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One of my clients recently said that she is struggling to stay on healthy eating habits when travelling, especially as there are not really good options when having to wait for the flights at the airports, food choices at airplanes etc. Many of the petrol stations you drive past where there is a cafe, shop, don't focus on providing lots of healthy food options, but rather hamburgers, hotdogs, kebabs, pies, pastries. So how can you make sure you don't run into a food emergency when travelling and can still follow your healthy eating habits? Below I will share with you some ideas to try. 1. Have your own trail mix along It's very easy to create your own trail mix of nuts, seeds, dried berries or fruits. They are packed with healthy fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and keep you satiated till your next meal. Make a mix of any of the following, you can also toast nuts and seeds slightly in the oven: walnuts, pecan nuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut chips, hemp seeds, goji berries, dried figs, dried apricots, dried plums, mulberries. Make sure you purchase dried berries and fruits preservative free (no sulfur dioxide). You can also add cocoa nibs to the mix. 2. Vegetables with hummus Depending on the travel distance and mode of travel, you can also cut some vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, paprika, celery, endives, kohlrabi and make a hummus from chickpeas, lentils- so you can get a good amount of fibre, protein, healthy carbs, fat, minerals and vitamins. 3. Boiled egg or omelette If it's not a long-haul flight or long-distance travel, where you don't have an option to keep food cold (cooler bag, car fridge), you can boil couple of eggs or make an omelette along. Eggs are a nutritious food, filled with healthy fats and protein- keeping you full for hours. You can also put some hummus into the omelette before eating. 4. Nut or seed butters with vegetables or fruits Nut butters travel well (make sure you put them into small below 100ml jar if you travel by airplane as it's a liquid). In some countries you can purchase easy nut butter travel packs. You can eat the nut and seed butters with fruits (like apples, pears) and vegetables (carrots, celery). You can of course have some rice or buckwheat crackers along and spread the nut or seed butters on those as well. Nut butters you can purchase in the store or make yourself: almond butter (I have bought in the past these easy travel packs of nut butter from Jason's peanut butter (make sure you purchase ecological that contains only nuts and sea salt to avoid any unnecessary ingredients and also exposure to mould as peanuts are more susceptible to mould than other nuts or legumes cashew butter tahini (from sesame seeds) sunflower butter (from sunflower seeds) 5. Seaweed with rice, vegetables, guacamole Take along seaweed sheets (that you use for sushi making), some sushi rice (you can also skip the rice), vegetable sticks (cucumber, paprika, celery), guacamole (mashed avocado with some lemon or lime juice, some salt, pepper or cayenne pepper). Easy to assemble if you need a quick meal. 6. Olives Olives are a great nutritious snack to take along. You can purchase them pitted so they are easier to eat or stuffed with for example garlic. 7. Tapenade on cracker bread You can make your own tapenade or purchase a jar. To make your own, chop finely some olives, pistachio nuts, grate some parmesan or pecorino cheese and add olive oil- mix all together. 8. Beef strips, beef jerky There are healthier options for packages beef strips or beef jerky. In Estonia, Liivimaa Lihaveis sells beef jerky in different flavours. Always check the ingredients list, that it doesn't have any preservatives, dextrose. 9. Protein bars, seed bars, energy bars These are a great options for a quick snack and diminish the biggest hunger, but please do read the ingredient list before purchasing. Many bars on the market are nothing but overpriced candy bars filled with artificial sweeteners. What you want to have in your bar is: protein (pea, hemp, collagen) healthy fats (nuts, seeds, MCT oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil) if sweeteners then natural sweeteners like dates, honey or other fruits or berries are the best. Stevia is also ok as it has no impact on blood sugar. Erythitrol is ok, though can cause unpleasant gastrointestinal issues for some. Better options for non-nutritive sweeteners are allulose and monk fruit. You can check my post on sugar for more options for healthy and unhealthy sweeteners. What you don't want from a protein bar is artificial sweeteners, like sucralose, maltitol, aspartame, dextrose etc. A bar should ideally contain less than 5g of sugar (and fructose and agave are not healthy sugars). look for a bar that contains at least 5g of fibre- whether as nuts, nut butters, chia seeds, flaxseeds, inulin. If the manufacturer has fortified the bar with vitamins and minerals, be aware, as often they are cheap and poorly absorbed by the body (sulfate, gluconate, magnesium oxide etc). Also make sure that the bars don't contain any gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, if you have food sensitivities. Here are a couple of bars on the market to try: RXbar , Aloha , Epic , Bulletproof , Lärabar , Sakara , Truvani The Only Bar Loodusvägi , Ampstükk , BeMore in Estonia also have bars, but they are higher in carbs, some lower in protein but definitely healthier options than other protein bars, energy bars sold in Estonian market. Nakd bars is also healthier choice but has also higher carbohydrate content due to dates and raisins in the bar. Puls (can also be bought in store in Estonia) in Finland has two bars, a chocolate bar and peanut butter bar which I have bought for my teenage son for energy or after-workout quick snack. 10. Canned salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna with a cracker bread If you fly, this is not a good option, but if you travel by car, this a quick and easy snack to have. Just make sure, you purchase the canned fish in water or olive oil (avoid other oils as these can be inflammatory). These fish are full of protein, healthy fats- just don't overdo with tuna as tuna contains mercury unlike the other suggested canned fish options. For cracker bread, you can purchase rice crackers, buckwheat crackers or other non-gluten options. 11. Avocado on a cracker bread Avocado is packed with healthy fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It's easy to take along a ripe avocado, use a knife to cut it in half, scoop out the mixture (discard the pit) and mash it with a fork or a knife on a cracker bread. 12. Homemade muffins Good thing with muffins when you make them at home is that you can really make them nutritious, choose what you put in there and they travel well. I have a few recipes I have shared in the past for muffins: macadamia and cashew nut muffins , pumpkin muffins and blueberry muffins . 13. No-bake protein balls These are a great snack you can also get your kids involved creating. Blend together in the food processor gluten-free rolled oats, nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew), chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts), some dried fruit for sweetness (dates, raisins, prunes, apricots, cranberries), shredded coconut, protein powder (pea protein, hemp protein, bone broth protein etc), cocoa nibs. Roll into small bite-size balls and put in the cooler. I hope you found some tips for easy healthy snack foods to take along on your trip alone or with kids. If you have any other healthy snacks you have tried, please do share in the comments below.

My mother's garden is overflowing with zucchinis (courgettes, as they are called in some parts of the world), so I have had the privilege to eat fresh organic zucchinis now for couple of weeks. I have really had them in so many different ways, but today since I was told I will have surprise visitors coming, I decided to make a quiche with zucchini and chanterelles. Since I am gluten-free for years, I was looking for a recipe that had an alternative base to wheat-flour base. I used this recipe from Light Food Full of Flavour as a basis. Zucchinis contain potassium, manganese, riboflavin, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin K, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, thiamine, niacin, calcium, zinc, selenium, iron, choline and vitamin E. As you can see zucchini contains a fare amount of nutrients. Quinoa quiche with chanterelles and zucchini For 8 persons Ingredients For the gluten-free quinoa quiche pastry: 2/3 cup of quinoa flour 1/3 cup of corn starch 1/4 cup of ground flax seeds 110g of butter 2tbsp of goat's yoghurt For the filling: Ghee for frying (you can use also olive oil) 1 large red onion, finely chopped 1 garlic glove, crushed 3 cups of chanterelles (you can use also other types of mushrooms but as chanterelles are in season, I chose to use those) 1 medium-sized zucchini (courgette), halved and thinly sliced 1tsp of fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp of dried thyme 4 cups of fresh spinach 3 large eggs 145g of soft goat's cheese 5tbsp of goat's yoghurt A little bit of truffle oil (optional) Salt and pepper to taste Instructions Pre-heat the oven to 200C degrees. To make the pastry, mix in a bowl together quinoa flour, corn starch, ground flax seeds (I milled mine in the coffee grinder). Then add in cubed butter and mix with your hands thoroughly through. Add in the goat's yoghurt and mix. The dough should feel soft. Grease the pie dish. Flatten to dough, place it in the middle of the pie dish. With your fingers keep pushing the dough down and outward and up the sides of the dish as well. Put the pie dish in the fridge for 30 minutes. While the pastry is in the fridge, fry the onions 5 minutes on the pan, then add crushed garlic, zucchini (I removed the inner seeds so it's less watery), mushrooms and thyme and cook for 10 minutes. Finally add the spinach and mix until spinach has wilted (1-2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and lift the pan off the heat. Take the pie dish out from the fridge, prick a few holes with a fork all over the bottom. Place the pie dish in the oven and bake for 17 minutes. Take it out of the oven and leave to cool down for a few minutes. In a small bowl mix together the eggs, goat's cheese, goat yoghurt- season with salt and pepper and pour the mixture into the cooked vegetables. Bake the quiche in the oven for 25 minutes. Cool down a bit before serving. Enjoy!

