Cast Iron Parboiled Lamb Meatballs

Meatballs are a simple way to add variety to your diet. They can also be a great way to get your kids to eat vegetables! Add finely chopped onions, zucchini, peppers, etc. in to your meatballs to add vegetables.

I’m making these meatballs with lamb burger but you can do it with any kind of burger.

If you have a lean cut, make sure you add fat! I prefer to not use a lean cut; it’s better for your health! Remember, fat is your friend.

My preferred way of making meatballs is to parboil them.

An added benefit of rolling lamb meatballs is the lovely lamb tallow on your skin! Tallow is fat and lamb tallow is the best for your skin. Your hands will be soft, moisturized, and waterproof after rolling your meatballs.

Ingredients for GAPS Friendly Lamb Meatballs

• 1 lb ground lamb

• Salt

Directions for GAPS Friendly Lamb Meatballs

Heat ½ inch of water in a pan.

Roll your lamb into inch sized balls. You can make your meatballs any size, just make sure they’re consistently sized.

Add your meatballs into your pan with water.

Turn your meatballs with a fork to continue to cook on all sides. Salt your meatballs generously.

As you turn them, continue to salt the meatballs.

After approximately five minutes, when you think your meatballs are done, cut one open to check it if it is done.

Continue to add water, meatballs, and salt in batches until you have cooked your desired number of meatballs.

Enjoy!

---

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Cast Iron Parboiled Lamb Meatballs

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 1 lb ground lamb
• Salt

instructions:

How to cook Cast Iron Parboiled Lamb Meatballs

1. Heat ½ inch of water in a pan.
2. Roll your lamb into inch sized balls. You can make your meatballs any size, just make sure they’re consistently sized.
3. Add your meatballs into your pan with water.
4. Turn your meatballs with a fork to continue to cook on all sides. Salt your meatballs generously.
5. As you turn them, continue to salt the meatballs.
6. After approximately five minutes, when you think your meatballs are done, cut one open to check it if it is done.
7. Continue to add water, meatballs, and salt in batches until you have cooked your desired number of meatballs.
8. Enjoy!

https://www.bewellclinic.net/blog-posts/cast-iron-parboiled-lamb-meatballs

Created using The Recipes Generator

Gluten Free GAPS Legal Onion Rings

As I’ve been healing and able to eat a larger variety of food, my taste buds have been seeking new and exciting tastes and I’ve found myself wanting to experiment more with cooking. These onion rings are my first foray into creating GAPS Legal fried foods.

My curiosity in figuring out if I could create fried food that was GAPS Legal was spurred by my new favorite YouTube channel, 18th Century Cooking by John Townsend. This sent my mind spinning on if I could create GAPS legal fried foods.

These onion rings are legal on the GAPS Diet at stage 4! You can reserve the fat you use for frying to use again, as long as you don’t burn your fat.

Feel free to add additional flavors to the batter as you’d like!

Ingredients for Onion Rings:

• Onions

• 1 cup Fermented Almond Flour (see recipe)

• 3 Eggs

• 1 pint Lard (see recipe or store bought Fat Works)

• 1 tsp Salt

• Pepper

Directions for Onion Rings:

Heat lard in a pan on low heat. Be mindful of your fat because if it heats too fast, it will burn and you will have to throw it out and start over.

Scramble three eggs in a shallow bowl with salt and pepper. Add in almond flour.

Slice onion into thick rounds. Separate them into individual layers.

Working directly next to the pan with lard, dunk your onion rounds piece by piece in the batter. Then place directly into the lard.

Cook, turning as needed until they are golden brown in color.

Remove onions when they are golden brown. Drain off excess oil or the onion rings will get mushy.

If the onion rings are not salty enough, salt them to taste.

Enjoy!

---

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Gluten Free GAPS Legal Onion Rings

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• Onions
• 1 cup Fermented Almond Flour (see recipe for properly prepared almond flour)
• 3 Eggs
• 1 pint Lard (see recipe or store bought Fat Works)
• 1 tsp Salt
• Pepper

instructions:

How to cook Gluten Free GAPS Legal Onion Rings

1. Heat lard in a pan on low heat. Be mindful of your fat because if it heats too fast, it will burn and you will have to throw it out and start over.
2. Scramble three eggs in a shallow bowl with salt and pepper. Add in almond flour.
3. Slice onion into thick rounds. Separate them into individual layers.
4. Working directly next to the pan with lard, dunk your onion rounds piece by piece in the batter. Then place directly into the lard.
5. Cook, turning as needed until they are golden brown in color.
6. Remove onions when they are golden brown. Drain off excess oil or the onion rings will get mushy.
7. If the onion rings are not salty enough, salt them to taste.
8. Enjoy!

https://www.bewellclinic.net/blog-posts/gluten-free-gaps-legal-onion-rings

Created using The Recipes Generator

How to Make Your Own Spaghetti Sauce

I’ve always liked spaghetti and spaghetti sauce but when I started making my own spaghetti sauce, I realized I liked my own sauce best of all! I love making my own spaghetti sauce because I get to be in charge of the flavor, texture, and strength. Plus, I know everything that’s in it! I did try making my own tomato paste once but it was way too much work! I’m glad to have other options for tomato paste and sauce.

If you want a really smooth sauce, I recommend using tomato paste. If you don’t mind it with a little texture or you have an immersion blender, you can make it with crushed tomatoes. Using crushed tomatoes to make your sauce is preferable because there is less processing involved. Whole, raw tomatoes can also be used. Simply cut them into chunks, put them into a pot with water, and simmer slightly. You can remove the seeds but if you don’t mind them, that’s one less step and less work!

After the tomatoes have cooked for a period of time and are soft, you can puree them with an immersion blender or stand blender. After the tomatoes are pureed, simmer on low heat and begin adding your spices.

I also love tomato sauce because as long as you are tolerating tomatoes, you can eat this on the introduction diet of GAPS, as early as stage four. If you are on the introduction diet, make sure you are adding fresh herbs. When using fresh herbs, you will need to use larger amounts and plan to simmer your sauce for a longer period of time. A long simmer simply makes your sauce more delicious.

For a quicker spaghetti sauce, use crushed glass can tomatoes, like the ones pictured below. Begin cooking them and, when warm and soft, immersion blend them or add them to a stand blender. If you want the sauce less chunky, you can blend before you add your herbs and spices.

If using tomato puree or tomato paste, you will need to reconstitute it with water. A small amount of paste can go a long way! Start with adding equal parts water and paste. Continue adding water if needed until you get to your desired consistency. Make sure you do not use tin canned paste, especially if it’s lined with plastic coating. I recommend only using glass canned items from a company you know and trust.

If you have any fermented garlic, add a tablespoon or so of the liquid at the very end of your cooking. This will send your sauce over the top.

Traditional spaghetti sauce recipes have sugar in them. If you are transitioning your family from a sugary diet, you could consider adding a little bit of honey into the mixture. However, it is best to not add a sweetener if you can avoid it.

This spaghetti sauce recipe can be used for a lovely spaghetti night, or you can use it to make zucchini pizzas!

Once you have your tomato base, read below to find out how to finish your sauce.

Ingredients to Make Your Own Tomato Sauce

• 18 oz. crushed tomatoes

• 2 Bay Leaves

• 1 tbsp lard

• ⅓ cup minced onion

• 3-5 cloves of garlic

• 2 tsp Dried Oregano

• 1 tsp Dried Sage

• 2 tsp Dried Thyme

• 1 tsp Salt

Directions to Make Your Own Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe uses crushed tomatoes. You can also use tomato paste or whole tomatoes. (See above for directions on using tomato paste or whole tomatoes to make your sauce.)

Add one 18 oz. of crushed tomatoes into a pot. Add a bit of water to the jar, swirl, and add to the pot. Immersion blend the tomatoes at this stage if you like texture in your sauce.

Add two whole bay leaves into tomatoes on the sauce.

Warm your lard in a cast iron skillet. Finely chop your onions and garlic. Add onions to your skillet first. Mince your garlic. Add garlic.

When onions and garlic are softened, add them in with the tomatoes. If you would like a completely smooth sauce, you can immersion blend the sauce at this stage.

Add your dried herbs into the mixture and stir together.

Add water as you need it if your sauce is too thick. As it simmers it will reduce so to start, you want a soupy consistency for better mixing. If you add too much water at any point, you’ll simply need to simmer your sauce longer.

Simmer for at least twenty minutes. The longer you simmer your sauce, the better it will be.

