I’ve been switching up my workout routine lately and working on more endurance exercises to get ready for a hiking trip coming up. And when you switch up your workout routine, you usually have to switch up your eating routine too!

For me that means adding in more carbs and eating a lot more in general (I’m exerting energy differently with these new exercises + trying to gain a few pounds before the trip).

I’ve been eating some fresh paleo pasta, but I’m also adding in more starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and beets to get real whole-food sources of carbs that are more nutrient dense. 

But because I don’t always love eating veggies on their own (can anyone else relate?!), I love when I find creative ways to get them in. These aren’t necessarily ingredients you see together often, but the flavor and texture combo is absolutely perfect.

I actually discovered this beet & yogurt salad during a trip to Greece with my sister. We ventured off the beaten path in Santorini and had one of the best meals of our trip! This beet & yogurt salad was one of many mezze dishes or small plates we had that night but it’s been stuck in my mind ever since! Aside from the nostalgia for me, this salad is one my favorite fun and tasty ways to eat root veggies.

“Nutrient dense” basically means that ounce for ounce a food packs in essential and beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other micro- and macro-nutrients without much fluff or non-beneficial components.

Beets are a great example of this: 

• They’re a good source of the micronutrients manganese, folate, and potassium
• They contain betalains, which are anti-inflammatory compounds that give them their red color (If you eat too much of them you might even notice the color in your urine or stool!)
• They also contain hemicellulose fiber which is great for feeding a variety of beneficial gut bugs in your intestinal microbiome. 

Beets are also showing promise for supporting athletic performance – they contain nitrates, which help dilate blood vessels and may enhance oxygen use by up to 20%! And as a bonus – root vegetables keep a crazy long time in the fridge if you store them properly.

The coconut yogurt in this recipe is also full of nutrients and gut health benefits. Coconut milk is a great source of healthy fats like caprylic acid, a beneficial fatty acid with antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Combine that with the beneficial gut bugs you get from adding probiotics to the mix and you have an easy, healthy option for meals and snacks.

You can also easily make your own coconut yogurt at home, where you can increase the protein content with collagen or another protein powder of your choice. I like to also keep a fresh batch around but it’s so versatile, and can be made into a sweet treat by adding things like berries and cacao nibs, or into a savory meal or side dish like you see here with the beets.

Get creative, and enjoy!

If you like this recipe and want to start incorporating more gut healthy foods into your diet, make sure to download my free 101 Gut Healing Foods list. Different foods can affect your health both positively and negatively….but small adjustments can lead to big changes!

With this list of 101 foods, you’ll know exactly what to focus on for a healthy gut so you can eliminate bloating, headaches, skin conditions, alleviate autoimmune flare-ups, and overall feel better and more comfortable and confident in your body. Download it now!