Embrace the Comfort of Autumn: A Perfect Time for a Gut Health Boost


Sep 26, 2024

 by Rob Bratcher
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Embrace the Comfort of Autumn: A Perfect Time for a Gut Health Boost

As September draws to a close and the crisp, cool breeze of autumn fills the air, there’s no better time to prioritize your health. With the changing season, our bodies naturally crave warmth, comfort, and nourishment. However, comfort food doesn’t have to mean heavy, unhealthy meals that leave you feeling sluggish. In fact, late September is the perfect moment to reset your gut and embrace foods that heal from the inside out.

Autumn offers a bounty of seasonal produce that not only satisfies your taste buds but also supports your digestive system. With the right ingredients—like gut-boosting tempeh, hearty beans, and fiber-rich vegetables—this season can be your gateway to a healthier, more balanced body. Whether you're looking to feel lighter, improve digestion, or simply transition into the colder months with vibrant health, a gentle detox can provide just the reset you need.

In this special early autumn-inspired gut detox plan, we’ve crafted 12 delicious, whole-food, plant-based recipes that are oil-free, organic, and bursting with seasonal flavors. From cozy soups and hearty stews to sweet, nourishing desserts, these dishes will satisfy your cravings while nurturing your gut for the months ahead. So, let's make this comfort food season your healthiest yet!

Supplement Stack For Gut Health Boosting

  • Amare Mentabiotics: Gut-brain axis support with probiotics and prebiotics.
  • Organic Psyllium Husk: For added fiber and regularity.
  • L-Glutamine Powder: Helps with gut lining repair and digestive health.
  • Organic Ginger Capsules: Anti-inflammatory, gut soothing.
  • Probiotic-rich fermented foods: (incorporated into recipes)

12 Gut Health Boosting Recipes

1. Tempeh Cabbage Stew

Ingredients:
  • 1 block organic tempeh, cubed
  • 4 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 sweet potato, diced
  • 1 cup cooked white beans
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-inch ginger, grated
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions:
  1. Sauté garlic and ginger in a splash of broth until fragrant.
  2. Add tempeh and lightly brown.
  3. Add remaining veggies, broth, and seasonings.
  4. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until veggies are soft.
  5. Stir in miso paste at the end and garnish with parsley.

2. Early Autumn Gut-Healing Smoothie

Ingredients:
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 cup kale
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 Medjool date, pitted
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup water or unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 scoop Amare Mentabiotics
Instructions:
  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve chilled.

3. Cabbage & Bean Detox Salad

Ingredients:
  • 4 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
  • Fresh herbs (parsley, dill, or cilantro)
Instructions:
  1. Toss cabbage, beans, carrots, apple, and pumpkin seeds.
  2. Whisk vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup.
  3. Drizzle dressing over salad and mix well. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

4. Butternut Squash & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
  • 1 medium butternut squash, cubed
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions:
  1. Sauté onion and garlic in a splash of broth.
  2. Add squash, lentils, and spices. Stir for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add broth and simmer for 20-25 minutes until squash is soft.
  4. Blend soup to desired consistency and garnish with cilantro.

5. Autumn-Spiced Tempeh

Ingredients:
  • 1 block tempeh, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
  1. Mix tamari, maple syrup, and spices in a bowl.
  2. Marinate tempeh for 10 minutes.
  3. Grill or bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.

6. Savory Cabbage & Tempeh Wraps

Ingredients:
  • Large cabbage leaves (steamed for wraps)
  • 1 block tempeh, crumbled
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Fresh cilantro or parsley
Instructions:
  1. Sauté tempeh with tamari and garlic until lightly browned.
  2. Mix in shredded carrots and quinoa.
  3. Serve in steamed cabbage leaves, garnished with cilantro.

7. Carrot & Ginger Gut-Healing Soup

Ingredients:
  • 6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1-inch ginger, grated
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions:
  1. Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger.
  2. Add carrots and broth, simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Blend until smooth. Stir in miso paste and lemon juice.

8. Apple Cinnamon Detox Dessert

Ingredients:
  • 2 large apples, cored and chopped
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
  • 1 Medjool date, chopped
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions:
  1. Toss apples with cinnamon and ginger.
  2. Layer in a baking dish with oats, walnuts, and date.
  3. Drizzle with almond milk and maple syrup.
  4. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until apples are tender.

