Here is a Caesar Salad Dressing worth making at home. It is so good that it will make store bought salad dressings look like cheap imitations . I hope that you will try this and let me know what you think.

Sweet Almond Oil is what I use in this dressing and my mayonnaise. I purchase sweet almond oil at my local health food store. It is very light and tastes delicious. To me it is a good replacement for Canola oil. Nearly all canola is GMO except for organic! You want to avoid Canola oil as it is highly processed Omega 6 oil.

Wikipedia states that Almond Oil is stable and that…

” In Ayurveda, an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent, almond is considered a nutritive for brain and nervous system. It is said to induce high intellectual level and longevity. Almond oil is called Roghan Badam in both Ayurveda and Tibb Yunani (the Greco-Persian System of Medicine). It is extracted by cold process and is considered a nutritive aphrodisiac both for massage and internal consumption. Recent studies have shown that the constituents of almond have anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.[22]”  (Source: Wikipedia)

If you buy almond oil make sure that it is Sweet Almond Oil and food grade.

Cost warning: It is expensive! 750ml costs about $14-15 Canadian dollars.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a good choice if you have a good oil that does not have a strong taste.

Caesar Salad Dressing

2 pasture raised organic egg yolks

2 cloves of garlic

½ cup of Real Parmesan Cheese

1 can of Anchovies (50g)

½ tsp of ground mustard

1 cup of Sweet Almond Oil

2-3 tblsp Of whey (optional)

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Put in a jar and store in the fridge. If you added whey, put your dressing in a jar and let sit overnight to allow it to ferment.

Is this recipe worth a five star recipe rating?

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly The Kitchen Kop

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Did you know that your gut is your body’s primary defense against pathogenic bacteria and viruses that create illnesses?

I have been reading Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr.  Natasha Cambell-McBride and found the chapter on our Immune Systems so incredibly fascinating.

Here is a very brief summary of how our immune system is related to our gut flora:

• Bad intestinal flora weakens the immune system
• Antibodies (immunoglobulins) start to attack our own body tissues such as brain and nervous system
• The bifidobacteria (good gut bacteria) cell wall creates Muramil Dipeptide. These muramil dipeptide initiates the production of lymphocytes.
• Lymphocytes are what protect us from viruses and tumours.  They are able to recognize and kill or neutralize any foreign invader virus/cells. Source
• People with damaged gut flora have a lesser amount of lymphocytes
• Lymphocytes create immunoglobulins including Secretory Immunoglobulin A (IgA).
• IgA is one of the most important as it is secreted in our bodily fluids and mucus membranes (eyes, nose, mouth, genitals).
• Bad bacteria, viruses and parasites enter our bodies through our mucus membranes.
• IgA is critical for good mucosal immunity.
• IgA breaks down quickly but the good bacteria in the gut are able to slow down this process.

There is a lot more wonderful information in this book. As well as methods and supplements on how to heal your gut flora. You can also find out more information at the GAPS diet website.

Lacto-fermented foods have traditionally been used for keeping our gut flora healthy. These foods include milk kefir,  water kefir, kombucha, clobbered milk, yogurt, lacto-fermented fruits and vegetables. I have created videos on how you can make lacto-fermented sauerkraut and how to lacto-ferment fruit. All of these foods are loaded with beneficial flora for gut health.

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Constipation is a big problem for a lot of people. Especially those that are transitioning to a low carb, low fiber diet. Did you know that this transition to low fiber is actually very beneficial to your colon health?

Of course constipation is not good, but using fiber to relieve this constipation can be very damaging. Fiber may actually be the cause of your constipation.

Konstantin Monastyrsky, the author of the Fiber Menace  describes how all our belief systems about the virtues of fiber have been all lies.

1. Fiber does not prevent colon cancer
2. Fiber does not prevent breast cancer
3. Fiber does not lower cholesterol
4. Fiber does not reduce the risk of heart disease
5. Fiber does not regulate blood sugar
6. Fiber does not reduce the risk of diabetes
7. Fiber does not decrease appetite
8. Fiber does not help with weight loss
9. Fiber does not keep the colon clean
10. Fiber does not help stop diarrhea
11. Fiber does not ease constipation

Watch these videos as Konstantin Monastyrsky explains the fiber misconceptions with scientific studies.

