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.

RECIPE | The Ultimate Chocolate Milkshake! (Dairy Free, Low Fodmap)

Last night, I came home from a Bikram Yoga class late, hungry, thirsty and craving chocolate BADLY!

So what's a girl to do? Why make a chocolate milkshake of course!

This chocolate milkshake is like no other that I have ever tasted, it is so delicious and replenishing, especially after a work out. 

It feels so indulgent but it is packed full of nutritious super-foods!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups milk of choice (I used a mix of organic almond & coconut milk)
1 tablespoon raw organic cacao
Half an avocado
1 banana
Handful of berries (whatever you have, I used blueberries & raspberries)
Half a teaspoon maca powder
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup of ice

Blend all ingredients together and top with a few more frozen raspberries.

This would serve 2 people but I was being a piggy and drank the whole thing! Mmmmm.....

Enjoy!

Bee xx

HOW TO | Kombucha

SCOBY DOBY DOO! Let’s get Kombucha making!

Making anything from scratch is so rewarding. Kombucha is no exception. The first taste of your first fizzy batch of kombucha will make you so proud!

It is a very easy process. The key is getting the balance right of sweetness & tart. You don’t want it to taste too sweet because that means it hasn’t been fermenting long enough and there is too much sugar in it still and you don’t want it too tart because it won’t be palatable. I personally find that 7 days is generally a good amount of time for the amount I make (3 litres) to ferment.

This week it has been really warm weather so I only needed it to brew for 6 days… Other times when it was really cold in winter I left it for 10 or so days. You will get the hang of it and how you like it. Another way I can tell if mine is ready is by the thickness of the new SCOBY that forms on top of the mother SCOBY. 

 

What the heck is a SCOBY you ask? It is the white ugly looking thing that forms on top of the fermented tea - Symbiotic Culture/ Colony of Bacteria & Yeast. Some people refer to it as the ‘mushroom’ or the ‘mother’’. You can see it formed my photo at the top of this page.

 

 

Once you have the first part of the fermentation down pat (meaning you know how long to brew it for to suit your tastes) you can start experimenting with different flavours & extra carbonation. This is called the ‘second fermentation’. I have made ginger flavour, berry flavour and am currently experimenting with apple flavour. So far I love the berry flavour, as does my son. It is easy to do; you literally just add pieces of what you like to the Kombucha in an airtight flip lock bottle and allow it to ferment for a few days which creates extra carbonation (caused by the sugar in the fruit and the compression of the bottle/ lack of oxygen). It is never going to be fizzy like a bottle of coke because that is forced carbonation. This is natural carbonation so once you get used to it you will be surprised at just how bubbly you can make it! Again, this is trial and error. Be careful because I have heard that the bottle tops can pop off or the bottles can explode from all of the carbonation. I have never experienced this myself though. Because I have been worried about it happening, I always store my bottles in a cooler bag in the laundry so if they do explode they will just explode in the bag and cause no damage.

 

To get started you will need a SCOBY and some starter liquid. I have heard of people making their own SCOBY’s from raw Kombucha they have bought. You will find more information on that on the links provided below. I got my SCOBY from my yoga teacher. If you know someone that brews their own Kombucha they will most likely have a spare SCOBY to give away as they are constantly multiplying. Otherwise you can buy them online. The links below have a source for online SCOBY's.

Here are some great sites with useful information if you would like to read. They also have recipes for making Kombucha.

http://www.culturesforhealth.com/make-kombucha

http://www.kombuchakamp.com/kombucha-recipe

This is what I do exactly..

What you will need:
Big wide mouthed jar (a big biscuit jar is ok)
An elastic band
One or two pieces of paper towel

Ingredients:
6 tea bags (Green Tea, White Tea or English Breakfast Tea)
1 cup plain white sugar, castor sugar or raw cane sugar (I find white sugar works best)
3 litres of filtered water
1 cup starter liquid & a SCOBY

Method:
I use 3 organic Green tea and 3 organic English breakfast tea bags (you can't use flavoured tea only, the oil in the tea ruins the SCOBY although one or two bags for flavour should be fine).

