The Gut-Healthy Makeover: The Taco Bowl That Used to Wreck My Gut
A new series where I upgrade my previous macro-friendly meals with gut-loving, nourishing ingredients. Today, we’re ditching cauliflower rice and protein chips for a bowl your digestion will love
Once upon a time, there was a girl who fell in love with macro tracking & cooking. Everything needed to be low fat, sugar free, low carb, & covered in protein powder. For a while, that worked great… until it didn’t. The fat free cheese, fake sugars, and quick, ready made foods were recking my gut. Let’s just say, I’m incredibly happy my body was working properly enough to tell me something wasn’t right, even if it meant thousands of $$ in hospital visits with no clear answer. 🥲
Enter: the Gut-Healthy Makeover.
This new series is all about taking those old “macro-friendly” meals and giving them a serious nutrient glow-up — still simple, still supportive of your goals, but now made with ingredients your body actually wants.
I’m going to travel back in time to find some of my favorite/most popular macro friendly meals and share how I’d make them now, while still allowing you to hit your goals.
Volume Packed Taco Bowl
this was my holy grail meal:
Store-bought rotisserie chicken, cauliflower rice, Quest protein chips, Greek yogurt, salsa, and avocado.
It looked balanced on paper right? high protein, low carb, “clean.”
But in reality?
The cauliflower rice bloated me every time.
The Quest chips brought crunch but also inflammation.
And that Costco rotisserie chicken? Yeah… let’s talk about that.
What’s Actually in That Chicken?
Costco’s rotisserie chicken may seem convenient, but here’s what it’s cooked with:
Sodium phosphates (disrupt gut lining & mineral balance)
Modified corn starch & sugar
Dextrose (hidden sugar)
Isolated soy protein (processed filler)
Hydrolyzed casein
Mono- and diglycerides (often derived from seed oils)
It’s cheap, but it’s not doing your gut, hormones, or long-term health any favors, especially if you’re eating it often. So let’s get into how I’d fix this recipe now:
🌮 Taco Bowl Makeover
Let’s rebuild this bowl!! still high-protein and satisfying, but way more gut-supportive.
Original Version
4 oz Costco rotisserie chicken
1 cup cauliflower rice
1 serving Quest protein chips
2 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp salsa
¼ avocado
Macros: 370 Calories | 43g Protein | 14g Fat | 14g Carbs | 5g Fiber
Gut-Healthy Version:
4 oz shredded chicken thighs cooked at home with a simple taco spice blend of salt, pepper, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, turmeric and lime juice
1 cup riced zucchini (lightly sautéed — easier to digest than cauliflower)
¼ cup blended cottage cheese for added protein & creaminess
1 serving Siete chips or coconut oil-fried plantain chips for that satisfying crunch
2 tbsp Fermented salsa + 1/4 ripe avocado for healthy fats and gut support
Optional: Bone broth-cooked white rice if you want more carbs or need something heartier
Macros: 460 Calories | 38g Protein | 27g Fat | 17g Carbs | 6g Fiber
Why These Swaps Work:
🥬Cauliflower rice was too rough for my gut, riced zucchini gives the same feel with less bloating.
💪 Protein boost comes from real food blended in with the bowl, not shady additives and protein powders.
🥑 Fermented toppings + fats support digestion instead of fighting it.
🧂 Siete or Plantain Chips still bring crunch, just made with real oils your body can recognize.
Still Protein-Packed. Way More Nourishing.
That’s the goal of this series: To upgrade the old macro meals that left me bloated, tired, and hungry, and give them new life with ingredients that actually support our gut, metabolism, and cravings.
Next Up: Frozen Brownie Protein Sandwiches 🍫
Got an old favorite that needs a makeover? Send it my way and I just might feature it in the next one!!
Thanks for being here 💛