Wow, I am positively terrible at posting regularly. I don't even have a good excuse other than...
I AM POSITIVELY TERRIBLE AT POSTING REGULARLY.
Anyway...
I really wanted to share tonight's dinner with you all, because it was the perfect example of it's soooo late, I'm hungry, I didn't plan anything for dinner, I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, I don't want take-out, and I don't want to compromise my clean eating.
The husband was working really, really late at the office and was starving. Monday nights are late nights for me, so I usually end up having coffee and a granola bar, but the husband needed REAL FOOD to power through his long night of worky work.
I knew I had thawed chicken (yay! I HATE defrosting chicken) and leftover pasta from the night before.
While the chicken was cooking in EVOO (seasoned with garlic salt, pepper, and dried parsley) I rooted around the fridge to see what else I could add to the pasta and found onion, spinach, canned artichokes and tomato.
I chopped the onion, and sauteed them in EVOO for a few minutes before adding the sliced artichokes. After a few more minutes I added the spinach and chopped tomato and cooked until the spinach wilted and the tomatoes were warm.
I added everything to the pasta, using the leftover EVOO in the pan as a sauce, seasoned with salt, pepper, dried parsley, and cayenne pepper, and added a finishing touch of grated Parmesan Romano cheese.
It. Was. So. Good. Oh. Em. Gee!
Seriously...sooooo delicious and insanely quick and easy (especially since the pasta was already cooked). It will most definitely be added to our regular rotation.
Some very important notes...
The pasta: We use brown rice spinach pasta. We DO NOT do gluten free anything. In my opinion, Gluten Free is code for A Bunch of Other Crap. If you have Celiac or a gluten sensitivity and are strictly concerned with avoiding gluten; foods labeled Gluten Free can be a great option. However, if you are interested in eating clean, make sure you READ THOSE LABELS! There is a lot of "stuff" in gluten free foods that clean eaters will want to stay away from.
The cheese: Check the label on the Parmesan Romano cheese you use. I don't eat a lot of dairy, but when I do, I don't want A Bunch of Other Crap...like potassium sorbate, which is in the Publix brand I used to get. But, I just found a brand (4C) that does not have any preservatives!
*happy dance. pee my pants*
The artichokes: Generally, anything that comes in a box, can or bottle contains A Bunch of Other Crap, so once again check, CHECK THOSE LABELS! Make sure you're got getting any unwanted ingredients.
The olive oil: Olive oil is good for you. It's a healthy fat. However, heating olive oil destroys its good properties, and if I remember correctly, turns it to an Omega 6 fat (which isn't necessarily bad, but we tend to get waaaaay too much of it in our diet.)
So...if any part of this meal is unhealthy, I would say it's the heated olive oil. It would have been better to toss the pasta in oil straight from the bottle, but I was in a hurry so I dumped everything from the pan into the bowl.
Not every meal will be perfectly "clean," so you do the best you can. Overall, I was pleased with what I was able to pull together, considering time, ingredients, and desire not to spend all night in the kitchen.
Remember, clean eating does not have to be time consuming to be delicious. Sometimes, you just have to get creative!
Monday, May 19, 2014
Friday, April 4, 2014
30ish Minute Meals - Mahi with Mango Salsa
Wow, I really suck at posting regularly! Hopefully you aren't relying on these posts to prepare dinner or by now you must literally be starving!
Below is one of my favorite 30 minute meals.
Mahi with Mango Salsa and Asparagus
Salsa ingredients:
1 Mango
1/2 cucumber
1/4 or less Sweet onion
Cilantro
Lime
Raw jalapeno
Other ingredients
Olive oil
Mahi
Asparagus
Seasonings of choice: garlic salt/sea salt/black pepper/cayenne pepper, creole seasoning
1. Dice mango, cucumber and sweet onion (I don't think I even use 1/4 of a sweet onion. you're dicing it really small, so a little goes a long way)
2. Chop large handful of cilantro
3. Dice a few slices of jalapeno (depends on how hot you like it. truthfully, I can't stand really hot/spicy foods, but for this salsa, a little heat blends nicely with the sweetness of the mango and cucumber)
4. Add all ingredients to bowl and add juice of half a lime (or whole lime if it's not very juicy)
5. Leave on counter or put in fridge to marinate while you cook the fish and asaparugus
6. Heat olive oil in two separate pans. Season Mahi pieces with your preferred seasonings (we use garlic salt, little black pepper and creole seasoning mix).
7. Once the oil is heated, add the mahi to one pan and the asparagus to another. Season asparagus with garlic salt and pepper. Flip and stir occasionally while it cooks.
8. Set the timer for 5 minutes! This is super important so you don't over cook your fish. Overdone fish is just the worst.
9. After timer goes off, flip fish and set timer for 3 minutes. Depending on how thick your piece of fish is, it will take anywhere from 3-5 minutes to cook the other side. KEEP AN EYE ON IT. If, after three minutes it's still not cooked, set the timer for another minute and KEEP AN EYE ON IT. I don't know if I mentioned this, but overcooked fish is just the worst.
The fish is done when you put a fork to it and it flakes off in nice little pieces. If a big chunk breaks apart, you've probably overcooked it.
10. Your asparagus should be done by the time your fish is done.
11. Put it all on a plate and enjoy! You can top your mahi with the salsas, or eat it as a side like I do.
If you're not an asparagus fan, you can cook any vegetable you like, or maybe make a mixed greens salad with sliced almonds, raspberries, and sunflower seeds with a balsamic reduction dressing!
Below is one of my favorite 30 minute meals.