Store any leftover sauce in the jar that your tomatoes came in. I leave the bay leaves in so the sauce continues to be flavored. It will keep for about a week in the fridge.

Use your spaghetti sauce to top roasted spaghetti squash or to make zucchini pizza bites!

---

Print

Spaghetti Squash

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 18 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tbsp lard
• ⅓ cup minced onion
• 3-5 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Dried Sage
• 2 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 tsp Salt

instructions:

How to cook Spaghetti Squash

1. This recipe uses crushed tomatoes. You can also use tomato paste or whole tomatoes. (See above for directions on using tomato paste or whole tomatoes to make your sauce.)
2. Add one 18 oz. of crushed tomatoes into a pot. Add a bit of water to the jar, swirl, and add to the pot. Immersion blend the tomatoes at this stage if you like texture in your sauce.
3. Add two whole bay leaves into tomatoes on the sauce.
4. Warm your lard in a cast iron skillet. Finely chop your onions and garlic. Add onions to your skillet first. Mince your garlic. Add garlic.
5. When onions and garlic are softened, add them in with the tomatoes. If you would like a completely smooth sauce, you can immersion blend the sauce at this stage. 
6. Add your dried herbs into the mixture and stir together.
7. Add water as you need it if your sauce is too thick. As it simmers it will reduce so to start, you want a soupy consistency for better mixing. If you add too much water at any point, you’ll simply need to simmer your sauce longer.
8. Simmer for at least twenty minutes. The longer you simmer your sauce, the better it will be.
9. Store any leftover sauce in the jar that your tomatoes came in. I leave the bay leaves in so the sauce continues to be flavored. It will keep for about a week in the fridge.
10. Use your spaghetti sauce to top roasted spaghetti squash or to make zucchini pizza bites!

Created using The Recipes Generator

How to Make the Perfect Hard Boiled and Soft Boiled Eggs

Egg whites are best eaten cooked. They are very detoxifying when they’re raw and when they’re raw, they require a lot of things to properly digest them. All the necessary things needed for digestion are in egg yolks so it’s important to consume the egg whites and egg yolks at the same time. Egg yolks are best eaten raw or very lightly cooked. This keeps the fragile nutrients inside egg yolks intact.

If you are having digestive issues, you should eat egg whites cooked only. After you have healed, you can consume raw egg whites.*

Dr. Natasha recommends that a child eats between three and six egg yolks a day and an adult should eat six to twelve. You may consume the whites with this if you are tolerating them or simply use the yolk only.

There are multiple recipes for using egg whites only or you can feed them to your dog or cat.

*Eating uncooked or raw eggs or feeding raw eggs to your pets can pose a risk to your health.

Keeping hard boiled eggs on hand is a great and easy protein on the go! If you want to take your hard boiled eggs one step further, check out my recipe on making mayo free deviled eggs.

Directions for Hard Boiled Eggs

Fill a medium saucepan with cold water.

Add eggs.

Bring eggs to a boil and cook for 5-6 minutes covered.

Remove eggs from heat.

Let set for 5 minutes.

Test if your egg is hard boiled by removing one from the pan and spinning it. A hard boiled egg will spin upright if the yolk is hard.

Rinse the eggs under cold water or place them in an ice bath.

Tap the end of the egg and peel the shell off. Enjoy! Try these Mayo Free Deviled Eggs 2 Ways with your Hard Boiled Eggs.

---

I love soft boiled eggs! It makes me feel like royalty whenever I eat them. The best part of this fancy seeming dish is it’s actually very simple to make!

Directions for Soft Boiled Eggs

Add filtered water to a pot. Bring water to a boil.

Once water is boiling, add eggs.

Boil for 5 to 6 minutes.

Rinse under cold water or add to an ice bath.

Tap one end of the egg and peel half of the egg. Scoop out the inside and enjoy!

---

Print

Hard Boiled Eggs

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• Eggs

instructions:

How to cook Hard Boiled Eggs

1. Fill a medium saucepan with cold water.
2. Add eggs.
3. Bring eggs to a boil and cook for 5-6 minutes covered.
4. Remove eggs from heat.
5. Let set for 5 minutes.
6. Test if your egg is hard boiled by removing one from the pan and spinning it. A hard boiled egg will spin upright if the yolk is hard.
7. Rinse the eggs under cold water or place them in an ice bath.
8. Tap the end of the egg and peel the shell off. Enjoy! Try these Mayo Free Deviled Eggs 2 Ways with your Hard Boiled Eggs.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Print

Soft Boiled Eggs

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• Eggs

instructions:

How to cook Soft Boiled Eggs

1. Add filtered water to a pot. Bring water to a boil.
2. Once water is boiling, add eggs.
3. Boil for 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Rinse under cold water or add to an ice bath.
5. Tap one end of the egg and peel half of the egg. Scoop out the inside and enjoy!

Created using The Recipes Generator

How to Make Sauerkraut - DIY Sauerkraut

Fermented cabbage is very high in vitamin C which is essential for healing a leaky gut. Vitamin C is anti-inflammatory and immune boosting.

While good quality sauerkraut can be obtained in most stores now, I still prefer to make my own as I think it tastes the best. I put a lot of love and anticipation into my sauerkraut, as I don’t eat it until it has been fermenting for at least three months.

Making your own sauerkraut is very cost effective if you are eating on a budget. Not only are you making it for pennies, fermenting vegetables increases the bioavailability of nutrients, making this a ‘food hack.’

I used to cut my cabbage in a food processor but I feel that all time considered, including clean up time, it’s actually faster to cut it yourself. Plus, I like touching the cabbage myself instead of letting a machine cut it.

Sauerkraut works anaerobically, meaning it does not require oxygen. Any vegetable that is above the level of the water can grow mold or undesirable bacteria strains.

I do my sauerkraut in one quart jars because I prefer to open a smaller amount at a time. You can use any size jar that you want. An open jar in the fridge will keep for six months to a year. If kept at cooler temperatures, unopened, like in a root cellar or in the fridge, sauerkraut will keep for two or more years.

You can add whey to your cabbage to make the sauerkraut. Not using whey is called wild fermentation. It allows for different bacteria to grow than using a dairy based whey. I prefer to make my sauerkraut without whey.

With all ferments, variety is key. Using both whey and simply salt to make your ferments provides good variety in your diet.

Ingredients for Making Your Own Sauerkraut:

• 1 Medium Cabbage

• 2 tbsp Salt

• Filtered Water

Directions for Making Your Own Sauerkraut:

Remove and rinse outside leaves and reserve them for the tops of your jars to keep the vegetables from coming up the level of the water.

Slice cabbage into slivers. As you slice it, keep turning it to keep yourself safe and keep your cabbage evenly sized.

Add a little bit of salt and massage with your hands for a few minutes. The salt starts breaking down the cell walls of the cabbage, which will save you from having to beat the cabbage a lot.

After you have massaged your cabbage, let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes.

Knead your cabbage again.

Once you have kneaded your cabbage to the desire texture, fill your jars. It’s best to continue kneading until you can squeeze a little bit of water from the cabbage.

Fermenting cabbage produces a decent amount of gas, Make sure to leave head room in your jars to accommodate. This means lightly packing cabbage into your jar, about ¾ full.

Add water to just under the shoulder of the jar.

Sometimes cabbage produces enough liquid while it's fermenting. If it doesn’t feel free to add more liquid.

Top your sauerkraut off with a whole cabbage leaf, packing it along the sides of the jar to keep all the vegetables below the level of the liquid.

Seal with a two piece lid.

Leave on your counter. No need to burp this ferment! This process works anaerobically, without oxygen. If your jars burp, overflow or explode, you simply packed your jar too tight with vegetables.

Northern Colorado GAPS Group Meeting Recap May 21, 2019

Each week, we gather in Northern Colorado for a meetup centered around the GAPS Diet, started by Dr. Natasha Campbell. During these meetups, we have a lesson about a fundamental aspect of the GAPS Diet, exchange recipes and ideas, support each other through the GAPS Diet, and learn something new from a holistic healthcare speaker or presenter.

The first GAPS Group meeting that you attend is FREE.

If you find the information helpful, individual classes are $15 to attend, or you can buy a punch card for five classes that brings down the cost to $10 per class (recommended). We'll have punch cards for sale when you arrive at Tuesday's meeting.

If you can't make it in-person, we're happy to send you a link for you to watch us LIVE. Send an email to Office@bewellclinic.net to request the link to the broadcast! Costs will still apply to virtual attendance, so we recommend that you come join us to receive all of the benefits of the meeting.

