I’m really good at being basic so today I have some simple meal ideas while gut healing via a Minimalist Meal Plan to share.

It’s not always easy; certainly not always glamorous. But eating simple meals and taking a minimalist approach while gut healing can be done. 

In fact, when I was healing, I did it daily, every single week – simple steps, rinse and repeat.

Doing this was, by far, one of my greatest keys to success. And I believe that it can be yours, too. With this simple guide today, I want to give a real-life example of how it can be done with even the smallest of foods lists.

Simple Meal Planning

A girl once told me a long time ago that her nutritionist put her on a very strict diet.

She was adding in different foods over time, but very slowly (aka Elimination Diet).

The ultimate goal of the elimination diet is to figure out which foods your body is reacting to and/or not responding well to.

Reactions could be generalized stomach pain, skin problems like eczema, general rashes and acne, bloating, diarrhea, etc. There are a variety of symptoms you may currently be experiencing – none of which are pleasant. Believe me, I know.

Really, anytime your body is presenting signals that something is not right, the chances that it’s food related are fairly high.

An elimination diet involves removing those foods during an elimination period, and then later reintroducing them, one at a time. 

Simultaneously, you’ll watch for symptoms that show a reaction.

The process takes a slow-and-go approach.

Here is a comprehensive list of random ingredients and only the items she was allowed to eat every single day:

1. Chicken
2. Turkey
3. Millet
4. Quinoa
5. Green Pea
6. Mushroom
7. Carrot
8. Apricot
9. Grapefruit
10. Banana
11. Orange
12. Cheddar Cheese
13. American Cheese
14. Olive
15. Cashew
16. Honey
17. Mustard
18. Maple
19. Crab
20. Barley
21. Amaranth
22. Eggplant
23. Celery
24. Cucumber
25. Honeydew Melon
26. Avocado
27. Grape
28. Plum
29. Whey
30. Cottage Cheese
31. Pistachio
32. Almond
33. Black Pepper

To be clear, my very first instincts were to question some of those “Elimination Diet” food choices, but that is neither here-nor-there at this point.

If you want to see my Printable Elimination Diet, you can check that out HERE.

Regardless, after looking at this list you were probably thinking one of three things:

1. Where’s the fast-food option?
2. Forget that.
3. Now that’s a small grocery list.
4. You mean, this is all she was able to eat during an entire week?

Whatever your thoughts, you can be certain that with a little creativity, a lot of positivity, and the ‘tude that you’ll do anything to feel better, this list quickly turns into something delicious.

So, by only using the (33) foods above, here is how I’d get creative. 

Below you will find simple meal ideas while gut healing. 

Minimalist Meal Plan (Simple Meal Ideas While Gut Healing)

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Note: Remember, we are assuming that her minimalist foods presented above will help heal the gut.

Breakfast

1. Fruit Cup: 1/4 c. each of: apricot, grapefruit, banana, grapes, honeydew melon and orange (if desired for added protein: 1/2 c. cottage cheese)
2. Millet “Oatmeal”: millet mixed with a tiny organic maple syrup, chopped almonds and banana (if desired for added protein: whey). You could even make these as overnight oats to help save time.
3. Awaken-Me-Up Smoothie: cucumber, carrot, banana or apricot, celery, drizzle honey (if desired for added protein: whey). Smoothies are a great way to not only get in a ton of nutrients, but so that you can also add in things like: Collagen, L-Glutamine, and Tummy Soothe.

Lunch / Dinner

Note: I tend to put lunch and dinner time options together because, for the most part, when thinking through food preparation from a minimalist standpoint, they can be done at the same time. 

1. Salad and Homemade Salad Dressing: green peas, mushrooms, carrots, celery and cucumber sprinkled with cashews (if desired for added protein: grilled or baked chicken or turkey) (toss in homemade salad dressing: 1 part honey and 1 part mustard with 2-3 parts olive oil)
2. Warm Salad: Millet (cooked ~ 1/2-1 cup) mixed with grilled chicken, chopped almonds, dried apricot (with no preservatives) and sprinkled with a little black pepper
3. Stir Fry: grilled chicken or turkey, green peas, mushrooms, celery, cucumbers and slivered almonds (add a touch of honey/maple syrup and pepper if desired). A stir fry is a great way to enjoy fresh produce and whole foods in different ways. One time you might choose the almonds and the next time, replace them with cashews.
4. A “Pasta”: Melt cheese (American or Cheddar). Add grilled mushrooms to it. Pour it over quinoa (just try it!) and add either grilled chicken or turkey to it (or leave the meat off altogether)

Snacks

1. Almond “Sandwich:” 2 almonds + 1 small dried apricot (apricot goes in between the almonds)
2. The Log: Celery + raw, unsalted almond butter
3. Freeze grapes: Eat them frozen. Enough said!
4. Sweet ‘n Protein: Plum or honeydew melon, cottage cheese and a sprinkle of pepper.

