Are you dreaming of a healthy, happy gut but struggling to find the right recipes? Do you feel like you've failed to improve your digestion through diet? Don't worry, you are definitely not alone. Most Americans are missing four crucial elements in their diets that can greatly impact their digestive (and overall) health:
- fiber
- digestive enzymes
- prebiotics
- probiotics
Dietary fiber is the widely known 'elephant in the room' when it comes to health. It's important for regular healthy digestion, metabolic health, heart health, and a healthy microbiome. It's no wonder that fiber is a major part of diets in 'blue zones', areas of the world where people regularly live to very old age. The typical American diet is high in processed foods and severely lacking in fiber. As a result, the US Government has declared fiber to be one of only four nutrients of official public health concern.
Digestive enzymes are essential for breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. They can be found in raw fruits and vegetables, as well as fermented foods. Like fiber, enzymes are lacking in heavily processed and overly cooked foods.
Prebiotics, are a special type of fiber that feed the good bacteria in your gut. They can be found in foods like onions, garlic, asparagus, and fruit. When prebiotics are digested by good gut bacteria, antioxidants are released into your colon and metabolites are released into your bloodstream where they contribute to functions across the entire body.
Probiotics are good bacteria that live in your intestines, particularly the large intestine and colon. They can be found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut. Probiotics are very important to healthy digestion, your immune system, and even your brain and cognitive functions. Probiotics also prevent bad bacteria from overrunning your microbiome, which can lead to illness and inflammation.
In this blog post, we'll share some super simple recipes that feature these four essential dietary components, so you can easily incorporate them into your diet. We'll cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks so whether you are looking to improve your already get diet, or kickstart new healthy habits, you'll be covered.
Here are the recipes:
- Berry yogurt parfait
- Kimchi fried rice
- Quinoa and black bean salad
- Sourdough toast with avocado and curtido slaw
- Roasted beet and goat cheese salad
- Miso glazed salmon with broccoli
- Tropical kefir smoothie
- Cucumber and avocado gazpacho
- Roasted sweet potato salad with chickpeas
- Bitter greens salad with apple, walnuts, and sauerkraut
1. Berry Yogurt Parfait:
* 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt (probiotic)
* 1/4 cup of rolled oats (fiber)
* 1 tablespoon of honey (prebiotic)
* 1/2 cup of mixed berries (prebiotic and fiber)
* 1 teaspoon of chia seeds (prebiotic and fiber)
Directions: Layer the yogurt, rolled oats, honey, mixed berries, and chia seeds in a bowl or jar. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.
2. Kimchi Fried Rice:
* 1 cup of cooked brown rice (fiber)
* 1/2 cup of kimchi (probiotic and prebiotic)
* 1/2 cup of diced bell peppers (fiber)
* 1/4 cup of diced onions (prebiotic)
* 1 tablespoon of sesame oil (digestive enzyme)
Directions: Heat sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook until translucent. Add diced bell peppers and cook until tender. Add cooked brown rice and kimchi to the pan and stir until heated through. Serve immediately.
3. Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with Kefir dressing:
* 1 cup of cooked quinoa (fiber)
* 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed (fiber and prebiotic)
* 1 red bell pepper, diced (fiber)
* 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro (digestive enzyme)
* 2 tablespoons of lime juice (digestive enzyme and prebiotic)
* Dressing
* 1/2 cup of plain kefir (probiotic)
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil (digestive enzyme)
* 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (prebiotic)
* 1 teaspoon of honey (prebiotic)
* 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin (digestive enzyme)
* Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, black beans, diced red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Mix well and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.
Dressing Directions: In a small bowl, whisk together kefir, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Drizzle the dressing over the Quinoa and Black Bean Salad and serve immediately.
4. Sourdough Toast with Avocado and Curtido slaw:
* 2 slices of sourdough bread (fiber)
* 1/2 ripe avocado, mashed (prebiotic)
* 1/4 cup of curtido (probiotic and prebiotic)
* 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (digestive enzyme)
Directions: Toast the sourdough bread. Spread mashed avocado on top of each slice. Top with curtido and optionally sprinkle lightly with apple cider vinegar. Serve immediately.
5. Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad:
* 2 medium-sized beets, roasted and chopped (fiber)
* 2 cups of mixed greens (fiber)
* 1/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese (probiotic)
* 1 tablespoon of honey (prebiotic)
* 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (digestive enzyme)
Directions: In a large bowl, combine roasted beets, mixed greens, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar. Toss until well combined and serve immediately.
6. Miso Glazed Salmon with Broccoli:
* 2 salmon fillets (probiotic)
* 2 tablespoons of miso paste (probiotic)
* 1 tablespoon of honey (prebiotic)
* 2 cups of steamed broccoli (fiber)
* 1 teaspoon of ginger (digestive enzyme)
Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, mix miso paste and honey. Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the miso-honey mixture over the salmon fillets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until salmon is cooked through. Serve with steamed broccoli and sprinkle with ginger.
7. Tropical Kefir/Yogurt Smoothie:
* 1/2 papaya
* 2 slices fresh pineapple
* 1 cup kefir or yogurt
* 1/2 lime juice
* 3 small pieces of ginger root
* Handful of fresh mint leaves
Directions: Blend all the ingredients until smooth
8. Cucumber and Avocado Gazpacho:
* 2 large cucumbers, peeled and diced (fiber)
* 1 ripe avocado, diced (prebiotic)
* 2 cloves of garlic, minced (digestive enzyme)
* 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (digestive enzyme)
* 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt (probiotic)
Directions: In a blender, puree the diced cucumbers, avocado, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
9. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Chickpeas:
* 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (fiber)
* 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (fiber and prebiotic)
* 1/4 cup of diced red onions (prebiotic)
* 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese (probiotic)
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil (digestive enzyme)
Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss the cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil until well coated. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender. In a separate bowl, mix together the chickpeas, red onions, and feta cheese. Once the sweet potatoes are done roasting, mix them in with the chickpea mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.
10. Bitter Greens Salad with Apple, Walnuts, and Sauerkraut:
* 2 cups mixed salad leaves of rocket, watercress, and lamb lettuce (fiber)
* 2 red and white chicory with leaves separated (fiber)
* 1 green apple, cored and chopped (fiber and prebiotic)
* 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (fiber)
* 1/4 cup of fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut (probiotic)
* 3 tablespoons of olive oil (digestive enzyme)
* 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar (prebiotic)
* 1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard (digestive enzyme)
Directions: In a large bowl, combine mixed salad leaves, chicory, chopped apple, walnuts, and sauerkraut. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and wholegrain mustard until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.
Adding supplements
The daily requirements for enzymes, fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics may easily exceed the amounts included in the recipes above. While these recipes may add significantly to your diet, it's not a bad idea to use supplements to fill any gaps.
Enzybiotic is your all-in-one solution for digestive enzymes and probiotics. Taken before meals, Enzybiotic releases a powerful blend of 13 digestive enzymes that may aid the stomach in breaking down fats, carbohydrates, proteins, and hard to digest foods. The 11-strain probiotic blend, fueled by nutritious prebiotics, may further aid digestion and may also improve the health of your immune system and intestinal lining.
Daily multi-fiber features 5 types of soluble and insoluble fiber with prebiotics and probiotics. The different kinds of fiber may help you poop, feel full, and slow fat, cholesterol, and glucose absorption. The prebiotic and probiotic blend may further digest stubborn foods, support healthy intestinal inflammatory response, and promote bacterial balance.
