Boost your gut with this dessert
Kefir granita (what the heck is kefir?!) and the link to mental health
Hello to my wonderful kitchen smurfs, and my fellow health geeks!
In the market for something refreshing and healthy today? (Hello Dublin! Heatwave where are you?!) Grab yourself some kefir, and raw honey. This one’s for your dynasty of gut microbes who look after you all day everyday. (Oh, okay, it’s for your tastebuds first and foremost).
What is kefir?
Kefir is a probiotic tangy drink made from fermenting milk. It’s a deliciously savvy way to support the freight of healthy bacteria in our gut. Think of it as yoghurt's trendier, tartier sister.
You can make your own version using kefir grains, but I recommend looking out for Blake’s Always Organic Kefir nationwide, Feel Good Irish Kefir, or Supervalu (€1.50), Aldi and Dunnes own brands. All are made in Ireland from Irish milk.
Keeping my little warren of microbes happy has become an obsessive hobby of mine. (And let's be honest, so much easier than taking up jogging. I mean, have you ever seen a jogger smile?) Our microbes – a fancy term for the bacterial ecosystem carousing our pipes – plays an important role in our mental performance. Crazy, right? Keeping these microbes well fed and nourished is rewarding work.
Regular readers will already know this, of course. For my new readers (hi! I see you!) , you’ll find lots more details on gut health from my Health Geeks section, and practically any post I’ve written about legumes and beans. I’m a little infatuated by our plumbing and pipework!
The key to excellent gut health, say Professors Ted Dinan and John Cryan, is in the diversity of these microbes. This week’s kefir granita has an entire catalogue of microbial strains. Profs Cryan and Dinan’s research has shown that food choices can be linked to our mental and emotional states. Lots of conditions we associate with headspace such as stress, anxiety and depression are in fact intimately linked to our gut’s real estate of microbes. They call this the gut-brain axis.
And when a recipe tastes this good, I'm ecstatic just to sit on the sidelines, toasting their research!
A few more ideas for the heat?
In this weather, more often than not, I’m sipping my treats through a straw. (Voluntarily I should add!) This recipe for a mango lassi is a classic for hot days. I’m playing around with different wholefood flavourless protein powders, and can recommend organic Irish whey or flavourless marine collagen. Both melt seamlessly into your tipple. (Watch out for special offers, as collagen can be super pricey).
And, of course, the turmeric and ginger collagen smoothie above gets a dedicated space on our breakfast table every June. During the summer months, I want something sophisticated yet not too filling. Heat can muffle my appetite, so it has to be light.
If you’d prefer something closer to coffee, this hazelnut frappé has your back (also pictured above).
Until next time!
I love welcoming you into my home and my kitchen. Making the leap to Substack has been so nourishing as a cook and writer. I get to connect with you, my most valued readers right here. No annoying ads spraying in our eyes, no controlling algorithms dictating what we see. No spambots. Just unadulterated kitchen talk from my space to yours. I’m so grateful.
Love, light, and microbial lovebombs,
Susan Jane
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// Kefir Granita //
Serves 3
