I'm A Gut Health Expert. This Is My Go-To Easy Weeknight Dinner

I like to say the gut is your internal garden. And like any garden, it requires careful attention to the health of the soil and the produce you want to grow in it. In the case of your gut, we’re talking about the microbiome—the almost 100 trillion little critters in your digestive system, which can be good or bad for your health. Like weeds, the "bad bugs" need to be de-weeded while you promote the growth of the "good guys."

Gut balance starts with maintaining the health of the microbiome while nourishing your one-cell-layer-thick gut lining with the key nutrients it needs to function optimally. When you support your gut with balanced meals, you’ll feel the health ramifications throughout your body with improved digestion, mental clarity, clear skin, and boundless energy.

My gut-focused dinner always starts with a prebiotic-rich salad that takes less than five minutes to make. Anyone who can’t cook can still easily make a salad. All you need is a cutting board and a chef’s knife. It’s just as important to note what is included in this meal as it is to note what is left out (gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and added sugar—all foods that damage the gut lining and feed the unfavorable bugs in your gut’s microbiome).

Dark leafy greens, in this case romaine, are rich in insoluble fibers and cleansing chlorophyll. The prebiotic fiber feeds the favorable gut flora and helps clear the path by pushing food down the digestive tract to keep you regular. The pumpkin seeds are nutritional powerhouses wrapped in a tiny package. They contain a variety of very important minerals—like manganese, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Zinc, along with its roles in boosting immunity and testosterone production, is also needed to maintain a healthy stomach lining and proper acid secretion, which is very important for protein digestion. Pumpkin seeds also add1 a healthy dose of fiber, free-radical scavenging antioxidants, and phytosterols (which have an added benefit of helping to lower your cholesterol levels).

The salad dressing includes extra-virgin olive oil, which is rich in anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fatty acids and phenolic antioxidants. The best type to buy is extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) because it is extracted without the use of harsh chemicals and is the purest, most standardized form. Beware of "refined or light" olive oils, which may have been extracted using solvents and possibly diluted with cheaper (unhealthy) vegetable oils, like soybean or canola. I usually go for an organic version and love to find a peppery artisanal EVOO to add to salads.

An important part of eating for a healthy gut is to feel relaxed and unrushed. That’s why I like this salad recipe--because it literally takes me five minutes to make. When it’s this easy, there’s no reason to not add a gut-balancing salad to every dinner.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Serves 2

Every good salad deserves a main dish. This gut-pleasing curry can be made with any meat of your choice or, alternatively, a vegetable medley, to turn this into a vegetarian dish. The turmeric (specifically, its curcuminoids) and ginger are anti-inflammatory for the gut, keeping it healthy while the combination of spices creates a palate-pleasing burst of flavors. Curcumin (in turmeric) has many additional benefits2, including antioxidant, anticancer properties, reducing inflammatory bowel disease activity, and preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

When sourcing meats that are both gut-healthy and mind-body conscious, look for hormone-free, free-range, antibiotic-free, and grass-fed when applicable. Protein is made up of amino acids—the building blocks of connective tissue—which are very important for tissue repair and maintenance. But they also serve as the precursors for important neurotransmitters that help you feel happy, satisfied, and relaxed—all keys to a healthy gut.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 2 to 4

Remember that digestion begins in the mouth. So slow down, chew your food thoroughly, and make it a community affair by sharing these recipes with your friends and family over relaxed dinner conversation.