10 High Fiber Recipes That Don’t Just Include Oatmeal

Photos via Honey, What’s Cooking / Kitchen Cents / A Dish of Daily Life / Desserts with Benefits

Fiber is one of the most important nutrients to include in a healthy diet. It’s the carbohydrate found in foods such as wheat, produce, and legumes that can’t be fully digested in the body. It not only helps you feel fuller longer, it keeps you regular and slows the rate of sugar absorption in the body (a.k.a. helps you avoid sugar crash).

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material, which helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels and is found in foods such as beans, oats, and apples. Insoluble fiber helps regulate your digestive system and is found in things like wheat flour, nuts, and cauliflower.

It’s important to get a balance of both types of fiber for the greatest health benefit. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, men should aim for about 38 grams of fiber per day and women should eat about 25 grams. Unfortunately, many of us aren’t getting nearly enough, but with this list of high fiber recipes, there are plenty of delicious ways to get the fiber you need at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

1. High Fiber Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
Via My Fitness Pal

Beans help give this recipe a heavy dose of fiber, while chicken provides extra protein. To make the tortillas pliable enough to roll, heat them up in the microwave.

2. Crispy Parmesan Chickpeas
Via A Dish of Daily Life

For an easy snack, these chickpeas can cure your salt craving and keep you full. They’re seasoned with garlic powder, oregano, and parmesan cheese, and roasted until crispy.

3. High Protein High Fiber Chocolate Pudding
Via Ancestral Nutrition

Chia seeds are full of fiber and also create a gel-like substance when mixed with water. Once the chia seeds are soaked with coconut milk, they’re blended with other ingredients like cottage cheese and cacao powder to make the pudding.

4. Sweet Potato Huevos Rancheros
Via Honey, What’s Cooking

Tomatoes, avocado, and beans provide most of the fiber in this healthy take on huevos rancheros. This recipe is also gluten-free and can be made dairy-free if you don’t add any cheese.

5. Simple Barley Pilaf
Via Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

To make your salads more interesting, or if you’re in need of a base for meat or vegetables, this barley pilaf does the trick. Add some pine nuts or almonds for an extra crunch.

6. High Fiber Smoothie
Via Create Kids Club

This nutritious breakfast smoothie uses frozen fruit, like blueberries and banana, combined with spinach. For extra flavor, try adding cinnamon or nutmeg to the smoothie.

7. High Fiber Cranberry Oat Energy Bars
Via Kitchen Cents

For a filling breakfast, these bars contain oats, peanut butter, dried cranberries, and flax seeds. Plus, they’re no-bake and can be stored for a long period of time in the freezer.

8. 8-Minute High Fiber Salad
Via Beauty Bites

Cabbage, beans, and a variety of other vegetables make this salad an easy choice for lunch. Because of the canned beans and corn, the salad should taste salty enough without having to add any extra salt.

9. Mango Chia Overnight Oats
Via Further Food

Riced cauliflower adds extra nutrients and volume to this overnight oats recipe. In total, there are 20 grams of fiber in these oats.

 10. Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
Via Desserts with Benefits

White sorghum flour, xanthan gum, pumpkin puree, and spices come together to make these fluffy pancakes. They also contain no added sugar.