Cultured Uncrustables

In the height of our processed-food days, I latched onto Uncrustables. Like any busy mother, I gravitated to the convenience of a sealed, crustless sandwich. I paid no heed to the ingredients.

BREAD: ENRICHED UNBLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, UNBLEACHED WHOLEWHEAT FLOUR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, WHEAT GLUTEN, DOUGH CONDITIONERS (DISTILLED MONOGLYCERIDES, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, DATEM, ENZYMES [WITH AMYLASE, LIPASE, ASCORBIC ACID, CALCIUM PEROXIDE, AZODICARBONAMIDE, WHEAT STARCH]), YEAST. PEANUT BUTTER: PEANUTS, DEXTROSE, SUGAR, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES (PALM AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL), CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: FULLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED AND/OR RAPESEED), SALT, MOLASSES.GRAPE JELLY: GRAPE JUICE, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: PECTIN, CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE).

Recently I tried an Uncrustables replacement, with great success. I doubt my kids would have liked this in our first year away from processed foods, but after several years on our new venture, they embraced it eagerly.

Always trying to incorporate cultured foods into my kids' meals, I used my fermented fruit leather. Instead of drying the mixture, I kept it as a spreadable "jelly."

My bread consisted of sprouted almonds and jungle peanuts, but could easily utilize other seed/nut combinations.

Bread

• 2 cups sprouted nut/seed meal
• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. baking soda

Optional: honey, unrefined sugar, stevia. Ghee/butter can be substituted for coconut oil.

Bake at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes.


Fermented Fruit Chutney

• 2 cups puréed fruit combination. Pictured above: raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries.
• 2 tbsp. whey or other starter such as kombucha or water kefir
• 1 tsp. salt

Stir whey into puréed fruit. Place in capped mason jar and allow to sit at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Allow bread to cool. Slice and add "jelly." Package and freeze. I use parchment paper bags.