Pickles – $1.01
My husband is the person in our family whose health I am most concerned about. He is twenty-nine, so he’s not exactly getting old, but he’s older than the rest of us. Also, he has lived his whole life on processed foods. My family ate processed grains, pasta and cereal, but not much else processed except sausage and lunch meat. His family had processed everything. His body is the most damaged.
He’s on board with the diet reform we’ve been going through. He likes my cooking and has no problem as I figure out the healthier versions of our favorite meals. My soaking grains doesn’t change much for him, and he prefers the higher proportions of meat I serve. Cutting out sugar has been hard for him, so I’ve put extra effort into making him stevia sweets, homemade soda and milkshakes.
Most recently, I’ve been adding lacto-fermented produce into our diets. This has been a health goal, as adding lacto-fermented fruits and vegetables is a huge benefit in digestion. A comprehensive article on the full health benefits can be found on the Weston A. Price Foundation’s website.
My husband doesn’t really get the lacto-fermenting fruits and vegetables. He’s been good about everything else, and has become an advocate for some of the health issues that I am passionate about. But sometimes I think I might take on too much too fast and it gets overwhelming for him. So, how do we find a compromise?
Pickles!
I don’t like store-bought pickles, but my husband does. So, I’m making him lacto-fermented pickles, which are the original way pickles were made. He loves pickles and agreed to try them. He knows from experience that my home made version of anything is better than the store-bought. It’s really not a compromise at all.
Pickles are super easy. The recipe I stole can be found here or in the book Nourishing Traditions
2 tablespoons whey – $0.02
1 1/2 teaspoons salt – $0.01
1 tablespoon dill – $0.10
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed – $0.10
I don’t know the prices of the dill and mustard seed, as these were given to us as a wedding present as part of a spice rack, but I’m guessing $0.10 each. Also, if you don’t have whey, you can double the salt instead.
I added enough water to fill the jar to 1/2 inch away from the top. I covered tightly, then shook vigorously. I let it sit on the counter at room temperature for three days. After the three days, it needs to be refrigerated or transferred into cold storage. The pickles were perfect, and Dan loves them. I am looking forward to some fun variations, like adding garlic, red pepper flakes, or even stevia for sweet pickles.
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