Mahi with Mango Salsa and Asparagus
Salsa ingredients:
1 Mango
1/2 cucumber
1/4 or less Sweet onion
Cilantro
Lime
Raw jalapeno
Other ingredients
Olive oil
Mahi
Asparagus
Seasonings of choice: garlic salt/sea salt/black pepper/cayenne pepper, creole seasoning
1. Dice mango, cucumber and sweet onion (I don't think I even use 1/4 of a sweet onion. you're dicing it really small, so a little goes a long way)
2. Chop large handful of cilantro
3. Dice a few slices of jalapeno (depends on how hot you like it. truthfully, I can't stand really hot/spicy foods, but for this salsa, a little heat blends nicely with the sweetness of the mango and cucumber)
4. Add all ingredients to bowl and add juice of half a lime (or whole lime if it's not very juicy)
5. Leave on counter or put in fridge to marinate while you cook the fish and asaparugus
6. Heat olive oil in two separate pans. Season Mahi pieces with your preferred seasonings (we use garlic salt, little black pepper and creole seasoning mix).
7. Once the oil is heated, add the mahi to one pan and the asparagus to another. Season asparagus with garlic salt and pepper. Flip and stir occasionally while it cooks.
8. Set the timer for 5 minutes! This is super important so you don't over cook your fish. Overdone fish is just the worst.
9. After timer goes off, flip fish and set timer for 3 minutes. Depending on how thick your piece of fish is, it will take anywhere from 3-5 minutes to cook the other side. KEEP AN EYE ON IT. If, after three minutes it's still not cooked, set the timer for another minute and KEEP AN EYE ON IT. I don't know if I mentioned this, but overcooked fish is just the worst.
The fish is done when you put a fork to it and it flakes off in nice little pieces. If a big chunk breaks apart, you've probably overcooked it.
10. Your asparagus should be done by the time your fish is done.
11. Put it all on a plate and enjoy! You can top your mahi with the salsas, or eat it as a side like I do.
If you're not an asparagus fan, you can cook any vegetable you like, or maybe make a mixed greens salad with sliced almonds, raspberries, and sunflower seeds with a balsamic reduction dressing!
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
30-ish Minute Meals - Epic Cobb Salad
If you think salads are boring, you're doing them wrong.
Okay, seriously. I know many of you may be instantly put off by this meal 'cause it's a salad. And when you first change your lifestyle a.k.a. diet, it probably seems that the only thing you can eat is salad.
And after a week of salad you are so over it.
That's where I come in. I'm here to change the way you see salads FOREVAH! Or, you know, just give you lots of ideas to make them more interesting and delicious.
What I love most about this recipe, is that there are a million different ways you can make it...which not only guarantees a non-boring meal, but everyone in your family can have something a little different to suit their tastes without a bunch of extra work and time in the kitchen!
Another benefit of salads? Most of the ingredients are RAW. Why is that important? Because raw foods are sooooo good for you. Heating food over 118 degrees Fahrenheit destroys many of its nutrients and causes chemical changes that create acidic toxins, including the carcinogens, mutagens and free-radicals associated with diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.
Cooking also also destroys the live enzymes that aid in digestion and health.
There's much more I could say about this, but it gets kinda science-y, so I'll save it for another post. But...people who eat a primarily raw food diet, report more energy, better sleep, less brain fog, and regularity (bowel movements).
And I'm sure it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway...make sure you're eating ORGANIC (as much as you possibly can).
Okay, are you ready to build your epic cobb salad?
Pick your protein
Chicken
Eggs
Bacon
Fish
Steak
Other??
Pick your greens (to ensure maximum non-boringness is achieved, choose at least two different types of greens)
Baby spinach
Baby kale
Arugula
Romain lettuce
Endive
Chicory
Iceberg lettuce
Loose-leaf lettuce
Pick your toppings
Avocado (yessssssss. in my opinion, all foods all the time should contain avocado)
Tomato
Cucumber
Carrots
Sliced Cabbage
Beets
Radishes
Peppers - red, green, yellow
Onion
Scallion
Parsley
Cilantro
Olives
Artichokes
Go Wild - add some fruit
Mango
Strawberries
Blueberries
Pineapple
Raspberries
Add some flair
Raw sunflower seeds
Raw walnuts
Raw almonds
Raw pine nuts
Raisins
Don't forget the flair! Flair can take a salad from good to amazing.
Dressings
Here's where people often go horribly wrong. We think we're doing a good think by eating salad. But if we dress it up with something that comes out of a bottle, we're adding sugar, wheat, and a whole bunch of preservatives and other crap.
Oil and vinegar is always a great choice.
If you're not ready to go that plain, here are a couple options you can make yourself - and they take just minutes!
Honey Mustard - This is a dressing I whipped up one afternoon when I was running low on salad ingredients and I felt like I needed a little extra flavor. I never really measure anything so I will do my best to convey the quantities. Only make what you will use immediately. When this refrigerates, it gets really thick, which can be helped by heating it, but I never think it quite mixes well again.
Olive oil - this is your base so you will have more of this than anything else. Maybe a few tablespoons.
Yellow mustard - medium-sized squirt
Honey - medium-sized squirt
Sea salt and pepper to taste.
One glove crushed garlic (optional. if you're really pressed for time, skip this)
Combine all ingredients and mix together vigorously with a whisk. Taste it and add a little more honey or mustard as needed.
Or you could try Elana's Pantry's version of Honey Mustard.
Or...
Creamy Avocado Dressing from Elana's Pantry.
Elana's Pantry actually has several dressing recipes. Try them all and see which ones are your favorite!
Okay, seriously. I know many of you may be instantly put off by this meal 'cause it's a salad. And when you first change your lifestyle a.k.a. diet, it probably seems that the only thing you can eat is salad.
