Digestive Smoothie

It's said that the mix of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and coriander are a powerful digestion stimulator. Although I kept the corainder out of the smoothie (that I think would be too weird...) this smoothie has antioxidants, digestive aids and healthy fats great for hormone function. 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup kale (I used frozen chopped kale)
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
  • teaspoon cardamom
  • teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein
  • Water to desired consistency. (I like this one a little more on the watery side)

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife.

Digestive Tea

So it's Thanksgiving weekend and many of us tend to over indulge a little, leaving us with upset tummies and bloat. This year I was hosting and I put a pot on the stove and brewed this digestive aid tea all day and night while my family was here and they took some as they needed it.

I want to be clear, this isn't a "diet tea" or a way to burn off the "extra" calories consumed this weekend. It's about restoring the balance in the digestive system and helping our tummies feel a bit better. 

Four simple ingredients found at most grocery stores are:

  • Fresh ginger 2-3 slices (leave the peel on)
  • Star Anise 1-3
  • Fennel Seed 1 teaspoon-tasblespoon
  • Cinnamon Stick 1-2
  1. Simply boil the ingredients in the pot. I like to get to a boil and then turn it all the way to the lowest setting to keep on the stove and people can consume as they wish.
  2. Use a fine strainer to pour the mixture into the mug and enjoy!

Why these food?

  • Ginger is a known anti-inflammatory and nausea fighter. Usually when we are sick or have motion/car/sea sickness ginger is the first things we grab for. It get's food moving through our digestive system a bit faster, reduces gas, bloating and cramps. It's known to awaken the tastebuds (think ginger in between sushi!) and stimulate digestive juices. 
  • Star Anise is known to help protect against colds anf flu as an antiviral, as well as good for reducing gas, hiccups and water retention. The taste is similar to licorice and in this recipe can be substitued for licorice root, but I find star anise more wildly available in stores. 
  • Fennel seeds conatin concentrated oils that sooth upset stomach. Fennel seeds are used a lot in Ayurvedic cooking I have come across!
  • Cinnamon is a digestive aid used to help sort of balance levels of glucose and triglycerides in the blood. I also find it very relaxing in the smell and taste and warming and comforting. I adore cinnamon so I sometimes put more in. 

 

I hope you enjoy and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Love, 

Jen The Bitchin' Housewife

KVASS - The "New" Old Probiotic Drink?

I'm currently in the process of waiting for my Kombucha to ferment (watch for that blog post!) and some how Kvass came across my lap. Kvass is a very very old fermented drink originally from the Ukraine dating back as far as 996 A.D. they say. Traditionally made from beets and sourdough bread, it is very popular in slavic cultures and apparently it's found in barrels on the streets of Moscow. 

As with fermented foods and drinks there are probiotics and they help aid in digestion. Wonderful for people with digestion issues, leaky gut and so on. I find the more fermented food I enjoy, the more energy I have personally. 

So anyways, I came across Kvass and thought I would give it a try, especially since it seemed pretty simple, I had the stuff on hand and only 2-3 days for fermenting time!

What you need:

  • A large jar or container with a lid.
  • Filtered water (Okay I just used water I boiled and let cool).
  • 1 teaspoon salt. I used pink himalayan.
  • 1.5-2 cups fruit. I used apples, oranges and strawberries.
  • Strainer
  • Cheesecloth (not required but nice to get the small strawberry seeds out)

Directions:

  • Mix water, salt and fruit together in jar. Leaving about 1 inch of space at the top.
  • Shake the jar a few times a day. I left it on the counter in a spot I would see and remember. 
  • Open up the jar once or twice to let off the gases. 
  • Enjoy! 

I left mine for 2 days, since I am a bit impatient, but I feel like it could benefit from another day or two. Possibly making it a little bit more fizzy. Some describe the taste as similar to beer. I believe that's probably the one made with bread, but it's a very light and fruity, part sour taste. I wasn't sure at first but every day I drink a few ounces and I actually quite like the taste! 

I just popped it in the fridge and take a swig every day. I probably should put it in a glass, but I'm not sure my family is ready to try it so I'm saving having to wash an extra dish......

Use whatever fruit you have available or try some varieties. I hate beets personally so it's unlikely I will do the traditional version!

Pink Himalayn salt

After two days the fruit looks "cooked".

After shaking it you can see the fizzy bubbles happening!

When it's ready remove the fruit and compost them!

Extra step here to run it through the cheesecloth to filter further, removing strawberry seeds and small fragments of the orange that go through the funnel. 

Will you give it a try? Let me know what flavours you are trying!

 

Love, 

Jen