Pancakes have been our family Sunday morning tradition as long as I can remember. And over the years of my life we have really had different recipes from sour milk small fluffy pancakes that our mother and grandmother used to make, to thin big crepes. Kids enjoy still the big crepe pancakes the most we actually make two types of pancakes on Sunday morning. Since I went gluten-free in 2017, we also introduced gluten-free banana pancakes to our Sunday breakfast menu. I don't follow really any recipe when making banana pancakes as I used different gluten free flours, like almond flour, coconut flour, pumpkin seed flour, cassava flour, gluten-free oats flour- depending what we have available in the house. And most of the times I mix different flours together to increase the nutritional value of the pancakes. Almond flour is nutritious, containing 7g of protein, 15g of fat, 5g of carbs, 3 grams of fibre (in 1 1/4 cup serving) as well as iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, calcium. Cassava flour (1/4 cup) contains, 31g of carbs, 2 g of fibre, 0 g of fat, 0g of protein, potassium, calcium- it's nutritionally relatively low, but contains resistant starch, which is fermented in the large intestine (food (prebiotic) for your gut bacteria and may improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Coconut flour is made from coconut flesh that has been dried and ground. It has high nutritional value, where 1/4 of a cup contains 10g of fibre, 18g of carbs, 6g of protein, 3 g of fat, 6 g of sugar, iron and potassium. Pumpkin seed flour contains in a 1/4 a cup, 7g of carbs, 12g of protein, 1g of fat, zinc and iron. Below is a banana pancake recipe from today's breakfast, which we enjoyed today and will be able to also have for breakfast tomorrow. Easy and healthy banana pancakes For 4-6 persons Ingredients 5 eggs 2 bananas (I buy bananas when they are still slightly green at the ends, yellow in the middle, as then they are richer in resistant starch) 1 cup of goat's milk yoghurt (you can use also Greek yoghurt) 1/4 of a cup almond flour 1/4 of a cup coconut flour 1/4 of a cup pumpkin seed flour 1/6 of a cup cassava flour 1/2 tsp of Himalayan salt 1/2 tsp of baking powder 3 tbsp of liquid coconut oil or melted butter For serving: You can use really different options from berries and fruits. We like to use wild blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and sometime mango. We also use almond butter, cocoa nibs, bee pollen, sometimes hemp seeds. For kids we also have an ecological hazelnut chocolate cream, maple syrup and they sometimes use cinnamon-raw cane sugar mix with a squeeze of lemon juice. Instructions We put all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend a minute or so. We mix the melted butter or coconut oil (melted) into the batter and we don't use any additional fat on the pan- makes it easier and hassle free to bake the pancakes. We do have a pancake pan and a normal pan for frying, so frying is mostly shared between myself and my husband at the same time. Now and again kids take the frying over, but they often tend to sleep long on Sundays. We also watch watch a cooking show like Iron Chef at Netflix , while frying the pancakes, to get some inspiration and our mouths watering for breakfast ;). Enjoy!

My kids started school again yesterday and I wanted to make a couple of different types of muffins for their class picnic. Inspired by Kelly LeVeque Kitchen Sink muffins (not sure why they are called with this name), I wanted to bake muffins that are nutritious, healthy, contain the spices like cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla and that I can use the marzipan apples and zucchinis from my mother's garden. Since I made quite a few of them, I was able to take muffins to picnic, a few for my brother on his birthday, gave one muffin to a friend for breakfast and took a couple to my mother. They turned out very good and definitely something that I will bake again in coming 2 weeks. Autumn inspired delicious muffins For 6 persons Ingredients 1 cup of grated carrots 1 cup of grated zucchini (I did not grate the inside part, which has seeds and is more watery) 1 cup of grated apples (I used marzipan apple, but any apple would work) 1 grated banana (use a ripe one) 2 eggs 2 heap tablespoons of coconut oil 1tsp of vanilla extract 1 cup of almond flour 1/2 cup of coconut flour 1tsp of baking soda 1tsp of cinnamon 1/2 tsp of cardamon 1/4 tsp of nutmeg 1/4 tsp of sea salt 1/2 cup of raisins 1/2 cup of raw walnuts Instructions Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (350F). Grease the muffin pan holes with coconut oil or butter and put muffin liners into the muffin pan holes. Grate the apples, carrot and zucchini into a clean kitchen towel. Turn the kitchen towel into a roll and squeeze out the excess liquid from the fruits and vegetables. I used the liquid as a base for my morning green smoothie, where I added a celery stalk, a small cucumber and knob of ginger. In a big bowl, mix together egg, shredded apple, carrot, zucchini, banana, vanilla extract and coconut oil. In another bowl mix together almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, sea salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add in raisins and break in walnuts. Mix well. Take a tablespoon and put the batter into the muffin liners. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Cool down and enjoy!

The last couple of crisp mornings inspired me to try something new for breakfast, that's healthy, has good amount of prebiotics and probiotics and is heart and body warming. And since I am also trying to increase the breakfast options for my kids, a pear crumble from locally grown organic pears seemed like a good one to experiment with. I baked it last night and both husband and kids enjoyed it this morning for breakfast, including myself. Breakfast pear crumble For 6 persons Ingredients 6 pears 1/2 cup of raisins 6 dried apricots (make sure you purchase organic without sulphites) 2 cups of rolled oats (I have purchased these gluten free oats from Elovena ) 1 cup of walnuts 1/2 cup of slivered almonds 2-2.5 tsp of cinnamon 1/2 tsp of cardamom 50g of butter 2 cups of water Instructions Pre-heat the oven to 190C (375F). Gut the pears into cubes (I did not peel the pears, since the skin contains a good antioxidant called quercetin and is a good source of fibre). Mix the pears with 2tsp of cinnamon, cardamom, raisins and chopped dried apricots in an oven dish. In a separate bowl mix together oats, 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, melted butter, slightly chopped walnuts and slivered almonds. Spread the mixture on top of the pears. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until crispy on top. Serve as it is, with your choice of milk or top it with plain yoghurt (I used plain unflavoured coconut yoghurt) and add berries, hemp seeds, cocoa nibs if you like to upgrade your bowl further. Enjoy!

