Monday, January 16, 2012

Are You A Clean, Green Eating Machine?

I've been trying to eat healthy this year, I really have.
(My Sunday Lunch:
Roast rutabagas, parsnips and sweet potatoes with green salad.)

In fact, for the last 15 days, I've been following the "Clean Eating Action Plan" from Whole Living magazine, free online HERE.

Whole Living is a Martha Stewart publication. (Did you know that? I didn't.) So the recipes are "Martha-ized": simple to follow, easy to make and without too many ingredients. If you are a fan of her Everyday Food series, you know exactly what I mean.

What is "The Clean Eating Action Plan", you ask?
Well, here's what it's not.

No caffeine.
No alcohol.
No sugar.
No dairy.
No white carbs.

I know what you're thinking. But the food is so delicious that it doesn't seem like you're depriving yourself.

What differences do I notice?

Glowing skin. (Illuminizer not necessary.)
Waking up in the morning and feeling...awake. (Shocking!)
Falling asleep at night like a normal person. (10pm = Zzzz.)
An even, steady mood throughout the day. (No 3pm sugar-crash nap.)
A renewed sense of confidence and optimism. (Yes, really.)
And the weight loss doesn't hurt (five pounds and counting).

Here's the detox in a nutshell:

1. The first week, you limit yourself to fruits, vegetables and plant-based fats, nuts, avocados and oils.

2. The second week, you add back high-quality protein like fish and legumes.

3. And the third week, you add back gluten-free grains and protein-rich eggs.

The first three days are the hardest because the beast in your belly is screaming out for all the things it misses. After that, the decision-making center switches from your stomach to your brain and you realize that you, in fact, are in control. It's a liberating moment.

Below are a few things I now find myself craving.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Breakfast (Week One):

Ingredients:
1 cup kale leaves, stems removed, coarsely chopped
1 ripe banana
1 Granny Smith apple, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions:
Combine kale, apple, banana, parsley and 2 1/4 cups water in a blender;
blend until smooth. (I use a bit less water because I like a thicker smoothie.)
Serves 2.

Per serving: 105 calories


Lunch (Week One):
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple-cider vinegar
Coarse salt and pepper
3 cups mixed shredded kale and red cabbage
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons diced red onion
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons hemp seeds

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, mustard, and
apple-cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In another bowl, combine kale, cabbage, carrot, parsley,
and red onion with sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds.

3. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

Yield:
Serves 4


Snack (Anytime):
Ingredients:
One 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss chickpeas with oil and spices until
evenly coated. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, shaking pan,
occasionally, until chickpeas are golden and crunchy, about 30 minutes.

Yield: Makes 1 cup


Dinner (Week Two):

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar (optional)
Coarse salt and pepper

Directions:
1. In a pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion,
garlic, and celery; cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Increase heat to high and add tomatoes; cook for 1 minute.
Add lentils, turnip, and 6 cups water.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender,
20 to 25 minutes. Stir in parsley and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Yield:
Makes 10 cups
Serves 8


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Eating healthy is a journey best taken slow and steady, one meal at a time. If I can do it, you can do it!

xx/Lisa

P.S. Here are some food blogs I'm loving these days:







19 comments:

noreen said...

the food looks delicious! i saw a nutritionist to get rid of sugar cravings, and he said, "more leafy greens (sound familiar?) and more protein because you work out". it worked! i'm happy you are feeling and looking great. enjoy!

Jane said...

hi Lisa - Happy New year to you. I stopped eating all sugar in July, and replaced my morning juice with a green smoothie pretty similar to yours and home made sugar free granola and it has changed my life. I find diets with special recipes don't work for me, but deleting things holus bolus from my diet is quite easy. I subscribe to that magazine, and I love it. I wondered about trying the gluten free \ lactose free stage as per their program but I might struggle to give up my once a day coffee. Weak, I know. And also what about my glass of wine?

xo

The Glamorous Housewife said...

I heard there is a new Everyday Food 'Healthy' book coming out.