Boil 3 litres of water in a big pot.
Once boiled, add tea bags and leave to brew for 5-10mins
Take them out, stir in 1 cup plain white sugar and let it dissolve (remember the SCOBY lives off the sugar, so the end product actually has very little sugar in it)
Take off the heat, let it come to room temperature
Pour into brewing vessel (big glass jar with wide neck)
Pour SCOBY and starter liquid on top (it will start to float after a couple of hours)
Cover glass jar with a piece or two of paper towel and secure with rubber band (make sure there is no room for bugs to crawl in)
Keep in well-ventilated area (I store mine in the laundry), away from direct sunlight
Keep for 7-10 days. Taste along the way. The longer you leave it the more tart it will become

I then do the second fermentation but you don't have to, you can just drink it now :)

 

Second fermentation goes like this:

Get a few airtight flip lock bottles, wash out and dry.
Pour kombucha into bottles, add a few pieces of fruit if you like then top up until it reaches 1cm to top of bottle. Close and store in cooler bag for a few days before transferring to fridge.

NOTES ON CLEANING THE JARS – Do NOT use antibacterial soap or hand soap when touching the SCOBY or cleaning out the jar, it will kill the SCOBY. Just wash it out with warm soapy dishwashing liquid or white vinegar and dry thoroughly. I also pour boiling water all over the jar when I am cleaning it. I keep refilling my jar without washing it out for about 3-4 brews, then I clean it out and start again.

Let me know how you go.

Happy brewing!!!

Bee xx

RECIPE | Raw Chocolate Fudge Tart with Salted Chocolate Sauce Icing (Dairy Free, Gluten Free)

Ok all you chocoholics, this one is for you!

This makes 16 squares of chocolate fudge tart goodness. You can easily double the recipe if you need to for a larger group.

I took this to my father in laws last night where they don't really embrace healthy eating so I didn't tell them it was a healthy raw dessert. They thought they were eating a naughty chocolate brownie full of flour, butter and sugar... mwahahahahaha (best evil laugh), little did they know they were getting loaded full of good stuff!

Raw Chocolate Fudge Tart Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups almonds
1/3 cup raw organic cacao powder
1 tablespoon tahini paste (I used unhulled, you can use either)
1 1/2 tablespoons creamed coconut (similar to coconut oil if you can't find creamed coconut, don't confused with coconut cream! Creamed coconut has a much stronger coconut flavour)
2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup (not the fake stuff)
6 medijool dates
1/4 cup filtered water (more if you need it)

Salted Chocolate Sauce Ingredients:
2 tablespoons creamed coconut (or coconut oil)
2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup 
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
1/4  teaspoon Himalayan pink rock salt
A little touch of water


Tart Directions:
Line square tin with baking paper
Blitz almonds in food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs
Add dates and blitz again until combined 
Add cacao, tahini paste, creamed coconut and blitz again until combined
Add water, you may need a little more or a little less it will start to resemble a fudgy (yes fudgy is a word) texture

Once all is combined and you are happy with the texture, scoop the mixture and spread evenly in to prepared tin
Put it in the freezer for 20mins

Sauce Directions:
Put all ingredients in small sauce pan on the lowest heat 
Whisk together, you may like to add a little water
Remove from heat once combined

Take the tart out of the freezer and pour the sauce all over the top. You can top with raw cacao, almonds, coconut... anything you like!

Put it all back in the freezer for another 30 mins to set.


Take it out, cut into squares and serve. 

Best kept refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Bee xx

RECIPE | Overnight Soaked - Brekky in a Jar

There is something about eating out of a jar that just makes it all the more special to eat.. No idea why, I guess it is just the novelty factor. When I am in need of a super energising brekky which is a bit more filling than a smoothie, I always opt for a "Brekky in a Jar". 

The possibilities are endless with what you can put in these jars, but here are a couple of my favourites :)

Overnight Soaked Chia & Oats Brekky in a Jar

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Half cup rolled oats
3/4 cup milk of choice (I am loving coconut milk at the moment)
Handful of frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon of dessicated coconut
2 teaspoons maple syrup 

Directions:
Mix together chia seeds with oats and stir in milk
Allow to sit on bench for 10 minutes 
Stir again to ensure the chia soaks up all the milk properly (otherwise it goes clumpy)
Put in fridge over night

In the morning you can layer your brekky in a jar. I layer all of the ingredients and add a little maple syrup over the coconut. I like to put frozen blueberries on top so by the time I get to work they are defrosted and the juice runs through the other ingredients :)


Overnight Soaked Chocolate Chia & Raspberry Brekky in a Jar

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup milk of choice (I am loving coconut milk at the moment)
Handful of frozen raspberries
Handful of slivered almonds
2 teaspoons raw cacao
2 teaspoons maple syrup 

Directions:
Mix together chia seeds with cacao and stir in milk
Allow to sit on bench for 10 minutes 
Stir again to ensure the chia soaks up all the milk properly (otherwise it goes clumpy)
Put in fridge over night

In the morning you can layer your brekky in a jar. I layered all of the ingredients and added some loving earth chocolate buckinis on top.. You could just add extra almonds or other nuts, it is nice for some extra crunch!

