Clean Eating Monday - Chicken and Barley Stew

Another soup/stew for me this week. I am so glad I have the opportunity to put together a list of go to soups and stews for the fall. 

This recipe from Clean Eating Magazine is a new favorite of mine. It is really simple to put together and is truly filling. The original recipe called for sour cream, but I don't like sour cream plus I'm not sure how "clean" it is, so I didn't add it.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Barley Stew

Ingredients

32 oz low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 tsp garlic sea salt (I used regular sea salt)

1/2 tbsp thyme

1/2 tbsp basil

1/2 tbsp cilantro

1/4 tbsp dill

2 bay leaves

1/2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed (uncooked)

1/2 cup uncooked black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked through

1/2 cup barley

1 medium sweet onion, cubed

20 oz potatoes, peeled and cubed

10 oz carrots (3 large), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

Instructions

1. Fill a slow cooker with broth, 8 oz water, garlic, herbs and pepper. Add chicken, black-eyed peas and barley, then layer onion, potatoes and carrots over top. Liquid should just cover vegetables. Do not stir.

2. Allow to simmer, at least 4 to 6 hours. Remove bay leaves and stir before serving. Spoon 1 cup into each bowl. Makes 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Clean Eating Monday - Tuscan Bean Soup

When I started out with my clean eating diet, I originally wanted to learn some soup recipes. I used to always keep several cans of soup in my pantry for when I got sick, but canned soup, canned anything really, is a big no-no! So, I knew I needed to learn a few go to soup recipes that I could make and freeze for when I got sick or just wanted a bowl of soup.

After searching Pinterest, which is a great source of clean eating recipes, I found a great recipe for Tuscan Bean soup. I changed the recipe a tad, by eliminating the ham, which I don't eat, and cutting the amount of garlic in half. 

Since I got rid of all of my canned food, I decided this recipe would be a great time to learn how to cook dried beans. I had never cooked dried beans before, so I had no idea that they expanded. It was quite a shock in the morning when I looked in my pot of beans and they had almost doubled, meaning I had a TON of beans. It turned out great, though.

This is a great, simple, crockpot soup recipe, and perfect for the beginner clean eater.

Clean Eating Monday - Mashed Cauliflower

I am really not a fan of cauliflower, so when someone told me about this I was very hesitant to try it. Let me just say, it is amazing! In just a few minutes, you'll have a much healthier side dish than mashed potatoes.

Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower
4-6 tbsps of plain Greek yogurt
Ground black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Rinse and separate the cauliflower into florets.
2. Boil cauliflower florets for 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Place florets in a food processor or mixer.
4. Add 4 tbsps of Greek yogurt and pepper to taste.
5. Blend cauliflower, yogurt, and pepper for a few seconds. If not creamy enough, add another couple of tbsps of yogurt and blend a few more seconds until smooth and creamy.

Makes 6 servings

Clean Eating Monday - Why I decided to eat clean

A few months ago, after being diagnosed with a couple of health issues, my doctor recommended that I try a clean eating diet. I really had no idea what that was, so I headed to the internet. During my search I came across a book by Tosca Reno, The Eat-Clean Diet, which had a lot of really great reviews. I was lucky enough to find it at my local library, so I picked it up and read it that day. It is the perfect book for anyone new to a clean eating diet, and breaks down what a clean eating diet is, how to shop, and recipes for every meal. 

There are different versions of the clean eating diet, but I'll share with you what I am doing and how it is working for me. 

1. It isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle change - I don't like the fact that it is called a "diet". For me, it is a complete and total lifestyle change. When I decided to begin eating clean, I purged my pantry and refrigerator of all non-clean items. It was really tough, but I knew that if it was in the house, I would eat it. 

2. Avoid processed foods - I read on my favorite clean eating website, The Gracious Pantry, that if you can't pronounce an ingredient it isn't clean. I have never been one to read the labels on my food, but I have completely changed that. I read EVERY label now. 

3. Avoid anything "white" - I no longer eat white rice, white flour, and I am slowly weaning myself off of white sugar. I also learned that table salt is a big no-no. I now only use sea salt, though I don't use it that often.

4. Eat as much fresh food as possible - I've read that when you shop for food you should stick to the outer areas of the grocery store. That is where you find the fresh fruit, veggies, meat, dairy, etc. Try to keep what you are buying as close to nature as possible. 

5. Eat 5-6 smaller meals a day - I eat breakfast around 7:30, a snack at 10:00, lunch at 12:00, a snack at 3:00, dinner at 5:30, and a snack at 7:30. It has worked out quite well for me. 

That is basically how I've been eating for the past 2 months. The big news is I have lost over 4 inches off of my waist just from changing my eating. I also no longer have acid reflux. Pretty cool! 

This is just a small idea of what clean eating is all about. If you are interested in learning much more about clean eating, I suggest you check out the following books and websites:

The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno

The Everything Eating Clean Cookbook by Britt Brandon

Clean Eating for Busy Families by Michelle Dudash

thegraciouspantry.com

cleaneatingmag.com

eatingwell.com

I have also set up some clean eating boards on Pinterest:

Clean Eating

Clean Eating Side Dishes

Clean Eating Desserts

Clean Eating Snacks

Clean Eating Dinner

Clean Eating Breakfast

Clean Eating Lunch

Clean Eating Slow Cooker

Clean Eating Soups and Stews

In the upcoming weeks, I will be sharing with you some recipes I've tried and how they have turned out. I'll also let you know what is working for me and what is not. This is definitely a work in progress, but I am happy that it is already working!

Yarn Along

It has been a wild few weeks here in the South. We've had snow, wind, and ice! You'd think with me being stuck in my house for days I would have gotten a bunch of crocheting done. Nope! I am really struggling with getting my crafty mojo back. I just haven't been in the mood to craft lately. I am hoping spring will bring some life back into my craft projects.

I did whip up a little crocheted cookie. I used the super cute amigurumi cookie pattern from amigurumifood.blogspot.com. Super simple pattern and really cute. I love making play food!

I really haven't been reading too much either, except for cookbooks and reference books. Not too exciting, but very useful.

On January 1 of this year, I decided (along with the advice from my doctor) to start a clean eating diet. I use the term "diet" even though it is more of a healthy eating lifestyle change. The Skinny Ms. Slow Cooker cookbook is the first clean eating cookbook I got, or actually won. It has really been a lifesaver for me. I really do not enjoy cooking, so being able to throw a few ingredients into a crockpot and letting it do the work is awesome!

I have been on the "diet" now for almost 2 months. I have learned plenty of things to do and things not to do, but I am still learning. I've had a lot of my friends ask me about clean eating. So, I thought I would post a little about what clean eating is all about, what is working for me and what is not, and some recipes that I have tried. I'm going to designate Mondays as "Clean Eating Mondays". I usually only cook on the weekends, so Mondays will be perfect to let you know what I cooked over the weekend and how it turned out. This Monday's post will explain clean eating and offer up a really quick and yummy recipe.

I have been using a lot of the recipes from the above book, so while I will tell you what I cooked I will not be able to give the entire recipe. If you are interested in clean eating and crockpot cooking, I definitely recommend picking up this book. It is really great!

Linking to Yarn Along.

 

Clean Eating Cooking - Peanut Butter Chicken