Pork Loin with Baked Apples

This is my definition of comfort food...and my entire family loved it! (As an added bonus, your house will smell great while it cooks!)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 TBS filtered water
3 Gala apples, cored, peeled and cut into slices
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pound pork tenderloin
1 tsp all-natural sea salt
1 TBS agave nectar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly coat a 9" x 13" pan with olive oil. Mix applesauce, water, and apples in a mixing bowl with cinnamon. Layer the apples evenly in the pan and cook for 20 minutes or until slightly softened. Place pork tenderloin in the middle of pan and surround with apples. Sprinkle the tenderloin with sea salt and drizzle the agave nectar over the pork and apples. Return the pan to the oven for another 30 minutes.

*If your pork loin is to thick, it will take longer to cook. I cut mine in half so that it would cook more quickly.

Creamy Lemon Chicken

This is a dish that definitely comes with a little zing! LOTS of flavor! I would suggest going easy on the salt since the lemon juice already adds lots of flavor to the dish. It is fast and easy!

I was in a hurry when I made this and it was a great choice for a meal that I could put together quickly. I would suggest normally serving this with brown rice or whole wheat pasta to toss with the chicken and sauce.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 TBS olive oil
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 plain Greek-style yogurt
2 tsp all-natural sea salt (I would suggest using half this amount)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 TBS chopped basil leaves

Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces. Heat a skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Pour lemon juice into skillet. Once lemon juice begins to simmer, add yogurt and stir until the mixture becomes a sauce. Add chicken and simmer in sauce until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat. Divide into two servings. Cover chicken with lemon cream sauce, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped basil.

Quinoa

Quinoa is one of my favorite healthy things to eat. It is quick and easy, and can be eaten hot or cold. Add to that all of the nutrients in it and you have a super healthy food!

I like to buy organic quinoa because I want to make sure that my food is not processed. You can buy quinoa in red or traditional. I don't really find any difference in flavor so I just buy whatever is available at the time.

Quinoa is a protein rich food. It has almost twice as much fiber as other grains. Fiber is so important for so many reasons. In terms of weight loss, a high fiber diet keeps you full. It also reduces high blood pressure and diabetes and relieves constipation. A high fiber diet will keep you more regular. It also contains iron which helps keep your blood healthy.

One of the best benefits of quinoa in my opinion is how high it is in magnesium. Just 1/4 cup contains almost half the daily recommended value of magnesium! Magnesium is important for many things, but it is especially good for relieving headaches since it allows the blood vessels of the body to relax. I get a lot of headaches so I tend to look to my diet for solutions and quinoa is one of my solutions!

So...if you are looking for a new superfood, try quinoa. I think you will like it!

Cold Quinoa Salad

This was fast and easy to prepare...and tastes delicious! It is great for using up leftover chicken and even though it is considered a side dish, I love using this as a quick and easy lunch.

1 cup dry organic quinoa
2 cups filtered water
1 English cucumber, chopped
1 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooled and chopped
1 1/2 TBS red wine vinegar
1 1/2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, and combine with the water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, add the garlic and onion powder, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the quinoa from the heat, transfer to a separate dish, and fluff with a fork. Allow to cool. Add the chopped cucumbers and chicken to the quinoa and toss to combine. Drizzle with the vinegars and toss to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate the salad for 1 hour or more to allow the flavors to marry.

Hint: It is a GREAT time to get in some squats, etc. while the quinoa is cooking!

Natural Sweeteners

Everyone likes something sweet every once in a while but when you are trying to eat clean, what can you have? Well....there are a lot of different options out there. There are several that are low in calories, low in fructose and taste sweet. The important thing to remember is to stay away from processed sweeteners. Refined sugar is not good for you. It can be hard to quit it, but it is worth it.

