Fermented Carrots and Cucumbers

I love fermentation. There is something about taking fresh produce and making it even better for you that appeals to the health nut in me. What's not to love? Fizzy, probiotic, delicious creations that are simple to make, and require almost no effort. Sounds like something you and I should be doing more often!

For this batch of ferments, I decided to make two things: cucumbers (aka pickles), and carrots. Let's start with our supplies:


- Mason jars with rings and lids,  1L size
 - Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Measuring spoon, 1tbsp size
- Sea salt, 1tbsp per jar
- Whey (get the recipe here), 1tbsp per jar










 - Carrots, approximately 8 per jar

- Cucumbers, approximately 5 per jar

- Garlic, 2+ cloves per jar

- Dill, 3+ sprigs per jar

- Mustard seed, 1tbsp per jar for cucumbers ONLY

- Filtered water, to fill jar

Now that we have our supplies covered, here's what to do:

1. Put 1tbsp each of whey and salt into each jar.
2. Slice and add garlic to each jar. You may leave them whole if you like.
3. Chop or slice your veggies however you desire. I left my carrots whole, and did one jar of whole cucumbers and one sliced.
4. Add veggies to jar, alternating with your sprigs of dill.
5. Add mustard seed to jars with cucumbers only.
6. Fill jars with filtered water, stopping no more than one inch from the top of the jar.
7. Put the lids on, and set the jars on the counter.

That's it! Simple, right?

The next step is to leave the jars on the counter for a minimum of three days, or until they are fermented to your liking. Just be careful if it is very warm or if you are leaving the jars a long time, as pressure may build up and your jars could explode. I have never had that happen, but better safe than sorry!
Once your ferment is ready, transfer it to the fridge. Again, be careful when opening the jars. I have had the lid shoot off when I loosened the jar ring.

Here are my jars, four days later. Check out the lovely bubbles! I can't wait to open them. Into the fridge they go, so that tomorrow they will be ready to snack on. Yum!