Fiber Is Your Friend

Hello there and thanks again for joining me!

We all know that fiber is a vital part of any diet, but do you know what makes it so great? When dietary fiber enters your body, it latches onto fats in the intestines and whisks them away — how awesome is that?

Fiber also helps control blood sugar levels, and is essential in managing how your body deals with fat storage. In addition, foods that are rich in fiber help you to feel fuller more quickly, so you can eat less.

And of course, eating less helps you to lose weight, which is one of the best things that you can do for your heart.

How Do You Get More Fiber into Your Diet?

I’ve compiled a list of all of my favorites.

Corn: Who doesn’t love a fresh ear of corn? I know that I sure do. One ear of corn, which usually amounts to about half a cup of kernels, contains about two grams of fiber. I love to add fresh kernels to salads and salsa for an extra dose of fiber. And popcorn is also a great high-fiber snack.

Black beans: Black beans are a fiber superstar! Each cup contains about 15 grams of fiber, and packs a lot of punch in the protein department, too. Try swapping black beans for meat in tacos or wraps, or add them to eggs in the morning for a healthy and delicious breakfast.

Pumpkin: Pumpkins are naturally fat free and are high in potassium and vitamin C, and super rich in dietary fiber. Not sure how to cook a pumpkin? Read my blog post here on cooking pumpkin

Avocado: You already know that avocados are high in the “good” kind of fat — mono-and polyunsaturated fats, but did you know that avocados are also a great source of fiber? Each tablespoon contains about one gram of fiber.

Brown rice: Brown rice is an excellent choice for a quick, easy side dish. Each cup contains about 3.5 grams of fiber, too. Add steamed vegetables to brown rice for a filling and delicious main dish.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies (High-fiber Dessert)

One of my all-time favorites! Zucchini has a great amount of fiber, and what better way to add a bit to your diet than by combining it with chocolate?

5 ounces bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cups all-purpose flour or oat flour, plus 1 tablespoon for flouring the pan
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini, (about 1 large zucchini)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with the one tablespoon of flour. Shake the pan until the flour evenly coats the inside of the pan. Place chocolate in an ovenproof dish and place in the oven, 5-6 minutes until just melted. Or place chocolate in microwave (30 seconds to 1 minute) until melted. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix together the oil, egg white, sugar, vanilla and melted chocolate until well blended. Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Fold in the zucchini and nuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the pan. Cool completely in the pan and cut into squares. Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Thanks so much for reading! Tomorrow, I’m going to tell you about my 200-calorie fix program — it’s a great healthy eating program that can help anyone get on the right track, easily!