Fibre, Flavour and Feel-Good Food
New Recipes for Love Your Gut Week (14th-20th September)
16 September 2026 · 10 min read
Love Your Gut Week 2026 is serving up six new recipes using readily available, gut-friendly ingredients - from fibre-rich foods to plenty of plant points. Each recipe is designed to make supporting the gut microbiome feel inspiring, achievable and delicious.
The recipes show how even the simplest ingredients can do more for your gut. Think beans, wholegrains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and fruit, all used in tasty, accessible ways to bring more gut-friendly goodness into your diet.
Many of the recipes contribute multiple "plant points" - a simple way of encouraging greater plant diversity through foods such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Whether it’s a vibrant Roast Cabbage with Chermoula, a comforting Green Spelt Risotto or Lemon, Blueberry & Chia Cheesecake Pots, the collection is packed with tasty, practical ideas for busy households, midweek meals and feel-good treats.
To help you better understand the power of the ingredients featured, Love Your Gut dietitian Jo Travers explains how the gut-hero ingredients in each dish can play a role in looking after your gut.
This Love Your Gut Week and beyond, why not give your gut a little extra love, one delicious recipe at a time?
For further recipe inspiration, visit https://loveyourgut.com/getting-gut-healthy/recipes/ or Facebook @LoveYourGutOnline.
Roast Cabbage with Chermoula
Golden roast Savoy cabbage wedges are served on a bed of mixed grains and red pepper, then finished with a punchy homemade chermoula made from parsley, coriander, lemon, garlic, chilli and spices. It’s colourful, simple and ideal as a plant-forward main or side.
Jo’s gut friendly hero ingredient: “Cabbage is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, alongside broccoli, radish, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. It provides fibre, which supports healthy digestion and helps feed beneficial gut bacteria.
“Cruciferous vegetables also contain natural plant compounds, which can reduce inflammation and support the gut lining.
“Paired with mixed grains, red pepper, herbs, garlic and spices, this recipe delivers 6.5 plant points - helping add variety, fibre and flavour to your plate.”
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves 4
Plant points: 6.5
For the Chermoula Sauce
25g parsley, roughly chopped
25g coriander, roughly chopped
Zest and juice 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic
1 green chilli, roughly sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the Cabbage Wedges
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 whole Savoy cabbage, cut into 4 wedges
500g pouches mixed grains (or 2 x 250g pouches mixed grains)
1 red pepper, diced
250ml hot vegetable stock
Method
Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6.
To make the Chermoula sauce, place the herbs, lemon (zest and juice), garlic, chilli, spices and 2 tbsp oil in a food processor and blitz to a coarse paste.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and fry the cabbage wedges for 2 minutes each side, in 2 batches, until golden.
Put the grains and red pepper in a large roasting tin, top with the cabbage wedges and pour over the hot stock. Drizzle the chermoula over the wedges and roast for 20 minutes until tender.
Cook’s tip
Serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of extra paprika. Grains can be swapped with cooked brown basmati rice. Try using chopped chives instead of coriander.
Curried Cod with Crushed Peas & Beans with Sweet Potato Wedges
A flavour-packed dinner combining Madras-spiced cod with sweet potato wedges and a crushed pea, broad bean and cannellini bean mash. It’s a good example of how gut-friendly ingredients can be built into familiar, fuss-free meals.
Jo’s gut friendly hero ingredient: “Cannellini beans are a versatile store cupboard ingredient and an easy way to add more fibre and plant-based protein and variety to meals. Fibre helps support healthy digestion, promotes fullness and feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome.
Here, the cannellini beans are blended with peas and broad beans to create a simple, creamy base, while the cod adds lean protein for a balanced, satisfying and easy midweek meal.”
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves 2
Plant points: 4.5
Ingredients
1 medium sweet potato, cut into wedges
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cod fillets
1 tbsp Madras curry paste
100g frozen peas
100g frozen baby broad beans
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Method
Preheat the oven to 200oC, gas mark 6.
Toss the potato wedges in oil on a large baking tray and cook for 20 minutes.
Spread the cod with the Madras paste, place on a small piece of baking parchment and add to the tray with the potatoes, turn the wedges over and bake for a further 10 minutes.
Cook the peas and broad beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and allow to cool slightly. Tip into food processor with the cannellini beans and blitz to a coarse paste; season to taste.
Serve the cod on top of the crushed pea mixture, with the wedges alongside.
Cook’s tip
Swap the cod for haddock or any other sustainably sourced white fish.
Green Spelt Risotto
A green, vegetable-packed take on risotto using pearled spelt, broccoli, peas, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, Parmesan and mixed seeds. It’s comforting while still packed with plants, making it a strong fit for hitting your recommended 30 plant points a day.
Jo’s gut friendly hero ingredient: “Spelt is an ancient grain that brings a nutty flavour, satisfying bite and useful plant-based nutrients to this comforting risotto. It contains fibres, to help food move through the gut more easily, over time helping to feed good bacteria, plant protein and minerals including magnesium, that supports a balance, making it a nourishing alternative to traditional risotto rice.
“Varying the grains you eat is also a simple way to increase plant diversity across the week. Paired with broccoli, peas, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and seeds, this recipe delivers 7.25 plant points - helping add colour, texture and variety to your plate.”
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves 4
Plant points: 7.25
Ingredients
300g broccoli florets
200g frozen peas
1 tbsp oil
150g button mushrooms, halved
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250g pearled spelt
500ml hot vegetable stock
200g cherry tomatoes
100g baby spinach
50g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 tbsp mixed seeds
Method
Cook the broccoli and peas in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and cool under cold water. Reserve 100g of each and set aside. Puree the remaining vegetables in a food processor to create a coarse paste.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms and garlic for 2 minutes, add in the spelt and then the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add in the vegetable puree and tomatoes; cook for a further 5-8 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, then add the reserved broccoli and peas and the Parmesan, season to taste.
