So, let’s take a look at five delicious foods high in fiber.

1. Rice – a plate of rice is an excellent method to get a series of nutrients, including fiber. One cup of brown rice yields 3 1/2 grams of fiber. Plus you’re only limited by your imagination, on the type of rice combination to eat. Pair with beans, broccoli, potato stew, corn, mushrooms, etc. Why brown rice? It’s better because it’s not bleached and stripped, like white rice.

2. Cereal – Another fantastic source of vegetarian fiber is cereal. Many brands including Fiber One and Muesli have fiber-rich options. Look at the label of your favorite cereal box and read how much fiber it carries. If not much, switch to a different variety.

3. Raisins – Need a quick afternoon snack in the office? Grab a box of raisins. Better yet, grab a box of dried fruit which includes raisins for a sweet JOLT of fiber. You won’t spoil dinner or feel heavy at work.

4. Oatmeal – One of my all time favorite breakfast dishes is a bowl of oatmeal, because it’s both nutritious and delicious. So but so, good with maple syrup. Plus it’s especially nice in the cold Winter months. One bowl provides a whopping 4 grams of fiber.

5. Peanut Butter & Banana Bagel Sandwich – If I had to describe this combo in one word, it would be; YUMMY! This is one tasty and nutritious pairing, a peanut butter and banana bagel sandwich can yield 6 to 8 grams of fiber. Not too mention protein, Vitamin E and potassium. But don’t go crazy and fry it, like Elvis did.

It’s SO EASY to get fiber from vegetarian food, it’s not even funny. Your turn. What are some of your favorite tasty foods high in fiber? Share below.

5 Super Foods High In Fiber is from groovy vegetarian

A reader wrote in:
Do you know if whole grain oat cereals are the same, better, or worse than just plain oat bran?

To answer this question and get to the bottom of whole grains, I went straight to a prestigious medical source — the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic has a whole page dedicated to just how great whole grains are and why you should add more to your diet.

image via tvol on flickr

First a definition — whole grains are any grains that haven’t had their brand or germ removed by milling. Sometimes bran or the germ are sold alone, but these do not provide the complete benefits of whole grains.

While all grains are low in fat, good sources of complex carbohydrates, and full of vitamins and minerals, refined grains cut out the nutrient-rich bran and germ. The bran contains extra fiber, essential to digestive health and the germ contains selenium, potassium, magnesium, and other vital vitamins and minerals.

Even if you know how good they are for you, it can be confusing to identify whole grains.

Sources of Whole Grains

Did you know white rice is not a whole grain? But wild riceis!

Couscous, corn flakes, enriched pasta, grits, white rice, and white bread are among the popular foods that use refined grains — avoid these. Brown rice, wild rice, whole wheat (or rice) pasta, bulgur, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, popcorn, and whole wheat bread all contain whole grains — pick these instead.

Eat lots of whole grains — it’s an easy way to improve your diet and your health!  And try to buy organic grains to avoid unhealthy pesticides and herbicides.

(A special thanks to the Mayo Clinic for its excellent and informative page on whole grains!)

Whole Grains — What's the Big Deal? is from groovy vegetarian

Oatmeal + Blueberries = One Happy Breakfast!

Some cool oatmeal health benefits is that it contains large amounts of fiber and complex carbs, making it a great way to get your 6 or more recommended daily servings of grains.  It also has a lot of protein and iron, to boot.  What it doesn’t have much of are sugars and fats. If you’re watching you’re weight and or fat intake, oatmeal is 100% cholesterol-free.

Another good thing about oatmeal is that its so ubiquitous — you can find it everywhere.  This means its easy to find organic oatmeal, or get your favorite kind, be it instant oatmeal or Irish Oats (my personal fav.).  If you’re making oatmeal from scratch, its an easy food to spice up, by simply adding some nuts or berries (try walnuts and blueberries — my favorite).

To recap this ode to oatmeal, see below some of the health benefits:

• Packed with nutrition
• Low in sugar
• Low in fat
• Easy to buy organic
• Easy to spice up
• Cheap
• Cholesterol-free
• Good source of calcium
• Good source of iron
• Good source of fiber (40% of your daily fiber requirement)
  
• Great with fruits (such as blueberries)
• Tasty!

Finally, one more great thing about oatmeal is the price.  Oatmeal tends to be a pretty cheap breakfast food.  And that’s something we can all appreciate right now.

Oatmeal Health Benefits is from groovy vegetarian

My favorite is Quaker Quick Oats, you know the ole fashioned type that comes in the oval container. Yes, i do (at times) eat the instant variety, but much prefer the original with some maple syrup sprinkled on. Yumtastic!

Oatmeal is a good source of protein, fiber, and iron. And is well known to be good for controlling and/ or reducing high cholesterol. (not to mention it’s also tasty)

Visit the Quaker Oatmeal site to grab the groovy $1.00 off Quaker Oatmeal coupon offer.

Feel free to share this freebie with your family and friends. Enjoy!

Quaker Oatmeal $1.00 Off Coupon is from groovy vegetarian

There is one thing we love to buy in quantity at the local farmer’s market and berry farms.  If you’ve taken a look at the photo below, then you know it is fresh blueberries.

When blueberries are at their peak and available at the lowest prices of the year (usually in July and August) I like to buy in bulk. Of all the fresh produce that can be stored for use throughout the year, blueberries are one of the easiest. Just rinse them, spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen they can be placed in bags or reusable containers and you can dip into your stash taking as few or many as you need.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants. But let’s face it, they are just plain yummy. Just ask my four-year-old daughter. She wants them in everything these days. Here are five ways that we use frozen blueberries throughout the year. (You can also use frozen blueberries purchased at the store, but buying locally and freezing is my preferred method.)

5 Ways To Use Frozen Blueberries Throughout The Year

1. Frozen Blueberries In Yogurt – Instead of buying individual containers of organic fruit-flavored yogurt geared towards kids, I buy a large tub of organic vanilla yogurt. The price difference is amazing. We stir in frozen blueberries (if I am in a rush) or slightly thawed berries (microwaved about 15 seconds). The flavor and texture surpasses the already flavored yogurts.
2. Frozen Blueberries In Pancakes – Who doesn’t love pancakes? When making enough pancake batter to serve 2-3 people, add in 1/4 cup of blueberries (thawed and drained).
3. Frozen Blueberries In Oatmeal – Sweeten a steaming bowl of steel cut oats with blueberries instead of brown sugar. Mix the frozen berries right in and add a little milk for a breakfast that will get you through the morning.
4. Frozen Blueberry Snack – Want a sweet treat after dinner? My daughter loves a bowl of frozen blueberries. Granted her teeth, lips, and hands are usually purple at the end of the meal, but she enjoys popping the little frozen treats in her mouth.
5. Frozen Blueberry Muffins: Thaw and drain frozen blueberries and add them to your favorite basic muffin recipe.

If you’re like us, your stash of blueberries won’t last the entire year.

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5 Ways To Use Frozen Blueberries Throughout The Year is from groovy vegetarian