CLEAN EATING

What is Clean Eating?

Clean Eating  means revamping your diet, and stripping it of nutritionally devoid foods, meaning no processed, artificially flavored, artificially sweetened, artificially colored, fatty, fried, sugary refined unnatural items...it means eating and buying WHOLE FOODS. Clean eating is not a diet fad it is a lifestyle change. Which means you eat clean most of the time, and often times that mean you get to eat MORE FOOD. :)

Why Eat Clean?

• Stronger Immune system
• Get rid of Fog brain- More mental clarity 
• Feel GOOD about yourself
• Reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, as well as MANY other diseases
• Have more energy 
• Get better sleep
• Decrease allergies
• Live a longer life for your family, your children, your spouse, for YOU
• Save money on fad diets that do not keep the weight off

"You are what you eat. Plain and simple! So don't be FAST, EASY, FAKE or CHEAP" :)

How to Eat Clean

Check your food labels for the above ingredients, and refrain from using items with these substances above. REMEMBER: IF you can't pronounce it don't eat it. If its made in a lab put it down. If it says LOWFAT most of the time its a chemical nightmare. 

• Drink at least two liters of water every day (8 cups) - If this is hard, try to get at least half of your body weight in ounces per day. Water is VITAL!
• Limit your alcohol consumption to one glass of red wine
• Eat every 2-3 hours, so about 5-6 small meals per day (3 meals and 2-3 small snacks)
• Get label savvy - clean foods contain 1-2 ingredients. Any products with labels of ingredients you can't pronounce are a no no!
• Avoid processed and refined foods (white flour, sugar, bread, pasta) Enjoy complex carbs such as whole grains instead.
• Avoid GMO's
• Know the enemies - steer clear of anything high in saturated and trans fats, anything fried, and anything high in sugar.
• Avoid calorie dense food that has no nutritional value e.g chips
• Depend on fresh veggies and fruit for fiber, vitamins, and enzymes.
• Consume healthy fats, try to have one per day. fish oils, coconut oil etc
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, that's where the cleanest foods usually are!
• Choose high quality meats grass fed, pasteurized meats and wild caught fish

Delicious Protein Packed Pumpkin Spice Waffles

I just LOVE this recipe. I always hated filling up on waffles for breakfast because it was all carbs and no protein but the cottage cheese in this recipe packs a huge protein punch at 18g of protein per serving.  Don't worry you cannot taste the cottage cheese and it just makes for a luscious richness in the batter. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup cottage cheese

2 eggs (pasture raised)

1/2 cup of water (plus more depending on consistency)*

2 tsp coconut oil melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup rolled oats (gluten free Optional)

1/2 cup pureed pumpkin

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)

Method

Combine baking powder, spices and rolled oats into a high speed blender like a vitamix or magic bullet and blend into a powder and pour into a bowl. 

Pour water and cottage cheese into blender and blend until smooth. Add in eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and coconut oil and blend to mix. Pour into bowl of dry ingredients.

Mix dry ingredients until just combined. If the batter is too think add more water 1Tbsp at a time to desired consistency. 

Pour into heated waffle iron sprayed with non-stick spray. 

*A thicker batter will yeild a dense waffle and thinner batter will yield a lighter more airy waffle. They both are delish either way its just up to your personal preference. 

Serves 2

Container equivalents: 2 yellows, 1 red, 1 tsp, 1/2 green 

Recipe is Adapted from Ammon Woods Protein waffles

 

Stuffed Mexican Shells

Looking for a new way to eat MEXICAN food? These stuffed shells are delish!  Best thing they can be made a head of time and baked right before you are ready to eat them or stored away in the freezer for a quick midweek dinner.

Ingredients

30 jumbo shells cooked to al dente
2lbs ground beef
1/2 brick Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1.5 cups homemade salsa (recipe below)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper


Optional Toppings
Cilantro
2 roma tomatoes diced
Salsa
Avocado
Greek yogurt in lieu or sour cream
Green onions

Method:

Boil 30 shells according to package directions drain and set aside to cool until ready to stuff.