Our microbiome, which is is the collection of microbes, like bacteria, viruses, fungi and their genes, talks to our mitochondria to make more energy, talks to our brain to determine our mood, talks to our DNA. Most of us know about the probiotics and prebiotics, but not so many know about the postbiotics. In the below article I cover what are they and why do they matter to your body. What are postbiotics They are a byproduct of a friendly bacteria in your gut ( probiotics ) when they eat what fertilises and grows them ( prebiotics ). So essentially postbiotics are a waste left behind by your body after digesting both probiotics and prebiotics. And it's these bacteria you need to make a difference in your health. In order to have more postbiotics produced by your gut bacteria and actually get the health benefits linked with prebiotics and probiotics, you need to consume more prebiotic and probiotic foods on a regular basis. Below are various types of postbiotics produced in your body: short-chain fatty acids (these are produced by the body from the fibre you eat and support the health of the intestinal mucosa) enzymes (help digest food, participate in other metabolic processes and help the body get rid of toxins) vitamins (such as vitamin B and vitamin K) amino acids (the "building blocks" of proteins) organic acids (help maintain the correct pH level in the intestine) immune system compounds (support immune cells) bacteriocins (make it more difficult for the bad bacteria to grow) neurotransmitters (transmit messages between nerves and the brain) nitric oxide (important for cardiovascular health) What are the health benefits of postbiotics? Although postbiotics are a waste product of probiotic bacteria, they offer several health benefits to your body. Boost your immune system A short-chain fatty acid, butyrate, can stimulate the production of T cells in your intestine. T cells help to control the majority of your body's immune response. Reduce the inflammation Cell wall fragments and supernatant from healthy bacteria increase the production of anti-inflammatory chemical messengers called cytokines that help to reduce inflammation in your body. Reduce digestive issues People with irritable bowel disease produce less butyrate in the gut, which is important for regulating immunity and inflammation in the gut. Reduce diarrhoea May treat diarrhoea as postbiotics reduce bowel motion frequency, bloating and relieve pain. Help with weight loss and manage blood sugar levels Short-chain fatty acids may help with weight loss by suppressing hunger signals and keeping your blood sugar levels more stable. Help with allergies Allergies happens when your body's immune system overreacts to a perceived threat. Since postbiotics help to boost your immune system, they also improve your immune response by decreasing allergic reactivity. By consuming more variety of different probiotic and prebiotic foods (kefir, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso, cottage cheese, fermented pickles, garlic, flaxseeds, oats etc) on a regular basis, you make sure your body produces a good amount of postbiotics to support your overall health. If you struggling with your health and are looking for a health coach and nutrition counsellor to support you and help you to achieve better health through nutrition and lifestyle modifications, don't hesitate to reach out to me at info@katrinpeo.com.

Autumn with its first chilly days, trees changing colours, the morning fog and dew call you to go inward, reach for warming foods and generally slow down with cooking in the kitchen- especially during the weekend. And since autumn for me has also been the pumpkin season, I am incorporating more dishes with pumpkin, butternut into our menu. Today I made some butternut squash and portobello mushroom risotto, which does take a little bit of time to prepare but is well worth the effort. Butternut squash and mushroom risotto For 5 people Ingredients 1 medium butternut squash 2 big garlic cloves 1.5 cup of risotto rice 1l of chicken bone broth 4 medium sized portobello mushrooms, sliced 2 tbsp of tamari sauce (this is a gluten free version of soy sauce) 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 branch of rosemary finely chopped 150g of pecorino cheese, grated Salt and pepper to taste Chopped parsley for garnish Instructions Heat the oven to 180C degrees (356F). I use the roasting function of the oven. Cut the butternut into 1 cm slices and then half them. I don't peel them before cooking as the peeling is rather difficult. But you can do that if you want to. I peel the butternut after cooking and remove the seeds before the cooking. Put the butternut pieces on the oven pan and also put the two gloves with the peel on. Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil and sea salt on the butternut pieces and mix with your hands. Spread the pieces out on the pan and put in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. At the same time fry the finely chopped onion with ghee or butter on the pan until golden, then add the risotto rice and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth to the rice and cook on a medium heat, stirring from time to time. In a separate pan add a little bit of ghee and fry the portobello mushrooms. Add tamari sauce and a little bit of salt and pepper to taste. Once the butternut is ready, take it out from the oven. Cool it down and then remove the skin from the butternut pieces and chop into smaller pieces. Mix into the rice. Also, remove the garlic from the peel and mix the soft garlic pieces into the risotto. Then add the grated pecorino cheese, finely chopped rosemary and grind some fresh pepper and sea salt into the risotto. Scoop the risotto into bowls, garnish with parsley and serve. Enjoy!

I have been asked many times what is it exactly that I am doing, what is integrative nutrition health coaching. So I thought I'll bring more clarity around this to a wider audience. Photo by Portraits by Katery What does an integrative nutrition health coach do? I am a wellness guide and a supportive mentor for people looking to improve their health or wanting to achieve specific health goals. I empower clients to choose health-promoting behaviours that work for them. I am guiding people through the too many dietary guidelines and diets in the world, help them to discover the way of healthy eating that works for them and also that works with their lifestyle. It's very much a bio-individual approach towards every person as we all have different backgrounds where we come from, how we were brought up, how was our diet and how is our diet today, health challenges in the past and present, physical movement practices we engage in on a regular basis, our emotional needs etc. Health coaching is definitely NOT about one diet or one way of living. I raise awareness and offer support as clients move in their own bio-individual ways- I help to make connections, identify patterns, shift limiting beliefs using a growth mindset. I coach clients to be experts on themselves and find their own answers. Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) where I studied for a year, emphasises that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to health and wellness. I am helping my clients to discover how to fuel their bodies, live a healthy lifestyle, and how to become the happiest, healthiest versions of themselves by discovering exactly what works for them. I consult clients all around the world, in English or in Estonian. What IIN also taught me to discover both about myself and my clients, was that there are things that feed us on the plate (which is what we eat and drink and what IIN calls secondary food) and off the plate (relationships, physical activity, social life, spirituality, career, finances, joy, home environment, home cooking, and what IIN calls primary food). And it's in many cases where the primary food is much more important to focus on and improve in order to heal. How do I work with clients? When a potential client reaches out to me, first I get the client to fill in a registration form, that gives me an overview of the current and past health challenges, the habits related to health (stress, sleep, exercise, alcohol, cigarettes), briefly the daily schedule and reasons the client contacted me. I also request the client to keep a food diary for 3-5 days so I get a better understanding of the current nutrition. Then we schedule a first session together either online (Zoom, Google Meet) or face to face. The first session takes anything from 60 minutes to 90 minutes . I will provide feedback to the client about their current nutrition based on their current energy needs, which is influenced by weight, exercise, age, goals etc. We focus in that session also on the goal the client has and what are the one to two activities the client can do around nutrition and health to get closer to that goal. If the client has multiple aspects in the nutrition and health they want to improve and they know they need support and guidances, they can choose to sign up for my 3-month or 6 month nutrition and health coaching program . In the 3-month and 6-month program I would meet virtually or physically twice a month with a client for 45 minutes, where the client tells me what they want to focus on around their nutrition, health and goals, what has been going well and in every session client chooses after our session 1-2 new healthy habits from our discussion to implement during the upcoming 2 weeks. I also provide supporting materials, recipes, links to read further, what's needed to support the client. Client can definitely extend the program after 3 or 6 months to another 3 or 6 month program if they feel they need further support and guidance. With the majority of my clients, they come to me with a goal to improve their nutrition, loose weight, heal their relationship with food, heal their digestion issues or hormonal issues, improve their sleep, improve their skin etc. I often recommend the client also to go and get their most important blood markers tested through their primary healthcare practitioner, family doctor or go directly to the laboratory (like Synlab in Estonia), so client knows where their current health is at and then retest after several months when they have implemented healthier eating and lifestyle habits. Depending on the client, I'll also bring in after couple of sessions the primary food areas and I get the client to evaluate where they are at in the areas of relationships, physical activity, home environment, home cooking, career, finances, social life, joy, spirituality and we'll see together how to bring more balance into these areas. If a client wants to make healthier food choices in the grocery store and wants advice on what to buy in the store, what not to buy, how to read the ingredients and nutritional information on the packages, we can make a trip to the store or the market together, where I can advise on what is important to focus on when buying food and how to make healthy choices in the grocery store. As an nutrition councelor and integrative nutrition health coach, my passion is really to be there for the client, to actively listen, to look at my client holistically, to support and to guide my client towards the best and healthiest version of themselves. If the above is something that raises interest in you, whether you want to improve nutrition, have health goals you want to reach (or know someone who could benefit from a nutrition councelor and health coach), don't hesitate to reach out to me. You can contact me via e-mail at info@katrinpeo.com or reach out to me via Facebook Messenger or Instagram . Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coach

