Mamavation Monday: Where do you get your fiber?

Baby #3 is due any day.  In an effort to get back to my normal self, I'm going to spend the next few months focusing on getting my diet back on track in areas it may have derailed during the pregnancy due to sickness and frankly, necessity.  Getting my diet on track will be all the more crucial to get right if I am going to lose this baby weight yet again as carving out the time for a two hour run is going to be difficult if not impossible with 3 kiddos not yet in school!

One area I'm usually pretty good about is getting my recommended amount of daily fiber.  I've shared with you some of my favorite ways to get my fiber, including this ULTRA healthy recipe for oatmeal and whole wheat flour pancakes.  They are so yummy and filling and won't give you a sugar rush and crash two hours later like the white flour versions. 

You can easily adapt any recipe into a healthier fiber filled one with just a few simple swaps.  Another recipe I love to throw in some whole grain in is Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.  Really you can use whatever full fat meatloaf recipe you've been using for years and make it over with some simple subs, i.e. using oats instead of breadcrumbs, and low fat ground meat in lieu of the full fat stuff.  You can do the same for meatballs or any other recipe that requires a breadcrumb binder.

Here are a few of my family's favorite meatloaf recipes.  I tend to make muffins in lieu of a loaf for portion control as well as the shorter cooking time.

Version 1: Garlic and Herb Meatloaf Muffins
2-2.5 lbs. 93% lean ground turkey (or 93% lean ground beef or a mix of the two!)
1 c. oatmeal
1/4 c. dehydrated onion (or 1/2 cup minced fresh onion)
1 Tb. cumin (optional)
2 Tb. dried parsley
1 Tb. dried basil
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced fresh)
1 Tb. oregano
1 egg (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
2 tsp. worchestchire sauce
1 tsp. salt
ketchup (optional)

Version 2: Spicy Italian Meatloaf Muffins
2-2.5 lbs. 93% lean ground turkey (or 93% lean ground beef or a mix of the two!)
1 c. oatmeal
1/4 c. dehydrated onion (or 1/2 cup minced fresh onion)
3 Tb. Italian Sausage Seasoning (this can be found at Penzey's and it is the star here!)
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder (or 2-3 cloves fresh)
1 Tb. oregano
1 egg (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
2 tsp. worchestchire sauce
1 tsp. salt
sprinkle of red pepper for a little kick if desired (optional: do this to your taste)
ketchup (optional)
Directions:  Mix all ingredients except the ketchup. Spray a 12 count muffin tin with pam and put the mixture into the 12 tins. Add additional ketchup on top if desired.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until the centers reach 160 degrees.

Of course, you can also find fiber in plenty of other places.  You'll be suprised how much fiber you can find in say, a 1/2 cup of broccoli.  Broccoli is my family's favorite vegetable and a 1/2 cup of the stuff contains 2.5 grams of fiber!  Not bad, eh?!  Unfortunately, during the early stages of pregnancy I couldn't go near the stuff without feeling very ill.  On days I couldn't eat a vegetable without turning green myself, I grabbed a Fiber Plus bar.  They were a convenient option when I needed a supplement.  They are also great on road trips when vegetables and whole grains are harder to find!

Do You have issues meeting your daily requirement of fiber?  Do you have a favorite recipe that helps you meet your daily fiber requirements?  If so, I'd love to hear it!

Disclaimer: I’m writing this post as an entry to a blogging carnival sponsored by Fiber Plus. I will be receiving free product in return.