Brown meat with salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder.  Melt in salsa and Neufchatel cheese until thick and creamy.

Stuff shells with meat mixture and place in a large casserole dish. (Here you can freeze them and when they are frozen place them in a ziplock bag for easier storage)

Sprinkle with cheese and bake covered 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until cheese begins to melt and shells are heated through.  (this may take longer if you are taking them from the fridge)

Serve warm with above optional garnishes

Easy Homemade Salsa

1-15oz can of organic whole peeled plum tomatoes
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 small red onion
1 garlic clove
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin

In a high speed blender combine all ingredients and blend until smooth with a little chunk to it.

SERVES 10  (3 Shells each)

21 day fix containers: 1 yellow, 1 red, 1/4 blue

Zucchini Tian

Don't know what to do with all that zucchini? Here is a delicious healthy recipe side that i'm sure you haven't tried before.  

Ingredients

5 cups shredded zucchini tossed with 1 tsp of salt and let sit over a mesh strainer to drain
1/2 cup jasmine rice
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 1/2 cup reserve liquid and milk combined
3/4 cup of parmesan cheese
2 tbs panko bread crumbs 

Method

1. Shred zucchini and toss with salt let sit in collader over a bowl to drain, save liquid.

2. Pour rice into a boiling pot of water bring back up to a boil and cook for 5 minutes remove from heat and strain rice.

3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil to sauté pan add chopped onion and saute until translucent, turn
up heat to brown onion a little bit.

4. Squeeze zucchini until it gives off all of its liquid and toss into sauté pan with chopped garlic.

5. Measure reserved juices and top off with milk to make 1.5 cups.  Warm in pan do not boil liquid.

6. Sprinkle vegetables with flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Add in milk and combine until all the flour is mixed in well and sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in rice and parmesan cheese (reserving 2 tbsp of cheese for later) Pour mixture into an oven safe pie dish or casserole dish.

7. Toss cheese with 1 tbsp olive oil and bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Sprinkle on to zucchini mixture. Bake  425f for 30 minutes or until top begins to brown and all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.

This recipe is adapted from Julia Childs Zucchini Tian

Homemade Marinara Sauce

Nothing tastes better than homemade marinara sauce.  This sauce has the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness with no added sugar or processed oils. I hope you take the time to try this for yourself it doesn't take long to get a delicious sauce.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Medium onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic hopped

1- 6oz can of tomato paste

1/4 cup red wine

2- 28oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes (MUST be ITALIAN san marzano or Cento tomatoes) **

1 tsp himalayan Salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 Large or 2 small carrots peeled #

3 TBSP Fresh Basil

Method

Sweat onions and garlic on medium low heat until soft.

Next add in tomato paste stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes add in wine, tomatoes, salt, pepper, carrots and bring to boil. 

Cook for 1 hour stopping to stir occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Once sauce is finished cooking pour 2 cups of sauce including big chunky tomatoes that haven't broken down into a bowl or blender and blend until smooth. Pour it back into the sauce for a thicker sauce with a little bit of texture. (you could always puree the entire pot for a smooth sauce) 

Stir in basil leaves. Enjoy!

Notes from the chef

**You must use Italian sweet tomatoes because these are less acidic than traditntal tomatoes and make a smooth delicious sauce with out the need to add butter at the end.  I like to buy the private selection San Marzano  tomatoes with basil already added to them.

# Even if you hate carrots you MUST add these in. The carrots add natural sweetness to the tomato sauce and take away any hard acid taste for the most amazing marinara sauce. 

Recipe Adapted from FIXATE cookbook.

21DFX containers: 3 green, 1/2 tsp   Makes 12 (1/2 cup servings)

Homemade Dry Roasted Almond Butter

Nothing tastes better than pure almond butter, no soy bean oil or other fillers just plain old delicious roasted almond butter and a pinch of salt. This is so simple and easy to make. 

Ingredients 

2 cups of Raw Almonds 

1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 350f

Soak Raw almonds for two hours or overnight in the fridge to get rid of the phytic acid. 

