The Bacteria you SHOULD be eating...

But curds? How can I drop curds, where will I get my probiotics from?

I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard this question during consultation.

Supplemental industry is constantly advertising us to take more and more probiotics. But do we really know what they are and why do some of us continue to have gut issues like idb (irritable bowl disorder) even if we eat enough of them?

What are probiotics?

“Almost all our health concerns can be traced back to our belly. Ensure a healthy gut and the rest will take care of itself.”- Behzad Azargoshasb

39 trillion microorganisms (mostly bacteria) call your gut their home. They even compose 99% of your DNA! From a broad perspective, what you might call as being a 'genetic disorder', might just be your microorganisms. The good news is that the way you eat can actually change the population of your microbiomes dramatically.

What are PRE- biotics and POST- biotics?

Prebiotics are essentially the food which our gut microbes (probiotics) eat and in turn produce postbiotics. Think of the postbiotics as the 'poop' produced by the gut after eating the prebiotics.

"Prebiotics+ Probiotics= Postbiotics"- Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

Prebiotics are only found in plant's. So to ensure that the probiotic bacteria (good bacteria) continue to flourish, you will have to consume enough prebiotics.

Though eating a variety of plant's will ensure you get your supply of prebiotics, the two plant groups with the highest amount of prebiotics are soluble fiber and resistance starch. Rice, oats, banana, spinach, legumes, grains, potatoes and most fruits are excellent sources of prebiotics.

There is no point taking a PRObiotic if you are not focusing on PREbiotics.

The good bacteria in our gut (probiotics) takes up the fibre we eat and transforms them into the most magical postbiotic Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA's).

SCFA’s help with everything from losing weight effortlessly to building immunity. I will let you read more on this topic here:

Probiotic Vs. Prebiotic Vs. POSTbiotics!

Grocery List for 13th and 14th Jan.

Recipes:

Overnight Oats:

Recipe courtesy: Minimalist Baker.

Oats

• 1/2 cup plant- based milk of choice

• 3/4 Tbsp chia seeds

• 2 Tbsp natural salted peanut butter or almond butter (creamy or crunchy // or sub other nut or seed butter)

• 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats (rolled oats are best, vs. steel cut or quick cooking)

TOPPINGS optional

• Sliced banana, strawberries, or raspberries

• Flaxseed meal or additional chia seed

Instructions

1. To a mason jar or small bowl with a lid, add almond milk, chia seeds and peanut butter and stir with a spoon to combine. The peanut butter doesn't need to be completely mixed with the almond milk (doing so leaves swirls of peanut butter to enjoy the next day).

2. Add oats and stir a few more times. Then press down with a spoon to ensure all oats have been moistened and are immersed in almond milk.

3. Cover securely with a lid or seal and set in the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 6 hours) to set/soak.

4. The next day, open and enjoy as is or garnish with desired toppings (see options above)

• You can also heat your oats in the microwave for 45-60 seconds (just ensure there's enough room at the top of your jar to allow for expansion and prevent overflow), or transfer oats to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warmed through. Add more liquid as needed if oats get too thick/dry.

  Overnight oats will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, though best within the first 12-24 hours.

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Creamy Tomato Pasta

Recipe Courtesy: Fit Foodie Finds.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium tomatoes, quartered

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

• 1 tbsp olive oil, separated

• 1 teaspoon salt, separated

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 6–8 servings of pasta (we used Whole Foods Organic Ziti)

• 1 cup soaked cashews*

• Fresh basil, chopped, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with tin foil.

2. Place tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper onto baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoons olive oil. Toss, making sure everything is coated. Roast at 400ºF 20 minutes.

NOTE: If you do not have an oven, you can stir fry the above on a stove too.

1. While vegetables are roasting, bring a pot of water to a boil. When water comes to a boil, add pasta to the water. Stir occasionally and remove when pasta is al dente. About 6-8 minutes. Strain pasta and set aside.

2. Remove baking sheet from oven, remove skin from tomatoes, and roast for an additional 10 minutes.

3. Next, transfer all ingredients on the baking sheet (including juices) into a blender along with soaked cashews and salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.

4. Toss pasta with sauce and top with fresh basil and cracked pepper.

Chickpea Tuna Sandwich

Click here for the recipe.