If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I have a passion for healtha-fying traditional recipes and making them kid-friendly. In fact, I’ve got a whole book dedicated to it called Supercharged Food for Kids.

If you’re trying to add more apple cider vinegar to yours, your kids or your neighbour’s diet, but can’t stand the taste, you may want to give my gummies a whirl. They're one of the many delicious recipes from my latest book, Supercharge Your Gut. 

It was great being able to drop into Booktopia HQ yesterday and sign hundreds of books, it's safe to say I may have writers cramp for a few days but I have picked up some brand new calligraphy skills to add to my resume!

If you can't wait to get your hands on a copy, the wonderful people at Booktopia are stocking these signed copies which are available right now at the special price of only $27.95. You can pick one up here.

Now that we’re done with a little shameless plug, it’s time to get down to business. And by business, I mean Apple Cider Gummy Bears Business. It's serious stuff, you know!

Apple cider vinegar is seriously good for our health. It can help tackle colds and flus, tame troubled tummies, ease a scratchy throat, control blood sugar levels and even boost weight loss. It has beautiful probiotic enzymes to help balance gut bacteria, improve nutrient assimilation and balance pH levels.

When I’m talking about apple cider vinegar, I mean the real thing. NOT the sweetened and sparkly apple ciders kids are drinking these days. The REAL variety of apple cider vinegar is unfiltered and contains the ‘mother’ of all ingredients – the mother! Most  apple cider vinegars out there have had this crucial ingredient removed and are heavily processed, so make sure you find one that’s got it all intact like this one here.

I'll be the first to admit it, while apple cider vinegar sounds great for our health, it isn't usually the most palatable of ingredients to kids (and pretty much everyone else out there too... if your friend says they LOVE apple cider vinegar, they're probably lying). This is why I’ve combined it with a gut-healing guru, gelatine, and some natural apple juice to make these gummies yummy and good for the tummy!

Gelatine does all the heavy lifting when it comes to gut health! It helps to seal the lining of the gut that's often been opened by various factors such as poor diet and stress. Gelatine can also improve the strength of our digestive system and enhance the secretion of gastric acids to help us break down food, making it easier for us to absorb all the nutrients we're eating! If you're trying to improve your bowel movements (sorry for the possible TMI), gelatine is your gut ninja as it absorbs water which keeps the digestive tract running with fluid and so, promotes good intestinal transit time and healthy bowel movements. Woo-Poo! 

If you're ready to have some seriously devoted healthy gummy fans, you have to give my Apple Cider Gummy Bears a try.

Apple Cider Gummy Bears

Makes about 12

Ingredients:

• 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) apple juice (no added sugar)
• 60 ml (2 fl oz/164 cup) apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons powdered gelatine

Method:

• In a small saucepan, warm the apple juice and vinegar over medium heat.
• When it starts to bubble, remove from the heat.
• Sprinkle the gelatine on top and whisk briskly until dissolved. Strain.
• Pour into teddy bear moulds, or other moulds of your choice, or into a small lined baking tin.
• Refrigerate for 1–2 hours, or until set.
• Turn out of the moulds, or cut into small squares to serve. The gummies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for 1–2 weeks.

SUPERCHARGED TIP:

For my vegetarian friends, you can now have you gummies and eat them too! To make Aloe Vera Gummies, replace the gelatine with aloe vera juice.

For Vegetarian Gummies, simply heat up 350 ml (12 fl oz) aloe vera juice in a saucepan, add 1/2 tsp agar-agar powder and stir to dissolve. Agar agar is a flavorless gelling agent, derived from cooked and pressed seaweed.

Continue stirring for a couple of minutes. When the mixture starts to boil, remove from the heat, add some liquid stevia, vanilla extract, chopped mint or whatever spice you like — even berries would be nice!

Pour into an ice-cube tray. Top with shredded coconut if you like, then refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until set.

Welcome to Paradise!

If you’re looking for a holiday that feels akin to a home away from home, make your way to Port Douglas. I’d call it a DIY retreat; there’s plenty of delicious food markets, interesting tours, nature and yoga sessions. You'll come back feeling super refreshed and relaxed.