And after a week of salad you are so over it.
That's where I come in. I'm here to change the way you see salads FOREVAH! Or, you know, just give you lots of ideas to make them more interesting and delicious.
What I love most about this recipe, is that there are a million different ways you can make it...which not only guarantees a non-boring meal, but everyone in your family can have something a little different to suit their tastes without a bunch of extra work and time in the kitchen!
Another benefit of salads? Most of the ingredients are RAW. Why is that important? Because raw foods are sooooo good for you. Heating food over 118 degrees Fahrenheit destroys many of its nutrients and causes chemical changes that create acidic toxins, including the carcinogens, mutagens and free-radicals associated with diseases like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.
Cooking also also destroys the live enzymes that aid in digestion and health.
There's much more I could say about this, but it gets kinda science-y, so I'll save it for another post. But...people who eat a primarily raw food diet, report more energy, better sleep, less brain fog, and regularity (bowel movements).
And I'm sure it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway...make sure you're eating ORGANIC (as much as you possibly can).
Okay, are you ready to build your epic cobb salad?
 |
| Yay Bacon! |
Pick your protein
Chicken
Eggs
Bacon
Fish
Steak
Other??
Pick your greens (to ensure maximum non-boringness is achieved, choose at least two different types of greens)
Baby spinach
Baby kale
Arugula
Romain lettuce
Endive
Chicory
Iceberg lettuce
Loose-leaf lettuce
Pick your toppings
Avocado (yessssssss. in my opinion, all foods all the time should contain avocado)
Tomato
Cucumber
Carrots
Sliced Cabbage
Beets
Radishes
Peppers - red, green, yellow
Onion
Scallion
Parsley
Cilantro
Olives
Artichokes
Go Wild - add some fruit
Mango
Strawberries
Blueberries
Pineapple
Raspberries
Add some flair
Raw sunflower seeds
Raw walnuts
Raw almonds
Raw pine nuts
Raisins
Don't forget the flair! Flair can take a salad from good to amazing.
Dressings
Here's where people often go horribly wrong. We think we're doing a good think by eating salad. But if we dress it up with something that comes out of a bottle, we're adding sugar, wheat, and a whole bunch of preservatives and other crap.
Oil and vinegar is always a great choice.
If you're not ready to go that plain, here are a couple options you can make yourself - and they take just minutes!
Honey Mustard - This is a dressing I whipped up one afternoon when I was running low on salad ingredients and I felt like I needed a little extra flavor. I never really measure anything so I will do my best to convey the quantities. Only make what you will use immediately. When this refrigerates, it gets really thick, which can be helped by heating it, but I never think it quite mixes well again.
Olive oil - this is your base so you will have more of this than anything else. Maybe a few tablespoons.
Yellow mustard - medium-sized squirt
Honey - medium-sized squirt
Sea salt and pepper to taste.
One glove crushed garlic (optional. if you're really pressed for time, skip this)
Combine all ingredients and mix together vigorously with a whisk. Taste it and add a little more honey or mustard as needed.
Or you could try Elana's Pantry's version of Honey Mustard.
Or...
Creamy Avocado Dressing from Elana's Pantry.
Elana's Pantry actually has several dressing recipes. Try them all and see which ones are your favorite!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
30-ish Minute Meals - Steak and Veggies
Today's 30-ish Minute Meal is...
Steak, Sweet Potato Cubes, and Steamed Broccoli and Snap Peas
**NOTE: Ingredients listed below are for two people. Make quantity adjustments based on the size of your family.
Ingredients
Grass fed* steak - cut of your choice. We used ribeyes
One head or package of broccoli
One package of sugar snap peas
Seasoned salt (Make sure to check your label! Seasoned salt can contain MSG. Lawry's claims theirs doesn't. To be extra sure you aren't getting any MSG, you can make your own! I found a recipe here...haven't tried it yet.)
Dried Rosemary
Garlic Salt (or Sea Salt)
Black Pepper
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Fill large pot 1/4 way with hot water, bring water to boil.
Place broccoli and snap peas in large colander.
Set colander in pot, and cover with lid to steam veggies.
**Keep a close eye on them. This does not take too long and you want them to be cooked, but still crisp.
While veggies are steaming, peal sweet potato, and cut into SMALL cubes.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place cubes on baking sheet and lightly cover with olive oil. Use your hands to kinda toss them around to make sure they are all coated.
Sprinkle with seasoned salt and dried rosemary.
Place in oven on rack second from the top. Cook for about twelve minutes.
**Don't forget to check on your veggies!
**There are many ways to cut sweet potatoes, but I have found cutting them into small cubes cooks them the best without them getting "soggy" which often seems to happen when trying to make sweet potato fries. And these actually will get a bit crunchy! If you like them that way, just cook for a little longer.
Season your steak with garlic salt (or sea salt) and pepper (or seasonings of your choice - just make sure you check the labels on any pre-mixed seasoning sets for any unwanted ingredients!)
After 12 minutes, transfer sweet potatoes to bottom rack of stove.
Turn on broiler, and place steaks on top rack.
Cook to desired done-ness. (I think ours took about 10 minutes???)
When steak is done, move sweet potatoes to top rack and broil.
Make sure you keep on eye on them. They go from done to burned pretty fast!
Cook for a few more minutes, depending on how crunchy you like them.
Once they are done, plate everything and enjoy!
*Why grass fed beef?
Cattle eat grass. Enter human interference and many cattle now eat grain. Why? Because it's cheaper and easier and most food companies are all about making as much money as possible with little regard to its impact on us - the consumers, and often sufferers, of this food.
