Category: ferments

Sourdough pancakes for champions

Michael Fisher ·

What to do with your excess sourdough starter? It is really important to keep your sourdough starter going, if you like that kinda thing, but what do you do when you get too much!? Pancakes!!! Requiring a REALLY healthy, super bubbly starter (and thick like a pancake batter, not watery), sourdough starter will cook up a beautiful pancake if your starter is just right. Make sure your starter actually RISES in the container you’re keeping it – which means it’s thick enough, and bubbly enough.

Grease a pan up with a little butter or your preferred fat, and when hot (but not too hot, just hot enough that a drop of water from your finger hisses nicely, not angrily) pour out a little cake of batter and swirl the pan so it gets as thin as possible. Cook it well on both sides, and that’s it!! If it’s a little rare on the inside, don’t worry, the grain is already fermented, which means that is nearly pre-digested anyways!! These pancakes do require a bit more time to cook though, so it is better to cook on medium-low heat, and have each one sit for about 5 minutes.
Serve up with granola, or your preferred toppings.

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Easy Pickles!

Michael Fisher ·

These were a real hit at Paul Pitchford’s Healing with Whole Foods intensive in New York. Probably because they were so garlicky and pungent with apple cider vinegar!
Since garlic fosters desire, perhaps the appeal for these grew deeper the more you ate them?
In an attempt to rid some cucumbers, Sharla quickly sliced them on a mandolin along with some spices and garlic, and then topped up the jar with half water and half apple cider vinegar.
That’s it!! Use raw/unpasteurized apple cider vineger, and it will ferment the vegetable so that it will keep for quite a while. Healthy, crunchy, tasty and desire-y!

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Sourdough, Recycled Brown Rice bread!

Michael Fisher ·

Throughout the retreat, we started to get a little burdened with leftovers. We weren’t sure how to use 2 servings of rice, or a tiny bit of left over vegetables, so we started finding creative ways to use them in our cooking. Here’s an application for left over grains, especially non-glutinous! Since we had a celiac person in our retreat, I felt a little bothered that all of our bread had gluten in it (kamut) and so began making brown rice sourdough bread. However, as grains ferment in the process, it doesn’t really matter what grain it is, and if it’s cooked or not. So I began putting grain leftovers in a large bowl to ferment, and would make them into bread. The first morning I made it, I didn’t think it was really anything special, as was kinda weird… however, that same morning I happened to drop an entire scalding hot crock pot full of cooked brown rice congee on the ground while carrying it to the dining hall, and it smashed all over the place (including my bare feet, which gave coincidentally gave me a lovely little liver moxibustion treatment), anyways – I felt so bad that I thought I’d better serve this strange congee bread, and low and behold, they ate all of it – 2 full loaves. They loved it, and I continued making it throughout the retreat from then on.

As it really is a tactile thing to make, and working with leftovers really offers no quantifiable, measurable methodology to making it, I just simply add brown rice sourdough starter to the leftover grains (about 1 cup) and then add fluids to bring it to a batter like consistency, maybe a little wetter. For fluids, I would use leftover, starting to ferment homemade brown rice milk, or some left over vegetable cooking water – as it was a little starchier to help the bacteria nosh on the soon-to-be dough. After a day of sitting, or when I see it rise, I add fresh ground brown rice to bring it to batter consistency, and again, add a little fluid if need be. I think some dry ground grain is necessary to make it tough enough to bake, as the cooked grains were too wet and soft to make a loaf unto themselves. As a batter consistency (maybe slightly firmer than batter) pour into loaf pans and let them rise (you can rise as many times as you like, but it MUST rise in the bread pan before baking), and then when risen (usually in the morning) bake it at 450F for at least an hour. It will be extremely wet and doughy when you take it out, so it MUST cool and set IN the pan for at least 1/2 hour or so, and even still, it might pull apart a little, so be sure to grease your pans and get them out carefully. You can check to see if their done without taking them out of the pan simply by inserting a chop stick and checking to see if any doughy residues remain on the stick. You’ll know, and it does take practice to get it right. It took me a whole year to get this down, but then again I didn’t know what I was doing when I started! Good luck, and email Whole Foodies for questions if you have them!

