\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGood gut health starts with what\u2019s on your plate \u2013 and no, that doesn\u2019t mean cutting out gluten, dairy or all your favourite foods. In fact, \u201cEliminating foods like gluten or dairy without cause can harm your gut,\u201d says NHS doctor and MasterChef winner Dr Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed. Instead, she encourages a much more joyful approach: \u201cAim for 30 different plants a week, use herbs and spices freely, and prioritise fibre.\u201d<\/p>\n
To help make that easier (and more delicious), Dr Saliha has teamed up with Yakult to create a trio of vibrant, flavour-packed recipes designed for summer. Built around plant diversity, fibre and ease, these dishes aren\u2019t just good for your microbiome \u2013 they\u2019re genuinely worth getting excited about.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a doctor and a food lover, I\u2019ve always believed that gut-friendly eating doesn\u2019t need to be restrictive or bland,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s about celebrating diversity on your plate: more plants, more colours, more flavours.\u201d<\/p>\n
From a creamy smashed greens toast to a fridge-friendly pasta salad and a spice-roasted aubergine traybake, each recipe is rich in prebiotic ingredients and ticking those all-important \u201cplant points\u201d. Better still, they\u2019re the kind of meals you\u2019ll actually want to cook.<\/p>\n
Smashed greens with feta and mint on toast<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>A fibre-rich breakfast or brunch packed with greens, herbs and creamy feta (Yakult)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nA great way of sneaking in vegetables at breakfast or brunch. You can top with a poached or boiled egg if you prefer this to a fried egg. The recipe makes more of the toast topping than you need, which is a good thing! I use leftovers the next day on toast or as a dip with crostini or crackers when the need for a snack arises.<\/p>\n
Serves<\/strong>: 4<\/p>\nPrep time<\/strong>: 10 minutes | Cook time<\/strong>: 10 minutes<\/p>\nDiversity points<\/strong>: maximum 6\u00be points per portion<\/p>\nIngredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n175g broccoli florets<\/em><\/p>\n150g frozen petit pois<\/em><\/p>\n80g baby spinach leaves<\/em><\/p>\n200g feta cheese<\/em><\/p>\n120mls sour cream<\/em><\/p>\nA large handful of mint leaves, finely sliced<\/em><\/p>\n1 tsp chilli flakes<\/em><\/p>\n4 eggs<\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<\/em><\/p>\n2 tbsp sprouted lentils and\/or two tablespoons pumpkin seeds (optional)<\/em><\/p>\n4 large slices of sourdough bread<\/em><\/p>\nSalt to taste<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Start by placing the broccoli florets in a pan with a generous splash of water. Cook the broccoli for 2 minutes before adding the frozen peas and cooking for an additional minute or two, until the peas have defrosted. When the entire mixture appears vibrant green, but the moisture has dried, add the spinach leaves and wilt them for just a minute. Then, turn off the heat in the pan and allow everything to cool. <\/p>\n
2. Add the cooked vegetables to a food processor along with the feta cheese and sour cream. Season with salt and chilli flakes and blitz to a coarse puree. You are looking for it to have texture rather than being a puree. Carefully take the smashed greens mixture out of the food processor into a serving bowl and stir through the mint leaves. <\/p>\n
3. Fry two eggs in olive oil in a non-stick pan and toast the sourdough bread in the grill\/toaster until golden. To assemble the dish, spread the smashed greens spread generously over the toast and top with the fried egg. For a final flourish, drizzle over a little olive oil, scatter over the sprouted lentils and\/or the pumpkin seeds, and a few small leaves of mint. If you like it spicy, add a few extra chilli flakes. <\/p>\n
Mediterranean-inspired pasta salad<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>A colourful, make-ahead pasta salad loaded with lentils, veg and zesty herbs (Yakult)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nA delicious pasta salad that is as nutritious as it is filling. Keeps well in the fridge, and you can add herbs or any extra salad leaves just before serving. A particularly good dish if you\u2019re feeding a large group and want to prepare ahead. Please feel free to add any vegetables of your choice here, whatever is lurking at the back of the fridge.<\/p>\n
Serves<\/strong>: 4-6<\/p>\nPrep time<\/strong>: 15 minutes | Cook time<\/strong>: 15 minutes<\/p>\nDiversity points<\/strong>: maximum 8\u00be points per portion<\/p>\nIngredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n400g chicken breast cut into large cubes<\/em><\/p>\n250g penne pasta<\/em><\/p>\n12 cherry tomatoes<\/em><\/p>\n6 sundried tomatoes<\/em><\/p>\n12 pitted black olives<\/em><\/p>\n100g roasted peppers from a jar<\/em><\/p>\n75g artichokes from a jar<\/em><\/p>\n1 tin of green\/ brown lentils (400g) drained and rinsed<\/em><\/p>\n50g parsley<\/em><\/p>\nJuice 1 lemon<\/em><\/p>\n3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<\/em><\/p>\nA handful of golden sultanas (optional)<\/em><\/p>\nPistachios for garnish<\/em><\/p>\nChilli flakes to taste <\/em><\/p>\nSalt to taste<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Start by placing the chicken breast in a pan and covering it with warm water. Place on medium heat and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Then, turn the heat off and let the chicken cool. Boil the pasta and cook till al dente as per the packet instructions. Drain the pasta and keep aside. <\/p>\n