When cattle eat grain their fat contains a higher amount of omega-6 fatty acids. When they eat grass, as they were created to do, their fat contains a higher amount of omega-3 fatty acid. This improves the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
Science shows that diets higher in omega-3 fatty acids improve health, particularly by reducing inflammation.
Why is this important? Because inflammation is the root cause of many illnesses!
What we should strive for is an omega-6, omega-3 ratio of 1:1.
What we usually get in our food is a 15:1 or higher ratio.
Yikes!
When you have a proper ratio of fatty acids, as you can get from grass fed beef, you have a decreased risk of dementia, heart disease, cancer and stroke.
If that isn't enough to convince grass fed is better, consider this...
To further cut costs, feed given to animals in factory farms not only contains grains but may also contain “by-product feedstuff” such as municipal garbage, stale pastry, chicken feathers, and candy.
How does that saying go...
You are what you eat.
Don't be municipal garbage and chicken feathers!
Steak, Sweet Potato Cubes, and Steamed Broccoli and Snap Peas
**NOTE: Ingredients listed below are for two people. Make quantity adjustments based on the size of your family.
Ingredients
Grass fed* steak - cut of your choice. We used ribeyes
One head or package of broccoli
One package of sugar snap peas
Seasoned salt (Make sure to check your label! Seasoned salt can contain MSG. Lawry's claims theirs doesn't. To be extra sure you aren't getting any MSG, you can make your own! I found a recipe here...haven't tried it yet.)
Dried Rosemary
Garlic Salt (or Sea Salt)
Black Pepper
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Fill large pot 1/4 way with hot water, bring water to boil.
Place broccoli and snap peas in large colander.
Set colander in pot, and cover with lid to steam veggies.
**Keep a close eye on them. This does not take too long and you want them to be cooked, but still crisp.
While veggies are steaming, peal sweet potato, and cut into SMALL cubes.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place cubes on baking sheet and lightly cover with olive oil. Use your hands to kinda toss them around to make sure they are all coated.
Sprinkle with seasoned salt and dried rosemary.
Place in oven on rack second from the top. Cook for about twelve minutes.
**Don't forget to check on your veggies!
**There are many ways to cut sweet potatoes, but I have found cutting them into small cubes cooks them the best without them getting "soggy" which often seems to happen when trying to make sweet potato fries. And these actually will get a bit crunchy! If you like them that way, just cook for a little longer.
Season your steak with garlic salt (or sea salt) and pepper (or seasonings of your choice - just make sure you check the labels on any pre-mixed seasoning sets for any unwanted ingredients!)
After 12 minutes, transfer sweet potatoes to bottom rack of stove.
Turn on broiler, and place steaks on top rack.
Cook to desired done-ness. (I think ours took about 10 minutes???)
When steak is done, move sweet potatoes to top rack and broil.
Make sure you keep on eye on them. They go from done to burned pretty fast!
Cook for a few more minutes, depending on how crunchy you like them.
Once they are done, plate everything and enjoy!
Cattle eat grass. Enter human interference and many cattle now eat grain. Why? Because it's cheaper and easier and most food companies are all about making as much money as possible with little regard to its impact on us - the consumers, and often sufferers, of this food.
When cattle eat grain their fat contains a higher amount of omega-6 fatty acids. When they eat grass, as they were created to do, their fat contains a higher amount of omega-3 fatty acid. This improves the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
Science shows that diets higher in omega-3 fatty acids improve health, particularly by reducing inflammation.
Why is this important? Because inflammation is the root cause of many illnesses!
What we should strive for is an omega-6, omega-3 ratio of 1:1.
What we usually get in our food is a 15:1 or higher ratio.
Yikes!
When you have a proper ratio of fatty acids, as you can get from grass fed beef, you have a decreased risk of dementia, heart disease, cancer and stroke.
If that isn't enough to convince grass fed is better, consider this...
To further cut costs, feed given to animals in factory farms not only contains grains but may also contain “by-product feedstuff” such as municipal garbage, stale pastry, chicken feathers, and candy.
How does that saying go...
You are what you eat.
Don't be municipal garbage and chicken feathers!
Monday, March 10, 2014
30-ish Minute Meals - Burrito Bowls
One of the questions I get asked most frequently is, "What do you eat?"
This is in reference to the literal food that I am eating (because we all know that when we first make those changes it seems like there is nothing we can eat), and that age-old question, "What's for dinner?"
Those of you who have made changes to your diet may have noticed that it takes a little (or a lot) longer to prepare dinner. Not only does it take more time to make meals, it seems that many of them require a million ingredients. Even those of us who find joy in cooking, don't always have an hour or longer to prepare dinner.
But I am here to help!
Over the last two weeks, I have challenged myself with finding five meals that take approximately 30 minutes to make, which hopefully, for many of you, is doable most nights of the week. Some may take 22 minutes, some may take 32 (none should take more than 35), so I've labeled them 30-ish Minute Meals.
Meal #1 - Burrito Bowls
This is one of my all-time favorites, not only because it's easy, but because it's super yummy. And, each member of your family can build their own "bowl" with their favorite ingredients without creating a lot of extra work for you (the chef).
Below is what I like in my bowl, but you can add or subtract as many ingredients as you like!
Ingredients:
Black beans (in BPA free can if you can find it)
Sweet onion
Chicken
Avocado
Tomato
Cilantro
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Black Pepper
1. Coat pan with light layer of extra virgin olive oil. Add black beans (you can drain them if you'd like.) and chopped onion (add as much or as little as you like. I like A LOT of onion). Cook over medium heat.
It's up to you how long to you want to cook them. How crunchy do you like your onions? Usually, I like mine without any crunch, but in this dish, I prefer a little crunch.