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KILL YOUR YEASTS!

Michael Fisher ·

Yeast, or more specifically Candida Albicans, is a bacteria that should normally be 15% of your intestinal flora, however, with antibiotics, poor dietary habits, poor chewing habits, and excessive sweets or alcohol, candida tends to thrive and be the “man in charge” in your gut – which isn’t good because candida is also a malicious fungus that can bore holes through you intestinal lining and make its way through your body tissues, plaguing your other nearby body parts with infection and fungus (such as a yeast infection) but also can be localized in the ears, mouth, liver, etc.. AND can sometimes be systemic, which means your entire body is filled with it, greatly taxing your immune system as it’s ALWAYS cleaning up this culprit. 
The candida bacteria have the job of cleaning up your waste foods, typically unchewed food, undigestible foods (such as maltodextrin and other zero-carb sugars), but otherwise eats leftover carbs in the body.
The resulting effects of a yeast (candida) overgrowth is 
  • itchiness (ANYWHERE, nose, anus, feet, face, hands)
  • foggy headedness (as the metabolic byproduct of yeasts is ALCOHOL.. which means, you actually have alcohol in your blood stream, leaving you feel drunk and stupid!)
  • sluggish digestion and weird bowels
  • insatiable appetite, easily feel like you are overeating
  • edginess and inflammation (which go hand in hand)
  • moodiness
  • decreased energy
  • decreased immunity, and a host of other symptoms. 

Basically, this fungus is like a parasite, constantly taxing your body, and as long as you’ve got it, you’ve got an infection festering inside of you – leaving your body sick and at war for as long as you’ve got it. Antibiotics are given to kill this baddie off, but it also kills the bacteria that check and balance the candida, giving you NO immune defense, which means the candida have an even easier time coming back. I really don’t think there is a remedy that a doctor can give that will totally get rid of it that will last. Really, I believe that most people have this to some degree (more so the younger you are, because of the worsening of our diet and increase in antibiotic use) but remember that we should have some of it – but our healthy bacteria should be the majority party ruling our intestines, which keeps the bad boys in check. We’re obsessed with sterility and anti-bacteria. But really, our ancestors have grown up with bacteria all their lives, its all around us, heck – we actually have more bacterial cells in our body than human tissue cells.. isn’t that amazing? A forest floor has bacteria to help decay and breakdown to renew life, and so do we! I’ve always got something fermenting in the kitchen, whether on purpose (sourdough, sauerkraut, rejuvelac, etc) or unintentionally (leftover rice, beans, veg… these can sit out for quite a while, as long at the food is still ‘sweet’ and not foul, you’re game for good bacteria!). We’ve got this same lovely fermenting bacteria in our gut (the good ones) but when you have candida, everything just molds and turns to fungus. But really, must we sterilize EVERYTHING!? Our food is so sterile, not even bacteria can survive from it – but it is this good bacteria that we thrive from!! Did you know that US almonds are ALL sterilized with a toxic chemical, so that NO bacteria can thrive from them? Gees, we’ve got pasteurized nuts now too!! 

