CLEAN EATING
Those of you that know me well, know that I love food. Some would call me a "foodie", some would call me "obsessed" and others call me "Ms. Leah, or Mrs. Warren". Regardless, food is my thing. One thing I am NOT though is a food snob. I just love good food. As I've "matured" I've been wanting to look beyond just the way food tastes, and what it does for my body. I'm also wanting to stop focusing on the "bad" side of food (calories, fat, pounds on my booty) and wanting to focus on it's good side...how can it help my body? I've been evolving and there is now a name for where I'm at in my relationship with food: clean eating. According the Livestrong website:
"Clean eating is a diet program based on the idea that the best way to eat is to abundantly enjoy whole foods -- that is, foods as close to their natural state and you can get them. This means eating fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins instead of pre-packaged, processed foods or fast food. Clean eating is also committed to replacing saturated fats with healthy fats. Many on the plan don't count calories, but instead trust in good quality, healthy food."
Here are some lifestyle changes I've been making as a result in this shift of thinking:
1) Buying less products with a UPC code. In other words FRESH fruits and veggies, FRESH meats and grains in bulk. (ok, they all still have a UPC code technically, but you know what I mean)
2) The things we eat a lot of, trying to make it as true to it's original state as possible. ie. peanut butter and jelly (and yes, they are more expensive this way, but you do save costs in other areas)
3) Trail mix and popcorn are great snacks that don't need to be "Fresh"
4) Dusted off my bread machine. It's like the discovery of the crock pot all over again : )
5) Replacing Sour Cream and Cream Cheese with Greek Yogurt
6) Making hearty breakfasts on weekends that we can munch on throughout the week (granola, pancakes, breakfast burritos, muffins)
7) Where I shop. It just is the nature of the beast...whole foods, sprouts, and farmers markets really do have the most variety. I do love that when I shop at Kroger (they are the best after the above here in Mckinney) they don't know what it is I'm buying (i.e. fennel and leeks) so they just charge me 99 cents : )
7) Trying to limit high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and anything that I can't pronounce on a label. While these things make our food taste good (they are designed to make our brain think that), they can be pretty harmful to our bodies.
8) Piggy backing off the ladder change, trying to give ourselves some grace. All food is fine, in moderation (I would hate to be without my Chik fil A) . I'm just trying to change the "everyday" things we eat. I DO NOT want to be a food snob, nor do I want my kids to go off the deep end when they aren't with me.
It's no secret that 
. Their "clean eating" plan is A-MAZING. Here are my fave meals that we had this week. Hope I've tempted you!
Marinate 4 - 8 Hrs
Cumin Rubbed
Pork Chops
Black Bean, Orange, Feta
and Cilantro Salad
(3 t cumin)
(2 T apple cider vinegar)
(2 T honey)
(2 T olive oil)
(2 t salt)
(1 t pepper)
6 pork chops
15 oz can black beans, drained
1 Navel orange, segmented and cut into small
pieces
1/2 red onion, shaved
4 T feta, crumbled
4 T cilantro leaves
(3 T olive oil)
(2 T apple cider vinegar)
(Salt and pepper to taste)
Combine cumin, vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Rub spice mixture on pork chops and marinate for 4 - 8
hours. Grill over medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes.
Combine black beans, orange segments, red onion, feta
and cilantro. Toss with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Mushroom Tart
Spinach and Pear Salad
(2 T butter)
1/2 c chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 c Greek yogurt
6 eggs
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 T whole milk
(1/2 t salt)
(1/4 t pepper)
(1 t Tabasco sauce, optional)
3 c fresh baby spinach
2 Bosc pears, sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
(4 T olive oil)
(2 T sherry vinegar)
(1 t Dijon)
1 garlic clove, crushed
(Salt and pepper to taste)
Heat oven to 350° F. Heat butter in skillet over medium
heat. Add onion and cook for 7 - 10 minutes or until soft. Add
garlic cloves and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add
mushrooms and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, stirring often.
Combine yogurt, eggs, Parmesan, milk, salt and pepper.
Add mushroom mixture and mix well. Add Tabasco if
desired. Pour into a greased pie dish. Bake for 25 - 30
minutes. Cool for 5 - 10 minutes before slicing.
Toss spinach, pear and shallots. Whisk olive oil, vinegar,
Dijon, garlic, salt and pepper. Dress salad lightly. Serve
alongside mushroom tart.
Herb Roasted Salmon
Caramelized Leeks
Red Lentils
11/2 lb side of salmon
2 T chopped dill
2 T fresh thyme
(1 t salt)
(1/2 t pepper)
(2 T softened butter)
(2 T salted butter)
1/2 lb leeks
(Salt and pepper to taste)
(2 T olive oil)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
11/2 c red lentils
3 c chicken broth
Heat oven to 400° F. Remove bones from salmon.
Combine dill, thyme, salt, pepper and butter. Rub herb
mixture on salmon. Bake for 18 - 22 minutes.
Heat butter in skillet until slightly bubbling. Add leeks and
cook over low to medium heat until soft. Add salt and pepper;
cook for an additional 10 - 15 minutes. Heat olive oil over
medium heat. Add red bell pepper and shallots; cook until
soft. Cook lentils according to package directions, substituting
broth for water. Add peppers and shallots to lentils 5 minutes
before cooking time ends. Season with salt and pepper to
taste.