I have been posting a few recipes for muffins in the past, like these autumn inspired muffins , macadamia and cashew nut muffins , or these blueberry muffins and pumpkin muffins . Muffins are an easy breakfast when you have kids and also a good snack to give kids along, when they need to have extra energy before their sports activities. One of the reasons my kids are waiting for winter is because of gingerbread cookies. So I thought I'll bring them the taste of gingerbread into autumn and baked some apple sauce and gingerbread muffins. These are gluten and sugar free, getting the sweetness from the apple sauce, a little bit of honey and maple syrup. Apple gingerbread muffins Makes 12 Ingredients 3/4 cup of millet flour 3/4 cup gluten free oats flour ( I buy these and mill them in the coffee grinder) 1/4 cup sunflower seed flour (I grind sunflower seeds in the coffee grinder) 1tsp of baking soda 1tsp of baking powder 1/2 tsp of cardamon 1tsp of cinnamon 1/2 tsp of ground ginger 1/2 tsp of freshly ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp of ground glove 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds Pinch of salt 4 tbsp of almond flakes 1 cup of apple sauce (I gut 6 apples up, removed the core, gut the apple pieces into smaller pieces, put them in a pot, with a little bit of water- and boiled for 10 minutes until apples were soft. Then I blended with a high-speed blender into smooth apple sauce). 2 eggs 2 tbsp of maple syrup 1tbsp of honey 1/4 cup of blackstrap molasses (I did not add it this time, but you can add if you want your muffins sweeter and darker in colour). 1tbsp of apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup of coconut oil Instructions Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Grease the muffin pan with coconut oil or butter. Put the muffin liners in the holes. First start with making the apple sauce as per instructions above. I do not peel the apples if they are local and organic as peels contain several important vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, C and K, calcium, potassium. Mix together all the dry ingredients. Whip the eggs and add in maple syrup, honey, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil and also the apple sauce. Mix well. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Scoop the mixture into the muffin liners and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. You can scoop some greek yoghurt or spread some soft goat's cheese on muffins. Enjoy the taste of winter!

This is a smoothie perfect to drink during autumn and winter- it can be drank room temperature or slightly warmed up as it contains those lovely warming spices, like ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg. Plus it's filled with vitamins minerals, good dose of fibre and good fat- and very soothing for the gut. Pumpkin spice smoothie Ingredients 1 1/2 cup of almond milk (make sure it contains only almond paste, water and sea salt. I buy this one in Estonia .) 1/2 cup of coconut milk 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree (I made a bigger batch of oven baked pumpkins the other evenings and using it for different recipes) 3 Medjool dates, pitted ( I buy these ones in Estonia ) 1/4 cup of hemp hearts (leave a little bit for serving). I buy these in Estonia . 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (leave a little bit for serving) 1/4 tsp of ginger 1/4 tsp of cardamom pinch of clove powder (I use coffee grinder to grind clove) pinch of grated nutmeg 1tsp of vanilla extract 1 tbsp of collagen powder (optional, but a good way to get protein in) Instructions Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. You can then serve it as is from the glass and topped with cinnamon and hemp seeds or warm it up to your preferred temperature. Enjoy!

I hardly know any woman in my age who has not had urinary tract infection (UTI) in their life. Many of us end up having them on a frequent basis. Having been there myself, I want to share my learnings over the years and what I have learnt from functional medicine doctors and other health practitioners around UTIs. I hope the below helps women to consider different ways for healing from UTIs or at least have conversation with their doctor to talk about different solutions. Types of UTIs There are different types of UTI: urethritis and cystitis. Urethritis is an infection in the urethra, which can cause nausea, vomiting, pain in the upper back and side, shaking and chills, high fever. Both bacteria like E.coli and viruses can cause urethritis. Cystitis is a bladder infection, which is a lower urinary tract infection. You may experience discomfort in your lower stomach, pelvic pain, blood in urine, painful and frequent urination. Bladder infection occurs when the bacteria is present in urine. Since your organs are all connected, bacteria can also travel up and affect the kidneys. You may experience burning sensation when urinating and discharge. What are the causes of UTIs There are several factors that increase the risk of developing UTIs. Having the knowhow what causes it, can help to prevent them in the future. Why do women get UTIs more frequently than men? Women have much shorter urethra than men, therefore the bacteria can end up in the urinary tract and blood. 90% of the infections related to bladder, kidneys, urethra are related to E. coli bacteria, which lives normally harmlessly in our intestines, both in humans and animals. The problem is when the bacteria gets from the bowels into the urinary tract. Birth control pills (because how oestrogen affects the pH) and antibiotics taken in life shift the urinary pH and the intestinal pH, which has a big impact on urinary tract and bladder, allowing the bacteria more easily to grow. Sexual intercourse and spermicidal contraceptives. Sexual activity can move bacteria from vaginal cavity into the urethral opening. After intercourse most women have a significant number of bacteria in their urine and though body tries to get rid of the bacteria via urine, some of the bacteria may remain and cause infection. Spermicides and condoms may irritate the skin and increase the growth of bacteria in surrounding tissues. Catheters- when you need to have a catheter placed, it can develop biofilm on catheter allowing for bacteria to develop and cause an infection Pregnant women are more prone to having UTIs- often women develop their first UTI during their pregnancy because of the hormonal changes and the shifts in the position of the urinary tract Having a suppressed immune system puts you at higher risk developing UTI, because your body is not able to fight off the bacteria that well People with diabetes, where body's ability to control blood sugar is impaired, also increases the risks for developing UTIs What are the symptoms of UTI? They can be extremely uncomfortable and may include: painful urination pressure or burning sensation in the bladder a need to urinate more frequently abdominal pain fatigue and weakness strong-smelling pee urine that's cloudy or appears bright pink or red How is UTI diagnosed? You can easily do a home test with urinary test strips, where you can see elevated nitrites and leukocytes with UTI. Sometimes, especially if you have had reoccurring UTIs, your doctor might order a urine test, where the lab actually analysis the different bacteria in your urine and also see the severity of the bladder infection. Treatment of UTIs Conventional treatment for UTIs Unfortunately, the most common treatment for UTIs is antibiotics. In Estonia, where I live, doctors I have been to also recommend to drink uva ursi tea, take d-mannose, drink more water or recommend some other over the counter supplements, like Soluro Duo . But often women end up being prescribed antibiotics. The down-side of antibiotics is that, it might help you in the short-term, but the more frequently you have UTIs, the harder it is to have the infection cured with antibiotics and often you are being prescribed different antibiotics as the one that you took before, might not work. And over time you can start to experience antibiotics resistance, which means the bacteria (E.coli, the primary bacteria responsible for the UTIs), is able to defeat the drug designed to kill them. Every time you go on antibiotics, you damage your gut microbiome (reducing the good flora in your intestinal tract), your mitochondria (your body's cells powerhouses) and the microbiota in your vaginal cavity. Antibiotics can also cause yeast infections as when good bacteria is wiped out, it's harder to keep the yeast under control. So then doctor might prescribe you anti-fungal after an antibiotic. And you end up on this reoccurring UTI rollercoaster ride. How to treat UTIs naturally? There are several home remedies for UTIs you can try to stop the invasion of bacteria becoming a reoccurring problem and things you can do to avoid UTIs in the first place. I am going to list here different things you can try. And based on experience, I would really recommend you try the natural remedies first before deciding together with the doctor whether you need antibiotics. Sometimes the infection is so severe, that going on a course of antibiotics is necessary, but definitely worth to try other non-invasive remedies first. And if you have gut issues as well and you are aware of your diet not being clean, where you eat sugary foods, refined carbohydrates, processed foods on a regular basis- it's best to work together with a functional doctor, nutritionist, health coach to improve with you diet and lifestyle. Drinking adequate amount of water , herbal tea, which helps to flush the bacteria out from your body Urinating often and when the urge rises Urinating after sexual intercourse Wiping properly from front to back when going to toilet- this is a good tip to teach to young girls from an early age Wear loose-fitting clothes, allowing the area around urethra to stay dry (tight jeans, nylon underwear can be problematic. Also don't use perfumed pantyliners if using any) Avoid using spermicides and use lubricated condoms that don't contain spermicides Taking D-mannose Consuming probiotic food and/or taking good quality probiotic Using vaginal probiotics to improve the microflora and avoiding bubble baths and irritating soaps in the genital area. Drinking uva ursi tea or taking uva ursi tincture Drinking parsley tea Eating cranberries Eating garlic as it's antimicromial and anti-inflammatory Consuming ginger in your drink or food Eating parsley Drinking non-sweetened pure cranberry juice, diluted with water Taking Echinacea or Pau D'arco to improve the immune system Eating regularly foods high in vitamin C or taking Vitamin C supplement (makes urine more acidic) Making sure you avoid sugary processed foods and drinks, high carbs in your diet, alcohol Avoid getting cold on your feet, lower back and stomach area Reducing stress Improving sleep Always discuss the birth control options with your gynaecologist, as birth control pills which are often prescribed can cause issues and imbalances in the gut, causing bloating, diarrhoea, constipation etc. Using antibacterial essential oils diluted with carrier oil, topically- oregano, clove, myrrh, rosemary, basil Foods that help healing from UTIs- bone-broth , chicken, cranberries, wild-caught salmon, coconut, blueberries, dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, carrots, celery, radishes, pumpkin, parsley, beans, lentils, seaweed, rice etc. Gut connection with UTIs If you have bacteria or yeast imbalances in the urinary tract or vaginal tract, you probably have issues in the digestive tract. You might want to look deeper into intestinal tract, if you have any underlying issues there. By fixing the gut, you help to improve the immune system in the vaginal area as well. Best is to find a functional medicine doctor in your area, who can help to dial in deeper into the underlying causes of the UTI, by also doing stool test, organic acid test etc. Uncomplicated UTIs usually resolves within days, especially if you follow the above recommendations. However, if you are experiencing severe symptoms or have reoccurring UTI, it's best to talk to your healthcare provider. If you need help and guidance on how to improve your diet and lifestyle, don't hesitate to reach out to me for personalised nutrition counselling and health coaching at info@katrinpeo.com .

