Fermented Winter Vegetable Blend

It's easy to neglect our diets during the holidays, but what if healthy tasted just as good as unhealthy? We found an amazing recipe for roasted vegetables, specifically designed for diabetics, that inspired us to make a similar combination for a winter ferment. If you're looking for a special snack, fermented vegetables are a great option with no guilt attached. A little sour and savory, you and your family won't believe they're loaded with vitamins and probiotics as you munch away by the fire (or TV, let's be real). 

If you're new to fermenting, this recipe is beginner-friendly so don't be alarmed by the long ingredient list. Masontops sells a number of fermentation tools to use with Mason jars that makes fermenting easy and takes out a lot of the guesswork. Check out the Masontops Complete Fermentation Kit if eating healthier is on your New Year resolution list. 

Fermented Winter Vegetable Medley Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 cups chlorine-free water
• 4 tbsp coarse salt (must be iodine free; we recommend sea salt)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed 
• 1 medium turnip, peeled and cubed 
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and grated 
• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered 
• 2 teaspoons Italian herb blend

Tools

• 2 quart-sized Mason jars with bands
• 2 wide mouth Pickle Pipes
• 2 wide mouth Pickle Pebbles

Instructions 

1. Layer your vegetables in your Mason jars and sprinkle in Italian herbs. Leave about 2" of headspace. 
2. In a separate measuring cup, dissolve your salt into the water and pour over the vegetables until they are submerged and there is still 1.5" of headspace.
3. Place your Pickle Pebble on top of the vegetables, ensuring they are weighted down below the brine; the Pickle Pebble should be slightly submerged. Remove any food that floats above the Pickle Pebble to prevent mold growth.
4. Screw on your Pickle Pipe, spout up, and secure it with a band. Leave the jars to ferment in a cool and dark space, like a cupboard, for 1 - 2 weeks or until desired taste is achieved.

You should taste the ferment every few days to see how it's coming along. There is no set amount of time you need to ferment these for; just stop when you like the taste. The longer they ferment, the more rich in good bacteria they will become, but at a certain point the veggies will begin to soften. Most people prefer to stop the ferment before the vegetables get mushy, but that's up to your discretion.

Once you're ready to stop the ferment, throw on a lid and put them in the fridge. Masontops Tough Tops are perfect for ferments that you're going to access often because of their easy screw on/off lid and airtight seal. 

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