Clean eating meme from BuzzFeedUK

Is this your ideal version of clean eating? I know I sure wouldn’t complain if this was what being a clean eater entailed! But, alas, it is not. So if clean eating does not require one to eat their favorite food while soaking in a luxurious bubble bath (which I would fully support if that became a thing, by the way), What Is Clean Eating?

Now, I have a disclaimer. This post is by no means meant to convince you to change your whole life, but rather to simply to inform you. I say “whole life” because let’s be honest- our lives revolve around food.

We have specific time slots where our body tells us we need to eat and if we skip those times, our body is going to let us know it is not happy. Food is the center of social events. Food is what gives our bodies fuel. Food is…Ok, well you get the picture! Food is important.

So what is clean eating?

To put it simply, clean eating is generally staying away from processed and refined foods and consuming whole foods. But even this definition comes with caveats.

There is a wide spectrum of clean eaters and what people deem as whole foods/processed foods. Some say that anything with a label disqualifies it from the category of whole foods. However, in my opinion, if we are to be realistic, you probably would need to live on or near a farm to live off of that definition of whole foods.

Others say that whole foods can have a label, just stay away from those with a long list of ingredients. This tells you that the food has been processed or refined as little as possible.

I personally like the definition of what clean eating is given by Manuel Villacorte, MS, RD,

“I define a clean eater as someone whose diet consists of 80 to 90 percent whole foods, 80 to 90 percent cooking and preparing their foods from scratch, using minimally-processed foods and including superfoods in their diets.”

Read what other registered dietitians say about their definition of clean eating here.

From my research, it seems some may refer to clean eating as a diet (or use it as a diet/way to detox), but most qualify it as a lifestyle choice. So what are the shalls and shall nots of clean eating? Here is the general consensus that I discovered from my research.

What are the Thou shalts?

Thou shalt eat five to six times a day. Now, don’t go eating six big meals! It’s more like three meals and two to three snacks. The idea behind this is to have a steady intake of food that will keep your metabolism going. Hopefully, you’ll be less likely to reach for your favorite vending machine food if you’ve been eating throughout the day.

Thou shalt eat whole foods. Choose whole, natural foods when you hit up the grocery store. Again, this commandment of the clean eaters is dependent on your definition of whole foods. But the overall principle is to consume fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, and grass-fed/free-range meats. The types of food allowed in clean eating is where the Paleo diet vastly differs.

Thou shalt include protein, carbohydrate, and fat at every meal. We’ve heard it time and time again from our moms and teachers, it is important to have a balanced diet. I am such a slacker with this all-too-true advice. I’m always like, “Why yes of course, I’ll take another roll…” (six rolls later).

Half the battle is striving to include a variety of foods in your diet. The other half of the battle is portion control. I’d recommend checking out the recommended portion sizes from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, you’re sure to have some new food goals.

Thou shalt veggie-up. If I was to become a clean eater, this would be a struggle for me. It’s not that I don’t like veggies, I do. Rather it is remembering to include them in my diet.

Vegetables are stuffed full of vitamins and fiber, which helps you feel full and gives your bodyits needed nutrients. So making a concentrated effort to include those veggies in your diet for eating clean is key!

This Grandma Is Fun has some great clean eating Recipes to look through if you are interested in cooking up a tasty meal. Below are a few that I picked out for my meal hit list.

Stuffed Flank Steak Kabob

Mediterranean Chicken Salad and Creamy Balsamic

Healthier Chocolate Trail Mix Bites

What are the Thou shalt nots?

Thou shalt not eat processed food and refined sugars. Avoiding processed foods that have a long list of ingredients on the label is probably the best way to go. If you can’t even pronounce the ingredient, healthy eaters say to avoid it like the plague.

Try incorporating/substituting those refined grains (like white flour) with whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, amaranth, and others. If refined sugar is a hard one, Elle Paula from SFGate, offers some great suggestions on How to Eliminate Refined Sugars.

Thou shalt not drink away all your calories. Drink my calories? Yes, you read right. Avoid soda, coffee, and other high calorie drinks. Also, limit your alcohol intake. The recommended limit is one drink per day for women and two for men. Strive to stick with water, low-fat/skim milk, or 100 percent fruit juice.

Thou shalt not indulge your salt, fat, and sugar cravings. Cutting back on processed foods will already help you reduce your consumption of this tantalizing trio, especially salt. Americans eat way more than the recommended 2,300 mg of sodium a day. Try to use spices instead to turn up the flavor on your meal.

