14 Gut Healing Bowls

Gluten-free | Sugar-free | Dairy-free options

Firstly, and most importantly, what is a Gut Healing Bowl?

At the risk of stating the obvious, a Gut Healing Bowl comprises a selection of excellent foods for healing your gut and keeping it healthy. The delicious selection can include raw foods, vegetables, moderate protein, nuts, seeds, fermented or pickled foods, and prebiotics and probiotics for optimum gut health. 

In this post, I share 14 Gut Healing Bowls (GHBs), which are a collection of my favourite combinations that I love eating. By doing so, I hope it will inspire and encourage you to make your own healthy bowls.  

Gut Healing Bowls are great for weight loss and management and have multiple health benefits. I show you the basics of creating a GHB in the video below. 

Notes

How to toast/roast seeds and nuts (Oven)

Preheat the oven to 180C [350F] and line a baking tray with baking paper. In a single layer, spread raw seeds/nuts in a single layer. Toast them in your preheated oven for 7 to 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan occasionally, so the seeds/nuts brown evenly without burning. Let them cool before storing them in an airtight jar, 

How to dry roast seeds/nuts (Stovetop)

Heat the nuts/seeds in a dry, heavy pan (skillet) over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown, and they give off a rich, toasty smell. Toss nuts/seeds frequently to ensure even toasting. Make sure to keep an eye on them so as not to burn them. Let them cool before storing them in an airtight jar, 

Cucumber & Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients

• 700 g (1.5 lb) white cabbage, very thinly sliced 
• ½ small cucumber, sliced longways 
• 1 large handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 large handful of fresh coriander or basil leaves, finely chopped
• Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp Pure as Inulin Powder
• ½ tsp freshly grated ginger

Method

1. Make the slaw by mixing the cabbage, cucumber, mint and coriander and season with salt and pepper. 
2. Make the dressing by mixing the apple cider vinegar, inulin powder and ginger. Then, taste it for flavour, adding more inulin if you deem necessary. 
3. Keep the dressing and slaw mixture separate until you're ready to eat. When ready, drizzle the dressing over the mixture. 

1 | Anti Inflammatory Gut Healing Bowl 

This bowl is a collection of food ideas that are not only delicious but also anti-inflammatory. Anti-flam foods help to heal the gut and body. 

The modern-day diet is filled with inflammation-causing ingredients such as highly processed and high carb foods and sugar. These foods are known to cause disease and illnesses and can lead to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. 

Consuming anti-flam foods may help fight illnesses caused by inflammation, including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, plus it may also assist you in weight loss and weight management. 

In my first bowl, you will find the following:

• 1 serving of my Sticky Salmon with Broccoli Rice
• A small handful of Mint
• A small handful of Basil 
• A sprinkle of Toasted Sunflower Seeds (see notes section)
• A small handful of Sweet Cherry Tomatoes
• A small serving of Turmeric dressed Daikon Radish (purchased from my local Asian supermarket)
• A small serving of Sauerkraut 

2 | Curry in a Hurry Gut Healing Bowl

You don't need rice with my Curry in a Hurry Gut Healing Bowl, but you'll still feel satisfied after you've finished. This bowl is the perfect way to enjoy a healthier curry, and it's also how I like to use up any leftover curry from the night before. 

This style of eating is perfect for meal prepping. Simply prepare all the ingredients beforehand and store them separately to prevent some of the ingredients from going soggy, so they stay fresh and crisp. When you're ready for lunch, heat the curry and arrange the rest of the ingredients in your bowl. Easy! 

In this bowl, you will find the following:

• 1 serving of my Vietnamese Style Chicken Curry
• A handful of finely shredded Cabbage and Kale
• A handful of fresh Bean Sprouts
• 2 of my Gluten-free Coconut Chapatis
• A small handful of toasted Sunflower Seeds (see notes)
• A small handful of toasted Pumpkin Seeds (see notes)

3 | Lovely Leftovers Gut Healing Bowl 

Bowl number 3 is all about the leftovers, and it came about thanks to my leftover roast chicken from the night before. I hope this bowl will inspire you to use up leftovers so that they feel brand new and exciting. 

In this bowl, you will find the following:

• Serving of leftover Shredded Roast Chicken - Check out my video on how to quickly make and easily roast a chicken. 
• A handful of finely sliced Cabbage
• Serving of my Prebiotic Pickled Onions
• Serving of my Sugar-free Pickled Cucumbers
• 1 Tbsp of Bridget's Roasted Tomato Sauce
• 1 serving of Steamed Broccolini
• 1 serving of Steamed Edamame 

4 | Hawaiian Style Salmon Poke Gut Healing Bowl

This Gut Healing Bowl is inspired by the fusion cuisine of the Hawaiian islands. 