Enjoy!

Bee xx

RECIPE | Spelt & Oatmeal Muffins (Wheat & Dairy Free)

Do you need a recipe that you and the kids will love that is both healthy and delicious? Well these muffins might just make your day! They are so yum! You can really chop and change many of the ingredients around, if you feel like being naughty you could add chocolate chips instead of berries. I used mostly coconut sugar but then ran out so used a little brown sugar, I am sure the muffins would work fine with only one or the other. I used rice milk but you could use regular milk, soy milk or whichever other milk you prefer. 

If you are someone that doesn’t fancy themselves as much of a baker then these muffins are for you! One bowl, no mixer needed – you just throw everything together, mix and spoon into the cases. They turn out light, fluffy and moist every time.

They keep well in an airtight container for around 4 days. My 6 year old loves taking them to school for a treat and there is no guilt with these little treasures. I sometimes freeze them individually to take out for school lunches.

I made these as part of my quest for finding delicious recipes to eat on a low FODMAP diet. More on that here. This recipe has been adapted from one I found on here.

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup coconut sugar¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 eggs
½ cup macadamia nut oil
1 cup rice milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup frozen raspberries¼ cup frozen blueberries
½ cup shredded organic coconut
1 ripe banana, mashed


Directions
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C for fan forced) and line a 12 cup pan with patty cases
Blend the oats in a food processor to make course flour 
Mix together the oats in a large bowl with sifted spelt flour, baking powder and sugars
In a separate bowl combine eggs, oil, rice milk, vanilla and maple syrup and whisk until combined.
Mix wet ingredients in with dry ingredients
In a small bowl add a small amount of spelt flour and roll the frozen raspberries & blueberries until coated (I find this stops the berries from bleeding through the mixture)
Fill 6 muffin cases with mixture then push in the berries 
With the remaining half of the mixture mix in the mashed banana and shredded coconut, leave a little coconut to sprinkle on top, then fill the remaining 6 muffin cases and top with coconut
Bake for around 30 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Bee xx

PAINS, CRAMPS & BLOATING - How to get rid of them! IBS & The Low FODMAP's Diet

Since I can remember, I have suffered from abdominal pains and bloating. It has been at its worst over the past few years but even when I was a kid after I ate certain foods (apples, ice-cream and chewing gum in particular) about an hour later I always had severe bloating and cramps. I thought I was just being silly because why would anyone get sick after eating an apple?! An apple a day keeps the doctor away after all... right? Well not for me...

At around 2pm most days I was in agony with cramps and a stomach that has doubled in size. In hope of “fixing’ myself, the past two years I have made a really conscious effort to eat even healthier and cleaner with expectation that it would help to relieve my symptoms but things just kept getting worse.

I couldn't stop the bloating, I was always tired and I never had a regular pattern for going to the bathroom. Sometimes I would be super regular and sometimes I wouldn't go for days (and by days I mean MANY days!).

I had been to my doctor who suggested I eliminate gluten, I did this for a while and the symptoms didn’t ease. Then I eliminated dairy which didn't help either (as I don't eat dairy anyway except for some cheese here and there). I did x-rays and tests galore to get to the bottom of this problem because it was beginning to get me really down. I was tired of being in pain all of the time when I made such an effort with my diet. I was “healthier” than I had ever been and yet I felt worse than I had ever felt.

Finally after every other possible test had been done, and all other illnesses had been eliminated (thank goodness) I was diagnosed with IBS. IBS..!!!! Why didn’t I realise this!? I couldn't believe that I didn't realise that my own gut health was not in shape. I didn’t put two and two together because I always associated IBS with the need to constantly run to the bathroom but I have now learned that this is not necessary true; there are 3 different types of IBS. . The different types are a) constipation mixed with normal, b) diarrhoea mixed with constipation (sorry but this post wasn't designed to be pretty) or c) when you have predominately diarrhoea mixed with normal.