2. While beans and onions are cooking, cut chicken into small pieces. In separate pan, cook chicken in oil of your choice -EVOO, coconut oil, avocado oil. Season with garlic salt, onion powder, and pepper (or any seasonings of your choice!)
Hint: You don't have to cut the chicken into small pieces prior to cooking them, but if you're working with large pieces, like big ol' chicken breasts, cutting them helps the chicken cook faster - and these meals are all about saving time!
3. While everything is cooking, cut up avocado and tomato.
4. Once everything is cooked, throw it all in a bowl!. Beans and onions first, then chicken, avocado and tomato and top with cilantro. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed.
That's it! You're done! Enjoy your dinner!
As I mentioned, you can include anything you want.
You could add lettuce, non-GMO corn, cheese and sour cream (if you're not dairy free) use a different type of bean, or mash up the avocado and make some guacamole.
The husband likes to add a little Greek yogurt and fresh chopped jalapenos.
Let me know what you come up with and come back tomorrow of another 30-ish Minute Meal!
P.S. Any time I post a meal or recipe (either my own or from one of my favorite sites) I will add it to the RECIPES tab so you can easily come back and find them at a later date.
This is in reference to the literal food that I am eating (because we all know that when we first make those changes it seems like there is nothing we can eat), and that age-old question, "What's for dinner?"
Those of you who have made changes to your diet may have noticed that it takes a little (or a lot) longer to prepare dinner. Not only does it take more time to make meals, it seems that many of them require a million ingredients. Even those of us who find joy in cooking, don't always have an hour or longer to prepare dinner.
But I am here to help!
Over the last two weeks, I have challenged myself with finding five meals that take approximately 30 minutes to make, which hopefully, for many of you, is doable most nights of the week. Some may take 22 minutes, some may take 32 (none should take more than 35), so I've labeled them 30-ish Minute Meals.
Meal #1 - Burrito Bowls
This is one of my all-time favorites, not only because it's easy, but because it's super yummy. And, each member of your family can build their own "bowl" with their favorite ingredients without creating a lot of extra work for you (the chef).
Below is what I like in my bowl, but you can add or subtract as many ingredients as you like!
Ingredients:
Black beans (in BPA free can if you can find it)
Sweet onion
Chicken
Avocado
Tomato
Cilantro
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Black Pepper
1. Coat pan with light layer of extra virgin olive oil. Add black beans (you can drain them if you'd like.) and chopped onion (add as much or as little as you like. I like A LOT of onion). Cook over medium heat.
It's up to you how long to you want to cook them. How crunchy do you like your onions? Usually, I like mine without any crunch, but in this dish, I prefer a little crunch.
2. While beans and onions are cooking, cut chicken into small pieces. In separate pan, cook chicken in oil of your choice -EVOO, coconut oil, avocado oil. Season with garlic salt, onion powder, and pepper (or any seasonings of your choice!)
Hint: You don't have to cut the chicken into small pieces prior to cooking them, but if you're working with large pieces, like big ol' chicken breasts, cutting them helps the chicken cook faster - and these meals are all about saving time!
3. While everything is cooking, cut up avocado and tomato.
4. Once everything is cooked, throw it all in a bowl!. Beans and onions first, then chicken, avocado and tomato and top with cilantro. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed.
That's it! You're done! Enjoy your dinner!
As I mentioned, you can include anything you want.
You could add lettuce, non-GMO corn, cheese and sour cream (if you're not dairy free) use a different type of bean, or mash up the avocado and make some guacamole.
The husband likes to add a little Greek yogurt and fresh chopped jalapenos.
Let me know what you come up with and come back tomorrow of another 30-ish Minute Meal!
P.S. Any time I post a meal or recipe (either my own or from one of my favorite sites) I will add it to the RECIPES tab so you can easily come back and find them at a later date.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Snack Attack
Are you trying to eat clean but find it difficult when the mid- morning, or mid-afternoon, or midnight munchies attack?
Don't let snack time ruin your clean eating goals!
Below are two of my favorite snacks. One is for those who can/choose to have dairy. The other one is for ALL THE PEOPLES! (unless, of course, you have a particular sensitivity)
Blueberry Honey Greek Yogurt
The name pretty much says it all:
2 heaping tablespoons Greek yogurt
slightly less than one tablespoon ground golden flax seed
big squirt orange blossom honey
6-8 blueberries
Mix first 4 ingredients, then add blueberries, give a quick mix again, and ENJOY!
Not sure about that ground golden flax? Don't skip it! It gives a good texture to your snack and there are many health benefits to flax. Here are just a few:
You can combine anything you like. The best part about it is that you can put it in a small (or medium) container and take it with you. This is great for long work days or shopping trips where you may find yourself hungry but without easy access to healthy snack options.
Here's what I like to make:
Raw walnuts
Raw sliced almonds
Raw pumpkin seeds
Raw sunflower seeds
raisins
60% or darker cacao chips
In order to ensure you get all the health benefits of this yummy snack, make sure your nuts and seeds are RAW. Why? Because roasting them destroys many of their nutritional benefits.
Those benefits include:
DON'T DO IT! :)
Now you tell me, what are you favorite clean-eats snacks?
Don't let snack time ruin your clean eating goals!
Below are two of my favorite snacks. One is for those who can/choose to have dairy. The other one is for ALL THE PEOPLES! (unless, of course, you have a particular sensitivity)
Blueberry Honey Greek Yogurt
The name pretty much says it all:
2 heaping tablespoons Greek yogurt
slightly less than one tablespoon ground golden flax seed
big squirt orange blossom honey
6-8 blueberries
Mix first 4 ingredients, then add blueberries, give a quick mix again, and ENJOY!
