The older I get, the more “mature” my tastebuds must be getting. I finally found the courage to try sauerkraut and I actually fell in love with it. I know it may be a tough sell for some of you, but I’ve come a long way since my days of eating a box of Rice-a-Roni and a bunch of Oreo cookies for my day’s meals. I think once you give it a try, especially in this recipe, you’ll be sold too.
I’ve always assumed that sauerkraut would be mushy and taste like baby poo. I mean, do you blame me? I worked in a daycare and changed a lot of diapers that had some resemblances to what I knew as sauerkraut. But kraut and myself have come a long way since then. The creators of Cultured Love have found a way to put kraut in a pretty package, in a variety of colors and flavors, and maintain a crunch. This kraut has great texture – nothing mushy about it. For my first experience in the world of kraut, Cultured Love definitely was the way to go.
The Curryosity first gives you a little taste of savory, then a hint of sweet, and finishes with a tang (I’m assuming because it’s a fermented food) that lingers for a second and then disappears. Your mouth almost waters for more. It’s an interesting blend that stands up to it’s name.
For a quick meal, I decided to use the intense flavors to my advantage. No need to pull out half the spices in the cabinet or get the food processor to shred extra vegetables – the Curryosity has it all. I cooked up some quinoa for a nice fluffy, but chewy base. For extra protein, I pulled out the shredded chicken that I had made in my crockpot. I always leave it lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, so I can add it to a multitude of meals throughout the week. Vegetarians could also substitute the chicken with a garbanzo or black bean (YUM!). I chopped a few stalks of celery and half red onion to give a juicy extra crunch – added a little cilantro, because I was out of parsley, mixed in some extra virgin olive oil, a pinch more salt and voila! I ate this meal warm – because I had just cooked the quinoa, and packaged up the rest for lunch. The next few days, I brought this to work for lunch and ate it cold. The flavors kept getting better and it was even more delicious straight out of the refrigerator.
The bonus – sauerkraut is a fermented food – meaning it’s full of naturally occurring probiotics, similar to those that line your stomach and intestines. When we eat acidic, junky foods, or have to take antibiotics, many of these good bacteria in our systems die, causing difficulty digesting foods. When we assist our system with replenishing these bacteria with probiotics, our gut health improves, as well as our immune system. This kraut is filled with vitamins A and C, the quinoa offers a protein even if you opt out of the chicken, and the extra virgin olive oil provides a healthy fat to keep us feeling sustained and energized. I rate this meal off the charts! Simple, nutrient packed, and delicious. How could you go wrong!?!
For more information about the product featured in this recipe, go to www.culturedlove.com
- 1 cup rainbow quinoa, cooked* (appx 3 cups once cooked)
- ½ package Cultured Love Curryosity Kraut
- ¼ cup chicken breast, cooked and shredded (optional)**
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil
- course ground sea salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Place first 3 ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well until combined.
- Add celery, onion, parsley and oil. Mix well.
- Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Cover loosely and set aside for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve warm, or cover in the refrigerator overnight for a cold dish.
**Substitute cooked garbanzo beans for vegan option
This is a great recipe and I recommend trying it.