Health_Fitness_UK_July_2017

ecipes
Gut-friendly
FOODS
These health-boosting
recipes are a treat for your
tummy, whether you have
digestion problems or not
WORDS: Emma Lewis
It doesn’t matter who you are – absolutely
everyone can benefit from giving their gut a little
TLC,’ says Naomi Devlin, author of new book
Food for a happy gut: recipes to calm, nourish
& heal (Headline, £20).
Devlin was a foodie and always loved to cook,
until, after being diagnosed with coeliac disease,
her relationship with food suddenly changed. ‘It
became a source of anxiety and often disappointment;
restaurants were fraught with danger, and old
favourites, like crusty bread, were off the menu,’ she
says. But instead of feeling sorry for herself, Devlin
did something positive. She set about learning about
what goes on in the gut, and soon realised that what
she ate, how she lived her life and her emotional
state all had a huge influence on her health.
Now she wants to help others look after their
digestive systems, too. ‘Eating is such an integral
part of our lives. It’s my mission to help others discover
how delicious it can be to take care of your gut.’
Quick tip
Devlin’s new book contains more than 100 ways
to expand your culinary repertoire and feed your
microbes. It’s broken down into three sections: Calm,
Nourish and Heal. Start with ‘Calm’ if you have
sensitive digestion. You’ll be eating foods containing
omega-3 fats, probiotics and anti-inflammatories. If
you have coeliac disease or IBS, you’ll learn how to
calm the inflammation that causes discomfort.
Prebiotic foods feed the friendly bacteria in your
gut, and ‘Nourish’ is full of prebiotic treats. The
recipes also include probiotic fermented vegetables,
anti-inflammatories and nourishing broths.
Lastly, ‘Heal’ features lots of crunchy, spicy and
pickled bits that make food more interesting as well as
therapeutic. Think probiotic pickled vegetables, water
kefir and anti-inflammatory dressings.
If you’re living with someone who needs a restrictive
diet, the good news is that, with this book, you don’t
have to cook separate meals – everyone can enjoy
these dishes and not feel like they’re missing out.
‘Variety truly is the spice of life where your gut is concerned, so embrace your desire to try
new things, knowing that this will make you more vital.’
AUBERGINE SLIPPERS WITH CORIANDER YOGHURT
AND BLACK SESAME CRUMB
Serves: 4
Per serving: 455 calories, 32g fat
(7g saturated fat), 7g fibre, 29g
carbohydrate (7g sugar), 0.8g salt
2 large aubergines
100ml garlic oil (see box, left)
A little sea salt
30g coriander leaves
125g live natural yoghurt
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
BLACK SESAME CRUMB
200g sourdough bread, no crusts
4 tsp coconut oil
Sea salt and black pepper
50g black sesame seeds
2-3 tsp nigella seeds
Preheat the oven to 180°C/
1
160°C fan/Gas Mark 4. Slice
the aubergines in half lengthways,
then score the flesh into diamonds
with a knife, taking care not to
puncture the skin. Place, cut side up,
on a baking sheet, drizzle over the
garlic oil, then sprinkle with salt.
Roast for an hour, until the flesh is
soft and deeply golden on top.
Meanwhile, make the coriander
2 yoghurt. Put the coriander
leaves, yoghurt and a good squeeze
of lemon juice into a blender and
whizz until a pale green colour.
Taste and add a little more lemon if
necessary, then pour into a small
bowl and set aside.
To make the sesame crumb,
3
break the bread into very
small pieces (smaller than your little
finger nail). Fry in the coconut oil,
stirring until golden. Season with salt
and black pepper and put aside.
Toast the sesame and nigella
4
seeds in a dry frying pan over
medium heat, shaking the pan
constantly, until they start to pop and
smell nutty. Pour into a mortar, cool
and then grind coarsely with a pestle.
Stir into the breadcrumbs.
To serve, give everyone an
5
aubergine slipper and let them
help themselves to the coriander
yoghurt and sesame crumb.
Health & Fitness 87