Switchel, easy, delicious, and mildly probiotic for gut health!

With summer warm days and work days here now, this is the time to get geared up for making easy, and delicious beverages in your own kitchen. Let's start with this one, Switchel a tried and true thirst quencher!  Come and take a look at how easy it is to make. This has been around so long, it used to be called Haymaker's Punch. 

Everything old, becomes new again! Switchel has a long history, now several decades old1

I am always on the lookout for a healthy, hydrating beverage to male and enjoy. Especially in the warm weather months. But in all seriousness, this is a year round beverage. Often we speak of needing a healthy beverage in the warm weather months. But we need a healthy beverage any time we are working hard and working up a sweat. To be perfectly honest, that sweat needs to be replaced with water, in one form or another. You might as well whip it up in your own kitchen. 

In previous years I have brewed Kombucha, and from there tried Water Keifer. For our small family and basically just me, it was not cost-effective to brew large batches of either of these beverages. What with storage jars and storage space needed. And yet, I still wanted to be able to make and enjoy a fermented, gut-healthy beverage in my own kitchen. So I kept looking.

My love of food lore and kitchen history led me to Switchel. 

Then, a couple of years ago I came across an article for Switchel. Also known as Hay Maker's Punch. It is a family-friendly beverage made with maple syrup, fresh ginger, and apple cider vinegar. It is all-natural with no artificial ingredients and it is good for your gut and digestive tract. I knew right away I needed to give it a try. From there there was only thing left to do. Share how to make it! Without further commentary, a simple recipe for Switchel....(it is really very easy) There is nothing better than a healthy drink made from your own pantry ingredients, waiting in the fridge.

And for those looking for a coconut water version, you may want to try this delicious Blueberry and Coconut Switchel! Not too sweet, and very refreshing!

Some thoughts on this recipe.

The probiotic action comes from the raw apple cider vinegar, combined with a short stay on your kitchen counter.

You may substitute coconut water for the plain water adding additional minerals to the mix. 

While the original Switchel/Hay Maker's Punch recipe is fairly standard, feel free to increase the apple cider vinegar, ginger, or maple syrup to achieve the flavor your family prefers. 

For more than one quart, simply double the ingredients and use a larger container!

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• raw apple cider vinegar
• real maple syrup
• fresh ginger
• sea salt

You will also need the following:

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• storage jar with a lid
• grater or food planer
• kitchen spoon

Now we are ready to begin!

Switchel is an old fashion mildly probiotic drink for the whole family to enjoy.

Switchel
adapted from:  Wellness Mama
UPDATED: 06.09.2024

4 t raw apple cider vinegar (shake the bottle and get some of the "mother" )
4 T real maple syrup

pinch of sea salt or Celtic salt

1-2 t grated fresh ginger, tip: start with 1 t and go from there, ginger is delicious but can be pungent.

cool water - (if your water has fluoride, draw off the water the day before and let stand overnight to clear out the  fluoride)

Grate enough ginger for the recipe, and place it into the jar. 

Add the apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and maple syrup. Fill with a scant 4 cups of water, and stir gently. 

Cover with toweling or a small sandwich bag. Let sit on the counter overnight or for up to 48 hours to ferment. 

Refrigerate until needed. Stir gently before drinking, you may strain out the ginger pieces if desired. Switchel keeps for several days in the refrigerator. When the jar gets empty, make more!

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Switchel has been included below.

 You may also enjoy this recipe for Easy Chia Seed Water! 

#campfood

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Switchel
adapted from:  Wellness Mama

UPDATED: 06.09.2024

4 t raw apple cider vinegar (shake the bottle and get some of the "mother" ) 
4 T real maple syrup

pinch of sea salt or Celtic salt

1-2 t grated fresh ginger, tip: start with 1 t and go from there, ginger is delicious but can be pungent.

cool water - (if your water has fluoride, draw off the water the day before and let stand overnight to clear out the  fluoride)

Grate enough ginger for the recipe, and place it into the jar. 

Add the apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and maple syrup. Fill with a scant 4 cups of water, and stir gently. 

Cover with toweling or a small sandwich bag. Let sit on the counter overnight or for up to 48 hours to ferment. 

Refrigerate until needed. Stir gently before drinking, you may strain out the ginger pieces if desired. Switchel keeps for several days in the refrigerator. When the jar gets empty, make more!

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