Crunchy Chopped Asian Tofu & Cabbage Slaw
This recipe from my first book has been revived and polished up for your gut-friendly library of meal selections. This delicious combination of plant-based nutrition is superior in nutrients, but the varied flavors and textures will have you assembling it all summer long. It is an excellent meal rich in fiber, heart-healthy fats and plant-based protein. When your weekly menu features plant diversity, you provide your gut microbiome with a wide range of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that aid in and protect against diseases and reduce whole-body inflammatory response. Satisfy and enhance your pallet with this convenient option that holds up well for a second-day meal.
Pumpkin Buckwheat Pancakes
Why buckwheat? Buckwheat is not a grain but is considered a fruit seed and part of the rhubarb family. This high-performance grain has many health-boosting nutrients and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are compounds produced by plants that protect cells from damage that could lead to cancer. In addition, this seed is the richest source of rutin, an antioxidant touted to cut your risk of cardiovascular disease, blood clots, inflammation, and blood pressure. Buckwheat is also a natural source of D-chiro-inositol. Inositol assists in the body’s crucial function of cellular growth. It is a type of sugar that aids in the body producing insulin.
Banana Buckwheat Porridge
Buckwheat is not new to the culinary world, although sometimes it takes a backseat to other grains. Often confused with grains, it is actually a fruit and kin to the rhubarb family. It’s an impressive grain-like plant food bursting with essential amino acids, fiber, and flavonoids. Cream of buckwheat cereal also known as buckwheat grits are finely ground groats. Groats come from kasha, which is the name for roasted, hulled buckwheat kernels. It’s super healthful and the perfect way to start the day. The addition of fresh fruit adds natural sweetness and an abundance of antioxidants from plant foods.
Cinnamon Raisin Quinoa Waffles
Take the traditional waffle and transform it into a delectable, nutritious, and enjoyable experience. Cinnamon Raisin was the inspiration but was created with various health benefits. No refined carbs or sugars here. A nutritional boost with ground flaxseed, quinoa flakes, and buckwheat. Instead of empty calories, this dish will provide more fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, healthy fats, and a delicious taste beneficial for any time your heart desires.
Banana Blueberry Buckwheat Muffins
This oil-free muffin is also naturally sweetened with fruit. It’s a great breakfast option or the perfect balanced snack made with buckwheat cereal. Buckwheat is a highly nutritious, easily digested superfood, and a wonderful source of protein containing all nine essential amino acids. Makes about a dozen
Cherry Nice Cream
Dark cherries get their deep rich color from anthocyanins, which are a chemical compound of antioxidants found in red, blue, and purple fruits and veggies. These compounds prevent inflammation, increase blood flow, and benefit memory and brain health. This low-calorie high-fiber dessert supports digestive health and healthy blood sugar levels. Superfood, plant-based with a multitude of vitamins and minerals for optimal wellness and your snacking enjoyment!
Chai Sweet Potato Muffins
Chai spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom, may help to promote healthy digestion and reduce bloating. The combination of these warming spices with sweet potatoes, loaded with fiber, beta carotene, vitamins A, B, C, and antioxidants is not only delicious but supports a healthy immune system.
Creamsicle Chia Oats with a Vanilla Pistachio Cream
I keep basic ingredients like plant-based milk, yogurt, oats, chia, basil, hemp, and flax seeds to get this job done efficiently. Having ingredients on hand streamlines the process making mealtime easier thus saving time, supporting healthier habits, and reducing stress in the kitchen. The proper ingredients are a huge timesaver and simplify meal prep, reducing the temptation to rely on overly processed convenience foods. This one’s a keeper. You must make the pistachio cream. Follow for more as I support your desire to eat cleaner and healthier.
Buckwheat and Roasted Vegetable Tabbouleh Salad
Whole-grain buckwheat is a good source of fiber and protein and includes all essential amino acids. Amino acids help build muscle and regulate immune function in addition to our precious hormones. The hulled buckwheat is like barley with a similar nutty and hearty flavor, but it’s void of gluten for those with sensitivities. Hulled buckwheat is also a great addition to a soup, stew, or porridge-type dish.I love this salad at more of a room temperature as I find the flavors pop when they are not as cold. If you are having this for dinner during the Reset phase, add a couple of olives or diced avocado for a balanced dinner option. Extras make a great lunch the next day.
