Gut-healthy recipes
Recipes high in prebiotics
Also check out many more delicious healthy recipes in the Health Defence Cookbook
by TV cook Portia Spooner and Dr Paul Clayton.
Sweet Avocado Spinach Smoothie - serves 4
• One small avocado
• One green apple(cored) with skin on
• 2 cups of kale
• 2 cups of leaf spinach
• 1 teaspoonful of grated ginger – or use a bottled preserved ginger
• 1 dessertspoon of flax seeds
• 1 tablespoonful of honey or maple syrup
• 2 cups of almond, oat, hemp, hazelnut or dairy milk
• (optional) Shot of protein powder
Blend for 60 seconds.
You are getting healthy fats from the avocado, lots of vitamins including vitamins A and K and sweetness from the apple and honey.
Red Thai Lentil Soup - serves 4
• ¾ cup red lentils
• 2 to 3 large leek bulbs, diced
• ¾ medium green chilli (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 20 cashew nuts (optional)
• one-eighth of a savoy cabbage, diced
• 1litre chicken or vegetable stock
• ¼ bunch coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 4 spoonfuls of natural yogurt
Blend, then cook on the hob for 20 minutes or microwave for 3-5 minutes.
Berry Banana Seed Smoothie - serves 1
• half a banana
• 1 cup of fresh or frozen berry fruits
• I cored apple but with skin on
• 1 tablespoonful of chia or flax seeds
• 150ml almond, oat, hemp, hazelnut or dairy milk
Blend for 60 seconds.
Alternative 1: You can substitute cacao powder for the seeds
Alternative 2: You can substitute ½ a mango for the berry fruits
There is good evidence that flax seeds have a protective effect against breast and prostate cancer.
Four-Bean Tomato Soup - serves 2
• 1 can mixed beans, drained if in brine, or as is if in tomato sauce
• 50g cooked chick peas or lentils
• ½ large onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 large tomato – or ½ tin of plum tomatoes
• Handful of parsley
• 1 tablespoonful olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
Blend, then cook on the hob for 7-10 minutes or microwave to warm through.
Super-Green Pea Soup - serves 4
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 large onion
• 1 large head garlic
• 1 can green split peas
• 1 large leek bulb (use white section only)
• 1 large head garlic, peeled
• 3 cloves
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 200g bacon or ham, chopped (optional)
Blend in a food mixer and simmer on the hob for about 30 minutes. Or cook in a slow cooker according to manufacturer's instructions. If using raw split peas, cook for at least 45 minutes or in a pressure cooker.