Vegetable Medley Recipe

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Elevate your meals with this essential GAPS diet vegetable medley recipe that’s flavorful and packed with natural probiotics. 

Benefits of fermented vegetable medley for digestion

Dr. Natasha says a fermented vegetable medley is great for digestion—it helps keep your gut happy and makes it easier for your body to break down food and utilize nutrients. She recommends ferments for probiotics, healthy digestion, immune support, and more. This GAPS diet vegetable medley recipe is one of the important ferments Dr. Natasha discusses in her books Gut and Psychology Syndrome and Gut and Physiology Syndrome. 

If you’re looking for more GAPS diet digestion recipes, try my refreshing fruit kvass recipe or make delicious fermented beets packed with flavor and probiotic benefits. 

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Ingredients you need for a GAPS diet vegetable medley

There are so many fermented foods that are great for gut health. Dr. Natasha says that fermenting vegetables enhances their nutritional value and makes them easier to digest (source). As a certified GAPS coach, I think it’s always a good idea to include a variety of them to maximize their benefits for gut health.

This GAPS diet recipe from Dr. Natasha is important because it’s a very specific ferment. It’s packed with specific microbes designed to support digestion, making it a fantastic addition to the GAPS Diet or for anyone looking to boost gut health. I love this recipe, which uses a special combination of vegetables and kefir whey as its starter. It’s also super simple to make, and you can keep it going forever! 

Tips for selecting the best ingredients

You’ll need a mix of fresh, non-starchy vegetables to make this fermented vegetable medley recipe. I always try to use organic produce when I’m fermenting. I find that it gives better results, like avoiding mold, and avoiding pesticides is always a plus. This gut-boosting vegetable medley uses cabbage, dill, beets, garlic, kefir whey, and optional spices for added flavor. 

GAPS diet vegetable medley benefits of fermentation 

Fermented vegetables are a necessary part of the GAPS diet. Fermentation does some pretty amazing things for your food and your body. Dr. Natasha says fermentation makes food easier to digest by unlocking nutrients into forms your body can absorb more easily. Fermented foods are packed with probiotics—the good-for-you bacteria that help balance your gut and keep digestion running smoothly.

Did you know fermentation boosts the nutrients in your food, increasing vitamins like B and K? It can also give the immune system a helping hand since so much of our health starts in the gut (source).  Dr. Natasha says she uses her vegetable ferments to remedy upset stomachs and sore throats. 

I love that ferments are versatile. You can easily adjust them to match your taste or specific needs. Fermented vegetables are zesty, sour, and delicious! Whether you like a tangier kick or a milder flavor or want to experiment with different veggies and spices, fermentation allows you to make it your own.

Things to know when making a fermented vegetable medley

I love how simple and delicious this vegetable medley for digestion recipe is! Here are a few things to keep in mind when making a batch: 

• Start with fresh, non-starchy vegetables. 
• High-quality mineral salt is necessary for proper fermentation. 
• Fermentation works best at room temperature (65–75°F)
• Press the vegetables firmly into the jar to remove air pockets and ensure they stay submerged in brine.
• Keep the vegetables below the brine to prevent mold and ensure proper fermentation. 

Step-by-step guide to preparing your vegetable medley

Ingredients:

• 1 cabbage head
• 1 beet
• 2 teaspoons dill (dill seeds, dried dill, or fresh dill)
• 6-8 garlic cloves
• Optional spices (coriander seeds, caraway seeds, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, juniper berries)
• 2 tablespoons high quality mineral salt
• 1 cup kefir whey
• Filtered water

Instructions:

1. Roughly chop the cabbage and slice the beet. 

2. Put vegetables into a jar, packing firmly.

3. Add dill (fresh, dried, or dill seeds).

4. Add peeled garlic cloves. If desired, add a mix of spices. 

5. Add salt and kefir whey. 

6. Fill the jar to the shoulder (where the jar starts to curve) with filtered water. Press the vegetables down to keep them submerged. 

7. Close the jars with lids. You can use regular lids or fermentation-specific lids. Leave the jars at room temperature for 3–7 days. If using regular metal canning lids, you’ll know the fermentation is finished when the metal lid is taut.

8. Store in the refrigerator.

How to use kefir whey in vegetable fermentation

One of the things that makes this GAPS diet vegetable medley unique is the raw milk kefir whey. Dr. Natasha is very specific about using kefir whey. The milk kefir I use is from my homemade raw milk kefir. I have a recipe post about how to make kefir with raw milk. 

What kind of jars are best for making vegetable medley?

I like using simple glass jars with a metal pop-up lid indicator, because they’re affordable and easy to find. The lid helps me know when my ferment is ready. When the metal lid can’t pop up and down any longer because it is taut, you know the fermentation is done. You can also opt for jars specifically designed for fermentation. 

How do I know when my kefir whey vegetable ferment is ready?

Your kefir whey vegetable ferment is ready when the lid stops “popping” up and down.

Can I add more vegetables to reuse the brine? 

Yes. Dr. Natasha says that when the brine and the vegetables start running low, add fresh cabbage, beetroot, garlic, and salt to taste. Then, top it up with water and ferment it at room temperature again. 

Are there any other GAPS diet fermented vegetables that will work with this recipe? 

Dr. Natasha recommends adding cauliflower, sliced carrots, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Then, you can keep this going forever by adding more vegetables, water, and salt. 

Tools you will need for vegetable fermentation 

• Glass jar
• Kefir starter
• Fermentation lid

Vegetable Medley Recipe | Bumblebee Apothecary

Other GAPS diet recipes to check out next

Fermented Carrots Recipe

Fermented Nut Butter

Kimchi Recipe

Have you ever eaten fermented vegetables? 

Have you ever eaten fermented vegetables? If so, what’s your favorite way to enjoy them—on their own, in a salad, or as a side? Or, if you’ve never tried them, what’s stopping you? I’d love to hear about your favorite GAPS diet digestion recipes. Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below. 

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• Dill seeds
• Garlic cloves
• Spices: coriander seeds, caraway seeds, peppercorns, mustard seeds, juniper berries
• Celtic sea salt
• Glass jar
• Kefir starter
• Fermentation lid
• GAPS book

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Looking for a GAPS Intro meal plan?

GAPS to Go is a 30-day meal plan for the GAPS introduction diet that tells you what to eat each day, with complete cooking instructions and guidance on when to move to each intro diet stage.

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GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.

The information in this blog post is my personal experience and opinion. It is for general information purposes only, may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own physician’s medical care or advice. Always seek advice from your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding nutrition, medical conditions, and advice. Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical care because of something you have read on this blog.