Gut-Healthy Dinners You Can Make in 4 Steps or Fewer (& Shopping List!)

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Gut-Healthy Dinners You Can Make in 4 Steps or Fewer (& Shopping List!)

Our Column, ThePrep, Has Everything You’ll Need to Make Dinner Planning and Grocery Shopping as Easy as Can Be

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Nutritional needs vary from one individual to another, and we invite you to use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit. Sign up to get a dinner plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday!

Why Fiber is Important

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes have a hard time getting enough fiber in my typical day. I seem to naturally get enough of other nutrients without thinking too hard, but I really need to prioritize fiber and seek out high-fiber foods. Why is getting enough fiber important? It’s crucial for a variety of body functions, including gut health. It might surprise you to learn that gut health isn’t just about your gut. The gut is connected to so many other parts of the body, so taking care of your gut health is one way to take care of the rest of you. To help you (and me) do that, this week’s recipes are all high in fiber – plus they feature foods rich in prebiotics and/or probiotics, which help support good gut bacteria.

Your Weekly Plan

Here’s a look at what’s in store for your gut-healthy dinners this week:

• Sunday: Broccoli-Pesto Pasta
• Monday: Crunchy Chopped Salad
• Tuesday: Roasted Vegetable Soup
• Wednesday: Crispy Tempeh Steaks with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
• Thursday: Roasted Squash & Lentil Kale Salad
• Friday: Piled-High Veggie Sandwich

Today’s Recipe: Broccoli-Pesto Pasta

This week, we transform broccoli into a pesto that coats the pasta. To make it, simply pulse fiber-rich, tender-crisp cooked broccoli in a food processor with basil, garlic, lemon zest, artichokes, and Parmesan cheese. Toss the pesto with whole-wheat spaghetti and use a little of the pasta cooking water to thin it out so it coats every strand.

Monday’s Recipe: Crunchy Chopped Salad

This crunchy chopped salad features a quartet of high-fiber ingredients that all start with the letter ‘C’: cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and chickpeas! And because it has so many vegetables, it’s not just gut-healthy, it’s also packed with a variety of health-promoting vitamins and nutrients. Plus, it has a delicious, punchy ginger-soy-miso dressing to tie everything together. Serve it with a little rotisserie chicken on the side.

Tuesday’s Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Soup

This satisfying, gut-healthy soup gets probiotics from white miso and a good base of fiber from chickpeas and sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes get roasted with apple, leek, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and seasonings to ensure a deeply flavorful soup. Blending it all with the chickpeas, miso, and coconut milk gives it a silky texture. Serve it with a crusty whole-wheat baguette.

Wednesday’s Recipe: Crispy Tempeh Steaks with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Like the ever-popular "Marry Me" chicken, this dish features a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce, but it swaps in tempeh, a probiotic-rich plant-based protein, for the chicken. The tempeh, plus fiber-rich kale, makes it great for improving gut health. Some Parmesan and basil sprinkled on top ensure that it’s super-flavorful too. Serve it over brown rice to catch the sauce.

Thursday’s Recipe: Roasted Squash & Lentil Kale Salad

Kale is a gut-health superstar. Not only is it packed with fiber, but it’s also a prebiotic food, which means it feeds your good gut bacteria and keeps it healthy. Add to that some butternut squash, lentils, and pepitas, and you’ve really got a powerhouse salad, chock-full of fiber and nutrients. Be sure to massage the kale to make it tender and easier to chew.

Friday’s Recipe: Piled-High Veggie Sandwich

It’s the end of the week. We all deserve an easy dinner. Let’s make a sandwich, but not just any sandwich – one that’s packed with gut-healthy veggies and fiber. Start by combining yogurt, cream cheese, and pesto to make a flavorful spread, then layer on sliced tomato, chopped artichoke hearts, shaved asparagas, spring mix, and some pickled cherry peppers. Your gut will thank you.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoy this week’s dinner plan, and I wish you all a great week!

FAQs

• How can I adjust these dinner plans to fit my individual needs?
  • Use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit.
• What are some high-fiber foods I can add to my diet?
  • Try incorporating foods rich in fiber, such as broccoli, carrots, and kale, into your diet.
• How can I support my gut health?
  • Take care of your gut health by incorporating probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber-rich foods into your diet.