Some Sunday Sauerkraut
Weirdly good, wildly grounding 🥗
This morning unfolded like many others recently—barefoot in the kitchen, the sun just beginning to rise, preparing oatmeal for my boys. Both bowls started with the same simple ingredients: chia seeds, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and just enough honey to add a touch of sweetness. Hawk's bowl was adorned with warm, soft banana slices, while Henry's was topped with cool, fresh strawberries. It's a grounding, uncomplicated start to the day that feels like a small victory before the day even begins.
Once the boys were settled and fed, I turned to the fridge for my own morning meal. I've never been one to adhere to traditional meal categories. If my body craves a salad at 9 a.m., then a salad it is. I enjoy beginning the day with something fresh, alive, and real. There's a quiet rebellion and a deep satisfaction in crunching into lemony greens while the world is still waking up.
That's when I saw the jar of kraut. Bright. Tangy. Calling me. I pulled it down and started building a bowl I've made hundreds of times in different variations, but still love just as much every time.
Arugula, lemon, olive oil. A crisp apple for sweetness. Sunflower seeds for crunch. A perfectly ripe avocado. And that funky, living scoop of sauerkraut right in the middle. I topped it all with a handful of broccoli sprouts this time, which felt like a little upgrade. It was one of those "use what you've got" kind of salads, but it ended up being exactly what I needed.
Along the way, something became ingrained—neuroplasticity at work. My system now recognizes this bowl. It's not just about the flavor; it's about the association with feeling better. Whether it's the science of the microbiome in action or a deeply embedded placebo effect, it doesn't matter. What matters is that it works. My brain and body both give it a resounding yes.
The science, for what it's worth, does back it up: a 2020 meta-analysis published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews found that fermented foods were consistently associated with reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, thanks to their effect on the gut-brain axis. Sauerkraut, being a probiotic-rich fermented food, plays a crucial role in maintaining the inner ecosystem, the balance of microorganisms in the gut that is essential for digestion and overall health.
It's a low-drama, high-reward kind of food. Weird and wonderful. It turns a basic salad into something you (at least I) actually want to eat. It enhances everything around it—avocado, lemon, texture, brightness—and makes the whole bowl feel like it's doing more than checking a box.
Some days, health looks like a perfectly portioned meal plan. Other days, it looks like a scoop of fermented cabbage on top of your greens while your kids are licking honey off their fingers across the table.
Today was the second kind. And honestly? That's the kind I trust more.