I am struggling to find good quality bars on the market, that I can buy for my kids, that are a good source of protein and energy at the same time- and which are a good healthy snack between their school and daily sports activities. So I am experimenting now creating my own bars. It will take some practice, especially if kids have different preferences for ingredients and flavours. And of course these can be used by grownups as well as a snack before and after exercise. The inspiration for these bars came from a lovely woman named Michelle from my IIN coaching circle group. Almond butter protein and energy bars Makes 15 square bars Ingredients 1 cup of chopped dates ( I have bought these ones in Estonia)- remove the pits 1/2 cup of oats ( I buy these in Estonia) 1/2 cup chopped almonds 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup of unsweetened desiccated coconut 1 tsp of cinnamon 1/2 tsp of sea salt 1/2 cup of almond butter ( I bought this one - yes you can make almond butter with a good quality high-speed food processor yourself) 1/4 cup of protein powder (you can use clean pea protein, hemp protein, I used this time Sunwarrior Vanilla protein ). If you use unflavoured protein, you can taste the mixture and see if you would want to add a 1 tbsp of honey. Instructions First blend the pitted dates in the food processor until smooth. Add finely chopped nuts, coconut, cinnamon, salt, almond butter and protein powder. Blend until all ingredients are properly mixed together. Line a square or rectangular baking dish or a bowl with parchment paper. Spread mixture into dish and press down to even layer. Let the mixture cool in fridge 1-2 hours till its firm. Take it out from the fridge, take the mixture together with parchment out from the dish and cut into square or rectangular bars. I wrapped them in smaller parchment paper for kids to be able to easily take them with to school. I store the bars in fridge.

I am always looking for options to broaden the healthy nutritious breakfast options for my family. And since pears are still in season and I happened to pick quite a few of them from our garden couple of days, I thought I'd try and make a pear bread using one of my banana bread recipe as a basis but making modifications to the recipe where needed. I do have times when my creativity around baking does not end with the result I expected, but this time I did not fail. Pears have high amounts of fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, potassium, boron. They also contain antioxidants, especially in the skin- therefore I do not peel the pears when using them in food. If you have constipation, struggle with high cholesterol, you want to strengthen your heart health and nourish the skin.- then pears are a good addition to your diet. Healthy gluten-free pear bread Makes 10 thick slices Ingredients 6 medium sized pears (use local organic or home grown if possible) 1/2 cup of butter 2 eggs 1 tbsp of honey (melt it in a very low temperature, (don't boil it)- to turn it into a liquid 1 cup of almond flour 1 cup of millet flour 1tsp of baking powder 1/4 tsp of baking soda 3/4 tsp of sea salt 1/2 cup of buttermilk Squeeze of lemon 1/3 cup of mulberries (you can also use raisins) Handful of pecan nuts, chopped 1tbsp of cocoa nibs (you can also omit if you don't like chocolate) Instructions Pre-heat the oven to 180C degrees (350F). Wash and grate the pears with skin on, discarding the inner part with seeds. If you don't have access to organic local pears, peel the pears. Save 2 pear for the top. Squeeze a little bit of lemon, to avoid the browning of the pears. Mix well. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and add the melted honey. Then add in 2 eggs and mix thoroughly together. In a separate bowl mix together almond flour, millet flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Then pour the dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Add in the buttermilk and finally chopped mulberries, chopped pecan nuts and cocoa nibs. Grease your bread mold or pan and pour the mixture in there. Gut the one pear you left for decoration into pieces and lay them on top of the batter. Bake in the oven for 1h. Remove from the oven, cool down, slice and enjoy on its own or top it with a tablespoon of greek yoghurt, coconut yoghurt. You can also add some berries, like raspberries, blueberries.

Beets are filled with phytonutrients called betalains that support liver detoxification. They contain fibre and vitamins and minerals like folate, manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and iron- all important for heart health, bone health, brain health, energy production etc. Beet kvass is a probiotic drink, similar to kombucha or coconut water kefir - a perfect blood tonic and an excellent liver cleanser. Probiotics are important for our gut health, to increase the quantity of good bacteria. Beet kvass is made similarly to making sauerkraut , pickles, where you ferment beets in slightly salted brine for a few days. The taste is similar to fermented vegetables- lightly sour, a little bit sweet and salty. Easy beet kvass recipe Makes approx 500ml Ingredients 2 cups of cubed beets 2 tbsp of juice from your sauerkraut or other fermented vegetable. You can also add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (make sure you use the one with 'mother' in it) 1/2 tbsp of sea salt or Himalayan salt 2 cups of filtered water I like to add boosters like grated fresh ginger and fresh turmeric when making the beet kvass. Instructions Wash the beets and place them in a 1l (1 quart) glass jar. Add the fermented vegetable juice or apple cider vinegar, together with the salt. If you like ginger and turmeric, add these grated in in there as well (a thumb size grated or so). Cover with a cheesecloth or with a coffee paper filter an an elastic band. Leave on the counter or in a warm place at room temperature for 2 days. Consume 1/4 cup or so daily as a blood tonic and to support your liver health. Stores in the fridge for 6-8 weeks. You can also mix some raisins or strawberries in there, or add some mint leaves for additional flavour. Don't discard the beets, you can use them as a nice garnish together with steamed greens to add some tangy flavour.

