3 Ways Gelatin Can Support Gut Health and Digestion
1. Aids in gut repair. Gelatin is beneficial for preventing intestinal damage and repairing the lining of the digestive tract, thereby preventing “leaky gut”. The gut lining is one of the body’s most important lines of defense, since it keeps food particles, bacteria and yeast inside the digestive system (where they belong) and prevents them from entering the bloodstream, which triggers inflammation.
2. Promotes enzymes and stomach acid that break down food. When you don’t produce enough enzymes/stomach acid, you can experience common digestive problems like heartburn, gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, etc. Older people often experience more digestive problems because their stomach acid decreases during the aging process and is worsened by increased stress levels. Gelatin can improve your ability to produce stomach acid and enzymes that are needed for proper digestion and nutrient absorption.
3. Improves bloating and constipation. Gelatin is capable of absorbing water and fluids, which helps prevent fluid retention and stomach bloat while improving constipation.
Jello is a great and easy way to add gelatin to your diet. Give my Lemon Raspberry Jello recipe a try. It’s healthy jello for adults and kids!
Lemon Raspberry Jello
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup frozen raspberries
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup grass-fed gelatin
3 tbsp. honey
4-5 drops lemon essential oil (food-grade) or 1 tsp. lemon zest
Get 24% off all Young Living essential oils (including food-grade oils) here.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Add raspberries and citrus juice to blender and blend until pureed.
2. Add puree into a saucepan along with gelatin and honey and whisk together. It will be a thick paste to start.
3. Turn heat to low and continue whisking ingredients (5-10 minutes) until mixture becomes thin.
4. Whisk in lemon essential oil or lemon zest towards the end.
5. Pour mixture into a glass dish or into molds. Place in the fridge for 1-hour to set.
6. Remove from molds or cut into squares and enjoy!
Haddock with Mustard & Thyme is a simple & flavourful fish recipe! It only takes 20-minutes to prepare, so it’s great for the busy work week. This recipe is AIP friendly, paleo, keto & low-carb!
DID YOU KNOW? Haddock is very low in calories (77 calories per 3 ounces), high in protein (17 grams per 3 ounces) and an excellent source of selenium, phosphorus and some of the B vitamins.
If you don’t like or can’t find haddock, you can use another white fish of choice. I recommend sourcing out wild sustainable fish whenever possible.
What you need for Haddock with Mustard & Thyme:
Wild haddock fillets (or other white fish of choice)
Haddock with Mustard & Thyme is a simple & flavourful fish recipe! It only takes 20-minutes to prepare, so it's great for the busy work week. This recipe is AIP friendly, paleo, keto & low-carb!
Kombucha “Mulegarita” is a refreshing cocktail made with simple ingredients like kombucha, ginger tea, lime and tequila. It’s the perfect drink to quench your thirst this summer! See non-alcoholic version in the recipe notes.
Here’s why Kombucha is one of my go-to healthy thirst quenchers during the hot Summer days …
Kombucha is a fermented beverage consisting of black tea (or other teas) and sugar (cane sugar, fruit or honey). The tea and sugar combo is fermented by bacteria and yeast commonly known as a “SCOBY” (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast).
This functional probiotic food helps to support a healthy gut by aiding in digestion with its high levels of beneficial acid, probiotics, amino acids and enzymes. The bacteria found in kombucha are the beneficial kind that compete with “bad” bacteria in the gut.
Additionally, some research has linked kombucha to ulcer prevention & healing–and helping to stop candida from overpopulating the gut.
Look for unpasteurized organic kombucha. Many health food stores and conventional grocery stores carry it in the refrigerated section. You’ll find a variety of brands and flavours.
So, if you’re looking for a healthy alternative to sodas to satisfy your craving for something fizzy or if you’re looking to create some cool cocktails this summer, I highly recommend giving kombucha a try!
Kombucha "Mulegarita" is a refreshing cocktail made with simple ingredients like kombucha, ginger tea, lime and tequila. It's the perfect drink to quench your thirst this summer! See non-alcoholic version in the recipe notes.
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings are not only delicious, but also super easy to prepare with only 4 simple ingredients needed. These guilt free wings are keto, paleo and AIP friendly.
Chicken wings are an essential part of any sports lover’s diet! They’re flavourful and easy to munch on while your eyes are glued to the screen.
As yummy as restaurant and bar wings are, these places almost always deep fry their wings in rancid vegetable oil. These inflammatory oils can cause many short and long term health problems and should be avoided whenever possible.
You might be thinking – “Jen, why do you have to be a game day buzz kill?!”
I’m not – I promise! Today, I come to you with a better alternative which will not only save you from spending time in bars that smell like a combination of body odour and beer – BUT also keep you from burping up rancid chicken wings for the next week!
So, here’s my brilliant game plan … Host game day in the comfort of your home with your best people (no buzz kills allowed) and make my simple chicken wing recipe below!
I use heat stable avocado oil in my recipe, which has a smoke point of 500F. You can safely bake your wings in the oven at a high temperature without worrying about creating toxic fumes or harmful free radicals.
