NEW TEAM - clean eating - JOIN HERE

pinksultana

Im starting to look into my nutrition and am trying to incorporate clean eating into my daily life. Im wondering if anyone wants to join me on this quest. We can share ideas, tips, recipes and encouragment to help us in changing our lifestyles for the better....and also for people who are eating clean who may be able to help educate us on this 'art'

I am starting slowly as I am someone who has been making poor nutrition choices for a long time, and have realised that even though I may stay within my calorie limits for the day, this way of eating is not doing me anygood and also not helping my weightloss efforts either.

Im starting by having 'clean' breakfasts of either porridge or granola with fresh fruits, or scrambled egg whites with tomatoes and capscicum. I will also be having fresh veggies, nuts or fruits for snacks, rather than trying to find low calorie 'treats' which are heavily processed.

I have a question relating to dairy such as reduced fat cheese and non-fat milk - are these highly processed therefore reducing the fats, or would these be considered 'clean'??

Thanks to anyone who joins me in this quest.

XXPINK

LeanLioness

I am in with you!!!

According to what I have researched, you should have full fat products and measure out a serving size. That is the healthiest and less processed.............



Also, if you eat bacon, sausage, deli meats,hot dogs.............you should try to find all natural, nitrate free products. (Word of caution: These products are expensive and perish faster due to the lack of preservatives).

I had a package of nitrate free bacon that I purchased from my Neighborhood Coop and I had cooked 4 slices (2 for me and 2 for my hubby). It sat in the fridge and went bad by the time we were going to eat it again and I paid almost 6.00 for that package to have to throw it away..........So the next time I purchased the bacon, I brought it home and packaged into serving sizes for me and hubby and froze each one.......that way I don't waste food.

LeanLioness

I have recipes for some natural granola is you would like them.

That is the best way when trying to eat clean.

I started making my own granola, egg creams, sausage, etc.............

lulabellewoowoo

Would you mind explaining a little more what "clean living" entails? No processed foods?

Thanks.

cherapple

I'll join! I was in a clean eating group here a few months ago, took a break from calorie counting, and now I'm back. I didn't completely stop eating clean, but I have some cleaning up to do!

As for the question about dairy, I consider most low-fat dairy to be clean. It doesn't take much processing to skim the fat from milk or yogurt, or to make cheese or ricotta from skim or low-fat milk. Low-fat sour cream, on the other hand, is just plain unnatural, and I do like my half-and-half in coffee.

My yardstick to measure whether something is clean is the amount of processing required to lower the fat, and how many chemicals, sugar, and other unnatural ingredients were added to "enhance" flavor or consistency. If the fat can be removed without altering or adding anything else, it's good.

Cheryl

keiko

I'm becoming cleaner and would like to continue to learn.

leanlioness, do you have calorie/nutri info for your granola? I have a recipe but always like to see others for tweaking mine into something better.

I did just switch to natural peanut butter. I like but when I go shopping today DH will buy his own kind. He said YUCK to the natural. We don't have kids at home so I don't have to worry about food attitudes rubbing off. But even he is getting better about his eating.

Does anyone have a recipe for catalina dressing or poppyseed dressing? Those are two I like on occasion. I usually only use EVOO & balsamic vinegar. But sometimes I like a change.

Hope you all have a good Monday:flowerforyou:

LeanLioness

I'm becoming cleaner and would like to continue to learn.

leanlioness, do you have calorie/nutri info for your granola? I have a recipe but always like to see others for tweaking mine into something better.

I did just switch to natural peanut butter. I like but when I go shopping today DH will buy his own kind. He said YUCK to the natural. We don't have kids at home so I don't have to worry about food attitudes rubbing off. But even he is getting better about his eating.

Does anyone have a recipe for catalina dressing or poppyseed dressing? Those are two I like on occasion. I usually only use EVOO & balsamic vinegar. But sometimes I like a change.

Hope you all have a good Monday:flowerforyou:

I don't have calorie counts because I don't count calories................I am a carb counter. These granola recipes I got from my aunt who has lost 120 pounds on Atkins and is keeping it off now for 4 years.........

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all natural peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or oil
For ALL NATURAL sugar-free sweetening:
-3 tablespoons erythritol or xylitol, powdered
-1/2 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
-1/4 teaspoon pure NuNaturals stevia extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon flax meal
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons nut meal (almond, pecan, whatever you like)
1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Melt butter or oil with peanut butter in a small bowl in microwave until liquified. Powder erythritol in a coffee grinder or blender. Whisk erythritol, blackstrap molasses, additional sweeteners, and sea salt into peanut butter mixture. Mix dry ingredients together and stir in wet ingredients, using your hands to coat the nut and seed blend. Spread mixture over a parchment paper-lined baking pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, stirring the mixture around occasionally. Remove from oven and spread over a paper towel set on a baking rack. It will continue to dry out as the moisture evaporates. Store in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze.


