The difference between probiotics and prebiotics plus recipe for Brussels Sprouts (a prebiotic) with bacon and potato

I have written a lot about the importance of probiotics (friendly bacteria that inhibit our gut / digestive tract) and if any of you have come to one of my lacto-fermentation workshops which I run on a regular basis then you would have heard me talk at length about probiotics and their importance in our immunity, digestion, metabolism, brain function and skin function to name a few of their tremendous health benefits. We can even go so far to say that without probiotics we could not survive. In the absence of specific advice from a health care professional, probiotic supplementation is not necessary for fairly healthy people and the regular consumption of home-made fermented foods (eg kefir, sauerkraut, beet kvass, kombucha etc) will provide all the probiotics bacteria you need. There may be instances where probiotic supplementation might be recommended (eg after a course of antibiotics).

So what are PREbiotics? In sum they are food for the probiotics that already exist in your gut so that these little essential critters stay alive and healthy.  What you feed your intestinal microbiota significantly determines how they populate. So while probiotics provide a better balance of bacteria in the gut by stimulating the growth of different strains of beneficial bacteria that are not already present in your gut, prebiotic foods selectively stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria already inhibiting the gut especially in the large intestine. These foods include onions, jerusalem artichokes, and fruits and vegetables that are high in soluable fibre eg sweet potato, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, turnips, mango, avocados, strawberries and aprocots. Hence another reason to not go too low carb!!!

Brussels Sprouts and potatoes are both prebiotic foods. While potatoes are generally not a hardship for most people and kids to consume (refer to one of my earlier blogs on my 5 favourite ways to eat root vegetables) Brussels sprouts are another kettle of fish. I personally don't find Brussels Sprouts unpalatable but they seem to get a bad wrap by most kids. Most parents I talk to struggle to get their kids to eat them. If your kids refuse to eat them here is a fail-safe recipe I crafted with bacon and potato and lots of butter to hopefully tempt even the fussiest of eaters! My son Will liked this dish so much that he requested it 2 nights in a row and put in a weekly standing order. Bacon sure does make even the most unpalatable or bland foods taste great!

Brussels Sprouts with bacon and potato

This can be served as a side or as a complete meal as pastured bacon is a source of healthy saturated fats and protein, and the vegetables are a source of carbohydrates.

Ingredients:

• Brussels sprouts, allow 4 per person
• Potatoes, allow 1 small potato per person
• 300g pack of pastured bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Handful of roughly chopped parsley (optional)
• Unrefined salt
• Cracked pepper

Directions:

Peel potatoes. Chop Brussels sprouts and potatoes into roughly equal sized chunks. I tend to chop Brussels sprouts in half then half again.

Steam potatoes and Brussels sprouts until soft then add to a bowl with one tablespoon butter and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, while the vegetables are steaming, sauté bacon in 1 tablespoon of butter in a covered frying pan on low heat stirring occasionally until cooked (about 5-10 mins). Add to bowl with vegetables and mix well.

Serve with a scattering of parsley if desired.

Serves 2-3 as a main or 4-5 as a side.

Cooking segment on bone broth and casseroles with Paleo Foodies

I recently was asked by the lovely Alison Sims of Paleo Foodies to do a cooking segment on how to make your own bone broth (stock) at home, and then how you can use the  bone broth as a key ingredient in a slow cooked lamb casserole. Check out the U-Tube clip here and Alison's blog post here.

To learn more and for a stack of recipes, nutritional information and helpful hints, come to one of my bone broth and/or casserole cooking classes which I run periodically from my home in Waverley.

For those who don't have the time, energy or inclination to make their own broth, I sell chicken, beef, fish and pork broth from wild/pastured animal bones ($10.50/700ml) in BPA-free recyclable containers. Perfect for the forthcoming winter months to build strong immunity and digestion and heal the gut. To learn how to incorporate broth into your diet click here, here and here. For a couple of casserole recipes click here and here.

Happy cooking!

Root vegetable gratin & mash!

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Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be such comfort foods if prepared well. My kids and I love them: (a) oven-roasted cooked in butter; (b) oven- roasted cooked in broth; (c) made into wedges/ chips cooked in coconut oil; (d) made into a creamy gratin; (e) mashed with cream and butter.

Having these 5 easy go-to dishes adds variety and keeps the kids and taste-buds happy!

If you're new to a paleo or ancestral diet and fear that root vegetables are going to tip you over into instant fat gain territory because of their high starch content, you might want to check out one of my earlier blog posts here about the dangers of going too low carb (mistake numero uno). I eat root vegetables (along with above ground vegetables) every day. And with a bit of portion control (this is key for me) I am far from overweight. As Kate Callaghan, my dear friend, colleague and holistic dietician, so succinctly stated in an email to me the other day, we need carbohydrates to:

1. Convert our inactive thyroid hormone (T4) to our active hormone (T3). Without it, we could experience thyroid problems
2. Feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut
3. Avoid too much strain on the adrenals (if you go too low carb you will risk running into cortisol issues)
4. Fuel high intensity exercise

Kate also reminded me that while very low-carb might work for some people (e.g. people with diabetes, obesity, insulin resistance, SIBO and those requiring a ketogenic diet), for most healthy people, it is not helpful and can in fact be harmful. (As a side note- I encourage you to  subscribe to Kate's blog and if you live in NZ you should go see her!)

My potato and sweet potato recipes are loaded with healthy saturated fats which not only taste delicious but serve to:

(A) Slow down the release of sugars found in starchy veggies,
(B) Aid in assimilating the fat soluble vitamins and minerals found in vegetables and
(C) signal to the body that it's full and prevent you from over-eating (that's the leptin hormone doing its job when you eat satiating foods). So now that we are all (hopefully) not fearful of potatoes or sweet potatoes, let's cook!

Starting with the gratin.....don't let the name and its impressive presentation fool you. It only take a few minutes to assemble then less than an hour in the oven and it's done. It's a great one to pull out for dinner parties too as its looks so pretty with all of its layers. I love the sweetness and creaminess of the root veggies combined with the texture and flavour of the crunchy cooked garlic:

Potato and Sweet Potato Gratin:

Ingredients:

• 500g in total of potatoes and sweet potatoes (you can use equal amounts of both or I typically use ¾ sweet potatoes and ¼ potatoes)

• 200g runny cream

• 4 cloves (20g) garlic, diced

• Unrefined salt

• Pepper

• Dried thyme

• Butter or olive oil for greasing pie dish

Directions:

Liberally grease round pie dish with butter.

Peel the root vegetables and slice them thinly. Arrange them in layers in the pie dish, alternating between the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the cream over the vegetables. Scatter the garlic on top. Add a scattering of thyme leaves.

Bake uncovered for 50 minutes at 150 degrees or until root vegetables are soft (test by inserting a skewer or fork into them).  If the vegetables are browning too much, cover in foil.

Serves 4 as a side.

Mashed potato or mashed sweet potato needs no introduction. Here's how I make it this staple side dish:

Mash

Ingredients:

• 3 potatoes or 1 small sweet potato, chopped (approx 440g)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons cream fraiche or cream

• 1/8 teaspoon unrefined salt

• Cracked pepper

• Gruyere or reggiano cheese, grated, to serve (optional)

Directions:

Steam potato or sweet potato until very soft. Place in jug or canister together with the butter, cream, salt and pepper and blend with hand held blender until well mixed. Season with extra salt or pepper to taste.  If mixture is too thick add more butter or cream or a dash of whole milk. I like mine quite thick. Transfer to serving bowl and top with a handful of grated cheese if desired.

Serves 5-6 as a side