Sim-chi— sauerkraut slaw

What's sim-chee, you wonder? Simulated Kimchi!! Let me explain. This bright, fresh and crunchy coleslaw was made with a combo of fresh cabbage, carrots, scallions, garlic chili sauce, orange juice and cilantro. And sauerkraut. Didn't see that coming, did you?

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Here's the back story on the creation of this dish. After a recent case of asthmatic bronchitis, the antibiotics that I was put on wreaked havoc with the trillions of gorgeous gut flora I had grooving in my intestines. Plainly put, I had a sour stomach. So what's a girl to do? Being loath to pop a probiotic pill, I would much rather get my probiotics with nutritional foods, so I did some web research on reputable sites and found out all the good things I should be eating to replace that gut flora. Along with obvious things like yogurt and kefir, and plenty of fermentable fibers (starches like sweet potatoes!), the list includes fermented things like unpasturized sauerkraut and Korean Kimchi which helps make healthy flora throughout the digestive tract. Mmm... tempted yet?

Shredded raw cabbage already has phytonutrient antioxidants anti-inflammatory properties, rich in vitamins A, C, K and fiber, but when it is pickled this already awesome vegetable becomes a superfood! What's not to love? Dishes like sauerkraut and kimchi provide a high density source of a wide range of beneficial live bacteria which assist in the digestive process. Consuming a serving of sauerkraut can give your body as much of a health boost as many of those expensive probiotic drinks and supplements sold in stores. It was Saturday and I didn't feel like going to Whole Foods for a good jar of Kimchi, but I bought a good unpasturized bagged of sauerkraut and make a quick kimchi by mixing in garlic chili sauce and a few other ingredients. It's a real tasty coleslaw type of salad, and my tummy is slowly feeling better. A little too much information, but there you go!

Postscript:

It worked! After several days my tummy ache finally went away, 

which hopefully means my gut flora is back to normal. 

I am crediting Kefir and this delicious live Wildbrine sauerkraut 

that I bought from Whole Foods.

Love the package design!