And of course, as always, eating any of the foods from the list, alone, is a great idea. 

You know, like an avocado a day keeps the doctor away. I mean, unless you have SIBO.

Most of these options are portable. You would only need a Bento box of sorts like THESE and/or a Stasher-like food bag HERE.

A General Rule for “Boring Food,” and Minimalist Eating

I heard an awesome quote once from someone who gets all of this.

The quote went like this,

Eat boring, have an exciting life.

I agree, and I also do not agree with that quote.

My arguments on either side of the fence are not what’s important. Buuuuutttttt……let me know in the comments below if you want me to write an entire article for my thoughts on both side of that quote.

Anyways, what is important is that we remember the quote when life gets us down about what we can and cannot eat.

By eating simple meals while gut healing now, you might be setting yourself up perfectly for eating all the foods in the (near) future.

How to Create Your Own Minimalist Meal Plan

In my book, A Gutsy Girl’s Bible, I give you the blueprint to create your own healthy minimalist diet because I believe that keeping it simple is probably the most important thing you can do for healing your gut.

Here are 5 reasons why + how:

1. No decision fatigue. Focus your time and energy on healing, not the stress over what to eat or not to eat.
2. Makes grocery shopping easy. In the book, there is a YES TO and NO TO food list. You can easily take this to the grocery store with you.
3. Choose the fresh ingredients you love most, and then use my basic formulas (provided in the book) for food Creations (yes, I call them Creations vs recipes because you get to choose how the simple foods play out for simple meals you’ll love).
4. Staple meals. Once you make simple meals, you’ll know immediately if you’d make that particular healthy meal again. If so, put a star next to the Creation (or write it down on your own recipe card) and put it into your weekly meal plan. In no time, you’ll have built a minimalist meal planner for any given day of the week.
5. Skipping the processed foods. When you create your own minimalist meal plan, the simple rules include whole foods, simple ingredients, and then tossing them altogether. By skipping the highly processed and packaged foods you’ll not only save a lot of money, but you’ll also reap the health benefits of making healthier choices.

Join the A Gutsy Girl book course + community by grabbing the book and then joining our community to take your healing to the next-level.

More Thoughts on Simple Ideas and Food Lists Like These

Remember, I was once in these shoes. It wasn’t a list of what I could eat; instead, what I could not. THIS is a list of the 22 foods that were not allowed.

What I want to make clear to you all are these four points:

1. If you have been given a list of minimal things you can eat with multiple food groups to avoid, you likely just need to heal your gut. While I still enjoy minimalist meal planning, I don’t have to follow any strict rules.
2. PLEASE make sure that you are working with someone you trust if you are only eating 33 total foods. I don’t care if it’s a nutritionist, a doctor, or your own mother. Eating less variety can also produce negative effects. You might find yourself worse off than before. 
3. Sometimes, like in the case of SIBO, it’s not so much about what you’re eating, but how much. See REASONABLE SIBO HERE for more context.
4. If I truly was sticking to a food list this lean, I personally would be sure I was using a quality Probiotic, and multivitamin. I’d also be sure to routinely have complete blood work panels drawn up and ensure weight loss was not becoming an issue.

By the way, I actually think it’s a blast to be given odd-and-random food lists like this to work with.

If you have your own food list you’ve been given by a nutritionist or doctor, I’m happy to help you make it work.

You can always schedule a 30-minute session with me and together we can figure out different approaches to ensure you’re getting a balanced diet in the best way possible on your current journey.

Similar Approach, Even Today

While I have healed my gut, I still maintain eating in a minimal way on a regular basis. When you do this, cooking and choosing healthier options becomes less of a daunting task and a lot of time saved.

Give it a try, and you might be surprised by how much you truly enjoy this way of eating.

After awhile, you will be so comfortable with the minimal approach that trying new recipes will be second nature.

If you liked this post on the minimalist meal plan, you might also enjoy:

1. Fasting to Cure SIBO {thoughts on Intermittent Fasting for SIBO} {Episode 53, AGG Bites #8}
2. Glowing Green Smoothie
3. Minimalist Lifestyle + Minimalist Approach to Gut Healing Supplements

Xox,
SKH