Serve sprinkled with the mixed seeds and extra grated Parmesan.
Cook’s tip
Try using frozen broccoli instead of fresh. This meal can be made ahead and divided into portions ready for freezing.
Pomegranate, Almond & Chicken Tagine
A vibrant, gently spiced chicken tagine with onion, courgette, spinach, almonds, pomegranate seeds, mint, coriander and wholewheat couscous. It feels special enough for the weekend but is still achievable for a midweek meal.
Jo’s gut friendly hero ingredient: “Wholewheat couscous is a quick, fibre-rich base that helps make this tagine feel hearty and satisfying. As a wholegrain, it also provides useful nutrients including B vitamins and minerals, such as selenium that fights gut inflammation and aids gentle digestion, while helping add more variety to the grains eaten across the week.
“In this dish, it’s paired with vegetables, herbs, almonds and pomegranate seeds, adding colour, crunch and plant diversity. Together, the ingredients deliver 6.5 plant points - making this a simple way to bring more texture, flavour and gut-friendly goodness to the plate.”
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves 4
Plant points: 6.5
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
600g chicken breast fillets, diced
1 onion, chopped
100g tagine paste
250ml pomegranate juice
1 courgette, diced
100g baby spinach
30g toasted flaked almonds
50g pomegranate seeds
4 sprigs mint, leaves chopped
½ pack (25g) coriander, leaves chopped
250g wholewheat couscous
Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the chicken and onion for 6-7 minutes until golden. Add the tagine paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the pomegranate juice and simmer for 5-8 minutes.
Add the courgette, spinach, almonds and half the pomegranate seeds and cook until the spinach has wilted. Season and stir in half the herbs.
Meanwhile, place the couscous in a small bowl and add 300ml boiling water, cover and set aside for 5 minutes, fluff up with a fork.
Serve the tagine with the couscous sprinkled with the remaining herbs and pomegranate seeds.
Cook’s tip
Try adding a chopped red chilli for a kick of heat or serve with warmed flatbread, instead of couscous, with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.
Lemon, Blueberry & Chia Cheesecake Pots
A lighter, make-ahead dessert made with chia seeds, porridge oats, milk, lemon, cream cheese, blueberries, mint and an oat cookie crumb. It has all the appeal of a cheesecake pot, but with added ingredients that support the wider gut-friendly theme.
Jo’s gut friendly hero ingredient: “Chia seeds may be small, but are a useful way to add texture, plant-based omega-3 fats and fibre to puddings, breakfasts and snacks. When mixed with liquid, they swell and help create a creamy, ‘spoonable’ base, making them perfect for these lighter cheesecake-style pots.
“Combined with blueberries, oats, lemon and mint, they bring a variety of plant foods in one delicious dessert. The blueberries add another gut-friendly boost, as they contain polyphenols, including flavanols, which have been studied for their role in supporting a healthy balance of gut bacteria.”
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2-3 minutes plus cooling
Serves 4
Plant points: 3.25
Ingredients
50g chia seeds
25g porridge oats
250ml semi skimmed milk
Zest and juice 1 lemon
½ tbsp honey
75g cream cheese
225g blueberries
1 sprig mint, leaves chopped, plus extra to garnish
4 oat cookies
20g butter, melted
Method
Place the chia seeds, porridge and milk in a small saucepan and heat gently until just below boiling. Add the lemon zest and 1 tbsp juice and honey and allow to cool and thicken for 15 minutes. Stir in cream cheese.
Meanwhile, cook the blueberries and chopped mint in a small saucepan with 1 tbsp lemon juice for 2-3 minutes until just beginning to burst, allow to cool.
Place the cookies in a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Stir in the melted butter.
Divide the chia mix between 4 small glass tumblers, top with the blueberries and their juice and finally sprinkle over the cookie crumb and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Cook’s tip
Make all 3 elements in advance, placing the chia mix in the glasses and finish the assembly just before serving.
Banana & Choc Chip Loaf Cake
A familiar bake with a gut-friendly twist, made with ripe bananas, grated carrot, wholemeal flour and dark chocolate chips. It is designed to feel realistic and family-friendly - great served warm with Greek yoghurt or sliced for lunch boxes, according to the recipe tip.
Jo’s gut friendly hero ingredient: “Bananas are a convenient, affordable and tasty way to add more fibre to the diet. They contain prebiotic fibres which are fermented by gut bacteria to beneficial postbiotic products like short chain fatty acids which are fuel for the gut cells.
“This bake also includes banana and carrot, adding natural sweetness, moisture and extra plant variety. The dark chocolate chips bring a little indulgence, while cocoa contains polyphenols - plant compounds that have been studied for their role in supporting gut bacteria.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35-40 minutes
Serves 8-10
Plant points: 4
Ingredients
125g butter, softened
100g dark brown muscovado sugar
2 medium eggs
75g wholemeal plain flour
50g self raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
3 small ripe bananas, mashed
1 carrot, grated
50g dark chocolate chips
Method
Preheat the oven to 180oC, gas mark 4. Grease and line a 900ml loaf tin with baking parchment.
Whisk together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, whisk in the eggs 1 at a time.
Mix together both flours and baking powder until evenly combined. Fold into the butter mixture. Stir in the bananas, carrot and choc chips. Transfer to the prepared tin, smoothing the surface.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.
Cook’s tip
Great served warm with a dollop of Greek yoghurt but also sliced and served in lunch boxes.
Contributor at The London News