Sauerkraut

If you only associate sauerkraut with hot dog season, it's time to think outside the ballpark. While this cabbage-based fermented food is definitely an acquired taste, it's time to make it a staple in your kitchen due to all its health properties.

1. It boosts your immune system: Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage are revered for their cancer-fighting properties. In addition, vegetables in the cabbage family have proven to be some of the best natural sources of defense for breast-cancer survivors.
2. It helps you debloat: Due to the rich levels of vitamin C and vitamin A in cabbage, kraut boasts anti-inflammatory properties! When possible, choose red cabbage over the green variety, since it boasts even higher levels of these vitamins.

Keep reading for two more healthy reasons to enjoy sauerkraut.

Contrary to popular belief, Oktoberfest, the annual German beer festival, doesn't begin in October, it actually starts this weekend! Just because I can't travel to this year's event doesn't mean I shouldn't celebrate in the comforts of my own home. You can, too, by following my plan for the ultimate Oktoberfest.

Start by serving a delectable German-inspired meal. Sauteed bratwurst are succulent when paired with braised sauerkraut, soft onions, and sweet apples. A classic vinegar-based potato salad is a filling and savory side dish. To get these recipes please keep reading.

The Reuben is such a classic American sandwich that two people claim to have invented it: Reuben Kulakofsky of Omaha, NE, who enjoyed the sandwich at a weekly poker game, and New York deli owner Arthur Reuben, who said he first made the sandwich around 1914.

Who first grilled up that savory stack of rye bread, corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing, we'll probably never know. But that won't stop me from enjoying an endless parade of Reuben recipes, from pastrami to tempeh. Of course, it's hard to beat a good, old-fashioned corned beef Reuben, grilled on rye bread that's buttered to perfection. So try this classic recipe