GAPS Group Meeting May 21st, 2019

This week was a recipe presentation on sauerkraut!

This week, the Be Well Clinic’s own Lauren Isenhour did a recipe demonstration on how to make sauerkraut. You can find the directions on how to make your own saurkraut here.

Sauerkraut is a GAPS staple and a delicious ferment to keep in the house. It’s also extremely easy to make! These food demonstrations are a great reason to come to the GAPS Group Meeting because they are supplemental to the blog post recipes. It’s a great way to learn a new way to cook or think about food and it can be helpful to see how to make something first hand. The most important part of this recipe is to note the change in the texture of the cabbage as the salt does it’s job to break down the cell walls of the cabbage. This change is noticeable in a short period of time as you can see by the photos below!

Amy also presented on supplements and how to correctly supplement your food as your body needs it. Amy shared on the benefits of supplements like fermented cod liver oil, iodine, ox bile, and probiotics (which sauerkraut is a great source off!) She also shared about the die-off reaction that happens as we change our health and how to recognize and manage those symptoms.

JOIN US AT OUR NEXT GAPS GROUP MEETING!

Next week's GAPS Group Meeting is the start of a new Getting Started on GAPS Session! Come meet the members of Be Well Clinic's GAPS Group and share your stories.

Our lesson is on Intro GAPS. Amy will share how the stages work and how to nourish the body and heal the gut. We'll talk about how and why all diseases begin in the gut and how you can change your health by healing your gut.

If you feel like you're well-versed on the practical applications of GAPS, you're welcome to skip this part of the meeting and join us at 7:00 PM for our recipe sharing and discussion. This week's we're talking about vegetable ferments!

The Recipe Sharing and Discussion is one of the best things about GAPS Group! You get to try delicious food, and take home the recipe so you can recreate it! It's a great way to diversify your GAPS go-tos, and you get to catch up with everyone on their progress. Sometimes, hearing someone else's success story is the best way to get you to keep going.

Location:
GAPS Group is currently held at the Loveland Outlets, very close to our new office space. It’s located north of McWhinney Blvd. next to The Studio, near Tommy Hilfiger and Sketchers. The best way to get there is to set your GPS to 5613 McWhinney Blvd, Loveland, CO 80538 and walk to suite 5609. Get more details on the exact location here.

See more information and RSVP to the event on our Facebook page.

Eggs Poached in Stock

Eggs poached in stock  was a new food for me when I started the GAPS Diet. It quickly became one of my favorite breakfasts that I am still enjoying. Sometimes, I poach an entire egg in the stock but I often I simply poach the yolks in stock.

Poaching your eggs in stock is great on cold winter’s days. It really helps you get going and warms you right off! It’s also a great way to get in your stock for the day in the summer, as it’s often cool enough in the mornings still to enjoy a warm beverage.

Beef Stock Recipe

Chicken Stock Recipe

I’ve always liked over easy eggs so I enjoy runny yolks. If you don’t like runny yolks, you can poach your eggs longer, or if you are poaching in your mug, you can break the yolk in the mug. The warmth of the soup will help to cook the yolk but very gently, which will help to leave much of the beneficial enzymes of the yolks intact.

Egg whites are best consumed cooked and egg yolks are best consumed raw. This is for ease of digestion as well as full nutrient potential.

You can use any stock of your choice to poach your eggs in. I had chicken stock on hand when making this recipe so I used that! Be sure to salt your eggs in the stock generously while cooking them and after.

Ingredients to Make Eggs Poached in Stock

• 2 cups of Your Choice of Stock

• 1-2 Eggs

• Salt and pepper

Directions for Eggs Poached in Stock:

Bring two cups of stock to a boil. Add a generous shake of salt.

Once stock is rapidly boiling, use a spoon to create a swirling vortex.

To the vortex, break in one to two eggs.

Move them gently off the bottom, where they will settle.

When your yolk gets to your desired firmness, remove the egg or pour the entire thing into a bowl or mug. This takes anywhere between 3 to 5 minutes.

---

GAPS Diet Stage 2 Modification: If you are on Stage 2 of the GAPS Diet, this modification will make this recipe legal.

Bring a mug’s worth of stock to a boil.

Once the stock is boiling, add it to a mug.

To the mug, add one to three egg yolks.

I like to let them warm for a couple minutes. Then, I pop one entire egg yolk into my mouth, whole.  Others prefer to break the egg in the mug and stir it around. This only lightly cooks the egg yolk.

---

Print

Eggs Poached in Stock

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 2 cups of Your Choice of Stock
• 1-2 Eggs
• Salt and pepper

instructions:

How to cook Eggs Poached in Stock

1. Bring two cups of stock to a boil. Add a generous shake of salt.
2. Once stock is rapidly boiling, use a spoon to create a swirling vortex.
3. To the vortex, break in one to two eggs.
4. Move them gently off the bottom, where they will settle.
5. When your yolk gets to your desired firmness, remove the egg or pour the entire thing into a bowl or mug. This takes anywhere between 3 to 5 minutes.

GAPS Diet Stage 1 Modification:

1. If you are on Stage 1 of the GAPS Diet, this modification will make this recipe legal.
2. Bring a mug’s worth of stock to a boil.
3. Once the stock is boiling, add it to a mug.
4. To the mug, add one to three egg yolks.
5. I like to let them warm for a couple minutes. Then, I pop one entire egg yolk into my mouth, whole. Others prefer to break the egg in the mug and stir it around. This only lightly cooks the egg yolk.

Created using The Recipes Generator

How to Make the Best Omelette

I have fond memories of omelettes!  I lived in Guatemala doing mission work for four months when I was 18. During my time there, we took a trip and stayed at a nice hotel. We had a gourmet breakfast with omelettes, complete with the freshest vegetables and fresh eggs. The skill of the chefs was amazing to watch.  It was some of the best food I had ever eaten! Whenever I make omelettes at home now, I think fondly back on that memory. Making an omelette in a cast iron pan is very different from what I experienced in that restaurant but it’s still a delicious and filling meal any time of the day.

You can use the suggested vegetables or any that you have on hand. Making an omelette in the morning is a great way to use up any vegetables that you have leftover from dinner the night before. In general, eggs, peppers, tomatoes, and spinach make great omelettes.

You can also had ham, bacon, or pieces of chicken into your omelette if you’d like. I prefer the simplicity of just vegetables in mine. Cheese is another great ingredient to add to an omelette. If you are cooking in a cast iron pan, which I recommend, wait to add your cheese until your omelette is ready to be folded. The heat of the omelette will melt the cheese and you won't have gooey strings of cheese in your cast iron.

Cooking your omelette can go quick so pre-slicing all the vegetables you want to use before you start heating the fat or cooking the eggs is important for timing! If you wash any of your vegetables, make sure you dry them completely before adding them to your omelette.

This recipe makes 1 very large omelette that can easily be split between two people. It's an especially great recipe if you're preparing food for multiple family members at a time, especially little ones! It's a one pan solution that will feed many.

Easy Omelette Breakfast on GAPS

Ingredients for a GAPS Friendly Omelette

• 1 tbsp Lard or butter

• 3 Eggs

• 1 ½ tbsp Water

• ¼ Red Bell Pepper

• ¼ Green Bell Pepper

• ¼ Onion

• 1 Small Tomato

• 1 Handful of Spinach

Directions for a GAPS Friendly Omelette

Chop all vegetables you will add to your meal before you start heating your pan. Try to keep pieces as uniform as possible so they cook quickly.

Heat your fat in a pan.

Add spinach to pan and saute until soft.

Meanwhile, crack three eggs into a dish. Scramble the eggs quickly with a fork.

Add all other vegetables except tomatoes. Add a few shakes of salt and cook for five minutes.

When your vegetables are soft, add the tomatoes.

After five minutes, add the eggs. Stir to incorporate the vegetables. Try to leave a little fat on the bottom of the pan, which can be difficult.

Once your eggs are incorporated, turn the stove to low heat and place a cover over the top of the eggs.

As your eggs start to harden, help them pull away from the sides of the pan by loosening them with a fork. This helps release some fat which will make it easier to remove the omelette from the pan once it is done.

When eggs are set, transfer to a plate and fold over. Help loosen the omelette from the pan with a fork.

Top with what you’d like! I like sour cream on my omelettes but you could add salsa or avocado.

