Fiber Up

Okay, Dear Readers. It's that time of year. The time of year when it is prudent to be thinking about, well, prunes and oats, bran and fiber in general. That's right, Dear Readers, like it or not, it's time to fiber up!

This morning I woke up to a snow day for my high school student so that means a few things; pancakes, time to bake and housekeeping, in that order. I made the pancakes and then I began to poke about my cabinets which led to me poking about the internet. I stumbled upon a Bran Flax Muffin recipe on the www.allrecipes.com website. (Here is the link: allrecipes.com/recipe/16877/bran-flax-muffins/). To make them, I omitted the grated apple, used buttermilk, golden raisins and maple extract. Increased the oil to 1/4 cup, went with buttermilk and substituted a mix of high protein Einkorn flour and buckwheat flour. Instead of nuts, I used a mix of seeds. In other words, I did not follow the recipe. They smell delicious and look exactly like the picture above! You see, I adore high fiber, not too sweet snacks. I am a fiber girl. I eat salad or a small handful of almonds for breakfast and ideally, I eat dinner before 5:00pm because my stomach feels better. I like lemon in my water and aside from coffee, wine (or tequila)  drink only water. No sodas for me, ever. 

Given my love of fiber and how healthy and filling it is, high fiber snacks are great. Here are few ideas:
Fruit and vegetables of course. Try to eat what is in season if possible. I know in winter the pickings are a bit bleak. One option is use organic potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower or zucchini (when it's in season)  instead of bread or pasta. Top these yummy veggies with pasta sauce for a filling and healthy meal option.
Pop popcorn in an air popper, spray it with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt for a crunchy snack. This is healthy and a good option to chips.
High fiber muffins or breads with natural nut butter spread on top.
Pumpkin seeds and/or nuts but be mindful of quantity.
Dried fruits and vegetables. 
*In all things, read the label and know what you are consuming.

Share how you like to "fiber up" in the comments section.

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