Tag: healthy gut

Blackened Rockfish

Leave a comment
What you need:
  • 1 TBSP paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp  oregano
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 TBSP coconut oil
  • 1 lb. rockfish

What to do:

Preheat the oven to Broil on High.

In a small bowl mix all ingredients except the rockfish and the coconut oil.

Cover rockfish in coconut oil and gently coat all sides of the fish in spice mixture.  Broil on high uncovered 6-10 minutes or until the center of the fillets flake apart.

Goes great with a side of sauteed veggies or even over a salad!

 

What is the Healthy Gut Diet?

Leave a comment

Also called the “Leaky Gut Diet,” this way of eating is geared toward people who have chronic issues they wish to heal.  The healthy gut diet focuses on the fact that 80% of the immune system is in the gut, and the standard American diet is responsible for damaging the digestive system and causing many health issues. This is meant to be a diet followed only for a few short months, to allow the walls of the intestines to heal.

The foods that are eaten on this diet are all very simple, natural foods.  Organic is preferred, and all unprocessed food is avoided in an effort to stop the damage of the intestines.  In place of inflammatory processed foods, lots of steamed, easy-to-digest vegetables, organic meats, and bone broth is eaten to promote healing.  Raw cultured dairy, homemade kombucha and fermented veggies is added in to help to regrow and rebalance the healthy natural bacteria in the gut.  Supplements are also added to help in healing.

Pros:

This diet will help reset the body to a natural healthy state. It has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of many autoimmune, metabolic diseases, thyroid problems, and food sensitivities.  The food is easy to make, and can be made cheaply and quickly in bulk and frozen if necessary.

Cons:

The diet itself is perfect, however because of its restrictive nature, it can be hard to stick with for the few months required to get its full effects.  However, we suggest that if you have one of the chronic issues mentioned above, you should read more about Healing Nutrition.

Healing Foods

Leave a comment

You’ve probably heard it called many things: the Leaky Gut Diet or the Anti-inflammatory Diet, but what it comes down to is simply giving your body whole, good, healthy, real food to help it heal and rebuild itself.

Following a healing diet like the one mentioned below will put your body on the right path to healing.  Progress may start to be seen in as little as 2 weeks!  Some autoimmune issues and lifetime chronic conditions will take longer to cure, and results will vary per person.  Of course, always check with your doctor before you reduce any medications, even as your symptoms decrease. You may have been prescribed medications been based on previous health concerns. This diet will improve overall health, and continuing to take medications when there is no need may result in unintended consequences.  Please make sure to work with your doctor to reduce any medications as the need for them goes diminishes.

Vegetables
(Eat lots of frozen or fresh veggies (not canned or packaged with seasonings, breading or sauce). Can be eaten raw or cooked. Beans must be dried beans, not canned)

Eat as much as you want of the following:

Asparagus Eggplant Parsley
Bell Peppers Garlic Radishes
Broccoli Ginger Root Snow Peas
Brussel Sprouts Green Beans Spinach
Cabbage Green Lettuces Sprouts
Cauliflower Kale Yellow Squash
Celery Mushrooms Zucchini
Collard Greens Mustard Greens Onions
Cucumber

½ cup serving per day is allowed:

Artichokes Lentils Black Beans
Beets Okra Kidney Beans
Carrots Peas Pinto Beans
Chick Peas (Garbanzo) Pumpkin White Beans
Legumes Squash (acorn, butternut, winter, spaghetti) Lima Beans
Leeks Tomatoes Olives

Nuts & Seeds
(whole nuts, not nut butters. Roasted and salted is fine, but not flavored. Peanuts are not included because they are toxic to a healing body.)

Almonds Pecans Cashews
Walnuts Macadamia Nuts Brazil Nuts
Pine Nuts Pumpkin Seeds Flaxseeds
Chia Seeds Sunflower Seeds

Fruits
(1 small piece of fruit a day, or ½ cup berries)

Strawberries Blueberries Raspberries
Blackberries Cherries Lemon
Lime Apples Pears

Fats & Oils

These:

Butter Coconut Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Grapeseed Oil Flaxseed Oil Fish Oil
Cod Liver Oil Avocado Oil Sesame Oil
Walnut Oil

Not These (Very harmful and inflammatory):

Vegetable Oil Canola Oil Safflower Oil
Crisco Margarine

Meats/Protein
Fatty meats with the skin left on are preferred.  Meats should not be purchased already seasoned or breaded.  Bacon, lunch meats, and sausages are not included as they often contain harmful cancer-causing additives.  Try to get organic, grass-fed/finished or wild-caught when possible, of the following:

Beef Chicken Eggs
Fish (avoid Tilapia) Lamb Turkey
Venison Wild Game

Seasonings/Condiments
(use to season veggies and meats as you need to)

Sea Salt Black Pepper Red Pepper Flakes & Cayenne
Oils (see Fats & Oils above) Apple Cider Vinegar Red/White Wine Vinegar
Herbs Natural Spices (not store-bought spice mixes) Avoid products that have been processed and/or contain sugar

Power-ups
More things to add in daily to promote healing:

Homemade Bone Broth Sauerkraut Ginger
Cinnamon Peppermint Turmeric (Curcumin)
Garlic Fish Oil Probiotics
Digestive Enzymes Other fermented vegetables

Beverages

  • Water (preferably with lemon or lime)
  • Tea (Black or Green, Hot or Cold, unsweetened)
  • No Dairy (cream or milk)
  • Avoid all sweeteners

Helpful Tips:

  • All meals should be cooked at home to ensure all ingredients promote healing.
    • Cook larger meals so leftovers can be frozen and used later in the week.
  • Everything should be made from whole foods, not packaged processed foods.
    • Generally, if it has a label and/or multiple ingredients – don’t eat it.
  • Drink lots of water throughout the day, preferably with lemon or lime.
  • If you aren’t hungry, don’t eat, especially when you first wake up.
  • Limit eating to 1-3 times per day. Eat large enough meals to eliminate need for snacking in between meals.  If hunger sets in before the next meal time, increase fats and vegetables during the next meal.  If you eat enough fats, you will NOT be hungry to snack.
  • Consume at least 25 grams of fiber every day.
  • Aim to use ingredients together to make meals more satisfying:
    • Soups (made with homemade broth, meat and lots of veggies)
    • Big, fatty salads (with tons of dark green, leafy veggies topped with meat and healthy oils and vinegars)
    • Grilled meats, with large sides of raw, sautéed, or steamed veggies
    • Eggs cooked how you like them, with veggies sautéed in healthy fats

Things to Avoid:

  • You must stay away from the following to encourage healing, as these foods are very damaging to the body and cause inflammation and chronic issues:
    • Sugar (even natural sugars, like honey) and artificial sweeteners
    • Grains, whole or floured (wheat, corn, rice, quinoa)
    • Processed foods (ingredients you can’t define or pronounce)

Here is a handy printable of all the above information

 

Shepards Pie

Leave a comment

What you need:

  • 1 lb beef (leftover pot roast or browned ground beef)
  • 4-6 cups assorted fresh or frozen veggies (chopped carrots, broccoli, zucchini, etc.)
  • 2 bags frozen cauliflower
  • 2 TBSP butter

What to do:

To make mashed cauliflower:  Steam/boil cauliflower in a pot until very tender.  Drain off excess water and place in a food processor.  Add butter, salt and pepper to taste.  Add water if necessary to blend to desired consistency.

Heat assorted veggies and beef in a skillet, and season as desired.  (I usually keep it simple with a tsp of each salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano).

Place meat/veggies mixture in a 9in round or a 9×13 and cover with mashed cauliflower.  Bake at 350 F until heated, about 15 min.

Cauliflower Nachos

Leave a comment

What you need:

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1lb ground beef
  • taco seasoning (enough for 1lb of meat see recipe here)
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • Assorted nacho toppings (Roasted veggies.  Fresh onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, sour cream and/or salsa)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Cut head of cauliflower into one inch thick slices.  Lightly coat both sides of cauliflower with olive oil, and place on baking sheet.  Bake in oven for 20 minutes.

While cauliflower is roasting, brown ground beef in skillet and add in homemade taco seasoning.

When cauliflower is browned to your liking, remove baking sheet from oven.  Top cauliflower with ground beef and cheese (and any other toppings you want roasted).  Bake for another 10 minutes till cheese is melted.  Top nachos with additional fresh toppings if desired.

Meat Sauce

Leave a comment

What you need:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • small onion, diced
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1 TBSP basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 3-4 cups of any vegetable (chopped broccoli, spiralized zucchini, or spaghetti squash)
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese

What to do:

Brown ground beef in skillet.  Add in onion, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, basil, oregano and cook still the onions are translucent.

In a 9×13 dish, place desired chopped or spiralized veggies. Pour on meat sauce, and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Robust Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Leave a comment

What you need

  • 1 pound cooked chicken
  • 3 TBSP Coconut Oil, refined
  • 1 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 TBSP garlic, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 2 cups butternut squash, chopped (omit for keto)
  • 2 TSP Italian seasoning
  • 2 TBSP can tomato paste
  • 4 cups chicken bone broth
  • 2 cups Tuscan kale, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

What to do

In a large pot over medium heat, add coconut oil and butter; once melted, add in the onion and sauté for about 4 minutes. Once softened, add garlic, carrots, celery, butternut squash, Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.

Add in the tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes while stirring frequently.

Add chicken bone broth and stir. Cover with a lid and simmer very gently on low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender.

Remove from heat, add in the cooked chicken and kale and stir to incorporate it, and allow it wilt into the soup for a few minute. When ready to serve, add basil and the parsley. Season with salt and black pepper, and the red pepper flakes, if desired.

Macros

Whole recipe: 1290 Calories, 120g Protein, 82g Carbs, 48g Fat, 16g Fiber, 19g Sugar

Without Butternut Squash: 1164 Calories, 10g Protein, 49g Carbs, 48g Fat, 10g Fiber, 13g Sugar

Homemade Bone Broth

Leave a comment

What you need

  • Leftover bones (2 chickens, a turkey, or beef soup bones)
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped in 2 inch chunks
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped in 2 inch chunks
  • 1 large onion, cut into quarters
  • 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

What to do

Put the bones, carrots, celery, and apple cider vinegar into a large slow cooker. Cover with water by 2 inches, then set on low. Cook for 10 to 12 hours overnight.

Strain the broth through a strainer.

Macros

In 1 cup of broth:  25 Calories, 2g Protein, 2g Carbs, 4g Fat, 0 Fiber, 0 Sugar

Notes

Bone broth has been shown to heal a “leaky” gut and boost your immune system because it contains healing nutrients that are easily used by your body.

Whenever I cook a chicken, or turkey, I immediately use the bones to make a broth. Each recipe will make about 3 quarts, so I freeze it in 2 cup sandwich bags, so I have bone broth on hand at all times.

I don’t season the broth as I make it since I use it in a variety of dishes, but feel free to add salt and pepper if you are going to be using it right away.