Microbiome Recipes

A beautiful festive, nutrient-rich dish that will make your gut happy and healthy.

Inflammation-lowering, gut-healthy, and divine to taste! It’s the ultimate comfort food that is packed with collagen and gelatin.

Looking after your skin, hair, and nails, supporting joints, and relieving pain. It supports the gut lining and maintains its integrity, and it may boost muscle mass.

Plus, did you know that star anise protects against colds and flu? It has potent antiviral properties.

You deserve good food that keeps you well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2.5lb or 1kg ox cheeks (grass fed)

3 carrots

3 celery sticks

1 onion

4 garlic cloves

3 cups or 700g beef bone broth

2 cups or 500g red wine (optional)

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

2 bay leaves

1 sprig thyme

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 anchovies (optional)

1 tbsp arrowroot powder (substitutes: corn or regular flour)

sea salt

black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

Curly parsley to garnish

Method:

1. If you are using an oven-proof deep pan, preheat your oven to a 150 C / 300 F fan oven. If you don’t have an oven-proof pan, you can make it on your stove.

2. Heat the olive oil on medium to high, and sear the ox cheeks on all sides. Set aside.

3. In the same pan, add the chopped onion and crushed garlic, and soften for 3 minutes on medium heat.

4. Add the finely chopped celery and carrot sticks. Soften for a further 5 minutes.

5. Add tomato paste, finely chopped anchovies, salt, and pepper, and brown for another minute.

6. Place the ox cheeks back in the pot and add the arrowroot powder and stir for a minute.

7. Add the bone broth and the wine, as well as the cinnamon stick, star anise, thyme, and bay leaves.

8. Bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 2.5 hours or keep it simmering on low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

9. Let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes with the lid on before serving.

Serving Tips

Serve and garnish with some parsley. This dish pairs well with the sweet potato mash or quinoa stir fry. It works well with cauliflower rice too.

Storage Tips