Gut Friendly Pickled Cabbage with Manuka Honey
Gut health is not only important because it can affect so many other areas of your body, but because an upset tummy is generally a cause of inflammation which can lead to serious illness. The side effects of an upset gut can also cause huge discomfort, and we don’t know about you but a bloated tummy is one of our least favourite feelings!
This recipe combines the power of fermentation, which creates a number of prebiotic and probiotic enzymes to help with bloating, and the natural benefits of Manuka Honey to support a healthy digestive system. Perfect paired with almost any savoury meal, in sandwiches, or eaten as a tasty snack. We’ve used three different types of cabbage in our recipe, as this is also a fun way to add colour to a meal. You can also add herbs, spices, garlic, and other vegetables such as carrot, peppers and even apples for beautiful flavour variations.
You will need to make sure you sterilize the jar you are fermenting your cabbage in, so to do this, pour boiling water into a clean bowl, and submerge the jar in the water – ensuring that the boiling water covers the inside of the jar. With a pair of rubber coated tongs, take the jar out and leave to air dry before you fill it with your fresh ingredients.
This is a quick and easy recipe to prepare on a Sunday so you’re set for the week ahead, and will easily keep for up to 2 weeks in your jar in the fridge. Enjoy your pickling (and eating!) x
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Head of Cabbage (we’ve used a combination of red, savoy and green cabbage)
1 1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/4 C warm water
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp ultra high strength Manuka Honey (UMF 20+)
Mason Jars or any glass jar with a tight seal (3 - 4 16oz)
1
Cut cabbage into chunks and shred in the food processor, or finely slice, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Add water, vinegar, and salt to a saucepan.
2
Warm the mix on a very low heat, remove from element and stir in the honey until both the honey and salt have dissolved. It’s important to keep the honey at a low temperature so as not to destroy the properties that will support gut health.
3
Place cabbage in mason jars – you can ether mix your cabbage types together, or place one cabbage type into each different jar - we’ve chosen to do it this way so we can play around with colours when creating our meals. The red cabbage tends to bleed when soaked and turn everything a beautiful pink/purple.
4
Pour liquid over cabbage and press cabbage down to ensure it is completely covered with the liquid. Leave until cool, then pop the lid on your jars and refrigerate for at least 2 – 4 hours before serving. This will keep well in the fridge for approx. 2 weeks. Yum!
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