One of my favorite natural sweeteners is Agave nectar. I even use it as a syrup! I add it to some of my shakes and have used it in place of sugar in recipes. There are other nectars as well that are good options. Another good option is Stevia. You can buy this in packets or in a bag. Studies have even shown it to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Both of these are sold in most grocery stores near the sugar and syrups.

Other sweeteners that health conscious people often use include coconut sugar, molasses, honey and maple syrup. These are better options than refined sugar, but should still be used sparingly since the quality is still very similar to sugar. That's not to say they are bad....I still use all of these in limited quantities...but the key is to use these sparingly.

Pay attention to what you are putting in your body!

What is Shakeology?

Shakeology is my healthiest meal of the day. It is fast, easy and nutrient rich. It is full of good things like probiotics to help my body function at its optimum. I choose to drink it for breakfast most mornings, but I have been known to grab it for a quick lunch sometimes instead. This is my "go to" food and I swear by it.

When I drink Shakeology, I notice that I have more energy and I feel better. It helps me to maintain my weight loss because it helps curb my craving for sweets. My husband is a picky eater and I have him drinking it every morning. He even makes the shakes on his own. He doesn't like to go without it. In fact, he asks for it!

One of the things I love about Shakeology is the variety of recipes that are available for you to use with it. It is easy to change things up so that you don't get sick of it. I have been drinking it daily for more than six months and I miss it when I don't have it. I keep lots of frozen fruit on hand and PB2 in the cupboard to mix in my shakes. I mix it with almond milk, coconut milk, juice or water, depending on the recipe I am using.

Plain and simple, Shakeology is healthy and convenient!

Spicy Beef Stir Fry

This was so fast to make and so good! Even my girls loved it! It was easy enough to satisfy my picky husband too...I just bought an extra flank steak and grilled it for him. ;)
Beware...I love veggies so I always add extra veggies. The recipe didn't call for carrots, but I wanted them in there so I just cut carrots into a little thicker "matchsticks" and threw them in. I like my plate to be as colorful as possible!

1 TBS olive oil
1 cup broccoli florets
1 yellow onion, quartered (I cut mine into chunks)
1 cup snow peas
1 cup white mushrooms
2 TBS minced garlic
4 TBS filtered water
1 pound flank steak, sliced
2 tsp red pepper flakes (adjust this according to how spicy you want it)
1 tsp all-natural sea salt

Warm a large skillet with 1 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Saute broccoli, onion, show peas, mushrooms and garlic (I threw in carrots) with 2 TBS water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking and tossing for 3 minutes. Add sliced steak and red pepper flakes to the skillet, adding remaining water as needed. Cook steak and vegetables until steak is cooked through. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt, remove from heat....and enjoy!
*I serve mine with brown rice.

Zoodles with Pasta Sauce

This isn't really an "official" recipe. It is just a clean eating option that I have found that works for me when my family wants pasta for dinner. I usually serve mine with turkey meatballs (although sometimes I just have some chicken on the side) and most of the time I sauté fresh mushrooms to throw in too...and actually, I have won a few of my girls over!
The amounts are rough estimates....make as much of everything as you want. It's fast, easy and delicious!

Zoodles;
2-3 zuchinni, shredded with julienne peeler
1 clove garlic
1 TBS olive oil

Use a julienne peeler to shred the zucchini. You can also use a yellow squash...I just prefer zucchini! Thinly slice the garlic and sauté in olive oil until tender. Add the zucchini. It will cook quickly...only 2-3 minutes.

Sauce:
5-6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 TBS olive oil
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano

Mix all together and simmer until cooked through. Adjust as you wish and make this your own!

Turkey Meatballs:
1 pound ground turkey
Italian seasoning (I usually just mix some basil and oregano together)
1 egg white (sometimes I skip the egg white!)
a little finely chopped onion (I sometimes skip this too!)

Mix together and make rounded balls out of the meatballs. I cook them on a stone in the microwave for 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs.

