Eat Your Way to a Healthy Microbiome: 3 Delicious Recipes to Try Today
Your diet is one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy microbiome. Many people focus solely on probiotics and fermented foods. While these are incredibly valuable for your microbiome, they’re hardly the only foods to focus on. Today, we’re sharing with you three delicious recipes that contain highly effective ingredients that support and feed a healthy microbiome.
BREAKFAST: Creamy Overnight Oats
Oats and other whole grains contain a lot of fiber, which has been shown to support a healthy microbiome. They’re also a rich source of a specific type of carbohydrate known as beta-glucan, which not only feeds your beneficial bacteria, but also helps with weight loss, diabetes risk reduction, and cancer risk reduction.
This recipe is perfect for busy weekday mornings. Prep everything the night before, and you have a healthy, filling and digestion-enhancing breakfast ready to go.
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened oat milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or your favorite plant-based yogurt substitute
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp sweetener of maple syrup, honey, or a similar natural sweetener
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix all the ingredients in a large jar or bowl. Cover with the jar or bowl’s lid (or plastic wrap/beeswax wrap) and let it sit in your fridge overnight.
Enjoy the next morning! For added immune benefits, top it with antioxidant-rich fruits, such as sliced berries. You can also add your favorite dairy or plant-based milk.
LUNCH: Mixed Berry French Toast
Brunch should be celebrated every day; ad this French toast is bursting with everything you need for a healthy day and a healthy microbiome. The whole grain bread and eggs provide lots of fiber and protein to power you through the rest of your day. Meanwhile, the berries are some of the best sources of polyphenols. Polyphenols are plant-based compounds that have been found to stimulate bacteria growth in your microbiome.
EGG MIX
4 eggs, ideally local, free-range and organic
1 cup whole milk or plant-based milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
HEALTHY BERRY SAUCE
2 cups mixed berries (e.g., blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries, raspberries, etc.)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
OTHER
Four slices of whole-grain bread
Butter or plant-based butter substitute
Whisk together the egg mix. Dip a slice of whole-grain bread into the egg mix and thoroughly coat both sides of the bread.
In a hot skillet, add a dollop of butter. Add the egg-soaked bread and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
While the bread is frying, heat the berry sauce in another frying pan on medium heat. Stir constantly to avoid burning. The heat will reduce the berries into a thick, syrupy sauce.
Remove the bread from the frying pan when done. Drizzle with the berry sauce and enjoy!
DINNER: Artichoke and Zucchini Salad
Artichokes are high in a type of fiber known as inulin, and they function as potent prebiotics. A prebiotic food is something that nourishes and feeds the beneficial bacteria in your body and help to maintain a healthy microbiome.
This salad pairs creamy artichoke with zucchini and other fresh produce for a healthy, immunity-enhancing dinner that’s cool and refreshing on a hot summer evening. You’ll love the crisp greens paired with the crunchy pistachios (a great source of healthy fats!).
2 tbsp shelled pistachios, toasted
1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tbsp olive oil
2 zucchini, sliced into very thin strips
1/2 cup peas
6 artichoke hearts from the jar, sliced
3 cups mixed greens (e.g., kale, spinach, lettuce, etc.)
Add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, half of the pistachios, and olive oil to a blender and blend until creamy to create a rich sauce-like dressing.
Toss the zucchini, peas, artichoke hearts and greens. Top with the remaining pistachios. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy!
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