Toi here, and welcome to another episode of Knauthentic. Topic of the day: the benefits of fermented foods. If you’re tuning in from Substack, be sure to check out today’s poll. 1. For someone with so many food restrictions, I have to put a lot of thought into the nutritional density of every meal I consume. It’s one thing to constantly worry about what I can’t eat and another to consider what I can. When it comes to what I can eat, I’m also hoping to include foods that benefit my body in some way to help compensate for other area where I may be lacking. I am not new to the concept of eating fermented food, but I never made them a priority until I started this new food journey. As will all aspects of my diet, I can’t consume just any ferments, I have to stick to the safe ones. For instance, I used to adore Kimchi and will often recommend it to others, but due to its knight shade ingredients, I can no longer indulge. Still, I can’t ignore the benefits and continue to find ways to include ferments when possible. In case you don’t know, fermented food are great for your gut health and can serve as prebiotics (fertilizer for good bacteria) and probiotic (the good bacteria you want), which support the production of postbiotics (bacteria waste that helps all other waste leave your body). 2. So, the question remains, what ferments can I consume. Yogurt used to be one of my go-to’s, but with now not being able to consume dairy, finding a nondairy yogurt that isn’t packed with additives is a challenge, but sometimes I do manage it. I’ll include Kombucha in my diet from time to time, but being caffeine sensitive, it’s not something I can have every day, even though I always water it down. Salt fermented foods (or pickles) are easy to come by, but again I have to look out for additives and must watch my sodium levels, so I can’t indulge too much. It does help that I’m able to make my own pickles, and I loved that you can pickle almost anything. 3. This brings me to main source of my ferments, soy. Because I know so many people who are soy sensitive, I make an effort not to have too much of it. With me making most of my food from scratch, I’ve eliminated a large quantity of soy that most consumer are getting in the form of those additives and fillers. I also make simple substitutions like Pea or Almond milk instead of soy milk, when available. I also use Coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. But, as long as I can, I will keep miso (whether white, red, or even the rarer yellow) on hand for soups and sauces. In order to reap the benefits of these ferments, it’s important to only add it in towards the end of the cooking process, so the heat doesn’t kill it. Now, it’s time to talk about how I make Udon Miso Soup. Be sure to visit my Knauthentic YouTube channel if you want to see the short. Step-by-step instructions 1. Bring 2-4 cups of water to a boil. I just set up my tea kettle. 2. Prepare your precooked protein. I used marinated tofu this time. 3. Add in additional nutrients or veggies. I used a tsp of Wakame (it does expand quite a bit). 4. Add in any seasonings you prefer. I added coriander, ground ginger, and black pepper. 5. Prepare the soup mix. I used 1 tsp of coconut aminos (you could use soy sauce or tamari). I then added 1 tsp of sesame oil and 1 tsp of red miso paste (you could sub with white or yellow). Go ahead and start to mix it to help is blend in better later. 6. Add the precooked Udon to the bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let the noodles soften for 3-4 minutes. 7. Then add the soup mixture through a sieve to reduce clumping. 8. Garnish with furikake and enjoy. Question: Do you prefer red miso or white miso? I’d love to know. I enjoy both along with all their gut health benefits. If you, or someone you know, has a health or food journey story or recipe you think others might benefit from, please check my Be Featured links on social media, and share your story in the way that suits you best. Until next time, stay safe, eat well, and be blessed. Credits Knauthentic Season 1, Episode 26. Starring Toi Thomas. Featuring no one else at this time. Topics discussed: Fermented foods, Gut health, Red and White Misco, Udon Miso Soup Produced by Toi Thomas in association with The ToiBox of Words and Lit Carnivale. Directed by Toinette “Toi” Thomas. Thanks again to the Knauthentic community on Substack, YouTube, and wherever you can hear this podcast. This is all for you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit toithomas.substack.com
