Primal Porridge & Why Wheat is Addictive

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I lucked into this yummy recipe this week. I was feeling a bit bored with my usual breakfasts, started experimenting and voila! Primal Porridge! Delicious and satisfying, unlike carb-based cereals, this porridge will actually satiate appetite for 4 hours!

Oh and by the way, did you know that wheat is FREAKING ADDICTIVE?! I’m reading Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis and am learning some crazy stuff, such as: Wheat crosses the blood-brain barrier (a central nervous system mechanism which protects us from bad guys) and stimulates morphine receptors in the brain (gluteomorphins). Crazy! When we eat wheat, our body breaks down the gluten into smaller polypeptides.  “Because the polypeptides look to the brain’s receptors like endorphins (the naturally-produced proteins that produce “runner’s high” and act like opioids), the wheat polypeptides bond readily to the brain.”  Even crazier is that these gluteomorphins respond to the opiate-blocking  drug naloxone! People who took naloxone for a wheat experiment experienced reduced appetite & consumed over 30% fewer calories at lunch and over 20% fewer calories at dinner. They weren’t trying to get high off of wheat-based carbs.

Aren’t you excited to try this wheat-free breakfast alternative now?

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Ingredients & How To:

  • 2 tsps. chia seeds
  • 2 T ground flaxseed (also called flax meal)
  • 1/2 cup raw or organic full-fat milk
  • Optional, also add 1/4 cup raw or organic cream if your body feels better when you eat more fat.
  • 1/4 cup finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • Handful each of pecans, pumpkin seeds, and goji berries (or any nuts, seeds and berries you love).
  • 3-5 drops hazelnut (or plain) stevia

In a cereal bowl add chia seeds and flaxseed.

Right away, add milk and cream so that the seeds start to gel, making a thick, porridge-like consistency. I like a lot of fat, so I use more raw cream than milk, but do what works for you. Full-fat coconut milk is also great if dairy doesn’t agree with you.

Next,  shredded coconut (finely shredded works better than flakes in this recipe) and your favorite nuts, seeds, and berries. I used soaked/dehydrated nuts and seeds because they are more digestible, higher in enzymes and protein, and lower in anti-nutrients such as phytic acid. Check out this video to learn how to do this.

Stir in stevia and enjoy! The slower you eat it, the more liquid the chia and flax will absorb, so you may want to add a little more milk and/or cream if it becomes too thick.

SUPER tasty, loaded with healthy fat, calcium, fiber, Omega-3’s, and antioxidants.

Kelp noodle spaghetti bolognese

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I’d long since given up pasta when a friend of mine introduced me to kelp noodles. My initial thought was “they’re probably not healthy” followed by “I don’t miss pasta anymore”, but I was intrigued when I learned more about them. Kelp noodles are virtually free of carbs and calories, provide calcium and iron and are a culinary chameleon (i.e. they’ll absorb the flavor of whatever you cook them with).

Kelp is a sea veggie. Kelp noodles contain kelp, salt extracted from brown seaweed, and water.

My favorite way to enjoy kelp noodles is with a meat sauce and topped with plenty of Parmesan cheese. Oh yeah. This has become a weekly family favorite.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of kelp noodles, drained and cut in half
  • 1 large 24 oz. can (or glass bottle) of tomato sauce or strained tomatoes~either texture is yummy. If you are using canned tomato sauce, I really like Muir Glen Organic sauce.
  • 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
  • 4 italian sausages, sliced (pastured pork OR grass-fed beef)
  • 1/2-1 lb “pet food” (ground beef and ground organ meats). This ingredient is optional, but I kid you not, it makes the sauce AWESOME and you can’t tell there’s organ meats in there but you get all the benefit (huge dose of iron and fat soluble vitamins). I order mine from U.S. Wellness Meats and keep it in the freezer to add to meatloaves, hamburgers and any meat sauces.
  • 1 can black olives (preferably without ferrous sulfate in the ingredients)
  • 1 tsp. ea rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil
  • 1 cup cubed Shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 tsp. fennel seed (optional)
  • Garlic, onion, and green bell pepper are optional

How To:

  1. Brown ground meet and sliced Italian sausage in a large pot on medium heat with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. If you are using garlic, onion, and bell pepper, add to the mix when about halfway cooked, approx. 5 mins.
  2. Add tomato sauce and spices.
  3. Drain kelp noodles and cut in half on a cutting board. Add noodles to the pot, separating them from each other a bit as you go. Stir so that noodles are covered with meaty sauce.
  4. Drain and add olives then cover with a lid and reduce heat to med-low. Simmer for 20-30 mins until noodles are tender.
  5. Serve with Parmesan cheese over a bed of spinach or your other favorite veggie. Salt and pepper to taste.

Having grown up with an Italian family and eating A LOT of pasta over the years, even though I’ve happily given up grain-based pastas for my health, I’m stoked to have this kelp noodle spaghetti bolognese option. I hope you enjoy it too! 🙂