Carbs + protein: Why?

One of the principles of clean eating is to eat 5-6 times a day, including a lean protein and complex carbohydrate in each meal or snack. But why the combination of carbs + protein?

For one thing, it helps me feel like I'm having more than just a mindless munch. Combining fruit and nuts with cheese, or chicken with vegetables, makes it feel more mini-meal-ish. Not only does it physically make me feel more full, it also works mentally. Knowing I just ate a real, solid combination of good, clean foods rather than just a handful of pretzels or a single piece of fruit encourages me to *not* keep eating.

On a more scientific note, according to Tosca Reno in The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged, "Eating protein causes your metabolism to speed up as a direct result of the numerous chemical reactions required to digest protein... Eating a meal that combines lean protein with complex carbohydrates causes your BMR to begin to rise within one hour. This increase lasts from three to twelve hours..."

Eating these mini-meals of carbs + protein helps your metabolism stay stoked all day long and keeps your blood sugar stable. The best part of that? No mid-afternoon crash! Once I started eating clean, I felt more energetic, calmer, and less mood-swingy. Now when I slack on eating quality carbs and protein throughout the day, I can definitely feel a difference. I'm more sluggish, less motivated, feel more tired, and have a general foggy-headed feeling. Not fun! I'd rather fuel up with carbs and protein and get on with life--I have things to do, after all, despite being semi-retired. :)

Clean eating chocolate biscotti

Clean eating what?!

Yeah. Chocolate biscotti.

This is the first time I've made biscotti, so I can't truly compare the "clean" version to a standard recipe, but let me just say that when I was blog-browsing the other day and came across a biscotti recipe that called for more than a full stick of butter, I was content to let this recipe be my one-and-only. No oil or butter here! Plenty of flavor and crunch, though. Works for me.

Mix up a batch of these to go along with your spiced hot chocolate! These biscotti are more crumbly when fresh, but still not too hard to bite into after they've had a chance to age slightly.

Chocolate Almond Biscotti
from The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno
serves 15 (haha...)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw unsalted whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped, divided**
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
2 tsp instant coffee crystals (I use one little instant coffee "tube")
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup Sucanat
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp grated lemon zest (I've never used this)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350* and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place 1/4 cup of the almonds**, both flours, cocoa powder, coffee crystals, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Process for a few minutes until the almonds are finely ground. Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

3. Combine sucanat, egg, egg white, extracts, and zest (if using) in a blender and process until foamy, about 3-4 minutes. My bullet-style blender works just beautifully for this.

4. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture. Add remaining chopped almonds and mix well.

5. Divide dough into two (very sticky!) lumps on the baking sheet. Shape into logs--wet your hands a bit if the dough is sticking too much.

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, reduce heat to 300*, and let logs cool 10 minutes.

7. Cut each log on a diagonal into ten pieces. Spread slices out on baking sheet and return to oven for another 20 minutes. Cookies should be dry to the touch.

8. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

**Rather than messing with the food processor, I've found that using 1/4 cup almond meal in Step 2 and mixing by hand, then crushing another 1/4 cup raw almonds by hand for use in Step 4, is less mess and just as effective.

Chicken & White Bean Soup

Also known as, "How to make a week's worth of lunches and clear out some leftovers at the same time"...

Last Tuesday before running group, I started a CrockPot full of white bean & leek soup from The Eat-Clean Diet cookbook. Because I was so pleased with the rutabaga from this frittata, I thought I'd add one to the soup. More veggies = good, right? Well, only if you take into account the size/texture of said veggies, and give your recipe long enough to cook.

I did not.

Thus, we came home after running to find a slow cooker of delicious-smelling, hearty-looking, mostly-inedible soup. ::sad trombone:: The rutabagas were downright crunchy. I cranked it back up to HIGH while The H put the little guy to bed, after which the two of us raided the leftovers-for-lunch stash for our own dinners. Two hours later, the soup was ready. Too bad it was 11pm. The H had a small serving, declared it very good, and helped me portion out the rest for *more* leftovers.
 
This soup just keeps getting better. Yesterday when I reheated some for lunch, I added a sprinkle of Penzey's Parisien Bonnes Herbes, a salt-free seasoning blend I got for Christmas. Next time I make the soup I'll add some of that to begin with! What a great complement. I was fascinated to see that the rutabagas turned more golden as the soup aged; they almost looked like butternut squash yesterday. 