The next day dry the almonds off with a towel and roast them in the oven for 20-30 minutes. You will have to pay close attention because they will take longer to roast as they have been soaking over night.  

It's best not roast them too dark because the flavor is concentrated when you turn it into butter. 

Place almonds in a high speed blender such as a vitamix or a ninja and blend on high speed, pausing to scrape down the sides until almonds are blended into a creamy butter. 

Add in your salt and blend one last time.  Store in a clean container or jar in your fridge. 

** I order my raw almonds on amazon. 

Pumpkin Muffins With Maple Cream cheese Filling

*recipe adapted from FIXATE cookbook.

Ingredients:

2oz of Neufchatel Cheese (or cream cheese)

1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup

1 lg Egg (pasture raised preferably)

1 cup organic canned pumpkin puree

1.5 cups Almond Flour

3/4 tsp baking soda (aluminum free)

1 pinch of hymalayan salt

2 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds (optional)

1 packet of stevia (optional) 

Method

Preheat oven to 350f

Spray muffin tin with non stick spray 

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl including stevia and blend with a whisk. Add in egg and 

pumpkin puree mix until just combined. 

Place 2 tbsp of mixture in bottom of 9 muffin moulds. 

Mix together cream cheese and maple syrup and place a rounded tsp on top of each of the 9 muffin moulds.  Top the muffin moulds with the rest of the pumpkin batter.  Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if using.  

Bake 16-18 minutes. Enjoy!

21 day fix containers- 1 PURPLE & 1 ORANGE 

Cheesy Enchilada Bake

I am a beach body coach and I am always looking for new, exciting recipes that I can recommend to my clients for easy, delicious, healthy dinners. This one is a major hit and the spaghetti squash counts as a veggie so you get almost 2+ cups of veggies in this dish for just one serving.

Cheesy Enchilada Bake

Ingredients:

1 medium sized organic spaghetti squash roasted and shredded
1 lb of Pasture raised ground beef or turkey
1 red bell pepper diced
1/2 cup onion diced
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup of black beans
1 cup fresh corn
1 tsp salt
black pepper
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1 cup of fresh salsa
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 block of neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese)
Cheese* (optional)

Method

Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat brown meat add salt, pepper and spices to meat and set aside.

Warm 1 tsp of avocado oil in a sauté pan and cook bell pepper, onions and garlic. When onions and bell peppers soften add ground beef back into pan mix in salsa and neufchâtel cheese until combined.

Add black beans and corn until warmed through.  Sprinkle in cilantro. Place spaghetti squash in the bottom of a baking dish layer meat mixture on top. Sprinkle with 4 oz of cheddar cheese

Bake at 400f for 20 minutes until cheese is melted.

Optional toppings: Avocado, greek yogurt (healthier)  or sour cream & green onions

*For 21 day fix add 4 blue containers worth of cheese to the top of bake (optional)
Containers: Serves 4
2 greens 1 yellow 1/2 red 1/4 purple (1 blue optional)

Chipotle Cheddar Corn Bread

I love home made cornbread, because i like to add just a touch of sweetness to the batter. This one has cheddar cheese and chipotle peppers. It pairs perfectly with homemade chili. Perfect for the cooler fall weather we are about to get. 

I swirled the chipotle peppers into only half of the corn bread batter because my daughter is only 2 and does not like spicy foods.

Ingredients

1.5 Cups Flour
1/2 cup Corn Meal
1/4 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 stick of butter melted
4oz of shredded chipotle cheddar cheese  (I used sargento) Or sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of milk
1 Tbsp Adobo chipotle sauce *

Method:

In a bowl add flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder & salt in a bowl whisk to combine
In a separate cup break eggs into milk add in melted butter mixture and pour into corn meal stir until just combined. Add in cheddar cheese.  Pour into greased baking dish.  Dot adobo sauce over cornbread and swirl.    Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

* For a spicier corn bread add in one chopped chipotle pepper with seeds as well as adobo sauce.

