Читать книгу Simply Laura Lea - Laura Lea - Страница 21

Macadamia Nuts

I really try live in the present. And yet, I often regret

not including macadamia nuts in my life much

earlier. They are ridiculously delicious. They offer

a satisfying crunch that quickly turns into creamy

liquid gold, with a mildly sweet, nutty flavor. Forget

about it! As with cashews, macadamia nuts are

notably versatile. They can be soaked and blended

to mimic dairy products, but they’re equally at home

as a crust for tuna steaks or a crouton replacement

for salads. Macadamia nuts contain more fat than

most nuts and seeds, 80 percent of which is high-

quality monounsaturated fats (think: energy).

Indeed, moderate consumption of macadamia nuts

can favorably alter one’s fatty acid profile, potentially

improving cardiovascular health. A source of

calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, fiber,

and phytochemicals, macadamia nuts also have a

particularly low carbohydrate content. Thus, they

are a great nutrient-dense snacking option for

someone pursuing a lower-carbohydrate lifestyle.

Whenever you’re purchasing nuts or seeds, keep

them tightly sealed in a cool, dark place; otherwise

they may oxidize and go rancid quickly (although

macadamia nuts never last long enough in my pantry

for that to happen). I also recommend freezing to

extend shelf life. I know that these little beauties are

on the pricier side, so I buy mine online at Thrive

Market (www.thrivemarket.com), which makes them much more affordable.

Dairy

Now for the elephant in the room—okay, maybe not

for y’all, but for me. When I wrote my first cookbook,

I stayed away from almost all dairy. I used butter and

yogurt in a few recipes, but otherwise, I came up

with dairy-free substitutions. The reasons for this

were twofold: 1) I wanted to offer creative, dairy-free

solutions to some of your favorite cheesy, creamy

dishes, and 2) I didn’t feel that the pros of dairy

consumption outweighed possible downsides. I

noted the following:

Many people are allergic to dairy, in which case their bodies react negatively to the protein casein.

Dairy intolerance to the milk sugar lactose is also common.

Most factory-farmed dairy is the result of inhumane practices that I don’t want to support

Many of the industrial dairy animals are injected with hormones.

I still stand by all of the above. However, while dairy

is not for everyone, research and experience has

led me to believe that consumption of high-quality

dairy in moderation is welcome in a healthy lifestyle.

Again, this doesn’t apply to those with allergies,

sensitivities, or intolerances to all dairy, and I highly

recommend working with a medical professional to

determine if you have any of these conditions.

When I was almost through with the first book,

I created a recipe that required yogurt and another

that I wanted to garnish with some cheddar cheese,

just for looks. At the time, I barely ate any dairy at

all. The only plain, full-fat, grass-fed yogurt I could

find was a large container, so I resigned myself to

eating it slowly over a few weeks. Similarly, I couldn’t

find anything smaller than an 8-ounce block of 100

percent grass-fed cheddar cheese. And something

magical happened. As I slowly spooned and nibbled

my way through the yogurt and cheese, my digestion

began to improve and regulate in a way I hadn’t

experienced in years. I also felt less bloated after

fibrous meals, which had been an ongoing source

of frustration.

It was very clear that dairy was to be thanked

for these health improvements, specifically, the

beneficial probiotics that it contains. Our gut

health is directly linked to the health of our gut

microbiome, which is simply the compilation of

microorganisms in that particular environment.

Probiotics are considered “good” bacteria, because

when they populate our microbiome, they aid in

digestion, combat inflammation, and can even

improve responses to chemotherapy. I believe

that my gut needs the types of probiotic strains

that are bio-available in dairy, and I have included