I stayed at the beautiful Port Douglas Cottage and I could not recommend it highly enough. It’s basically what you'd get if Notting Hill and a luxe beach-house had a baby.  It's absolutely magical. The cottage is beautifully furnished, clean and only a few minutes’ walk away from restaurants, shops and the beach. It’s relaxing, cute and totally not over the top, which means it ticks all my accommodation boxes.

The happiest bedroom you'll ever see

The best room in the house - the kitchen!

Some places just exude warmth, openness and happiness and this is one of those places. The bedroom was absolutely beach chic and included robes (I don’t know what it is but I love walking around the house on holiday in a fluffy robe – is anyone else the same?). The kitchen was light and felt like the center of the home; as it should be. There were also beautiful flowers everywhere that always brought a smile to my face.

Simple seasonal salad by the pool

My highlight was undoubtedly the private pool. That pool and I now share some seriously special memories!

The cottage is perfect for families, couples and solo travellers like myself. Graeme, the owner, was super lovely, friendly and accommodating too – what a bonus! I’m counting down the days till I can go back to Port Douglas and stay in the cottage again.  

Breakfast at the Little Larder

If you’re looking for some great restaurants in Port Douglas, these are some of my favourites:

• Betty’s Bohemian Beach Café
• My favourite Whileaway bookstore and cafe 
• Seabean
• Lotus Leaf Asian Salads
• Have breakfast at The Little Larder. Baked mushrooms cooked in garlic, thyme and oil, slow-cooked pine-nuts and spinach with Goat's-based Persian feta. And yes, I’m still dreaming of it.
• Salsa in Port Douglas. Yum.

Dinner at Salsa

Seabean Tapas

My top seven things to do in Port Douglas include:

1. Get yourself a picnic blanket, pack your lunch and meet the locals while watching the beautiful sunset down at The Point in Rex Smeal Park
2. No trip to Port Douglas is complete without going on a tour of the Daintree. I loved seeing the crocodiles and seeing swallows and native birds when birdwatching. Check out my review of the tours I went on below!

The Daintree River

3. Go to the jungle juice “hippie market”. Trust me. If you’re a spiced chai fan, like myself, and your mouth waters at the thought of almond falafels, you'll be in heaven. Make sure to stop by Kuranda markets to try it all!

4. While we’re talking about markets, don’t miss the Mossman Market on Saturday morning.

5. Get the train to Kuranda, to experience one of the most unique rail journeys in Australia. Get ready to bear witness to traditional Australian culture and deepen your knowledge of the Dreamtime legend of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people. The carriages date back to the early 1900’s so you know you’re in for a real treat. It’s even better than Harry Potter. It’s more than just a train-ride, it’s an educational experience not to be missed. Explore the spectacular views, look at the marvellous tunnels and visit Freshwater station.

Kuranda Railway

Oh, and definitely come back via the Sky rail. It’s a must-do. It’s a skyrail committed to environmentally-friendly tourism, protecting the environment and providing guests with an opportunity to challenge, learn and grow. You’ll glide just a few metres above the gorgeous world-heritage protected rainforest, see the real beauty behind the ancient tropics and learn all about one of the most diverse areas on earth! You’ll see, hear, smell and become part of the tropical rainforest. It’s a full-body experience.6. Eat lunch at Salsa in Port Douglas. Delicious.

7. Walk the lighthouse and do the heritage walk around the town. It's absolutely beautiful and so calming.

Being the homeboy that I am, the best part of the day was always coming back home to my little cottage. I would buy lots of delicious fruit during the day and dream of coming back to snack and lounge around by the pool. It felt like my home centre and the place where I could truly unwind.

If you’re a full-on yoga-lover like me, be sure to check out Deep Yoga Studio. It’s been voted as the number #1 yoga studio in Port Douglas and it has my Supercharged tick of approval. It’s a peaceful and beautiful studio with highly-skilled teachers who personalise classes phenomenally.  It’s super close to town and just five minutes from the beach – yoga and swim anyone?  They have a range of classes to suit everyone including dynamic and energising classes, introspective yin-style classes, warmer yoga classes and Pilates. If that doesn’t get you excited, they also have a massage retreat, sento bath and steamroom/sauna!

You can enjoy a 60 minute session in their Soaking Pool, combined steamroom/infrared sauna, followed by their Relaxation Studio. Any place which has a room called a Relaxation Studio is a place I want to be! They have cocoons (how cool is that?!), mats, massage balls,  band mats and more!

