Perhaps you’ve heard about the health benefits of fermented foods. But maybe you’ve only tried yogurt and sauerkraut and perhaps miso soup. I just recently purchased the ebook “Planting Seeds of Nourishment” by nutritionist, Yvette DuMouchel, so I thought I’d share her recipe (with her permission, of course) for cultured dill beans. Don’t be scared away if you hate beans or even dill. The good news is that you can alter this recipe using different veggies or herbs.

And even better news is she has a whole book of great recipes like this. It’s designed with kids in mind, so if you have kids who could eat a bit healthier, if you would like more ideas for kid-friendly recipes, or if you don’t have kids, but want simple delicious recipes for adults too, check it out! This is a link to the ebook. And this is to the print book.

For me, it was a toss of a coin to decide if I would share the fermented foods recipe for beans or the elderberry syrup recipe. If you want the latter, check out her book! 😉

Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans (you can also try carrots, mini cucumber, or other vegetables)
• 4 cups water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unrefined salt
• 4 sprig of fresh dill
• 1-2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1-2 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Directions

1. Wash and trim green beans.
2. In a large measuring cup or bowl (do not use a metal bowl), dissolve salt in water to make the brine.
3. Place dill, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns into clean jars.
4. Place green beans into jars.
5. Pour brine solution over beans, leaving a 1-inch space from the top of the jar. Ensure that the beans are covered in the brine solution. You can use a pickling weight or place a smaller jar over the beans to ensure they remain covered by the liquid. Remove any pieces of food that float to the surface. These can attract unwanted molds.
6. Cover jar with a lid, airlock lid, cheesecloth, or light cloth. If using a lid, burp daily to release excess pressure.
7. Culture beans at room temperature for 4 to 7 days. When the water becomes cloudy, taste a bean. if you like the flavour, place a lid on the jar and refrigerate to stop fermentation. If they are still salty, let them sit for another day or two until they become sour. Refrigerate when you like the flavour.
8. Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months.
9. Your senses will tell you if the batch is “off.” Trust your nose. If it smells foul in any way, then compost the batch and try again. They should smell like pickles and taste sour.