Vital Protein Collagen Veggies Blend Review and Recipe - AIP/ Paleo Gazpacho

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Have you heard, have you heard? I finally got my hands on Sarah Ballantyne's Vital Protein Collagen Veggie Blend and the anticipation was well worth it. 

If you have been on a whole food healing journey, you will know that spending a lot of time in the kitchen is often necessary. I was one of them, hence the name of my blog. But as my body became stronger, I am able to get out of my kitchen and enjoy life a whole lot more. So the search for easy to prepare and pack nourishment for AIP/Paleo life on to go began. I guess Sarah Ballantyne aka The Paleo Mom heard mine and countless health seeker's call when she teamed up with Vital Protein to create this AIP/ Paleo Collagen with veggies. Thanks. Read all about it HERE.

This is what Sarah set out to create and I think she did a fantastic job achieving it.  "a tall order for Vital Proteins.  I wanted a simple product that packed in a ton of whole veggies (fiber and all), just enough fruit to balance the bitterness of the veggies and add some vital nutrients, and a full 20 grams of protein from collagen peptides all in a palatable portable powder that could be mixed easily with water, didn’t need a blender, that wasn’t gritty or thick to drink, and that completely complied with the Autoimmune Protocol. "

When I first heard about the new AIP Vital Protein Collagen Veggie Blend,  I was super excited about it. With this amazing AIP/Paleo supplement in hand,  I can pack lighter and feel more confident about my on the go nourishment. Like most people, I was curious about the taste.  Sarah described the taste as " green ". Ok?!? I wasn't sure how to interrupted that so the best way for me to know is to try it.

My first attempt was simply by mixing 2 scoops with 8 oz of water, the suggested instruction was to mix 2 scoops with 8-12 oz of water so I tested it with the lower amount to see how it faired. First sip, hmm... I tasted like cold tomato soup.  Texture, mixes well with water, not too thick, if you want it runnier, just add more water. Colour - well, with all the goodness of veggies and fruits, you are not going to get some artificial looking, eye pleasing colour, but I don't mind because I know it is the colour of nature's palette.  Oh! how I missed those plump red nightshades. So that got me thinking about creating a refreshing Gazpacho with the Vital Proteins Collagen Veggie Blend to enjoy in the warm weather to come. Below you will find my recipe. 

I was pleased with AIP/Paleo Gazpacho and enjoyed it in the new backyard my husband built.

To preserve the chunky texture of a Gazpacho, I made sure I kept the Blender dial low ( I am using my Vitamix but I think a regular blender will do a good job. )  With the added good fats, this recipe packed a satiating,  easy to prepare, nutrient dense,  snack or even meal because when dinner time came around I had to think twice why I wasn't that hungry. 

So I am giving Sarah Ballantyne's new product Vital Protein Collagen Veggie Blend  2 thumbs up for convenience, nutritional value and versatility. I can't wait to hear more about how people are using this product to boost their health and support their healing journey. You can get your Vital Protein Collagen Veggie Blend HERE.  Make sure you tag your experience with #vitalveggies

AIP/Paleo Gazpacho

Makes 1 serving     Prep time 5 mins      

Ingredients

• 2 scoops Vital Protein Collagen Veggie Blend
• 2 c water
• 1/2 c cucumber, peeled and chopped 
• 2 tsp celery, chopped
• 2 Tbsp onions, finely chopped
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 Tbsp AIP compliant oil, like Avocado/ Extra Virgin Olive
• 1 tsp cilantro and a few sprigs for garnish

Instructions

1. In a blender, add water, cucumber, and celery
2. Blend at low ( 2 ) for 30 sec, not too long unless you want a smooth textured drink 
3. Add onions, 1 tsp of cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of Himalayan pink or Grey sea salt
4. Blend at low ( 2 ) for another 30 sec to mix
5. Lastly add in Vital Protein Collagen Veggie Blend and oil
6. Blend at low for another 30 sec to mix
7. Pour into glass or bowl and garnish with cilantro 

Enjoy!

My 3 steps to overcoming IBD Flares, Product Review + Coupon Code

photo by Luisa Koehler

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The other day,  I was humbly reminded how IBD affects people of all ages and walks of life.  My friend's tween-age son has been struggling with Crohns for a few years,  in helping the family through confusing times,  I was motivated to sit down and write about healing my almost forgotten Ulcerative Colitis flares.  I am not trying to boast about my remission,  instead,  I wanted to emphasise even when the body has been dramatically affected by the chronic disease,  there is still hope in returning back to a state of health.  It is the body's main focus to repair and thrive. 

In this post,  I will share a few of my tips for overcoming IBD flares as Reduce Stress,  Sleep,  and Bowel Rest with Nourishment.  I hope some of these tips will resonate with fellow IBDers searching their way towards healthy bodies. 

