A gut health scientist shared 3 recipes that help her eat 30 grams of fiber a day, from noodles to chocolate slices

• Nutrition scientist and former chef Emily Leeming is on a mission to get people eating more fiber.
• Fiber helps keep cholesterol levels in check, balances blood sugar, and supports the gut microbiome.
• Leeming shared three high-fiber recipes that help her eat 30 grams a day.

For years, fiber has had a reputation problem (boring and unsexy), but you wouldn’t know it looking at Emily Leeming’s go-to recipes.

The former chef and nutrition scientist, who specializes in the gut microbiome, is on a mission to get people eating more fiber because it is so beneficial for our health.

“Just adding seven grams of extra fiber a day is related to a significantly lower risk of heart disease, bowel cancer, and type 2 diabetes. And that’s the same as about half a can of chickpeas,” Leeming told Business Insider.

Beyond its reputation for aiding smooth digestion, fiber, which is found in plant foods like beans, nuts, and veggies, helps lower cholesterol levels and keep blood sugar levels balanced throughout the day.

Leeming eats around 30 grams a day — a number that she said a wide body of evidence has linked to heart and gut health — but she never skimps on flavor while doing so.

She shared three high-fiber, high-protein recipes from her cookbook “Fiber Power.”

Sesame chicken noodles

Contains 10 grams of fiber and 51 grams of protein

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets (600g)
• Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 150g buckwheat noodles
• 1⁄2 small red cabbage, finely sliced
• 1 large carrot, skin on, peeled into strips
• 300g edamame, cooked
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• A large bunch of cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (black or white), toasted

For the creamy sesame dressing:

• 1 garlic clove
• Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• Sea salt
• 1 tbsp honey

Method:

1. Put the chicken thighs into a saucepan with the sliced ginger and soy sauce. Add enough cold water to cover, then bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through.

2. Take off the heat and leave to cool to room temperature in the water.

3. Cook the buckwheat noodles following the packet instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop them cooking, then set aside.

4. Blend all the ingredients for the dressing until smooth, and season with salt to taste. Add a splash more water, if needed, to loosen.

5. Remove the chicken from the pan, discarding the broth and ginger, and roughly slice the meat.

6. In a large bowl, combine the noodles, chicken, cabbage, carrot, edamame, spring onions, coriander, and sesame seeds.

7. Pour over the dressing and toss until everything is well coated. Enjoy cold or at room temperature.

Tuna and mango Tex-Mex salad

Contains 11 grams of fiber and 35 grams of protein

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 x 250g pouches of ready-cooked spelt
• 3 x 125g tins of tuna, drained
• 1 large or 2 small mangoes, diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 4 tomatoes, diced
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 large bunch of coriander, leaves only
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 2 limes
• sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Put the spelt into a large mixing bowl, breaking up any clumps with a fork or your hands.

2. Mix in the tuna, mango, avocado, tomatoes, red onions, garlic, cumin, and cilantro.

3. Drizzle over the olive oil and squeeze in the lime juice.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Seedy banana chocolate slice

Contains 8 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein

Makes: 12

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 130g jumbo rolled oats
• 75g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 75g pumpkin seeds
• 75g sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 50g dried apricots, chopped
• 50g dried cranberries
• 100g almond butter
• 100g honey
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 100g dark chocolate (85%), broken into pieces

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 320°F fan and line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, poppy seeds, apricots, and cranberries.

3. In a small pan over medium heat, gently stir together the almond butter and honey until loosened. You can also do this in the microwave in short bursts. Stir through the mashed bananas.

4. Pour the warm mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir well until everything is coated and sticking together.

5. Tip into the lined tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 30 minutes until golden at the edges.

6. Leave to cool in the tin.

7. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave on a low setting or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Spread evenly over the slice.

8. Leave to set before cutting into 12 squares.

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