Food is information for our body cells, it either helps to fight inflammation or feed inflammation in the body. We need to know that not all food sold in the grocery store is food- edible and nutritious. As a consumer it's important to have the knowhow how to shop for your groceries, how to make the best choices for your own health and your family's health. Here are a few guidelines, if you want to shop mindfully in the grocery store: a simple first tip to follow is to purchase single ingredient food products: vegetables, fruits, plain fish, plain meat, eggs, raw nuts and seeds, legumes (beans, lentils), extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil etc. Avocado does not come with a food label. a second good rule to follow is to always read the product label: if the label has ingredients you don't recognise as food, don't buy it- your body does not know either what to do with it, how to digest it and will do what it can to protect you (cause inflammatory response to the foods). Ingredients to avoid: shortening, sodium nitrates, sodium nitrites (in processed meats- bacon, sausages, ham), MSG (monosodium glutamate), artificial colours (red 40, blue 1, yellow 5 etc), guar gum (in ice creams, salad dressings, non-dairy milk products, sauces, soups), carrageenan (in almond milk, ice cream, vegan cheese), sodium benzoate (in pickles, fruit juice, salad dressings, condiments), xanthan gum (in sauces, salad dressings, soups, syrups), artificial flavours, yeast extract etc. foods are listed in the ingredients list based on their amounts in that produced food, so if the sugar is listed first, that product contains the most sugar etc. check the sugar content in the packaged food. On the product label, first check the grams of sugar. Then if there is any fibre listed, subtract the fibre amount from the sugar amount. Only then you get the sugar amount in that food. And remember 4g of sugar equals 1tsp of sugar. A tub (for example 370g of wild strawberry Greek yoghurt can have 11g of sugar per 100g, which makes it around 33g of sugar for the tub, which is 8 tsp of sugar per the yoghurt tub, if you ate the whole tub at once). the longer the ingredients list, the better to put that food back to the shelf, especially if majority of the ingredients listed are unrecognisable. Inflammation is at the root cause of every chronic degenerative disease, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis etc. We all have some level of inflammation, important is that we keep our inflammatory levels in the body under control. Keeping inflammation in check, helps to make sure, our pathogens load is low and chances to get infections is low. Chronic inflammation does not happen over night, but is developing over months or years of practicing inflammatory lifestyle. When inflammation gets out of control from the food we eat, from stress, environmental toxins- then we drive up inflammation in the body where we affect different parts of our body systems, including: the digestive tract (digestive problems, constipation, bloating, diarrhoea, heartburn) the brain and nervous system (brain fog, anxiety, depression, poor memory) the immune system (causing in the long-run autoimmunity- IBS, Multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, skin conditions) the detoxification system (including kidneys, liver, gallbladder, lymphatic system)- causing waste buildup in the system, swelling, frequent rashes the endocrine system (affecting thyroid, adrenal glands, sex glands- thinning of hair, dry skin, weak nails, mood swings, low sex drive, irregular periods the blood sugar/insulin system (managed by pancreas, liver and cellular insulin receptor sites. Inflammation here can cause unstable blood sugar, which could lead to pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, weight gain) the structural and musculoskeletal system (joins, muscles, connective tissue)- inflammation can cause joint pain, muscle pain, fibromyalgia, joint stiffness. Apart from the ingredients to avoid listed above, below are foods you want to avoid in your diet in order to keep the inflammation at bay: Sugar, artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup You are really supposed to have not more than a teaspoon of sugar in your blood stream at all times. When your sugar goes up too high in your blood- it starts to damage tissues and cause oxidative stress. Sugar is rusting you from the inside out, accelerating the ageing process. High blood sugar also throws out a lot of insulin, which is a fat storage hormone- so it stops fat burning process in your body. You can read more about the sugar and different forms of sugar from this post , also what natural sweeteners can you use instead to bring sweetness to your diet. Artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, suclarose, acesulfame K, saccharin etc, are all disruptive to your microbiome, killing good bacteria in your gut. They are very often added to protein powders, protein bars, sugar-free candies, chocolates etc. High-fructose corn syrup increases the risk for fatty liver disease. Fructose does not cause the insulin increase in the blood, but goes straight to the liver, where liver needs to metabolise it- it increases your LDL cholesterol level, your triglycerides, uric acid levels, blood pressure. Trans fats Avoid also trans fats, processed /hydrogenated vegetable oil or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (these are artificially made fats), which promote inflammation. All fats we consume they get into our cell membranes, which are important for our hormonal health. Poor fats lower our resistance against viruses and also cause insulin resistance. Trans fats can be found in baked goods (cookies, pies, doughnuts, potato chips, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, french fries etc.).   You can read my post about healthy fats here . Processed meat Processed meat is any meat that's smoked, salted, cured, canned, dried in order to enhance its flavour and extend shelf life. This includes bacon, salami, cured ham, beef jerky, ham, sausage etc. Refined carbohydrates Refined carbohydrates, which are carbs with fibre not present, like white flour, white pasta, white rice, white bread, pastries are stripped from vital vitamins and minerals, therefore opt of wholegrain where possible. Focus on consuming whole foods, with some examples below, to help lower inflammation in your body: Vegetables: broccoli, beets, cabbage, asparagus, bell peppers, sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, onions, ginger, etc. Fruits: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, limes, lemons, oranges, pears, apples, pomegranates, watermelon, etc. Legumes: white beans, black beans, kidney beans, Azuki beans, pinto beans, lima beans, chickpeas, lentils Mushrooms: shiitake, porcini, medicinal mushrooms etc. Nuts: walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecan nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts Seeds: hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds Whole grains: quinoa, buckwheat, millet, brown rice, black rice, amaranth Healthy fats: extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil, ghee, avocado oil, MCT oil, grass-fed butter (if lactose is tolerated). Note that fats have different smoking points, so best to enjoy extra-virgin oils (extra-virgin olive oil, extra-virgin coconut oil, extra-virgin avocado oil) raw and use avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, ghee for cooking Dairy: kefir, goat milk, goat cheese, Greek yogurt, raw milk (if you are not lactose or casein intolerant). Better to focus on goat's milk products as it's better tolerated. Fish: wild-caught salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines, herring Meat: grass-fed beef, lamb, venison, wild game Poultry: organic chicken, turkey, duck, goose Eggs: cage free organic Herbs and spices: basil, rosemary, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, black pepper, oregano, clove, thyme etc. Natural sweeteners: stevia, raw honey, dates, monk fruit, maple syrup Condiments: apple cider vinegar , mustard, balsamic vinegar, coconut aminos Beverages: water, green tea , kombucha , bone broth , kvass Of course, it depends on your health, where your body is with inflammation at the moment. If you are suffering from bloating, gas, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhoea, sinus, skin issues, seasonal allergies, dust allergy- you might want to consider doing an elimination diet for 3 weeks to really calm the body down and then re-introduce different food groups at a time to understand how your body reacts and what foods cause reaction. If you feel stuck with your digestive issues, skin issues, joint pain and want support from a health and nutrition coach, who can help and guide you through the elimination diet and uncover other lifestyle factors that could influence your health, don't hesitate to reach out to me for nutrition counselling and health coaching.

