Tomato Pickles That Heal From the Inside Out — With Culinary Coach Viv Loh

The Most Underrated Health Habit You're Not Doing Yet

You take your vitamins. You drink your water. You try to eat your greens.

But here's something most people overlook entirely — a small daily serving of pickles could be one of the simplest, most delicious things you do for your gut and immune system all week.

We sat down with Viv Loh, Culinary Healer, Transformation Coach, and author of the beloved book "Not Kale!", to learn her recipe for homemade tomato pickles using Bio Tree Pickle & Sushi Vinegar — and honestly, we didn't expect it to be this easy.

Meet Viv Loh

Viv Loh wears many hats — but they all point in the same direction.

As a Culinary Healer and Transformation Coach, Viv has spent years helping people rediscover the connection between what they eat and how they feel. Her approach isn't about restriction or complicated superfoods. It's about returning to real, wholesome ingredients and letting food do what it was always meant to do — nourish and heal.

She is also the author of "Not Kale!" — a refreshingly honest book that challenges the wellness world's obsession with trendy ingredients and champions the everyday foods already sitting in your kitchen.

Tomatoes. Vinegar. A clean glass jar. That's all you need.

Why Pickles Deserve a Place on Your Table Every Day

Before we get to the recipe, let's talk about why pickles are more than just a condiment.

When vegetables are preserved in natural vinegar, something wonderful happens. The fermentation process — or even a quick vinegar brine — creates an environment rich in organic acids that:

🦠 Support gut health — natural acids help balance gut flora and create a more hospitable environment for beneficial bacteria

🛡️ Boost immunity — a healthy gut is directly linked to a stronger immune response. When your digestion improves, your body defends itself better

🥗 Aid digestion — the acidity in natural vinegar stimulates digestive enzymes, helping your body break down and absorb nutrients more efficiently

💪 Preserve nutrients — unlike cooking, pickling keeps many of the vitamins and antioxidants in vegetables intact

Viv's message is simple: you don't need an expensive supplement to support your gut. Sometimes, a jar of homemade pickles on your dinner table is enough.

The Star of the Recipe: Bio Tree Pickle & Sushi Vinegar

Not all vinegars are equal — and Viv is particular about what she uses.

Bio Tree Pickle & Sushi Vinegar is brewed from organic brown rice through a slow, 365-day natural fermentation process. No preservatives. No artificial flavours. No additives.

The result is a clean, balanced vinegar with a gentle acidity that enhances rather than overpowers — exactly what you want in a pickle brine where the natural sweetness of the tomato should still shine through.

It is also incredibly versatile. Beyond pickling, you can use it for:

• 🥗 Salad dressings — ginger, sesame, apple or yuzu style
• 🍣 Sushi rice — perfectly seasoned, every time
• 🥤 Healthy beverages — a dash in fruit juice, or over ice with fresh mint
• 🥟 Gyoza dipping sauce — mixed simply with good quality soy sauce

One bottle. Endless possibilities.

Viv Loh's Homemade Tomato Pickles

Why Tomatoes?

Tomatoes might not be the first vegetable you think of when someone says "pickles," — but Viv chose them deliberately.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that supports heart health and cellular protection. When paired with the organic acids in Bio Tree Pickle & Sushi Vinegar, they create a pickle that is not just delicious but genuinely functional — something you can feel good about eating every single day.

Ingredients

• 300g ripe but firm tomatoes (cherry tomatoes or medium tomatoes, quartered)
• 4 tablespoons Bio Tree Pickle & Sushi Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar (adjust to taste)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (optional)
• Fresh herbs — basil, dill or mint (optional)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper or chilli flakes (optional, for heat)

Method

Step 1 — Choose the right tomatoes. Use tomatoes that are ripe but still firm. Overripe tomatoes will become too soft in the brine. Cherry tomatoes work beautifully left whole or halved. Medium tomatoes should be cut into quarters or thick wedges.

Step 2 — Salt and drain. Place your tomatoes in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let them sit for 15–20 minutes. This draws out excess water so your brine stays concentrated and your pickles don't turn watery. Pat dry gently with a clean cloth.

Step 3 — Prepare the brine. In a clean glass jar or ceramic bowl, combine Bio Tree Pickle & Sushi Vinegar, sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste your brine — it should be pleasantly tart with a gentle sweetness. Adjust to your preference.

Step 4 — Combine and infuse. Add your tomatoes to the brine along with garlic, herbs and any spices you're using. Toss gently to coat every piece.

Step 5 — Let them rest. Cover and refrigerate.

Viv's preference? Overnight — she makes a jar every Sunday evening so it's ready for the week ahead.

How to Eat Them Daily

The best habit is one you actually enjoy. Here's how Viv incorporates tomato pickles into her daily routine:

🌅 Morning — alongside scrambled eggs or on sourdough toast with avocado

🥗 Lunch — tossed through a salad or grain bowl for instant flavour and gut support

🍚 Dinner — served alongside steamed rice, grilled fish or stir-fried vegetables as a tangy, digestive condiment

🧀 Snack — on crackers with a smear of cream cheese or hummus

Even just 2–3 tablespoons a day is enough to start noticing a difference in how your digestion feels. Viv calls it her "invisible health habit" — the one thing she does every day that most people never notice.

Viv's Kitchen Wisdom

Always use glass. Natural vinegar is acidic and can react with metal or plastic containers over time. Glass jars preserve the clean flavour of the brine and keep your pickles tasting exactly as they should.

Make a bigger batch. Tomato pickles keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make a generous jar on the weekend and you'll have a healthy condiment ready every day of the week.

Trust the brine. The vinegar does all the work. Your only job is to give it time.

Experiment with flavour. Once you've made the basic recipe, try adding fresh ginger, star anise, coriander seeds or a strip of lemon zest to your brine. Each variation creates a completely different pickle experience.

A Small Daily Habit With a Big Impact

Viv's philosophy — much like her book "Not Kale!" — is that healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated, expensive or joyless.

A jar of homemade tomato pickles brined in naturally fermented vinegar. Made on Sunday. Eaten all week.

That's it. That's the habit.

Simple food. Real ingredients. Genuine nourishment.

🛒 Try Bio Tree Pickle & Sushi Vinegar

Ready to start your own pickle habit?

Shop Bio Tree Vinegar →

First time ordering? Use code 【FIRST-TIME】 at checkout for 5% OFF your first order.

Bio Tree Wellness — Natural fermentation wellness, crafted for the family you love. Made in Malaysia | Halal Certified | GMP Manufactured | No Preservatives