This was the perfect meal to have waiting for me after a frigid (-2 with the windchill) 6 mile run! I love refueling with filling, clean food.
 
Chicken and White Bean Soup
from The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno
makes 12 cups

Ingredients:
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 leeks, whites and centers only, chopped (rinse very well and drain in a colander)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp dried sage
6 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
2 cups water
2 cups cooked white beans (I used cannelini)
2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
8oz package frozen spinach, thawed and partially drained (I omitted this)

Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add leeks and onion. Cook 5 minutes, or until clear and softening. Add sage and cook 2 more minutes. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Stir in chicken, beans, and spinach. Continue cooking until heated through.

Nutrition info per serving:
Calories - 176
Protein - 22g
Fat - 4g
Carbs - 16g

Home again, home again, jiggety jig

(That's from a nursery rhyme... don't ask me to remember the rest!)

After two full weeks of travel--minus last weekend for the race--The H is home again, which means I have to shape up a decent meal plan. Unlike I was last week, he won't be happy eating the same thing four nights in a row.

Sunday lunch - leftover tomato soup and gluten-free bread

Sunday dinner - turkey sausage ragu with sausage and kale from the co-op and fresh Romano

Monday - out with The H for a shoes-and-clothes buying date

Tuesday - chicken soup with chickpeas in the CrockPot

Wednesday - breakfast dinner (GF blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs)

Thursday - pesto pasta from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno, with garlic bread

Friday - I'm going to a girls' night at a friend's house, so my guys will have something easy--like something at Grandma's house. :)

Saturday - as usual, no idea...

For lunches - chicken beet salad, leftovers

At least they tasted good...

Friday's dinner was *almost* a fail. I've had my eye on the chicken nuggets from the Eat-Clean Family & Kids book for a while, and planned all week to make them. While The H and little guy were playing outside, I got to work cutting the chicken and mixing up the breading. I was a little skeptical that the amount of breading I had would coat the amount of chicken, but I went with it. And yep, I was right. See those mostly-nekkid chicken pieces on the bottom right? Oh well.



These did not become "golden," as stated in the last step of the recipe, until I turned the broiler on them 20 minutes after they'd been in the oven. Next time, I'll do that before I get irrationally frustrated with the floury lumps of poultry adhering themselves and their ill-stuck breading to my baking sheet.




Despite all that, these did taste really good! I will gladly make them again, perhaps with the intent to coat in buffalo sauce for a game-day appetizer or filling for a wrap. This time I served them with sweet potato fries, from the same cookbook.



Crispy Chicken Bites
from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids by Tosca Reno
makes 24 nuggets

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 18oz total
1/4 cup oat bran (used oat flour, and added some poultry seasoning)
1/4 cup wheat germ (omitted)
1 Tbsp coarsely ground flax seed
1/4 cup coarsely ground almonds
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
Pinch of garlic powder
1/2 cup water or low-sodium chicken stock (I think this was unnecessary)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten (next time I will increase this)
Eat-Clean cooking spray (oil in a spritzer)
1. Preheat oven to 400*. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or coating with cooking spray.

2. Cut chicken breasts into nugget-sized pieces, about 1 1/2 inches square. Set aside.

3. Next, combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Combine water and egg mixture in a small bowl.

4. Dip pieces of chicken into egg/water, and then into breading mixture, making sure each piece is well coated. Place on the baking sheet and place in oven. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Nutrition information per 4 nuggets:
Calories - 100 Fat - 3.5g Protein - 12g Carbs - 7g Fiber - 2g Sodium - 370mg Cholesterol - 0mg

Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Is it *fall* where you are yet? Here in the mitten state, we can see our breath clouds outside in the morning, the heat has been turned on, and the leaves are becoming more colorful every day. It's the perfect time for a perfect pairing like grilled cheese and tomato soup!

This soup is loaded with vegetables, and is very flavorful. I was pleased to note that it wasn't as acidic as other tomato soups I've had. And don't worry about the curry powder if that's not one of your favorite flavors; it doesn't make the soup taste like Indian food, it just adds depth. I brought this to a boil on the stove, and then since we had to go to running group, poured it into a CrockPot to simmer while we were gone.



