Thanksgiving - A Time of Reflection and Good Eats! Many cultures have been fermenting their foods for centuries as a means of preservation and with the wisdom and understanding of the wide range of health benefits that they provide to the body. Did you know that 99% of your genetic material within your body is not technically yours, but belongs to the trillions of bacteria cells that lay within us? Indeed, our microbiome or the collection of bacterial cells within the body, are said to outnumber your own cells around 10 to 1, with around 4 pounds of bacteria in your gut alone! To learn more about our microbiome and why it is absolutely essential that we protect it, check out my previous post on "The Gut-Brain Axis - Our Incredible Microbiome". Fermented foods such as sauerkraut is an abundant and powerful source of beneficial bacteria that can strengthen and heal the digestive process, boosting the immune system, subsiding cravings, improving mood and assisting you in your weight loss efforts!! Ever been told to take a probiotic? Sauerkraut is similar in that it provides you with good healthy bacteria. However, the struggle that I face with a lot of health promotion is that a lot of what we need to maintain health (ie. organic produce) seems to be really a luxury of the privileged. This is what I love about sauerkraut. It is so inexpensive. All you need is two ingredients and you have yourself probiotics for months on end. This opens the doors of possibilities for those who are struggling financially, especially when probiotics can range up to 60$ for most brands at 30 capsules! That can add up quick for anyone. Eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kombucha, fermented coconut kafir etc., have several addition benefits as they are...
This week I had the pleasure of spending the day making sauerkraut with my soul sister Jerri Johns, who's passion for holistic and alternative modalities has inspired me to dig deeper when it comes to being an informed consumer. This thanksgiving, I am really reflecting on my gratitude for my friendships, and Jerri is one friend who I truly can say has profoundly influenced my life as well as my practice. This post is a huge thank you for being my teacher :). Jerri is an expert in fermented foods in terms of how to prepare them, quality sourcing and the research behind their benefits. To get in touch with Jerri email me at gutinstinctsnutrition@gmail.com for further information! Ingredients:
Directions:
Enjoy your sauerkraut at least a tbsp a day for optimal results!
Thank you Jerri! <3
0 Comments
Gut Instincts "Blood Building Stir Fry". So good for people who have low iron! Iron is critical in energy production, in thyroid function and YES balanced mental health! Have you ever experienced - low mood/mood swings to the point that it is affecting your relationships? Weepiness, lack of motivation, depression, anxiety, feeling tired, feeling breathless, heart palpitations, looking pale, Tinnitus (ringing in your ears), altered sense of taste, brittle nails or 'spoon nails', or soreness at the edges of your mouth? A study conducted by BMC psychology noted that there is a direct correlation between depression/anxiety, ADD/ADHD and underlying iron deficiencies. If you are feeling any of the following symptoms, I suggest you consider getting your iron levels checked out or look into what other deficiencies may be at play in the development of your main health concerns.
Ingredients:
Directions:
I absolutely LOVE when I have clients who teach me so much. This client has extensive food allergies/intolerances (to eggs, gluten containing foods, most nuts, most fruits, meat except for pork etc.). Very difficult. So she asked me to find recipes and prepare for her a weeks worth of fast, portable goodies for her and her children! So much fun!!! The healthy fats contained in this recipe, including coconut oil and sunflower seeds, along with cinnamon, are amazing blood sugar regulating foods! Here is my super easy, nutritious and flavorful granola bar, fresh out of the oven! Ingredients: · 3 cups of pre-cooked quinoa (1 cup of dry quinoa with 2 cups of water cooked for 30 minutes) · 1 cup of amaranth flour · 1/3 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut · 1/3 cup of raw sunflower seeds · 2 Tbsp soft coconut oil · 2 Tbsp homemade apple sauce · 1/2 tsp of sea salt · dash of cinnamon · 2-3 Tbsp of raw honey or local maple syrup 3/4 1 cup of Coconut Milk Directions: Mix all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use 3/4 cup of coconut milk to moisten it all up, but if your quinoa was a little dry to start you may need to add another sprinkle of milk to make it smooth. Your goal is a thick biscuit-like textured batter or a thick cracker batter. Then spread the batter over a parchment-papered 11x15 baking cookie sheet. Spread like you are spreading a thick cake batter. Make sure to smooth out the top how you like it because when you bake it it will look that way when it is done. Spread thin and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Or you can make it a touch crispier if you bake it on a lower temp of 275 for 45-50 minutes. Bake, cool and then cut in square-sized bars. You should get about 20-24 bars from this recipe spread over a 11x15 cookie sheet. Enjoy!!!
-Gut Instincts |
Archives
November 2015
Christina Hyland
Categories |