So here is an opportunity to try some new things. I would like to share with an easy recipe to help you get more prebiotic fibre into you diet. Diversity of food is the key to help you develop more diversity of strains in the gut. This means eating different foods and different varieties of each food. This recipe is a good example. It contains three varieties of carrots plus yellow beets, Jerusalem artichokes and jicama, roasted with oil, herbs and garlic and served on a bed of spinach (garlic and spinach are also prebiotic).
If you are not familiar jicama, it may be a food you want to introduce yourself to. It is an amazing prebiotic with many vitamins and minerals. It helps stabilize blood sugar and lower inflammation. You should be able it to find in in your grocery store but if not, try Asian or Caribbean stores.
1 jicama, peeled and cut into sticks
4 orange carrots, not peeled and cut into sticks – choose different varieties if possible
2 small yellow beets, peeled and cut into sticks
2 Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut into sticks
2 cloves garlic, chopped or put through a garlic press
2-4 tbsp rice bran or virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp dried oregano or thyme or basil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
4 cups fresh spinach, washed, dried in paper towel and slightly chopped
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the vegetables. When cutting them into sticks, be sure to cut them so that they are all the same thickness. Place the vegetables and garlic on a cookie sheet or shallow baking pan. Sprinkle on the oil and herb of choice. Toss. Make sure the vegetables are covered in the oil. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir. Put back into the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and season with sea salt and pepper. Serve over a bed of spinach. Be sure to use some of the left over oil to flavour the spinach. Serve warm or at room temperature, whichever you prefer.
References
- Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) extract increases insulin sensitivity and regulates hepatic glucose in C57BL/Ksj-db/db mice, Chan Joo Park,1, Clin Biochem Nutr. 2016 Jan; 58(1): 56–63.
- Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits, Joanne Slavin, Nutrients. 2013 Apr; 5(4): 1417–1435.
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