Raw Sauerkraut, Probiotics & Fermented Foods

Fermented foods and probiotics make bellies happy. You've probably heard before about the health benefits of them. The yoghurt ads on TV with the flat bellies and the promise of a happy belly are all referring to the power of probiotics. The reason for these claims are basically because the more probiotics in your belly the less chance of the bad bacteria causing you any problems! 

This is why many people like to eat fermented and cultured foods as they are naturally occurring in probiotics. There are many types of fermented foods such as kimchi, pickles, yoghurt and kefir. One of my favourites is raw sauerkraut. 

I thought it would be fitting to mention the benefits of it as we are in the middle of the silly season and I'm sure I'm not the only one that's gotten slightly off track. 

Christmas parties, a few wines here and there all begin to take a toll on your digestive system after a little while. For people that suffer IBS like myself,  it can take only a few meals to get the balance out of whack which can cause massive stomach upsets. I read a blog post recently where the writer talks about how introducing fermented foods helped her with all sorts of health problems [click here to read]

When people say "gut health" they are usually referring to looking after your gut by feeding it lots of good bacteria so the bad bacteria doesn't wreck havoc on your system. I once read somewhere that the key to happiness is to have a healthy gut! Don't you think this to be true? When everything is running smoothly in your digestive system, you don't seem feel lethargic, worn out or depressed, instead you feel full of energy, light and ready to take on the day!

What I had noticed over the past few weeks of parties and unmindful eating and drinking were things like bloating, cramping, being constantly tired and feeling like it was taking hours (which it probably did) for my food to digest. Do you feel that too? 

To help combat any stomach problems I've upped the anty on probiotic rich, fermented foods such as home-brewed kombucha and home made raw sauerkraut and I'm already noticing a huge difference in how I feel and how my belly feels! If you missed my post on how to make your own raw sauerkraut, you can check it out [here]. It is so easy to make, very inexpensive, takes barely any time and has so many benefits. Sarah Wilson has talked about the the benefits of raw sauerkraut and other fermented foods, you can check out her post [here] (I love what she talks about on her blog, you may find her site useful too!).

After speaking to a naturopath about fermented foods she recommended that they are always introduced slowly so you don't shock your system. Start with a tablespoon of raw sauerkraut or a small glass of kombucha and slowly work up your tolerance to it. I usually now have one or two glasses of kombucha per day and when I have some made I have a little bowl of sauerkraut before or with dinner. These foods/ drinks are quite tangy and can take some getting used to but stick with it and after a couple of tries you will hopefully love it! If you don't really like sauerkraut you can always hide in your salad by mixing a few tablespoons through. With kombucha you can always flavour it during the second fermenation stage (more on that here) and that can make it more palatable for some. 

Fermented foods make a huge difference to many people and from personal experience I think they are definitely worth introducing to your diet.

NOTE - store bought sauerkraut is NOT raw sauerkraut, it has been pasteurised which means all of the beneficial enzymes and probiotics are no longer remaining. If you can find raw sauerkraut in a health food store you could give that a try before you make your own, but don't bother with the regular sauerkraut from the supermarket.



TIP - You can add any flavours to my basic sauerkraut recipe. The most recent batch of sauerkraut which was really delicious was just 1 small purple cabbage, a couple of carrots and an apple & pear grated up and all mixed together with salt. You can follow the easy instructions on my post [here]. I have friends that add caraway seeds to theirs and say it's delicious. I am sure there are many other great variations that I am yet to try. 

If you make your own sauerkraut or kombucha, what are your favourite flavours to add in?

Cheers to a happy gut! :)

Bee xx

Here is a great post on the health benefits of fermented foods, if you are interested in having a read from a blog I love by The Wellness Mama.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a beautiful Christmas & safe and happy holidays and New Year!

Let it be a time spent with loved ones and surrounded by nourishing food and a little indulgence!

Lots of Love,

Bee xx

4 Simple tips to help keep your health on track over Christmas

Christmas is a time of indulgence. It's a time for family and food... lots of food! It's great time of year!.. albeit a little stressful during the lead up.

It can be a time when we forget about our health and turn into over-eating sloths (well maybe that's just me?). So, how can we keep our health on track during the silly season?

Firstly I think it's important not to stress out too much if you've over indulged. I feel that the guilt that follows eating sometimes actually outweighs the extra calories!

Listed below are some easy tips to help keep you on track, so if you do indulge in a few Christmas cakes or wines you know it's not the end of the world :)

1. Always start the day with a lemon water. As soon as you wake up, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into warm water will kick start your metabolism and help clear out some toxins (great post by Kimberly Snyder here on the benefits)

2. Exercise first thing in the morning. I always seem to find an excuse to get out of exercise if I do it in the afternoon so if I do it first thing in the morning  it's done and I don't need to think about it again for the day. Also doing a little incidental exercise helps, such as getting off the bus in the morning a couple of stops early or parking your car a little further away so you need to walk a little extra.

3. If you are going to a celebration, take something healthy so even if you indulge a little over Christmas you are still getting some good stuff into you too! Take a big delicious salad or vegetable dish to share with everyone, fill up on those things first then you won't have as much room for the bad stuff. I also love taking raw desserts or treats (such as my Raw Chocolate Fudge Tart with Salted Chocolate Icing) because I can eat them without feeling gross after and everyone loves them too!

4. Take time out on your own to de-stress. As beautiful as Christmas can be, it can also be very stressful so taking some time out on your own to breath/ go for a walk/ listen to music as it can make all the difference in you enjoying your holidays or not.

 

I hope these simple tips help you as much as they help me!

Take care over the silly season! Hope you have a beautiful Christmas & New year :)

If you have any other tips for this time of year, please share in the comments section below.

