Digestion need some improvement? These 15 recipes have you covered!

 

Having healthy digestion seems out of reach for some. So many people struggle with constipation, bloating, and inconsistent bowel movements.

Sluggish digestion can usually be boiled down to three issues (or a combination of the three):

• A diet lacking fiber
• A gut imbalance
• Stress

It’s no surprise that so many American’s suffer with digestive issues. The standard American diet is incredibly deficient in fiber, our day to day routine puts a strain on our gut (pesticide overload, exposure to toxins in our beauty and cleaning products, etc.), and STRESS- who isn’t stressed?!?

 

These three issues are where I start when I work with my clients. It’s imperative that we do an overhaul on their diet, start doing things to support a healthy gut, and do a deep dive into stress. Without those three aspects, improving their digestion will not happen.

As I was going through some particularly supportive foods to support digestion with a client, I realized I needed to do a blog post about it!

 

There are a few things that made each of these recipes worthy of the title of digestion superstars:

• Fiber Content: Obviously! Prebiotic bacteria, the bacteria we need in abundance to feed probiotic bacteria (which helps heal our gut and help make digestion smooth), comes from fiber, which is why it’s really important that we are getting over 30 grams of fiber a day. Not only do we want to be sure we get enough fiber, we want a variety of fiber, making sure it doesn’t come from the same handful of plants each week.

Each recipe has an abundance of fiber and the fiber comes from a wide variety of plants.

 

• Real Food: Of course, all of my recipes are made mostly from real food, but these recipes had to be extra pure. Our body wants to take in and digest food it recognizes- beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits, veggies, whole grains, animal proteins, etc. If our body recognizes it, it knows what to do wit it- pull out nutrients and then send it down and out. If it knows the food, it makes digestion easier. If it doesn’t recognize it as food as easily, ie. a Dorito, it struggles to absorb nutrients from it, gets clogged up, and makes digestion slower.

  Each recipe is made of all real food.

•  Probiotics: We want to prioritize consuming probiotic bacteria every day, both from supplements and food. A big indicator of how healthy your gut is comes from how much healthy probiotic bacteria you have. The more healthy probiotic bacteria you have, the healthier your gut will be. The healthier your gut, the smoother digestion will be. Probiotics are found in fermented foods, which is why I made sure that many of these recipes had some form of fermented food, whether it was from greek yogurt, sauerkraut, or apple cider vinegar.

Most of these recipes have a fermented food in them to support gut and digestive health.

 

These recipes will help improve your digestion when you consume them regularly, but remember, it’s important that you also prioritize managing your stress, particularly before you eat.

A quick tip: Take 4 deep breaths before each meal. It will actually massage your vagus nerve (the nerve that signals either a flight or flight OR a rest and digest response), helping you get into the parasympathetic mode we want so we feel calm and ready to eat.

If you want a quick and easy breathing exercise to try- take a peek at my 4-7-8 routine!

 

Ok, without further ado, here are 15 Recipes that will help improve your digestion!

 

Breakfast

Creamy Blueberry Smoothie- 

This creamy, decadent smoothie has all real food ingredients, one of them being psyllium husk- a digestion superstar! Psyllium husk has loads of fiber and is known to help people that are constipated get things moving.

Quinoa and Eggs Gut Health Breakfast Bowl

Not sure how to get sauerkraut in every day for your probiotic intake? Try eggs! This recipe adds it to eggs and quinoa, making a delicious breakfast bowl that will also get your digestion moving.

Sweet Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

If you are a sweet breakfast kinda gal but are tired of oats, give this fiber rich sweet quinoa bowl a try! The prebiotics will support healthy digestion and the healthy fats will keep you full.

 

Lunch

Quick Smashed Chickpea Salad

This quick and easy lunch recipe is full of chickpeas- a powerhouse of prebiotic fiber. The large load of fiber will definitely help you improve your digestion.

 

Creamy Black Bean and Squash Soup

This fiber rich soup is a favorite when I want to give my digestion some help. I love it because I can change up the toppings throughout the week so I don’t get tired of the same, digestion supporting meal!

Creamy Polenta w/ Roasted Italian Veggies

Talk about plant diversity- this one will get all kinds of prebiotic fiber into your system, helping to improve your digestion immensely!

10 Minute Warm Popped Lentil + Broccoli Salad 

Can we talk about how good beans and lentils are for your digestion? We want to get them in daily as they will help you reach that 30 grams of fiber a day mark. If they make you feel gassy, prioritize them for a few weeks and your gut will adjust, leading to very healthy digestion.

 

 

Dinner

African Almond Stew

Easily one of the most popular recipes on my blog because it’s creamy, delicious, and loaded with fiber! This will become a staple in your routine to help improve your digestion.

 

Veggie Fajitas + Quick Guacamole

This is a crowd pleaser and perfect for picky eaters. Each diner can put together the fajitas they want and still get a healthy dose of prebiotic fiber, supporting that digestive fire!

Probiotic Rich Creamy Chana Masala

This recipe has everything you need to improve your gut and digestion- loads of fiber, anti-inflammatory foods, and probiotic bacteria. It is also delicious, easy, and can be made with mostly pantry items!

The Perfect Batch of Fried Rice

This recipe is one that is good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and will help boost your probiotic consumption. It’s super easy and will be one you keep around.

Teriyaki Fish + Veggie Stir Fry

If you love noodle dishes but know that gluten is inflammatory for you (leading to bloating) you will love this recipe. It uses buckwheat noodles which are naturally gluten free, and has a decadent teriyaki sauce you will want to drink!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

We know that beans have a big dose of fiber, but sweet potatoes shouldn’t be overlooked. They will help boost your prebiotic fiber intake as well, making this dinner recipe perfect for improving your digestion.

 

Sides

Cowboy Caviar

This side is a crowd pleaser, is so easy to throw together, and will leave you and your guests with lot’s of digestive fire! I like to eat it with Siete grain free tortilla chips rather than wheat or corn as both make me feel bloated.

Summer Panzanella 

This is one of the most delectable recipes I’ve ever created! It has raw alliums, which are one of the best sources of prebiotic fiber you can find, and is so delicious during the summer months I have a feeling you will be taking it to every potluck and BBQ during the season.

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy these digestion supporting recipes. They aren’t a cure all, but coupled with some gut supporting habits and managing your stress, you will be well on your way to feeling good!

 

Let me know what you think of these recipes by sharing below! Which one are you most excited to try?

 

XO,

Kelsey