When researching trends and peoples tastes for my blog, I often come across catch words and eating plans du jour. There is so much information out there. After a weekend spent kitchen and taste testing my gluten free recipes for my new family cookbook, I decided to have a clean eating week. What does this mean? And of course I went to the Internet to find out.
Clean eating seems to focus less on the quantity and calorie content of food and more on the origin of food. So I am focusing on eating unprocessed foods, unrefined foods and cooking them without reducing the nutritional content of the foods.
I will focus on eating as much raw fruit and vegetables as possible, and sourcing these from farmers markets to ensure freshness and possibly reduce the chemicals used on them. Eat fruit and vegetables fresh and ripe to get the best benefits. Placing fruit and veg in then fridge can alter the nutrients you get from them. This will take a little more planning and more regular shopping, but I am trying it our for a week.
I will try to limit my intake of meat to steamed and roasted white meat and fish. Reducing the amount of oil used, definitely keeps your food clean. Olive oil used to cook food at low temperatures is allowed, as long as it is cold pressed.
Need a little bit of sweetness, unrefined honey on oatcakes that are gluten and salt free may be a good snack. Home made cream cheese and sugar free jam could work too.
Oats cooked slowly over low heat to burst the flakes into a soft mouthful of goodness is my breakfast staple. I do eat over night oats made with cinnamon, soaked chia seeds and homemade yoghurt. Topped with fruit and pumpkin seeds, this is a good start to the day. A boiled egg with a few slices of tomato softened in a pan, is a great way to keep hunger at bay, Just limit the salt and pepper.
Herbs and naturally ground spices are a wonderful way to improve the taste of food. Whole spices that have been toasted and ground in a coffee mill, impart a wonderful flavour and smokiness to poached meat and soups.
My green goddess soup has no recipe, I fry some sliced courgettes in a splash of olive oil over a low heat. Once gently browned I add some broccoli and 1T freshly ground cumin and coriander mix. Then I add enough home made vegetable broth to cover it and simmer over a low heat until the veggies are tender. Then blend with 2T yoghurt and enjoy. Use this recipe for mushroom soup, fry the mushrooms and stir in cauliflower that has been cooked in broth and pureed, or for a butternut and pumpkin soup. Add herbs and/or curry paste to alter the taste or some apple puree to sweeten the butternut soup.
Super foods are a fabulous way to improve your diet. I include nuts and seeds, berries, avocado, broccoli and key greens, but I also include fresh ginger and lemon tea made from scratch. Including key spices in your diet can improve your digestion and my favourites are cinnamon, turmeric and moringa powder. Each morning I make a power bowl. This is for my health, not for taste, but I guess you could add freshly squeezed orange juice or honey to it. 1T moringa powder, 1T linseed, 1t turmeric powder, grind of black pepper, sprinkling of cinnamon, dash of cayenne pepper and 3T yoghurt. Mix and eat.
I was wondering if fermented foods are part of a clean eating diet. Opinion differs on this and so I have excluded them this week. This is why. Fermentation is the process of converting starches and sugars into acids, thereby preserving them for longer. If we are to exclude processed foods such as sugar, I thought it best to exclude foods that may contain sugar to start the fermentation process. I guess that also excludes wine?
I usually start my day with 2T apple cider vinegar, but will also exclude that this week. Whilst I acknowledge the benefits of eating fermented foods, I want to keep my eating plan simple this week. I will eat 3 meals a day and limit carbohydrate rich vegetables and foods such as potatoes and exclude rice and other grains, except oats. This is a personal choice. I am gluten intolerant so I have excluded bread from my diet already. I will also have 2 snacks a day so keep hunger at bay, one mid morning and one mid afternoon. I am an active person and find I need this boost of energy. I will limit tea and coffee, and dairy, except yoghurt that I have made from organic milk. No cheese, only homemade cream cheese that I make from hanging my yoghurt in a cheese bag over night to strain off the liquid. Add fresh herbs and enjoy.
In summary, clean eating does not involve counting calories and excluding carbs. It promotes understanding the source and quality of your food. You can make a delicious chocolate or lemon mouse with cacao/lemon, eggs, honey or maple syrup, and whipped cream or unprocessed additive free coconut milk, and enjoy it. This weekend I made a decadent banana and yoghurt ice cream with caramel sauce made from honey, cream and homemade butter. It was delicious and guilt free. But of course the honey and butter do contain calories to be mindful of.
Once again, balance keeps us on the right track and harmony of body, mind and spirit in everything we do, even food!, let's us live our best life. Have a wonderful week.
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