'Student Spotlight' Vegan Budwig Cream
It's Friday... time for another IIN Student Spotlight. My Friday feature to showcase the talents of my fellow students from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
This week I am introducing Alexine Thompson with a fabulous breakfast (or bressert!) recipe to share with you. She says:
This recipe is adapted from an existing recipe created by Dr. Budwig and re-adapted by Dr. Kousmine, who was a Swiss doctor that cured a lot patients from cancer and chronic illnesses through a whole food, alkaline diet. It is originally made with fat free Greek yogurt, but I adjusted it to make it vegan. On the picture, however, I am using honey, because I ran out of maple syrup, so that makes it “almost vegan”.
It is a delicious, refreshing and filling breakfast, that my husband makes every day for our kids. It is very complete as it containes healthy fats, protein, fiber, and alkalizing fruits.
Recipe: Vegan Budwig Cream
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup coconut kefir
- 2tsp flaxseed oil
- 1 banana, or ½ banana and ½ grated apples
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp maple syrup (or honey), optional
- 2tsp (or more) whole cereals, freshly ground (alternate between buckwheat, millet, brown rice and gluten free oats)
- 1tsp (or more) of seeds and/or, alternating (or mixing) between flax, chia, sunflower, almonds, pumpkin, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, brazil nuts, etc… I usually grind the flax, but like to chew on the other ones.
- A handful of seasonal fruits, preferably alkaline. I love to use berries, but you can use pineapple, peaches, more apples, pears, figs, pomegranate, kiwi, honeydew, etc…
Method:
Mix the oil with the kefir until you have a uniform cream. Add the mashed banana and grated apple, the lemon juice and the maple syrup. Mix together. Add the cereals and the seeds/nuts. In this picture, I added more seeds than the recipe calls for. You can also omit the grains if you are following a grain-free diet.
Lastly, add whichever fruits you like and enjoy for breakfast or mid-afternoon snack!
The beauty of this meal is that it is very versatile, as you can vary the fruits, grains and seeds on a daily basis and create endless combinations! The coconut kefir is full of healthy probiotics for healing the gut, the banana and lemon juice are very alkalizing, the flaxseed oil gives you plenty of anti-inflammatory omega 3, you get carbs and fiber from the whole grains for energy and the seeds and nuts are rich in healthy fats and protein. It’s a win-win!
'Spotlight Interview'
1- What first drew you to study with IIN?
While I have always been watching what I ate (since adolescence) because I wasn’t the naturally skinny girl, my focus on health vs. weight loss started when my mom got diagnosed with breast cancer 5 years ago. That is when I really started researching and learning about healthy living. I became the expert among my friends in terms of nutrition and finally decided to make it my job. When I stumbled upon IIN online, it just felt like the right fit.
2- How has your life changed since becoming a health coaching student?
My life has changed drastically in the last year, but not just because of IIN. I have relocated with my family, from Los Angeles, California, to Switzerland, where I am originally from. I closed my practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist, started studying at IIN while seeing some therapy clients here and developing couples’ workshops, as well as teaching and supervising therapists in Emotion Focused Therapy. I feel like my life has diversified, and IIN has been a good grounding for me, to remember to take care of myself, eat healthy, pay attention to primary foods. I have also learned quite a bit about nutrition and health, to the point that I feel confident about being able to help others as a health coach.
3- What do you hope to take away into the world and how do you plan to help others once you graduate?
I would like to help raise awareness about the link between what we eat and how we feel, physically, emotionally and spiritually. I am appalled at what kids are being fed these days, and the things people put into their bodies. I have experienced first hand the shift that can happen when you feed your body real foods, and would like to spread the message and help people make that shift in their own life.
4- Being a ‘wellness crusader’ what one thing would you wish to change about the world?
Only one thing? That’s a tough one! I don’t think I can limit myself like that. But in one sentence, I’d like to help people understand themselves and each other better, build community around them, grow their own garden and utilize local resources.
5- What would you choose for your 'final meal on earth’?
A salad! Definitely a salad! With lots of things in it, like avocado, figs, feta, pecans, purple onions and things like that.
Share The Love!
You can find Alexine via her website: eating4healing.com and also at her my blog: eatingforhealing.blogspot.com.
I'd love you to join me in other places too!
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