---

Print

Omelette

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Lard or butter
• 3 Eggs
• 1 ½ tbsp Water
• ¼ Red Bell Pepper
• ¼ Green Bell Pepper
• ¼ Onion
• 1 Small Tomato
• 1 Handful of Spinach

instructions:

How to cook Omelette

1. Chop all vegetables you will add to your meal before you start heating your pan. Try to keep pieces as uniform as possible so they cook quickly.
2. Heat your fat in a pan.
3. Add spinach to pan and saute until soft.
4. Meanwhile, crack three eggs into a dish. Scramble the eggs quickly with a fork.
5. Add all other vegetables except tomatoes. Add a few shakes of salt and cook for five minutes.
6. When your vegetables are soft, add the tomatoes.
7. After five minutes, add the eggs. Stir to incorporate the vegetables. Try to leave a little fat on the bottom of the pan, which can be difficult.
8. Once your eggs are incorporated, turn the stove to low heat and place a cover over the top of the eggs.
9. As your eggs start to harden, help them pull away from the sides of the pan by loosening them with a fork. This helps release some fat which will make it easier to remove the omelette from the pan once it is done.
10. When eggs are set, transfer to a plate and fold over. Help loosen the omelette from the pan with a fork.
11. Top with what you’d like! I like sour cream on my omelettes but you could add salsa or avocado.

Created using The Recipes Generator

How to Make the Ultimate Scrambled Eggs

Light, fluffy scrambled eggs are the starter to so many great dishes and an easy addition to any meal. For me, having access to farm fresh eggs means I make scrambled eggs a lot! They're quick for when I'm on the go. It's simple enough to make decent scrambled eggs.

There’s a way to take your scrambled eggs over the top. It transforms them from just ok eggs to the creamiest, dreamiest eggs you've ever had. It’s by playing a little game I like to play called “See how much fat you can get your eggs to absorb.” Hint: scrambled eggs can absorb a LOT of fat!

You can use the animal fat of your choice in this recipe; I prefer the taste of butter but anything you have on hand will take your scrambled eggs over the top.

Plain old scrambled eggs can be dressed up lots of different ways! You can keep it simple with just salt and pepper, add salsa or sauerkraut or sour cream, or if you have a hankering for something sweet, try a drizzle of honey or date syrup over the top. I find this last one especially helpful if I need a little get up and go in the morning. It’s just enough sugar to kick start my energy levels for the day. If you are able to tolerate grains, you can have a nice piece of sourdough bread on the side.

How do you like your scrambled eggs?

The Best Scrambled Eggs on the GAPS Diet

Ingredients for Scrambled Eggs

• 4 tbsp Butter or Lard

• 2 Eggs

Directions for scrambled eggs

Add your animal fat to a cast iron pan and melt on medium heat. If it doesn’t look like you have enough fat in your pan, feel free to add more!

Crack two eggs into a bowl or directly into the pan if you're in a hurry and don't mind a little shell that might end up in your eggs.

Scramble them with a fork or whisk and add them into the melted fat.

Stir quickly to mix the fat and the eggs together.

Keep stirring, about two or three minutes, until your eggs look set.

Serve and enjoy!

---

Print

Ultimate Scrambled Eggs

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 4 tbsp Butter or Lard
• 2 Eggs

instructions:

How to cook Ultimate Scrambled Eggs

1. Add your animal fat to a cast iron pan and melt on medium heat. If it doesn’t look like you have enough fat in your pan, feel free to add more!
2. Crack two eggs into a bowl or directly into the pan if you're in a hurry and don't mind a little shell that might end up in your eggs.
3. Scramble them with a fork or whisk and add them into the melted fat.
4. Stir quickly to mix the fat and the eggs together.
5. Keep stirring, about two or three minutes, until your eggs look set.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Created using The Recipes Generator

Northern Colorado GAPS Group Meeting Recap April 30th, 2019

Each week, we gather in Northern Colorado for a meetup centered around the GAPS Diet, started by Dr. Natasha Campbell. During these meetups, we have a lesson about a fundamental aspect of the GAPS Diet, exchange recipes and ideas, support each other through the GAPS Diet, and learn something new from a holistic healthcare speaker or presenter.

The first GAPS Group meeting that you attend is FREE.

If you find the information helpful, individual classes are $15 to attend, or you can buy a punch card for five classes that brings down the cost to $10 per class (recommended). We'll have punch cards for sale when you arrive at Tuesday's meeting.

If you can't make it in-person, we're happy to send you a link for you to watch us LIVE. Send an email to Office@bewellclinic.net to request the link to the broadcast! Costs will still apply to virtual attendance, so we recommend that you come join us to receive all of the benefits of the meeting.

GAPS Group Meeting April 30th, 2019

This week’s presenter was Dr. Carl Malone of The Natural Path.

Dr. Tiffany Wall talked to us about the communication pathways within our bodies, and how stress alone can knock our bodies so far off balance that we get and stay sick.
Then Amy talked about the GAPS protocol and its aims. First and foremost, we want to normalize the fur flora. We also want to heal and seal the gut lining, restore gut function, and restore immunity. The protocol has three parts to it:1: GAPS Diet2: Supplementation3: Detoxing 
She talked in detail about all of them, but the most interesting one was the die-off reaction that results from repopulating our bodies with good bacteria. 

At one point, she said “sometimes your body has to remind you that what you just ate is not food. I know you tried to eat it as food, but it’s not food”

After our Getting Started on GAPS lesson ended, we all stayed to shared GAPS Legal Recipes and hang out. We swapped stories about things we have and haven't tried, talked about our favorite oils, and enjoyed the food! Finding others on the GAPS journey at the same time is a key to your success!

At our meeting, we learned about two soups, a cauliflower rice casserole, and lots and lots of animal fats. You know it's a GAPS meeting because everyone remembers to bring the butter and sour cream!

Join us at our next GAPS Group Meeting!

Next week's GAPS Group Meeting is the start of a new Getting Started on GAPS Session! Come meet the members of Be Well Clinic's GAPS Group and share your stories.

Our lesson is on Intro GAPS. Amy will share how the stages work and how to nourish the body and heal the gut. We'll talk about how and why all diseases begin in the gut and how you can change your health by healing your gut.

If you feel like you're well-versed on the practical applications of GAPS, you're welcome to skip this part of the meeting and join us at 7:00 PM for our recipe sharing and discussion. This week's we're talking about vegetable ferments!

The Recipe Sharing and Discussion is one of the best things about GAPS Group! You get to try delicious food, and take home the recipe so you can recreate it! It's a great way to diversify your GAPS go-tos, and you get to catch up with everyone on their progress. Sometimes, hearing someone else's success story is the best way to get you to keep going.

Location:
GAPS Group is currently held at the Loveland Outlets, very close to our new office space. It’s located north of McWhinney Blvd. next to The Studio, near Tommy Hilfiger and Sketchers. The best way to get there is to set your GPS to 5613 McWhinney Blvd, Loveland, CO 80538 and walk to suite 5609. Get more details on the exact location here.

See more information and RSVP to the event on our Facebook page.

How to Properly Caramelize Onions

Caramelized onions are an amazing supporting food because they are high in vitamin C, calcium, and quercetin. It’s especially helpful for sore throats but is an excellent food to eat anytime you are starting to feel under the weather! (Check out more of my helpful tips for caring for yourself when you’re sick here.)

I recommend a whole onion per person because the onions will reduce in size. You want to use a lot of animal fat with this recipe! I like both butter or lard, so whatever you happen to have on hand is ok. The fat is also great for you while you’re sick. Make sure you add enough salt for the added minerals, which is also very important when you’re ill.

White or yellow onions work for this recipe. I prefer the yellow onions and often have them on hand so that is what I usually use.

For great caramelized onions, make sure your heat is on low. This is a food that is best with patience - and burnt with impatience. Allow 20 - 30 minutes of cooking time to get really good caramelized onions. You can cook multiple onions at a time as long as you are using a large enough pan. If your entire family is sick, you can make a batch for everyone in about the same amount of time as cooking just one.

When slicing your onions, you want to slice them in short slices. Don’t give into the temptation of dicing your onions! Even if it seems they will cook faster, you’ll most likely end up with a burnt or mushy dish.

Make sure you don’t crowd your pan of onions or they won’t properly caramelize. Above is the maximum amount of onions I would put in one pan.

Caramelized onions should be sweet! They shouldn’t really taste like onions at all when they’re finished! As they cook, take a taster. If it still tastes like onions, keep stirring.

Dr Natasha recommends topping a caramelized onion with a little olive oil and a couple fried eggs. (Again fried in plenty of fat.) This is a very filling meal that’s amazing when you’re sick.