Not sure about that ground golden flax? Don't skip it! It gives a good texture to your snack and there are many health benefits to flax. Here are just a few:
- High in fiber
- Good source of Omega-3 fat (the good fat)
- High source of lignans, which may protect against estrogen-dependent cancers like breast cancer
- Decreases insulin resistance and may protect against diabetes
You can combine anything you like. The best part about it is that you can put it in a small (or medium) container and take it with you. This is great for long work days or shopping trips where you may find yourself hungry but without easy access to healthy snack options.
Here's what I like to make:
Raw walnuts
Raw sliced almonds
Raw pumpkin seeds
Raw sunflower seeds
raisins
60% or darker cacao chips
In order to ensure you get all the health benefits of this yummy snack, make sure your nuts and seeds are RAW. Why? Because roasting them destroys many of their nutritional benefits.
Those benefits include:
- Omega-3 fat
- Great source of protein. Those looking to build muscle mass can eat a handful of raw nuts for an additional protein boost, and those looking to lose weight can also benefit because protein can help regulate hunger throughout the day.
- Good source of fiber and we all know how important fiber is to keeping our stool soft and regular! Not having enough fiber in your diet can lead to bloating, lethargy, and constipation.
DON'T DO IT! :)
Now you tell me, what are you favorite clean-eats snacks?
Friday, February 28, 2014
You Don't Know
I started this blog for a couple of reasons:
1.) I needed a way to organize all the recipes, information and articles I've been collecting and make them easily accessible;
2.) I wanted to share that information with others in hopes to encourage and support them on their own journeys.
In order to accomplish #2, it is important for me to be honest. To honestly tell you about the changes I've experienced in my own body and life, to honestly tell you that I'm still learning and I still struggle, to honestly tell you that change is not easy.
I want this to be a this to be a positive, happy place, but I need to be honest about something else. Today, I am annoyed. Irritated. Even a little bit... angry.
The title of this blog contains the words "live your best life." Lately, that's what I've been trying to do, live every day the best way I know how. Some days that means my greatest accomplishments are brushing my teeth and putting on a bra. Other days, it's kicking ass at work, doing laundry, cleaning the house, preparing a great dinner, exercising, playing with the dogs, spending time with the husband and being there for a friend in need (okay, maybe not all those things in one day, but some combination of them).
I'm slowly learning to accept that both types of days are okay. As long as I've done the best I can do that day, I can't ask for anything else. But I struggle with my acceptance. I struggle with a lot of things.
I struggle with letting stuff go. I struggle with my ability to release the negativity instead of letting it fester and build until it becomes all-consuming.
Today, a stranger's comment, just six words, has been festering and building and I'm really, really trying to let it go, but it's not easy. Writing has always been a way for me to release my feelings. Putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and just letting the words flow helps me rid my mind and heart of the anger, sadness, frustration, or whatever it is that's consuming me, and allows me to move on.
I could write about today's experience with this stranger in my journal, for only my eyes to see. But over the last four hours, as his comment has been building and growing into an all-consuming monster in my mind, I've also been processing it. And all that processing has helped me realize a few things and reminded me of a few very important things, so I want to share it with you all in hopes that it might encourage those of you who struggle like I do. I share it in hopes that it will remind you why decided to improve and heal your life through food.
Today, I went to a gourmet deli for lunch. Eating at restaurants can be a challenge, because even though the menu says, "chicken, artichokes, banana peppers, onions and cheese," there is also a sauce, and in that sauce can be a lot of hidden ingredients. Ingredients I don't want. Today, I was particularly concerned about sugar.
Sugar is a common (and in my opinion, totally unnecessary) ingredient in many dressings and sauces. If I decide I am going to eat sugar (and sometimes I do!) I want it in the form of dessert. I don't want it in my mid-day meal, which I'm counting on to give me fuel and nutrients to power through the second half of my day.
A man, a total stranger, someone whom I have never met in my life, overhead me ask the girl at the counter if there was sugar in two particular dishes, and he made the following comment to me, "You don't want to gain weight."
Was it the words alone that irked me? Possibly. Was it the way he said it with sarcasm and derision that made my blood start to simmer? Probably. Maybe I was just tired of strangers asking me things or commenting on things that are none of their damn business (his comment was the fourth one by a stranger in less than a week).
I was irritated when he said it. Four hours later, after much festering, I am angry. So, in my attempt to let it go, I have written an open letter to this man.
Dear Guy at the Deli,
You don't know me. You don't know my name, you don't know my age, where I'm from, my life's history, the challenges I face or the obstacles I've overcome.
You don't know me. And yet, you found it totally acceptable to make a comment to me about my weight.
You don't know if I used to be morbidly obese or if I struggle with an eating disorder of another type, one in which your words will cause me to move the food around on my plate without actually eating any.
You don't know me, and yet you found it totally acceptable to make a negative comment about my appearance.
I am baffled by this. I can't imagine what would ever make you think this is an okay thing to say to someone you don't know. Maybe you see a thin girl who doesn't want to eat sugar and you think she is vain, shallow, consumed with her looks. That's the only reason I wouldn't eat sugar, right? Because I don't want to get fat?
Well here's what else you don't know...
You don't know that my decision to avoid sugar has nothing to do with my weight and everything to do with my health.
You don't know that sugar throws my hormones out of whack. And when my hormones get out of whack my anxiety gets worse. And when my anxiety gets worse, it makes it hard to function.
You don't know that my anxiety has caused me to hide behind a table at a fundraising event, and escape to my car at a graduation party.