Poke ( pronounced poh-keh) is Japanese for "to chop or cut," and that's exactly what this bowl is all about. Fresh salmon is sliced and marinated to gain a wonderful flavour and texture. Anyone who loves sushi, sashimi, or raw fish will absolutely adore it. 

In this bowl, you will find the following

• 1 serve of Hawaiian Style Salmon Poke
• A handful of finely shredded White Cabbage
• A handful of finely shredded Kale Leaves
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh Coriander

5 | Chicken and Zucchini Gut Healing Bowl

Travel is so inspirational, especially for your belly and taste buds! I get some of my greatest food inspirations from travelling across the globe, as well as locally. Actually, the inspiration for this bowl hit me during a visit to a local eatery. 

A Chicken and Raw Zucchini Salad was on the specials board that got my attention. I had to recreate and share it, so we could all enjoy the goodness. 

This GHB is easy peasy and once again, feel free to use up leftover chicken to make it even easier to prepare.

In this bowl, you will find the following: 

• 1 serve of Shredded Roast Chicken - Check out my video on how to quickly and easily roast a chicken
• A handful of Freshly Sliced Cucumber
• 1 tbsp Toasted Cumin and Fennel Seeds (see notes)
• 1 serving of my Zucchini and Basil Salad
• A handful of fresh mixed Salad Leaves

6 | Korean Sticky Beef Gut Healing Bowl

In this luscious Gut Healing Bowl, I have used a recipe straight out of my cookbook (but I've also given you a link to my YouTube video). The recipe best uses my wildly popular Sticky Sauce, which has no sugar, no added fats or oils, no gluten, and no dairy. 

Once again, keep all the ingredients separate for the ultimate travel/work meal. Everything in this bowl is designed to taste amazing and help fight illness, get rid of brain fog, restore energy to your body, aid in weight loss and weight management, and do it naturally. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food! 

In this bowl, you will find the following:

• 1 serving of my Korean Style Sticky Beef with Pickled Cucumber Salad
• A small serving of Prebiotic Pickled Onions 
• ½ of a freshly sliced Pear - you could also use ½ a Green Apple
• A handful of fresh mixed Salad Greens 
• A sprinkle of toasted Seeds such as Sesame, Fennel, Hemp, or Cumin (see notes)
• A drizzle of Pickle Juice as salad dressing from the pickled onion

7 | Scrambled Eggs Gut Healing Bowl

The perfect Break-Fast bowl! 

Not many of you may know this, but I left New Zealand and moved to Australia because I was headhunted by the celebrity chef Bill Granger to be his head chef in his Sydney restaurant, Bills. 

If anyone has a Bill Granger cookbook or has visited one of the many Bills restaurants, you will know that Bills is famous for its scrambled eggs. 

Well, guess what I can do well? Scrambled eggs! In fact, I've made scrambled eggs on the Oprah show and Good morning America, hence why this gut-healing bowl needs to be your weekend go-to! 

In this bowl, you will find the following: 

• 1 serving of my Dairy-free Scrambled Eggs 
• 1 serving of Nitrate-free Bacon 
• ½ an Avocado with a squeeze of Lemon Juice
• A small serving of Prebiotic Pickled Onions
• 5 fresh ripe Peach Slices (the combination of peach and pickled onion is fantastic!) 
• A handful of fresh mixed Salad Greens 
• A sprinkle of toasted Seeds such as Sesame, Fennel, Hemp, or Cumin (see notes)
• A drizzle of Pickle Juice as salad dressing from the pickled onion

8 | Nacho-style Gut Healing Bowl

This bowl contains cheese and organic sour cream, which you are welcome to leave out or replace with a dairy-free option like vegan cheese and coconut yoghourt. However, I have to say that the combination of pulled jackfruit and sour cream is amazing, just in case you want nachos without the corn chips. 

In this bowl, you will find the following: 

• 1 serving of my Pulled Jackfruit aka Vegan Pulled Pork
• Serving of my Prebiotic Pickled Onions
• Serving of my Sugar-free Pickled Cucumbers
• 1 tbsp of organic Sour Cream or Coconut Yoghourt (optional)
• 3 - 4 slices of Ripe Double Cream Brie Cheese (optional)
• A small handful of lightly toasted Walnuts (see notes)
• ½ of a freshly sliced Pear - you could also use ½ a Green Apple
• A handful of fresh mixed Salad Greens 
• A sprinkle of toasted Seeds such as Sesame, Fennel, Hemp, or Cumin (see notes)
• A drizzle of Pickle Juice as salad dressing from the pickled onion

9 | Prawn Cocktail Gut Healing Bowl

In this Gut-Healing Bowl, I take the delicate nature of prawns and combine them with healthy ingredients to make a salad bowl worth raving about. Keep all the ingredients separate and only mix before consuming to keep the ingredients crisp and fresh! 