TOURS:

Daintree Discovery Tours

• This tour well and truly has it all. Be whisked away along the beautiful Mossman gorge, experience a Daintree River Cruise, take Instagram pics (we all have our priorities) of the panoramic views of the Daintree river, walk the beach of Cape Tribulation and more! You can choose between a half-day or full-day tour depending on your preferences and personal schedule. I chose the morning tour and was not disappointed!  Grant Knight, will pick you up from your accomodation, (he is was one of the best tour guides I’ve had!) He's a legend of a guy and so passionate about everything he spoke about. The itinerary's pieced together beautifully and I was interested and engaged the whole time. Who needs to listen to the sounds of the Amazonian rainforest on an app when you can witness it in person?! Driving through the Daintree was magical. We saw crocs, snakes and birds.

Scarface the crocodile

• Get ready to fall in love (see what I did there?) with these beautiful waterfalls. You can feed the fish and turtles, swim in this unique environment or just sit back and enjoy the wonderful view.
• If you’re looking for a tour like no other, be sure to check out Brett’s Kuranda Day Tours. Brett picks you up from your accommodation and takes you on a lovely 7.5-hour tour of your choice, so you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride! He’s friendly, funny, extremely helpful and knowledgable – what else can you ask for in a tour guide? He takes you through Kuranda via the Skyrail where you can see the beautiful village craft markets. You then travel up through the rainforest via the Kuranda Scenic Railway where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views and arrive in beautiful Palm Cove. At the end of the tour, Brett drops you back at your accommodation or a restaurant and you say bye after a fabulous day together! If you’re in for a food-venture (like me, always), you may want to check out his Outback Tasting Adventures. Enjoy a delicious range of food (and maybe a cheeky glass of wine), with beautiful backdrops of lush scenery and explore growing crops and dairyland. You’ll learn all about bananas, mangoes, avocadoes, macadamia nuts and more and taste them for yourself! If you’re a night-owl, Brett also takes night tours to Tjapukai. It’s a quick yet, luxe trip which involves delicious welcome drink and canapes, a live Didgeridoo tour, a sacred corroboree of the Aboriginal dreamtime, a lake-side fire ceremony, tropical dining and a fireside farewell. If you’re interested, be sure to call Brett at these numbers: 07 40985 059 or 0418 909 818, click on the links above or check out his Facebook page here.

To learn more about Port Douglas and experience it for yourself at the beautiful Port Douglas Cottage, click this link here.

As the weather heats up in Australia, so do our social lives. This time of year, brings with it a whole lot of holiday parties and festivities, lots of silliness (tis the season after all!) and of course, alcohol.

While a night out with the girls or throwing back a few bevvies with the boys may seem harmless, doing this for weeks straight can have detrimental effects on your body and wellbeing. Alcohol intake can have a run-on effect too. One glass of wine can lead to two bottles of wine, three packets of hot chips, twelve chicken nuggets and two meat-lover’s pizzas later. After such a big night, your willingness to exercise will probably reduce a whole lot the next day too. If you’re trying to have some balance in the holidays, this sounds like a recipe for disaster!

While I’m all about having a great time, excess alcohol, along with the excess food you consume because of said-alcohol, can inevitably upset the apple cart.  

Excess alcohol consumption can also lead to all sorts of health issues including inflammation, allergy, autoimmune diseases, liver conditions and weight gain.

Have you ever noticed after a night out of drinking that your stomach isn’t exactly your best friend? For more on gut health you might like to read my new book Supercharge Your Gut. Alcohol interferes with your ability to digest food. It also inhibits your ability to absorb nutrients, so even if you’re drinking green the next day to ‘repair the damage’, your body will struggle to take all the nutrients in.

And now for the big one - binge-drinking. Binge drinking, drinking lots of alcohol in a short period of time or drinking to get drunk, can lead to falls, mood problems, memory disorders, mental health issues, dreadful hangovers and unnecessary weight gain.

Don’t worry; you don’t need to choose between that bikini bod or pulling a sickie, lying in bed, watching Netflix and crying because you have to miss your work Christmas party (unless you want to, in which case, you have my blessing). You can still enjoy the festivities and the alcohol that comes with it but, if you want my advice, drink mindfully. It's good to let your hair down and not stress about missing a gym session here or there, that’s what new year’s resolutions are there for after all! Just remember that moderation is key.

