1-week sample menu for improving your digestive health.

 

A 1-week sample menu

Below is a healthy 1-week sample menu for improving your digestive health.

It focuses on incorporating foods that promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria while removing foods that are notorious for causing uncomfortable digestive symptoms.

Some menu items contain sauerkraut, a type of fermented cabbage that is easy, simple, and inexpensive to prepare.

Monday

• Breakfast: blueberry, banana, and Greek yogurt smoothie
• Lunch: mixed green salad with sliced hard-boiled eggs
• Dinner: beef and broccoli stir-fry with zucchini noodles and sauerkraut

Tuesday

• Breakfast: omelet with veggies of your choice
• Lunch: leftovers from Monday’s dinner
• Dinner: seared salmon served with a fresh garden salad

Wednesday

• Breakfast: blueberry, Greek yogurt, and unsweetened almond milk smoothie
• Lunch: salmon, egg, and veggie frittata
• Dinner: grilled lemon chicken salad with a side of sauerkraut

Thursday

• Breakfast: gluten-free oatmeal with 1/4 cup of raspberries
• Lunch: leftovers from Wednesday’s dinner
• Dinner: broiled steak with Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes

Friday

• Breakfast: kale, pineapple, and unsweetened almond milk smoothie
• Lunch: beet, carrot, kale, spinach, and brown rice salad
• Dinner: baked chicken served with roasted carrots, beans, and broccoli

Saturday

• Breakfast: coconut-papaya chia pudding — 1/4 cup of chia seeds, 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk, and 1/4 cup of diced papaya
• Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil
• Dinner: roasted tempeh with Brussels sprouts and brown rice

Sunday

• Breakfast: mushroom, spinach, and zucchini frittata
• Lunch: sweet potato halves stuffed with spinach, turkey, and fresh cranberries
• Dinner: grilled chicken wings with a side of fresh spinach and sauerkraut

Kale with Sweet Corn Recipe

 

ingredients:

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) or defrosted frozen corn

1/4 cup low sodium or no-salt-added vegetable broth, or more as needed

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 bunch kale, tough stems and center ribs removed and leaves chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or raw almonds, lightly toasted

1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Instructions:

If using fresh corn, boil ears of corn until tender, about 4 minutes. Cut kernels from cobs with a sharp knife. Set aside.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons vegetable broth in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes, Add the kale and remaining vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until kale is tender, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding additional vegetable broth if needed. Add the corn and cook until heated through.

Stir in the walnuts and season with black pepper. Top with scallions.