You don't know that my anxiety makes me miss out on special occasions with friends and family.
You don't know that when my anxiety is at its worst, my heart races, my vision blurs, my breathing accelerates, my hands flap, I rise up on my toes, and claw at my skin, in an attempt to free myself from my own skin.
You don't know that my anxiety makes me want to flee, to be anywhere but inside my own body. You don't know a lot of things, but I bet you can imagine how impossible it is to escape your own body.
You don't know that sugar throws my hormones out of whack, and when my hormones get out of whack my depression gets worse. I told you that my anxiety makes it hard to function, but my depression makes it hard to WANT to function.
You don't know that my depression makes every task impossible.
You don't know that depression makes me exhausted.
You don't know that my depression fills my head with lies, making me feel useless and worthless.
You don't know that when my depression is at its worst, I believe this world and the people who love me would be better off without me.
You don't know that avoiding sugar has nothing to do with my weight, but very much to do with my life.
You don't know that I finished work early today and had four glorious hours to myself before my hot yoga class (You know, that thing I do because I don't want to gain weight, not that I do because it is a great stress reducer, or because it brings calmness and clarity to my mind, or because the insane amount of sweating releases toxins from my body, or because it pushes me both mentally and physically beyond what I think I'm capable of, or because, for the first time in more than 10 years, I'm actually experiencing relief and healing from chronic knee pain. No, I just do it so I don't gain weight.)
You don't know that during those four hours, or at least part of them, I decided to take a nap. A decadent, luxurious nap on a Thursday afternoon. How indulgent.
You don't know that because of your comment, I couldn't sleep. You don't know it swirled around in my mind, growing bigger and bigger like a tornado that consumes an entire town, or in this case my brain. But you know what? That's not your fault.
It's mine.
Letting other people's comments and actions have so much power over my own thoughts and actions, is my fault. It's one of my biggest flaws. It's one of the biggest thieves of my joy. It's something that I'm working on improving.
So I thank you. I thank you for giving me the chance to improve. I thank you for allowing me to practice taking deep breaths and letting it go. I thank you for helping me to remember not to sweat the small stuff.
You don't know a lot of things, Guy at the Deli, but you do know one thing. Sugar can make you gain weight. Since I have cut sugar and other foods from my diet a year ago, I have lost weight. My weight hasn't been this low since I was in high school.
But that's not why I do it. And I thank you for reminding me of that.
I thank you for reminding me that the things I choose to eat or not eat isn't about a number on the scale. It's about how I feel.
It's about waking up and facing the day filled with excitement and possibility instead of with apprehension and dread.
It's about pursuing my dreams and setting and reaching goals I never thought possible.
It's about appreciating the little things.
It's about being present, living in the moment, and feeling hopeful about the future.
It's about being healthy.
It's about being free of pain.
It's about being happy.
So thank you, Guy at the Deli, for your comment. Because all the things you don't know, remind me of the things I do know and how much I still need to grow.
Sincerely,
Girl at the Deli
*************************************
Update: This happened to me yesterday. I started writing the post before 90 minutes of HOT HOT yoga. As I mentioned, although this comment was building in festering in my mind, I was also processing it. I had come to the realizations I did before going to hot yoga, but I still wasn't over it, I hadn't freed myself from it. The first 10 minutes of yoga, I couldn't focus. I was still so annoyed and distracted by his six little words. By the end of yoga I had released it completely. I debated on whether I wanted to finish this post. I didn't want, or need, to rehash something I had let go. But I decided to share it because the things Guy at the Deli helped me realize and remember were so valuable I wanted to share them here in case it might help someone else.
1.) I needed a way to organize all the recipes, information and articles I've been collecting and make them easily accessible;
2.) I wanted to share that information with others in hopes to encourage and support them on their own journeys.
In order to accomplish #2, it is important for me to be honest. To honestly tell you about the changes I've experienced in my own body and life, to honestly tell you that I'm still learning and I still struggle, to honestly tell you that change is not easy.
I want this to be a this to be a positive, happy place, but I need to be honest about something else. Today, I am annoyed. Irritated. Even a little bit... angry.
The title of this blog contains the words "live your best life." Lately, that's what I've been trying to do, live every day the best way I know how. Some days that means my greatest accomplishments are brushing my teeth and putting on a bra. Other days, it's kicking ass at work, doing laundry, cleaning the house, preparing a great dinner, exercising, playing with the dogs, spending time with the husband and being there for a friend in need (okay, maybe not all those things in one day, but some combination of them).
I'm slowly learning to accept that both types of days are okay. As long as I've done the best I can do that day, I can't ask for anything else. But I struggle with my acceptance. I struggle with a lot of things.
I struggle with letting stuff go. I struggle with my ability to release the negativity instead of letting it fester and build until it becomes all-consuming.
Today, a stranger's comment, just six words, has been festering and building and I'm really, really trying to let it go, but it's not easy. Writing has always been a way for me to release my feelings. Putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and just letting the words flow helps me rid my mind and heart of the anger, sadness, frustration, or whatever it is that's consuming me, and allows me to move on.
I could write about today's experience with this stranger in my journal, for only my eyes to see. But over the last four hours, as his comment has been building and growing into an all-consuming monster in my mind, I've also been processing it. And all that processing has helped me realize a few things and reminded me of a few very important things, so I want to share it with you all in hopes that it might encourage those of you who struggle like I do. I share it in hopes that it will remind you why decided to improve and heal your life through food.
Today, I went to a gourmet deli for lunch. Eating at restaurants can be a challenge, because even though the menu says, "chicken, artichokes, banana peppers, onions and cheese," there is also a sauce, and in that sauce can be a lot of hidden ingredients. Ingredients I don't want. Today, I was particularly concerned about sugar.
