OK. I need to share my new “whey” of making lunch. It’s the simplest and healthiest trick doing the laps.
I steam or fry (in coconut oil) some chopped vegetables and throw in a combination of the following: tinned tuna (remember to buy the most sustainable, safest tuna in the supermarket), feta cheese, avocado, an egg, Parmesan cheese, leftover chicken, chopped anchovy fillets, capers, olives, dulce flakes, and mix to heat through, then pour in a bowl.
Then – and this is the bit that counts – I top with some fermented vegetables, which are made by sitting a bunch of veggies in whey to activate the lacto-fermentation process. Why?
- It is the best thing you can do ON THE PLANET for restoring and maintaining the health of your gut. Forget probiotics. Fermented vegetables are the bomb.
- It’s great for your metabolism. Fermented vegetables are full of enzymes that will help break down your lunch, so you don’t get lunch hangover and absorb every bit of goodness in your bowl.
- The sharp taste takes the place of dressing or extra flavouring.
It’s super easy to make your own fermented vegetables. It starts with making your own whey a process that requires straining one litre of yoghurt to produce about 1/3 cup of whey. The whey can then be kept in a jar in the fridge for up to six months.
Or you can buy some pre-made sauerkraut (just make sure you don’t buy the ones with vinegar!).
What to do with the leftover whey? Why, I’m glad you asked. Here’s a few things I’ve been trying:
- Drink it: I add a teaspoon to a chai tea.
- Make my ginger-ade.
- Freeze it: pour into ice cube trays and then blend them into smoothies.
- Activate your bircher: add a teaspoon to your bircher soak or chia puddings (see my I Quit Sugar Cookbook for more).
- Soaking grains and beans: A tablespoon or two in the water will help break down and neutralise most phytic acid and give the added benefit of providing the beneficial bacteria to begin pre-digesting the grain for you.
- Feed to pets: chickens, dogs, cats.
- Probiotic salsa verde: I love this recipe from Nourished Kitchen.
- Put on a pimple: Yep.
- Add to these chocolate nut balls.
- Make healthy mayonnaise: The recipes for this is in my I Quit Sugar Cookbook.
Here’s a few other mish mash lunches topped with fermented goodness I’ve made (there are more on my instagram feed!).
Feel free to ask me any questions…or share your own whey out recipes here…