Fats. You need not avoid them all together, remember there are healthy fats! Try to replace some of those common fats (whole milk, butter, sour cream, fatty cuts of meats) with olive oil, nuts, peanut butter, avocado, fish, low-fat dairy, and other yummy substitutes.

Sugar. This one can be catching-a-gazelle-kind-of-hard-thing to avoid if it is normally part of your diet, which for most it is. So start small. Look for foods without sugar as an ingredient or make sure it is listed closer to the end. Limit yourself on soda, candy, desserts, and some boxed cereals.

Some Tips

• Don’t buy it just because it says it is “clean.” Do your research because you may end up spending more money then you’re wallet can take.
• Spice it up. When switching from processed foods to whole foods, things can taste pretty bland. So dive into your spice cabinet or stock up on those much needed spices. My favorite go to spices include basil, rosemary, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, paprika, and dill.
• Remember, just because it’s called “clean” eating does not mean that other foods are “dirty.” Nor should we food shame those who choose not to go with the clean eating regiment. Jaclyn London, a registered dietitian, wrote a great article over at Good House Keeping addressing clean eating and this particular topic more fully.
• Don’t obsess over it. In the article I mentioned above, London recommends to embrace indulgence. If we become too obsessed with checking every little thing we eat (unless of course you have an allergy or medical condition), we forget that it’s ok to eat something we want. Like that tub of cookie dough ice cream sitting in my freezer… It’s all about moderation.

Well, I hope you learned a little bit more about exactly what is clean eating!

Clean eating is similar to the Paleo diet. To learn more about the Paleo diet and how it differs from clean eating click here!

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Well, let me first tell you that no, you don’t have to eat raw meat.

I personally had no clue what Paleo even was before I started researching it. However, my attitude toward it drastically changed as I realized all it requires. While I’m not ready by any means to jump in and become a full fledge Paleo dieter (I’d have to give up my addiction to cheese, peanut butter, brownies, ice cream, and well…sweets), I do feel a desire to be a bit more conscious about what I put into my body.

Hopefully after reading this, you can nod along with your friends and actually understand what they mean when they say, “I’m going Paelo.” Whether or not you decide to join them is your choice.

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So What Is The Paleo Diet?

To put it simply, the Paleo diet includes eating foods that our hunter gatherer ancestors who lived in the Paleolithic era consumed. It’s all about taking it back to the basics.

According to Wikipedia, the main concepts of this diet have been around for some time (well obviously back to the stone age!), but it was Loren Cordain, Ph.D., who started the Paleo movement and popularized the diet with his published book, The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy By Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat.

Many athletes stick to this diet and it is even sometimes called the CrossFit diet. There are also many with Celiac Disease or a gluten allergy who prefer to eat Paleo. Others choose to go Paleo because of the health benefits associated with the diet.

Paleo followers may enjoy some of these health benefits:

• Weight loss
• Improvement in mental outlook
• Better cardiovascular and metabolic health
• More energy and better sleep

Other health benefits can be found here. The ultimate purpose of the Paleo diet is to enjoy a healthier, longer life.

However, there is the risk of calcium and vitamin D deficiency, as well as, a risk of toxins from consuming too much fish. Most people report experiencing a period of feeling sick for the first couple of weeks as their body adjusts to a new diet, but sometimes it is just a couple days.

So when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of it all, what can and can’t you eat? Now, not all experts agree on the same guidelines of what qualifies as Paleo and what doesn’t, but here is the general consensus from my research.

What Can You Eat?

Following this hunter-gather-diet can be a bit expensive – both in the money and time department. It takes planning, dedication, and creativity! So what’s ok to have on your Paleo menu?

• Lean meat
• Seafood
• Eggs
• Fruit
• Vegetables (non-starchy and roots)
• Nuts
• Seeds

Just so you could get a taste of what to expect in a day, I included this awesome example for a Paleo-delicious meal plan curtious of the folks over at Paleo Plan.

Breakfast
-Eggs, sausage, mushrooms, onions, garlic, and kale
-Sauteed and scrambled in coconut oil
-Avocado to top it off

Lunch
-Tossed green salad with tons of veggies (spinach, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.)
-Grilled chicken/beef/pork
-Olive oil, herb, and lemon juice dressing
-Cantaloupe, blackberries, and pecans

Snack
Leftover baked salmon and red peppers

Dinner
-Venison steak
-Steamed summer squash with lemon juice, coconut milk, and cinnamon
-Sauteed asparagus 

Dessert
-1 or 2 dates

Now, whether you are for or against diets similar to the Paleo diet, you have to give props to those who do follow them. It takes a lot of planning and preparation.