Reduce stress   

Luckily,  by following a healing diet like Paleo Autoimmune Protocol ( AIP ),  I was already reducing some of the stress to my body from consuming inflammatory foods found in a Standard American Diet ( SAD).  However,  when it comes to lifestyle stress,  it was a bit more complicated.  Once I got a couple flares under my belt,  I could predict another looming around the corner by observing my elevated stress level.  Managing stress was one of the biggest hurdles against remission and now I make a conscious effort in putting Self Care on top of my to-do list to keep stress levels in check.  When I sensed my body become out of balance,  I reviewed my schedule to accommodate more down time.  Then,  I turned down unnecessary obligations and asked for help to maintain any essential duties as I focused on healing.  After all,  even as a caregiver,  what good am I to others when I was unwell.

Sleep

Most people assumes sleeping 8 hours is enough,  but when you are battling autoimmunity,  you will probably need more hours under the covers.  When I was in a flare,  I slept until my body told me to get up.  During my worst flare,  I could easily sleep 18 hrs and still be exhausted.  My days blended into nights,  but I listened to my body and sleep more.  Another way to rest beside being in bed was relaxing in an Epsom Salt bath.  At times,  I would alternate between the two to prevent bedsores and boredom.  Sometimes I found it hard to quiet the mind,  so I turned to meditation podcasts,  like Louise Hay, and Essential oils,  like lavender, to guide me into a more relaxed state.  To learn more about getting restful Sleep to support healing- check out Go to Bed by The Paleo Mom.

Bowel Rest with Nourishment

The idea of bowel rest came to me after my first preparation for colonoscopy,  instead of taking the recommended clear diet of sugary juices and Sports drinks,  I consumed my homemade bone broth, grass fed gelatin and coconut water.  To my surprise,  my flare symptoms subsided right after my scope.  I understood that as my digestion was given a break,  my body could focus on repairing my gut lining.  In regards to the duration of bowel rest,  I really had to listen to my body.  I also found it helpful to add fats,  like coconut oil,   in small tolerable increments to provide my body with extra  energy.  My bowel rest practice evolved as my body healed,  I was able to consume more variety of liquids.  This lead me to search for more easy to digest liquid nourishment options to fuel the body during this healing process.  While preparing bone broth is easy,  it can be time and energy consuming, especially when you are not well.  Grass Fed Collagen protein is still my favorite form of gut healing supplements to this day. Recently,  I was contacted by Primal Health and Nutrition regarding their unique Paleo and Autoimmune Protocol compliant line of products,  Paleo Perfection Protein.  Keeping my fellow IBDers in mind,  Paleo Perfection Protein may be a great option as a convenient periodic meal replacement or an easy to digest liquid nourishment in supporting bowel rest.  For those who are intolerant to common allergens,  Primal Health and Nutrition has made their product free of dairy, nuts, seeds, soy, corn and legume.  Comparing to the majority of protein supplements on the market,  Primal Health and Nutrition uses Grass Fed hydrolyzed beef ( aka. Collagen) as their protein source instead of whey.  With the addition of nutrient enhancing organic fruits and vegetable,  Paleo Perfection Protein offers a fuller body texture when comparing to other Collagens I have used before. Primal Health and Nutrition currently offers two flavours,  “Chocolate” Cherry Flavour,   which is made with carob instead of chocolate and a Natural flavour.  After testing their products,   I found the "Chocolate" Cherry Flavour a bit sweet ( with stevia) tasting for me.  By adding coconut milk/cream ( you may use any high-quality fat or your choice of tolerable “milk”),  I found the perfect balance in taste and richness in a cup I would gladly serve my children as a treat.  In fact, it was almost hard to believe this easy to make supplement is tasty,  guilt-free and AIP compliant.   Lastly,  I feel their prices are reasonable especially for the quality of the ingredients used. 

Although I still believe it is preferable to heal our bodies with real whole foods,  this product can provide a good alternative for a clean source of on-the-go protein supplement.  If you are on the AIP protocol,  I would suggest that you give this a go once you have gotten past the elimination phase and successfully re-introduced ingredients used in the product.

If you want to try Paleo Perfection Protein,  as my blog audience, you can save 20% off of the retail price.  Simply use coupon code "AFox"  to redeem your 20% off here ( Offer expires 12/31/2016 ).  

Below is how I made my taste testers ( aka. my kids) their cups of guilt free and nourishing hot "cocoa".  There was no surprise that they loved it. 

Makes 2 servings   Prep time 5 mins 

Ingredients

• 1 scoop Paleo Perfection Protein  - Natural
• 1 scoop Paleo Perfection Protein - Chocolate Cherry
• 1/2 c full-fat coconut milk
• 1 1/2 c hot water
• a sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt

Optional: 1 Tablespoon MCT oil

Instructions

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend at low speed until smooth. Be careful when handling hot liquids. Enjoy. 