Bee xx

Images sourced from
http://rubellesmoon.com/treats/gingerbread-house-frenzy/
http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/christmas-menu-roasted-turkey.jpg

How to Open a Young Coconut in 3 Easy Steps

I had a little giggle the other day when I was with some girlfriends who confessed they have no idea how to open a coconut, so they just don't bother (or they get their hubby's to do it for them). 

So this blog post is dedicated to them. Helping to get the ladies to open their own coconuts ;)

Firstly, you need a young drinking coconut. You can buy these everywhere now.  Big supermarkets such as coles, woollies, aldi or Asian grocers will usually always stock them. When I am buying coconuts I always look for really white ones with no cracks. The older they get the bottom becomes cracked and slightly yellowy/brown... you don't want these ones. They taste old.

Ok so lets get coconut opening... You will need a half decent knife that you are prepared to say good bye to for using for any proper chopping up again as it will get blunt. Very blunt.

1. Put your coconut on a firm bench, put your left hand behind your back (or right hand if you are left handed! Yes this may seem extreme but I'm sure you would find it preferable not chopping off any of your fingers during this process) and gently mark out four or five lines on the coconut around the top

2. With your left hand behind your back, slowly hit the knife hard into those lines. Keep going around with quite a lot of pressure over the lines. 



3. Some coconuts are more stubborn than others so once you have gone around the coconut, stabbing it (in the nicest possible way) and it still doesn't open, I find it helpful to put the bottom edge of the knife into one of the openings and wedge it under hitting it through the outer shell, then you can wedge up the knife and it lifts up quite easily.

It may seem daunting the first time you open your coconut (ahhh, first world problems) but you will be a pro in no time!

Good luck!

Bee xx

bare nourishment Muesli Stockist

Today I have launched my home made muesli!

Very excited to have it out there to share with you all! 

I use only quality ingredients and the muesli is toasted in organic cold-pressed coconut oil. It contains no refined sugar or preservatives.

If you live in the Hill's District of Sydney, stop by the Dural House of Herbs & Roses. They are a gorgeous little nursery that have delicious treats, teas & coffee, high tea, cakes, gifts & they now stock bare nourishment muesli!

Dural House of Herbs & Roses 745 Old Northern Road Dural 2158 

Visit them on facebook - Dural House of Herbs & Roses

Bee xx

Winner announced (Keune gift pack)

And we have a winner! - JESSICA HOUSTON


Congratulations and thank you to all for entering!

Keep a look out for more great give-aways coming soon!

Bee xx

Christmas Giveaway time! Keune So Pure Gift Pack (over $100 value!)

Who doesn't love a give away? Especially right before Christmas!?

The wonderful team at Keune Haircosmetics have given me a beautiful moisturising gift pack containing shampoo, conditioner & styling treatments valued at RRP $105.85 to give away to a lucky subscriber!

If you haven't yet tried Keune's So Pure range here is your chance to give yourself a gorgeous treat, just in time for Christmas!

Here's why I love the products; So Pure Natural Balance uses 100% pure plant essential therapy, organic essential oils and argan oil. The products are paraben & sulfate free and contain no artificial fragrances or colours. It smells absolutely divine and will make your hair feel gorgeous. It contains no animal related materials and is not tested on animals. 

So Pure Natural Balance embraces the knowledge of Phytotherapy, Aromatherapy and Homeopathy to create healthy, shiny hair through a well-functioning scalp.

What is in the pack?

If you win you will receive from the So Pure Natural Balance Moisturizing Range:
1 x 250ml Shampoo
1 x 200ml Conditioner
1 x 200ml Texture Spray
1 x 45ml Moroccan Argan Oil

So what do you need to do to win?

Here's how you enter:

1. Like bare nourishment on facebook here
2. Click share on the competition post on facebook
3. Subscribe to this blog (when subscribing, you will receive a confirmation email, be sure to activate the subscription to go in the drawer to win, check your junk mail box if you don't receive an email confirmation within a few minutes)


Competition ends midnight Saturday 14th December 2013.

The winner will be announced on this blog & facebook on Sunday 15th December 2013.

Remember sharing is caring - share with your friends to give them a chance to go in the drawer too!

Good Luck!

Bee xx

RECIPE | Healthy Chicken Schnitzel (Paleo, Gluten Free, Kid-Friendly!)

(In my best German accent) Who doesn't love a good schnitzel? 

This is an easy, healthy alternative to the popular fried chicken schnitzel. It still contains oil but not nearly as much and you can either make it with coconut oil or rice bran oil depending on your thoughts on those oils. My son's favourite food is schnitzel and he loves this alternative :)

Ingredients:
2 organic, free range chicken breasts, sliced super thin
3 organic, free range eggs, whisked
Approx half a cup of almond meal or LSA
1/4 cup coconut flour or as much as needed 
Handful of parsley, chopped small
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Approx 1 tbs coconut oil or rice bran oil


Directions:
Mix garlic, garlic powder and parsley together and mix with chicken to marinate the chicken. Put in the fridge covered for about an hour to marinate
When it is ready, take out the chicken and coat in the coconut flour. I just put the flour on a plate and press the chicken into it
Then dip the chicken into the whisked eggs
Then coat the chicken with almond meal or LSA

Heat a frypan on medium to high and add oil of choice to pan, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan - about a tablespoon
When the oil is warm enough (you can test by putting the end of the chicken in to see if it starts to sizzle) add the chicken in and cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side or until golden
Once cooked, place on paper towel to help drain any oil
Serve with salad and a squeeze of lemon


Delish! Easy, Paleo friendly, kid friendly meal :)

Bee xx