More on that here Better Health Info on IBS

Some symptoms include
- bloating/ swollen stomach area
- cramps and pains in the stomach
- major discomfort in the stomach
- feeling full after eating a small meal

There are more symptoms and if you think you may have IBS the following link has some useful information IBS Fact Sheet - Womens Health

My doctor advised me I should start to follow a low FODMAP diet. WTF is FODMAP? I am glad you asked! :) It stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharide’s and Polyols. FODMAP’s are found in many of the common foods we eat such as wheat, milk as well as many fruit & vegetables. People with IBS have a hard time getting some foods which are high in FODMAP's pushed through the small intestine, so by the time the food gets to the large intestine these molecules which haven't been properly absorbed are readily available for the bacteria (that is normally there) in the large intestine to feed on it causing these FODMAP's to ferment. This then leads to the symptoms that many of us know as IBS! I had never even heard of this diet before so I was surprised by how the foods on the high FODMAP list related to my bad symptoms. Apples (yes apples!!) in particular are one of the worst offenders for people with IBS. So it wasn’t just me being crazy, I was actually harming my gut the more I tried to eat healthier. There I was filling up in the mornings on green smoothies with apples and pears so no wonder I never felt great by lunch time. I used honey in replacement of sugar thinking that I was being healthy but I was actually irritating my gut even more because fructose is a major cause of IBS symptoms. Garlic, onion, beetroot, stone fruit, fennel are all things I eat weekly, some even daily and these things are some of the sources of my pain! After learning more about the low FODMAP diet and sticking to it as best as possible I have already reduced my symptoms and have only been doing it for a short time. I haven’t had one cramp since I have been following it!

I found this great FODMAP'S Table of foods suitable and unsuitable on the low FODMAP diet. This is not a diet for weight loss but if you suffer from the horrible symptoms of IBS (and 1 in 5 of us does) you will notice a significant difference in the appearance of your stomach as it won’t be bloated anymore! I always needed to cover up my stomach with baggy tops in case it would bloat but now it seems I don't have to worry about that anymore.

It is recommend to eliminate all of the high FODMAP containing foods for around 6-8 weeks and then slowly re-introduce certain foods back in to work out what your personal tolerance level is. Everybody is different, so while you may be able to eat an apple every day, someone else (like me) may not. You may be able to eat a slice of bread everyday but any more may cause you pains, so it really is trial and error until you work out what is good for your body and what isn’t. I am really hoping that mangoes are ok for me once I re-introduce some fruits because they are my absolute favourite!

Obviously you should consult your doctor before starting any diet and if you do think you might have IBS you should first rule out other problems that might be causing the similar symptoms. Polycystic ovaries, coeliac disease can cause similar symptoms such as cramping, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea so you should always have your doctor test for the other things first.

If you do have IBS (I feel for you so much!) then I highly recommend giving this a try. It won’t cause you any more harm by trying, and if it doesn’t work for you then it doesn’t work… What have you got to lose? (A 5 month pregnant looking belly perhaps!) It is so nice not being in pain everyday! I had actually started to believe that was normal and everyone must feel like that!

The transition for me hasn't been too hard. The hardest part for me has been not being able to eat as much fruit because I usually have a smoothie with apples and pears but I have cut that out now. I am still having a smoothie but filling it with more greens. Going off wheat might be hard for you if you eat a lot of it but to make it easier you can have other grains, I eat a lot of quinoa so I have been using that for lunch most days. You can have spelt sourdough which is delicious so it’s not all bad! I just made spelt & oatmeal muffins and they are delicious!

If you do a google search you will find many lists which are easy to print and stick to your fridge to remind yourself what you can and can't have until you get used to it. The one I used is this FODMAP'S Table.

I would love to hear about your journey with IBS and if you have tried the low FODMAP diet and if it has helped you? Please share in the comments section below :-)

Bee x






Information on IBS & FODMAP's sourced from 

http://shepherdworks.com.au/disease-information/low-fodmap-diet

http://ibs.about.com/b/2011/03/29/printable-fodmap-diet-chart.htm
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Irritable_bowel_syndrome

Images Sourced From

http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/news/editorial-tummy-bug-takes-heavy-toll/1782533/

http://thewakeupcallradioshow.com/10292011-stomach-health/