Fermented foods are a gut-healing panacea! Shrubs are basic ferments, easy to make, and these recipes are also Paleo-friendly. Eat (uh ... drink) 'em UP!
Place the cherries in a large jar or bowl (you can leave the pits in). Add the vanilla bean and maple syrup and use a muddle stick (or other blunt object) to mash the cherries to a pulp.
Stir in the vinegars. Cover and let sit on the kitchen counter for 24 to 48 hours.
Strain the shrub, pressing down on the solids to extract all the juice. Discard the pulp.
Pour the shrub into a jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least 1 month.
Add a couple of tablespoons to sparkling water (I need to sweeten it more with stevia) or use as the base for a dressing. Or take a spoonful ... remember ... a spoonful a day keeps dis-ease away!
Put all fruits and herbs into a clean glass 1-quart jar. Add additional fruit to fill the jar if desired.
Using a muddle stick or wooden spoon, muddle the mix to release the juices and oils.
Pour in vinegar until the jar is nearly full, leaving about one onch of space on the top.
Place a clean cheesecloth or coffee filter over the jar and secure it with a rubber band or the metal ring of your jar. Leave the jar out overnight for about 12 hours to accelerate the fermentation process.
After 12 hours, remove the cover, place a piece of parchment paper or a double coffee filter over the opening, and then screw the lid onto your jar. This ensures that the vinegar doesn't contact the plastic surface of your lid.
Shake the jar gently two or three times a day for 3 days.
After three days, change the parchment/coffee filter to prevent mold growth and transfer the jar to the fridge for 4 more days, continuing to shake it a few times a day.
After a total fermentation period of 6 to 7 days, strain the solid parts out through a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or large measuring cup. Press on the solids to extract all the liquid, then discard.
Pour the liquid into a clean jar. This mixture will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 months or more. Take a spoonful a day or sweeten with stevia and mix into a glass of sparkling water.
0 servings
1 Tbsp