Recipes-Clean eating

Clean Eating

Roasted veggies

Cold weather meal prep

1) Coconut Chickpea Curry

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 med yellow onion, diced

1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 13 oz can full -fat coconut milk

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth

2 tbsps curry powder

1 1/2 tsp. garam masala

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp kosher salt

1 bunch cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)

Juice of 1 lime

Cooked rice for serving

Lime slices for serving

In a large skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat.  Add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger and stir together for another minute (until fragrant).

Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, vegetable broth, curry powder, garam masala, cumin and salt. Stir everything together and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to med-low and let simmer for 10 minutes so that flavors can meld.

Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice.  Serve the curry over plain rice, or cauliflower rice. Garnish with more cilantro and lime juices.

2) Lemon Herb rice

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

1/2 med. yellow onion, diced

Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tbsp)

1 1/2 c. Basmati rice, well-rinsed and drained

2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 c of finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, dill, mint, tarragon, basil, thyme, oregano

In a large pan, on med. heat, heat the oil and saute the onion for 3-4 minutes, until softened and translucent.  Add the garlic, lemon zest, and rice, saute another minute.

Add the broth, lemon juice and salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with. a lid, and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.  If bubbles start to come out of the lid, adjust the lid so that steam can escape.

Remove the rice from the heat and let it rest uncovered another 4-5 minutes.  Stir in the fresh herbs and serve.

3). Whole wheat tortillas

4) Red cabbage

5) Grated carrots

6) Apple cider vinaigrette

Makes about 2/3 cup

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Pinch of black pepper

Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl.  Store for up to one week.

7) Garlic Sauteed Beet Greens

1 bunch of beet greens, rinsed well

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves

Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Black pepper

Remove the beet leaves from the stems.  Finely dice the stems, and roughly chop the leaves.

In a large pan, heat the oil over med. heat.Add the garlic and stems and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the leaves, lemon juice, salt and pepper and saute another 2-3 minutes. until the leaves have wilted.  Garnish with lemon zest.

8) Broccoli

Meals:

Red cabbage and carrot salad

In a large bowl, toss together red cabbage, carrot, chopped red apples, chopped walnuts, sliced green onions.  Drizzle with apple cider vinaigrette.

Coconut chickpea curry

Grab a plate, add a few spoonfuls of lemon-herb rice, a generous amount of chickpea curry, and a side of garlic, sauteed beet greens.  Warm up in the microwave for a speedy 5 minute dinner.

Green Goddess Bowls

Layer raw broccoli, sauteed beet greens, edamame (thats been warmed up), and avocado slices on top of a bed of lemon herb rice. Add sliced green onion and ginger and pumpkin seeds.

Chickpea Tostada

In a frying pan, heat a bit of extra virgin olive oil, add the flour tortilla, and cook until crispy (1-2 minutes) and load it up with sour cream, chickpea curry, shredded red cabbage, chopped broccoli and cilantro.

Chickpea dish

Warm a portion of chickpea curry in a small pan over low heat.  Dice in a roma tomato, then add that to the curry along with a portion of the sauteed beet greens. Add scrambled eggs and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Green Smoothie - Strawberry Shake

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened thin coconut milk
• 4 oz. fresh spinach
• 1 small avocado
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
• 5 oz. frozen strawberries
• 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

1. Place ingredients in a blender in the order listed.
2. Blend on high until completely smooth.

Fiesta Salad

Dressing

3 jalapeno peppers, seeded

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

In a blender or food processor, puree the jalapeños with vinegar, garlic and salt.  Continue processing and slowly add oil, until well-combined.  Add cilantro and blend until finely chopped.

1 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup corn kernels (can use frozen)

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 ripe avocado

4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled

Combine salad ingredients, toss with dressing and serve.

Quinoa Salad

3 cups cooked quinoa

let cool

add 1 can black beans (drained)

1 c. white corn (drained…I use frozen white corn)

1 c. grape tomatoes (sliced in half)

1/2 red pepper (chopped)

red or green onion (to taste)

1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

Avocado chunks

Dressing:

2 tbs. balsamic vinegar (my favorite)

1 tbs. olive oil

1/4 c. lime juice

a little pinch of sugar

Mix it all together and eat it up.

21 Day Plan (From Dr. Oz)

Eat all you want:  artichokes, asparagus, bamboo shoots (canned), beets, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, daikon radish, eggplant, greens (collard, kale, romaine, spinach, Swiss chard), Hearts of Palm (canned), leeks, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers, radish, rutabaga, snow peas, sprouts, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, turnips, water chestnuts (canned), zucchini

Breakfast

Greek Yogurt with Berries

1 c. Plain yogurt 

1/2 c. berries (fresh or frozen)

LUNCH

Salad in a Jar

Layer: Dijon Vinaigrette, grape tomatoes, sliced hearts of palm, shredded red cabbage, cooked quinoa, bell pepper, spinach.  Shake and eat!