What do we suggest to get rid of this enemy inside us?
  1. Don’t overeat!.. and for heaven’s sake – chew your food!! Especially carbs
  2. Raw foods easily rot in the body, making it easier for the candida. “Rot” (breakdown) the food by cooking it first (therefore, eat mostly cooked foods)
  3. Exercise, as fungus can’t survive in an oxygen rich environment (picture hanging a mildewy cloth out on the line to get sun and air, and the mold disappears!)
  4. Eat little salt, and ABSOLUTELY NO SWEETS, of any kind. Natural or refined (and definitely not artificial!! Stevia is tolerated however)
  5. Avoid preservatives and other non-foods
  6. Eat fermented foods, as they contain lots of GOOD bacteria (like acidophillus)
  7. Don’t eat cold foods or drinks, but drink tea and room temperature water moderately
  8. Don’t worry – worry worsens any damp condition, and don’t force it, because you’ll worry
  9. Eat chlorophyll rich foods (green!) as it neutralizes toxins in your body and heals our tissues
  10. AVOID bad oils, packaged foods, anything refined, overly floury foods (please, just eat a whole foods diet for goodness sake!!)
As I felt the onset of yeast last week (starting with an itchy nose), I started delving into sweets and ignoring it. It really started to bother me when my food didn’t satiate me, which DRIVES ME NUTS!…  So I did this therapeutic plan for three days and seriously kicked its ass.
(From Left to Right in the photo)
  1. Dandelion tea/coffee – which cleanses the blood (especially effective if systemic)
  2. Lavender essential oil – please be cautious, use 100% botanical and only do ONE drop every three days to start.. if you get a headache, you’re using too much (cleansing reaction)
  3. Oxygen – which just destroys yeasts on contact. Good for systemic as well, please don’t overdo this as well (remedies 1-3 are HIGHLY cleansing and should be moderated) 20 drops a day to start (I did 100 drops a day, but I also had no cleansing reactions)
  4. Sauerkraut (in back) – a bacterial supplement for the body, which helps check and balance the yeasts, takes their place when they die, and is rejuvenating for the tissues (HIGH in vitamin C!). An acidophillus supplement is advised as well, but I had already spent too much money on the remedies and needed low cost bacterial support. This sauerkraut is locally made, is raw (unpasteurized), and NO SALT – which is preferred for killing candida or any infection
  5. Garlic – nature’s antibiotic!! This KILLS any pathogenic microbobes BUT leaves the good ones standing, giving them a favourable place to proliferate!! Seriously, antibiotics kill life, good and bad, but garlic just kills the bad…..  One clove eaten raw before a meal, sometimes best eaten with an apple slice, yogurt (another fermented food!) to soothe the digestive lining if the garlic burns too much. I ate a head in under 3 days! Too much!! Garlic is known in the East by sages to create emotional desire. This actually happened to me!! Desire arose, and I became very emotional. I stopped the garlic, and the desire went away – interesting lesson. (Sweets create desire as well… which just leaves us perpetually shackled to the things we desire!! Not good!)
  6. Flax oil – healing for the digestive lining (to reduce inflammation), and rebuilding. Also satiates when you are in an “unsatiable mode”! Repairs the tissues that were aggravated by infection, and cleanses the liver (the body’s filter) of junk while healing. Good stuff!
  7. Aloe juice from inner fillet (not GEL – and NOT the WHOLE LEAF!!!). This stuff is magic. The sour flavour of the juice just gives away its healing and restorative properties (the sour flavour is healing to the liver as it is like soap, or a solvent to toxins, fatty residues, and all the other crap that is stored in the liver). It is also BUILDING!! Isn’t this amazing!! It cleanses and builds at the same time!? It’s an antimicrobial, like garlic, but builds the immunity, heals tissue and reduces inflammati
    on, while keeping us cool and refreshed. This is a great pair for when using lavender oil or oxygen, as it “protects” us from the harsh reducing nature of the aforementioned remedies. Oxygen alone can create a feeling of light headedness and poor stability, but when combined with oxygen, keeps us centred, but clear as a bell. Drink 2-3 oz. a day to start (with 20 drops of oxygen) but up it if you can handle it and want to specifically heal short term. I drank the whole bottle of juice in 3 days, accompanied with larger doses of oxygen – but treated it acutely.

Typically, if the “infection” is acute, an short term and aggressive remedy is effective, however, if you suspect that you’ve had it for a while, and is chronic, it is best to do long term (.5 – 2 years?) and start with the dietary changes, while doing some remedies at a very low level for a longer period of time.

* NOTE: These are NOT to be taken as a daily preventative medicine, and we are not trying to replace the efforts of the medical system, and this is NOT a prescription. We are simply offering information, and what you do with it is up to you, and we will not be held liable for any healing effects or symptoms that may arise from it. Understood!? Any questions can be directed to Michael Fisher.

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Restore, Renew, Rejuvenate!

