Did you know 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter vital for proper brain function. When you produce serotonin in the right quantities, your thinking is clear and you feel positive and on top of things. Too little serotonin is linked to states of depression and anxiety.
So, when you care for your gut you actually help produce more serotonin. It’s worth putting effort into eating well for your gut’s and brain’s sake!
1 cup almonds
Handful of basil
Splash of lemon
Pinch of salt
Water to dilute as necessary
Soak almonds for at least 4 hours. Then plunge in boiling water for 60 seconds. Sit in the sunshine (optional 🙂 to shell almonds. They pop out of their skins easily! Blend all other ingredients. Add a little water as necessary to make a smooth paste.
Serve on blinis, crackers or pasta.
Here’s a Russian mini pancake also known as Blini. They’re perfect for a cocktail party!
1 cup organic buckwheat flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup milk of choice
1 large egg
Mix well by hand. Then in a non-stick fry pan cook on medium heat (one tablespoon for each bite-sized blini)
Top with smoked salmon.
For vegans make almond-basil paste (easy)
Note: Traditionally they have sour cream & caviar.
Sprig of dill (optional) on top.
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My sister Gwyneth is a foodie like me. Today we got busy and made lunch together…here’s the recipe!
What do you do when your working from home, your starving and you haven’t shopped for a few days? You can drive to a cafe and buy something or you can get creative. At lunch time today I opened the fridge door and was confronted by wilted vegetables. I LOVE spinach pie with Fetta cheese but no dairy is allowed on the 30 day wheat free, dairy free diet (sigh!).
Layered Vegie Pie
Bunch of kale
2 avocados
1/2 squeezed lemon
Pinch of salt
Pinch of chili and cumin powder
Splash of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt (optional)
Mix & serve
For me, buckwheat is too bland in its own so I stir fry Tumerick, onion, garlic, ginger with celery, capsicum and any other veges you have on hand. Add fish or chicken (optional) or chick peas for vegetarians.
So, you’ve decided to repair your gut health. That means finding alternatives to grain. When I first started this food journey, trying to find the beat alternatives made my head spin. After weeks of research and many failed experiments these are my top picks.
Why? First, they’re seeds not grains. That means they don’t inflame the gut, making them easy to digest.
Second, because they’re unrefined they’re high in fibre and therefore cleanses the gut efficiently.
Once you know how, they’re really easy to prepare and a great substitute to grass grains. So, without further ado, let’s take a look.
The good news is these seeds are alkaline.
Eat no more than 1/2 cup (cooked) at one serving.
Fill your plate mostly with veges!
For non vegetarians add small amounts of fish or organic meat.
This cereal originally came from wild grass seeds on the African savanna. By 10,000 BC, neolithic farmers grew it in Asia. Modern millet is a staple crop around the world. We love it because it’s gluten-free, alkaline, low GI and packed with minerals like magnesium and zinc. It’s tasty, digestible and wonderful for gut health.
Ingredients (serves up to 4)
1 cup of millet
2 1/2 cups water
Almond milk
Coconut yoghurt
Chopped fruit
Almond slivers
Preparation
Inspiration
Try it with seasonal local berries or fruit and spice it up with cinnamon (to aid digestion), organic plain yoghurt or coconut cream.
1 cup coconut desiccated
1 cup ground up sunflower seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardimin (optional)
1 tbsp cacoa
1 tsp Tahini (optional)
1 cup dates (soaked in water to soften)
1 + 1/2 cups pitted prunes
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
The Slim Hour 