Wouldn’t it be amazing to create your own wholefood mineral supplement and natural probiotic?

Here it is!

Your daily gut healing salad dressing is a must have in your Wholefood Kitchen Pantry as it is not only nutrient-dense but also aids digestion, re-mineralises your body and provides you with natural probiotics. You can make it in bulk on the weekend so that you can use it quickly during the week.

The natural probiotic in the salad dressing comes from miso paste that you can purchase in health food stores, supermarkets and food co-ops. It is made from soybeans, grain rice or barley, salt and koji inoculant which is a mold starter culture. I recommend purchasing organic, GMO free, domestic, naturally fermented, unpasteurised types, available in Health food stores, supermarkets and Food-Coops. I personally prefer shiro miso as it is lighter in color and sweeter in flavor. I really like the creamy consistency that the salad dressing receives through adding the miso. As it is high in salt use it in moderation.

Miso’s medicinal properties include:

• Anti-carcinogen

• Effective in reducing effects of radiation, smoking, air pollution, and other environmental toxins

• The darker the colour of the miso paste, the more potent the medicinal properties

• While all-natural fermented foods are invaluable digestive aids, miso is one of the remarkable ones because soy beans are a nutritive food already and further enhanced through fermentation.

• Concentrated protein source, containing a rich amino-acid profile of the eight-essential amino-acids

• Low in fat

Kelp is another nutrient-dense ingredient with a myriad of health properties. As with most seaweeds it is one of the most amazing cleansers and my favorite natural food supplement which is the reason for adding it to the salad dressing. Medicinally kelp is used for blood pressure regulation, weight loss, digestive aid, colon cleanser, and may alleviate kidney reproductive, circulation and nerve problems. One serving provides the recommended daily allowance of iodine. As many of us use rock salt, which is low in iodine it is even more important to ensure that we receive our recommended daily dose of iodine by adding seaweed sources. Kelp is high in all the major minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron as well as a rich source of trace minerals such as copper, zinc and chromium and contains various vitamins such as A, B6, B12, C, D and K.

Apple Cider has been used for many years as a folk remedy which goes back to its ability to normalize the body’s alkaline/acid balance which is due to its high mineral content, particularly high potassium level. Once consumed it immediately increases circulation, therefore moves stasis, be it emotional or physical. Internally, it cleanses the digestive tract. Its acidity reportedly aids in the removal of calcium deposits from joints and blood vessels without affecting normal calcium levels in the bones and teeth. When purchasing apple cider vinegar, look for organic, unfiltered, unpasteurised products.

RECIPE

Preparation time 5 minutes

Amount: 2/3 cups (150ml)

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar

• ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder

• ½ cup of olive oil

• ½ teaspoons of ground coriander powder

• 1 teaspoon of kelp powder or dulse seaweed flakes

• 1 heaped teaspoon of unpasteurised organic miso paste

METHOD

Combine all the ingredients in a glass jar. Screw the lid well and shake it. Get a nice arm workout going with it. The miso paste can have the tendency to stick to the wall. Just use a spoon and mix it into the dressing. Shake well one more time by cling the jar.

The dressing can be stored in an airtight glass jar in the fridge for a week or two.

Recipe Copyright 2019 Doctor Verena. All Rights Reserved

Images: Amani Lindsell, TWP The Womens Pic Website, Facebook, Instagram

Styling: Belinda Elliott

REFERENCES

• Kok, C.R. & Hutkins, R. (2018). Yogurt and other fermented foods as sources of health-promoting bacteria. Nutr Rev. 76(Supplement_1):4-15. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy056.

• Glob Chang Biol. 2018 Oct 8. doi: 10.1111/gcb.14467. [Epub ahead of print]

• Rajapakse, N. & Kim, S.K. (2011). Nutritional and digestive health benefits of seaweed. Adv Food Nutr Res. 64:17-28. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-387669-0.00002-8.

• Brown, E.S., Allsopp, P.J., Magee, P.J., Gill, C.I., Nitecki, S., Strain, C.R., McSorley, E.M. (2014). Seaweed and human health. Nutr Rev. 72(3):205-16.

• Goal, J., Anthonydhason, V., Muthu, M., Gansukh, E., Jung, S., Chul, S., Iyyakkannu, S. (2017). Authenticating apple cider vinegar's home remedy claims: antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties and cytotoxicity aspect. Nat Prod Res. 11:1-5. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2017.1413567.