ADHD Friendly Recipe: Gut-healthy Sandwich

Growing up, my family would make sauerkraut from scratch. We even had one of those olden-type stone pots to pummel the cabbage in and ferment it! With so much sauerkraut, one thing was inevitable: Reuben sandwiches.

I remember plainly the day that I was introduced to Reuben sandwiches. Why? Because I was absolutely terrified. It had everything I hated… Roast beef. Swiss cheese. Weird-looking bread. A dressing I’d never tried before. 

The only thing I liked was the sauerkraut. 

But, I tried it. (I hated it). That said, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t hate the thousand island dressing with it. Graciously, my mom asked if I wanted to make a different version without all the stuff I hated. 

So, back in the early 2000s, the “Annika Reuben” was born. It has more traditional ingredients, but with that classic sauerkraut and Thousand Island charm. To this day, it’s one of my go-to lunches, especially since it hits so many things: nostalgia, fiber, protein, and gut health all in one. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 

Enjoy!

Gut-healthy Sandwich

Back in the early 2000s, the “Annika Reuben” was born. It has more traditional ingredients, but with that classic sauerkraut and thousand island charm. To this day, it’s one of my go-to lunches, especially since it hits so many things: nostalgia, fiber, protein, and gut health all in one.

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Ingredients

  

• Seeded bread
• Cheddar cheese slices
• Sliced chicken deli meat
• Sauerkraut refrigerated, not canned
• Thousand island dressing

Instructions

 

• Heat two slices of meat on the pan
• Assemble sandwich: thousand island on both sides, a few slices of cheese, sauerkraut on top.
• When the meat is warmed, add to the sandwich and place on pan
• Heat both sides until toasted
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Options: Add some slices of spinach to the sandwich, eat with a side of fruit

Notes: Opt for minimally-processed slices of deli meat. Some versions are highly processed and have potential for negative health outcomes if consumed regularly.

–Choose refrigerated sauerkraut, not canned. Canned sauerkraut does not contain any live probiotics, whereas refrigerated sauerkraut does! Canned still has nutrients, so it’s still a good option.

–Try to get bread that has high fiber and many different types of seeds, if possible. This helps your gut even more! It will also help with stabilizing your blood sugar.