Use Coupon code "AFox" for 20% off retail prices  ( Offer expires 12/31/2016 )

Redeemable at here

In conclusion,  it was bittersweet to sift through faded memories of Ulcerative Colitis flares,  I remember how terrible I felt at my rock bottom and all the times in between.  The pain,  weakness from undernourishment,  and fears of whether I would ever feel well again eventually subsided as I follow my trial and error routine of Reduce Stress,  Sleep and Bowel Rest with Nourishment.  My above-mentioned tips to overcoming IBD flares are only a few of countless out there.  They have worked well to further my healing when I focus on them.  I encourage every IBDer to get creative, be determined and continue to search for ways to heal your gut.  Remember, the body is designed to repair and thrive. 

Fragrant Rose Chai

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Happy New Year to all my health advocates!

I wish you all good health and happiness for 2016. 

This morning, I woke up feeling a bit chilled and got inspired to warm myself up with a cup of floral yummy drink to start Monday and February off. I looked around my tea cupboard and came across my jar of rose petals. I have always loved the smell of rose essential oils but haven't included this delicate frequent flower in my cooking. The beautiful pink color of the dried roses inspired me to grab it and add it to my tea. A few stirs and simmer and the end result was this warming fragrant cup of Rose Chai tea. I have also used rose water to give this drink an extra punch of flavor. You can usually find rose water from Middle Eastern Food stores but if you are having difficulty finding it locally, here is an affiliate link you can order from. Remember Valentine's day is just around the corner and this warm drink would be a nice romantic treat for the special day.  

Makes 2 cups     Prep time 5 mins      Cook time 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Rose water

• 5-6 rose blossom

• 1 tbsp organic rooibos tea

• 3-4 ginger slices

• sprinkle ground clove

• 1/8 t ground cinnamon 

• honey to taste ( optional ) 

• 2 cups water

• 1 Tbsp Collagen

• 1/8 - 1/4 c coconut milk ( I recently tried this tetrapak coconut milk from AROY D and loved the taste. )

Instructions:

1. In a small pot, add water, spices, tea and ginger and bring to boil then simmer uncovered for 10 mins
2. Pour tea through strainer into a mason jar, stir in remaining ingredients and add desired amount of coconut milk and serve.

AIP Iced "americano" - cool refreshing anemia buster drink

I have a strong likes for bitters,  perhaps it is from childhood training of drinking Chinese medicine. Somehow that piece of dried plum the herbalist offers as an after treat made it all worthwhile. 

As I continue to search for more ways to improve my iron levels, I turn to my herbalist for advice. I have been drinking nettle tea with molasses but find that body still needs more iron. My herbalist ran down the list of suggestions like nutrient dense diet,  probiotics, fermented vegetables... which I am already complying with, then she suggested yellow dock.  Besides being rich in iron, yellow dock is known for it's liver detoxing properties. I asked what it taste like and she said "bitter" and let me smell it. She was probably a bit surprised when I said that I liked the smell which is a good sign. I believe our senses guide us to what are body needs. I bought a little to try. 

When I got home, I decided to play up the bitterness of the herbs and after a few tries I created this AIP version of iced coffee. I find it to be a refreshing drink with a sweet bitter kick, with the coconut milk, it makes a treat on a hot day. Because I am naturally drawn to bitter flavors, I am very interested to hear what other people think. Is it too bitter? Does it remind you of an iced americano? Please let me know. 

Makes 2 cups     Prep time 5 mins      Cook time 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp nettle leaves
• 1 tsp yellow dock root
• 1 tsp dandelion root
• 1 tsp honey ( optional but recommended unless you really like bitters) 
• 1 tsp molasses
• 2 cups water
• 1/8 - 1/4 c coconut milk

Instructions:

1. In a small pot, add all ingredients except sweeteners, bring to boil then simmer uncovered for 20 mins
2. Strain out roots and leaves and pour liquid into a mason jar, add sweeteners, 
3. Let cool and store in fridge until ready to use
4. Fill a tall glass with ice, pour 3/4 c cooled "tea" in, add desired amount of coconut milk and serve

Tea time for Spring - Nettle Carob Ginger tea

I can feel Spring in the air because some days my eyes are getting watery and my nose is getting itchy. 

Since being on AIP,  I have found my seasonal allergy symptoms have diminished a lot but I still get them in milder forms, using the Neti pot twice a day also helps improve my symptoms. As I continue to research and learn how to support my body's healing in a holistic manner, I found that my trusted nettle tea, which I was drinking to keep my iron in check and for its anti-inflammatory properties, can help with seasonal allergies, too. Read more about Stinging Nettle health benefits here.  

