Jasmine Rice Custard

On Sunday night I stayed up late, watching and then decompressing from the Season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones which took forever to load on my device due to the massive number of fans all over the world tuning in at the same time. It was an action packed episode, meaning lots of viewer adrenaline was generated—not the best way to promote a calm, sleepy sensation when the credits roll and bedtime finally arrives, which I mention here on Sexy Sibo only because the entire experience led to me waking up somewhat ragged the next morning and craving a soft, warm, comforting breakfast.

Usually I don't eat breakfast at all, so clearly something was up, but I can't talk about it because *SPOILER ALERT*

(Haha I would never.)

Because I only just made up this recipe yesterday, it is a work in progress. The idea was to create a sweet and creamy rice custard, which meant eggs and cream would be involved. I figured I'd need a double boiler to prevent sticking and burning, but I don't own a double boiler, so I improvised by nesting my smallest pot inside my biggest pot. The small pot contains the rice mixture. The big pot contains 4 cups of water, which you bring to a boil on high heat, turn down and keep at a low boil during cooking. Both pots get covered to keep in the steam, and it's the steam heat that cooks the custard.

If you own an actual double boiler, by all means use that to make this recipe, but you don't officially need one as long as you have two pots that can nest completely inside each other with their lids on.

I was pretty happy with how my Jasmine Rice Custard came out. To sweeten it, I used 2 teaspoons of erythritol and, to be honest, it wasn't really sweet enough. I managed, but next time I might use 3. Ideally, I'd add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup on top but sadly, I still can't eat either of those without bloating, pretend as I may. Erythritol or Lakanto (erythritol plus monkfruit extract) are my safest bets. (Stevia would work, too, but yuck—I think it would ruin this. I only like stevia in cold things like lemon water and lime gimlets.) Cinnamon also adds some sweetness of its own, not to mention the luscious heavy cream you pour on top.

This recipe makes two servings. If you are just one person, that means you'll have to eat serving number two tomorrow. If that is the case, be sure to heat it up!! When rice cools down, the starch molecules transform into "resistant starch" and feed SIBO bugs. But when you heat the rice back up, the resistant starch magically turns back into normal starch and, because this is Jasmine rice, the only rice that doesn't ferment, you shouldn't react.

Enjoy this comforting dish for breakfast or dessert. ♥

Jasmine Rice Custard
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup raw, uncooked Jasmine rice
1 cup water
1 pastured egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of cinnamon
pinch of salt
2+ teaspoons erythritol or golden Lakanto
1 teaspoon butter, ghee or coconut oil
heavy cream to pour on top


Directions
With a whisk, beat the egg in water with vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt until frothy. Pour over rice in top of a double boiler or in a small pan that can fit inside a large pot with the lid on. Stir in erythritol or Lakanto and butter, ghee or coconut oil. (I used ghee—it's wonderful!—but any of these healthy fats will do.)

Bring water in the bottom pan to a boil, cover both pots and keep at a low boil for 20 minutes. Give the custard a stir at this point, and continue cooking another 10 to 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and custard is firm.

Transfer a half cup of the custard into your favorite breakfast bowl, pour heavy cream on top and dust with more cinnamon. If you can tolerate honey or maple syrup, drizzle on top.  Better yet, sprinkle with golden Lakanto—it's pricey but perfect for this use, as it looks and tastes like brown sugar.

Enjoy!

SIBO ADVISORY: One half cup of cooked Jasmine rice is the safe serving size. More than that and you may be asking for trouble.

Reblogged from Evolution in a Toxic World by Emily Monosson.

MICROBIAL POLITICS

April 1, 2016 · by Emily · in Uncategorized · Leave a comment 

Recent studies suggesting that we each have our own microbiome fingerprints  and studies of the microbiome’s potential to influence our behavior has prompted a group of scientists at OneF Pharma to investigate the utility of microbiome fingerprints for determining personality traits. “Imagine the potential,” says Jody Smith, a researcher for the company, “crime scenes, job personality tests, even – as we demonstrate – politics.”

Their most recent paper published in PLOS-BS, shows how the microbes detected in fingerprints collected by scientists from podiums following recent political debates can be used to identify specific politicians. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, for example leaves behind prints filled with bacteria like Staphylococcus epidermidis a species that tend towards mutualism – or win-win for both bacterial host and human host; while Donald Trump’s microbiome are lighter on the mutualistic bacteria, dominated instead by species like Stahpylococcus aurelius, which can cause superinfections, spreading at the expense of the host’s microbiome.

“These are really just superficial tests,” cautions Smith, “because these are skin bacteria. Those that influence behavior are gut bacteria. But we are working on that too – collecting samples from cutlery and drinking cups used at the debates.”

[Correction: There is no evidence that Donald Trump’s microbiome is loaded with more offensive Staph compared with Bernie Sanders and vice-verse. Happy April Fools! ]