This post is written in partnership with New Chapter, a Vermont-based maker of whole-food vitamins and supplements, however all opinions are my own. I only work with and recommend companies whose products I love, and I’m so excited to share these with you!

As I’ve been delving into the updated research for my 28 Day Guided Gut Healing Program I came across some new findings on the benefits of sweet potato, and its use as a form of resistant starch as fuel for our gut bacteria. Now, the health benefits of sweet potato are widely known, and I often use sweet potatoes as an example to illustrate the concept of a ‘bang for your buck food (‘bang for your buck foods are those with high nutrient density – i.e. the fibre plus vitamin and mineral content vs. calorie content), but in addition to being a great source of Vitamin A and fibre, cooked and cooled sweet potatoes are one of the easiest, most effective (whilst still being gentle on the digestive system) and delicious forms of resistant starch available.

Resistant Starch is called as such as it is not fully digested within our small intestines. Instead it remains virtually unchanged until it reaches our large intestine. It’s here where the magic happens – when resistant starch is fermented in the large intestine (our colons), it produces butyrate, a type of short chain fatty acid that is the ideal fuel for the colony of bacteria there. And in this recipe by cooking, freezing and gently baking the sweet potato muffins we create something called Retrograde Resistant Starch, meaning that it is still beneficial to our microbiome, even after cooking it for the second time.

Another benefit of eating sweet potatoes once they have been cooked and cooled is that it lowers their ‘carb load’ or glycemic index. Essentially this process reduces the amount of glucose, therefore reducing the impact on your insulin levels. Adding resistant starch in this form can help nourish your gut bacteria and curb carb cravings, whilst still having a relatively low impact on blood sugar levels so it is a great option for those following a lower carbohydrate diet.

In this recipe I’ve paired this sweet potato superstar with another gut friendly ingredient that I am currently loving, New Chapter’s Complete Organic Plant Protein+ Original. I’ve mentioned previously how for years I struggled to find a plant based protein that I loved and would feel happy to recommend to my clients, as most pea and soy protein powders can be incredibly hard to digest, and cause GI distress such as gas and bloating.

New Chapter’s Complete Organic Plant Protein+ Original is the gut friendly perfect partner for this breakfast muffin recipe – not only is it’s blend of mung bean, brown rice, hemp, chia, flax, sunflower and pumpkin seeds super easy to digest, it also includes the clinically studied Prohydrolase digestive enzymes to ensure proper protein breakdown and boost protein absorption (remember you are what you absorb)!

These Gut Healthy Sweet Potato Breakfast Muffins from my 28 Day Guided Gut Healing Program are the perfect protein, fat and fibre packed grab and go option for mornings when time is tight, and are delicious straight up, or served slightly warm with a slathering of almond butter…

Gut Healthy Sweet Potato Breakfast Muffins

●      1 cup cooked and cooled sweet potato

●      1 serving New Chapter’s Complete Organic Plant Protein+ Original Vanilla

●      1 tsp vanilla extract

●      1 tsp cinnamon

●      1/3 cup nut butter

●      1/2 cup plain yogurt

●      1/2 tsp baking powder

●      ¼ cup ground flaxseed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine well (you can also use a food processor for this). Separate into 8 equal portions, and place in a silicone muffin pan. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until firm to the touch. Because this recipe uses unprocessed ingredients keep the muffins in the refrigerator or even the freezer (defrost overnight if serving for breakfast) to keep them fresh and delicious!

You can find  New Chapter’s Complete Organic Plant Protein+ Original  in your local health food store, Whole Foods, CVS, on Amazon, or at www.newchapter.com.