When I was at the Farmers Market a few weeks ago, I picked up some delicious beets and purple carrots. I started talking to the farmer about canning and she asked me if I was going to can them the lacid acid way. I told her I had never heard of that way before. I came home and started doing lots of research.

It is actually called Lacto- Fermenation. Lacto-fermentation happens when the starches and sugars in vegetables and fruit convert to lactic acid by a good for you lactic-acid producing bacteria.

This produces not only a tangy, delicious product but it also preserves it. It is actually way better for you then canning with vinegar. In a book called Nourishing Traditions it says… “The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.”
-Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions

You usually use whey in the canning process but I did’t have any and well, that sort of scared me, so for the first round I just tried with an extra tbsp of salt. I didn’t boil/roast my beets first so they are very tangy and crunchy. They are awesome, but I think I will try cooking them first next time.

Ingredients:
Beets (peeled and chopped into bit size pieces)
Cinnamon Stick
Nutmeg
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
1 cup filtered water. Make sure there is enough water to cover beets. If you use more water you need to add more salt.

Same for Carrots but I used a little oregano for spices instead of cinnamon and nutmeg.

1. Wash beets and carrots well, chop and place in a quart-sized wide mouth jar.

2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over veggies, adding more water if necessary to cover everything. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.

3. Cover tightly and keep and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.