10 High Fiber Foods for Low Carb Diets

This post is sponsored by NOW Foods, however all content, opinions, advice and enthusiasm remain my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support The Fit Fork.

Most of us don’t get enough dietary fiber from the daily foods we eat and following a low-carb diet makes the task even more challenging.  While experts recommend consuming approximately  21 to 25 grams (women) to 30 to 38 grams (men) of fiber a day from a variety of foods, the typical American averages just 15 grams — and “low carb-ers” even less! High Fiber Low Carb Salad with avocado, raspberries, blackberries, chia seeds, almonds and pistachios.

Eliminating whole grains, legumes, most fruits, many vegetables and other sources of carbohydrates can make meeting dietary fiber goals difficult. But, if you choose the right low-carb high-fiber foods, you can be well on your way to a daily fiber gold star – and get to eat a few unexpected things in the process (like this beautiful salad that I calculated to meet MY needs with about 3/4 the daily fiber requirement just for 12g net carb)! Read on to discover how easy it is to ramp up your roughage with these 10 High Fiber Foods for Low Carb Diets.

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Low Carb Berry Clafoutis with Collagen | Paleo, Gluten-free

You say clafoutis, I say clafoutYES! Don’t be fooled, this ridiculously easy French dessert looks casual and carefree . . but it’s also quite elegant. Custardy yumminess baked over berries that you can slice neatly into a wedge – it’s worthy of a summer dinner party by the pool. Low Carb Berry Clafoutis with Collagen

I’m calling my take (oh, you KNOW I have a take) on this classic dessert Low Carb Berry Clafoutis with Collagen. I lower the carbs with natural sugar substitutes and swap flours to make this summer dessert gluten-free and Paleo-friendly.

Great Lakes Wellness discount code THEFITFORK10OFF

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(No Bake) Blackberry Dragon Fruit Protein Cheesecake

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Cheesecake for breakfast, why yes! My Blackberry Dragon Fruit Protein Cheesecake actually amazingly nutritious food in disguise and makes a perfect morning meal, snack or healthy dessert. Plus, with 25 grams of protein, you’ll be fueled up to slay the day. Blackberry Dragon Fruit Protein Cheesecake

And, don’t bother with the oven, this is a no-bake, no-cook recipe that only needs a little time to set up in the fridge. Meal prep on the weekend and you’ll have several of these gorgeous, gluten-free treats ready to go. Read on for more details and the recipe.  Continue reading

Blackberry Melon Smoothie Bowl – #ILoveSilkSoy

Blackberry Melon Hemp Smoothie Bowl - thefitfork.com

It’s fantastic there are so many alternative milk options at the market these days, there is seemingly something for everyone! However, it can sometimes become overwhelming to decide which carton to grab, but I can always count on Silk Original Soymilk to be a great option for me and my family.

original silk soymilkOne of the things I love most about Silk Original Soymilk is that no other dairy-free milk brand offers more protein ounce for ounce!  I’m a huge advocate of getting enough protein and portioning it at optimal times through the day – just read my recent post on the #proteinchallenge.  Each 8-ounce serving of Silk Original Soymilk has 8 grams of heart-healthy, plant-powered protein and a creamy, yummy taste.  And because Silk is plant-based, it’s naturally low in saturated fat and has no cholesterol and also has 50% more calcium than dairy milk.

silk ligh vanilla soymilkI also am a big fan of the Silk Light Vanilla Soymilk — so yummy in coffee, tea and smoothies. With that hint of vanilla flavor and fragrance, everything tastes like a treat splashed with a bit of this silky goodness.

Glass of Silk Soymilk

My three active teen boys can drain a carton of milk faster than I can scream “wait, save some for your cereal in the morning!”  That’s why I stock the fridge with multiple cartons and am thankful I don’t have to worry about them filling up on junk beverages like soda, corn-syrupy “juices” and even some of those surprisingly sugary sports drinks.

Ingredients for Silk Smoothie Bowl

I like to use either Silk Original Soymilk or Silk Lite Vanilla Soymilk as the starter for my smoothies – the ingredients that can blend into Silk is only limited by my imagination (and the size of the blender pitcher)!  Today, I’d like to share my take on the latest craze of smoothie served in bowls  — SMOOTHIE BOWLS!  I think you’ll love my creamy Blackberry Hemp Melon Smoothie Bowl that is perfect for a plant-powered breakfast, post-workout snack or refreshing and more mindful take on dessert.

Silk Blackberry Melon Smoothie Bowl

Blackberry Hemp Melon Smoothie Bowl Recipe

  • 1/2  cup frozen and thawed or fresh blackberries
  • 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
  • ½ frozen banana
  • 1 cup cantaloupe cubes (frozen if possible)
  • 1 cup Silk Original Soymilk or Lite Vanilla Soymilk
  • Couple drops of Stevia natural liquid sweetener
  • ½ scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
  • Ice, if needed
  • 1 tablespoon shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
  1. Divide blackberries in half. Use back of fork or muddler to smash up one portion of blackberries into a “sauce.”  Set aside.
  2. Add oats to blender, pulse until ground up and powdery.
  3. Add frozen banana, cantaloupe cubes, soymilk, stevia and protein powder (optional) to blender.  Blend for a minute or so until everything well combined and smooth. Blend in ice if consistency needs to be thicker.
  4. Pour smoothie into bowl and drizzle with muddled blackberries, remaining whole blackberries and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
  5. Serves 1.

If you’d like to try Silk or fall back in love with it again, head over to Silk and nab a coupon before you head off to the store.

p>This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Candied Meyer Lemon Cake with Blackberries – Paleo and Gluten Free Recipe

Candied Meyer Lemon Cake with Blackberries - Paleo

I never paid much attention to Meyer lemons until recently – I mean a lemon is a lemon is a lemon, right?!  Well, come to find out, not all lemons are created equally. The Meyer lemon is a soft-skinned citrus fruit that looks a lot like a 10-cent lemon, but actually tastes like sweet million bucks.  That’s because the Meyer lemon is actually a lemon crossed with an orange, taking some of the acidic bite. Even though Meyer lemons are more fragrant and sweeter, they’re still a bit tart and better balanced in a recipe.

Meyer Lemon

I got my Meyer Lemons from Friedas.com!

Paleo Blackberry Lemon Cake - TheFitFork.comUse the perfect pucker of Meyer lemons in cocktails, with chicken piccata, in salad dressing, to make a sweeter lemon curd, or alongside fish and seafood – or even better, use them to make my delicious Candied Meyer Lemon Honey Cake with Blackberries (it’s also Gluten-Free). I was inspired by a lemon cake recipe I saw in the Food Network Magazine, but of course I tinkered with it to make it my own! I made this cake to take to Easter dinner at my Aunt’s house — it’s just bursting with spring flavor and a beautiful sight to behold.She’s going to love it.

berry lemon smoothieBy the way, if you don’t have time for cake-making, you can get a quick fix with my Blackberry Lemon Smoothie.

 

 

 

 

Notes about the recipe:

  1. If you are unable to get your eggs to the glossy peak stage, don’t worry the cake will still taste just as delicious (it just won’t be quite as fluffy – it’s a denser cake anyway).
  2. Do not skip the steps of simmering and draining the lemon slices three times. It seems redundant, but you are boiling off the bitterness from the pith and acid from the lemon flesh.  The result is lemon peel that is delightfully tender, edible and yummy.
  3. Feel free to swap out raspberries for the blackberries in the syrup and garnish.

Blackberry Lemon Cake

Candied Meyer Lemon Honey Cake with Blackberries
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 
This gluten-free dessert recipe is bursting with flavor - lemons and blackberries make perfect for Easter, graduation and other spring celebrations
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 3/4 cup almond flour (meal)
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1 1/2 cups palm sugar divided
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 4 large Meyer lemons or regular lemons will do
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (zest 2 lemons and squeeze juice / slice other 2 lemons very thinly)
  • 6 large eggs (divided separately into 4 yolks (discard 2 yolks) and 6 egg whites
  • 1 pint blackberries divided
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 325 F degrees. Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray top of paper and sides of pan with coconut oil cooking spray (or just rub with coconut oil).
  2. In medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, add ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup honey, zest from 2 lemons, 4 egg yolks, vanilla and olive oil. With mixer on medium, beat for 2 – 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  4. With mixer on low, slowly add almond flour mixture to egg mixture bowl, beating until just combined (don’t over beat).
  5. In a clean bowl, add 6 egg whites that are at room temperature. With mixer on medium, beat for approximately 1 minute or until foamy. Add in ½ cup sugar and beat on medium-high for another 3 minutes or until glossy peaks have formed.
  6. Scrape ½ of egg white peaks into almond meal and gently incorporate by hand with spatula. Add the remainder of egg whites and stir until mostly combined.
  7. While cake is baking, make candied lemons by adding 2 thinly sliced and seeded lemons to small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, drain water and refill with fresh water on lemons. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Repeat this process a 3rd time to remove bitterness from pith.
  8. After lemon slices have been simmered and drained 3 times, add 1 cup of fresh water, remaining ½ cup sugar, remaining 1/3 cup honey and the juice from 2 lemons. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Use a fork to transfer lemons to plate and let cool. Keep lemon syrup in saucepan and add 1/2 of blackberries. Simmer over medium for an additional 10 minutes, mashing up blackberries with fork.
  10. Remove cake from springform pan, using a knife to loosen sides before unlatching. Transfer cake to serving platter and brush top of cake with blackberry syrup. Top cake with candied lemon slices, fresh blackberries and drizzle with remaining blackberry syrup (or reserve leftover syrup for another use).
Recipe Notes
  1. If you are unable to get your eggs to the glossy peak stage, don’t worry the cake will still taste just as delicious (it just won’t be quite as fluffy – it’s a denser cake anyway).
  2. Do not skip the steps of simmering and draining the lemon slices three times. It seems redundant, but you are boiling off the bitterness from the pith and acid from the lemon flesh.  The result is lemon peel that is delightfully tender, edible and yummy.
  3. Feel free to swap out raspberries for the blackberries in the syrup and garnish.