Sky Lakes Medical Center | Live Smart | Spring 2020

SkyLakes.org | LIVE smart 5 Probiotics Probiotics are live organisms that boost your friendly gut bacteria population when ingested. Including some of these foods regularly in your diet can help maintain a healthy gut. Where to find them: Kombucha, kefir, yogurt (with live and active cultures), kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, and tempeh. But watch out for excessive added sugar, especially in kefir, kombucha and yogurt. Fiber Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn’t digested by the body, so it passes through the gastrointestinal tract fairly intact. Not all fiber has prebiotic properties, but it still plays an integral role in gut health. Think of fiber as a scrub brush— it keeps things moving through your digestive system so it stays neat and tidy. Most Americans only get around 16 grams of fiber per day, and that’s just not enough. Aim for at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and make sure that you drink plenty of water so fiber can do its job well—scrub, rinse, repeat! Where to find it: Most plant foods are excellent sources of dietary fiber. Spring cleaning time Go ahead and dust the bottom shelves, clean under the couch cushions and wash all the windows. But this year, add eating prebiotic, probiotic and fiber foods to your spring cleaning checklist. Your friendly bacteria don’t want to live in a messy home—be a courteous host and eat more plants! Take care (of your gut), Klamath! Try a Buddha bowl Makes 4 meals. Buddha bowls combine a whole grain, plenty of vegetables, plant-based protein and a yummy sauce to make a balanced and filling meal. Featuring prebiotic benefits from beans, garlic, onion, whole grains and asparagus, as well as lots of fiber, this dish is great for fueling your body and feeding your friendly gut bacteria! The recipe below calls for sorghum, which provides a great opportunity to try a new whole grain. But the best part of this recipe is that you can customize it to your taste preferences or whatever you have on hand. Swap sorghum for brown rice or quinoa, try chickpeas or tofu instead of white beans, or throw in any extra vegetables you have sitting in your fridge. Try it out for a balanced dinner for the family, and pack up the leftovers for a nourishing lunch at work! Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes Ingredients Buddha bowl: 2 cups cooked whole-grain sorghum, cooled 1 can (15.5-ounces) white beans (i.e., Great Northern, cannellini) 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed, sliced 4 cups packed baby arugula leaves 1 medium avocado, sliced 1 medium cucumber, sliced 1 ⁄ 4 cup pumpkin seeds Green goddess dressing: 1 1 ⁄ 2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened plant-based milk (i.e., soy, almond, coconut) 1 ⁄ 4 ripe large avocado, peeled, sliced 1 ⁄ 4 cup diced cucumber, with peel 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (i.e., dill, parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, cilantro) 1 stalk green onion, white and green parts, diced 1 small garlic clove Pinch white pepper 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed Nutrition information Serving size: 1 bowl. Amount per serving: 393 calories, 9g total fat (1g saturated fat), 69g carbohydrate, 18g protein, 18g fiber, 20mg sodium. Directions 1. Cook whole-grain sorghum according to package directions, and cool, draining any remaining liquid. 2. Assemble dressing by placing all of the dressing ingredients into a small blender and processing until smooth. 3. Rinse and drain white beans and set aside. 4. Blanch asparagus by cooking it in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender but bright green; set aside. 5. Arrange 1 cup arugula leaves at the bottom of each of 4 large, individual serving bowls. 6. Arrange over the arugula leaves in each bowl: 1 ⁄ 4 of the white beans (about 1 ⁄ 2 cup) 1 ⁄ 2 cup cooked, cooled sorghum 1 ⁄ 4 sliced avocado 1 ⁄ 4 of the cucumber slices (about 1 ⁄ 2 cup) 1 ⁄ 4 of the blanched, cooled asparagus A dollop (about 2 tablespoons) of green goddess dressing 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (sprinkled on top) 7. Serve immediately.