Gumbo is a cajun staple, and once the temperatures drop below 70 in Louisianna, you can almost always bet, someone is making a roux. I grew up on this stuff, and it is one of my all-time favorite foods, however, once I started learning about how inflammatory processed flour and conventional oils were - i.e., gluten and canola/vegetable oils, I decided to try and recreate this favorite of mine with healthier ingredients.

It took several trials to get it and I liked it even more than the gumbos made with traditional flour. What I love, even more, is that when you use cassava flour as your base, switch up the oils, and use real grass-fed bone broth - this dish becomes a gut-healing dish.

So why even bother changing some of the ingredients -

Tradition Flour - There's a lot of controversy on this topic. Some say that avoiding gluten should only apply to those with celiac disease. However, when we look at wheat, most grown in this country is genetically modified and heavily sprayed with glyphosate. Glyphosate is a potential carcinogen and, in several studies, has been linked to cancer and gut dysfunction. Outside of that, there are antinutrients in grains, like phytates and lectins, that, if not properly prepared - can lead to leaky gut and autoimmune dysfunction for some. Everyone needs to experiment to see what is right for them. However, it's worth trying an option that doesn't present these potential issues. This is the brand I tend to use most

Conventional Oils - Almost all traditional gumbo recipes call for canola or vegetable oil as their base. These oils are highly unstable because of the extraction process they go through. What that means for us is that they have the potential to cause oxidative stress on our cells - the exact opposite of what we want to protect our bodies from disease and aging. Surprisingly, saturated fats, like bacon or duck fat, are more stable in the body and will not cause oxidative stress. Avocado oil, while not saturated, has a much higher smoke point and is still a cleaner choice when cooking as opposed to vegetable and canola oils.

Bone broth - All too often, I see canned or cheaper boxed broths being used in recipes - not judging, I used to use those, also. But when I started to understand how beneficial and healing broth is for our guts, it became a no-brainer. If made correctly, this stuff should giggle when it gets cold. What that tells you is that it is filled with amino acids. These amino acids help the body make and utilize collagen - hello smoother skin. They also help heal and seal a leaky gut, support proper kidney function, wound healing, and is extremely beneficial to hormone health. Why not work real, grass-fed broth into any dish you make. I like these two options best if I'm not making my own ...

I may have several friends and family members rolling their eyes when they read this - cajun classics aren't meant to be messed with - I almost always agree. However, give this one at least a shot. I adapted this recipe from Mr. B's gumbo ya ya - one of my favorite places to grab gumbo in New Orleans. It took SEVERAL tries to get it right, but I've been serving this one up for about four years now, and no one ever knows the difference, unless I tell them :)