However, you don’t need to be sick to enjoy this nourishing food! It can be very soothing when you’ve had a long day and are needing a comfort food.

Ingredients for Caramelized Onions:

• 2-3 Tbsp Fat of Your Choice Per Onion

• Onion (1 Per Person)

• Salt (The amount of salt will vary if you’re using salted butter or unsalted lard.)

Directions for Caramelized Onions:

Slice the ends of your onion and peel. Put the peels and “extras” into a bag for use in stock later.

Cut the onion in half. Then cut into half again.

Slice the onion so long strips form.

Start your pan heating on medium high and add the fat of your choice. Heating your pan before your onion is sliced will result in a pan that is too hot.

Add your onions to the pan. Stir to coat in the fat.

Cook onions over medium heat, stirring every few minutes.

When they are nearing translucency (about 25 ish minutes) add a little salt if you are not using salted butter. Even if you are using salted butter, adding a little extra salt will help them break down.

Make sure everyone salts their onions to taste once the onions are on their plates!

Your onions are done when they are golden brown. Enjoy them on their own or as part of a larger meal.

---

Print

Caramelized Onions

Author: Amy Mihaly

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 2-3 Tbsp Fat of Your Choice Per Onion
• Onion (1 Per Person)
• Salt (The amount of salt will vary if you’re using salted butter or unsalted lard.)

instructions:

How to cook Caramelized Onions

1. Slice the ends of your onion and peel. Put the peels and “extras” into a bag for use in stock later.
2. Cut the onion in half. Then cut into half again.
3. Slice the onion so long strips form.
4. Start your pan heating on medium high and add the fat of your choice. Heating your pan before your onion is sliced will result in a pan that is too hot.
5. Add your onions to the pan. Stir to coat in the fat.
6. Cook onions over medium heat, stirring every few minutes.
7. When they are nearing translucency (about 25 ish minutes) add a little salt if you are not using salted butter. Even if you are using salted butter, adding a little extra salt will help them break down.
8. Make sure everyone salts their onions to taste once the onions are on their plates!
9. Your onions are done when they are golden brown. Enjoy them on their own or as part of a larger meal.

Created using The Recipes Generator

How to Make Cabbage Tonic

Fermented cabbage is very high in vitamin C which is essential for healing a leaky gut. This cabbage tonic can be taken from the beginning of the Intro Diet of GAPS. Use this tonic daily to help change your gut flora. As with all probiotic foods, make sure you begin with only a small amount, about a tablespoon at a time, keeping an eye out for symptoms of die off. If none are present, you can continue gradually increasing your daily amount and the frequency that you consume this tonic throughout the day.

Fermented cabbage is very high in vitamin C which is essential for healing a leaky gut. This cabbage tonic can be taken from the beginning of the Intro Diet of GAPS. Use this tonic daily to help change your gut flora. As with all probiotic foods, make sure you begin with only a small amount, about a tablespoon at a time, keeping an eye out for symptoms of die off. If none are present, you can continue gradually increasing your daily amount and the frequency that you consume this tonic throughout the day.

When you do ferments, your intention and energy really does affect the taste of the ferments. If you’re stressed, it will show in the food. Do ferments at a time that you’re relaxed and enjoying being in the kitchen. If this is not your mindset, take a couple minutes to reset, thinking about how this work is bringing such amazing health and healing to your body and your family. After your mindset is set, smile and preparing your ferment!

When doing ferments, it is important to hand wash your jars. A lot of dishwashers leave a film of soap, even if you’re using a natural soap. Make sure you rinse your jar well with hot water. It’s not necessary to sterilize your jar; we’re not canning. Fermentation creates a live food that will take care of the bad bacteria.

Tidbit from Nourishing Traditions: “Add ¼ - ½ tsp cayenne pepper to 4 ounces of cabbage tonic for a gargle and sore throat remedy.

This recipe is based on the Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon on page 614.

Ingredients for Cabbage Tonic:

• ¼ Organic Green Cabbage

• 1 tsp Sea Salt

• ¼ Cup Whey (how to make whey)

• Filtered Water

Directions for Cabbage Tonic:

Shred cabbage finely with a knife. You want small even pieces so it ferments evenly. (Similar to cutting onions for even cooking.)

Add cabbage and salt to a bowl.

Using your hands, squish the cabbage for about a minute.

Let the cabbage sit for five minutes.

Squish the cabbage again for a minute.

Put cabbage in a 2 quart jar with whey.

Add enough water to fill the container.

Cover tightly.

Leave at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to the fridge.

---

Print

Cabbage Tonic

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• ¼ Organic Green Cabbage
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• ¼ Cup Whey
• Filtered Water

instructions:

How to cook Cabbage Tonic

1. Shred cabbage finely with a knife. You want small even pieces so it ferments evenly. (Similar to cutting onions for even cooking.)
2. Add cabbage and salt to a bowl.
3. Using your hands, squish the cabbage for about a minute.
4. Let the cabbage sit for five minutes.
5. Squish the cabbage again for a minute.
6. Put cabbage in a 2 quart jar with whey.
7. Add enough water to fill the container.
8. Cover tightly.
9. Leave at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to the fridge.

Created using The Recipes Generator

All About Fruits and Vegetables

Sweet fruits! Is there anything better than a juicy peach on a summer’s day or a bright red strawberry, straight from the garden and bursting with tart flavor? And vegetables! Their cooling crunch, the endless ways to season them up and add them to everything.

Plants like fruits and vegetables cleanse our bodies. They help our bodies to process and remove the toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis from the environment around us, even if we do our best to avoid toxins. We mostly benefit from the fiber, antioxidants, enzymes, and other detoxifying substances.

Drinking fresh juices made up of both fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest ways to enjoy the rich nutritional benefits of produce. Adding fruit into juices will especially help children in getting all the benefits that juicing can offer.

Fruits, nuts, and other treats should be limited, even on Full GAPS. So treat yourself to an occasional piece of fruit but don’t overdo it! To see a full list of fruits and vegetables that are acceptable on the GAPS Diet, click here.

Good Fruits and Vegetables: The Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen

If you’re on a strict food budget or looking for a small change that can have a large impact, try purchasing “The Clean 15.” A non-profit group called the Environmental Working Group conducts ongoing research about pesticides that are in (and on) our food and creates a guide to produce pesticides, which they update every year. They rank 48 popular fruits and vegetables, with the “Clean 15” being the top fifteen fruits and vegetables with the least amount of pesticides.

For fruits in 2019, the “Clean 15” which you can purchase the non-organic versions are:

• Avocados

• Pineapples

• Papayas

• Kiwi

• Cantaloupe

• Honeydew Melons

For vegetables in 2019, the "Clean 15" which you can purchase the non-organic versions are:

• Sweet Corn

• Sweet Peas

• Onions

• Eggplants

• Asparagus

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Broccoli

• Mushrooms

A note on Genetically Engineered seeds: The Environmental Working Group has said that a small amount of papaya, sweet corn, and summer squash sold in the U.S. is produced from Genetically Engineered seeds. To avoid Genetically Engineered produce, buy papayas organic.

Conversely, the “Dirty Dozen” are fruits that you really want to purchase organically. These are the top twelve fruits and vegetables that contain pesticides so to keep yourself toxin free, it’s important to purchase organic.

For fruits in 2019, the “Dirty Dozen” that should be purchased organically are:

• Strawberries

• Nectarines

• Apples

• Grapes

• Peaches

• Cherries

• Pears

For vegetables in 2019, the "Dirty Dozen" that should be purchased organically are:

• Spinach

• Kale

• Tomatoes

• Celery

• Potatoes

• Hot Peppers

Better Fruits and Vegetables: Purchasing High Quality Organic Always

Organic means produce is grown without synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or genetically modified organisms.  Purchasing all of your fruits and vegetables organically is beneficial for you and beneficial for the plant! If you’re looking for the better choice in produce, try purchasing high quality organic fruits and vegetables.

Best Fruits and Vegetables: Eating Local and in Season

The best choice when it comes to choosing fruits and vegetables is to eat local and in season fruit. Eating in season means your food is fresher and better tasting! Eating local is also better for the environment because your food travels less miles to be on your table.

To buy local, in season fruits and vegetables, you can check for local farming co-ops or farmer’s markets. Buying local also means you’re supporting a small business. It’s a win-win-win all around! Or consider growing your own fruits and vegetables if you have the space!

To find in-season fruits and vegetables no matter where you are, try the Seasonal Food Guide website.