This tasty tea recipe combines the smoothness of nettle, and brings out a subtle sweetness from the carob. The ginger seems to tie everything together and make it a nice cuppa to wake up with or enjoy as a soothing beverage at the end of the day.  I hope you like it and let me know if it helps your seasonal allergies. 

Nettle Carob Ginger tea

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Serves 1        Prep time 5 mins        Brew time 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1" ginger root, peeled and thinly slices
• 1 tbsp dried nettle leaves
• 1 tsp unsweetened carob powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil 
• Optional sweetener: 1 date or 1 tsp maple syrup or 1 tsp molasses ( great source of iron) 

Instructions

1. Prepare ginger tea 
2. Use ginger tea to brew nettle leaves for 5- 10 mins
3. Strain nettle and add carob powder, for best result and especially if adding coconut oil,  blend with hand blender until all ingredients are mixed well.
4. sweeten with maple syrup if desire 

High Speed Blender instructions

1. Put ginger slices and hot water into blender like (affiliate link ) Vitamix
2. Blend until ginger is all pulverized
3. Pour ginger tea into contain with nettle leaves
4. Let sit 10 mins
5. Strain out ginger and nettle and pour back into blender
6. Add coconut oil and (optional) date
7. Blend until date is pulverized 

Pour and enjoy. 

Hot Apple Pie drink

Our West Coast Spring might have come a little early but we still get a lot of rain. Today was a wet one,  I have been precooking peeled apples and asian pears lately for a warm soothing treat.  I decided to add the cooked fruit into my blended hot tea for a thicker consistency and fiber. This warm and cozy drink was inspired by apple pie now that I am slowly reintroducing apples back into my low FODMAP diet. 

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Serves 1     Prep time 5 mins     Cook time 10 mins pre-cooking fruit

Ingredients

• 1/2 small peeled and sliced apple
• 2 tbsp coconut cream
• 1/4 tsp grated ginger root or ginger powder
• 1/2 c brewed ginger tea ( see instructions here )
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp collagen ( I use this one) 

Instructions

1. In a small pot with tight fitting lid, cook apple slices with ginger in water over low heat for 10 mins or until soft
2. Add all ingredients together in a heat proof container
3. Blend until smooth with immersion blender
4. Pour and serve
5. Sprinkle more cinnamon ( optional ) 

Coconut kefir yam ginger smoothie

Serves 2   Prep time 10 mins ( plus cooling time for cooked yam )

Ingredients 

• 1 small white yam, peeled and sliced into 1/2" slices
• 1 c. water to cook yam with
• 1/4 c coconut milk kefir or coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp ( or more if you like it spicy like me) peeled and grated ginger
• optional: 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• optional: freeze dried strawberries to garnish

Instruction

1. In a small pot, cook yam slices in 1 c of water until soft
2. Cool in fridge 
3. Put all ingredients accept of garnish in blender and blend until smooth
4. Garnish with freeze dried strawberries.

Enjoy

Bulletproof Golden Anti-inflammatory tea

Bulletproof Anti-inflammatory tea

This recipe came about from the last cold that went around the house couple weeks ago. I started having a pot of ginger tea on hand at all times.  Eventually I brewed herbal teas ( this is my favorite one to use but you can use any tea of your choice ) with the ginger tea and have that concoction on hand. My children have accustomed to a cup of tea morning and night now. Then I took the brewed ginger herbal tea and played around with it to create my version of the bulletproof "coffee".

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Bulletproof Golden Anti-inflammatory Tea

Serves 1  Prep time 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1" thinly sliced ginger root
• 1 c water
• 1 tsp grass fed gelatin
• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup ( optional ) 
• 1 tsp organic turmeric powder or 1/2 " fresh turmeric root ( see quick method if using fresh turmeric and omit turmeric powder)
• 1/4 c. coconut cream
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or 1/2 tbsp coconut oil and 1/2 tbsp grass fed butter
• optional a sprinkle of black pepper

I omitted black pepper in mine because it makes me gassy. If you are fine with black pepper, you can add a dash as it is suppose to increase absorption of turmeric many folds.

Instruction

Prepare ginger tea

1. Put ginger slice and or fresh turmeric root in blender with cold water
2. Blend until roots are broken down into small bits
3. Put in pot and bring to boil
4. Let sit for 10 mins

Use the ginger tea to brew your Bulletproof Golden Anti-inflammatory tea as directed

Dissolve gelatin (I use this one) in hot brewed tea,

1. Stir in the rest of the ingredients 
2. Blend until oil is mixed in with a hand blended. 
3. Pour in cup and enjoy. 

This make a nourishing and satisfying breakfast or snack in a cup. The gelatin is also good source of easy to digestion protein and adds gut healing benefits to this warming drink.