Thai Coconut Chicken

I love trying new things, but my family isn't always on board. I am always looking for recipes that are easy for me to toss together for myself while my family eats the food that they like...and this fit the bill. This dish is full of flavor and missing the fat and MSG. I am not always fond of curry, but I loved this!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp all-natural sea salt
1 TBS minced garlic
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 TBS curry powder
1 cup diced tomatoes (I used 1 large Roma tomato)
2 cups coconut milk
1 TBS agave nectar
2 TBS chopped scallions

Cut chicken into small pieces and season with salt. In a large skillet over medium heat sauté the garlic and onion with a little olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken and curry powder to skillet and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add tomatoes, coconut milk, and agave nectar to the skillet and continue to simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from stove and garnish with scallions.

*I paired it with roasted vegetables. I chunk my veggies, toss them with a little olive oil or coconut oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp all-natural sea salt, and roast at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Great Guacamole (and Tortilla Chips!)

This is a GREAT recipe of a clean eating guacamole. My daughters love this and ask me to make it for their friends. I call that a win!

3 avocados, mashed to desired consistency (I use a food processor)
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 TBS chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon all-natural sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and blend thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
*This does not keep for long so use it up quickly! (I even use it on sandwiches!)

Tortilla Chips

8 whole wheat tortillas
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS each salt, pepper and/or seasoning of choice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with foil and olive oil. Cut each tortilla into 8 pizza shaped slices. Arrange tortillas evenly on the baking sheet. Lightly drizzle the chips with olive oil and sprinkle with desired season or just salt and pepper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crispy.

Clean Eating Chili

There is nothing better on a chilly day than a bowl full of chili....and this is a recipe my family loves! It is easy to throw together and tastes great!

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1 small onion, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 TBS chili powder
2 large cans diced tomatoes* (I sometimes use fresh roma tomatoes, chopped)
1 large can crushed tomatoes

Put the turkey in the bottom of a crockpot (raw) and break up into smaller chunks. Add your chopped vegetables and beans. Add chili powder. Pour tomatoes over top. Cook on low for six hours.

Make this to suit your own tastes. For example, I like peppers so I chop a little extra pepper to throw in.
This makes quite a bit so I often freeze some of it so that I have quick meals later.

Clean Eating in Action

In order to keep your metabolism burning, you should be eating six small meals a day. For me, this means my normal three meals plus a morning and afternoon snack. A typical day of meals for me looks something like this:

Breakfast - Shakeology….I always use one of the recipes in order to get the added benefit of fiber or protein. I find the recipes more filling.  

Before I did Shakeology, I would usually do a slice of whole wheat or Ezekial bread toast with an egg white on top OR a whole wheat wrap with 1 TBS natural peanut butter and ½ a banana sliced on it. Oatmeal has always been another option for me.

Snack – Midmorning I usually have a piece of fruit (apple, banana, 20 grapes, etc.) or a natural granola bar.

Lunch – Tuna on top of a salad OR a hardboiled egg with either carrot sticks and hummus or fruit OR  a whole wheat wrap with turkey and avocado. 

Snack – In the afternoon, I typically will have an apple with 2 TBS natural peanut butter or almond butter OR ¼ c almonds and dried cranberries mixed.

Dinner – This is usually a lean meat for me (chicken, pork or fish) along with one or two sides of veggies. I try to make my plate as colorful as possible. Since my family can be picky at times, I often make my meal beside theirs. For example, if they want chicken with a sauce or gravy, I make my chicken without and eat it with them. They don’t like sweet potatoes but I do and I know they pack a bigger nutritional punch than regular potatoes so even though I fix my family their potatoes, I eat sweet potatoes. One of my family's favorites is when I grill chicken and serve it over romaine lettuce with a homemade caesar dressing for a quick caesar salad. 

As a general rule, I try to never eat after 7:00.

SIMPLE. Keep your food simple. When you are eating clean, you don’t need to add a ton of ingredients to your dishes. Lean proteins and simple, whole foods….that is what it is all about!