Clean eating recipes

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Last week we looked at getting to grips with the concept of clean eating. Today we are following on with some easy to make, delicious recipes so you can put theory into practice.

As we said, clean eating doesn’t have to be a radical departure from the way you eat today but a shift towards enjoying more the good stuff and dropping the less healthy, processed foods that can be so tempting.

Clean eating meals tend to be lower in salt, sugar and calories and because they don’t contain processed ingredients you know exactly what’s in the food you’re cooking.

So here we go with a breakfast, lunch and dinner option.

If you start the day the clean way, you’re more likely to carry on the same. This clean strawberry, avocado and mint smoothie is the perfect way to kick start your system.

You will need:

1 organic banana
2 cups fresh strawberries
3 teaspoons of fresh mint
1 avocado
2 pitted dates
1 cup of coconut water (mineral water if you prefer)
A few ice cubes

Put all the ingredients in your blender, whizz until smooth and enjoy. You can add a handful of organic oats to keep your fuller for longer and of course if you want to go green, blast some spinach or kale into the mix too.

A chunky, bean salad loaded with goodness and nutrients will not only protect your joints and heart but also stop that mid-afternoon slump a cheese and mayo packed sandwich can cause.

This is really simple but really filling and can be made the night before and taken to work.

You will need:

Small can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Small can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Salad leaves of your choice
A large handful of fresh shredded carrot
One chopped apple
½ a red pepper, sliced
¼ cucumber chopped
1 tablespoon of pumpkin and sesame seeds

Mix these ingredients together then create a dressing from half the juice of a lemon, two teaspoons olive oil, a small teaspoon of ground cumin and a pinch of salt. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and enjoy with a wholemeal pitta.

A chicken and potato tray bake is a super-easy, totally tasty dinner that the whole family can enjoy together ad it is perfect when entertaining friends.

You will need:

4 large organic chicken thighs
3 tablespoons of olive oil
500g of organic new potatoes (halved)
1 organic, unwaxed lemon
140g green olives
8 bay leaves – preferably fresh rather than dried
6 cloves of garlic
Watercress and spinach salad to serve

Set your over to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pour the oil into a roasting tin and add the potatoes, olives, lemon, bay leaves and garlic. Mix everything together and insure all ingredients are equally coated in the oil. Next add the chicken, skin-side up, season and put in the over for an hour. Check the potatoes are softening after one hour, then cook for another twenty minutes to ensure the meat is perfectly cooked. Serve with a salad and iced water with lemon and cucumber.

During the day enjoy healthy clean snacks, drink plenty of water and keep caffeine and alcohol to a minimum.

If you have a clean eating recipe, let us know about it.

Be berry happy this week

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berries, butter, oats, oven, pumpkin seeds, raspberries, Seasonalberries, seeds, sesame seeds, strawberries, sunflower seeds

We are constantly being told that berries are good for us and an affordable ‘super food’ and it is easy to see why. These little lovelies don’t just look pretty and taste amazing but they are packed with antioxidants, fibre, vitamin C and flavonoids so adding to your diet is an easy, delicious way to be healthier.

Here’s just a few facts we didn’t know about:

A small handful of around 40 blueberries contain nearly eight times more antioxidant activity than a small banana.

Berries are great for losing weight because their high water content means you fill up quicker without loads of calories.

The flavonoids in raspberries create the lush, red flesh, and guard against cancers, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, cataracts, Alzheimer’s and age-related neurological diseases. Grab those raspberries in your next shop.

When you need a vitamin C boost go for strawberries because just nine will give you your entire daily requirement.

Amazingly the tiny seeds in blackberries are a fantastic fibre source.

The guys over at Seasonalberries are constantly on the look out for fun ways to add fruit into everyday eating and they have really hit the spot with these yummy blueberry muesli bars. These nutritious little bars of goodness are perfect for breakfast on the go, for adding to lunchboxes and as a post-run snack.

To make ten you need:

150g (5oz) blueberries
1 level tablespoon cornflour
75g (3oz) mixed sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds
175g (6oz) porridge oats
150g (5oz) butter
75g (3oz) light muscovado sugar
2 level tablespoons golden syrup
75g (3oz) wholemeal plain flour

Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF) or gas mark 4. Lightly brush the base and sides of a shallow 20cm (8inch) cake tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Pop the blueberries in a bowl, sprinkle over the cornflour and gently mix with a spoon until the fruit is evenly covered.

Add the seeds to a plastic bag, seal the end of the bag then bash with a rolling pin until the larger seeds are crushed. Scoop out three tablespoons and put into a bowl with three tablespoons of the oats and save for the topping.

Add the butter, the sugar and the golden syrup to a saucepan and cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until the margarine or butter has melted.

Take the saucepan off the heat then add the seeds from the plastic bag and the rest of the oats into the pan along with the flour and mix together well.

Spoon about two thirds of the oat mixture into the paper lined tin and spread flat with a round bladed knife. Sprinkle the blueberries on top then dot small spoonfuls of the rest of the oat mix on top to make an even layer with a few of the blueberries still showing. Sprinkle with the saved seeds and oats.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Take out of the oven with oven gloves, put on to a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin.

Loosen the edge of the muesli bars, take out of the tin, peel off the lining paper then cut into 10 bars and then put in an air tight container, or wrap individually in foil and keep in the fridge until needed.

Enjoy.