Chicken, Avocado and Broccoli Rice with Miso Dressing

Miso is a fermented food and fermented foods are known for strengthening the immune system and also the digestion. 

Miso is generally made of fermented soya (hatcho miso), brown rice (genmai miso) or barley (mugi miso).

Regardless of which you go for, it’s loaded with good bacteria. For strong digestion, it is essential to have these in abundance, and without strong digestion you can’t have great health. Other probiotic foods include yoghurt, kefir and sauerkraut but you need to consume these unpasteurised to get the benefits so making it yourself is the best option. If this is too much for you then miso paste is the answer and an easy way to get that good bacteria into your body. This is especially important if you are suffering with IBS or gut problems. With IBS clients I always encourage them to include pre and probiotic foods daily along with an anti inflammatory diet.

As well as supporting great digestion, miso also cleanses and detoxifies – helping to eliminate pollutants from the bloodstream – and boosts immunity.

Miso has anti-cancer properties. It contains the phytochemical genistein which has been researched for its ability to cut off the blood flow to cancerous tumours.

Recipe - brown miso paste has quite a strong flavour so need softening. Recipes often add sugar to do this. I found that by adding cashew butter you get a nice mellow, sweet, creaminess to the dressing. You can use avocado oil or olive oil if you don't have macadamia nut oil. 

Ingredients 

• Poached, steamed or leftover roast chicken

• 1 small avocado 

• Cooked broccoli, pulsed in mini food processor with chopped spring onion 
  

  Dressing 

• 1 tbsp unpasteurised brown rice miso paste

• 2-3 tbsp hot water 

• 1 tsp cashew nut butter 

• Half squeezed lemon 

• Pinch ground chilli 

• Dash of tamari 
  
  Mix ingredients well in bowl or shake in a jam jar.