High Fibre Pasta Salad
Fibre is important for gut health, bowel motility and keeping us feeling full. Simply swap your regular white pasta for wholemeal or legume pasta to boost your protein and fibre without anyone noticing.
This colourful salad can be served warm or cold and, of course, you can swap the vegetables and herbs to suit your family and what you have on hand.
The mix of vegetables and fibre from the pasta feeds the gut microbiota and promotes healthy gut bacteria diversity which is important for gut health.
Ingredients
1 packet of chickpea or wholemeal pasta cooked as per the directions on the packet and cooled
2-3 handfuls of baby spinach
1 small head of broccoli, chopped, blanched and cooled
1 handful of snow peas roughly chopped
3 – 4 radishes thinly sliced
10 cherry tomatoes halved
A handful of fresh basil leaves
4 – 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
If you are gluten-free choose a chickpea pasta or other gluten-free pasta that holds its shape once cooked and cooled. Chickpea and legume pasta are a great source of both fibre and protein.
Combine all of the above ingredients into a large salad bowl and chill until ready to serve. Add the dressing just before serving. Leftovers make a great lunch the next day.
Tip: I blanch the broccoli in the pasta water before I cook the pasta.
Enjoy!
About the Author
Jean has always been drawn to natural therapies but it wasn’t until she was struggling with her daughter’s health that she fully realised their potential.
When her eldest daughter was 5 she was not thriving, she had digestive issues, sleep issues, chronic ear infections and delayed speech. She was a happy child but started showing signs of anxiety and there were whispers of ADHD.
None of the GPs or specialists they saw could resolve her mounting health issues. While wait-listed to see a behavioural paediatrician Jean decided to see a naturopath.
It sounds cliché but it was life changing. With dietary changes and nutritional supplements her daughter’s health improved in no time. By the time they went to see the paediatrician he found it comical that teachers and the GP suspected ADHD.
This experience changed the way Jean viewed food and nutrition and started her on a journey that lead to studying nutrition and naturopathy.
Jean now uses her experience to help women and their families to improve their health and wellbeing through naturopathy and nutrition. Jean is also an experienced Buteyko practitioner to provide you with a holistic range of therapies to empower you to take control of your health naturally.