9. Spiced Pumpkin & Bean Chili

Ingredients:
  • 1 can pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
  1. Sauté onion and garlic.
  2. Add beans, pumpkin, spices, and broth.
  3. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in apple cider vinegar before serving.

10. Ginger-Spiced Pear Smoothie

Ingredients:
  • 1 ripe pear, chopped
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango
  • 1/2 cup spinach
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp flaxseeds
  • 1 Medjool date
  • 1 cup water
Instructions:
  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

11. Warm Quinoa & Apple Porridge

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions:
  1. Cook quinoa in almond milk with cinnamon and nutmeg.
  2. Stir in diced apple and vanilla extract.

12. Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients:
  • 2 small sweet potatoes, roasted and mashed
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup salsa
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • Cabbage slaw (shredded cabbage, lime juice, cilantro)
  • Corn tortillas
Instructions:
  1. Roast sweet potatoes and mash with cumin and paprika.
  2. Heat black beans and stir in salsa.
  3. Serve in corn tortillas with cabbage slaw.

 

Grocery Helper

Vegetables & Fruits

  • Apples: 6 large
  • Pumpkin Puree: 2 cans (unsweetened)
  • Butternut Squash: 1 medium
  • Sweet Potatoes: 4 small (for tacos and stew)
  • Carrots: 10 large
  • Purple Cabbage: 1 small head (for salad and wraps)
  • Green Cabbage: 1 small head (for stew and wraps)
  • Kale: 1 small bunch (for smoothie)
  • Spinach: 1 small bunch (for smoothie)
  • Pears: 2 large (for smoothie)
  • Blueberries: 1 cup (frozen or fresh for smoothie)
  • Mango: 1/2 cup (frozen for smoothie)
  • Ginger Root: 4 inches (fresh)
  • Garlic: 1 bulb
  • Onions: 3 medium (for stew, chili, soup)
  • Lemons: 2 (for soup and seasoning)
  • Lime: 1 (for slaw)
  • Fresh Parsley: 1 small bunch
  • Fresh Cilantro: 1 small bunch
  • Fresh Dill: Optional for salad
  • Medjool Dates: 8-10 (for smoothies, desserts)
  • Pumpkin Seeds: 2 tbsp (for salad)
  • Rolled Oats: 1/4 cup (for dessert)
  • Applesauce: 1/4 cup (optional for adding sweetness in some dishes)

Grains & Legumes

  • Quinoa: 1 1/2 cups (for porridge, salad, and wraps)
  • Red Lentils: 1 cup (for soup)
  • Black Beans: 2 cans (for salad and tacos)
  • Kidney Beans: 1 can (for chili)
  • White Beans: 1 cup (cooked, for stew)
  • Chickpeas: 1 can (optional for variety in wraps)
  • Corn Tortillas: 1 pack (for tacos)

Fermented Foods & Tempeh

  • Tempeh: 3 blocks (for stew, wraps, chili, and standalone)
  • Miso Paste: 2 tbsp (for soups and stews)

Herbs & Spices

  • Cumin: 1 small jar
  • Ground Coriander: 1 small jar
  • Ground Turmeric: 1 small jar
  • Ground Ginger: 1 small jar (for smoothies and desserts)
  • Ground Cinnamon: 1 small jar
  • Nutmeg: 1 small jar
  • Chili Powder: 1 small jar
  • Smoked Paprika: 1 small jar
  • Ground Black Pepper: To taste
  • Sea Salt: To taste

Sweeteners

  • Maple Syrup: 1/4 cup (for desserts and tempeh)
  • Honey: Optional (for extra sweetening, 1/4 cup max)

Liquids

  • Vegetable Broth: 12 cups (for soups, stews, chili)
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk: 3-4 cups (for smoothies, porridge, dessert)
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: 1/4 cup (for salad and chili)

Other Pantry Items

  • Tamari or Coconut Aminos: 1/2 cup (for tempeh marinade, cabbage wraps, salad dressing)
  • Chia Seeds: 3 tbsp (for smoothies and porridge)
  • Ground Flaxseeds: 2 tbsp (for smoothie)
  • Psyllium Husk: Optional (for gut support in smoothies)
  • Pumpkin Seeds: 2 tbsp (for salad)