Tomato Soup
from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids

serves 8

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
4 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
2 sweet carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped

2 cups fresh Roma tomatoes OR one 28-oz can plum tomatoes (I used a box of Pomi strained tomatoes, no salt added)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth OR veggie stock OR water
1 Tbsp dried basil, crumbled
1 Tbsp dried oregano, crumbled
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of curry powder (I used 1/4 tsp)
2 low-sodium chicken or veggie bouillon cubes (I used Trader Joe's stock concentrate packets)

1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add all chopped vegetables and saute until onion is soft and translucent.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes, stock or water, basil, salt, oregano, curry, and bouillon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes (this is where I transferred to the slow cooker), stirring occasionally.

3. Using a hand-held stick blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency.

4. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with a scoop of low-fat plain yogurt or yogurt cheese.



We served these with grilled cheese sandwiches--on Udi's gluten free bread for The H (first picture) and Trader Joe's sprouted grain bread for me and the little guy.


Nutrition information per 1-cup serving:
Calories - 170
Fat - 3.5g
Protein - 1.5g
Carbs - 10.5g
Fiber - 2.5g
Sodium - 500mg
Cholesterol - 0mg

Pasta with chicken and broccoli

This recipe could also be called "Watch your kid eat green stuff" as it's literally only the second time I've seen the little guy willingly eat fresh broccoli (the other time was with this recipe).



Kids Love Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli
from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids by Tosca Reno serves 4 generously

8oz brown rice pasta shapes (your choice)
3 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 1 medium crown)
1 cup frozen peas
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2" pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chicken seasoning (I didn't know what this was, and used 1/2tsp poultry seasoning)
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil, crumbled
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
Sea salt, to taste

1. In a large pot, cook pasta according to package instructions. Toss broccoli and peas into the boiling water during the last few minutes of cooking time. Drain into a large colander, return mixture to pot, and cover.

2. While pasta is boiling, place the sliced chicken, chicken seasoning, basil, paprika, garlic, and chili powder in a large zip-top bag. Toss until chicken is well coated.

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat and add chicken. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly, or until cooked through.

4. Add cooked chicken to pasta mixture. Stir in yogurt, salt, and pepper. Toss until ingredients are evenly distributed. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per 3/4 cup serving: Calories - 200 Fat - 5g Protein - 13g Carbs - 24g Fiber - 4.5g Sodium - 40mg Cholesterol - 20mg

Menu planning

For as infrequently as I seem to do it, I really do enjoy meal planning. It can be a challenge combing through the fridge, freezer, and pantry to see what needs to be used before I dash out to the grocery store to buy fresher food to stack on top of what's already there, BUT I always feel so accomplished when we eat through what we have.

I thought this week would be something of a "clean slate" week since the cupboards seem so bare, but after sitting down with a pen and paper, the grocery store circular, and a few select cookbooks, I found that we really had quite a bit of potential lying around. Here is what I pulled together:

Sunday lunch - Potato-crust veggie quiche (thanks for the crust recipe, branny!) with homemade applesauce and chicken apple sausage.

Sunday dinner - Homemade pizza with black olives, cherry tomatoes from a friend, a small can of mushrooms, and the last 6 (literally) pepperoni from last weekend's pizza night.

Monday - Grocery shopping day! Brown rice pasta with chicken and broccoli from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids by Tosca Reno.

Tuesday - Grilled cheese sandwiches and homemade tomato soup, also from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids, after running group.

Wednesday - Asian noodle bowls from The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged! by Tosca Reno.

Thursday - Individual pizzas for The H and little guy while I run and have dinner with friends.

Friday - Crispy chicken bites from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids with sweet potato fries from the same book.

Saturday - TBA

This week I'd also like to make a sweet potato spread and a shrimp & edamame noodle salad, both from an old issue of Clean Eating Magazine. Hopefully some of these turn out blog-worthy. :) You know me... even if they don't, I'll probably post 'em anyway!

Eat-Clean Egg Salad

This was lunch yesterday. I've been wanting to make it for months, but every time I have the eggs made, someone eats the cottage cheese I was saving, or I run out of green onion, or... you get the point. The H came home for lunch, a rarity in our household, and since we didn't have any leftovers to heat up, we needed something fresh and fast. And I finally had everything I needed! He peeled eggs while I chopped veggies, and we were sitting down to eat in no time.