I tried another recipe for a bread since I wanted to make some chicken-liver p âté for this week. Quinoa and millet are better grain options as they are gliadin free (one of the main gluten proteins in wheat, barley and rye). Quinoa supports heart health, may help with weight loss due to its protein and fibre content, may help fight cancer due to its antioxidants and is also a good source for bone health. Quinoa contains a lot of nutrients, including manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, copper, iron, thiamine, zinc, riboflavin, B6, potassium, selenium, vitamin E, niacin and calcium. Millet , apart from being a great food for birds in winter, it's are very good food for humans too. Packed with fibre, high in protein, containing also antioxidants, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and folate- it's a great grain for those with digestive issues. Liver is nature's superfood, as its high in essential nutrients, in some cases higher than the plants and berries. Liver is packed protein, iron, vitamin A, B vitamins, selenium, vitamin C, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese. Not everyone enjoys liver, but you can try liver p âté if eating liver is not your thing. Organ meats, also called offal, have been part of the traditional diets for centuries and they are far nutrient tense than the muscle meats we are used to consuming. For example, beef liver contains 50 times more vitamin B12 than a steak and by far more B vitamins and folate than other foods on the planet. It's recommended to consume different organ means from animals to support the same organs in human body. Animal organ means have also highest amounts of CoQ10 per 100 grams, which is an essential element required by every single cell in our bodies. Lack of CoQ10 in the body is thought to be linked with heart disease, cognitive decline, diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia. Quinoa and millet bread ( I used this recipe from Botanical Kitchen for inspiration ) 12 slices Ingredients 1 cup of quinoa flour ( I buy this one in Estonia ) 1 cup of millet flour ( I buy this one in Estonia ) 1/2 tsp of baking soda 1 tsp of fine sea salt 4 tbsp of psyllium husk ( I used this one ) with a 1 cup of water 3 tbsp of olive oil 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar 3/4 cup of water You can add dried rosemary, small chopped pieces of olives, small chopped pieces of sun-dried tomatoes to add additional flavour to the bread Mix of seeds to sprinkle at the top ( I used these ones + I added some hemp seeds) Instructions Pre-heat the oven to 165C (325F). Use a silicone loaf pan (grease inside). Or you can use a standard loaf pan, where you put the parchment paper inside and grease well. Soak the psyllium husk in water for 10 minutes. Mix together dry ingredients. Then add in the dry ingredients soaked psyllium husk, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and finally some dried rosemary or olives or sun-dried tomatoes. Pour the mixture in the pan and sprinkle the seeds to the top. Press the seeds gently, so they stick better to the batter when baking. Score 4 diagonal / / / / lines with a knife on top of the bread to allow the steam to escape while baking. Bake for 45 minutes. The score again 4 diagonal / / / / lines on the top of the bread (it is very important). Bake another 45-60 minutes in the oven- try if the skewer or a match stick inserted comes out clean. Take the bread out from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan, cool down and cut for serving. Enjoy with the below chicken liver p âté . ***** Chicken liver p âté Makes 2x250g jars Ingredients 400g of chicken liver (if you have access to organic, the better) 1 cup of chicken broth 3 portobello mushrooms 1 medium sized onion 2 garlic cloves 150g of butter 1 tsp of dried thyme 1 tsp of dried rosemary 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper to taste Instructions Melt 100g of butter in the pan. Fry the chopped onions and garlic. Add in there roughly chopped portobello mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, balsamic vinegar. Sautee for 6 minutes or so then set the mixture aside in a bowl. Put the rest of the butter in the pan, and fry the chicken livers for 8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to the chicken liver. Then mix the mushrooms and chicken liver together and add the chicken broth. Fry another 2 minutes and leave it in the pan to cool down. Then take a hand blender, pour the mixture from the pan into a bigger bowl or glass jar and blend the mixture until smooth. It's ok to look like a thick, a bit runny batter as when you put it to set in the fridge, it will get thicker. Enjoy with the above quinoa and millet bread.

Halloween is not far and I am all for it to try and consume the whole pumpkin that's left from pumpkin carving (the flesh and seeds), whether to make a nice pumpkin soup , pumpkin muffins , pumpkin spice smoothie or make pumpkin puree to use in coming weeks and months in various recipes. I had still a bit less than half of pumpkin left from my 10kg sized pumpkin, so I decided to gut it into pieces, bake them all at once in the oven and then make pumpkin puree. Majority of it I put in the freezer and some of it I kept outside to make this spicy pumpkin fudge, where the pumpkin spice gives such a nice and gut-soothing feeling. A perfect petite sweet taste to savour slowly in your mouth. You can also check out another fudge recipe in my blog- a fat fudge from tahini, cacao, turmeric and spices. Spicy pumpkin fudge Makes 24 small fudge pieces Ingredients 2 cups of nut butter, like almond or cashew (unsweetened and unsalted) 1/4 cup of maple syrup 2/3 cup of pumpkin puree 1/2 cup of coconut oil 1 1/2 tsp of pumpkin spice 1 tsp of cacao powder A pinch of cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract Topping: pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, goij berries for garnish Instructions Mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl except the garnish. Put the batter in the silicone moulds, or in a square dish lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with the toppings and put in the freezer for minimum 25 minutes. If you used a square dish with lined parchment paper, you can then cut desired fudge pieces out from it and store in the freezer in the container.

I have been sharing in my several posts in the past about the health benefits of bone broth, as well as an easy recipe if you want to make bone broth at home . But what is a meat stock and what's the difference between the bone broth and meat stock? I will cover this below and share a recipe for making your own meat stock. Bone broth is made using bones with little or no meat and cooked for 12 to 24 hours or even longer depending on the bones. Longer cooking time extracts more nutrients from the bones and tissues. Bone broth is known to be a great gut healing food as well as supportive for the immune health, skin health and more. Bone broth is richer in minerals in addition to the amino acids found in meat stock. But bone broth is high in histamine and glutamates due to long cooking time- therefore could affect people with histamine intolerance. High concentration of glutamic acid may be problematic for some people- like people with ADHD, autism, MS or other neurological diseases. Meat stock is made using meaty bones, different parts of the animal and cooked for 1.5 hours to 3.5 hours depending on the meat. Meat stock is considered even better for healing gut lining and ulcerations in the gut. It contains a good amount of gelatine and two very important amino acids, glycine and proline, which are part of all the connective tissues in our bodies and are like the glue that holds our bodies together. The gelatinous protein from the meat and these amino acids are particularly beneficial in healing and strengthening connective tissue such as found in the lining of the gut, respiratory tract and blood/brain barrier. Making meat stock is very easy. You can make it from beef, lamb, chicken, fish etc. With the below recipe I used different parts of beef, but you can take for example a whole chicken and make a meat stock out of that. This will also give you a lot of cooked chicken to use in other meals. When you have access to organic meat, pasteurised meat- the better the nutrition of the meat stock. To make the meat stock as nutritious as possible, it's good to use different parts from the animal. Like with chicken meat stock, also add chicken feet, chicken neck. Bones that contain bone marrow, cartilage, and connective tissues are best- important is to use meat that is close to a joint as this meat is very gelatinous, which is the most healing property of the stock. You can also add vegetables like onions, garlic, carrots, celery, ginger, parsley or cook the meat on its own. To help to draw the nutrients from the bones, add apple cider vinegar and salt. When you are done cooking your meat stock, you can take the bones and cook your bone broth from those. Meat stock recipe 5L of meat stock Ingredients Different parts of meat, with bones, including tailbones, bone marrow Filtered water 1tbsp of sea salt 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar If you want to add vegetables (carrots, celery, onion, garlic) to the meat stock, add those coarsely chopped in as well Parsley Instructions Rinse the meat pieces, dry them and cut into the joints with a knife. Put in a 5L pot. Add the sea salt and apple cider vinegar and fill the pot with filtered water. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and cook meat for 3-3.5 hours. Remove the foam from time to time when it forms at the top of the liquid. If you want to add vegetables, add them into the water in the last half an hour of cooking. Add parsley at the very end, 10 minutes before you are done cooking the meat stock. Cook chicken stock around 2 hours and fish stock 1.5 hours. If you want extra flavour, you can also roast the meaty bones at 190C (375F) in the oven until browned before starting to make the meat stock. After boiling, cool the meat stock down, remove the meat from the bones, including the connective tissue and marrow if you used bone marrow and strain the liquid into mason jars. The meat you removed from the bones, you can use the same or next day in the soups, sauces, salads, pies etc. You can store the meat stock in the fridge for 1 week to 1.5 weeks or 3 months in the freezer. Don't remove the fat that forms at the top of the liquid, it keeps the stock fresh and is very healing to the body. Add the meat stock to any recipes that call for stock, including soups, sauces, roasts, curries, boil grains like quinoa, buckwheat, oats in them or warm it and drink as it is. Enjoy!

