What Exactly IS Clean Eating ??

What exactly IS clean eating ?

Many of my friends have been asking this question to me so I ventured online to find a better way to explain it than I have been.. and found this :

• Clean eating is not eating processed foods.
• Clean eating is not eating sugar. (at least very minimal amounts of sugar!)
• Clean eating is not eating foods that have ingredients that I can't pronounce.
• Clean eating is not eating foods with high fructose corn syrup....even though I can pronounce that.

So what cleaning IS, is this:

• Clean eating is eating foods with fewer ingredients.
• Clean eating is fueling my body with things that are FOOD and are meant to be put into my body.
• Clean eating is trying new things. Things like tofu and polenta.
• Clean eating is more plants, lean meats, and whole grains - less snack bars, cheese, and desserts.

And to add to this :

• Clean eating is reading all the packages and making sure you choose foods that are LOW in sodium, low in sugar, and low in fats.

If you read any packages, you will see a very high content of sugars , fats and SODIUM . I was appalled the other day, looking at my once loved Wonton Soup from the freezer section of Costco.

Over 1400 mg of sodium in one bowl !!!!!!! YIKES !!

So what is clean eating ? Doing your homework on everything you put into yours and your childrens bodies, and doing all of the above :)

Happy clean eating friends !!!

A Healthy Breakfast Choice

My yummy version of the Eggs Benny

Start by poaching one or two eggs.

Meanwhile toast one piece of rye bread.

Spread one of the following onto the toast ( avocado, low fat mayo or nothing )

Place two thickly sliced tomatoes onto the toast.

Place a piece of nitrate free ham or turkey onto the tomatoes.

Pile a good handful of spinach onto that.

Place the poached egg(s) on top of that.

Sprinkle with pepper to taste and if you must.... a tiny sprinkly of Kosher salt.

Eat with a knife and fork and enjoy !!

Optional : add part skim mozza slice on too, if you wish :)



Coconut Curry Shrimp

•1 tbsp. olive oil •1 large red onion, thinly sliced •1 tbsp minced garlic •1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger •1 lb shrimp, shelled, deveined •1/2 cup sliced carrots •1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms •1/4 cup white wine or low sodium chicken broth •1-2 tbsp Sambal Oelek, or other chili garlic paste •2 cups coconut milk •1/4 cup chopped cilantro •1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts (optional) •2 cups cooked basmati rice Instructions 1. Heat olive oil on high in medium skillet. Saute onions for 2 mins. Add garlic and ginger and saute for 1 min. 2. Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots and mushrooms. Cook for another 3 mins. Add wine and deglaze skillet for 3 mins. 3. Add sambal oelek and coconut milk. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to simmer and add cilantro. 4. Serve over basmati rice. Garnish with 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro and 1 Tbsp chopped peanuts. DONE! Yield: Serves 4-6 Preparation Time: Appx 10 minutes Cooking Time: Appx 15 minutes

Coconut Black Bean Soup

Coconut Black Bean Soup

serves 4-6

2 1/2 cups water
1 (14oz) can lite coconut milk
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, with the juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 (14.5oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (I used mixed dried beans I'd cooked myself, about 3 cups)
1 cup cooked corn kernels (I used frozen white corn)
1 cup cooked white rice (brown rice or quinoa would work fine, too)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a large heavy pot, combine water, coconut milk, tomatoes, and jalapeno. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often.

2. Add black beans, corn, rice, and salt. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5-10 minutes. Stir well and serve. This soup is best if served the next day, so flavors can thoroughly mingle, but it's still fine to make and eat at once.

You can add spinach, shrimp ...

Fruit Juice ... Is It Bad For You ?

Many people think if they drink fruit juice , then they are drinking something healthy.

Well , you are and you aren't.

Fruit juices contain a TON of sugar. Does it surprise you that a glass of juice, whether 100% real fruit or not , still contains about the same amount of sugar as a glass of pop ?

You put yourself and your children at risk for diabetes and obesity. ( don't forget about your teeth )

Your best alternative to getting the proper hydration is water.

Send your children to school with water, not juice boxes and set a good example and drink lots of water yourself .

And to get your proper serving of fruit, EAT fruit instead of drinking it in large compounded proportions. Plus eating your fruits also gives you much needed fiber :)

So before you chug down a glass of juice or pack another juice box into your kids lunch, think about how much compounded sugar you are putting into your bodies and the risks associated with it and fill up with good clean water !!!!

Salmon Corn Chowder with Quick & Healthy Corn Bread

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 medium Russet or Idaho potatoes, peeled
• 2 carrots, peeled
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 32-oz container low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 6-oz cans salmon packed in water, without bones or skin
• 2 cups corn, freshly shucked or frozen
• 1 to 2 tsp paprika
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp dill, finely minced
CORN BREAD
Makes 10 to 12 2-inch squares.
•1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 egg whites, whisked
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tsp paprika
• Olive oil cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS:
1.Place potatoes and carrots in a medium saucepot; cover with water. Boil over medium-high for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and carrots in a colander and pour cold water over. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove potatoes and carrots and dice.
2.Meanwhile, preheat large stockpot over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Mist with cooking spray. Add celery and onion and sauté for 2 minutes or until onions become translucent.
3.Add oil and flour, whisking briskly. Add milk, whisking in a 1/4 cup at a time. (This will create a roux, or thickener, for your soup.)
4.Add broth and cook for at least 5 minutes. If soup seems a little thin, add more flour (no more than 1 tbsp), a 1/2 tsp at a time, and whisk briskly. Add salmon, diced potatoes and carrots, corn and paprika. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5.Add dill just 1 minute before serving.

CORN BREAD INSTRUCTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Then whisk in egg whites, milk and paprika.
3.Spray an 8- to 10-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cut into 2-inch squares.


SALMON CORN CHOWDER

Nutrients per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 210, Total Fat: 4.5 g, Sat. Fat: 0 g, Carbs: 25 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 6 g, Protein: 16 g, Sodium: 270 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

CORN BREAD

Nutrients per 2-inch square: Calories: 80, Total Fat: 0.5 g, Sat. Fat: 0 g, Carbs: 15 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 1 g, Protein: 3 g, Sodium: 20 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

Why I Don't Use my Microwave......

Many of you question why I don't use my microwave, and many scoff at me and say there are plenty things that are bad for you,why sweat the small stuff.

Well I thought I would put this on my clean eating blog so that those who are wondering , can read all about it and those who didn't realize the dangers, can make changes too for the health of their families . Why wouldn't you ?

A good friend of mine , lost her sister to cancer . And a couple years after attended the Cross Cancer Institute to learn about some of the causes of cancer by a few doctors that were educating people about the matter.

She came home with an article on microwave ovens and threw hers out immediately. She made sure to tell the people she loved to throw theirs out as well.

I stopped using mine right away as well !!!!

Here is why :

ALL ABOUT MICROWAVES by Dr. Mercola

I would love to hear about what you did with your microwave after reading this article :0

To your good health ,
Tammy