Here are some of my tips for staying healthy and being mindful of your alcohol intake in the silly season.

Before a big night out, make sure to stay hydrated with water during the day. I also suggest eating something before you go out so the alcohol doesn’t go straight to your head before you even realise (I think we’re all been there) or make you hungry enough to overeat and eat and eat. I also suggest alternating each alcoholic drink with a glass of water to stay hydrated and keep your liver a little bit happier.

I know when you’re taking down shots that you need a delicious chaser to wash it down with, but I recommend avoiding soft drinks. Not only do they add to your overall calorie intake, they’re full of sugar and foreign chemicals and can make you feel even worse the next day. 

I also recommend at least 2 alcohol-free days a week. This doesn’t mean you need to put your social life on hold though. If you’re trying to reduce your alcohol intake, why don’t you meet your friends for a tea instead of alcoholic drinks? 

All in all, alcohol shouldn’t be feared, but, it shouldn’t be drunk by the 2 x bottle either. Alcohol can be part of your life, it just needs to be enjoyed in moderation and not in excess.

If you are trying to cut-down on your alcohol intake during the festive season or you're a tee-totaller, why not try my New Year Egg Nog? It'll nog your socks off! 

New Year Egg Nog

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 5 eggs, separated
• For a turmeric version add 1 TBS Golden Gut Blend

Method

In a saucepan, on the stove top place coconut milk and cream, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg and stir gently until combined and slowly bring to the boil.

Remove from heat and allow to steep.

In a blender place egg yolks and blend on high until well-combined and frothy

Add coconut milk mixture then whizz for a couple more seconds

Remove from the blender and serve warm or can be and refrigerated until cold

Serve and garnish with cinnamon and nutmeg

Happy New Year!

Lee xo

With Christmas just around the corner, I can hear the sleigh bells ringing, the summer barbeques sizzling and the Christmas crackers snapping! It truly is the season to be jolly, indulge and celebrate with family, friends and loved ones. But, one sound we don’t want to hear as we head into summer is the popping of our jean buttons!

So how can we indulge without overdoing it? Is it really possible to have healthy Christmas meals that are fulfilling and still kind to our bodies? Well, you can probably guess my answer to that question is a big fat yes! While some people can’t wait to get stuck into that huge roast ham or enjoy a plateful of prawns, others have mixed emotions about sitting at the family dinner table or heading to the office parties at Christmas. For some, holiday seasons can cause feelings of fear and guilt around food. But, the good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way!
With the right ingredients, scrumptious recipes and a mindful approach to food, Christmas can be enjoyably satisfying and guilt free!

Here are a few tips to Supercharge your food this Christmas:

• Don’t be afraid to get extra spicy this Christmas. Rather than turning up the heat, create a sizzle by using flavoursome and fragrant spices like cumin, turmeric and ginger. These have an abundance of anti-inflammatory properties and help to ease digestion.
• Skip those white potatoes and reach for root vegetables like sweet potato, parsnips and turnips instead. These have more nutritional value as they are loaded with vitamins and have fewer calories per serve!
• Opt for natural, organic, wholefood ingredients. Instead of buying pre-made desserts or packaged chocolates, try baking your own treats from scratch.
• Recipes like my pumpkin pie or fudge brownies are simple to make and better for our bodies than any of the store bought stuff!
• Eating mindfully is a great way to refrain from overeating and overindulging. Really pay attention to the flavours and textures of what you’re eating. Instead of mindlessly gorging on food, try to slow down and enjoy every bite of every meal. Focusing on the look, smell, taste and feel of your food will help you to listen to your body more. So, you can let go of any anxiety or guilt around eating and really celebrate the food and the people you’re with!

This Christmas I've created three recipes - a main of spiced leg of lamb roast and two sides, a tray of roasted root vegetables and pan-fried toasted greens. These dishes look delightfully festive and taste super scrumptious…even Scrooge wouldn’t be able to help but smile! Whilst they are full of nutrient-rich ingredients, these recipes are simple and straightforward to put together. You won’t need a Christmas miracle or any elves to help this year!

The great thing about these recipes is you can do a lot of the preparation the day before. So when your friends and family are over you’ll have more time to spend with them, instead of prancing and dashing around in the kitchen.