Eat-Clean Egg Salad

from The Eat-Clean Diet for Family & Kids by Tosca Reno

Makes 1 cup

1/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1 Tbsp skim milk

1 tsp prepared mustard

4 hard boiled egg whites, diced

1 hard boiled egg yolk

2 Tbsp chopped green onion (one onion)

2 Tbsp chopped celery (one rib)

Dash of curry powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whip cottage cheese and milk until smooth. (I didn't make it smooth--no biggie.)

2. Mix remaining ingredients except egg whites with cottage cheese mixture.

3. Add diced egg whites to mixture; mix well.

The H ate his with Mary's Gone Crackers, and the little guy ate his with a fork. Mine was placed atop a slice of locally-made whole-wheat bread. The recipe made exactly enough for the three of us. I really liked the texture, and the little hint of "hmm, what is that ingredient?" nuance from the curry powder.

Nutritional information for a half-cup serving:

Calories - 170

Fat - 3.5g

Saturated fat - 1g

Trans fat - 0g

Protein - 17g

Carbs - 18g

Dietary fiber - 3.5g

Sodium - 528mg

Cholesterol - 106mg

Time to RECHARGE!

"You are tired of being sick, fat, grumpy, depressed, overlooked, drained of energy..."

Tosca Reno, The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged, p. 10

Sound familiar? This exactly describes how I felt five years ago. I saved the letter I wrote to myself the day I hit my all-time low (mentally and schlumpily, not weight-wise!), and let me tell you, it's depressing. That is when I got serious about running. When I felt those old feelings of self-contempt and worthlessness sneak into my mind after the little guy was born, I knew it was time for another change. Enter clean eating!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again--eating clean has been good for me physically AND mentally. When I eat well, my body looks and feels good and my outlook in general is optimistic. Eating clean helps me feel energetic and content. Still, nobody is perfect, and I recently I felt myself losing my mojo, so to speak. I didn't blog for a while; it was hard for me to rave about the clean eating lifestyle when I wasn't doing my best at living it. It was time to recharge!

For my birthday, The H got me Tosca Reno's The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged! This is the 7th or 8th relative in the Eat-Clean Diet book family. It couldn't have come at a better time! The weather was depressing. I was feeling sick and "blah." It was all too easy to revert to junk-laden snacking simply because those foods were around (happy Easter...) and I was too lethargic to work any harder or plan ahead. Of course, eating the processed, sugary junk contributed to my slump. What a vicious cycle! I'm finally ready to refocus.

Starting with the first page, I feel like this book is a breath of fresh air. It's just what I need to read right now--the words of someone who knows what this lifestyle is about, telling me why it's great and why it works, and most importantly, HOW TO DO IT RIGHT. When I started reading it I decided to put the kibosh on my sugary-snack habit for three days and see how I felt. I had a "reward" built in for the end of that third day. I'm pleased to report that not only did I hold up my end of my self-made bargain, I had lost a pound and wasn't craving chocolate like I thought I would be. As a bonus, my water intake had increased since I started having a glass of water before diving head-first into the snack cupboard without thinking about what I was after.

This book is way more than a cookbook; I'd consider it more of a handbook. The first 280+ pages focus on the principles of clean eating, the why behind it, and really digs into how to implement and maintain a clean lifestyle. The original Eat-Clean Diet does this as well, but I feel like this update is a bit heftier. It's certainly longer (415 pages from intro to index) than the first book, which is 272 pages start to finish. The section on strength training is much more extensive than the blurbs in the first book.

The recipe portion of Recharged! contains over 50 recipes, and just at first glance they seem fairly simple, not too involved, and naturally fresh and colorful. I am looking forward to making several already--sesame noodles, chicken explosion (it looks good, promise), and beet& arugula salad, to name a few. There are sample meal plans for families, gluten-free eaters, and those following a clean vegan diet. I'm really looking forward to the farmers' market opening next month!

I've never been a scientifically-minded person (I majored in English, avoiding math and science as much as possible) but learning about the science behind clean eating just fascinates me. I want to learn more so I can share more. For example, there is a chapter regarding "superfoods," flax being one in particular. We've all heard about it; heard it's good for us. But whole or ground? Oil or seeds? And most of all, how do we use it? There are three pages explaining all this. Three pages! You can fit a lot of info on three pages. Other chapters discuss eating out or with other people (work potluck, anyone?), grocery shopping, and exercise.

