Mexican Carrots

Super spicy, throw them in any Mexican dish for extra flavor and probiotics. I try to eat a lot of carrots. Vitamin A that is found in carrots (from beta-carotene) can make a big difference in the health of the body. Researchers at the Jules Stein Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles found that women who consume carrots at least twice per week – compared to women who consume carrots less than once per week – have significantly lower rates of glaucoma (damage to the optic nerve often associated with excessive pressure inside the eye). Check out my article on 19 Healing Cultured Carrot Recipes

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snacks

Servings: quart

Ingredients

2 cups carrots peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 clove garlic
1 small jalapeno pepper sliced
1 bay leaf whole
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
1/8 teaspoon Cutting Edge Cultures or ¼ cup of kefir whey
filtered or spring water with minerals

Instructions

If using the starter culture, place 1⁄2 cup of water in a glass measuring cup, add the culture, and stir until dissolved. Let the mixture sit while you prepare the carrots — anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes. If using kefir whey, add it when the recipe calls for culture in step 4.
Peel the carrots and cut them on the diagonal in ½ inch pieces.
Place the carrots, garlic, jalapeno, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt in a 1-quart glass or ceramic container that can be securely sealed.
Add the culture and fill the container with filtered water, leaving 2 inches of headspace to let the carrots bubble and expand as they ferment.
Seal the container and let it sit on your kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight, for 3 days.
Check the carrots every day to make sure they are fully submerged in the water. If they have risen above the water, simply push them down so they are fully covered by the water. If any white Kahm yeast formed because the carrots rose above the water, do not worry. Remember, this isn’t harmful. Just scoop out the vegetables that have the white spots on them and push the rest back under the water.
After 3 days, place the carrots in the refrigerator.