Cooking for Candida

Candida, or yeast overgrowth, is an extremely common condition. If you’re experiencing gut/digestive issues, fatigue/brain fog, recurring fungal infections, skin problems, seasonal allergies, mood swings, and other health issues – you may have Candida.

It occurs when candida – a form of fungus that lives in your digestive tract – colonizes in your gut, overpowering the good bacteria. This wreaks havoc on your gut, fights the good bacteria, and causes your gut to become leaky, which in turn leads to a variety undesirable of symptoms. Over time, you can improve the good bacteria through the right strain of probiotics.

Candida finds its way into the body through certain medications like antibiotics, birth control, environmental toxins, and no other but our diets. A diet full of inflammatory, carbohydrate-rich, sugary, and processed foods creates the perfect conditions for yeast to thrive and multiply, as they feed off of sugars.

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, you might want to consider talking to your doctor. If you do have Candida, fear not—it’s extremely common and you can also fight it through your diet! 

Candida Fighting Recipes:

Wild Salmon

Wild salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are also known to fight fungal infections and anti-inflammatory. It’s crucial that you consume wild salmon and not farm-raised salmon as farm-raised salmon is low in omega-3s and full of antibiotics. Be aware of this in restaurants and while at grocery stores. Other great sources of omega-3 acids include sardines, anchovies, and flax seeds. 

This is a quick and aromatic dish that is perfect for a last minute meal during the summer. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon help to burn fat around the belly and boost the metabolism. Food is a very powerful drug and can greatly enhance our health. Eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce cellular inflammation in the body. Some inflammatory-related diseases are cancer, candida, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, IBS, and the list goes on & on. Let food be your medicine, and let medicine be your food!

Grilled Salmon with Cauliflower Puree

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

For Salmon:

• 2 (3 oz.) fillets of wild salmon

For Marinade:

• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

• STEP 1. In a glass bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade.
• STEP 2. Sprinkle the salmon with a little bit of sea salt & pepper.
• STEP 3. Marinade the fish and place in the fridge for 10 minutes while you heat the grill.
• STEP 4. Heat a lightly oiled grill and cook the salmon for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on preference for rare or well done.

If you are a big fan of salmon, make sure to check out this Wild Salmon with Zucchini Pasta.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, arugula, cabbage, and radishes contain isothiocyanates – the sulfur and nitrogen-containing compounds that attack Candida. All cruciferous veggies are full of fiber, which help with your body’s natural elimination process, thus further removing the bad bacteria. Because vegetables have alkalinizing properties, they help reduce the acidity in your body (also very important on an anti-candida diet and helps reduce inflammation).

Cauliflower puree is a fantastic alternative to mashed potatoes. Potatoes are a big no-no for the candida diet as they are a starchy vegetable and high in sugar which feeds candida. This cauliflower purée is absolutely divine! It’s creamy, comforting and your guests won’t even know you used cauliflower. Instead of using cream or yogurt, this puree is made with a vegan cream cheese to add a nice creaminess to it without any dairy. 

Baked Cauliflower Puree

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
• 3 tbsp Kite Hill vegan cream cheese
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Toppings:

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp shredded vegan cheese 

DIRECTIONS

• STEP 1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot and place cauliflower in it. Cook covered for 10 minutes, so the cauliflower is tender but not mushy. Remove from heat. Drain well.
• STEP 2. Put the cauliflower back in the pot without the lid on and cook for 1-2 minutes. This ensures the cauliflower doesn’t get watery. Don’t skip this step.
• STEP 3. Place cooked cauliflower in the food processor with vegan cream cheese or yogurt, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, and chili flakes. Blend until it has the consistency of mashed potatoes. You can choose to make this a day ahead and refrigerate the mixture until you are ready to bake.
• STEP 4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• STEP 5. Place mashed cauliflower in a lightly greased baking pan. Top with chopped onions and shredded cheese.
• STEP 6. Bake for 20 minutes and then broil for a couple of minutes to crisp up the top.

This is a healthy, plant-based salad that is easy to prepare. The salad can be served with grilled chicken or salmon. The extra-virgin olive oil used in the salad contains polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can help to fight yeast. The essential oil found in lemons contains mild anti-fungal properties. Lemon juice also works to detoxify your liver while trying to fight off the Candida.

Super Green Salad

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 iceberg lettuce, sliced
• 1 cup watercress salad
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced long ways on a mandolin
• 1/2 large carrot, sliced long ways on a mandolin
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

The Dressing:

• juice of 1/2 orange
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

• STEP 1. In a large bowl, combine the iceberg lettuce and watercress salad.
• STEP 2. Using a mandolin, slice the cucumber and carrot in long strips. If you don’t have a mandolin you can use a vegetable peeler.
• STEP 3. Add the sliced avocado and sesame seeds.
• STEP 4. In a small bowl, mix the juice of orange, lemon, tahini and olive oil. Toss in the salad and serve!

Foods To Avoid: 

Sugar, alcohol (wine and beer), fruit juices, high sugar fruits (such as bananas), mushrooms, beans and legumes, starchy veggies (such as sweet potatoes), peanuts, peanut butter, dairy, gluten, and grains.