Tonight I'm taking a recipe that's high in carbs and making it friendly for all those who suffer with autoimmune diseases, gluten insensitivities, and gut health issues. As a nutrition coach, I never enjoy telling people they would probably feel better if they removed gluten from their diets. One of my favorite approaches to helping people get off of gluten to heal is to provide them with numerous recipes that are gluten free, without providing that label!
The more I learn about gluten and the effects it has on our guts the more frustrated I am with it. Not in a bad way, but more like, why does it have to harsh on our bodies to digest? And why has it been around for so long and been altered and altered to the point where it's now harming so many of us to the point that we develop autoimmune diseases?
I, unfortunately, am one who has become the culprit of this situation. After testing and testing and eliminating and retesting, I have learned that wheat does not help my body feel well...at all. Which is a total bummer because I love bread, especially sourdough bread. With that being said, here's one thing I do when it comes to eating a meal gluten free that typically comes in a bun:
Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
Serves 6
2 lbs grass fed ground beef
3 bell peppers, quartered
2 Tbls
1/2 yellow onion, diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 oz organic cream cheese (or dairy free cream cheese)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp smoked paprika
Pepper to taste
*Optional 8 slices of provolone cheese, sliced tomato
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large skillet brown ground beef. Once cooked through remove beef from pan. Turning heat to medium-low add oil, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add ground beef back to the pan and season with salt, paprika, and pepper. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese. Mix until the cream cheese is well combined. If you like your Philly's more cheesy you can double the amount of cream cheese! (
Fill each quarter pepper with ground beef mixture and set in an oiled 9x13 pan. Optional to top each pepper with a 1/2 slice of provolone cheese. Place peppers in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Serve immediately with your favorite seasonal fruit, squash, or any other favorite veggies.
You can be super creative with this one and instead of serving it in bell peppers you can turn it into a skillet with largely dice the veggies and add some zucchini or yellow squash to it. Another gluten free alternative would be to serve it over rice or quinoa, just dice up the peppers and throw it in the ground beef mix.
If you have dairy allergies or are not eating dairy due to other health issues, this recipe still tastes delicious without the cream cheese. Another option is to use a dairy free cream cheese instead.
This recipe is pretty cut and dry as far as swapping out better ingredients. Obviously we got rid of the bun, which not only reduces calories, but it also reduces insulin spiking ingredients, keeping our blood sugar levels more even and helping us stay full longer. Studies show that drastic dips in blood sugar levels can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety! (This is why when our blood sugar is "low", we tend to want to eat something to boost our mood and help us out of our depressive state...bringing us back up to that "high" we feel when our blood sugar levels rise.)
We've filled our dish with high levels of protein and veggies. But we've also added a good amount of healthy animal and fruit fats! Remember, when it comes to fats, especially dairy, we want them to be a full fat sourced option. Fat in dairy helps us digest it better and, once again, helps reduce our insulin spike. Choosing fruit fats, such as avocado oils, extra virgin olive oils, and coconut oil, are vital to keeping a healthy heart and mind. Fruit fats are easily digested and non-inflammatory to our guts, whereas canola oils, vegetable oils, and nut/seed oils are highly inflammatory due to the nature of our bodies not actually being able to digest them.
As a rule of thumb, we should always take the extra step and prepare our vegetables (and fruit) by washing them before consuming. This will help reduce, not only the dirt that may be on them, but also reducing the amount of exposure we might have to toxins and germs that may still be on the produce from handling and shipping. The best way to do this is to dilute 2-3 cups of distilled vinegar in 1 gallon of water. Allow your produce to bathe in it for 5-10 minutes before rinsing.
This recipe was a hit for everyone in my family and will definitely be returning to the menu!
Happy cooking!
Love,
Danielle
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