Kathrin Brunner

Making your own laundry detergent is easy and affordable. Plus, it helps you avoid unnecessary chemicals in many store-bought brands.

Freshen up your living spaces with these fragrant potpourri medleys.

Ease into the probiotic trend with these fermented carrots.

Add a lovely punch of heat to your favorite foods with this fermented chile paste. Using only three ingredients, this versatile condiment will keep for up to 2 years in the fridge. Add it to sauces, salsas or marinades, or use it to top burritos or burgers to give a little spice to your meal.

Switchel is a refreshing fermented drink that starts with raw ginger and apple cider vinegar as its base. Here, we infuse the ferment with lemon and mint for a tasty beverage. It’s easy to make and easy to drink!

Fermentation is a great way to preserve herbs without losing their fresh flavors. This recipe blends herbs with garlic and can be used as a marinade (mix it with oil for this use), as a garnish for soups or stirred into sauces.

Move over, cabbage – Brussels sprouts are the stars in this kraut. With toasted curry spices, it makes a lovely addition to salads and grain bowls or a topping for soups.

Shrubs are fermented drink concentrates traditionally made with berries, sugar and fruit vinegars. This version uses ginger and apple cider vinegar – two powerful digestive aids – along with fall flavors of pear, honey and vanilla. Serve it hot or cold, and it also makes an excellent cocktail.

These spicy fermented beans are delightful chopped into a salad, served as a side dish or simply eaten straight from the jar.

Health benefit: This recipe is bursting with antioxidant-rich 
fruits like pomegranate, red grapes and goji berries. Plus, pineapple, cilantro and mint have all been studied for their digestive and 
anti-inflammatory benefits that help you beat the bloat.

Health benefit: Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, an important antioxidant for immune and skin health, but the real supernutrients in citrus lie in its flavonoids, which are found in the peel and pith. Studies have found that citrus flavonoids help repair DNA damage, lower cholesterol and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Health benefit: Fermented foods are full of probiotics, but in order to keep gut bacteria balanced, you also need prebiotics, or nondigestible carbohydrates that feed probiotics, like the inulin found in asparagus. This makes fermented asparagus a superfood for digestive and immune system health to help keep your body strong and disease-free all winter long.

Toss this kraut in a fall salad with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds or enjoy as a garnish on soups and stews. It also makes for a tasty breakfast served alongside eggs.

These mild and slightly sweet carrots are a great gateway pickle for those who find the strong flavor of kimchi or kraut overwhelming. It’s not necessary to buy organic cabbage for this recipe, as you’re only using the cabbage leaves to form a barrier between the carrots and the weighted jar. Serve with hummus or a creamy herb dip, or grate the carrots and toss into salads.

Don’t be intimidated by the idea of making your own vegan yogurt at 
home – it’s so much easier than you think! First, make a super-simple spiced cashew milk from raw nuts, then mix in probiotics to kickstart fermentation. As it’s fermenting, you’ll start to see air bubbles forming on the surface – this means it’s working. If it’s not tangy enough after 2 days, let it ferment for another 12 hours.

A staple in Moroccan cuisine, preserved lemons are an easy way to add intense citrusy flavor to everything from tagines to pastas to hearty grain salads. If you find them salty, you can give them a rinse before chopping and adding to your recipes. Check the lemons every couple of days as they’re fermenting to ensure they’re submerged in the brine – this is key for softening the peel.

Soda that’s good for you? Yes, please! The key to making this gut-healthy drink is to start with a ginger bug.