Sugar is a common (and in my opinion, totally unnecessary) ingredient in many dressings and sauces. If I decide I am going to eat sugar (and sometimes I do!) I want it in the form of dessert. I don't want it in my mid-day meal, which I'm counting on to give me fuel and nutrients to power through the second half of my day.
A man, a total stranger, someone whom I have never met in my life, overhead me ask the girl at the counter if there was sugar in two particular dishes, and he made the following comment to me, "You don't want to gain weight."
Was it the words alone that irked me? Possibly. Was it the way he said it with sarcasm and derision that made my blood start to simmer? Probably. Maybe I was just tired of strangers asking me things or commenting on things that are none of their damn business (his comment was the fourth one by a stranger in less than a week).
I was irritated when he said it. Four hours later, after much festering, I am angry. So, in my attempt to let it go, I have written an open letter to this man.
Dear Guy at the Deli,
You don't know me. You don't know my name, you don't know my age, where I'm from, my life's history, the challenges I face or the obstacles I've overcome.
You don't know me. And yet, you found it totally acceptable to make a comment to me about my weight.
You don't know if I used to be morbidly obese or if I struggle with an eating disorder of another type, one in which your words will cause me to move the food around on my plate without actually eating any.
You don't know me, and yet you found it totally acceptable to make a negative comment about my appearance.
I am baffled by this. I can't imagine what would ever make you think this is an okay thing to say to someone you don't know. Maybe you see a thin girl who doesn't want to eat sugar and you think she is vain, shallow, consumed with her looks. That's the only reason I wouldn't eat sugar, right? Because I don't want to get fat?
Well here's what else you don't know...
You don't know that my decision to avoid sugar has nothing to do with my weight and everything to do with my health.
You don't know that sugar throws my hormones out of whack. And when my hormones get out of whack my anxiety gets worse. And when my anxiety gets worse, it makes it hard to function.
You don't know that my anxiety has caused me to hide behind a table at a fundraising event, and escape to my car at a graduation party.
You don't know that my anxiety makes me miss out on special occasions with friends and family.
You don't know that when my anxiety is at its worst, my heart races, my vision blurs, my breathing accelerates, my hands flap, I rise up on my toes, and claw at my skin, in an attempt to free myself from my own skin.
You don't know that my anxiety makes me want to flee, to be anywhere but inside my own body. You don't know a lot of things, but I bet you can imagine how impossible it is to escape your own body.
You don't know that sugar throws my hormones out of whack, and when my hormones get out of whack my depression gets worse. I told you that my anxiety makes it hard to function, but my depression makes it hard to WANT to function.
You don't know that my depression makes every task impossible.
You don't know that depression makes me exhausted.
You don't know that my depression fills my head with lies, making me feel useless and worthless.
You don't know that when my depression is at its worst, I believe this world and the people who love me would be better off without me.
You don't know that avoiding sugar has nothing to do with my weight, but very much to do with my life.
You don't know that I finished work early today and had four glorious hours to myself before my hot yoga class (You know, that thing I do because I don't want to gain weight, not that I do because it is a great stress reducer, or because it brings calmness and clarity to my mind, or because the insane amount of sweating releases toxins from my body, or because it pushes me both mentally and physically beyond what I think I'm capable of, or because, for the first time in more than 10 years, I'm actually experiencing relief and healing from chronic knee pain. No, I just do it so I don't gain weight.)
You don't know that during those four hours, or at least part of them, I decided to take a nap. A decadent, luxurious nap on a Thursday afternoon. How indulgent.
You don't know that because of your comment, I couldn't sleep. You don't know it swirled around in my mind, growing bigger and bigger like a tornado that consumes an entire town, or in this case my brain. But you know what? That's not your fault.
It's mine.
Letting other people's comments and actions have so much power over my own thoughts and actions, is my fault. It's one of my biggest flaws. It's one of the biggest thieves of my joy. It's something that I'm working on improving.
So I thank you. I thank you for giving me the chance to improve. I thank you for allowing me to practice taking deep breaths and letting it go. I thank you for helping me to remember not to sweat the small stuff.
You don't know a lot of things, Guy at the Deli, but you do know one thing. Sugar can make you gain weight. Since I have cut sugar and other foods from my diet a year ago, I have lost weight. My weight hasn't been this low since I was in high school.
But that's not why I do it. And I thank you for reminding me of that.
I thank you for reminding me that the things I choose to eat or not eat isn't about a number on the scale. It's about how I feel.
It's about waking up and facing the day filled with excitement and possibility instead of with apprehension and dread.
It's about pursuing my dreams and setting and reaching goals I never thought possible.
It's about appreciating the little things.
It's about being present, living in the moment, and feeling hopeful about the future.
It's about being healthy.
It's about being free of pain.
It's about being happy.
So thank you, Guy at the Deli, for your comment. Because all the things you don't know, remind me of the things I do know and how much I still need to grow.
Sincerely,
Girl at the Deli
*************************************
Update: This happened to me yesterday. I started writing the post before 90 minutes of HOT HOT yoga. As I mentioned, although this comment was building in festering in my mind, I was also processing it. I had come to the realizations I did before going to hot yoga, but I still wasn't over it, I hadn't freed myself from it. The first 10 minutes of yoga, I couldn't focus. I was still so annoyed and distracted by his six little words. By the end of yoga I had released it completely. I debated on whether I wanted to finish this post. I didn't want, or need, to rehash something I had let go. But I decided to share it because the things Guy at the Deli helped me realize and remember were so valuable I wanted to share them here in case it might help someone else.
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