This sounds like a paid advertisement, but I assure you it's not. Tosca Reno doesn't even know I exist ;) but I do enjoy sharing tips and recipes with those who follow my blog, and I think this book will be a great addition to my clean eating arsenal. I fully intend to bring it with us on the road when we travel next week. I've already read some great tips for clean eating on-the-go that I plan to implement for myself.

When people come up to me and say "Wow, you're looking so great!" I want to be able to explain why I'm at my all-time healthiest instead of just saying" Thanks, I've been running a lot." It's so much more than running. I started eating clean because running alone wasn't changing what I needed to change. Now, even when I take a week off running, I'm able to maintain my weight and get back into my exercise routine much easier than I used to. And 22 months after the little guy was born, I'm packing up my 2-piece swimsuit for our trip. I'll be in touch!

I don't like broccoli rabe.

At least, I don't care for it the way I first attempted it. Even though I boiled it before sautéing, as directed in the recipe, we still tasted quite a bit of bitterness and it wasn't very good. The recipe I followed was from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno. My only change was to use a yellow onion instead of red, since that is what I had. Any suggestions for other ways to prepare this leafy green veg are welcome, as I still have half of the gigantic bunch I bought for this dish. I served this with sirloin steaks in a mushroom-wine sauce with lemon-thyme fingerling potatoes from Clean Eating Magazine. Those were fantastic! The H even called them "juicy."

Broccoli Rabe Sauté

1 lb broccoli rabe or asparation, trimmed

1 medium purple onion, peeled and finely chopped

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive or avocado oil

3 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press

Sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

1. Fill a bowl with cold water and a few handfuls of ice cubes.

2. In a large saucepan bring 2 quarts water to a rolling boil. Add vegetables and a pinch of sea salt and cook until vegetables turn color. Once the broccoli or asparation has just turned color, remove from boiling water and place in ice water. Drain well and place on paper towels.

3. In a medium skillet heat oil until just hot. Add garlic and onion and cook until onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add broccoli or asparation and cook over medium-high heat until al dente - tender but still crisp. Season with fresh ground black pepper and sea salt. Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

This is the recipe mentioned in the previous entry. I halved this recipe; my notes are in italics.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 45 min

Eat-Clean Cooking spray (olive oil in a spritzer)

Enough sprigs fresh rosemary to cover a baking sheet (dried worked just fine)

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1lb), scrubbed and blotted dry

1. Preheat oven to 400*.

2. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread rosemary sprigs on sheet in a single layer, making sure entire surface is covered. Mix together all other ingredients, except sweet potatoes, in small bowl.

3. Square off potatoes (I had no idea what this meant) and slice into "steak fries." Lay strips of potato on rosemary in a single layer. Sprinkle generously with seasoning mixture. Spray generously with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes.

4. Spray again. Return to oven for about 25 minutes more or until fries are golden and puffed. (I reserved some of the spices, flipped the fries at this point, and sprinkled the other sides before baking again.)

Chicken Beet Salad

The other day I roasted up a bunch of gorgeous red beets, but that was as far as I got until tonight. Their purpose all along has been to become Chicken Beet Salad, inspired by Tosca Reno and perfected by my own self, but I didn't have time to make it until just now.

Following Tosca's directions for roasted beets* I cubed them and stuck them in the fridge until later. Cooked beets are so bright, smooth and shiny; they look like little gems. Tonight I combined them with leftover cooked chicken, celery, feta cheese, walnuts, olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar. This salad is a great combination of colors and textures. I'd been looking for a way to enjoy beets other than on my typical Greek salad, and this chilled salad fit the bill. I wasn't so sure about it at first, as beets aren't exactly a mainstay of my diet, but after I tasted this when I made it a few months ago, I was hooked. The beets are deliciously sweet, feta and vinegar provide a nice tang, walnuts add a nutty dimension, celery is just the right kind of crunch, and leftover chicken punches up the protein factor. What a fantastic lunch or snack, straight out of the fridge! I might try some in a whole-grain wrap tomorrow.

* Oven-Roasted Beets, from The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno

6-8 medium-sized beets

Extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, passed through garlic press

Parchment paper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Wash and scrub beets. Remove any strings. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place beets on the lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle mixed garlic over beets. Cover tightly with tin foil and place in the oven.

3. Bake 1 hour.

4. Remove from heat. Let cool enough that you can handle the beets. The skins slip off easily at this point. Slice and place on a dinner plate next to your main course. Beets keep well in the fridge.

Looking forward to lunch....

Kate