Clean Eating advice on grocery list and easy recipes

beaches222
beaches222 Posts: 437 Member
Okay Guys. The weekend I am officially going shopping to get my clean eating jump started. Does anyone have any suggestions on a "clean" grocery list or maybe some quick and easy recipes. I struggle sometimes on knowing what is really considered clean. What type of things do you shop for when clean eating? Thanks for any suggestions you may have. :smile:

Replies

  • ShalaraQ
    ShalaraQ Posts: 82 Member
    For me it is a process. I am slowly moving to more and more clean foods. I can't afford to just throw away everything in my pantry. Plus I am pretty sure I would be overwhelmed having to change everything about the way I cook and eat all at once. For me eating clean is not eating processed foods, as much as possible. It's cooking from scratch, most of the time.

    When I do "need" to choose a packaged item, I look for as few as ingredients as possible. For instance, basic Triscuits have wheat flour, soybean oil, and salt. Wheat Thins have flour, sugar, soybean oil, cornstarch, malt syrup, salt, invert sugar, leavening agents such as calcium phosphate, vegetable color, and BHT added to packaging material to preserve freshness. So, I choose the triscuits. Would I be better off making my own crackers or substituting homemade kale chips? Sure, but right now I can't invest that much time, so I am choosing the cleanest option I can find.

    You should be able to pronounce all the ingredients, and recognize them as foodstuff.
  • astylla
    astylla Posts: 118 Member
    I concentrate on keeping first and foremost vegetables in my fridge at all times.
    Staples I concentrate on personally :

    Organic zucchini
    Organic Carrots
    Organic salad mix ( Earthbound spring mix/baby spinach is my favorite)
    Organic Onions ( red and yellow)
    Organic tomatoes on the vine
    Organic mushrooms
    Organic apples - red delicious, gala , and granny smith are my favorites
    Organic Bananas ( these are super versatile)
    Organic berries ( I prefer the frozen variety at Trader Joes since they keep forever)
    Sweet potatoes
    Organic eggs

    Other things I keep in my freezer :

    Organic Chicken skinless boneless breasts ( Costco has the best deal here)
    Foster Farms 93% lean ground turkey ( Costco sells 4 packs for about 16-20 bucks depending on weight)
    Tilapia filets ( Costco/individually wrapped)
    Grass- fed red beef on occasion ( once every few weeks)
    Kirkland Premium Turkey burgers ( Costco has the best ones - no added junk - just turkey , black pepper and rosemary)

    Other dry/canned goods I keep :

    Kirkland organic black beans (8pk)
    Kirkland organic diced tomatoes ( 12 pk)
    Kirkland organic tomato sauce ( 8pk)
    White rice
    Quick/steel cut oats
    Whole wheat tortillas
    Organic Wheat and flax seed whole grain bread ( Costco)

    Must have spices :

    Chili powder
    Garlic powder
    Sea Salt
    Black pepper grinder
    Ground Cumin
    Paprika
    Bay leaves
    Oregano leaves
    Fresh organic cilantro

    it sounds like alot but these are all so versatile to make really great easy to make meals.

    My favorite sites are www.budgetbytes.com and www.skinnytaste.com

    Here are some photos and links to some recipes I've made :

    No Bean Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/10/no-bean-turkey-and-sweet-potato-chili.html#_a5y_p=1038048

    2bqt87.jpg

    Taco Soup
    http://www.budgetbytes.com/2010/03/taco-soup/

    1r99iu.jpg

    Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Bowls
    http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/07/taco-chicken-bowls/

    Filling goes great over a sweet potato !

    23ru5ts.jpg

    Also check out my Pinterest boards for more ideas :

    http://www.pinterest.com/astylla/food-stuffs/

    http://www.pinterest.com/astylla/budgetbytes/

    http://www.pinterest.com/astylla/weekly-meal/
  • ShalaraQ
    ShalaraQ Posts: 82 Member
    That's a great list, astylla!

    One thing I would say is that if money is a concern, I wouldn't spend the extra money on organic bananas or onions. They are usually touted as part of the "clean 15", and very unlikely to be contaminated with pesticides (along with asparagus, avocados, pineapple and a few others). Not that there aren't other reasons to buy organic if its in your budget.

