Have you ever thought about the amount of fiber you eat in a day? In fact, most Americans don’t eat enough! You get fiber from plants – it’s the carbohydrate that your body can’t digest.
The American Journal of Lifestyle medicine published that “According to consumer research, the public is aware of the benefits of fiber and most people believe they consume enough fiber. However, national consumption surveys indicate that only about 5% of the population meets recommendations, and inadequate intakes have been called a public health concern.” But we need it for so many reasons – primarily to feed our important microbiome (which influences so much of our health), and also to help eliminate toxins and waste from our body. One amazing source of fiber, found in this bowl, is beans! I usually pressure cook beans so they’re easily digestible, and if you can tolerate them they’re an excellent source of plant protein!
This bowl is an amazing lunch and incorporates a ton of different fiber sources. Getting a diversity of plant fiber makes for an even healthier gut, which is why eating a wide variety of plants is extremely beneficial. You can make this between swim practices for a filling meal that keeps you powered all afternoon. It’s easy, swimmer-approved, and tastes so good on a summer day. This is the type of meal that would keep me nourished through a long afternoon workout!
What you need:
6 small golden potatoes- Olive oil
- Oregano and rosemary
- 1 cup of chickpeas
- 1 cup of black beans
- ¼ cup of bell pepper
- ½ of a butternut squash
- 2 cups of kale
- Juice of a lemon
- Salt and pepper
How to do it:
- Coat the potatoes, butternut squash and bell pepper in olive oil. Toss in the oregano and rosemary and roast for 30-40 min
- Massage the kale with lemon juice and olive oil until soft
- Toss all ingredients in a bowl and mix it up!
- Makes 2-3 servings depending on how hungry you are 🙂