Discover over 50 nourishing recipes that support gut health, reduce inflammation, and boost energy, all through simple, water-based cooking methods. This beautifully designed e-book includes breakfast bowls, soups, stews, main entrées, sides and sweet treats that are all gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free. It also includes sample meal plans and additional resources.

Meet Sara

Sara McGlothlin is a holistic health and nutrition coach, wellness writer, cookbook author, natural foods company founder, and yoga/fitness teacher based in Richmond, VA. Sara’s passion for holistic health and wellness has been the common thread through all of her endeavors over the past decade. Her interests in wellness writing began in 2012 when she started her first healthy living blog, which led her to get certified as a health and nutrition coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She has worked with clients across a variety of areas such as weight loss, emotional eating, food intolerances, digestive issues, and increasing feelings of energy and overall wellbeing.

Why I Wanted to Write This E-Book

I have always loved to cook and create recipes, but when I was diagnosed with my gut issues in the spring of 2025, that joy was quickly over-shadowed by overwhelm as I tried to figure out what I could eat.

Functional testing revealed SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), gut dysbiosis, a parasite, and borderline hypothyroidism. I immediately knew something had to change with the way that I was eating. The confusing part was that, on the surface, my diet looked “healthy:” smoothies and smoothie bowls for breakfast; salmon salads for lunch; energy bites or homemade paleo protein bars for snacks; protein-centric dinners with roasted veggies and olive oil–dressed salads.

But looking closer, there were patterns that weren’t serving me; I was eating a lot of raw, cold foods, and when things were cooked, they were usually drenched in oil before roasting or searing. My functional medicine practitioner encouraged me to reconsider not only what I was eating, but also how I was cooking my food. That is when I started to play around with the cooking method that changed everything for me: water-based and broth-based cooking.

I had spent years roasting vegetables in olive oil or pan-searing proteins, thinking I was doing everything right. But once I began experimenting with water-based cooking (steaming, simmering, and poaching with water or broth instead of oil), I noticed a dramatic difference. My digestion felt calmer, my bloating and inflammation went down, and meals left me feeling lighter yet more satiated so I was full for hours. Within just a few months, 95% of my digestive symptoms were gone. I had not only lost weight, but also shed a layer of inflammation and puffiness. My persistent sweet tooth and “need” to have a sweet treat after both lunch and dinner was completely gone. My skin cleared up, my energy increased, and I felt overall healthier, happier, and more balanced in my body than I ever have before. I am now a big believer in prioritizing gut health, and I think water-based cooking is an essential tool on a gut-healing journey.

My Transformation with Water-Based Cooking

When I look back at photos of myself from before I started to use water-based cooking, I am shocked at the difference. I will let the comparisons speak for themselves:

In my own experience, once I shifted away from oil-heavy meals and began embracing steaming, simmering, and poaching, I felt less “puffy,” my skin looked clearer, and my overall sense of inflammation dropped significantly. It felt like my body could finally “exhale.” While I was rarely eating fried foods (but occasionally would when I ate out), even when food is cooked at high temperatures in oil, compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) can form. These compounds have been linked to increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. By contrast, gentler cooking methods like steaming, simmering, or poaching avoid those high-heat reactions. As a result, I have experienced so many benefits, from improved digestion, to increased energy, to more stable mood, and clearer skin.

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