The Best Way to Add Fermented Food to Your Diet

Fermenting - one of the best things I discovered on my journey of healing!

The process of preserving food by fermenting it is something that’s been around for centuries and is practiced all other world. It’s not just the process of creating alcoholic beverages like beer or wine, or creating different types of dairy like cheese or yogurt.  Eating fermented foods is a huge part of the GAPS Diet, but anyone who adds fermented foods to their diet will see some benefit.

There’s so many benefits to fermenting!  Fermenting food means you’re helping beneficial bacteria and yeast grow that aid in digestion. Fermented foods are packed full of probiotics, which helps your gut health. It also boosts immunity by producing lactic acid, which pathogenic bacteria cannot live in the presence of. It allows you to preserve food longer which means that you’re throwing less away! It also increases the nutritional availability without adding anything extra.

While any type of ferment that you consume is beneficial, there are good, better, and best ways to ferment.

Good: Buying a Ferment at the Store

There are a variety of common ferments that are available at most grocery stores. Starting small and adding just one ferment to your diet will bring some benefit to your gut health and overall wellbeing.

While purchasing a ferment from a store isn’t the most beneficial for your wallet or your health, if you want to dip your toes into fermented foods, purchasing one can be just fine. Find one that has the least amount of ingredients possible and has the least amount of processing. Fermented foods should be as close to the source as they can be.

Better: Buying Multiple Ferments at the Store

There are many kinds of fermented foods so experiment! Adding a variety of ferments to your diet is important because you and your gut will get a much wider variety of bacteria, all naturally. Fermented foods come in many different varieties, like pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, or even liquids like kombucha and kefir.

A better option for getting ferments into your diet is to purchase a variety of high quality ferments from the store.

Best: Making and Consuming Your Own Variety of Ferments

Making your own ferments is absolutely the best! I love making my own ferments because I can buy large quantities of food in season and locally and preserve it for a long time. I also know what I’m eating because I added it myself!

Consuming a variety of different kinds of ferments is important for our gut health. By making your own, you can save a lot of money and get all the variety you need!

When you make your own ferments, you’re intimately connected with what you’re eating. This is important for thoughtful eating.

If you’re interested in fermenting your own food, I’ve shared a lot about fermenting over the years! You can see more on the process of fermenting here and here, and specifically about lacto-fermenting here. Whey is a great way (get it!) to start the fermentation process for many ferments. You can learn about making your own whey here.

For recipes on fermenting food, check out my beet kvass recipe, my recipe for fermented garlic (learn more about the benefits of fermented garlic) or learn how to ferment almond flour for baking.

How to Ferment Almond Flour

Fermenting Almond Flour for Proper Digestion

Any seed wants to be a plant. Seeds include nuts, seeds, beans, and grains. To protect itself, a seed has phytic acid and other enzyme inhibitors and anti-nutrients. These substances attack the body of the animal that ate the seed, preventing the digestion of the seed. This is why we see whole seeds in bird poop.

Manually grinding seeds into flours does nothing to negate these enzyme inhibitors and anti-nutrients. We may not necessarily see whole seeds in our stools but we don’t need to for our bodies to experience the effects of these substances. Inflammation, poor absorption of foods, and leaky gut are some of the effects on our bodies of eating seeds that are not properly prepared. To learn more about properly preparing grains, check out my video.

How to Prepare Grains Properly

When we properly prepare our grains however, we begin the germination process, which changes the seeds chemical structure. It neutralizes the anti-nutrients and enzyme inhibitors, and the seed prepares to bring life. When we eat a seed in this state, it’s nutrients are available to us and it brings life to our bodies.  

All seeds can be prepared in three ways - soaking, sprouting or fermenting. Fermenting is by far the most simple and the most beneficial. All it requires is whey. These directions are for almond flour but you can use the same concept to any nut, seed, or grain. For specific instructions on how to do this with whole seeds, see my recipe on trail mix.

The other benefit of using fermented almond flour is that it makes a much lighter end product. The fermentation process acts somewhat like a baking soda or powder, increasing the air space as your treat bakes, making it less dense.

Preparing fermented almond flour is quite easy. After letting it ferment for 24 hours, this base can be kept in the fridge for about a week. If you have a family that loves sweet treats, this is a food that you can keep on hand at all times to create a quick twenty minute cookie. Fermented almond flour is a great base for many baked goods.

Ingredients for Fermented Almond Flour:

• 2 Cups Almond Flour

• 1/4 Cup Whey

Directions for Fermented Almond Flour

Add almond flour to a glass bowl.

Pour whey over almond flour.

Stir to moisten. Add additional whey if needed. Flour should be moist and crumbly but not wet.

Cover and leave for 24 hours to properly ferment. During this time, your fermenting almond flour can be left with other jar ferments because it is covered.

---

Print

Fermented Almond Flour

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 2 Cups Almond Flour
• 1/4 Cup Whey

instructions:

How to cook Fermented Almond Flour

1. Add almond flour to a glass bowl.
2. Pour whey over almond flour.
3. Stir to moisten. Add additional whey if needed. Flour should be moist and crumbly but not wet.
4. Cover and leave for 24 hours to properly ferment. During this time, your fermenting almond flour can be left with other jar ferments because it is covered.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Making Whey

Easy Do-It-Yourself Whey from Yogurt

Whey is the other protein in milk aside from casein. It’s only present after milk products have been cultured and it’s a live food. This liquid is teeming with good lactic acid producing bacteria (LABs.) Whey is a basic to keep on hand because it can be used to ferment flours, seeds, nuts, vegetables, or as a starter to culture other dairy.

I use homemade yogurt to make my whey but you can use store bought yogurt to make your own whey. Make sure you get a full fat, grass fed yogurt that only contains milk and cultures. It’s ok if it’s pasteurized as the culturing process adds life back to this food! Greek yogurt will not work to make whey as there is very little whey naturally in that strain of yogurt. If you are sensitive to lactose or casein, you should leave your store bought yogurt out on the counter, unopened, for an additional 12 - 24 hours to finish culturing the yogurt before you strain the whey. (Essentially making it lactose free.)

If you strain your yogurt for a long time, it becomes almost like a cream cheese substance. It’s great to add fresh herbs to and make a dip!

To speed along the straining time, stir your yogurt well before adding it to the cloth.

I really like using the villi life culture from the Heirloom Yogurt Starter pack at Cultures for Health. Not only is it a mesophilic culture, meaning it cultures at room temperature instead of at 110 degrees like most yogurts, but it is a runnier yogurt and produces a lot of whey for my baking and fermenting needs.

I enjoy to the runniness of the ville life culture. If you don’t, simply separate some of the whey out of each batch for a thicker end product.

The cloth I used is the single fold diaper cloth, you can purchase it at Walmart or find something similar at Cultures for Health.

It’s best to use a plastic funnel because metal can be damaging to the good bacteria inside the whey.

Whey keeps in the fridge for about six months if you’ve successfully removed most of the milk solids and strained well.

Ingredients for DIY Whey

• 3 Cups Homemade Yogurt

Directions for DIY Whey

Set a plastic strainer inside a large measuring cup or bowl.

Fold the cloth four times and set inside the strainer.

Pour your yogurt into the cloth.

Gather the edges of your cloth and secure with a rubber band.

Leave to sit and strain for as long as desired.

If you want to simply thicken your yogurt, leaving it for only ten minutes is fine. If you’d like to strain all the whey out to make a cream cheese, you can leave it for much longer. I often leave mine out overnight.

Once you have strained enough whey out, pour it into a clean glass jar.

Rinse your cloth well in hot water. Don’t use soap! Hang to dry.

Use your whey to ferment flours, seeds, nuts, or vegetables, or as a starter to culture other dairy. What will you use your whey for?

---

Print

How to Make Whey

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 3 Cups Homemade Yogurt

instructions:

How to cook How to Make Whey

1. Set a plastic strainer inside a large measuring cup or bowl.
2. Fold the cloth four times and set inside the strainer.
3. Pour your yogurt into the cloth.
4. Gather the edges of your cloth and secure with a rubber band.
5. Leave to sit and strain for as long as desired.
6. If you want to simply thicken your yogurt, leaving it for only ten minutes is fine. If you’d like to strain all the whey out to make a cream cheese, you can leave it for much longer. I often leave mine out overnight.
7. Once you have strained enough whey out, pour it into a clean glass jar.
8. Rinse your cloth well in hot water. Don’t use soap! Hang to dry.
9. Use your whey to ferment flours, seeds, nuts, or vegetables, or as a starter to culture other dairy. What will you use your whey for?