If you want to try some other great Paleo dishes, click on these recipes below.

*Disclaimer: There are some ingredients found in these recipes that don’t fully qualify as Paleo. So you can either take them out, find a replacement, or use them as part of your transitional recipe stage!

Baked Egg Tomato Cups

Roasted Squash Tacos

What Should You Avoid Eating?

Because the basic pretense of the Paleo diet originates from our great great great great great…well you get the picture…great ancestors in the Paleolithic era and what they would have eaten, there are quite a few foods we eat without thinking that are off limits.

So here is the low down on the no-nos:

• Grains
• Cereals
• Legumes
• Dairy products
• Processed foods
• Refined sugars

Obviously, this is a lot to cut out of your diet immediately. Those over at CrossFit Paradox explain nicely the idea behind this type of eating,

“It causes you to burn fat for fuel decreasing body fat, avoids storing excess glucose as fat, helps maintain hormonal balance and decreases inflammation in the body.”

So if you are trying to decide if this diet is for you, I’d highly recommend doing your own research before jumping on the Paleo bandwagon. I particularly loved reading about people’s experiences! Here is one of my favorite articles I found from Women’s Health Magazine, 7 Things No One Tells You About Going Paleo.

So now can you answer the question, “What is the Paleo diet?” Hopefully! I know I understand it a whole lot better! At least now I know what I could cook for my friends and family who are following the diet.

The Paleo diet is similar to clean eating. To learn more about the clean eating and how it differs from the Paleo diet click here.

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Hey guys—Margaret Anne from Natural Chow here, back with another healthy and delicious recipe for ya! With summer around the corner, cooling off is everyone’s number one priority. And these sweet, 100% natural peach strawberry popsicles are sure to do the trick!

Three ingredient recipes are among my favorite, mostly because of their simplicity. This is by far one of the easiest recipes to ever come out of my kitchen, and it’s just as delicious. All you need is canned or fresh sliced peaches, apple juice, and strawberries!

To make things easier, I prefer using canned peaches. Not only does this make for a smoother popsicle, but it also saves you from having to slice up some peaches (and removing the stubborn pits).

A 29 oz. can of sliced peaches is the perfect amount for this recipe!

I’m a little obsessed with no-mess/low-mess recipes at the moment, and these peach strawberry popsicles definitely fit into that category. Even with some little hands helping.

The amount of strawberries you add to the mix is totally up to you. I’ve found that 3-5 large strawberries makes for the perfect combination of sweet and tangy.

Depending on the size of your popsicle mold, this recipe should make roughly 6-8 popsicles. However, since not all molds are created equally, the amount you get out of this recipe may differ.

You can also add in some diced strawberries to the mix before pouring the fruit puree into the popsicle molds.

I picked up these colorful molds from the dollar store, but I think you might have more success with a non-plastic mold, as these were a little tricky to get out. But if you’re feeling extra spunky and want to take this cool summer treat to the next level, you could try using different shaped popsicle molds!

You guys are going to loooove these simple, healthy 3-ingredient peach strawberry popsicles!

Here’s the recipe:

Print

3-Ingredient Peach Strawberry Popsicles

Simple, easy peach strawberry popsicles made with just 3 ingredients!

Course Dessert

Servings 6 -8 popsicles

Author Margaret Anne @ Natural Chow

Ingredients

• 1 29 oz. can sliced peaches
• 1/2 - 1 cup apple juice
• 3 - 5 large strawberries rinsed

Instructions

• In your blender, combine all ingredients and blend until mixture is smooth.
• Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Notes

These will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe!

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Hi, my name is Jen from Bakerette and I’m currently crushing on this Quinoa Salad that is packed with lots of healthy ingredients so you can eat it without the guilt.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, and Cucumber

Eat this Quinoa Salad with Roasted Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, and Cucumber without the guilt. A powerhouse salad that is utterly delicious and nutritious.

Quinoa is a super food! It is packed with B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, vitamin E, fiber, and all essential amino acids making it a complete protein. I’m sure there are so many other nutrients packed into this powerhouse grain that I’m not aware of.

First, this tabouleh-like salad is simmered in orange juice giving it a hint of citrus. The taste is awesome!