2. Meanwhile, quarter the cherry tomatoes, roughly chop the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers and artichokes. Transfer all of this vegetable mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the drained pasta, lentils, and poached chicken, breaking it into smaller pieces with your hands as you add it to the bowl. <\/p>\n
3. Finally, add the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, sultanas, chilli flakes, and season with salt. Then, stir everything together thoroughly and serve with a sprinkle of pistachios. <\/p>\n
Ras el hanout and orange-spiced aubergine traybake with herb and orange couscous<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Roasted aubergine with warming spices and citrus, served with herb-studded couscous (Yakult)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nA hearty and substantial dinner dish. You can add whichever selection of soft herbs you desire – I like parsley, coriander and mint. The oranges add much-needed sweet, citrussy freshness to the final dish.<\/p>\n
Serves<\/strong>: 4<\/p>\nPrep time<\/strong>: 15 minutes | Cook time<\/strong>: 45 minutes<\/p>\nDiversity points<\/strong>: maximum 6\u00bc points per portion<\/p>\nIngredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n100g dry couscous<\/em><\/p>\n160g boiling water<\/em><\/p>\n2 spring onions<\/em><\/p>\n1 orange, peeled and cut into thin wedges<\/em><\/p>\n1 large handful of parsley<\/em><\/p>\n1 large handful of coriander<\/em><\/p>\n12 mint leaves<\/em><\/p>\n2 red onions<\/em><\/p>\n2 large aubergines<\/em><\/p>\n6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<\/em><\/p>\nJuice and zest of 1 large orange<\/em><\/p>\n3 heaped tsp Ras el Hanout spice mix<\/em><\/p>\n2 teaspoons garlic paste<\/em><\/p>\n2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Preheat the oven to 200C. <\/p>\n
2. Place the couscous in a ceramic bowl, season with salt and top with boiling water. Cover the bowl with a lid and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Finely slice the spring onions and chop the herbs finely. After the couscous has rested, separate the grains with a fork and mix them through with the orange segments, spring onions and chopped herbs. Drizzle a little olive oil if desired. <\/p>\n
3. Cut the onions into thick, approximately 1\u00bdcm slices and place them in a flat layer on the base of a large roasting tray. Splash a little water over the onions (under 100ml). Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise and make deep incisions in a criss-cross pattern – you want to get close to the skin but not perforate it with your knife. Place the aubergines over the onions, with the flesh facing up and the skin facing down. Drizzle or brush a tablespoon of olive oil over each aubergine half, ensuring all parts of the aubergine are coated. <\/p>\n
4. Make a marinade for the aubergines with two tablespoons of olive oil, the zest and juice of a large orange, the Ras el Hanout spice mix and garlic paste. Mix well and spread the marinade evenly over the aubergines and onions, ensuring they are well coated. Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes, until the aubergines are soft and slightly charred, and the onions are jammy underneath. Serve with a few pomegranate seeds scattered over the top. <\/p>\n
Each of these recipes champions the core principles of gut-friendly eating: variety, fibre and prebiotic ingredients. They form part of the broader Yakult Good Food, Healthy Gut initiative, which highlights the importance of making simple, everyday food choices to support digestion and overall wellbeing.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Good gut health starts with what\u2019s on your plate \u2013 and no, that doesn\u2019t mean cutting out gluten, dairy or all your favourite foods. In fact, \u201cEliminating foods like gluten or dairy without cause can harm your gut,\u201d says NHS doctor and MasterChef winner Dr Saliha Mahmood-Ahmed. Instead, she encourages a much more joyful approach: \u201cAim for 30 different plants a week, use herbs and spices freely, and prioritise fibre.\u201d To help make that easier (and more delicious), Dr Saliha has teamed up with Yakult to create a trio of vibrant, flavour-packed recipes designed for summer. Built around plant diversity, fibre and ease, these dishes aren\u2019t just good for your microbiome \u2013 they\u2019re genuinely worth getting excited about. \u201cAs a doctor and a food lover, I\u2019ve always believed that gut-friendly eating doesn\u2019t need to be restrictive or bland,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s about celebrating diversity on your plate: more plants, more colours, more flavours.\u201d From a creamy smashed greens toast to a fridge-friendly pasta salad and a spice-roasted au…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3235"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3235"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3235\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}