Fiber is having a moment.
Which is funny, because it has been sitting in the produce aisle this whole time, looking patiently leafy.
If your version of paleo skips grains and beans, you can still build meals around vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. You do not need to buy a tub of powder before checking whether there is a carrot in the house.
Look in the fruit and vegetable drawer
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, greens, artichokes, berries, pears, avocado, and sweet potatoes are all easy places to start. Frozen vegetables count as useful food too. They are not a lesser form of adulthood.
Seeds and nuts can add crunch to a meal. A spoonful is often enough; the aim is lunch, not a bowl of trail mix wearing a salad costume.
Make a tray, then make a bowl
Roast a mix of vegetables once and use them in more than one meal. This version serves two and keeps well for lunch the next day.
- 1 small head of broccoli, in florets
- 2 carrots, sliced, and 1 small sweet potato, cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika
- 2 handfuls of greens, 1 avocado, lemon, and a small handful of pumpkin seeds
- Optional: leftover chicken or a tin of salmon
- Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Toss the broccoli, carrots, and sweet potato with oil and seasonings. Spread them out on a tray; crowded vegetables steam and then act surprised about it.
- Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until tender with browned edges.
- Put the greens in bowls, add the warm vegetables and avocado, and finish with lemon and pumpkin seeds. Add chicken or salmon if you want a more substantial meal.
Make changes at a human pace
If a sudden mountain of vegetables does not feel good, start smaller and see what suits you. There is no need to turn a trend into a personal challenge before breakfast.
The most dependable upgrade is usually the one you enjoy enough to repeat. Roast the vegetables you like. Put the rest back in the drawer without starting a new identity around them.
