Burdock!

It's that time of the year again. A time of transition where our bodies start acclimating to the cooler temperatures and shorter days. If the body is not balanced, the changes that these natural cycles produce can cause stress to an already stressed body. The liver is one of the organs that does a multitude of things, a true multitasker. It metabolizes hormones, produces precursors to hormones, helps eliminate toxins, assists in digestion, just to name a few. In fact, to date, researchers have discovered that there are more than 500 functions performed by the liver. Wow! So what can we do to support this vital organ? One major way is through nutrition. The following recipe is one of my favorites to snack on. It is so tasty and relatively easy to make. Burdock helps the liver eliminate and flush out toxins more efficiently, maintains healthy blood, helps keep skin healthy and clear, supports the immune system...just to name a few.
Enjoy and happy pickling!

Pickled Burdock or Gobo:
First get your roots. You can easily find them at Asian/natural grocery stores or you can grow your own!
Wash them thoroughly.
Slice into rounds, about 1/2 inch thick.
Put the slices into a sauce pan and add enough water just to cover the roots. Steam over low-medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. At this point they should be tender but still have a little crisp to them. Drain and keep the water from the pan, don't discard the water!
Add slices to Mason jars. You can also add peeled garlic cloves, peeled ginger, peppers, shallots, etc., anything you want or enjoy pickled.
Now you want to make the brine. That includes the water leftover from the pan, tamari and apple cider vinegar. Depending on the size of your batch, you should use approximately 1/3 of each liquid. Mix well and add brine to jars and seal. Put in the refrigerator and let the jars sit for 3-5 days.
Yummy...enjoy!!