In this bowl, you will find the following:

• 1 serving of raw Prawn Tails cooked in Kombu Water - cook them until the prawns turn pink
• A handful of Crisp Iceberg Lettuce
• ½ ripe Avocado
• A small handful of fresh Basil Leaves
• A small serving of Prebiotic Pickled Onions
• Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice 

10| Vegetarian Gut Healing Bowl

Veggies eaters rejoice! This bowl is for you. Not all GHBs need to contain meat as the protein source, and such is the case with my Vegetarian Gut Healing Bowl. I did use an egg, so it's not vegan-friendly, but feel free to use tempeh or tofu. My Sticky Tofu recipe would go down as a treat. 

 In this bowl, you will find the following:

• ½ a Green Apple, sliced 
• 1 serving of my Cucumber & Cabbage Slaw (see notes for full recipe)
• 1 serving of Fettuzzine - Zucchini Ribbons stir-fried briefly in my Sticky Sauce
• A small serving of Nanny's Pickled Vegetables 
• ½ an avocado, sliced
• 1 boiled Egg
• 1 lemon wedge 

11 | Thai Beef Salad Gut Healing Bowl 

I love the flavours of this bowl so much, but I love the texture even more. It's crisp and clean and leaves you feeling wonderfully light and healthy. 

The Thai spice blend gives the beef an exotic flavour that permeates its way through the salad, with the abundance of fresh herbs giving a lovely lift to the flavour combinations. 

In this bowl, you will find the following: 

• A serving of Beef marinated in fabulous Thai Spices
• Fresh mixed Salad Leaves
• My Zesty Salad Dressing 
• Cucumber noodles 
• Fresh Mint and Coriander Leaves
• Few slices of Radish 

Click here for the full recipe

12 | Pickled and Fermented Gut Healing Bowl

We've all read the news. Pickled and fermented foods are fantastic for our gut and overall digestive health. There are wonders at work when foods are fer-pickled and contribute marvellously to a healthy gut microbiome, a fancy pants way of saying a healthy, well-balanced gut. 

In this bowl, you will find some of my favourite additions that make up a delicious tasting, gut-healthy meal that is simple to make and assemble and is excellent on the go.

In this bowl, you will find the following: 

• Serving of Sauerkraut
• Serving of my Prebiotic Pickled Onions
• A small serving of my Sugar-free Pickled Cucumbers 
• A small serving of fresh Cucumbers
• 2 tsp sugar-free Maille Dijon Mustard
• A handful of fresh Rocket (Arugula) Leaves with a drizzle of Pickle Juice
• Finely shredded Kimchi
• 1 serve of Shredded Roast Chicken - Check out my video on how to quickly and easily roast a chicken

A small handful of fresh mint leaves

13 | Land & Sea Gut Healing Bowl

I love mackerel as it's full of omega-3 fatty acids and contains many essential vitamins and minerals. So, of course, I had to feature it in one of my bowls. If you're not a fan of mackerel, you can substitute it with salmon (cooked or raw). 

In this bowl, you will find the following:

• Blueberry Walnut Salad - Handful of fresh mixed spinach and rocket, a handful of blueberries, a small handful of walnuts, and a few thin slices of parmesan cheese. 
• A small handful of leftover Roast Chicken
• ½ small Avocado
• Serving of my Prebiotic Pickled Onions
• A small serving of my Sugar-free Pickled Cucumbers 
• A small serving of Mackerel in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

14 | Clean-out-the-fridge Gut Healing Bowl

One of my favourite things to do is have a good clean out of the fridge. Even when I worked in restaurants as a chef, I regularly cleaned out and tidied up the walk-in chiller. Your fridge stays nice and clean, but it also gives you the chance to use any leftovers before they go off.   

There is just something so satisfying about scanning the contents of your refrigerator and then being able to create something incredibly delectable in only a couple of minutes. 

As this is a clean-out-the-fridge gut-healing bowl, I used up all the little containers of "stuff" in my refrigerator. 

In this bowl, you will find the following: 

• Leftover lamb roast, but you could use any leftover protein like chicken, beef, fish or tofu
• 1 Boiled egg
• A handful of raw cucumber
• Serving of my Prebiotic Pickled Onions
• A handful of mixed Salad Leaves
• A small handful of fresh Basil Leaves
• 2 tsp sugar-free Maille Dijon Mustard, or any sugar-free Dijon Mustard of your choosing 
• 1 tbsp of my Salad Sprinkles of your choosing 
• A sprinkle of toasted Seeds such as Sesame, Fennel, Hemp, or Cumin (see notes)
• A drizzle of Pickle Juice as salad dressing from the pickled onion