Dysbiosis – Unhealthy Microbes, Illness, and The Perfect Storm
Dysbiosis – Unhealthy Microbes, Illness, and The Perfect Storm Just as a perfect storm results from combinations of climatic factors, complex gut conditions often arise from multiple advancing elements. Emphasizing the importance of diet, sleep hygiene, hydration, physical exercise, and stress reduction are manageable isolated points, but when combined and compromised, they become overwhelming. When rapidly escalated, these unforeseen interactions can have a destructive potential to our health and well-being. This underlines the urgency of addressing these issues to prevent any potential harm to our bodies. Highlighting the complexity of what several unresolved situations in our body can become is awareness. Dysbiosis, a term used to describe an imbalance in the gut microbiome, disrupts the microbiome’s health and is the perfect storm of ill health that can be avoided. This imbalance results from a reduction of beneficial microorganisms and an increase in harmful ones. These changes in crucial metabolic activity transform a once-healthy pattern into one associated with disease. The good news is that we can change the variables instead of band-aiding situations; we support our health by being prepared and responding appropriately. This empowerment to take control of our health is a significant accomplishment; keeping in tune with responsiveness to physical, mental, and emotional status is attention to self-care. Foundational health and what works specifically for your unique physiology is the journey that will aid in avoiding a downward spiral of ill-health-related complexities. Why is healing necessary for the gut? Stability comes from attention to the host; that’s you! When there is less diversity of good bacteria and an increase of harmful bacteria, disease comes knocking. This diversity in our gut microbiome is crucial for our health. Our gut microbiome contains a collection of microorganisms (bacteria) living together. Our microbiota is the specific type of bacteria existing in this habitat. The microbiota encompasses all living members that form the microbiome. Some bacteria are beneficial and essential for health and functions throughout our bodies. On the other hand, some forms of bacteria, such as viruses, although they are living organisms, do not belong. The main objective of a virus is to bring down the host. An elimination protocol, as outlined in Gut Driven, supports beneficial bacteria and creates a healing environment to crowd out harmful microbes, support immune response, and create habits to support health awareness. The recipes and suggested foods are curated carefully so any persistent symptoms are relieved in the process, with the hope of pinpointing trigger foods, potential intolerances, or root-cause issues. We tend to live with and normalize these symptoms for so long that we forget the feeling of enjoying foods and situations most take for granted. Many are inclined to villainize the foods that once nourished and brought them joy. One great example is the recent smear campaign against oats. Social media, misinformation, and many unwarranted claims have many missing out on the fact that oats are high in soluble fiber and antioxidants. They are also an excellent gut-friendly vehicle that allows for additional nutrients when consumed with fruits, seeds, and nuts, aiding in managing blood sugar throughout the day. Limited knowledge and lack of awareness lead to unnecessary avoidance. Misconceptions have us running from the numerous health benefits instead of getting to the root of the problem. Let’s keep an open mind, improve digestive health, enhance satiety, and reduce overall inflammation. Your gut environment has a profound influence on your health. For better or worse, it’s up to you. Need recipes? I’ve got you covered. Gut Driven breaks down the Reset and Maintenance stage, providing many recipes to jumpstart healing and techniques to incorporate these foods to support and sustain a healthy gut microbiome. Stay tuned, and I am eagerly getting ready to launch an all-new 21-day online program that works with the principles of Gut Driven. This program’s design is to give extra support to those reading my book but wanting enhanced direction, navigation, a more in-depth approach, and daily inspiration to jumpstart those goals. You will also be privy to new emerging information, tips, lifestyle habits, unpublished recipes, and strategies centered around making positive, sustainable change. You can take advantage of insightful guidance as per the success of the Gut Driven blueprint at a more affordable rate without compromising on quality. Your book is always there for reference materials, but critical points have been condensed and carefully crafted for success. By optimizing lifestyle modifications and digestive processes, you can tap into the potential of your gut health. Gut health is pivotal in nutrient absorption, immune function, cognitive regulation, and disease prevention. Ensure you will not be a victim of “perfect storm” advancements in ill health. Creating a “perfect synergy” of lifelong lifestyle modifications, balance, and attention to self-care practices establishes a solid footing of positive actions and habits, promoting optimal microbial functions and enhanced metabolic activity. With positive, optimal health and well-being, we can weather any storm in good health!