Dinner

Lemony Salmon with Broccoli and Tomatoes

Serves 4
2 lemons, 1 head broccoli (trimmed), 10 ounces grape tomatoes, 4 garlic cloves, minced, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, 1 cup Kalamata olives.

Juice 1 lemon into small bowl, whisk in olive oil.  Thinly slice remaining lemon.  Place broccoli, tomatoes, and garlic in skillet with salmon fillets, sprinkle with red pepper, salt and black pepper, top with lemon slices. Pour 1/2 lemon-oil and 1 cup water in skillet.  Cover tightly, bring to boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes until salmon is cooked through and broccoli is tender.Spoon olives and remaining lemon oil mixture on top.

Spiced Lentils with Roasted Green Beans and Quinoa

Serves 2

2/3 cup dried green lentils
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt, pepper
4 cups pre washed bagged green beans
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup cooked quinoa

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  in small pot, combine lentils and broth and bring to boil.  cover and reduce heat to med-low.  Simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender, drain excess liquid.  Gently stir in garlic powder, coriander, onion powder and chili powder, salt and pepper.  While lentils are cooking, in large bowl, toss green beans with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread green beans on baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.  Serve lentils warm over cooked quinoa, with side of roasted green beans.

Dijon Vinaigrette

8 servings

1/4 C. Fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp coarse - grain dijon mustard

1/2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Pinch coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate (will keep for 2 weeks)

Soba Noodle and Edamame Salad with Miso Dressing

Serves 6
1 pound frozen, shelled edamame
1 (13 oz.) bag soba noodles
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons yellow miso
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp honey
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 c. sesame oil
1 medium cucumber, diced
2 medium carrots peeled, cut into ribbons with a peeler
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
Sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

Bring 1 cup of water to boil in a medium pot.  Add edamame.  Return water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 2-3 minutes, until beans are hot.  Strain and rinse with cold water.  Transfer edamame to a large bowl.

Fill the same pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add noodles, return water to a boil, stirring to separate noodles.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes, until tender.  Strain and rinse with cold water.  Add to bowl with edamame.

In a small bowl, whisk miso, vinegar, ginger, honey and cayenne.  Drizzle in sesame oils and whisk to emulsify.

Add to noodles along with cucumber, carrots and cilantro. Stir gently to combine.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

From Dave Ramsey Newsletter:

2. Easy Marinara Sauce With Spaghetti Squash Noodles

Serves 4

Cost per serving: $2.50

Shh . . . We’ve got a secret. When it comes to marinara, doctoring up jarred sauce is the new simmer for hours. Even Grandma’s timeless recipe will approve. Seriously, with a few pantry staples and jars of marinara sauce, you can serve up cheap meals that are simple, easy and tasty. Don’t have jarred sauce? Crushed tomatoes will do the trick too. Just up the fresh basil and throw in whatever dried Italian spices you have in your spice cabinet.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 jars marinara sauce
• Olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
• Handful of fresh basil, cut in strips
• 1 large spaghetti squash
• Leftover ground meat or sausage, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a pan with parchment paper.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop the seeds out.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake cut-side down for 30–40 minutes.
4. While the squash is doing its thing, drizzle olive oil in a pan and heat on medium heat.
5. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 4–5 minutes. Pour in jarred sauce and fresh basil 
6. stir to combine. Simmer for 15 minutes. Then taste and add more seasonings if needed.
7. Once the squash is done cooking (you’ll know it’s ready when you can easily piece the flesh with a fork), remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
8. Make the spaghetti squash noodles by scraping the inside of the squash with a fork. (Kids love this part!)
9. Top noodles with sauce (and any leftover meat you want to add). Sprinkle with cheese and more fresh basil!

 Easy Rice and Beans Burrito Bowls

Serves 6

Cost per serving: 89 cents

Beans and rice . . . and rice and beans. We know you’re probably sick of hearing about it, but there’s no denying beans and rice are both cheap and healthy. They’re flexible base ingredients you can jazz up by adding different proteins and spices—or even by swapping out the kind of beans (and rice) you use!

P.S. If Meatless Monday isn’t your thing, take these bean burrito bowls up a notch by adding leftover Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups brown rice

2 15-ounce cans pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 chopped tomato

1 chopped jalapeno

1 bunch chopped green onions

Shredded cheddar cheese (just a sprinkle . . . we’re trying to be healthy here!)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the rice in a saucepan according to the directions on the bag or box.

2. While the rice is cooking, empty both cans of beans into another saucepan. Heat medium and add the cumin, garlic powder and salt. Remove from heat once the mixture has warmed up. If you want a little liquid in the beans, add in some vegetable or chicken broth.

3. Chop up the tomatoes, green onions and jalapeno.

4. It’s time to build your bowls! Add 1 cup of rice and 1/2 cup of beans to each bowl. Then top each bowl with some tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos and cheese (to taste).