I like to marinate a leg of lamb overnight so it really soaks up all the flavours of herbs and spices. But also, to ensure the only thing I have to do on Christmas day is just pop it in the oven #sneaky. I do the same thing with the veggies too. Wash, chop and prepare everything the previous day or night, then just place it under meat when ready. This makes for a super simple and stress-free Christmas lunch!

Leg of Lamb Roast with Spiced Marinade
This leg of lamb recipe is packed with a variety of herbs and spices that will have your taste buds singing and your insides glowing. Combining lamb with aromatic sprigs of fresh rosemary adds flavor and fragrance to the meat, whilst also offering numerous health benefits to your digestive system. Since it's rich in antioxidants and contains anti-inflammatory properties, rosemary eases indigestion and naturally relieves tummy pains that often accompany festive fare.

What I love about the spice marinade is that it doesn’t just season the lamb and enrich the taste, but it also combines nutrient dense ingredients like garlic, ginger, turmeric and cumin that boost the immune system and help your overall well being. These herbs and spices smooth the ingestion of food by lowering inflammation in the intestinal tract and stimulating the activity of digestive processes. This makes it easier for our bodies to digest and absorb the iron, protein and other vital nutrients in the lamb. It’s like a match made in Santa’s workshop…after just one bite, everyone will be oohh-ing, ahh-ing and tra-la-la-la-la-ing!

Ingredients:
Lamb

• 2kg leg of lamb with bone
• 4 garlic cloves, whole
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, chopped
• 1 fresh chili, seeded and chopped
• 150g of truss vined berry tomatoes
• Sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Spiced Marinade

• 2 tablespoons sheep’s milk yoghurt
• 3cm piece of ginger, grated finely
• 4 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons of cumin, ground
• 2 tablespoons of paprika, ground
• 1 tablespoons of tumeric, ground
• 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds, ground
• 2 lemons, squeezed to juice

Method:

• Start with the marinade, mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
• With a sharp knife, make some deep cuts evenly across both sides of the lamb leg.
• Rub a generous amount of salt and pepper into the meat. Then spoon the marinade over it, and massage in making sure it gets deep into the incisions.
• Scatter half of the chopped rosemary and chili over the meat, pushing them into the cuts. Place the lamb in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Leave overnight to marinate and let the meat soak up all the flavours and spices!
• Remove the lamb from the fridge and leave in room temperature for at least 30 mins before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the lamb, left over rosemary, tomatoes and garlic cloves into a tray lined with foil and roast for 20mins.
• Turn the heat down to 150C and cook for a further 1hr and 40mins for lamb that is pink in the middle.
• Halfway through roasting or once the lamb is crisp and golden on the outside, shake the tray, cover with foil then rotate and return to oven the opposite way.
• Remove from the oven, leave foil on loosely and let it rest on a lamb rack for at least 15mins.
• Slice and Serve!

Roasted Root Vegetables
While that creamy, cheesy potato bake might seem like a good idea at first. It usually leaves us feeling bloated and sluggish. Substituting white potatoes for roasted root vegetables is a great and delicious way to make Christmas that little bit more nourishing.

Root veggies like sweet potato, carrots, turnips, and parsnips are loaded with antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin B, beta-carotene and iron. These nutrient rich veggies work to cleanse our system and lower inflammation, increasing the absorption of vital nutrients in our digestive tract. 

While white potatoes and other grains tend to cause digestive or inflammatory issues. Root veggies offer complex carbohydrates and fibre that can stay in the digestive system longer, so our bodies have more energy and can maintain a feeling of fullness. With fewer calories and more essential nutrients, these simple vegetables sure do have loads of power. They slow down digestion, help control our appetite and reduce cravings...exactly what we need when we’re faced with mountains of feasts at Christmas time!

Pairing these veggies with herbs and spices like rosemary, garlic and cumin not only gives them more depth of flavour, but also further enhances the health benefits. 