~7g net carbs per half cup

LeanLioness

Wheat Free Granola Bars

1-1/2 cups Oats, Rolled, Regular Old fashoned
1/2 cup Oat Flour
1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds (Raw)
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds (Raw Shelled)
3 Tb Sesame Seeds (Natural Brown)
1/2 cup Coconut Flakes
1 Tb Carob Powder (Toasted) or cocoa
1 tsp Guar Gum
1/2 cup sweetener
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup Peanut Butter
4 Tb water
1 Tb Vegetable Oil

Preheat oven to 325°. Oil a 9" x 13" baking pan, set aside.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

Mix molasses, sweetener, peanut butter, water, and oil in a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.

Press mixture into prepared baking.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until slightly browned. Cut into bars with a sharp knife immediately. Cool 20 minutes or until bars can be handled, then remove from pan and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes 16 bars.

LeanLioness

1/2 cup of flaxseeds
1/2 cup of flaxseed meal
3/4 cup of oatmeal..use the steel-cut if you can
1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 cup of Splenda (to taste)
1/4 cup of Poly-D (optional)
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/4 cup of chopped almonds or pecans, etc..
2 T raisins, or unsweetened dried berries (optional)
1/2 stick of butter, softened
CC milk or cream (1/4 cup or so)

Preheat oven to 350* F.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Then cream in the butter until evenly dispersed. Slowly pour in the milk until the dough is about the consistency of a slightly wet cookie dough (not really stiff).

Grease a 9 x 9 pan and pat the dough in the pan. Bake 30 minutes until slightly brown on the top/edges..

If you want them to be crunchier, then cut up the bars and place them on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees for 30 minutes until they are crunchy on the outside. Then remove and cool.

Makes about 12.

Nutrition facts for the recipe as shown, using old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/8 cup of raisins, chopped almonds, and heavy cream:

Per Serving (12 servings): 252 Calories; 20g Fat (62.5% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 17mg Cholesterol; 175mg Sodium.

No raisins:
Per Serving (12 servings): 248 Calories; 20g Fat (63.6% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 17mg Cholesterol; 175mg Sodium.

almond13

Hi! Funny thing I was just about to post a clean eating question / try to get a group together... I just got my first clean eating magazine... and i am wicked excited to make all of the yummy recipes!!! :flowerforyou: I'm in!!!

almond13

I think I am going to start a clean eating thread with daily 'clean challenges' to help myself and others ease into it... as an avid big mac eater this is going to be hard for me... but i am going to start slow... and work my way into it..

pinksultana

there are clean eating mags? hmm i may go look out for some...hopefully theyre available in the UK

xxPINK

WINEYINVA

I would love to join I have been doing some clean eating for the last few weeks, its taking some getting used to especially after doing a little research and realizing the few mistakes I have made. I have a question about carbs. I have cut them out almost entirely but am unhappy about it . Is there a type of pasta or rice that can be consumed and considered clean. Also I noticed that fresh bakery bread has all natural ingredients so I am assuming it is okay to eat as well.

keiko

Here's a link to a mag. There are even some recipes online! Some look really good.

http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/minisite/ce_index.htm

They even have a 7 day menu plan.

I just found it so I haven't looked at it to much.


Leanlioness, thanks for the recipes! I haven't made granola in a while. I might have to again.
:flowerforyou:

cherapple

Whole wheat pasta and brown rice are clean. Basically, stay away from white (simple) carbs, and eat whole (complex) carbs. Carbs are a necessary part of a clean diet and you should never cut them out entirely. The ultimate goal is to pair complex carbs with a lean protein at every meal (and eat 5 to 6 small meals each day).

Fresh bakery bread is better than some breads because it is fresh and probably doesn't contain preservatives, but if it's made of white flour, it's still highly processed.

I would love to join I have been doing some clean eating for the last few weeks, its taking some getting used to especially after doing a little research and realizing the few mistakes I have made. I have a question about carbs. I have cut them out almost entirely but am unhappy about it . Is there a type of pasta or rice that can be consumed and considered clean. Also I noticed that fresh bakery bread has all natural ingredients so I am assuming it is okay to eat as well.

AwesomeSmiles100

I want to join but im trying to gain weight.......any suggestions!
url=http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker][/url]
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Food Diary
:laugh:

cherapple

I don't know much about gaining weight, except that it happens on me without thinking! :laugh: Are you trying to put on fat, muscle, or both? I would suggest lots of healthy fats (olive oil, nuts and nut oils, dairy). Either way, you need extra calories, obviously. Weight lifters and athletes use clean diets to both gain and lose weight, so clean eating can be tweaked to do either in a healthy way.

I want to join but im trying to gain weight.......any suggestions!

tangib

Hey everyone! So glad I found this thread! I'm very much interested in this lifestyle. So I look forward to reading through all your posts! I just joined a couple of the groups on facebook as well & pretty excited about learning more! :flowerforyou: