Meals That Heal Your Gut

Choosing foods that will help your gut heal is key to achieving healthy digestion. Coming up with tasty meals that include gut-healing foods can, however, be a challenge. Recently, Dr. Sarah Williams teamed up with Carole Murko of Heriloom Meals to develop several recipes that feature foods known to aid in the healing of your gut. Here are a few delicious healing meals that you can prepare at home:

Spiralized Zucchini and Pesto

Looking for something to do with all those zucchinis? This recipe substitutes zucchini for pasta, removing the carbs that can fuel digestive problems and replacing them with healthy carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 medium zucchinis
• Olive oil for sauteing
• 2 cups packed Basil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (if you are allergic to dairy products, just skip this ingredient)

Instructions:

• Wash and dry vegetables
• Place basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until chopped
• Stream the olive oil into the food processor until fully incorporated.
• Pulse in the salt, pepper and parmesan.
• Spiralize the zucchini.
• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan and add zucchini and saute until al dente.
• Toss with the pesto and serve.

Banana Chia Budino

Bananas are another source of good carbohydrates a well as antioxidants, Vitamin C and fiber. Chia seeds are full of fiber and omega 3 fatty acids.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1/4 cup whole fat coconut milk
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• Dash of natural vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Combine the banana and coconut milk in a food processor or Vitamix
• Add chia sees and pulse to mix evenly
• Pour into serving dishes and chill for an hour to let the chia seeds plump up.

Pickled Radishes*

Radishes contain arabioglactans, a type of prebiotic fiber which nourishes the good bacteria in your gut. Your gut bacteria ferment this fiber, producing the fuel needed to nourish the cells that line your gut. Moreover, fermented vegetables provide your gut with probiotics and the bacteria in your gut with with prebiotics. The end result is a healthier gut.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch radishes
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Instructions:

• Cut off the tops and bottoms of the radishes.
• Slice the radishes into very thin pieces.
• Put the radish slices into a wide-mouth, pint-size jar glass jar and then add the peppercorns.
• To make the brine, add the white wine vinegar, water, maple syrup, and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the mixture over the radishes, making sure to cover them completely.
• Let cool to room temperature and enjoy!

Healing Juice

Beyond just providing fiber, celery has alkaline properties which help to detoxify your body. But make sure you buy organic celery as conventional celery is known to contain high amounts of pesticides. Radishes are a healthy source of carbohydrates, are high in fiber, and help to detoxify your body. Tomatoes are a source of numerous nutrients and aid in digestion.

Ingredients:

• 4 Celery ribs
• 2 radishes
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 plum tomatoes

Instructions:

• Juice the celery, radishes, garlic, and tomatoes.
• Serve immediately and enjoy the healing qualities of the fresh juice.

See last week’s blog for more specific information on healing your gut. If you haven’t already been tested for food allergies or sensitivities, do so. While there are certain foods that can cause allergies in many people, each of us may have specific foods which cause a sensitivity or allergic reaction in our gut. Contact us today for testing for food allergies and sensitivities and for personalized help healing your gut.

*Recipe adapted from Epiurious & Cookie and Kate

The contents of this blog are intended for educational purposes only. The information presented here is not a substitute for proper medical attention, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional. Always seek the advice of your healthcare provider before starting or making any changes to an existing treatment plan, exercise program or dietary regimen, and before using nutritional supplements.