Second, it has roasted red peppers! Have you had roasted red peppers? Incredibly delicious as they cook under a broiler until blistered and charred. The flavors are completely and utterly revealed when roasted.

Thirdly, add tomatoes, cucumber, tofu, mint, basil, and if desired, pine nuts for a crunchy texture. Serve it over a bed of spinach. You’ll love it!

This quinoa salad is:

Moist

Delicious

Satisfying

Filling

Crunchy

Nutritious

Very high in magnesium

Very high in phosphorous

Very high in vitamin B6

Very high in vitamin C

Very high in iron

Very high in fiber

Has no cholesterol

High in protein

If you like this Quinoa Salad with Roasted Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, and Cucumber, you will love these other salads at Bakerette.com

Try this Couscous Tabouleh Salad

Or how about this perfect summer salad: Italian Pasta with Vinaigrette Dressing

Enjoy your salad and I’ll see you around at Bakerette!

xoxo Jen

Print

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Peppers, Tomatoes and Cucumber

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10

Calories 279kcal

Author Bakerette.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups quinoa rinsed and drained
• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 2 cups water
• Generous pinch of salt
• 2 large red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup pine nuts optional
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 medium cucumber peeled, halved, seeded and finely diced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes whole or halved
• 1/4 cup finely chopped basil
• 6 to 8 ounces tofu drained, pressed, and cubed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Spinach optional

Instructions

• Over medium heat, warm olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add quinoa and stir constantly until quinoa is lightly brown (about 4 minutes). Increase heat to medium high, stir in orange juice, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes).
• Fluff quinoa with a fork and spread over a baking sheet to cool.
• Place whole red bell peppers on a baking sheet under the broiler on high, turning occasionally until bell peppers' skin blisters and turns black. Remove from oven and immediately cover with foil tightly. Set aside for 30 minutes or until peppers are cool enough to handle. Remove stems and slice into quarters. Remove peels and seeds and discard.
• If adding pine nuts, toast pine nuts in a medium skillet over medium heat stirring occasionally until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a plate to cool
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil and vinegar. Transfer quinoa, peppers, pine nuts, cucumber, tomato, basil, mint and tofu and toss until thoroughly combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve over a bed of spinach.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 279kcal | Protein: 8.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Sugar: 7g

Jen

Sole Proprietor, Bakerette.com

Connect With Me:
Bakerette.com | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | StumbleUpon

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I’m not the kind of person that enjoys spending all morning making breakfast just for it to be devoured in a matter of minutes. I’d rather cook once and eat for a week.

You don’t need me to explain the convenience of cereal to you. We all know it’s fast, delicious, and the kids love it! So today I thought I’d share with you a healthy alternative to everyone’s favorite breakfast.

The things you’ll need to make this Cinnamon Blueberry Almond Granola Cereal are:

• Old-fashioned oats
• Slivered or chopped almonds
• Ground cinnamon
• Flax seeds
• Maple syrup
• Coconut oil
• Vanilla extract
• Freeze-dried or dried blueberries

Super simple, healthy ingredients. Check.

I’m not even kidding you guys, this is one of the simplest recipes ever. It only takes a couple of minutes to mix all of the ingredients together and then you just pop it in the oven, stirring halfway through baking and boom! You’ve got yourself some of the tastiest granola cereal ever.

You can use either freeze-dried blueberries or dried blueberries for this Cinnamon Blueberry Almond Granola. I chose to use freeze-dried, simply because that’s all I had. Although I imagine it would taste just as amazing with regular dried blueberries.

If you’re not a fan of almonds, feel free to switch it up and use the nut of your choice. Pecans or walnuts would make a great substitute.

This cinnamon blueberry almond granola cereal is toddler approved. Ahem, pickiest-toddler-in-the-world approved.

So, I mean if that doesn’t tell ya you need to make this simple recipe ASAP, I don’t know what will…

Sweet, nutty, toasty granola in less than an hour. Trust me when I say you need to add this to your breakfast rotation.

Here’s the recipe for the best Cinnamon Blueberry Almond Granola Cereal you will taste!

Print

Cinnamon Blueberry Almond Granola Cereal

Author Margaret Anne @ Natural Chow

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon golden flax seeds
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup freeze-dried blueberries or dried blueberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, cinnamon, and flax seeds and stir. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to combine.
• Spread the granola onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Let cool completely before serving or storing. Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks.

Looking for more granola inspiration?

Skinny Dark Chocolate Chia Granola

Cardamom Almond Coconut Granola Cereal

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