In the kitchen with Kelley: Turkey and dried plum bites

I went for my annual physical last week, and my doctor asked about my digestive health. “No worries there,” I told him, “I eat prunes every day.”

In case you don’t know, prunes are dried plums. A few years ago, the dried fruit got rebranded in an effort to boost its popularity, which brings me to what my doctor said. “Prunes? That’s smart,” he said. “People don’t think about prunes much anymore.”

That’s a shame because the dried plums are a great source of fiber (12 grams in just one cup) and most Americans don’t get near enough of the 20-25 grams recommended. Fiber can help keep your bowel movements regular and prevent gastrointestinal problems like diverticulitis, but it’s role in keeping your gut microbiome healthy is its biggest value.

Research has shown that a balanced microbiome means a healthy immune system that not only can better protect you from dangerous pathogens, but also from cancer and heart disease. You can read more about that here and here.

Here’s a recipe for a snack that features dried plums. Be sure to hold onto it and put it to use next week with your turkey leftovers