Number 2 of ten, in the salad series.
This is a satisfying salad full of texture, colour and plenty of fibre, that will make your friendly gut bugs say "Ahh, thank you!"
Feeding the beneficial gut bacteria means so much more than experiencing good digestion. The bacteria in your gut microbiome are responsible for many complex interactions & messages throughout the body to ensure optional functioning and to keep you healthy.
This salad has fibre, especially in the sweet potato & lentils, which the gut bugs LOVE to munch on.
Asparagus, apples, lentils & artichokes have prebiotic fibres, which feed the friendly gut bacteria and help to increase their numbers.
The dressing is packed with treats for the gut too!
High fibre foods boost production of butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid which supports digestive health and reduces risk of colon cancer. SCFAs are produced when friendly bacteria break down fibre.
Walnut benefits include boosting butyric acid & providing healthy Omegas. Walnuts may balance cholesterol & blood sugar, and reduce inflammation in the body.
Kiwi and mint are rich in nutrients, refreshing and great for aiding digestion. Kiwi fruit has a special enzyme which helps break down proteins.
NOTE: If you are experiencing digestion issues, lentils, nuts & raw greens can be challenging to digest.
The next salad (#3 "Easy Digest") is geared toward people who seek easier foods to digest. Although it's a great salad for anyone to enjoy.
Once your gut micro-biome is more robust, with a bigger variety of bacteria, then foods like legumes & nuts can be re-introduced. These foods are beneficial as part of a balanced diet, and are important in a vegetarian diet.
Feel free to set up a time to chat if you would like to find out how to nurture the good gut bacteria in your body. Send a message through the contact form, or via instagram or Facebook messenger: "thenaturalspace". I'd love to chat and see if I can help you.
TIP: Cook batches of cubed sweet potatoes to keep in the fridge. They are a healthy carbohydrate, especially handy to toss into salads and bowls. Bake the sweet potato with no dressing, then add some honey and olive oil afterwards, whilst still warm, to preserve the benefits of the honey & oil
Probiotic & prebiotic packed:-
These amazing ingredients will feed your friendly but bacteria.
"The Happy Gut" Salad, with lentils, asparagus & kiwi
· Baby kale (chopping up in advance will increase health benefits)
Mint
Asparagus
Kiwi
Apple
Micro greens
Walnuts (soaked – dehydrate if preferred to crisp)
Beetroot & red cabbage sauerkraut
Artichokes
Sweet potato (cubed & baked with no oil – toss the cubes through with raw honey & olive oil after baking-to preserve benefits of the honey & olive oil)
Lentils - to scatter on top
Dressing :
½ cup natural yoghurt (grass fed - no additives & fillers)
1 tablesp Extra Virgin olive oil (pref European or Australian)
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp fresh grated or ground ginger
1 tsp tamari,
1 tsp lemon juice
TIP: Miso is also a good probiotic food which works beautifully in this salad
Whisk, shake or blend all ingredients except for the yoghurt, then add the yoghurt last.
I also added kombucha to mine yesterday- it gives a bitey taste, which I love.
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