Fermented Garlic is a lovely bubbly ferment and you can add it to many recipes.
Garlic has many health benefits before we even consider fermenting it.  From lowering blood pressure, to fighting off colds, lowering fasting blood sugar levels and lowering cholesterol just to name a few on its long list

When you ferment garlic, like many foods, the fermentation process increases the nutrient value , as well with this recipe it increases the amino acids in the garlic significantly.  Amino acids, simply put form long chains, which are proteins, there are over 50 amino acids which are all a bit different.  Our bodies need amino acids to survive and the our cells use these acids for different thing like muscles and membranes, Amino acids, no matter what kind are a basic building block for our cells.

Fermented foods are coming back to light as the North American Diet has been robbing our guts of the bacteria we need to stay healthy and live free of digestive issues, which are on the rise.   Sandor Katz, author of “Wild Fermentation” reports that he believes fermented foods have a great deal to do with the management of living with AIDS/HIV.  That is an amazing statement!    Research is showing that consuming fermented foods and increasing how much Lactobacilli we take in is helping our chances of living longer and healthier .  I believe we will see more and more evidence that cancer and other diseases can be effected positively by eating more fermented foods, as well as the prevention of such disease.

Onto the recipes..
To make this recipe for fermented garlic I firstly made Kefir Whey.  This is a fun process, which also leaves you with extra products to use.  I will explain the whey and curds process first and go onto the fermented garlic recipe.
Whey is the by product I get when I'm making Kefir and it ferments too long, producing whey and curds.  both become useful.  Whey is full of protein, specifically the protein Lactoferrin which is full of inflammatory benefits and antimicrobial  , which we hope will kill off bad toxins. 
The whey that I use becomes the starter culture for fermenting the garlic.
Recipe:
To make 1 cup  of Kefir Whey and Kefir Cheese (the curds bi product)
Ingredients
2 cups of Basic Kefir
 - Place a coffee style filer in a strainer and set it over a bowl.  As you can see I used what I had available. A tea filters for loose tea, and a lid from my regular strainer . It might not be pretty, but it works!
- Pour the Kefir through the filter.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.  The bowl will catch the whey. The top portion becomes kefir cheese.  Double the outcome with this process!!
Pop the cheese in a covered container - it should last about a month in the fridge - so creamy and spreadable. 
Step 2
Now that you've made your starter, onto the garlic fermentation.
Ingredients:
3/4 Cup garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 tsp Sea Salt - non iodine
2 tablespoons of Kefir Whey

1.Place garlic and salt in a 1 pint glass or ceramic container that can be sealed securely for an anaerobic (oxygen free) environment.
2.Fill the container with filtered water, leaving about 1 inch of space to be able to let the garlic bubble and expand as it ferments. 
3. Add the whey and seal.
Let the garlic ferment on the counter , place out of direct sunlight.  Watch as the garlic starts to bubble and float.   Let your garlic ferment 3 to 4 days.
Taste away!   Place the garlic in the fridge after 4 days.     The garlic should last 6 to 9 months in the fridge.  I suggest eating it though.

Final Ferment - it's flown by and so much information to take it, I know it's only the start of a wonderful journey.
Tempeh , another new ferment for me.  Sadly didn't work.  I will attempt it again, when I am done pouting.  Tempah is traditionally made with soybeans.  I choose to try black beans.   The idea of a mold spore was interesting and I was looking forward to trying this, as well as seeing how digestible it is and the mushroomy taste it has. 

Ferment Type:  Tempeh - Bean
Date: January 19th, 2018

Ingredients:
2 Cups dried black beans
2 Tablespoon vinegar
1 packet culture
water

Notes:  I followed the instructions,  poured boiling water over the beans and let them soak overnight.   The process of massaging and taking the outer shell off the beans was tedious and long.  And in the end just a lesson in patience.   I dried them on the towel and even did the trick the starter box said to blow dry them.  I think my kids truly thought I lost my mind.    I punched the holes in the plastic bag and placed the beans in the oven . I truely think my issue was 2 fold.  A different bean to use, maybe not the store brand and the oven temp.  Cooler temps here again.  I gave it a good try, even went an extra day hoping something would happen.  I gave up and will try again but maybe try the soybeans as my go to bean.  I've had a lot of great luck and products from the other ferments so my stats on flops are minimal.

Modifications: used black beans. 

Harvest Date: January 21st, 2018
Harvest Details:  They look sad and uneventful.  No changes in the Tempah, a little bit of moisture appeared but no magic.  Definitely must try using a dehydrator.

Once again this course has opened me to new foods. Idlis was a hit in my house.  Although referred to as those muffin things. They went fast!   I didn't have a chance to make any recipe to accompany them.
It's great to have healthy gluten free options and foods that are easily digestible

Ferment Type: Idlis - Grain
Date: January 12, 2018
Ingredients:
1 Cup Indian lentils (Urad daal) or other dried bean (I use red lentils)
2 Cups white basmati rice or short-grain brown (white has the best results)
2 Teaspoons sea salt
2 Tablespoon whey or lemon juice
Warm filtered water
Idli steamer (an egg poacher or muffin tray can also be used) 

Notes: I loved that this turned pinkish.  I enjoyed pulling back the cloth and watching as this fermented, waiting to see how it would turn out.  I followed the directions and I didn't have a steamer and was leery about trying it in the oven, picturing a messy or flat outcome, so I thought why not try how I steam veggies? The good old fashion steamer in a pot. I used muffin liners and yes they don't have a great shape, however it worked and they were eaten within the hour.  Love Idlis will make it again!

Modifications: None
Harvest Date: January 18th, 2018
Harvest Details:  Great, they were a nice texture and went down like candy.  I don't know if it was how they were supposed to be as I haven't ever tried them before however the end product that came from this recipe was excellent. So I feel like I was on track.

Fermented Tea - I have been making Kombucha for a couple of years now.  I had a scoby hotel so big my kids were threatening to call child protective services when I bring it to out show it off.   I didn't make any food with it, in fact I fed it to my outdoor garden.  However I have a new batch growing.   I have found again gut healing in drinking small amounts of Kombucha and some of my family love it.

Fermentation Type: Kombucha
Date: January 5th, 2018
Ingredients: I used Summers Recipe- I usually make a larger batch however, this size is more manageable to consume .
1 quart Water
¼ Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon black, green, or red tea  - I made mine with Hibiscus Leaves this time
(Your starter kombucha teabag kit contains 1T black tea and 1/4 C sugar)
1 “mother” of kombucha (in plastic bag with brown liquid)

Notes:  I might have let the tea steep a bit longer than usual with a smaller batch size than I usually make however it didn't seem to change the flavour drastically.  

Modifications: none
Harvest Date: January 19th, 2018
Harvest Details:  Worked well.  Had a good flavour and just the right amount to drink in a couple of days.  I like the hibiscus flavour and the bubbles in Kombucha. I also think I grew and impressive scoby in this batch, possibly the smaller vessel I fermented it in.