Summary

Jerry and Julie Marie Christensen shared personal updates, including celebrating five years since Julie first visited St. George and her commitment to a “fitness first” routine, along with their nearly eight-year adherence to a one meal a day (OMAD) eating habit. Vicky reported that her husband was hospitalized due to an ulcer caused by low-dose aspirin, prompting Julie Marie to advise on aspirin’s negative effects on gut microbes, especially with a low-fat diet. Presentation Lesson #367 detailed the preparation of “Busy Day Chili” using dried beans in an Instant Pot, emphasizing cost and time savings, specific spices, water amounts, and the “broiled trinity” technique for vegetables, while also discussing the influence of food exposure on the microbiome and childhood nutrition.

Details

• Personal Updates and Daily Routines Julie Marie shared personal updates, including celebrating five years since she first visited St. George, and her current commitment to a “fitness first” routine, which is on its seventh day. She also mentioned her one-meal-a-day (OMAD) eating habit, which she has maintained for nearly eight years for health benefits. Faith noted that it was a rainy and cold day where she was located.
• Family Health and Dietary Challenges Vicky shared that her husband was hospitalized due to an ulcer caused by low-dose aspirin, which he was taking for a past eye stroke. Julie Marie advised that aspirin negatively affects gut microbes, especially when following a low-fat diet, which naturally thins the blood. Vicky also mentioned that her husband, while eating her cooked Protective Diet meals, also consumes other foods and is not fully committed to the diet.
• Azure Standard and Produce Discussion Jerry Christensen and Julie Marie discussed their recent Azure Standard order, which included a case of cabbage and two cases of pears. Jerry also mentioned that the cart for next month’s order closes around November 13th. Jennie noted that her local Costco was lacking in produce, but Julie Marie recommended the organic golden kiwi, which she and Jerry enjoy whole, mentioning that she initially tried eating kiwi whole thanks to Jerry’s influence.
• Digestive Health and Fiber Consumption Julie Marie explained that a low-fat diet helps gut microbes digest plant fibers more effectively. She advised easing into high-fiber foods like beans in small portions to avoid overwhelming the digestive system, likening beans to a condiment rather than the main dish. Jennie inquired about the frequency of bean consumption, to which Julie Marie clarified that eating beans more often in smaller, diverse portions helps the body build the necessary microbes to digest fiber, reducing gas.
• Chili Preparation: Beans and Spices Lesson #367 discussed preparing “Busy Day Chili” using dried beans in an Instant Pot, highlighting its cost and time-saving benefits. Julie Marie advised against soaking the beans and suggested using a mix of different bean varieties for varied color and flavor, specifically recommending kidney beans as a significant component. The presentation detailed the spices used, emphasizing that these spices contribute to the chili’s flavor and warmth without being overly spicy.
• Chili Preparation: Water and Cooking Tips Lesson #367 recommended using 7 1/2 cups of water for the chili recipe. They suggested putting the beans in first before adding spices, to avoid mismeasuring or contaminating them if interrupted during preparation. She also shared a “pro tip” for busy individuals: scheduling the Instant Pot with a delay start or using the “keep warm” setting after cooking to ensure the beans soften further and to allow the aroma to fill the home, enhancing meal anticipation.
• Chili Preparation: Broiled Trinity and Toppings Lesson #367 introduced the “broiled trinity” technique for onions, bell peppers, and frozen corn, which involves broiling them for about 10 minutes to develop rich, browned flavors for the chili. Julie Marie mentioned using a garden pepper as an example of a bell pepper for the trinity. For toppings, she suggested diced tomatoes, onions (red, white, or yellow), and cilantro, and noted that personal preference for cilantro can change with exposure, implying a change in microbial population.
• Microbiome and Food Preferences Lesson #367 discussed how exposure to certain foods during gestation and breastfeeding can influence a child’s preference for those flavors, attributing this to the development of the microbiome. Julie Marie explained that this principle also applies to adults, suggesting that repeated exposure to foods like cilantro can change taste perceptions.
• Childhood Nutrition and Exposure Therapy Lesson #367 discussed the importance of exposure therapy in preventing childhood obesity, recommending that children taste new foods multiple times. Julie Marie shared her personal experience of growing up exposed to diverse flavors, noting the practice of offering a taste to children who might initially dislike a food.
• Chili Preparation and Accompaniments Lesson #367 detailed their preferred method for preparing “Busy Day chili” and suggested various accompaniments. Julie Marie mentioned serving chili with pasta, instant mac and cheese, or cut-up potatoes, and highlighted the Christensen’s preference for instant mac and cheese or chili cheese fries. She also explained how to make a thick, creamy sour cream substitute from strained yogurt, which they use extensively with their chili.
• Ingredient Sourcing and Storage Lesson #367 emphasized the use of organic dried beans to improve food quality and reduce costs, noting that this practice also allows for sodium control. Julie Marie also detailed their method for preserving garden tomatoes by freezing them for use throughout the winter in dishes like roasted salsa, tomato soup, and pasta sauce. She later elaborated on freezing garden tomatoes, sharing that they roast frozen tomatoes for various recipes and store them in multiple freezers.
• Bentonite Clay Uses Faith inquired about the safety of using bentonite clay, specifically for toothpaste, after purchasing a product not explicitly labeled “food grade”. Jerry Christensen clarified that topical use of bentonite clay is safe, even if it’s not food grade, because it is not being ingested. Julie Marie explained that bentonite clay is highly absorbent, making it effective for drawing impurities from the skin in masks and for aiding in detoxification when used internally, though they do not recommend this latter use.
• Meeting Conclusion and Dinner Plans At the end of the meeting, the participants discussed their dinner plans. Julie Marie shared that they would be having chili fries, skipping the cheese, but adding shredded romaine lettuce, hot fries, chili, plenty of yogurt, and jalapenos. Vicky confirmed that the dinner would include leftover chili, jalapenos, and various fresh garden herbs like green onions, chives, and cilantro, with grapes for dessert.