Posts

Tasty Cleanse, Nourished Body

/3 Comments/in /by

Guest blog by our beloved Mignon Macias:

I love connecting with people and sharing sincere enthusiasm for current passions. It’s exciting and inspiring. The other day I re-connected with Nicole T. after having not seen her for at least 2 years. Immediately we shared our smartphone snapshots, and exchanged tidbits about our lives that a quick catch-me-up session in a grocery store aisle permits. Within minutes, we realized that there was a reason for our running into each other. As Nicole pointed out, ‘ all things happen for a reason’.

Nicole had just begun a cleanse, and I was there to share with her the benefits of delicious naturally fermented foods from zuke pickled things. Everyday, but especially during a cleanse, fermented foods will improve gut flora which can boost overall health and improve digestion. This age-old process makes nutrients more readily available for absorption and enhances food flavors.

photos by Sugarcurse

Delicious flavors and inventive food combinations are what inspire the creators of Zuke pickled things, Mara and Willow King.  Their citrus ginger blend is a tangy addition to any salad, or as a condiment for fish or shrimp tacos, grilled meats, and steamy risotto. The fresh, organic ingredients (green cabbage, ginger, lemon zest, lemon juice, & sea salt) combined with the high level of lactobacilli in each jar, makes for a mouth watering treat that is rewarding and satisfying. A cleanse becomes more like a celebration, rather than deprivation.

Recently, as a modern culture, we have been re-discovering this traditional process of preserving foods with lactic acid fermentation. Nourished Kitchen explains well the benefits of eating fermented foods, and also shares amazing whole food recipes.

For a simple, quick, nutrient dense dish try this salad as a light meal, or as a side dish.

GREENS W/ CITRUS GINGER PICKLED THINGS:
Swiss chard (thinly sliced)
Purple or lance shaped kale (thinly sliced)
Shredded golden beets
citrus ginger pickled things
Slivered almonds
Chopped pears
Olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

 

In addition to its amazing flavor, citrus ginger pickled things is an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals. Cabbage and lemons are rich in vitamin C, which help the body resist infectious agents. Lemon peel (zest) is high in potassium and calcium. Potassium plays a role in maintaining your heart function, and aiding in digestive capabilities.  Calcium is important for maintaining bones and teeth. It also plays a role in heart rhythm and muscle function. Sea salt is naturally rich in trace minerals, essential for many metabolic functions. And ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body. It can also help with nausea, and aids in digestion.

It’s true, as Nicole said, all things DO happen for a reason. I thank you for your excitement and support. Here’s to a tasty cleanse and a nourished body!

Please send your favorite recipe ideas for our citrus ginger pickled things. We would like to share them.

 

Dishwire Press Release- Zuke in Whole Foods!

/in /by
January 23rd, 2012 — 8:55am

Zuké Pickled Veggies Now Available at Whole Foods Locations in Boulder

 

 

Zuké Pickled Veggies Now Available at Whole Foods Locations in Boulder

January 23, 2012-Boulder, COLORADO—Esoteric Food Company announced today their presence in Whole Foods Market at Pearl Street, Ideal Market and Base-Mar Locations. Zuké (pronounced zoo-kay) short for zukemono, the Japanese word for pickled things-offers four varieties including Cabbage-Based Korean Kim Chi, Eastern European Dill and Caraway Sauerkraut, A Citrus & Ginger blend and the cleverly combined Beets, Hijiki Seaweed and Kale. All products are raw, organic and loaded with probiotics. They retail for $8.99 and are located in the refrigerated dairy sections at Ideal Market and Base-Mar and in the raw food case at Pearl Street.

Says Co-Founder, Willow King, ” We are excited that Whole Foods picked up our product…now these life giving tasty pickles are available to a larger audience.”

John Andersen, Buyer for Whole Foods Base-Mar, said, “May their beets go on your salad cause they rock.”

About Zuké:

Founded in 2011 by the Esoteric Food Company, Zuké is a line of organic, pickled veggies that taste amazing and happen to be extra good for you. Our flavors are familiar-some might say nostalgic-and we use an all-natural fermentation process to make our food probiotic…a fancy word for natural organisms that keeps you healthy. Whether it’s the fire of our kim chi or the subtle lemon notes in our citrus & ginger cabbage, our cultured foods will engage your senses and keep you on the up and up. Yep, all this from a little jar.

For more information: http://www.ozuke.com

Why Cultured Foods?

/in , /by

Why Should You Eat Cultured Foods?

Here are a few pointers:

  • Fermenting foods is an age old way to preserve food. It was a way to use all the access produce from the summer and keep eating it all year round. This in itself is a great process to connect to seasonality and keep the strength of the food in tact.
  • In addition to preservation, fermentation also makes food easier to digest, creates new nutrients such a b vitamins, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin and biotin. Some ferments have antioxidants principles and also create omega-3 fatty acids- which we know are key to a healthy immune system.

Basically, fermented foods help supply your digestive tract with cultures that are necessary to break down and assimilate nutrients. Our Ozuké all contain Lactobacilli and that is what makes them not only food but good medicine too.