Fiber Recipe

Black Bean & Vegetable Burritos
http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/living/recipes/Chef_Wendell_Black_Bean_and_Vegetable_Burritos

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Recipe developed by Chef Wendell Fowler Eat Right, Now!

Sneaking in Fiber: Colon Pow!


This holiday keep those uninvited pounds at bay by increasing your dietary fiber.
Stave off the annual 10 pound weight gain by incorporating more fiber into your dishes. Fibrous complex carbs, the indigestible parts of plant foods, are a vital part of a healthy, lean, long-term diet. Look at fiber as the Roto Rooter of your digestive system; Got to keep those pipes clean. The less time food spends in your colon, the more time it has to do harm and begin to decay. Ugly but true. The average person carries around at least 10-15 memorable meals in their gut. The reason is not enough fiber to urge the food forward towards its escape route. The average American gets just 12-15 grams of fiber a day--far below the recommended 25-30 grams "Good carbs" are complex carbohydrates like whole grains, nuts, beans, and seeds that are composed of complex sugar molecules that require more time and energy to digest into the simple sugars your body needs for fuel. Bad carbs are white rice, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, and refined grains.


Fiber protects you from:
Heart disease
Cancer
Digestive problems
High LDL cholesterol
Helps with weight control
Regulates blood sugar


How to sneak extra fiber into your diet:
Try Kashi Brand whole grain, unsweetened cereal every day for breakfast.
Sprinkle ground flax seed or wheat germ on all your food
Eat two apples with peanut butter every day. Apples are a good source of pectin and soluble fiber which keeps us feeling full and they digest slowly.
Make a yogurt mix with 1 tbs. ground flax seeds and 5 large, chopped strawberries for 12.2 grams of fiber--almost half your daily allowance!
Cut up carrots, cauliflower and broccoli florets and dip into low-fat ranch dressing.
Keep a bag of fibrous nuts in your car and office for the munchies.
Switch to whole grain crackers or Black Bean Chips.
Add a quarter cup of kidney beans or chickpeas to your next salad or soup.
Make sure that the first ingredient in whole grain products has the word "whole" on the ingredient list.
Try grains like amaranth, quinoa, bulgur, millet or wheat berries. Nothing refined.


Black Bean & Vegetable Burritos
Yields: 6 servings Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 sweet onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 red bell pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms
½ tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. chili powder
dash of sea salt
1 15-ounce can Organic black beans or 1½ cups
4 large wheat flour tortillas
½ cup chopped cilantro
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet.
Sauté the onions until soft and just slightly golden, 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the black beans with a little of their liquid and heat through.
Heat the tortillas in a paper bag in the microwave about 1 minute. Lay the warm tortillas on the counter and divide the filling among them and scatter cilantro on top.
Roll, turning in the sides, into a neat package.
Lay in a baking dish covered lightly with aluminum foil and warm through in the oven, 10 minutes (20 to 30 minutes if they have been made earlier and chilled).
Top with warm enchiladas sauce for a tasty treat.


Per serving:
Calories: 231, Total Fat: 5 g, Fiber: 9 g



Chef Wendell