Eating Clean

I've heard this phrase for years, eating clean and loved it. It truly does describe healthy eating. In all my efforts to try to lose weight over the years, this is the most consistent thing! Clean eating doesn't require you cut out important nutrients found in complex carbohydrates or cutting out good protein found in certain kinds of meat, or cutting out important nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. As I get more into bodybuilding, I'm learning the way to trim down fat and feed your body the healthiest way possible is to eat clean. Let me explain more about this...

I'm sure many of us love certain foods like:
Kraft Mac & Cheese
Boxed Cakes and Brownies
White Pasta
White Bread
Processed cheese
Frozen cartons of Whip Cream
Boxed Puddings and Jello-s
Canned soups and canned meals in general
Oreos
Most Boxed Crackers like Ritz, Cheese Nips
Chips
Candy Bars

I could continue to list these things that are super easy and pretty yummy but most all of them contain hydrogenated oils and frankly, I just can't pronounce all of the ingredients found in most of these. Now, I, Like the rest of you really enjoy a good oreo on occasion! They have to be eaten but not on a regular basis.

I challenge you to find a box or can of food that has simple ingredients...ingredients you can read and know what they are...it's hard to do! I've been a fan of Adam's Peanut Butter for years...why? Because it has three simple ingredients: Peanuts, Peanut oil, salt

Clean eating consists of food in it's most natural form. Chicken, eggs, whole grains, fruits & veggies, heart healthy oils (extra virgin olive oil, expeller pressed oils), Tuna, Beans, etc.

In the last two weeks, I've challenged myself to eat 6 small meals a day and to keep my diet clean. I've lost 12 pounds! No joke! I've cut only boxed, canned garbage from my diet. No cookies, candy, and junk of all kinds. Most of the meals I've put on this blog and will put on this blog will be clean. Is this difficult to do? Yes and no. Yes because I love certain junk like red vines and oreos and will miss eating them often. I will eat them but sparingly :) This is not difficult in the sense that I do not feel tired. I look forward to my next meal (eating every 3 hours), and oddly do not find myself craving anything in particular because my body is being nourished the right way.

To find more info on Clean eating click here.

Chicken Basil Penne Pasta

The kids wanted pasta tonight and I just was not in the mood for traditional Spaghetti so here's my invention...a hit...yay!

Chicken Basil Penne Pasta

3 Chicken Breasts cut into bite-size chunks

1/2 white onion sliced

1 garlic clove crushed/minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

3-4 tablespoons Grapeseed Oil (found at Smiths, great for high heat sauteing)

1-2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli

1 red bell pepper sliced

1 tablespoon dried basil (I wish I had fresh on hand, that would be yummier)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 13.25 oz box whole wheat penne pasta

Prepare Penne as directed on the box. In a large wok or skillet saute chicken for 4-5 minutes in Grapeseed Oil. Then add onion, broccoli, red bell pepper and spices. Saute for an additional 3-4 minutes, adding water if it seems dry. Add drained penne pasta to the chicken mixture. Add another tablespoon or two of grapeseed oil, and saute with the noodles for another few minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top if you so desire and serve.

Omelet Taco Salad

I made taco salads the other night and my hubby D was in the mood for eggs as well, so he decided to make and omelet and then pile on all the taco salad stuff...I thought it was a yummy idea and took a picture. Also, years ago I found a great Taco Seasoning recipe in one of my favorite books Set For Life, that I'm going to post. I've modified it a little to make it a little more healthy, Jen style.


Omelet Taco Salad

Flat Unfolded Omelet

2-3 eggs
1 tablespoon water
salt
pepper
2-3 tablespoons Quinoa (optional)
(add onion, peppers, mushrooms if you desire)

Whisk eggs and seasonings together in a bowl. Using a small omelet size fry pan, turn the heat to medium high. When the pan is hot, spray well or add 1 tablespoon olive oil or my favorite, grapeseed oil (found at Smiths Marketplace). Pour in eggs. Using a spatula gently lift the edge of the eggs and allow the eggs from on top to go underneath. Repeat this along the entire edge until most of the runny eggs on top are cooked. Gently slide the Omelet onto a plate and flip the uncooked side back into the fry pan. Cook until slightly brown. ( I hope this wasn't too confusing and I know there are many ways to make omelets!)

Green Salad

1 head red leaf lettuce washed and cut into thin strips
2 large leaves of kale finely chopped
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 small bag of spinach
1 red onion
1 carrot grated
1 red pepper thinly sliced

Taco Meat

1-2 lbs. Ground Turkey
1 onion chopped
2-3 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
2-3 tablespoons water

Brown ground Turkey and onion, add water and taco seasoning, simmer for 5 minutes.


Taco Seasoning

1/3 cup dry minced onion
2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons spelt flour or white/pinto bean flour

Mix ingredients and store in airtight container. I usually double or triple this recipe and it is much cheaper and yummier than the packages of taco seasoning you would buy at the store.

To Make:

Put omelet on your plate, heap salad on top. Spoon the taco meat on top of the salad and top with salsa, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

Shake, Shake, Shake it!

Since I've sworn off sugar for a little while, my new favorite indulgence are my protein shakes. Now, for those of you who don't know what protein shakes are...let me share a little of what I know, which of course I'm no expert! You can usually buy protein powders in most health food stores or in the health food section of most grocery stores. I buy mine at my gym GOLDS. There are several different kinds of protein; soy, egg, whey. What I use for my shakes come in powder form and in different flavors. Why take protein like this? Well, it's quick, easy, healthy and a great supplement before or after you work out and since I hit the weights hard core 6 months ago, I have to have it right after my workout or I'm dead tired and super sore! My favorite form of protein is the Building Blocks Whey Protein Isolate/Egg White Complex Protein. Most whey protein would give me indigestion for some weird reason, so I tried soy protein but it was just not cutting it. My trainer recommended this protein and I've had no problems with it at all and love creating new shakes for variety. Just to give you an idea of this supplements nutritional value; for one scoop (pretty large in my opinion), you have 128 calories, 2 grams fat, 3 grams carbs, 1 g sugar, 25 g protein, 140 g potassium. It is loaded with vitamins and Amino Acids.



Here are a few ideas for shakes:





Rocky Road


1 cup ice
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
8 ounces water or lowfat milk ( I use water only or soy milk, my hubby likes lowfat milk )
1 tablespoon Adam's Peanut Butter or one small handful toasted almonds
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut
1/3 of a banana
1 teaspoon Cocoa (optional)


Blend well. YUM!

Lemon Mango (this is my fav!!!)

1 cup frozen mango (if using fresh, add ice)
Cover mango with water
1-2 tablespoons Barleans Lemon Zest Omega Swirl (this stuff is so yummy, it's drinkable and hard to believe it's fish oil!)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Let the frozen mango's sit in water for 5 to 10 minutes, then blend all ingredient together.

Strawberry Banana

1 cup strawberries
Cover strawberries with water
1 scoop vanilla or tropical berry protein powder
1-2 tablespoons Barleans Strawberry Banana Omega Swirl (optional)

Blend well.