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of dutch baby carrots w skin on, whole if small or halved
• 2 parsnips, peeled roughly and cut into wedges
• 1 turnip, peeled roughly and cut into wedges
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled roughly and cut across to make round pieces
  about 1cm thick
• 4 baby radish, some whole some halved
• 2 baby fennel bulbs, cut into small wedges
• 6 garlic gloves, whole
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of cumin, ground
• Sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Add all the vegetables to a baking tray lined with baking paper.
• Toss them with cumin, half the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
• Roast for 30mins, shaking and rotating the tray halfway through.
• Add rosemary sprigs and left over olive oil and turn up the heat to 200C.
• Roast for a further 20 - 30mins or until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Tips:

• Make sure your veggies are all cut to similar sizes to ensure they bake evenly.
• If you're cooking the veggies at the same time as the lamb leg, place them above the meat once it has about 45 mins of cooking time left.
• Then once the lamb is ready and removed from the oven, turn the temperature up to 200C and roast for a further 15 mins or until tender.

Pan-fried Toasted Greens with Pomegranate and Cauliflower Rice Salad

This middle-eastern inspired salad is a healthy take on the classic tabbouleh. It’s a perfect compliment to the lamb or a filling vegetarian option! Not only is this recipe super healthy, it looks like Christmas in a bowl and tastes like a flavor party in your mouth…even the not-so- health-conscious eaters will be drawn back for seconds (probably even thirds!). 

Substituting white rice or cous cous for cauliflower is a great way of sneaking in that little bit of extra veg, whilst also offering fewer calories and a higher intake of essential nutrients like protein, vitamin C, and vitamin k. These help to support various functions in our body like the formation and repair of muscles, bones and skin cells.

Loaded with green veggies like asparagus, green beans and spinach, this salad is full of vitamins and minerals that can regulate our digestive processes and protect our bodies from toxins, especially in the gut. Whilst being low in calories, these greens are high in fiber and provide a good source of protein for the non-meat eaters!

Supercharged Tip:

• Serve with goat’s cheese on the side and substitute butter for extra virgin olive oil for a substantial vegan option!

Ingredients:

• 200g of green beans, halved
• 100g of asparagus, halved
• 1/2 large cauliflower head, chopped roughly
• 1 cup of baby spinach, chopped
• 1 pomegranate, seeds
• 1 cup fresh herbs - parsley, coriander and mint
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 lemon, squeezed to juice
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of goats cheese, chopped

Method:

• In a large bowl mix the spinach, herbs, tomato, onion and pomegranate.
• Place cauliflower in a food processor and blitz until the consistency resembles rice. Briefly steam over boiling water for a couple minutes just to soften and warm the cauliflower rice
• Heat a frying pan over a medium high heat. Add butter and garlic, stirring continuously. Once browned, add the green beans and asparagus, toasting them for about 3-5 minutes. Squeeze half the lemon juice over the veggies while cooking. You want them to be cooked but still crunchy and green.
• Stir the cauliflower rice into the salad adding the rest of the lemon juice and tossing together.
• Place the green beans and asparagus on top of the salad and crumble the goat’s cheese across.
• Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper generously across the dish and serve!

You know that old saying: ‘happy life, happy wife’? If you want my personal opinion, I think it should be changed to ‘happy tummy, happy mummy’.  As many of you know, the gut is the cornerstone to health and linked to many other bodily systems and parts. It can affect your hormones, immune system, your emotions and mental capacity and of course the way that you absorb and digest food. If your gut isn’t happy, there’s a fairly good chance that you won’t be happy either.

Today I’m sharing six of my favourite tips to improve your gut health, so you can get on with life!

Include Fibre

When considering the health of your gut, consider fibre! Getting the right type of fibre into your diet will help you to create a healthy and diverse community of gut bacteria and regulate your digestion. There are two types of fibre. Insoluble fibre this is the one that doesn’t dissolve in water and helps speed up the passage of food and keep you regular, like some grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fruit and vegetables. The other type of fibre, soluble fibre, dissolves in water and helps form a gel in the body. Foods rich in soluble fibre include oatmeal, psyllium husks, berries, lentils, fruit and vegetables. Insoluble fibres are wonderful for flushing out the body but an excess of these fibres can be irritating. Soluble fibres on the other hand, are the ones you can also focus on for improved gut health.

When you eat the soluble fibres from whole plant foods, your gut bacteria ferment these fibres into short chain fatty acids which act as prebiotics to feed the good bacteria in your gut. When you eat adequate levels of soluble fibre, they pass through the stomach and small intestine and land up in the large intestine where they help grow your probiotic bacteria.  This helps maintain the lining of the gut, improves digestion, increases absorption of minerals and can even increase immune system function.  You can read more about probiotics and prebiotics here or learn abut it in my new book Supercharge Your Gut.

