Let Food Be Thy Medicine
I was looking for something different eat that is quick, healthy, hypoallergenic and has all the nutrients my body needs to be healthy, while also support healing the leaky gut.
So I pulled out my famous gut-friendly pumpkin banana muffins. This is delicious with a spoon of pumpkin seed butter and a glass of coconut water.
Full of potassium, zinc, protein omega-3 fats, you really can’t go wrong with these delicious muffins.
Side note- I have reintroduced eggs in my diet and see to tolerate them well! But if you do not tolerate eggs, you can always swap out for egg substitute powder as well to make it gut-friendly.
Ingredients
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Bake Temperature: 350F
Ingredients
1/2c green banana flour
3/4c flaxseed meal
2 eggs, beaten or egg substitute
2-4 bananas, mashed (depends on your banana likes!)
1 scoop pumpkin seed powder
2 tbsp pumpkin seed butter
1/2c unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 nondairy milk (such as flax, pea or coconut milk)
Instructions
First mix the wet ingredients. Typically, I take the bananas, vanilla extract, milk, and eggs and throw it in my Blendtech blender.
The I also mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. I fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. You can use an electric mixer if you wish, but it really is not necessary. The batter may appear a bit dry , but that is OK. You do not want it to be too moist, it will fall apart.
You can spoon the mixture into a 12 muffin tin (using paper or greasing it with a light spray of grapeseed or avocado oil), and then form then with your hands to make then shape you desire.
Bake it for 30 minutes or until you can remove a toothpick from the center clean.
Allow to cool. Store in refrigerator.
I usually eat one for breakfast with 1 tbsp of pumpkin seed butter. High in minerals, protein, fiber and omega-3 fats, this is a delicious superfood and a quick breakfast or mid-day snack. Very gut-friendly. And with the protein and fiber, this will not only provide satiety, but also help manage your blood sugar.
Health Benefits
Green banana flour– High in essential minerals and vitamins including zinc, vitamin E, magnesium, and manganese, green-banana flour is also abundant in potassium – so much so that just two tablespoons contain the same amount as seven whole bananas! This flour is high in resistant starch which can help promote good bacteria in your gut, making them gut-friendly.
When the bacteria eats the resistant starch, it produces a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate. Butyrate is useful for the cells that line the colon because it keeps them healthy, even helping fight cancerous cells.
Coconut flour– High in fiber, hypo-allergenic, gluten free, a great alternative for baking! 1/4c serving has a whopping 10g of fiber, 6g of protein and 3.6mg of iron. Also this is low oxalate, and very safe for those following a low oxalate diet
Flax meal– This powder is derived from flaxseed. Flaxseeds are rich in a-linolenic acid (ALA) and a great source of omega-3 besides fish. Omega-3 fatty acids play important roles in all sorts of bodily processes, including inflammation, heart health and brain function. This healthy fat can help with many things such as constipation, inflammation, eczema, cellulite, anxiety, arthritis and depression.
Pumpkin seeds– Pumpkin seeds are well known for their gut-healing, often used to treat parasitic infections and tapeworms. However, they do much more than that.
They are a good source of amino acids, phytosterols, unsaturated fatty acids, minerals and tocopherols. Rich in antioxidants which can reduce free radical damage and inflammation. They are a good source of tryptophan and magnesium- which both can help with moods and sleep.
They are also a rich source of zinc, which can support natural immunity. Best of all, pumpkin seeds have been shown to improve bladder symptoms, such as prostatic hyperplasia.
In one study, it was able to significantly improve symptoms of overactive bladder and correct urinary dysfunction. Rich in manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, vitamin K, zinc, potassium and riboflavin, healthy fats including omega-3- all nutrients that support IC healing.