Created using The Recipes Generator

Steamed Broccoli Recipe

GAPS Legal Broccoli Recipe

My main reason for eating broccoli is to use it as a vehicle for butter.

Need I say more?

Broccoli itself does have some amazing nutritional content on its own, separate from carrying butter. It's high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, potassium, and the vitamins B6, C and A.

What exactly is broccoli? Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable like cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts. It is a wonderful vegetable to eat regularly. Some people avoid broccoli because they experience gas. But if broccoli makes you gassy, your gut flora is unbalanced! You can (and should) address your gut flora, then you can enjoy broccoli again without fear!

I don’t use the stems of the broccoli, which are very fibrous, in this recipe. If you want, you can use them in a soup or fry them up with butter and garlic (which is delicious.) But if you’re early in your healing on the GAPS Intro diet, toss or compost the stems. They are too fibrous for you to eat!

This is a great and simple side dish to serve with any main dish. But whatever you serve it with, the key here is to remember to enjoy your butter!

Ingredients for Steamed Broccoli:

• 2- 3 Small Broccoli Crowns

• Water

• Butter for serving.

Directions for Steamed Broccoli:

Insert steamer into a medium size pot. Add a few inches of filtered water to a pot.

Rinse broccoli well with filtered water.

Cut off stems. Discard if you are on the GAPS Intro diet. Otherwise, set aside for another recipe.

Break broccoli florets apart at the base.

Add florets to the steamer and cover with a lid.

Steam for 15-20 minutes until fork tender, meaning a fork easily slides in and out. If you’re on GAPS Intro, be extra sure it’s fully cooked.

Make sure you don’t run out of water on the bottom of the pan or you will scorch the bottom. To check for water, you can tip the pan without opening it and feel if there is still water shifting. If you are unsure, check! You don't want to run out of water or you could ruin your pan.

Serve as a side alongside meat of your choice. I prefer steak; it just seems to be better that way! Top with plenty of butter! You want to eat about a teaspoon of butter with each piece. I cut a slice to eat with each piece. Enjoy!

---

Print

Steamed Broccoli Recipe

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 2- 3 Small Broccoli Crowns
• Water
• Butter for serving

instructions:

How to cook Steamed Broccoli Recipe

1. Insert steamer into a medium size pot. Add a few inches of filtered water to a pot.
2. Rinse broccoli well with filtered water.
3. Cut off stems. Discard if you are on the GAPS Intro diet. Otherwise, set aside for another recipe.
4. Break broccoli florets apart at the base.
5. Add florets to the steamer and cover with a lid.
6. Steam for 15-20 minutes until fork tender, meaning a fork easily slides in and out. If you’re on GAPS Intro, be extra sure it’s fully cooked.
7. Make sure you don’t run out of water on the bottom of the pan or you will scorch the bottom. To check for water, you can tip the pan without opening it and feel if there is still water shifting. If you are unsure, check! You don't want to run out of water or you could ruin your pan.
8. Serve as a side alongside meat of your choice. I prefer steak; it just seems to be better that way! Top with plenty of butter! You want to eat about a teaspoon of butter with each piece. I cut a slice to eat with each piece. Enjoy!

Created using The Recipes Generator

10 Ways to Consume Meat Stock

Meat stock is one of the pillars of a healthy gut diet. While bone broth is getting a lot of press lately, I don’t recommend it for most people. (Learn more about why I recommend meat stock over bone broth here.) Meat stock really gets a gold medal as a great nutrient dense food that can boost your immunity, help with healing allergies, and is easy to digest, especially for those with a leaky gut. Even better, meat stock is meant to be a meal all on it’s own! You can make meat stock with any meat, though I think chicken meat stock is the easiest beginner stock.

Consuming meat stock is a habit I encourage my clients to do throughout the day because of it’s great health benefits. There are many ways to consume meat stock and some creative ways so that you don’t get bored with consuming meat stock frequently. Here’s a few of my favorites!

Vary Your Meat Stock Recipe

Try adding different spices and herbs to your meat stock recipe when you cook it. This will change the taste to keep it interesting. You can also vary the vegetables and aromatics that you add - or add no aromatics like onions and your dogs can consume your meat stock as well!

Have It Warm

Heated stock is a great warming beverage, especially on cool winter mornings. Keeping heated stock in a mug next to you will allow you to drink it alongside your morning meal.

If you’re on the go, keep your heated stock in a thermos so it stays warm throughout the day. Then you can sip on it just like a tea or coffee.

Eat It Cold

Drinking cold stock is very refreshing on a hot summer day!

If your stock gets a good gel at the top, you can simply pop the gel off the top of your stock and eat it cold like a meat jelly.

Use Meat Stock as a Base

Meat stock makes an excellent base for different soups and other recipes. I’ve been partial to this chicken tortilla soup recipe recently but you can make it into any variety of soup that sounds delicious.

View fullsize

Add an Egg (or Two)

You can poach eggs in warm stock for a delicious breakfast. Use the stock as a replacement for the water that you would normally poach eggs in.

Or, break and stir a few egg yolks only into warm stock. This will create a cheesy tasting drink that is delicious.

Consume Meat Stock on the Go

Traveling can bring up a whole host of stressors and traveling on the GAPS Diet means paying closer attention to your food. Since meat stock is one of the pillars of the GAPS Diet, it’s important to factor it into your travel plans. There’s a few different ways to consume meat stock on the go, from dehydrating it to making it when you get there.

What are your favorite ways to consume meat stock? If you have other ideas, share them in the comments below!

Cast Iron Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I know most people don’t care for brussels sprouts. I’ve never shared their view. I think it’s probably because my grandma drowned brussels sprouts in butter when she cooked them. Back in the day, we used to talk about how unhealthy this was but now I know better. Not only does fat provide a delicious taste, it actually makes it easier for your body to use the nutrition in your food.

Even if you have never liked brussels sprouts before, please give them one more try with this recipe. I don’t even like brussels sprouts all ways! For example, I’ve never liked them in soup. If eating brussels sprouts makes you very gassy, it means your gut flora is imbalanced.

Having enough salt on the brussels sprouts helps to break up the cell walls which allows them to cook faster and better. Salt allows them to cook more evenly which makes them more delicious. Make sure you add salt after you plate them as well! If they’re not delicious, you haven’t added enough salt to them.

I also cook the brussels sprouts on a low to medium heat to start with. The goal is to cook the brussels sprouts thoroughly before crisping them. If your heat is too high, you’ll brown them before they are cooked all the way which will result in a questionably edible food. The brown bits are my favorite part so I make sure there are a LOT of them! If you’re on the GAPS Intro Diet, you’ll want to brown sparingly as the browned bits are harder to digest.

Ingredients for Cast Iron Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 16 oz brussel sprouts

• 5 tbsp of Butter or another fat.

Directions for Cast Iron Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Wash and rinse brussels sprouts.

Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add in butter to melt.

Trim brussels sprouts by cutting off the ends and cutting them in half. You want them to be similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.

If you have an extremely large brussels sprout, consider cutting it in fourths to keep all pieces approximately the same size.

Add brussels sprouts to the pan. I add in a handful at a time as I’m cutting but you could add all of them at once.

You might need to add your brussels sprouts in batches to the pan depending on how many brussels sprouts you have and the size of your pan. You want them to be in one layer on the bottom of the pan. It’s important not to crowd the pan to allow for even cooking.

Stir to coat with butter or other fat. Add about five shakes of salt.

Slowly cook on a low-medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once your brussels sprouts are soft but not mushy, turn the heat up higher to brown them. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Stir frequently on the higher heat to ensure even browning. If your brussels sprouts are larger, they may take longer to cook.

Once your brussels sprouts have browned, transfer to a plate. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately for best taste!

---

Print

Cast Iron Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• 16 oz brussel sprouts
• 5 tbsp of Butter or another fat

instructions:

How to cook Cast Iron Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1. Wash and rinse brussels sprouts.
2. Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Add in butter to melt.
3. Trim brussels sprouts by cutting off the ends and cutting them in half. You want them to be similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
4. If you have an extremely large brussels sprout, consider cutting it in fourths to keep all pieces approximately the same size.
5. Add brussels sprouts to the pan. I add in a handful at a time as I’m cutting but you could add all of them at once.
6. You might need to add your brussels sprouts in batches to the pan depending on how many brussels sprouts you have and the size of your pan. You want them to be in one layer on the bottom of the pan. It’s important not to crowd the pan to allow for even cooking.
7. Stir to coat with butter or other fat. Add about five shakes of salt.
8. Slowly cook on a low-medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Once your brussels sprouts are soft but not mushy, turn the heat up higher to brown them. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Stir frequently on the higher heat to ensure even browning. If your brussels sprouts are larger, they may take longer to cook.
10. Once your brussels sprouts have browned, transfer to a plate. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately for best taste!

