Why I’m Sweet on Sauerkraut
I was born, raised, and continue to reside in New York, so if I were to play a word association game and the word given was “frankfurter” then my immediate response would be “sauerkraut”. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t like that fermented cabbage on top of a grilled hot dog, yet that was the only way I ever enjoyed sauerkraut.
Recently I’ve begun to consume sauerkraut* more frequently—since it makes my taste buds smile and my mouth pucker with delight. I have mixed it into my baked beans at a BBQ for a sweet and tangy treat, eaten in on top of and beside by hot dog to triple my portion, but my very favorite new dish is a pork dish that I am eager to share with you below.
Imagine my delight when the nutritional world began naming“power foods” and there, listed below the usual fare of blueberries, watermelon, beans, etc.…was SAUERKRAUT! Hmm, why sauerkraut? Because it is an excellent source of probiotics! That’s right, turns out that the fermenting process cabbage goes through to become tangy sauerkraut is worth its weight in nutritional gold.
Probiotics are microorganisms which reside in your intestines and aid in the process of digestion. Now you can spend a great deal of money on probiotic supplements, or you can make sure your diet includes probiotic rich foods such as yogurt with active cultures and, y’know, sauerkraut.
And now for my super easy, sweet, tangy, and spicy recipe:
Brown thick cut, boneless pork chops in a TBS of extra virgin olive oil on both sides until cooked ½ way through. Remove from pan. Add a bit more oil and sauté one, thinly sliced apple and one Vidalia onion until wilted. Add ½ cup of hot pepper rings (if you like a “kick” in your cooking) and one small bag/large can of drained sauerkraut. Heat through. Add the pork chops back in, covering them with the fruit and veggie mixture and cook briefly (the pork should still be slightly pink inside).
Serve with warm crusty whole grain bread and you’ll have yourself a lip-smacking, stomach-friendly meal chock full of probiotics.