Borscht soup has been one of our family favourite soups, so I try and make it at least once a month during the colder seasons. In the past I used to make bone broth or purchase bone broth liquid from the store and use that as a base for the borscht. But the last two times I made my own meat stock and used that as a base. And it really makes a difference- meat stock makes the soup so much heartier and nourishing. I have shared a meat stock recipe also in my blog . I normally make the soup in a 5l pot as it saves time in the kitchen and can be eaten the next day as well. Borscht soup For 8 people Ingredients 2 bigger carrots 1 small white cabbage 4 beetroots 1 onion 1 clove of garlic 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar Ghee for frying Meat stock 500g carton of tomato puree 3 bay leaves Meat from the meat stock (you can also omit meat if you want) Salt and pepper to taste Parsley and sour cream to serve Instructions Peel all the vegetables. Finely chop the cabbage, grate the carrots and beetroot. Chop the onion and garlic. Fry the onion and garlic in the pot with ghee. Add carrots, beetroot and apple cider vinegar. Fry for a few minutes. Then add cabbage and pour meat stock into the pot. Add the bay leaves. Boil until the vegetables are almost soft. Add in the meat from the meat stock, tomato puree and season with salt and pepper. Boil another couple of minutes. Serve the borscht in a bowl with parsley and sour cream. Enjoy!

The darker season is here and I thought to share something several of my clients have had struggles with- the cravings- whether it’s for sugary foods, salty foods, specific foods, specific liquids. So what can we do about our cravings? Photo source: Unsplash Deconstruct your cravings Cravings indicate imbalance in the body or mind. They can be incredibly helpful in guiding you to better health if you choose to try and understand why you crave what you crave, what does the body need. Be curious about your cravings Rather than diving in and eating that box of chocolates, a bag of chips, half a loaf of bread- try and understand what’s the emotional feeling behind it and what could be the trigger for the craving? Is there a feeling you are trying to fill and fix with food and could you approach it another way- like talking to someone about your feelings and concerns, going for a walk and getting some fresh air, making yourself a cup of calming tea, going and doing some physical exercise. Rather than seeing cravings as something you need to conquer, suppress- see them as important messages from your body to try and get you back to balance. Sugar craving is your body asking for energy When you get that afternoon slump and feel you need to have the extra energy to get through the rest of the day- and you reach for that bowl of candies at the office, or that chocolate bar, know that you have a choice. You either reach for simple carbohydrates that give you the sugar rush or you reach for complex carbohydrates that are wrapped in fibre and result in not so steep blood sugar rise. Cravings for sugary foods can be caused by any of the below deficiencies as well. You can learn more about the sugar and what are the healthier alternatives to satisfy your sweet cravings from one of my past blog posts. You might be lacking enough protein in your diet Protein helps to balance blood sugar, which really helps to reduce cravings. Make sure you include adequate amounts of following proteins in your meals: fish (wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna), grass-fed beef, lamb, organic chicken, free-range eggs, lentils, beans, kefir, yoghurt, cottage cheese, natto, good quality protein powder. You might be lacking enough healthy fats in your diet Your body burns either sugar or fat for energy. If you increase the consumption of good quality fats in your meals and don’t fear it, you naturally have less cravings. Good fats include extra virgin olive oil, MCT oil, ghee, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, coconut oil, camelina oil, linseed oil. Several protein rich foods also contain good fats. Consume more fibre in your meals Fibre helps you to feel fuller longer as well as supports detoxification in the body. Make sure you consume an adequate amount of high-fibre foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Consume more sour foods and probiotic rich foods Probiotic foods like fermented vegetables, apple cider vinegar in salad dressings, kefir, yoghurt help to curb cravings as well as drinking water with a little bit of lemon juice throughout the day. Make sure you stay hydrated We often confuse hunger with thirst and sometimes all that’s needed is to drink a glass of water and the craving goes away. It's also important that we get enough electrolytes as electrolyte imbalance can also cause cravings. Lower your stress levels Our thoughts and emotions affect our health. When we are chronically stressed we weaken our body’s ability to function optimally. When we are stressed we tend to gravitate towards foods or drinks that don’t necessarily serve us. We also tend to reward ourselves with food or drinks, when we had a stressful day. Focus on getting quality sleep If we are sleep deprived, or we have had a night where we didn't get enough sleep, we gravitate towards higher carbohydrate foods the next stay. Learn more here how can you improve the quality of your sleep and why sleep is so crucial for your overall wellness. Cravings could be linked to specific nutrient deficiencies Sometimes we also misunderstand what our cravings actually mean, where our body could be lacking important minerals, vitamins or fatty acids. Your body is smart- it will tell you if you are not feeding it properly, by consuming too much sugar, processed foods, processed oils. Below are some common cravings and what deficiency could be behind it: Chocolate - body lacks magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies. Other good sources for magnesium are leafy greens, avocado, wild-caught fish, pumpkin seeds, raw dairy products, and sprouts. Salty snacks - body could be suffering from adrenal fatigue and possibly lack trace minerals ( iron , copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, cobalt, zinc). Good sources for trace minerals are bone broth, meat stock, pink salt, sea vegetables Sweet snacks - body’s blood sugar is out of balance often because of consuming high glycemic carbs and simple sugars, which are addictive. But craving sweet foods could also be linked to chromium deficiency, which regulates metabolism. Make sure you consume foods like broccoli, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, green beans, Romaine lettuce, cinnamon, beef, apples. Red meat - body lacks iron and/or B12 vitamin. Women who are pregnant or who are menstruating often need more nutrients like iron, zinc, vitamin B12. Besides grass-fed beef you can also get these nutrients from lamb, wild-caught fish, organ meats like liver, but also from spinach, Swiss chard and blue-green algae. Dairy and cheese - craving for these foods could be a sign that body lacks essential fatty acids like EPA, DHA, ALA, GLA, which are important for nervous system and brain development. Consume foods like wild-caught fish, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, grass-fed beef, lamb, pasture raised eggs. You can find a comprehensive list of vitamins and minerals and how to get them from which foods from my recent blog post . How to get to the source of your cravings? An exercise you could do is keep a journal of the foods and liquids you crave, also to notice if there is a specific day or time you crave a certain food and do it for a week. Write down your thoughts and feelings around that craving, what triggered it and what you think you actually needed. Other things to try to reduce or eliminate cravings In order to reduce cravings, it's important to eat right for your blood sugar balance. I have covered the topic of blood sugar in one of my blog articles , it's effect on overall wellness as well as how to eat to avoid blood sugar spikes as this is another factor that influences cravings. It’s important to consume a balanced diet as well as be curious about the different areas in your life that influence health , like sleep, physical activity, career, relationships, social life, spirituality and see which of these areas are out of balance and how you can bring more balance into them. If we acknowledge and accept our cravings, they will guide us towards the foods and lifestyle changes we really need. Working to understand your cravings is the best place to start to build a loving relationship with your body. Do you want support from someone who can help to deconstruct your cravings and guide you to more balanced health and life, don't hesitate to reach out to me for nutrition counselling and health coaching at info@katrinpeo.com .