    The "dirty dozen of 2014" to always buy organic if possible

    Potatoes
    Celery
    Strawberries
    Cucumbers
    Blueberries (Domestic)
    Spinach
    Sweet Bell Peppers
    Apples
    Lettuce
    Peaches
    Nectarines (Imported)
    Grapes

    The environmental working group that publishes the list of dirty dozen and clean 15 said:

    •Every sample of imported nectarines and 99 percent of apple samples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
    •The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other food.
    •A single grape sample contained 15 pesticides. Single samples of celery, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece.

    Kale and Collards on the "plus" list, as are hot peppers. Those do not meet traditional Dirty Dozen ranking criteria but were frequently contaminated with insecticides that are toxic to the human nervous system

    --
    I am a red meat eater. I can barely tolerate chicken breast anymore. At one point in my dieting history I ate 2-3 ounces 6 times a day and it got to the point where I couldn't even gag it down anymore. So a lot of my make ahead meals are based on red meat. This is one of my favorites in the summer when the pineapple is really sweet and juicy.


    Teriyaki Skirt Steak with Pineapple Relish

    2 tablespoons pineapple juice (from fresh pineapple)
    1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
    2 tablespoons honey
    1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
    2 teaspoons rice vinegar
    1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
    11/2 lb. skirt steak (or use flank steak). I get grass fed beef from my local market
    1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
    2 green onions, chopped
    1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

    Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, ginger, vinegar, and oil in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add steak. Seal and refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Remove steak from marinade, reserving marinade; sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Boil marinade in a small saucepan 5 minutes or until thickened. Grill steak, covered with grill lid, 4 minutes per side or to desired degree of doneness, basting with cooked marinade. Combine pineapple, green onions and jalapeño; serve with steak.

    Notes:

    There are probably things that are “cleaner” than reduced sodium soy sauce. This is one of those times when I don’t have the time or energy to futz around making my own version.
    I omit the added salt; it’s plenty salty for me with the soy sauce.
    I just broil the meat because I don’t have a grill right now.
    I also add cilantro to the salsa because I like cilantro.

    This makes plenty to serve my family dinner and then I have extra to gobble down for lunches. I make brown rice to go with it for my family, but I don't like brown rice, so I usually just have extra pineapple relish as my carb for the meal. And of course I add a veggie or two to the table =)
  • Look at Dani Spies' vlogs on youtube. She has many easy cleaning eating recipes - very easy to follow. You may like some of them.
  • sunsoakeddreamer
    sunsoakeddreamer Posts: 36 Member
    oo thanks for the recipe Shalara! My guy will love that one. Thanks for posting the dirty dozen too, finally putting it into my phone so I have it while shopping.
    I usually go to the store with a couple of meals in mind. I grab what ever produce I need plus whatever looks the freshest. I have been buying whole wheat bread (use half, freeze half so it lasts 2 weeks) but just got a bread maker, so I'm hoping to make our bread from now on. Each week I've been buying at least one new thing to try, a new whole grain or a new veggie usually. I pick up some other stuff from the inner isles ( I too buy triscuts, and also plain pop corn kernels). I still get cheerios too. Then I hop back out to the dairy section and around last to the meat.
    One thing I've wondered- whenever I notice a product is produced locally I usually opt for that (ie theres a hummus that's made 20 minutes from where we live), but I'm still buying from a chain supermarket. Does that defeat the purpose? Is this tub of hummus still shipped all over creation before it gets to me?
  • ShalaraQ
    ShalaraQ Posts: 82 Member
    One thing I've wondered- whenever I notice a product is produced locally I usually opt for that (ie theres a hummus that's made 20 minutes from where we live), but I'm still buying from a chain supermarket. Does that defeat the purpose? Is this tub of hummus still shipped all over creation before it gets to me?

    I have wondered the same thing. It wouldn't make sense for them to move it too far just to move it back? But maybe they have a central warehouse where everything goes first?
  • Danyell1205
    Danyell1205 Posts: 14 Member
    I like to keep it simple. Just a few things I like to make sure that I have handy...
    I keep a bag of chicken breasts in the freezer
    oatmeal
    Spinach (for smoothies)
    Fruit ( love strawberries and fresh pineapples) for my smoothies
    Tuna
    Almonds
    Sweet potatoes
    Big carton of eggs (breakfast and boiled for a mid day snack)
    Plain rice cakes
    Cucumbers
    Ground turkey
    Red,green peppers.
    :)

    Just to name a few.
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Thanks for the lists everyone! I'm still working on making the transition to a cleaner diet, so I'll have to keep these in mind.