I have found 2 effective ways of regulating bowels without the use of fiber.

Lacto-fermented foods and coconut oil.

The lacto-fermented foods provide my gut with beneficial probiotics and enzymes required for food digestion as well as nutrient assimilation. The coconut oil stimulates bile production.

Dietary fat stimulates the release of bile from the gallbladder, which, in turn, stimulates the gastrocolic reflex. This in turn stimulates peristaltic mass movement, which, in turn, stimulates defecation. Source.

For healthy bowel function I try to eat lacto-fermented foods with every meal and take 2 tablespoons of coconut oil daily.

Share your thoughts!

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There is no need to stay away from all fruit on a low carb and anti-candida diet.

There is a great way to remove sugars and pre-digest the carbohydrates so they don’t negatively impact insulin levels. It is by way of fermentation.

There are many benefits that you can get from fermenting your fruit. When making sauerkraut the vitamin C content is much greater than in a plain old cabbage. The Vitamin C is increased by the fermentation process. So there is a good chance that there may also be a greater vitamin content in fermented fruit. The fermented fruit will not taste sweet. It will have the flavour of the fruit without its sweetness.

If you are suffering from Candida Yeast this is probably the only way to eat fruit. Although I still suffer from symptoms of Candida, they have not gotten noticeably worse from eating this fermented fruit.

I also get severe binging urges when I eat fruit due to insulin resistance (including strawberries and other low sugar fruit). Eating the fermented fruit actually eliminates any sugar craving I may be having and satiates my hunger.

Lacto-Fermented Fruit Recipe

1 pinapple
2 oranges
1 apple
1 inch piece of grated ginger
1/4 cup of rapadura sugar
1/4 cup of whey
1 teaspoon of salt

I cut up the fruit into small pieces. I put the pieces in my jar and gently squished them to get them juicy. I put in the salt, whey and sugar and mixed everything together. Close the jar up and let this sit (fully covered) at room temperature for 2 days. Transfer to the refrigerator after 2 days.

Note:
This is probably not a tasty recipe for most people. I have learned to love the taste of ginger. It spiciness makes the whole batch quite sour. However ginger is a great tonic for the liver and aids any tummy troubles. It is a great anti-inflammatory and and may inhibit cancer cells in the colon.

Since Candida yeast inhabit the colon, there may be some benefits of consuming ginger for candida.

This study shows how effective ginger is at inhibiting oral candida yeast and compares it to Nystatin drug.

The trick here is not to have the urge to add yeast to your fermenting fruit! This can turn your fermenting project into alcohol.

This article is part of Fight Back Fridays hosted by Food Renegade.

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There are many tasty ways that you can add probiotics and enzymes to your diet. Lacto-Fermentation is an ancient way of preserving your food and was done before the invention of refrigerators. By adding whey to your food and letting it sit out at room temperature allows the food digestion process to start before it even reaches your mouth.

The enzymes, lactic acid and beneficial bacteria created during this process ease the strain on the pancreas which is the part of our body that secretes pancreatic juices and digestive enzymes to the small intestine.

Lacto-fermentation helps heal the digestive system by reintroducing beneficial bacteria and discourages the growth of the bad bacteria and pathogenic yeasts. Lacto-fermented foods are crucial for healing from Candida Yeasts.

In these videos I show a wide range of lacto-fermented foods, from homemade mustard, salsa, pickles, sauerkraut, and the makings of fermented milk. I also share how easy it is to make home made sauerkraut.

If you choose to buy your own sauerkraut read the labels to see if it contains live cultures. The ingredient list should only contain “cabbage” and “filtered water” and “salt” and be unpasteurized.

Adding Lacto-fermented foods to your diet will do great things for your health.

To your health and wellness,

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