Now check out my Salt & Pepper Chicken Wing recipe with avocado oil!
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings are not only delicious, but also super easy to prepare with only 4 simple ingredients needed. These guilt free wings are keto, paleo and AIP friendly.
Burgers with Portobello “Buns” are the perfect healthy & low-carb food that can be enjoyed all year round! These burgers are also keto & paleo–and can be made AIP friendly with a couple modifications.
Fire up the BBQ or bust out the stove top pan for these juicy Burgers with Portobello “Buns”! They’re the perfect low-carb, keto & paleo burger!
Serve these burger patties open-faced or sandwich them between two portobello “buns”. Grab onto these delicious burgers with your hands or enjoy them with a fork and knife.
Dress up your burger with your favourite condiments and toppings OR give my easy smoked paprika mayo a try (see this easy recipe below).
If you’re looking for an AIP friendly burger omit the yellow mustard inside the burger patty and avoid the smoked paprika mayo topping.
Enjoy these delicious burgers with any of these healthy sides …
Burgers with Portobello "Buns" are the perfect healthy & low-carb food that can be enjoyed all year round! These juicy burgers are also keto & paleo--and can be made AIP friendly with a couple modifications.
4-8portobello mushrooms, depending on whether you want open-faced or sandwiched burgers
1tbsp.avocado oil
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste
Easy Smoked Paprika Mayo
3tbsp.avocado oil mayo, I use Chosen Foods
1/2tsp.smoked paprika
Instructions
Burger Patties
Add carrot, onion, garlic, yellow mustard, sea salt and black pepper into a food processor and process until ingredients are finely chopped.
In a bowl, combine ground beef with ingredients from food processor.
Form 4-5 burger patties using your hands. Once you've flatted the meat, press your finger into the center to form an indent in your patty (this will help cook the inside of the burger).
Cook burgers on stove top over medium heat, flipping occasionally. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the burger (~ 15 minutes). You can also cook your burgers on the BBQ.
Portobello Mushrooms
While burgers are cooking, remove stems from portobello mushrooms and place in a large stove top pan with oil.
Cover and cook over medium heat, flipping occasionally. Water from mushrooms should release into pan, preventing the mushrooms from burning. If there is not enough liquid, add a splash of white wine, lemon juice or water.
Once mushrooms have cooked for 10-minutes, remove lid and let any remaining juices cook off. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Place cooked burger patties on top of portobello mushrooms, top with smoked paprika mayo (or other condiments/toppings) and close off with another portobello mushroom or leave it open-faced.
Smoked Paprika Mayo (optional)
Add mayo and smoked paprika into a small bowl and mix until ingredients are blended well.
Notes
If you're cooking the burger patties on the BBQ, feel free to cook the portobello mushrooms on the BBQ too.Need an AIP friendly burger? Omit the yellow mustard inside the burger patty and avoid the smoked paprika mayo topping.
Nutty “NOatmeal” with Blueberries is the perfect way to start your day! This grain free oatmeal is made from nuts, seeds, eggs, banana & warming spices, making it low-carb, keto & paleo. This breakfast dish will leaving you feeling satisfied and energized!
Relationship FAQ …
Q: “When did you know that your boyfriend was a keeper?”
A: “When he made me “NOatmeal” :)”
That’s right, my man makes me “NOatmeal” — and a mean latte to go with it!
I’m uncertain if it’s the act of him preparing ME breakfast (in his butt accentuating track pants) that melts my insides OR if it’s simply that his grain free oatmeal is so damn good. Whatever it is, I die and go to heaven almost every Sunday morning.
You might be wondering – “What the heck is “NOatmeal”?”
Basically, it’s oatmeal with no oats. So if you’re following a grain free, paleo, low-carb or keto diet, this recipe would be a great alternative for you.
What you need for this Nutty “NOatmeal” with Blueberries …
Nutty "NOatmeal" with Blueberries is the perfect way to start your day! This grain free oatmeal is made from nuts, seeds, eggs, banana & warming spices, making it low-carb, keto & paleo. This breakfast dish will leaving you feeling satisfied and energized!
1/4cupunsweetened coconut or almond milk, (omit if soaking nuts & seeds overnight)
1banana
1tbspalmond butter
1/2cupblueberries
Instructions
Soak nuts and seeds in a jar of water overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly before use.
Put nuts & seeds and spices into food processor and process until everything is roughly ground.
Add eggs, banana, almond butter (and nut milk, if you didn't soak the nuts & seeds) to the food processor and continue to process until everything combines.
Add mixture into a small saucepan and turn heat to medium-low heat.
Cook until the mixture thickens (~5-minutes), stirring regularly so "NOatmeal" doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Transfer to a small bowl, top with fresh blueberries and enjoy!
Notes
*Soak nuts and seeds in a jar of water overnight to help make them easier to digest. Drain and rinse thoroughly before use. If you do not soak the nuts and seeds, you will need to use 1/4 cup nut milk in the recipe.
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
