious! It requires very little hands-on time and tastes just like Grandma’s apple butter.
Wash, core, and quarter the apples. Place in slow cooker and add water and cinnamon. Cook on low for 8-12 hours, or until the apples are soft.
When apples are soft, puree the apple mixture in the slow cooker using an immersion blender. (Alternately, you could transfer in batches to a stand blender.) Continue cooking on low in the slow cooker with the lid off until it reaches the desired consistency, usually about 1-2 hours.
Allow to cool, then stir in 2 T. of whey. Put into jars. Leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours before transferring to the refrigerator.
*This should keep for at least 2 months in the refrigerator. I’ve also frozen it both before and after lacto-fermenting with great results. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
This lacto-fermented apple chutney is sweet, spicy, slightly tangy and a perfect compliment to raw cheddar, kefir, yogurt, poultry and more. It’s hard not to eat a whole bowl full of this stuff! Think of all the awesome probiotics you will get eating this lacto-fermented chutney.
Combine the water, lemon juice, salt and whey. Mix the combined liquids with the other ingredients and pack firmly into 2 - quart sized jars or 1 - half-gallon jar, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace at the top. The liquid should come to the top of the fruit. Add a little more water if necessary. (I usually layer apples, cranberries and pecans together in my food processor and let it do all the work.)
Cover and leave at room temperature for 48 hours (alternately, use a lacto-fermentation device that has an airlock system, such as those offered by Cultures for Health. You should see trapped bubbles around the sides, which is a sign of active fermentation.
Refrigerate and leave in the fridge another week before eating. Will keep for about 2 months in the refrigerator. Be sure to always use a clean utensil when dipping out of the jar and re-pack the fruit each time.
Tip: Use this lacto-fermented cranberry apple chutney as a “dressing” on top of shredded cabbage for a probiotic rich salad.
Lacto fermented pickles that snap when you bite them! If you have a cold or flu try a pickle or drink the juice. The good bacterias fight all kinds of viruses.
Chop cucumbers in half place flat side down on surface and cut into spears. Place cucumbers in 4- 1 quart jars.
Place other ingredients in a bowl with a spout for easy pouring.
Mix all ingredients till well combined. Pour mixture into jars making sure that each jar gets equal amounts of ingredients. (some of the seed fall to the bottom)
Fill the jars with extra water leaving an 1 1/2 inches of room at the top and making sure veggies are below the water. The veggies will mold if left above the water. If this happens scrape off the mold or discard veggies and push the others below the water. The mold is harmless and won’t hurt anything but they can ruin the taste of the veggies.
Set at room temperature for 3 days and then place in the refrigerator. They taste they best after 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.