Michael Fisher ·



I always think of the colon as party central, there are billions of bacteria living in the colon that support proper elimination and absorption of nutrients.  They also boost our immune system by fending off certain pathogens and germs.  These bacteria strains are known as probiotics and are the key to ultimate health and longevity.  Sometimes a good party can turn bad, layering on greasy fried foods, processed and sugary foods, overeating and bad food combinations crashes the good vibe feeling and the once fun filled party is turned into a demolition bonanza that sadly leads to severe colon hangover.  Your post party colon is left to deal with flatulence, sporadic movements, and smelly logs.  How do you keep the good party going you ask?…well, start with inoculating your bowels with rejuvelac!  Rejuvelac is a fermented drink that literally rejuvenates and supports your gut.  It is one of the easiest and healthiest beverages to make.  You can make rejuvelac with most any grain, it is most commonly made with wheat berries, but I have made it with kamut, rye, and barley.

Here is how to make your own rejuvenating party drink:
Soak about 1-1 1/2 cups of wheat berries or other hearty grain in enough cold water to cover by 1 inch in a sprouting jar with a mesh screen or any large jar
soak 8 hours or overnight
drain and rinse the grain, make sure all excess liquid is removed, you do not want your grains to be sitting in water
rinse your grain once or twice a day, to ensure proper moisture
your grain will start to sprout, once the sprout is a little longer than the seed itself, fill the jar back up with filtered water
set the jar on your counter or on a shelf away from direct sunlight
check the jar daily, once it is bubbly and smells sweet and fermented it is ready!
strain and pour into a clean jar or pitcher, keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Reserve the sprouted grain for crackers, cookies (see banana kamut cookie recipe below)
or for a yummy Mana loaf (sprouted bread)
Enjoy your Rejuvelac and party on!

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Sprouted Banana Kamut Cookies!

Michael Fisher ·



So what to do with 10 day leftover grain sprouts sitting in the fridge? They got really slimy, sticky, but were incredible fragrant with that delicious aromatic punch created from fermentation. The sprouts were used for sprouted bread, and so were only grown to about 1/2″ long or shorter, which retains the grains starchy, meatiness that is required for bread making. If the sprouts were any longer, it would’ve become more like a veggie sprout and would’ve been more green and better for a sandwich, for instance.
So I’ve got quasi-fermented, half sprouted kamut, neglected and needing some love.
Step one: Dry them out – I laid them out on a baking sheet (I woefully used a non-stick although I usually avoid them.. but as they were so sticky and I didn’t want to ruin the experiment, I really didn’t want them to stick!)
Distribute them evenly on a the sheet, and leave them to dry in the oven at about 310 or so… not to cook them, just to dry up the sticky fermented film and give them a gentle pan toasting. I think I had them in there for 15 minutes, flipped them about, and then gave them another 10 or so…
Step two: Grind the dried, toasty grains in a grinder or something that will bring them to a paste.. like a wet flour. This is similar to making sprouted bread, but I toasted them first.
Step three: Add in a bowl and mix:
  • ground, sprouted, toasted grains (about 1-1/2 cups.. give or take)
  • 1/3 cup oat flakes
  • 1/2 cup spelt flour
  • 1 mashed banana
  • 1 tsp dried ginger and cinnamon each
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp ghee or butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Step four: Grease up your baking sheet with some of the ghee/butter, set the oven  to 375F, wet your hands with cold water, and then form little balls with the mixture. Press them down into cookies on the cookie sheet.. I made 3 large and 2 small with my batch, but I’m sure far more can be made with more ingredients or improvising. 
Step five: Bake for 30 minutes (I did 35 minutes, but the bottoms got to browned, and the still set nicely). Take them out and let them cool in a place where air can get underneath… like a wire rack. Wait until the set a little.. and enjoy!
These cookies had such a neat taste and aroma – something I’ve never tasted before. So earthy, hearty, almost with a beer-like dank to them… rich and sweet tasting, but not heavy or powerful. Just a wallop of that centred-sweet flavour you can only get from grains – especially fermented! Yum! 
Note: As with anything fermented, please use your nose to determine the ‘quality’ of the food! I have never had a failed fermentation project (more like accident!), but I always throw things away if the smell is putrid and foul. Good luck!


