Fill up on Fiber!

Fill up on Fiber!

By: Jacqueline Gomes, RDN, MBA

Did you know the average American only consumes about 15g of fiber per day?!

It is recommended that we consume 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber each day for disease prevention and optimal well-being. In fact, some of the world’s healthiest diets, like the Mediterranean diet, TLC diet and DASH diet, all focus on increasing fiber consumption, mainly from fruits and vegetables, and replacing saturated fats with heart healthy unsaturated fats, from fish, nuts and legumes.

Satiating fiber foods help displace our cravings and prevent over-consumption. In other words, filling up on a fruit salad is likely to

  • keep us fuller, longer
  • curb the desire for sugary snacks and
  • lower our overall calorie intake.

High Fiber Food Choices Include…

  • A variety of fruits and vegetables
  • Beans and legumes like garbanzo beans and lentils, popcorn and wild rice too!
  • Oats, contain 4g of fiber for ½ cup!
  • Berries a known for also providing a good source of fiber, raspberries will give you a whooping 8g for just 1 cup!

The Ultimate Winter Salad

Winter Salad

Prep: 15 minutes
Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups each Foxy Romaine & Iceberg Lettuce
  • 1 cup finely sliced radicchio
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • 1 ½ cups butternut squash
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • ¾ cup sliced roasted almonds OR Sunflower Seeds
  • ½ cup pomegranate arils

Dressing:

  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. To roast butternut squash, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add chopped butternut squash to a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes or until soft.
  2. Meanwhile, add lettuce, radicchio and carrots to a large bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over and massage leaves.
  3. Prepare dressing: Combine Olive oil through salt and pepper in a jar. Shake vigorously to combine and drizzle about 1/3 of a cup over salad.
  4. Top with roasted butternut squash, almonds and pomegranate. Enjoy!

Recipe by Jacqueline Gomes, RD, MBA