Gut Healthy Recipes

According to Natalie Sousa, Registered Dietitian and founder of All Stages Nutrition, our gut microbiome plays an important role in health that goes beyond the digestive system. Gut health can impact our immune system, mental health, absorption of nutrients, and good gut health aids in chronic disease prevention.

Gut health… it’s not really a topic of conversation around the dining room table. Maybe it should be! According to Natalie Sousa, Registered Dietitian and founder of All Stages Nutrition, our gut microbiome plays an important role in health that goes beyond the digestive system. Gut health can impact our immune system, mental health, absorption of nutrients, and good gut health aids in chronic disease prevention.

woman in corporate clothes smiling faced forward
Natalie Sousa, Registered Dietitian and founder of All Stages Nutrition

So what can we do about it? 

“Although this may be repetitive, increasing your fiber intake and variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet is key to good gut health,” explains Sousa. “Other factors outside of what you eat can also impact gut health. This includes sleep, stress, physical activity, and how you eat.”

BC Living reached out to six BC chefs for their go-to gut-rich recipes that do more than improve your health – they can satisfy a craving too.

 

Anh and Chi Wok-fried Green Beans and Tofu

Serves: 1-2 people

Prep time: 12-15 minutes 

“Green beans are packed with fibre, which helps keep things moving in the digestive system and feeds the good bacteria in our guts. They’re also full of antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation in the gut. Tofu is a great source of plant-based protein that’s easy to digest and gentle on your stomach. It also contains isoflavones, which are anti-inflammatory and beneficial for gut health.” Amelie Thuy Nguyen, co-owner of multiple award-winning Anh and Chi restaurant.

Anh and Chi Wok-fried Green Beans and Tofu on a plate
Anh and Chi Wok-fried Green Beans and Tofu, Photo by: Alyssa Dawson Photography

Ingredients

150g Fried Sunrise Tofu 

380g French Green Beans

½ tbsp Minced Garlic

1 tbsp Avocado Oil

1 ½ tbsp Me’s Sweet Soy Sauce 

Salt & Pepper

 

Instructions

  1. In a small pot, bring water to a boil.
  2. Wash and trim the ends of the green beans. Blanch green beans in boiling water (step 1) for 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  3. Cut tofu into 1×1 inch pieces and set aside. 
  4. In a wok or pan, bring avocado oil to medium-high heat. Add garlic, stir until just slightly golden.
  5. Add green bean, tofu and Me’s Sweet Soy to the same pan and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Best shared and enjoyed with jasmine rice.

 

Squash and White Bean Soup

Serves at least 4

“As the weather gets colder, there’s nothing better than curling up with a good bowl of soup.  This soup, though hearty, contains a bunch of great nutrients your body needs this season.” Stacey Johnston, Executive Chef at The Restaurant Poplar Grove Winery

chef with soup for gut health
Stacy Johnston, Poplar Grove chef

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 large White or Yellow Onion
3 cloves Garlic
1 cup Carrot, diced
3 stalks Celery, diced
1 cup Zucchini, diced
1 each Butternut Squash, on the smaller side
1 each Sweet potato, on the larger size
1 lb Mild Italian sausage (or ground turkey if you prefer)
1 – 796 ml Can of Diced Tomatoes
4 cups Vegetable Stock
2 cups White Beans, soaked (or canned)
2 each Bay leaves
2 tsp Thyme, dried or fresh
2 tsp Smoked or sweet paprika


Method:

Preheat your oven to 400F
Peel your squash and sweet potato and dice into small cubes or slices

Toss in 1 tbsp olive oil with salt (to your taste) and roast in the oven until completely tender (about 30 minutes).
In a nice large soup pot, warm your 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat.
Add onions, carrots, celery, zucchini and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, or until all the vegetables are nice and soft.
If using Italian sausage, remove sausage meat from casings and add to the vegetables, cooking through.  If using turkey, add to the pot and sauté until cooked through.
Add your paprika and cook for 3 minutes.
Add your diced tomatoes and vegetable stock, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to get all those good caramelized bits.
Add your white beans and simmer on medium.
Once your squash and sweet potato are cooked, place in a blender and carefully scoop about 2 cups of your soup broth into the blender.
Blend until completely smooth.

 

Mom’s Beef Stew

“As a chef, I love incorporating ingredients that not only taste great but also support our well-being.  Potatoes in my mom’s stew recipe are a perfect example of this. When potatoes are cooked and then cooled, they transform into a resistant starch, which can help promote a healthy gut.” Chris Andraza, Executive Chef at Vancouver’s Lift Bar & Grill 

man holding a bowl of beef stew for gut health
Chris Andraza, Lift Bar & Grill stew

Ingredients: 

1 ½ lbs strewing beef 

2 L beef stock or bone broth

12 oz celery 

4 cloves garlic

12 oz carrot 

1 cup red wine

1 ½ lbs onion 

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 ½ lbs nugget potatoes 

3 bay leaves

156 ml tomato paste 

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

796 ml crushed tomato 

2 Tbsp salt

796 ml diced tomato

 2 Tbsp black pepper

796 ml plum tomato 

2 Tbsp honey or sugar

 

Instructions:

Use a 10 L stock pot for this recipe as it is a big batch that you can portion and freeze for those lazy rainy days

On medium to high heat add your oil to the pot and let it get hot, about 2 minutes 

Use precut stewing beef and sear in small batches on both sides making sure it is dark brown

Remove the meat and store on a plate to be added back into to stew

Repeat this process until all your meat is seared, there will be a build up on the bottom of the pot but it will be incorporated into the stew

Peel your carrots and cut into 1-inch oblong shapes

Cut celery into 1-inch triangle shape

Cut onion into 1-inch cubes

Cut the potatoes in half

Mince the garlic

In the empty pot add your carrot, celery and onion on medium to high heat with a pinch of salt to help extract the water from the vegetables. That liquid will help with the deglazing process

Stir the vegetables for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions and celery look translucent

Add the tomato paste and garlic

Stir until you see the sugar in the tomato paste is starting to caramelize

Add your red wine to deglaze and add the rest of the tomato products 

Give that a good stir and add in you beef stock or bone broth, the browned beef  and bay leaves, rosemary, salt, pepper, and honey

Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for 3 hours stirring every 15 minutes until the beef falls apart

 

Squash, Carrot and Coconut Soup  

“I love this butternut squash and carrot soup because it’s not only packed with flavour but also with nutrients that support digestion and overall gut health. The combination of fibre-rich vegetables like squash, carrots, and celery, along with the healthy fats from coconut milk, makes it both comforting and nourishing.” Ned Bell, Chef/Culinary Consultant, Hatch Hospitality

smiling chef holding a bowl of gut healthy Squash, Carrot and Coconut Soup

Ingredients: 

2 lbs of diced butternut squash, 1 inch dice (approx. 1 large butternut squash) 

2 lbs diced carrots, 1 inch dice (approx. 10 carrots) 

12 cups of fresh vegetable stock (or chicken) 

3 small cans coconut milk 

1 large onion, chopped ½ inch  

2 cups chopped celery ½ inch (remove outside dark green stalks)

 

Method 

Sauté the squash, carrots, onions and celery in the olive oil for 10 minutes over medium heat 

Add the garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes 

Add the salt 

Add the vegetable stock and the coconut milk, cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender and cooked 

 

Chef’s Notes: 

Ratios of vegetables + liquid is always the challenge for soups like this from a desired thickness/thinness point of view. Depending on how long you cook the soup, how dense the veggies are and how thick/thin you like your soups. I like to have a thicker soup and adjust accordingly for consistency and seasoning with salt and pepper.

 

Leftover Turkey Ramen 

“Bone broths are full of collagen, vitamins and minerals, so it is a great way to extract every ounce of flavour and nutrients from your Thanksgiving leftovers. This is also flexible enough that you could have the broth by itself or make a crowd favourite Ramen.” Chef and Owner Chris Lam from Vancouver’s Straight and Marrow.

Gut healthy Leftover Turkey Ramen in a bowl with chopsticks lying across the bowl

Ingredients:

BONE BROTH

 Leftover Bones From 1 Turkey

 1 Large Carrot

 1 Yellow Onion

 3 Stalks of Celery

 1 Tbs Black Peppercorns

 5 Cloves of Garlic

 ½ Cup White Wine

 2 Tbs of Tomato Paste

 2 Tbs Miso Paste

 3-5 Bay Leaves

 1 Lemon

 2.5 Tbs Salt

 

 RAMEN EGG

 5-6 Eggs

 ¾ cup Mirin

 ¼ cup Soy Sauce

 2-3 Cloves of Smashed Garlic (optional)

 1 tsp Chilli Flakes (optional)

 

Method

Spread The tomato Paste onto the leftover bones. Roast the bones at 425°F for roughly 35 minutes, until golden brown, turning them after 15 minutes. Remove the bones and place in a large stock pot.

Quarter the onion and carrot, and add them to the roasting pan, along with the peppercorns, bay leaves, and garlic. Roast at 425°F for another 10 minutes. Remove the roasting pan and deglaze by adding the white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape off all the brown bits—they are packed with flavour that you will want in your broth. Now place all contents from the roasting pan into your stock pot.