I gave up 90% of the sugar I was eating (just have a little honey on my plain greek yogurt and it is in my soy milk). I am clean eating and portion controlling. Pounds lost: 3. Now I just need to find time to exercise.

Thanks doll,
The Glamorous Housewife

Terra said...

Thanks for these ideas for healthy eating.

Emily said...

Eating healthy can really make a difference!
I've been vegan for almost 16 months, and I have never felt better!
Here's a couple of other good sites with amazing recipes.
The Vegan Stoner---adorable pics, super simple recipes.
Oh She Glows--I have learned so much from Angela!!!
Here's to your health Lisa!!

Anonymous said...

Way to go! My sweet husband and I have been trying to eat healthier ever since we started dating, and we've both lost a very good and healthy amount of weight. Cutting out dairy for me (he's allergic) was one of the easiest things for me and resulted in a big change. Well, I still have a tablespoon of creamer in my coffee every morning, but compared to the massive amounts of heavy cream and cheese before, that's nothing.
On a random side note: I've decided that this year I want to learn how to do needlepoint. Any suggestions for beginner books or blogs or anything?
-Allyn

Julie Whitmore Pottery said...

thank you
thank you
thank you
I've been wandering the isles at Trader Joe's and the Farmers Markets trying to get some direction for a new regime of healthy meals. This is perfect.
Its going to be hard to give up beer!
xx
julie

JudyMac said...

Along these same lines if you haven't read it, you might check out "The China Study--Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health" by T. Colin Campbell, PhD. Now to get myself focusing on cutting out so much sugar.

DM said...

I'm sorry, but I'm in Italy, this is incomprehensible.

Kit Mitchell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kit Mitchell said...

This is the very best eating plan ever. I have done something in the past and felt so much better! Your presentation makes everything look so yummy!
Great post!
Cheers,
Kit

Dandy said...

This looks good. I am diabetic, so I have to have my protein, but I think I will adapt some of these recipes for me. Cabbage is great, too. It's a free food for diabetics-virtually calorie less when raw. Great for innovative coleslaws without the mayo.

The Buzz Blog @ Diane James Home said...

Happy New Year, Lisa and happy new you! I love getting my Whole Living newsletter in my inbox - always filled with great recipes and advice. Now I have to resolve to follow them! Keep up the good work, Cynthia

Sarah Greenman said...

This is fantastic. I saw the detox article last week and have been incorporating some of it into my diet. I, too, have been on a clean green eating plan since August. I've been writing about it at www.smaller-sarah.blogspot.com. I love the kale salad and the green machine. So yummy!

Angie Muresan said...

That is impressive, Lisa! I don't know if I could give up my daily cappuccino or glass of wine with dinner. I enjoy the ritual too much.
Best wishes with your diet, and a fabulous 2012 to you and yours.

Lumen Drops said...

Thank you so much for this post, your recipes, the introduction to Whole Living! The movie, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, is a real-life documentary on two men who both lost hundreds of life-saving pounds drinking these green drinks. They used a juicer, but I prefer a Smoothie prepared by blending. Believe juicing releases more nutrients, however, blending provide more fiber, which is important to me. Wonderful post!

24 Corners said...

Very motivating Lisa, I've always admired your detoxing/cleansing abilities. I think living in the warmer climate of California helps tremendously in doing a cleanse this time of year, it's so much more difficult when it's chilly outside.
When I visit Cal, I live on salads, fruit and yogurt...but here in the Northwest, it's all about the carbs. I think come spring though...this will be a wonderful challenge to try.
To your health!
xo J~

Julie Anne Rhodes said...

Wow, I'm glad I stopped in to see what you've been up to - I'm all over this Clean Living thang! Thank you. xo

Aida said...

Hi!
I am really delighted with blog. It's beautiful, well structured, interesting, sweet, amazing [probably your own qualities right?] and it has completely got me hooked, so I'm your new follower now... i think we're going to get along just fine! ;)
I'd like to invite you to visit my humble "house" as well. I’d be very pleased.

I wish you lots of success and will surely come back often.

kisses

http://cottoncandy-peaches.blogspot.com/

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