Lets bust 2 myths around livers

Here are 2 myths I hear about livers from time to time:
 
MYTH 1: you shouldn’t eat too many livers (esp in pregnancy) because of vitamin A toxicity.

FACT: vitamin A toxicity can ONLY occur in the absence of vitamin D. In a wholefoods source like livers, there is a perfect balance of vitamins A and D. Taking isolated vitamin A supplementation is risky, but eating a wholefood source where the vitamins are synergistically balanced, is not.

Vitamin A is the concertmaster of foetal development, responsible for giving babies a beautiful broad face, high cheekbones, wide dental arch, and perfectly aligned teeth. Livers are THE MOST important food source for expectant and breastfeeding women, and women wanting to fall pregnant.

Not only are livers high in vitamins A, D, E, and K2 (the immunity vitamins) they are also the highest food source of bioavailable iron, and all the B group vitamins including FOLATE (so ditch folic acid which is synthetic and there is no need to take folate tablets if you eat the real deal instead). In fact, gram for gram, pastured livers are THE MOST NUTRIENT DENSE FOOD ON THE PLANET (pertinent as our bodies run on vitamins and minerals and babies are grown from vitamins and minerals).

MYTH 2: you shouldn’t eat too many livers as livers store toxins.

FACT: in a well-functioning well-reared animal, the liver doesn’t store toxins. Toxins pass through the liver and are expelled from the body or stored in fat or nervous tissue. The liver is not a filter but a storage house for nutrients (not toxins). Obviously, if the animal is not reared and fed in a biologically congruent manner, all major organs of the body will be compromised and not fit for human consumption.

I only advocate organic or 100% pasture-raised animals eating a biologically congruent diet. Healthy animals = healthy humans.
 

How to eat livers:

1. Chicken liver pate is a very palatable way to consume livers. Shop our pate here and team it with vegetable crudities, sourdough bread, or some GF-activated crackers.

2. Sneaky meals are a very innocuous way to consume livers. Simply add a little chicken liver to any meal that includes minced meat e.g. Bolognese, Shepherd's pie, meatballs etc…. and no one will be none the wiser that they are in there. Increase the ratio of livers minced meat over time. You can either add raw livers into the minced meat or add in our frozen beef broth & livers cubes.

3. Add one or two of our frozen beef broth & liver cubes into your smoothies for a nutrient-dense boost.

4. Learn how to make family-friendly liver meals in my online organ meat workshop (sold individually or included in my Food As Medicine digital package). My fav is the livers with a sliver of dates wrapped in bacon with a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce, baked in the oven. This is a nutrient-dense version of the 1970s “Devil on a Horseback” hors d’oeuvre (I am clearly showing my age here!).

5. I also recommend consuming a quality cod liver oil (either in gel or capsule) daily esp during and after pregnancy eg Green Pastures Fermented Cod Liver Oil (sold at Broth Bar & Larder). 
For more information head to www.westonaprice.org

Love Soulla xx

Five ways to reduce the ‘noise’ in your life

The general consensus is that we all feel busier and more overwhelmed than ever. Technology and social media have made information overload reach epic proportions– much more than what the human brain has evolved to deal with. Consequently, it feels as though are lives are noisier than ever. Without wanting to add to this noise by this newsletter, here are 5 simple strategies that I try to implement to reduce the “noise” in my life and create a little more quietness and spaciousness.

1. REduce clutter in your home

A cluttered room means more things for your brain to process when you look around the room. The more minimalist a room, the more spaciousness you feel. It take effort to keep things tidy and organised, but it’s worth it for the emotional spaciousness it provides. Less is more. Be intentional with your possessions and what you have on display.

2. Unsubscribe (and not just delete)emails that don’t add value

Most of us are on mailing lists than we didn’t even know we subscribed to or have outgrown. We are all guilty of simply pressing “delete” week after week only to find ourselves continuing to delete emails from the same person or organisation time and time again. It takes effort to unsubscribe but it means that you will receive less emails over time.

3. Spend some time in nature every day (grounding)

Nature grounds us, absorbs our tension, and makes us feel calmer and more rested. The expansiveness of nature allows us to emotionally exhale. Spend some time in a park, the beach, or your favourite strip of nature, ideally daily. After all, nature is where as belong. We evolved to live, work and play outdoors in nature.

4. Switch off external noise for part of the day

There was a time when I was always listening to something, be it kids, the TV, a podcast, a friend, or music. My brain was working overtime trying to process all of the information all day long with no break. Even thought I was listening to, and revelling in, things that I loved, my brain had literally NO BREAK all day.

We need the spaciousness of hearing nothing to process our thoughts and to cultivate creativity. Even though it might be tempting to turn on the radio, or listen to a podcast or a favourite playlist when driving, I spend some time intentionally listening to nothing (other than my thoughts) and being in the present moment when driving my car. At first it felt weird, but I have grown to love the snippet of peace it provides.

5. Spend some time in stillness (from do-ing to be-ing)

We are human be-ings not human do-ings, yet we are all guilty of racing around like headless chooks all day long diligently getting through our never-ending to-do lists. Constant productivity, striving and achievement have become marks of success in the Western world at the cost of our emotional, physical and mental health.

Whilst there is nothing wrong per se with achieving your goals and pursuing your dreams, one can still do so (and arguably more efficiently) when balancing out the ‘doing’ with some ‘being’.

Whether it’s a few rounds of intentional breathing, 5 minutes of meditation, a 20 minute practice of yoda nidra, relaxing in a warm bath, simply lying down, or enjoying a cup of tea in the sun… try to punctuate your day with some “being” time.

Love soulla xx

Carbonara GF Pasta Recipe

A very teenage-friendly meal. I feel like I get big brownie points when I serve this. Leftovers can be reheated for school lunches. This is a great way to get nutrient-dense egg yolks into kids plus this dish is loaded with bacon and cream – so full of healthy fats. No wonder it is so tasty! I acknowledge that carbonara isn’t traditionally made with cream BUT I have included it to add extra creaminess and nutrient density.

I often serve this when unexpected teenagers stay over for dinner as eggs, bacon, cream and garlic are staples in my fridge and there’s always a packet or two of gluten-free pasta floating around in the pantry.

Ingredients:
1 packet of gluten-free spaghetti, fettuccini or other pasta of choice
20g garlic, diced
200g pastured bacon, diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil
4 egg yolks
200ml cream
1/2 teaspoon unrefined salt
A few turns of cracked pepper
Reggiano Parmigiano (parmesan) cheese, shaved or grated (optional)

Directions:
Cook pasta according to packet directions. I like to add a teaspoon of unrefined salt and a splash of olive oil to the boiling water that the pasta is cooking in to add flavour and prevent the pasta from sticking.

While the pasta is cooking, sauté garlic and bacon in olive oil in a large frying pan or cast iron pot until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat. Add in the egg yolks, cream, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover to keep warm.

Strain the pasta and add it to the sauce mixture in the frying pan or cast iron pot, stirring to combine so the pasta is well coated.

Serve in the same frying pan or cast iron pot or transfer to another serving dish if desired.

Top with a sprinkling of Reggiano Parmigiano (parmesan) cheese.
Serves 4.

Love Soulla  xx