Some foods rich in soluble-fibre include sweet potatoes, carrots and root vegetables, green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts and seeds, grass fed, organic butter and ghee. Some of these delicious prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods can be found in my Marrakesh Casserole below!

Glowing skin is an inside (and outside) job

The skin is the largest and arguably, one of the most important organs in your body, it’s the barometer to measure and notice what is really going on inside. Dry skin brushing is an easy and calming technique that looks after your skin, stimulates the digestive and lymphatic systems, liver and adrenal glands, and assists these organs in decongesting. It also helps to give the body a gentle internal massage to stimulate circulation. Whenever I suggest dry skin brushing to someone when they’re suffering from gut health issues, they often look at me as if I’m crazy – how does brushing my skin make my stomach work properly? Well, by performing this technique you’ll actually be assisting the gut, by stimulating the digestive system, nutrient absorption and detoxification!

All you need to do is invest in a long-handled bath brush which contains natural bristles. Use long strokes, in a circular motion towards the heart. Before you dive straight in to brushing, ensure both your skin and your brush are dry. Begin with the soles of your feet and continue brushing upwards on both sides of your legs, then move to your back, then around to your abdomen where you can work in a clockwise direction following the direction of your colon and then head up towards your heart being careful with the chest region. Then, have a shower to remove debris and dead skin cells. Turns out you CAN brush your way to good gut health – who knew? 

Keeping stress levels at bay

Coming into one of the most frantic seasons this time of year, stress can be at a high. Long-term stress lingers for weeks and can be incredibly damaging to the gut. Evidence shows that our gut bacteria respond in a damaging way to negative emotions and stress out our bodies! When you’re stressed, your body produces hormones that can contribute to the proliferation of bad bacteria in the gut, sending it off kilter and this can lead to cravings, skin disruptions, fatigue and weight gain. In order to keep our guts happy and humming, keeping stress at bay is key. Obviously, decreasing stress can look a little bit different to everybody, so find out what works best for you. A few good stress-busting techniques include calming yoga, walks, ocean swims, meditation, spending time out in the sun, good talks with friends and connecting with nature. I guess it’s time to get your ‘om’ on!

Goodbye sugar-free sweeteners

Of course, there’s more to gut health than the practices we do – it’s also important to look at what you’re feeding your gut. Unfortunately for some of you, this may mean saying sayonara to sugar-free sweeteners. Sugar-free sweets, snacks and diet soft drinks can aggravate the gut and cause bloating because of all the artificial chemicals they contain. These chemicals, that our DNA doesn’t recognise or can’t digest properly, get completely swept up in the digestive tract and end-up in the colon, which is not what you want to happen when healing the gut! Large amounts of these additives can also cause flatulence; definitely another reason to stay away. There are far better ways to blow someone away.

Hydration

I know what you’re thinking, if I hear another nutritionist talk about hydration being the key to good health, I’ll roll my eyes so far backwards they won’t come back to place! But, the simple technique of staying hydrated helps flush out negative bacteria within the gut and balance out the digestive system. This helps your body undergo all the complicated biochemical mechanisms to keep your gut happy and functioning. So yes, drinking water may be simple, but it does remarkable things for your gut health.  I usually stir a tablespoon of my Love Your Gut powder in the mornings into a cup of warm water.  It helps to clean the debris and keep my insides happy.  If you want to stay hydrated throughout the day, my Golden Gut Blend is a great way to mix it up- just add a tablespoon to warm milk of choice; it makes a gorgeous and tasty golden latte!

Stop gulping!

Eating is not a race. And yet, we all tend to scoff down our food so quickly you’d think we were going for gold at the Olympics! Our modern lack of mindful, slow eating and our forever on-the-go approach has a definite link to our gut heath issues. Gulping down food, guzzling down drinks and moving while eating inhibits your body’s ability to digest nutrients properly. Chewing more thoroughly while sitting down to a meal mindfully helps you tune into your body more and send your body into rest and digest mode. You’ll be less likely to overeat when you know you’re full! Plus, when you chew properly, your food is able to mix with saliva and increase the ease of digestibility before it reaches the stomach. This means it’s less hard work for your gut and less chance of that food-baby feeling. 

Getting hungry? Enjoy this prebiotic-rich Marrakesh Casserole, from my book Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian, slowly and mindfully. If done correctly, it'll nourish your gut, your body and your soul!

