Spiced Waffle Bites

This Toast Tuesday we’re trading in our usual loaf of bread with a stack of fluffy waffles for our Spiced Waffle Bites. Fold in cinnamon and clove into our farmer cheese and spread on top of a golden brown waffle. Next, place a few juicy orange slices, raspberries, and drizzle maple syrup on top. Oranges have vitamin C for a strong immune system, cinnamon and clove have antioxidants to round up free radicals in the body, and ginger has anti-inflammatory properties. The flavor is out of this world – the citrus fruit complements the bold spices and there’s a touch of tart and tanginess from the farmer cheese. What’s farmer cheese, you ask? Excellent question! It’s similar to ricotta in texture and has 10 live and active probiotic cultures, which may support a balanced gut microbiome. It’s an amazing kitchen staple to have on hand whenever you’re experimenting with recipes.

Your Gut Matters

Eating habits also play a role in mental health. Research has shown that probiotic-rich foods decrease anxiety and boost the mood. That makes kefir a great wellbeing tool because it contains 12 live and probiotic cultures. Psychiatrist James Greenblatt explained that “‘the gut is really your second brain. There are more neurons in the GI tract than anywhere else except the brain.’” As research continues to develop, it’s becoming more and more apparent that there is a link between the gut and the brain. What was once suspected as one-way communication (brain to gut) is now understood to be more of a two-way system. Thus, the health of our gut may directly impact the health of our minds.