7. Garbanzo Greek Salad

Serves 8

Cost per serving: $2.36

Nutritionist Jenna Waters shared this super easy Garbanzo Greek Salad on The Rachel Cruze Show, and let us tell you—we’re here for it! It’s hearty. It’s healthy. And it won’t break the bank. And to make it even better, it tastes better with time in the fridge (yay leftovers!). So, if you’re looking for a protein-packed, easy salad recipe that will give you several cheap meals this week, this one is it!

INGREDIENTS:

For the salad:

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 English cucumber, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper and 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced (optional)

For the dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

greens (spring mix, chopped romaine, etc.), optional

whole wheat pita bread, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients.

2. In a separate bowl or mason jar, add dressing ingredients and shake well to combine.

3. Pour dressing over the salad and gently mix to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

4. Refrigerate until ready to eat (or dig in right away!).

5. Serve over a bed of greens (spring mix, chopped romaine, etc.) or whole wheat pita bread.

Pro tip: When planning your healthy meals, try to use as many colors of the rainbow as you can. (This is what we call eating the rainbow.) But slow down. That doesn’t mean you’re eating a bag of skittles for dinner (too bad, right?). It just means that when you eat different colors of fruits and vegetables during the day, your body gets the essential nutrients it needs!

10. Loaded Baked Sweet Potato

Serves 4

Cost per serving: $1.75

Not to be confused with its starchy cousin, a sweet potato can be an awesome ingredient to add to your list of cheap, healthy meals. But look out—it’s easy for things to get out of hand (calorie-wise) when it comes to the toppings. Skip the bacon and sour cream and instead choose things like Greek yogurt and sesame seeds. Oh, we’re serious. And it’s seriously delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans
• 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
• Cheddar cheese (just a sprinkle)
• 1 lime
• Cayenne pepper to taste, optional
• Sesame seeds (just a dash)
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Poke holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork and place them on a baking sheet.

3. Cook the potatoes 30–40 minutes or until they’re soft (you can poke them again to test). Your cook time will also depend on the size of the sweet potatoes.

4. Take the sweet potatoes out of the oven and slice a small opening in the top center of each. Then scoop out a small portion from the top of the potato. But be careful not to remove too much. You just want to create enough space for all your toppings to sit.

5. Top each sweet potato with a combo of black beans, Greek yogurt, sesame seeds and cheese. Add a little squeeze of lime juice and the spices, and you’re good to go!

11. Vegetarian Chili

Serves 6

Cost per serving: $1.15

Need a Meatless Monday option that’s healthy, budget-friendly and feels a lot like comfort food? Then give this vegetarian chili a shot! Don’t let the lack of meat fool you. This dish still has plenty of flavor to sink your teeth into.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large cans crushed tomatoes, undrained 
• 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 white onion, diced
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dump everything (the veggies you just diced, the canned ingredients and the spices) into your slow cooker. It’s that easy!

2. Let the chili cook for 5–6 hours on high or 8–9 hours on low in your slow cooker.

Lentil Tacos

-Charity Wright

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

2/3 c. dried lentils (any color)

1 Tbs. taco seasoning

1 2/3 c. chicken broth

2 sweet potatoes

2/3 c. salsa

Tortillas

For the toppings:

1 c. cherry tomatoes

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

Lime juice and honey (to taste)

1 avocado

Feta cheese

Arugula (or other mixed greens, but if you really want your tacos to be amazing, use arugula 

Saute the onion and garlic in a pot with a little oil for a little bit until softened (about five minutes). Then add the dried lentils and taco seasoning, stir together for a minute and then add the chicken broth.

Bring this mixture to a boil, then cover and turn down the heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop up the sweet potatoes into bite-size pieces, coat them with a little bit of olive oil and 2 tsp. more taco seasoning. Roast in the oven at 400 for about twenty minutes (until they’re slightly browned). This is my favorite part of these tacos…don’t skip out on these!

Dice up the cherry tomatoes and mix them up with the cilantro, some lime juice and a drizzle of honey. Then chop up everything else so people can top their tacos with whatever they like most.

When the lentils are done, mix in the salsa, and then they’re ready to use for your base.

Assemble in a tortilla 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 heaping cup of chocolate chips
• sea salt flakes for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium size bowl, mix together the almond flour, tahini, maple syrup, and chocolate chips!

The dough should be thick. If it's not, add a little bit more almond flour.

• Mix to ensure everything is coated well, and place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP, THIS IS THE MAGIC!
• While the dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350 F.
• Remove bowl from the refrigerator, and add the egg and baking soda, and mix together until fully incorporated.
• Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop dough and form 16 cookies.
• Bake for 10-11 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the cookies settle before eating!
• The key with these cookies is to slightly undercook them, so that they are nice and crispy on the outside and SUPER CHEWY on the inside.
• Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top.