Fermented Salsa

This has great flavor and is wonderful for your gut, as well.  As a probiotic food, it adds good bacteria to your intestinal tract and helps battle gut flora imbalances.  Using produce from your own garden or a local
organic farmer's market is ideal.

8 Roma tomatoes
1 large green pepper (if you like hot salsa, feel free to use hot peppers instead)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup lemon/lime juice
1/4 cup whey
2 teaspoons sea salt

Peel the tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water and slipping the skins off.
Dice the tomatoes.
Mix the tomatoes, onions and garlic together and put into a quart jar.   Press down gently with a wooden meat hammer, or tap gently on a towel folded on the counter top to get the contents condensed in the jar. Fill only to within an inch of the top.
Add the salt to the top of the jar, then pour the whey and lemon/lime juice over the mixture.
If necessary, add enough filtered or well water to cover the tomato mixture.

Cover tightly with a canning lid and keep at room temperature for about 2 days before transferring to the fridge.

Two Takes on Mexican Red Rice

I serve this with Chicken Tortilla Casserole and Refried Beans.

First Take:

2 cups organic white basmati rice
1 Tablespoon coconut or olive oil
2 Tablespoons finely minced onion
1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
3 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup tomato paste

Heat oil in medium saucepan and then add rice.  Saute rice until it looks milky.
Take off the heat and toss in the onion and garlic and stir it all around for a couple of minutes.  The heat of the rice and oil will cook the onion and garlic.

Mix the water and tomato paste until well blended, then add to the rice mix.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Take Two:

2 cups organic white basmati rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup salsa (I use Baja Cafe Pico de Gallo or my own fermented salsa)
1 teaspoon sea salt

Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes.