Start your day with one of these delicious recipes to treat your digestive system to a prebiotic feast.
The billions of friendly bacteria that make their home in your GI tract play a key role in immune system health and good digestion. There’s also mounting evidence that they can influence mood - several studies found that depressed subjects were all deficient in the same species of gut bacteria. This fascinating area of research still has much to teach us, but in the meantime one thing is crystal clear: take good care of your microbiome, and it will take care of you.
We reckon there’s no better way to show your gut some love than treating it to a delicious breakfast! Here are some quick and tasty ideas to get you started.
BANANA PANCAKES
makes 10 small pancakes
You’ll need:
1 ½ cups rolled oats
2 overripe bananas
2 eggs (or replace with flax egg, chia egg, or applesauce for vegan option)
½ cup unsweetened plant milk (almond, oat, cashew)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Oil for cooking
Pinch of salt
Toppings of choice: maple syrup, fresh berries, cacao nibs, nuts
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth
2. Lightly coat a pan with cooking spray or oil of your choice
3. Once the pan is hot, add ⅓ cup of the batter for each pancake and cook for about 3 minutes, then flip pancake until golden brown.
4. Serve with your favorite toppings
PREBIOTIC VEGGIES + EGGS YOUR WAY
makes 1 serving
You’ll need:
½ cup onions, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (or a pinch of garlic powder)
3-4 stalks asparagus, chopped
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
1-2 eggs or egg whites (or 1 cup crumbled tofu, plus a pinch of turmeric powder + salt to taste)
Directions:
1. Gently sauté onions + garlic with a splash of olive oil or water until soft2. Add mushrooms + asparagus and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until tender
3. Add veggie mix to your omelette, scrambled eggs or scrambled tofu for a prebiotic fiber boost
BREAKFAST PARFAIT
You’ll need:
Fresh fruit of choice - e.g. berries, figs, peaches, plums
1 cup unsweetened, plain yogurt with live cultures (either dairy or vegan)
1 packet kencko - try ambers, purples, reds, rubies, or yellows
2-3 tbsp toasted oats or low sugar granola
Toppings of choice: chopped nuts, cacao nibs, toasted coconut
Directions:
1. Swirl the smoothie powder through the yogurt until well mixed
2. Fill a glass with alternating layers of chopped fruit, yogurt and oats/granola (You can refrigerate this overnight if you’re a forward planner!)
3. Add toppings and grab a spoon