I am obsessed with my diet at the moment. I eat pulses, fish and green leafy veg only during the week so that I can eat cake and drink wine and pig out on lasagne on the weekend, which means that a) I don’t put on as much weight as I might otherwise and b) it ought to, in theory, keep me healthier than if I just starved myself on weekdays.
Sauerkraut, specifically this quite medicinal-looking “unpasturised” fresh sauerkraut by RAW Oragnic (available on Ocado), is very handy during the week to have as an occasional side.
The extra benefit of sauerkraut is that you’re supposed to have fermented food in your diet, such as sauerkraut, kimchee, live yoghurt and miso.
Yoghurt is easy, miso you can have in miso soup – or as a paste onto grilled or baked fish. I like kimchee but it can be a bit challengingly spicy and, err, just sometimes a bit yucky – especially at lunchtime when maybe you’re not emotionally or physically ready to ingest something quite so stinky.
Anyway this sauerkraut has a very gentle flavour, leaves no trace and lasts, properly covered in the fridge, for about a fortnight.
May 4, 2016 at 7:39 am
Who knew?! Not a dish I would naturally gravitate to I must admit! Reminds me of pickled herrings which will never past my lips again!!
May 4, 2016 at 8:14 am
And make kombucha! Very easy, a weeks supply for only the cost of some tea bags and sugar.
May 4, 2016 at 9:57 am
I have Sauerkraut in the fridge all the time although I don’t particularly like it! But its low fat and I read something about the aforementioned good for your gut thing. Plus its not fattening and easy. I must admit Im a bit worried now as I thought as it was pickled it would keep in the fridge for months? Bit worried about the only last two weeks bit, should I throw my jar out? Its been in there a while!
May 4, 2016 at 9:58 am
Sarah do you know I’m not sure. I’m a bit neurotic about food sitting about – but you’re right sauerkraut must be able to go a bit longer than a fortnight. you are living proof!
May 4, 2016 at 10:00 am
ha ha!!! Be a bit ironic if the bloody stuff ended up killing me!
May 4, 2016 at 10:02 am
:(
May 4, 2016 at 11:03 am
Love sauerkraut but a word of caution – approach with care the first few times as it can be remarkably fart-inducing! After that your digestions adjusts to it.
May 4, 2016 at 2:06 pm
Will definitely give it a try. I am Loving the Bircher muesli you recommended. What do you think of box schemes ? I got sweet talked into signing up for Hello Fresh. We have enjoyed the food but it’s quite expensive and I can’t bear the piss taking from my sister and brother in law much longer ( “hahaha so you’re too much of a wanker to actually weigh out your own ingredients- they saw you coming” that kind of thing) . I have also given up on Abel and Cole. be interesting to know what your view is.
May 4, 2016 at 4:27 pm
I often think about trying one of those grocery box delivery schemes, but haven’t yet. I do subscribe to two monthly cosmetic/beauty/nice thing boxes though, Birchbox and My Little Box and I really like them – great fun things coming through your door for about £10 once a month. My Little Box is French and is always a wee bit quirky.
May 4, 2016 at 5:55 pm
I hate box schemes
May 4, 2016 at 8:24 pm
I knew that’s what you’d say!
May 4, 2016 at 9:47 pm
I tried a box scheme- Riverford do one where they send you ingredients and recipe cards for 3 meals. THe recipes were fine but TBH it was more faff to open the little packets of spice, mini pots of olive oil etc than to measure it oneself. So completely pointless if you have a store cupboard. I think I liked the idea of being told what to cook l,the relentlessness of having to think of two dinners a day every day was driving me crazy. But I’d have been better off sticking a pin in a recipe book.
May 10, 2016 at 9:05 am
I recently discovered my local Polish supermarket and now pay 80p for a MASSIVE jar of Sauerkraut – bargain and well worth a trip if you don’t mind the labels being in Polish.