– to your diet; all in one recipe!
It was Wednesday 13th December, 1989, when I realized that I had a problem. You see my dad had died very suddenly, seven days earlier, from a massive heart attack brought on partly by his inherited high cholesterol. It was such a shock, as he always seemed so healthy and fit from the outside.
I was tested shortly after his funeral and we found I’d inherited the same thing; both very high cholesterol and a slight problem with my heart function – this was super-challenging for me to hear. In fact, doctors told me I’d be dead by the time I was 24 (I was 21 at the time) if I didn’t take medication every day for the rest of my life.
Well, fast forward over 20 years and I’m certainly still alive – in fact I enjoy amazingly good health. I’ve never taken medication, although I do realize that there is of course a place for medicine when appropriate! Instead, my journey over the last 20+ years has led me to create a specific approach to health which has helped me to change my blood test results for the better. I‘ve been teaching and sharing my system with others for over 2 decades. It’s made up of several key steps, including nutrition, a specific exercise plan I’ve created including how we use our bodies at work, plus oxygenation – just to name a few.
A healthy lifestyle has become my passion – in fact it’s become my life’s work.
So, this is the reason ConvertiBelle came to be – a resource that’s rich in all the right areas to make the biggest positive impact on our health!
As part of my journey, I discovered probiotics and recently I’ve had a lot of requests for natural sources of them, and fast ways to create your own probiotic-rich foods. So voila…
Probiotics-Power Dip
Why? I love to make this when I know my digestion’s been working over-time and is a little unsettled…maybe I’ve been travelling overseas, or eating out and it’s been a little challenging to find my ideal meal. It’s also great for gently cleansing your system – including your skin.
When? I enjoy this with carrot and cucumber stix for lunch, or heaped on my evening salad.
Ingredients
Note ** indicates probiotic food source
1 cup green or red cabbage, roughly chopped ** (also packed with vitamin C, and enzymes)
4 small kale leaves**, washed and ripped in half (also alkalizing)
1 cup de-stoned olives ** (opt for the greek, dark ones with no added preservatives – ideally they’re organic in brine or olive oil)
1 cup pumpkin seeds, pre-soaked in filtered water overnight, rinsed and drained just before use
50g organic tofu **
3 tbsp karengo seaweed, presoaked in a little filtered water.
100-200ml filtered water
½ to 1 tsp miso ** – to taste (high in natural probiotic cultures)
3 olives ** de-stoned and sliced, to help your dip look even more beautiful.
1 sprig of parsley – to top it off.
Place the pumpkin seeds into the food processor and blend well with the S-blade. I like a little more texture in my food, so my bending time maybe less than yours if you prefer your dips smoother. Gradually add in the cabbage, kale and olives. Then add in your tofu, karengo and as the optional extra, the miso (if you like a slightly more salty flavor).
Finally, you can add the water according to the texture you prefer – more water if you like a less-dense paste.
Spoon your finished dip into your favourite bowl, and top off your masterpiece with olive slices and parsley.
Makes enough for several days of munching delight – depending on your appetite!
Fi’s top tips for creating perfect, probiotic-rich, raw dips –
Tip 1 • Include organic where you can. If that’s not possible, I always peel the skins of my veggies as this is where the majority of commercially used sprays accumulate.
Tip 2 • Make your dips as green as possible, as they also alkalise (eating lots of darker leafy greens has helped me to increase my energy – and I already had a lot! It can literally alter the pH of our blood to be more alkaline, helping us to function at optimum levels)
Tip 3 • I store any leftovers in a sealed, non-toxic container in the fridge where they can keep for 4 or so days. You can find toxin-free containers (meaning they don’t have chemicals inside them which could leak out into your food or the surroundings) in most supermarkets these days, and I use a brand that’s specifically BPA free. If I’ve made masses, I can usually freeze the extras, and they’re ok for several months. Bear in mind, the vitamins in your foods have a ‘lifespan’ so the longer you freeze them – the less their levels of vitamins. (It seems that freezing your raw foods doesn’t necessarily cause harm though, it’s more the heating of veggies/fruits etc that does.)
Tip 4 • I use 2 cups of pre-soaked and drained pumpkin or sunflower seeds if I’m wanting to ‘up’ my protein and iron
Tip 5 • Karengo and tofu are available from most health food shops
Tip 6 • Optional extra for a super-energy boost: I add a tablespoon of unhulled tahini (available from most good supermarkets and health stores) whilst I’m adding the seaweed.
*BONUS* Given how often I’m asked how to create an even faster meal to help our gut health; it’s definitely time to share my ‘probiotic-booster’ raw green smoothie.
For your FREE copy of this ready-in-5-minutes recipe, just email me @ fi@fijamiesonfolland.com with ‘probiotic-booster – CB’ in the subject line.
Happy feasting!
As seen in Sweet Living 4.14
Fi Jamieson-Folland D.O., I.N.H.C., is The LifeStyle Aligner. She’s an experienced practitioner since 1992 in Europe, Asia and New Zealand as a qualified Osteopath, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, speaker, educator, writer, certified raw vegan gluten-free chef, and Health Brand Ambassador.
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