Marrakesh Casserole

Ingredients:

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cm (3/4 inch) piece of ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 2–3 teaspoons dried harissa
• 400 g (14 oz) tin diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon rice malt syrup
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1 small pumpkin (winter squash), peeled and cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
• 1 zucchini (courgette), cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
• 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas
• cooked quinoa, to serve
• coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to serve
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, to serve
• mint leaves, to serve
• 80 g (23/4 oz/1/2 cup) almonds, to serve

Directions:

• Heat the olive oil in a flame-proof tagine pot or casserole dish over medium heat and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
• Add the garlic, ginger and spices and stir well to combine.
• Add the harissa, tomatoes, rice malt syrup, lemon juice, coriander and mint, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat.
• Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot and zucchini, stir well so they are all well covered in the sauce and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
• Add the chickpeas and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Serve on a bed of quinoa topped with the coriander, lemon zest, mint and roasted almonds.

Whether you’re a vegetarian, flexterian, #meatlessmonday follower, vegan or just trying to cut down on your overall meat intake, everyone can benefit from eating meatless meals. Sometimes it's just hard to know the best way to go about this. Is it okay to eat soy? How good are those faux soy meats? Why is my tofu forever-soggy and tasteless?

Ever had a friend that you dig but everyone seems to misunderstand them?

This friend only ever has good intentions; they're always kind and caring. Yet, people seem to create rumours about them and demonise them.

This, my friends, is how I feel about soy.

I think it’s fair to say that as a society, we’ve created a fair bit of fear around soy. I’ve heard some crazy rumours about soy in the past - like that it'll make men grow man-boobs, ruin female hormones and be harmful to heart health.

While I do agree there are soy products that aren’t so good for us, like non-traditional, GMO soy cereals, soy thickeners used to emulsify products or plastic-tasting fake meats, there are good quality and traditional sources of soy that can be beneficial to your wellbeing in moderation.

Organic and non-GMO soy products such as miso, tempeh, natto and tofu are all great sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Consuming non-GMO soy products is a great way to get a tasty source of protein and minerals in while cutting down on your meat intake. 

There’s a little-known community of people known as the Okinawans in Japan. They follow a plant-based diet which involves low levels of dairy and grains, and a plethora of colourful vegetables and soy products. They have one of the lowest risks of atherosclerosis, hormone issues and hypertension in the world. They’re one of the healthiest communities on the planet and they regularly consume healthy versions of soy - something must be up here!

Tofu's less popular, but definitely better-looking older cousin, tempeh, is also made of soybeans. However, tempeh is made of fermented, cooked soybeans,  meaning it's less processed than tofu and higher in both protein and fibre. This fermentation process makes it easier for us to digest and makes it rich  in probiotics which are key to healthy gut microflora. Probiotics help us break down sugars, control harmful bacteria, fight diarrhoea, relieve indigestion, resist against chronic inflammation and boost immune system function.

Tempeh is also rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect blood vessels from oxidative and inflammatory damage. Tempeh is also high in protein so it can be a beneficial addition to your diet if you're trying to lose weight and/or build muscle.  While soy may not contain as much calcium as regular milk, it does contain triple the amount of magnesium which is a great mineral for maintaining bone and muscle health. 

For those of you who've never tried tempeh before, it has a slightly earthy and sweet taste and is firm and chewy in texture.

If you want more vegetarian and vegan recipes, my cookbook Eat, Clean Green and Vegetarian has over 120 delicious and nutritious plant-based recipes. They're seriously good. 

I've spiced up this tempeh and placed it into a delicious caesar salad and let me tell you, your meat-inclined friends won't even know the difference!

 I'd love to know what you guys think! Leave a comment below 🙂

Vegan Caesar Salad

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 block of tempeh, chopped into (1/4 inch) cubes
• 3 tablespoons wheat-free tamari
• 1 Cos lettuce, washed, dried and torn
• 1 small bunch shallots, roughly chopped

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons sugar-free Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons water 
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the tempeh for five to ten minutes, or until golden. Add the tamari and heat until warm. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• To make the dressing, mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
• Place the Cos and shallots in a bowl and spoon over the dressing, tossing to ensure the salad is evenly coated. Sprinkle the cooled tempeh over the top and serve.