Iced Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Buns

I LOVE homemade bread esp when it has yummy cream cheese icing on top of it......these make the perfect breakfast roll.

Ingredients:

3/4 C luke warm milk
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 C sugar
2 to 2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp butter
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins soaked in rum (optional)
1/2 cup dried fruit/ citron

syrup glaze:
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T cream cheese
1 T butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 T water


Warm milk and sugar in microwave or on stove top to 110f  sprinkle yeast onto milk and let bloom.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine all dry ingredients.  And only 2 cups of flour.

 Mix in milk, egg and butter and turn mixer to stir until combined then increase speed appropriately.   If dough appears to be sticky and does not come away from side of bowl add more flour up to a half cup.  Knead dough with dough hook for 5 minutes.  Add in dried fruit at the very end until just combined.

Cover dough place in a warm dry place until doubled in size.  Separate dough into 8 equal sized rolls and let rise again until light and fluffy. (or you can place them in the fridge and they will rise over night, just let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before you place in oven in the morning.)

Bake 375 for 20 to 25 minutes until brown.

Make syrup glaze by combining sugar and water in a sauce pan and cook down until syrup has thickened. Immediately brush sugar glaze over buns. When the buns have cooled spread cream cheese icing over them.  enjoy!

For the cream cheese icing combine all ingredients together and mix with a whisk.

Mexican Cobb Salad

THIS SALAD was AMAZING!! I could not get enough of it!

Ingredients

2 flour tortillas (I like the uncooked organic ones from Costco in the freezer section)
8 cups of mixed salad
4 chicken breasts (you could also use a rotissore chicken)
1 cup cooked black beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 avocado pitted and sliced
3 hard boiled eggs
2 corn on the cob cooked and roasted
cumin and chili powders
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup of your favorite salad dressing (to marinate your chicken breasts in) I prefer Kens brand.

Cilantro Lime Salad dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 hatch green chili or jalapeño
1/4 onion chopped
1" fresh ginger sliced
1/2 tomato chopped

Method
The night before marinate chicken breast with Kens salad dressing place in fridge to marinate.  Then make the cilantro lime dressing and place in fridge until ready to use.

To make Mexican salad dressing:
Add all salad dressing ingredients to a mini blender and blend until smooth.

Boil corn until cooked, when corn is finished boiling turn oven to broil to char corn or place on the grill until grill marks appear.  Slice kernels off of the cobs.

Reduce oven to 350f
Bake or grill chicken breasts until done. (internal temperature should reach 165f) set a side to rest.

Rub tortillas with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin and chili powders slice into strips bake in oven until crispy. About 15 minutes remove from oven and set aside.  Slice chicken breasts into cubes.

In a large bowl place 8 cups of mixed salad greens toss with corn, beans, tomatoes, and cubed chicken breasts. Slice Eggs and toss on top with avocado.  Place 2-3 cups of salad per plate drizzle with cilantro lime dressing and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

I just LOVE fall weather. I love the pumpkin pies, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins that come along with fall too! Inspired by the fall pumpkin goodness, enjoy my CLEAN pumpkin spice latte.

No artificial flavors, no artificial coloring just pure pumpkin goodness....that won't wreck your diet either.

 Ingredients:
1 tbsp organic Pure pumpkin puree
1 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp sugar in the raw or brown sugar
Sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg
1/8th tsp pure vanilla 2 shots of espresso
6oz of hot water


Combine all ingredients except the water in a mini blender and blend until smooth. Pour pumpkin mixture into a mug and add hot water stir to combine. Top with fresh whipped cream and an extra sprinkle of spices if desired.

Clean Eating

Hello Everyone, Wow has life changed! I haven't been on my blog now in 5 years.....wow! It's not that I haven't thought about it tremendously because I have. I just never seemed to be able to sit down and log in. Well today that's all going to change. I have a whole lot of life changes to fill you all in about. I have moved since then, had a baby, become a fitness coach, changed my eating style to organic and clean. I am so excited to share all that I have learned in the past 5 years and all of my new healthy recipes.