Created using The Recipes Generator

Chicken Stock Recipe

Meat stock is a pillar in healing a leaky gut but this rich food is beneficial to anyone. It provides large amounts of the immune system’s favorite foods, is very easy to digest, and is a great base to modify for other healing and nutritious recipes.  

Meat stock is meant to be a meal in itself. It’s short cooking time allows the meat to remain edible while still enriching stock with easy to absorb nutrients. This is the perfect thing to eat anytime you are feeling ill or stressed or “can’t get filled up” hungry. These are some of the reasons meat stock is such an important part of the healing process of the GAPS Diet. Any time you are consuming meat stock on a regular basis, your body will be receiving the healing benefit.

Meat stock can be made into a soup or simply drunk on its own as a hot beverage with a meal. You can also poach a couple eggs in your stock for a rich breakfast. Stock can also be used to cook rice or other soaked grains to increase their digestibility and nutritional content. In short, this should be considered a staple to have in your kitchen at all times, either in the fridge or the freezer.

This recipe is stock without aromatics. I prefer stock this way currently because it’s a neutral base ingredient that can be changed in any way for any other recipe. Making stock this way, you can also feed your dog the extra chicken meat because the base doesn’t have onions. Make sure you debone the chicken before giving to your dog; they should not have chicken bones.

You’ll notice I set aside the breasts of the chicken. Good stock should be 80% meat and 20% bone with a joint. Using a whole chicken, this ratio is fulfilled without needed the breasts. You can use the breasts in other recipes or add to the soup later for more tender meat.

There are a variety of ways you can skim the scum off the top of your stock. I usually use a slotted spoon but you can also use a mesh scum skimmer, a slotted spoon, a small strainer, or a large soup spoon.

Skimming the scum off the top is where you can tell the quality of your meat. If your meat is poor quality, had a lot of hormones or was poorly processed, you’ll get scum that’s heavy, grey and unappetizing. If you have a good quality chicken, you will have a small amount of light almost white colored scum that appears as a lighter foam. This is also where you can tell if your meat has gone bad at this point. If your chicken is not good, you will smell an obvious sulfur smell.

You can store your stock in the fridge or the freezer, depending on how quickly you’ll consume the batch.

A note about Meat Stock and the GAPS Intro Diet:

When Dr. Natasha Campbell talks about meat in stage 1, she’s referring to eating primarily the gelatinous meats like skin, joints and connective tissue. When meat is added on Stage 2, she means the muscle meats, the only thing we Americans consider to be meat. Eating a lot of muscle meat can be constipating so if this is your issue, be sure to eat every last bit of the skin and joints.

Fill large stock pot with water.

Remove chicken from package and remove giblets from interior. Rinse chicken.

Cut chicken into 8 pieces, joints exposed. First, remove the wings at the base of the joint.

Slice the drumsticks, pop the joint out of the meat and finish slicing off the drumstick.

Slice down the center of the bird, exposing the back. Slice the back off.

With the chest cavity down, slice to the right of the breast bone, removing one breast and then the other.

Pull the tenders off the breast (the underside of the breast) and remove the skin from the breast. Set the breasts aside for a different recipe.

Optionally, seperate the drumstick from the thigh.

This is how your chicken should look once you've cut it into the pieces.

Place pieces of chicken into the water. First, the back, then breastbone, then wings, thighs, then the drumsticks. Add in all giblets and extra skin from breasts.

Meat should be covered with about two inches of water. Here I am measuring the water level with my finger.

Bring to a boil. It usually takes 10-15 minutes to bring to a boil.

Skim the scum off the top using a mesh scum skimmer, a slotted spoon or a large soup spoon. Try to leave as much fat as you can in the pot.

If you miss skimming the scum, your meat stock is fine. The scum is simply impurities. Removing them improves the overall taste of your meat stock but leaving them is not harmful.

Reduce your heat and leave the pot at a simmer for 1 - 1 ½ hours.

Longer simmering will make the meat tasteless. Longer than 8 hours causes the histamine amounts to be higher which can cause nerve irritation symptoms in people with a leaky gut.

Simmering means movement in the water and very little movement on the surface.

Remove the whole pieces of chicken onto a platter. I use a strainer to make it easier.

Allow the chicken pieces to cool.

Debone the chicken chunks.

When you find the heart - SCORE! Eat it! This is my reward to myself for deboning the chicken.

Make sure you remove only the bones! Everything else is delicious and healthy for you. This photo shows all that should be left after you have deboned the chicken.

Toss the bones or freeze them for bone broth at a later time. I don’t like bone broth so I toss them.

Once stock has cooled slightly, pour into jars or use immediately for soup, like this GAPS Legal Chicken Tortilla Soup.

If you’d like to freeze your stock, wait for it to cool to room temperature. This inhibits bacteria growth.

Then, to cool completely, store in the fridge.

Once your stock has completely cooled, add to a BPA free freezer bag. Lay inside a container to shape your bag. Freeze solid.

Do this one bag at a time!

After deboning the chicken, sift through the meat picking out all the skin and organ meat.

Add these back to your stock and blend them with an immersion blender or blender.

It will get frothy! Don’t be alarmed!

---

Print

Chicken Stock

Author: Amy Mihaly, Be Well Clinic

prep time: cook time: total time:

ingredients:

• Filtered Water
• 1 Whole Chicken

instructions:

How to cook Chicken Stock

1. Fill large stock pot with water.
2. Remove chicken from package and remove giblets from interior. Rinse chicken.
3. Cut chicken into 8 pieces, joints exposed. First, remove the wings at the base of the joint.
4. Slice the drumsticks, pop the joint out of the meat and finish slicing off the drumstick.
5. Slice down the center of the bird, exposing the back. Slice the back off.
6. With the chest cavity down, slice to the right of the breast bone, removing one breast and then the other.
7. Pull the tenders off the breast (the underside of the breast) and remove the skin from the breast. Set the breasts aside for a different recipe.
8. Optionally, separate the drumstick from the thigh.
9. This is how your chicken should look once you've cut it into the pieces.
10. Place pieces of chicken into the water. First, the back, then breastbone, then wings, thighs, then the drumsticks. Add in all giblets and extra skin from breasts.
11. Meat should be covered with about two inches of water. Here I am measuring the water level with my finger.
12. Bring to a boil. It usually takes 10-15 minutes to bring to a boil.
13. Skim the scum off the top using a mesh scum skimmer, a slotted spoon or a large soup spoon. Try to leave as much fat as you can in the pot.
14. If you miss skimming the scum, your meat stock is fine. The scum is simply impurities. Removing them improves the overall taste of your meat stock but leaving them is not harmful.
15. Reduce your heat and leave the pot at a simmer for 1 - 1 ½ hours.
16. Longer simmering will make the meat tasteless. Longer than 8 hours causes the histamine amounts to be higher which can cause nerve irritation symptoms in people with a leaky gut.
17. Simmering means movement in the water and very little movement on the surface.
18. Remove the whole pieces of chicken onto a platter. I use a strainer to make it easier.
19. Allow the chicken pieces to cool.
20. Debone the chicken chunks.
21. When you find the heart - SCORE! Eat it! This is my reward to myself for deboning the chicken.
22. Make sure you remove only the bones! Everything else is delicious and healthy for you. This photo shows all that should be left after you have deboned the chicken.
23. Toss the bones or freeze them for bone broth at a later time. I don’t like bone broth so I toss them.
24. Once stock has cooled slightly, pour into jars or use immediately for soup, like this GAPS Legal Chicken Tortilla Soup.
25. If you’d like to freeze your stock, wait for it to cool to room temperature. This inhibits bacteria growth.
26. Then, to cool completely, store in the fridge.
27. Once your stock has completely cooled, add to a BPA free freezer bag. Lay inside a container to shape your bag. Freeze solid.
28. Do this one bag at a time!
29. After deboning the chicken, sift through the meat picking out all the skin and organ meat.
30. Add these back to your stock and blend them with an immersion blender or blender.
31. It will get frothy! Don’t be alarmed!

Created using The Recipes Generator