Week 2 - Rebalance
This week is all about gut health. We’re going to rebalance our mood, feelings and vibe—from the inside out.
Week 2 is all about gut health—for me, and maybe for you, too. We’ve cleaned house a bit, so now it’s time to rebalance what’s going on in there without doing anything extreme or exhausting. Think more color, more variety, a few easy probiotics, and plenty of flexibility. At least that’s what research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health tells us. Good gut health, according to the school’s research is also linked to better energy, brain health and overall mood. Positive vibes sound great to me right now.
To do so, I’m keeping up with the alliums—garlic, onions of all kinds, shallots—which are rich in prebiotics (aka food for gut health-promoting probiotics) and great for immunity. Raw is technically best, but cooked counts too, and I like having both in the mix. You’ll also see quick-pickled red onions (made with apple cider vinegar, which brings a little probiotic boost), plus room for kimchi or sauerkraut if that’s your thing.
I’m still mostly off dairy and processed carbs, but I’ve added back a little sourdough—fermented, easier to digest, and better at retaining nutrients—and some fingerling potatoes. They’re whole food, potassium-rich, and very kid-friendly, which all matters!
Fiber stays front and center through vegetables and beans, so you’ll see a couple bean-forward recipes this week, too. I’m keeping red meat and sausage limited, but I do get iron-hungry, so Saturday steak night is back with a small portion of flank or grass-fed steak.
If yogurt works for you, feel free to bring it back in. If not, there’s chia seed pudding and coconut yogurt in the mix. And yes, there’s definitely an opportunity for some homemade bone broth because we know that’s immune- and collagen boosting, too!
Enjoy!
:) Amelia
P.S. I’m adding a downloadable PDF to the bottom of all the recipes so you can download and print or save how you will. Hope that helps a little bit!
P.P.S. I’m a writer and cook before a photographer and some of my books didn’t always have photos with the recipes so full disclosure, I’ve had to use a few AI-generated images for now, but am in the process of retaking those photos to replace those! Thank you for bearing with me! :)