Add water to the pot until the bones are barely covered (about 14 cups). Halve the lemon and add to the pot.

Bring the broth to a simmer, making sure it never boils. Simmer the broth for 4-6 hours. Add water to keep the bones barely covered as the broth reduces, and skim off foam every couple of hours for a cleaner taste. Add Miso Paste for the last 30 mins of cooking time.

When the broth is done cooking, strain it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until completely cooled. The broth will split into a hard layer of fat with the broth underneath. Remove the hard fat layer and reserve—it’s great for cooking. The broth can be stored for 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

For the eggs, bring a pot of well seasoned water to a boil. Submerge and cook the eggs for 6 minutes before plunging into an ice bath. Peel the eggs. Mix the mirin and soy sauce together with any optional flavor enhancers (chilli flakes, garlic, green onions). Let the eggs soak in the mixture for 4-6 hours in the refrigerator. They will be ready to use after that.

 

To Assemble:

Cook Ramen noodles for 3-4 minutes. Slice the egg in half and add any garnishes or leftover vegetables. Also add some thin sliced Turkey or whatever other protein you have.

 

Halibut “Chiri” Hot Pot – serves 4

“The Halibut bone broth is a nutrient dense food source, high in collagen, iodine and minerals and very tasty. The Chiri recipe is a great way to fortify this super nutritious broth with fish and vegetables making it a satisfying meal, the ponzu dip is what takes it to the next level for flavour!” Executive chef Ken Nakano, Inn at Laurel Point | Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio

gut-healthy Halibut “Chiri” Hot Pot

Ingredients: 

1L halibut bone broth (SEE BELOW for recipe) 

4 fillets (400g) Halibut

1 block (300g) medium tofu

4 shiitake mushrooms

4 leaves (400g) napa cabbage

1 small leek – white portion only

1 piece (8cm square) kombu

salt as per recipe

Ponzu sauce

1 tablespoon yuzu juice or substitute lemon

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

 

“SHIME”

(Rice Porridge)

150g cold cooked rice

1 egg

4 small green onions – sliced thin

salt to taste

soy sauce to taste

 

Method

PONZU SAUCE

Mix one tablespoon of the yuzu or fresh lemon juice with vinegar, soy sauce, and water, set aside

Cut Halibut fillets into pieces 3cm x 6cm. Sprinkle with 2/3 of a tsp. of salt and let the fish sit for

about 30 minutes. 

Cut tofu lengthwise in half and then widthwise in slices 2cm wide.

Slice the napa cabbage into pieces 6cm long and then cut the white stem parts into 1cm wide strips and the green leafy parts into 2cm strips. 

Slice the leek diagonally into 3cm slices. Finely slice the small green onions

 

HOT POT

Pour 1 liter of the halibut bone broth into pot, wipe the piece of kombu with a cloth and set it at the bottom. 

Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and set the pot over medium heat. 

When it comes to a boil, add the mushrooms, the white strips of napa cabbage, next the green leaves and then tofu.

Place the halibut on top and cook for 3 minutes. 

Add the leek slices 1 minute before the hot pot is complete and turn off the heat after 1 minute.

 

SHIME – RICE PORRIDGE

With the leftover soup from the hot pot., take out any large leftovers inside the pot, leaving about 400ml of soup and heat it up. Add water if necessary.

Adjust the flavour with salt and soy sauce. 

Put cold rice into the pot.

Beat an egg inside a bowl. 

With chopsticks touching the rim of the bowl, let the egg mixture stream down along the chopsticks like string, into the pot. 

After sprinkling small green onion slices, stop heat.

Serve the rice porridge in individual bowls and enjoy.

 

Halibut Bone Broth

Ingredients: 

3 kg halibut carcass

750g white onions chopped

6L purified water – enough to cover the bones

 

To serve

Soy sauce to taste

Lemon juice to taste

 

METHOD

Wash the bones and cut off the gills from the head if present. 

In a large stockpot add the onion the bones and enough water to cover it by 1”. 

Increase the heat to medium high and bring the water to a simmer. 

Use a shallow spoon to carefully skim the film off the top of the broth.

After about 45 minutes the broth is done, remove the pot from the heat. 

Using tongs and/or a large slotted spoon, remove all the bones. 

Pour the fish bone broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. 

Let cool on the counter before refrigerating.

 

You can skim off the fat easily after the broth is chilled if desired. When chilled, the broth should be very gelatinous. The fish bone broth will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator and 3 or more months in your freezer.

When serving, season the hot bone broth with some soy sauce to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice.