Eating lots of fiber-rich foods is good for your gut, and the good news is whole grains are hardly the best source of fiber around. Most high fiber foods are found in legumes, fruits and vegetables—all foods that are naturally gluten free.
I recently read on Medical News Today that a 2015 study suggests there may be a connection between certain gut bacteria and celiac disease. And Dr. Amy Burkhart, The Celiac M.D, believes that the gluten-free diet may not be all that is needed to treat celiac. That the answer may lie within… the gut, that is.
A new favorite high fiber veggie of mine is the artichoke. Packing around 7 grams of fiber per serving, artichokes are considered one of the “seven foods to supercharge your gut bacteria”.
They’re also full of antioxidants and other health benefits. And the beautiful thing about artichokes is that they can be a meal in and of themselves!
Many people love artichokes, but don’t prepare them at home. I agree that their thorny exterior is intimidating, but they have so many nutrients in that big heart! Huffington Post published this great article on how to prepare and cook an artichoke the easy way, but for my simple artichoke “recipe” with bacon and parmesan, I used a box of Birds Eye brand frozen artichoke hearts. 😊
Artichoke Hearts with Bacon Parm Crisp and BBQ Drumettes
For the Artichokes
Ingredients:
1 (9 oz.) box frozen artichoke hearts
8 x 8 Pyrex casserole dish
1 sweet onion, chopped
½ cup bacon pieces
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup gluten free bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter, melted
Olive oil
Directions:
Line bottom of casserole Pyrex pan with olive oil. Place frozen artichokes in a single layer and sprinkle with chopped sweet onions.
Layer on top with breadcrumbs, then parmesan, and scatter bacon across top. Drizzle with melted butter. The little bit of butter gives it the toasted brown color.
Bake at 375º for 30 minutes until golden brown and onions are tender.
For the BBQ Drumettes
Ingredients:
Two 5-lb pkgs of fresh or frozen chicken drumettes
Your favorite GF BBQ sauce
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375º and line a 13 x 9 pan with olive oil and the drumettes in a single layer. Bake 45 minutes or until crispy and cooked all the way through.
Add your favorite gluten free BBQ sauce and bake for about 5-10 more minutes.
And who doesn’t love vegetable crudités?
Get yourself a touch more fiber when you’re dippin’ your drumettes in the blue cheese with fresh carrots, celery, cauliflower and grape tomatoes! All have wonderful health benefits in addition to their fiber content, which can be found at the links below.
