 Contrary to what you may have heard in some circles, bread is not the devil's food, and nor are grains (though if you are allergic to gluten or don't tolerate glutinous grains, you have my understanding...feel free to skip this recipe and check out my gluten-free recipes instead).
Seldom is a single food outright bad - the problem with some so-called bad foods often lies more in how the way we are preparing them has changed so dramatically, and to the food's detriment. And in the way we are now over-consuming these modern, non-nourishing versions (refined sugar anyone?) Many modern food production processes that have emerged over the last 50-odd years have left certain foods - particularly grains - highly processed, devoid of nutrients, harder to digest and in questionable genetically modified forms. This is especially true for bread. So what if we returned to making bread the way our great grandmothers would have made it?  Is your digestive system groaning from Christmas and New Year's indulgence? All that festive and delicious cheese and wine, second helpings at Christmas lunch, champagne brekkies, boxed choccies and rich desserts.... Wonderfully indulgent, and a lot of work for our guts, hey!
Feasting is one of life's great pleasures and we're fortunate to be able to do so. It's also good to rest and soothe our digestive systems. For a light-yet-satisfying, restorative meal, try this Vietnamese-style soup. It's rich in liver-detoxifying and gut-soothing amino acids, herbs and spices, thanks to the bone broth, ginger and coriander it contains. It's also gluten-free, hydrating, and offers the antimicrobial powerhouse combo of chilli, ginger and garlic - good medicine for anyone recovering from a cold or other respiratory illness brought on by end-of-year exhaustion.  What is bone broth and why is it good for me?
Bone broths are made by simmering chicken, lamb or beef bones in water for 4–12 hours. Animal bones are rich in collagen and the amino acids (protein units) glycine, proline and glutamine (which are not found in high concentrations in animal meat/muscle). Collagen and glutamine have been shown to heal the cells of the gut wall (enterocytes). If you have experienced food allergies, food poisoning, parasitic infection, leaky gut, bloating or diarrhoea, bone broth supports the health of the gut wall and helps your digestive system recover. Collagen, proline and glycine (which support collagen synthesis) also support skin health and joint and bone health and healing where injuries have occurred. Chicken broth can support recovery from colds, flu and infections because it contains cysteine, which is antimicrobial. The glycine in bone broth also supports one of our liver detoxification pathways, and when our liver is functioning optimally, this has multiple benefits for overall health. And finally, bone broths are hydrating and contain minerals the body needs daily such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. |