A nutrient dense meal is one that is mostly full of beneficial nutrients in proportion to its energy content and/or amount of total food content. Beneficial nutrients are vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates. A nutrient dense meal is low in sugars and unhealthy fats.
An easy to digest meal typically utilizes a variety of foods with beneficial nutrients and is easy to break down and absorb those nutrients without causing excess gut symptoms. Sometimes it’s achieved by modifying how the food is prepared such as cooking vegetables verses eating them raw or shredding or grinding lean meats instead of whole cuts or blending fruit in a smoothie instead of eating them whole. Easy to digest foods differ from person to person, but in general they may be foods that have certain types and amounts of fibers, fats, or proteins that are easier to break down. Check out the nutrient dense and easy to digest meals below!
Meal Combination #1: Noodle Stir Fry
Use 1 skillet and 1 small pot. Start cooking the meat first until most pink is gone. Add the veggies and continue to cook until meat is cooked through and veggies are soft. Last cook the egg and toss all together with seasonings. Brown rice noodles cook within 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Meal Combination #2: Cilantro Lime Chicken Bowl
A few tips: Use leftover chicken, maybe a batch you prepared in the crockpot or a rotisserie chicken. Cook a larger batch of brown rice for the week and utilize leftovers. Cooked and cooled rice is a resistant starch which feeds your good gut bacteria. If you have GI symptoms, chop the veggies well, cook until soft, and chew really well. Don’t skip the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, salt, cumin. Makes it so tasty + more health benefits.
Meal Combination #3: Egg Spinach Avocado Toast
Toast sourdough bread and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Cook 1-2 eggs and spinach leaves in a small skillet with salt and pepper. Mash avocado onto toast and sprinkle with everything seed blend. Top toast with spinach and eggs and enjoy.
Meal Combination #4: Tuna Stack
Mix a good quality canned tuna (or salmon or sardines) with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and any dried or fresh herbs (or just mix with a favorite mustard for something simpler). Top on rice crackers and add thinly sliced cucumber and tomato. This is an easier to digest raw meal/snack option.
Meal Combination #5: Yogurt Bowl
Choose a plain Greek yogurt or if you need a dairy free option, something like plain coconut milk yogurt can work- just add some unflavored protein powder in. Mix in sprouted oats (this can be done the night before to soften or day of). Top with a variety of berries or kiwi. Sprinkle with seeds that work for you (blending in chia seeds or ground flaxseeds the night before is a good starting point.) Enjoy!
Meal Combination #6: Lentil Bowl
Enjoy as a bowl by layering cooked rice, lentils, and veggies- flavor with olive oil, broth, turmeric, salt, and pepper or turn into a soup with extra bone broth.
Meal Combination #7: Simple Salmon
Fish is a go-to protein source that is easy to digest for most people. Keep it simple by adding salt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil. Then bake or grill. Easy to digest and nutrient dense sides are mashed sweet potatoes and chopped and steamed green beans.
Depending on your current gut health and/or GI condition, some of these ideas may work for you and some may need extra modifications. Everyone has their own unique needs. None of my protocols for clients have ever been exactly the same! If you would like to learn more about my services for individual nutrition counseling, check out the services page on this site or email me at chelsey@kupernutrition.com.
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