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The Patient Pizza (sourdough crust)

Michael Fisher ·



Above: sponge after rising

Above: sponge before rising

Above: starter when bubbly
The sour flavor enters the Liver – according to Chinese health philosophies, but so does patience, which this recipe calls for quite a bit of – making it very healing for those with swollen stagnant Livers (easily angered, irritable or impatient). Patience is the key to this delicious, important component to any fantasy pizza, as well as a healthy flowing Liver.
The beauty with souring your own food in your house is that you draw on the natural bacteria in your own home, creating a culture that you naturally live with. As healthy bacteria are key to a healthy gut and immune system, this recipe, in essence turns the bacteria in your living environment into your immune system! Making your every breath in your home strengthening for your gut and immunity, rather than fighting the natural bacteria in your house – you turn it into you!! Be one with your home!!
Start by adding 1/4 cup of whole grain flour (I used spelt) in a CLEAN jar (remember, you will spawn whatever bacteria are growing in there) with 1/4 cup water and dropped in a raisin. Choose organic, cause harsh chemicals on the surface of the raisin (sprays) can potentially kill your bacteria – and the naturally occurring bacteria on the surface will be healthier (the bacteria are the white film normally seen on grapes, raisins, cabbage, etc). I also stirred in one capsule of a digestive enzyme to start the fermenting – but you can spit in it to get it started too. Haha.. just kidding… but really it works. I haven’t tried it. Gross.
Put a lid on the jar LOOSELY so you can draw bacteria from the air. Sealing it tight will do nothing.. maybe it will mold before it bubbles up and sours. Stir the starter daily and check on it. After a day or two, or three – depending on the warmth of the jar, it will begin to be bubbly, fragrant and sour! Fermentation!!
Quick! Feed it by doubling it, add another 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water and stir.
Let it bubble away again, this time it will be faster. Again, once soured, double the batch by adding 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water. Once that is bubbled up, you are ready for some crust action.
Dump the total of 1 cup flour starter into a large mixing bowl and add 3 cups of water and 4 cups of flour (the same as the starter, but others can work – actually, you can put anything in there, leftover rice, oatmeal, etc – it will get “eaten” up by the fermentation and look uniform once soured.) This sticky mush is called a “sponge” and acts as an in between for your final dough and the starter. Let this rise, covered (preferably with a damp cloth… and don’t have it open because if a fly falls in there, you will be culturing more than bacteria!) for 2 hours and up to a day or so.. just let is rise and get sour too.
Stir in another 3 – 4 cups of flour just until it’s soft and doughy and able to be kneaded. If it’s too sticky and sticks to your hands, add more flour. You’ll also want to flour your wooden board/surface you’re kneading on so that doesn’t stick too. Knead for about 5 minutes to work the gluten and get the air out.
Roll it out into crusts (or at this stage, roll it into loaves if you’re making bread) with a floured rolling pin, and set it on a floured baking sheet/stone.
Put it into a cold oven and let it rise again for about an hour, or more. You speed it up you can add a shallow pan of hot water in the oven to make it warm and moist for the lovely bacteria to spawn even faster. Bacteria seem to reproduce when the conditions are hot and sweaty.
After about an hour, but up to a day!!.. (although this can make the crust/bread tougher) turn on the oven to 350F without disrupting the crust (so it stays risen) and bake it for about 30 – 45 minutes (a loaf would be 375F for 60 minutes). Once it looks cooked through, take it out – dress it up and make a pizza, cooking for another 15 minutes or until your cheese is cooked or however you like it.
It’s alot of work, and I’m sure you’d be a little ‘crusty’ if your pizza is a flop after all that effort, but chances are it will turn out great (souring is pretty fool proof) and will taste like no other crust you’ve ever tried!! Delish!!
*As a note, after you’ve dumped your starter into the mixing bowl, leave just a little bit in the bottom of the jar, and you can add 1/4 cup of flour and water each to remake the starter, which will be quick.. you only have to start your starter once. Once it’s going, it just keeps on going and going and going and…..

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