"There is no substitute for coffee!!!" Is the type of comment from BuckarooFarmer whenever he sees me busy with my latest fermented brew. My husband loves his coffee. He can't leave the house without making a pot of filter coffee to ease into the new day. But what he does first is drink a big glass of warm water with apple cider vinegar. Did you know that while you are sleeping your incredible body does a mild detox? Your night of rest is also a mini fast and you get to reboot every morning. The best thing to do is to help your body flush the toxic waste with an internal shower. A big glass of warm water with lemon or apple cider vinegar - even a warm herbal tea such as stinging nettle - is vital to help your body finish the repair before you energize it for another day.
What I like to do is follow up the night's cleanse with a powerful probiotic boost. I must admit I have every intention of making the family their daily freshly juiced nourishing garden greens. But I don't. Instead Beet Kvass kicks off the day.
The word kvass is from the Russian word; kvasit. It means “to ferment”. The flavour is acquired but I find the earthy - and rather salty - taste delicious. You can take it medicinally or enjoy it as a cold drink.
The fact that beetroot is high in iron is common knowledge. Now add to that a short fermentation process and you have another superfood - superdrink! Beet kvass is really easy to make. And the finished drink is full of beneficial enzymes, beneficial compounds and essential probiotics. The fermentation process also increases vitamin levels. Beet kvass is a wonderful liver tonic.
BEET KVASS:
2 - 4 beetroot (depending on the size)
1 tablespoon good salt (I use himalayan)
1/4 cup sauerkraut juice
2 litres filtered water
Organic beetroots are best. If we have none in our garden then I soak the store bought beetroot for 10 minutes in water with a dash of food grade hydrogen peroxide. This washes off any pesticides and other chemicals sprayed on the veggies. Rinse. Chunky chop the beet. Do not peel.
Sterilize your jars (I use one litre bottles). Add the chopped beetroot and himalayan salt. Add the 1/4 sauerkraut juice (You can also use probiotics if you have. The original recipe calls for whey but there are vegan alternatives and if, like me, you always have sauerkraut then use the delicious juice). Top up the bottles with filtered water. Pop the lid on and keep in a dark place for 3 to 5 days. Make sure to scoop off any froth that forms on the top. You don't need bad bacteria forming. At this stage you can transfer your beet kvass to the fridge. It'll take two weeks before the fermentation process is complete and your probiotic drink is ready. Keep an eye on the bottles and filter off any froth on the surface. When ready filter and drink. By the time it is ready the Beet kvass is a deep purple red colour.