    As far as the organic foods, I read somewhere that if you eat the skin/peel of a fruit or vegetable to get the organic. I don't remember where I read it or how true it is, but it made sense to me at the time... so take it for what you will. :)
  • abs0830
    abs0830 Posts: 319 Member
    I stay mainly to the outside aisles, it helps since it's less processed. Here's a recipe I really like, white fish and salsa.

    Total Time: 19 min.
    Prep Time: 10 min.
    Cooking Time: 9 min.
    Yield: 4 servings

    Ingredients:
    1 medium red tomato, finely chopped
    1 medium yellow tomato, finely chopped
    5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
    1 Tbsp. olive oil
    1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
    Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
    4 (4-oz.) each white fish fillets (like cod, halibut, or tilapia)

    Preparation:
    1. Preheat grill or broiler on high.
    2. Combine tomatoes, basil, oil, and vinegar in a medium bowl; mix well.
    3. Season with salt and pepper if desired; mix well. Set aside.
    4. Top baking sheet with foil. Top with fish and tomato salsa. Pull up sides of foil and close, leaving a small opening at the top.
    5. Grill or broil for 7 to 9 minutes. Open foil carefully (steam will come out). Fish should flake easily when tested with a fork.
  • beaches222
    beaches222 Posts: 437 Member
    Thanks everyone. Great suggestions!
  • sunsoakeddreamer
    sunsoakeddreamer Posts: 36 Member
    ok, here's a couple recipes we've been playing with recently-
    Black bean sweet potato burritos (this is also the basically the same as mr's favorite veggie burger, hold the jalapeño add some corn and a table spoon or two of any flour, mash a bit, form into patties and cook on medium til they start to get a crust )
    http://www.foodiecrush.com/2013/10/sweet-potato-black-bean-burritos/

    Spinach feta quinoa cakes- and these are my favorite veggie burgers! I crave these ones. Great crumbled over a salad too. I don't have a Panini press- just cook them in the pan.
    http://paninihappy.com/spinach-feta-quinoa-cakes-plus-5-quick-dinners-on-the-panini-press/

    Also, since its summer and we don't have AC we're continually reaching for popsicles/ ice cream. We've found pretty much any frozen fruit can be tossed in the food processor to make a really tasty "ice cream" or "sorbet". It feels like a special treat and isn't just empty calories and artificial color. Its fun trying new combinations too.
  • BaileyCognac95
    BaileyCognac95 Posts: 10 Member
    I tend to buy:
    spinach
    baby carrots ( I love it with hummus)
    zucchini
    large carrots (uncut)
    mushrooms (oyster ones are delicious if your market carries them)
    dried beans
    french lentils
    white onion
    strawberries
    raspberries
    blueberries
    mango (great in smoothies)
    almonds

    this recipe is really easy and if you are anything like me and love pasta this is a great way to trick your brain into thinking your indulging even when you are not....

    you will need one large carrot and zucchini and yellow squash and any other vegetables you like.
    then, after use a peeler to slice the carrot, squash and zucchini...they should come out looking like large pasta noodles.
    Then steam all the vegetables for 5-8 min. The veggie "noodles" should be easy to twirl on a fork just like real pasta. Then use a sauce ( I use tomato basil) and your done. It is so easy to make and when the veggies are peeled in this way with a euro peeler they taste like pasta....its really weird but tastes amazing and is super healthy! My mom and sister and brother absolutely loved it :)
  • Coconutgirl78
    Coconutgirl78 Posts: 12 Member
    Hi, not sure if anybody uses Pinterest but Clean Eating Magazine is on it with tons of recipes. You can go to the website http://www.cleaneatingmag.com or the Pinterest sight and look up Clean Eating Magazine . The recipes above look yummy! :)
  • maggie072946
    maggie072946 Posts: 1 Member
    I just read on false book that you should soak fruits and veggies in cold water and 1Tbsp of raw apple cinder vinegar for about 10 minutes. Then rinse with fresh water.
    Having been a frequent WW member over the years, I've learned you are safe shopping the outside aisles of the super market