7 Gut-Healthy Summer Side Dishes to Whip-Up At Home

nAll side dishes at your summer barbecue should be sautéed in mayonnaise or hot sauce. The only side dish that’s gut-healthy is a bowl of fresh mixed fruits.

On your next outing, skip the pre-made pasta salad and sip on some healthy summertime side dishes that are packed with probiotics to support your natural microbiome. For sensitive stomachs, choose something gentler on digestion (definitely Not Mayonnaise potato salad.

Here are some healthy summer side dishes to feed the crowd.

Healthy side dishes in summer

1. Summer soup for gut health

This cucumber soup is especially soothing to the stomach because it is made with herbs that calm and strengthen the gut microbiome. Plus, it may even improve your mood since “the majority of serotonin is actually produced in the gut, not in the brain,” says the herbalist and recipe developer. Rachel Robin.

All you need is some cucumber, yogurt, garlic and olive oil. Topped with mint and fresh basil, this cool soup will keep you cool even on the hottest summer nights.

2. Watermelon Feta & Fresh Mint Salad

Mint is not only a refreshing herb, it is also beneficial for digestion. “Peppermint is rich in vitamin A,” says Sally Schmiko, recipe creator and author of the blog. goddess of tahini. “Peppermint is used for its cooling and soothing properties, which is also why it is found in so many nutritional supplements for IBS and intestinal health.”

This easy Mediterranean salad requires juicy watermelon, sliced ​​feta, and fresh mint. top together runny date syrup To supplement the feta salinity, throw in some hemp seeds for extra crunch. Serve it up as a side salad, or take inspiration from Shmyko and pack it with you on your next day trip: “I grew up in Israel and ate a lot of watermelon with feta cheese, particularly as a beach snack.”

Get the recipe: Watermelon Feta and Fresh Mint Salad

3. Yeoulmu kimchi

Kimchi is a classic fermented food for gut health, and this yeolmu kimchi recipe is no different. Developed by Mina Park, Chef and Co-Owner barrow In Los Angeles, this delicious snack calls for baby radishes that are a staple of Korean culture. “This is a very refreshing dish that is traditionally prepared in the summer, but these days, you can find yulmo all year round in Korea,” Park says.

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Note: It takes about a week to ferment. So if you’re having a dinner party, or you know you want a gut-healthy snack to keep on hand, make it early.

4. Mac and cheese grilled vegetables

Serve up this vegan-friendly macaroni and cheese Give me some oven On your next picnic or barbecue. Made with sweet potatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, and summer squash, it’s an easy-to-cook side dish when you’re looking to add a twist on traditional macaroni and cheese. Simply sprinkle on some shredded cheddar cheese and vegan-friendly Parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Get the recipe: Mac and cheese with grilled vegetables

5. Pondicherry Lentil Salad

This recipe is from Padma Lakshmi cookbook, Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet: a world of recipes for every day. Not only is it good for your gut – it’s also rich in plant-based protein, making it a super food star.

Lentil salad in Lakshmi uses a base of black lentils mixed with Fuji apple, two types of pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Add some shredded coconut, fresh ginger, and parsley and enjoy the wonderful flavors that other salads can’t compete with.

6. Homemade sauerkraut

A fan of fermented foods? Try whipping up some homemade sauerkraut, like this recipe from Minimalist Baker This is refreshing, crunchy, and full of probiotics to support your microbiome.

Unlike other cabbages that only require cabbage, this recipe adds beets for some extra fiber and vitamin C, as well as carrots, fresh ginger, and turmeric. Serve it as a summer side dish or use it as an addition to your favorite sandwiches.

Get the recipe: Homemade sauerkraut

7. Pineapple juice

This refreshing juice can be served as a sweet side dish or As the whole main course. In addition to pineapple, it’s made with Greek yogurt, cashews, vanilla, coconut, and citrus fruits—all foods high in prebiotic fiber or fiber, which serve as fuel for the probiotics. When combined with some protein from cashews and chia seeds, you get a meal that is as nutritious as it is delicious.

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