By Drew Mulvey MS, CDN
I have had a focus on gut health this week on my Instagram and have been sharing some tips as to how we can keep it functioning properly during this time. Why is that so important? About 70% of your immune system resides in the gut. If it is off-kilter in any sort of way, that can decrease our ability to digest and assimilate nutrients as well as decrease our resistance to pathogens. Here are some gut-healing recipes to add into your routine to keep our guts and immune system functioning optimally.
LemonBerryCado Green Smoothie Bowl
Makes 2 Servings
1 ½ cups Moola almond milk
1 whole organic navel orange (peel included)
1 cup organic frozen blueberries
1 cup organic lemon (peel included)
1 small avocado, about 6 tbsps
2 scoops vanilla bone broth protein powder
Dash of raw honey
Directions
Place all ingredients in the blender and mix until incorporated.
Transfer to a bowl and top with your favorite gluten-free or grain-free granola and coconut flakes.
ChocoBerry Brownie Overnight Oats
Makes 1 Serving
½ medium banana, about 4”
½ cup organic, gluten-free rolled oats
1 tsp chia seeds
½ cup Moola almond milk
4 tbsps coconut milk yogurt
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
¼ cup organic blueberries
½ tbsp raw almond butter (topping)
Directions
Place half of a banana in a mason jar and mash until a puree is formed.
Add the remaining ingredients to the mason jar, stir them together until they are incorporated and cover.
Place the oats in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, transfer them to a small bowl and top with ½ tbsp of your favorite nut butter. (I used Trader Joe’s raw almond butter in this recipe.)
Spiced Chicken and Cabbage Slawsa Tacos
Makes 6-9 Tacos
For the Chicken
1 lb organic, pasture-raised bone-in chicken thighs
1 tbsp homemade sazon
For the Cabbage Slawsa
1 small avocado
1 cup raw red cabbage, shredded
½ cup raw onion, chopped
½ cup organic cilantro, chopped
2 tbsps organic apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp stevia
Salt and pepper to taste
6-9 The Real Coconut coconut cassava tortillas
Directions
For the Homemade Sazon
I followed a recipe for this. Here is the link with the instructions: https://www.skinnytaste.com/homemade-sazon-seasoning-mix/
For the Chicken
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place chicken thighs in a casserole dish and top with the sazon.
Transfer to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes.
Flip each of the chicken thighs and cook for another 15 minutes.
Allow the chicken thighs to cool slightly and dice them into small pieces. Place aside.
For the Cabbage Slaw
Chop the onions, cabbage, and cilantro on a large cutting board. Transfer them to a medium-sized bowl. Halve and de-pit one small avocado and dice it. Add to the bowl along with the salt, pepper, stevia, and apple cider vinegar. Toss all the ingredients together with a fork until they are fully incorporated. Place aside.
Lay 2-3 tortillas flat on a plate. Place the cut-up chicken into the tortillas followed by the cabbage slawsa.
Enjoy!
Check out my Instagram post for April 24, 2020 for the images and information of beneficial foods to keep your gut healthy.
