A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

My husband is a huge fitness buff. He does a lot of weight training and stuff like that. I am .. well.. pretty much the exact opposite these days. I've done the thing where I promise a whole new me and a clean sweep of my lifestyle. And I do good for a while.. and then I have one or two slip ups, beat the hell out of myself and go into a freefall that is always worse than how I was before my 'lifestyle change'.

Anyway - Rob feels he is getting soft. Says he can't see his abs as well and he feels like it's because my recent downward spiral has caused my cooking to be rampant with fat. I think the delicious empanadas were his last straw.

So he challenged me to cooking/eating (mostly) clean for ONLY ONE WEEK. And see if it makes a difference. I took his challenge and I decided to share with y'all any foods that we cook and eat that are especially tasty - despite their relative healthiness. Without further ado.. the things that sparked my fire yesterday:

Breakfast Taco Scramble:
In a bowl, scramble 3 egg whites and 1 whole egg with a little water and about a tablespoon of hot sauce. Chop 1 small tomato and half of a small onion. Spray your pan with non-stick spray and toss in the veggies until they are fragrant and onions are soft. Add egg mixture and a little salt and pepper. Scramble until eggs are cooked. Put 4 tortillas between 2 pieces of damp paper towel and microwave for 45 seconds. Spoon egg mixture into warm tortillas - top with tobasco, red hot or taco sauce if you choose. Done. They were fantastic. You can add a little cheese.. but they didn't even need it. It's 4 tacos.. we each had 2 and were satisfied.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches:
I used about 2 lbs of chicken cutlets sliced relatively thin. Dredge the chicken in 1 part chili powder and 1 part paprika with a little salt mixed in. Spray your non stick pan with Pam and heat to medium. Place cutlets right in pan and cook - turning once (about 3-4 minutes each side). remove cutlets and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil - scratching the bottom to scrape up the good bits. When the oil is warm add 3/4 cup (give or take) Red Hot. Reduce heat to low and put the cutlets back in - turning in the sauce. Meanwhile - in a bowl combine 3/4 cup sour cream with a handful of crumbled bleu cheese. Add a splash of vinegar (I used champagne vinegar.. but I think Cider or white would be fine too) and a pinch of salt. Stir in a palmful of chopped green onion. Put cutlets on whole wheat buns (I used the thin sandwich flats) and top with lettuce, tomato and a dollop of bleu cheese sauce. I put the remaining bleu cheese on the table with carrot and celery sticks. It was DELICIOUS. My littlest son couldn't eat it (too spicy) so I made him a cutlet dredged in adobo, paprika and a sprinkle of salt on a roll topped with l, t and ranch dressing.

So .. that was Day 1.. today I just had hardboiled eggs and clementines for breakfast and for lunch I've got a leftover cutlet that I sliced and will put on a wrap for a buffalo chicken wrap. Dinner is the turkey ghoulash I was supposed to make yesterday. I'll post recipe if it turns out worthy!

Does anyone else have any healthy recipes that I might try out on my husband if I decide to continue this for a while? The idealogy is lower in fat with a good mix of lean protein and quality carbs.

Message edited 1/12/2010 10:51:29 AM.

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

SO MAD I JUST TYPED A WHOLE THING AND IT GOT DELETED

I am doing the same thing!

BFast-same as you HB egg but also smoothies (with FF fage, banana frozen strawberries, blueberries etc), oalmeal (not instant--real oats add a little honey)

lunch-veggies and proteins-fruits I am a bead/carbaholic so I am trying to minimize the white carbs

dinner-easy and yum

Grill chicken, sautee mushrooms--add to baking dish each chicken breast gets thin slice of skim mozzerlla--add 2 cans diced tomaotes-with garlic and oil--bake--yum!

lemon chicken--no flour--just grill the chicken and add lemon to it

salmon and flounder--broiled with a little oil s&p and lemon or a little bit bread crumbs

I am trying to snack on fruits and veggies instead of crackers and carbs..HTH

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

double

Message edited 1/12/2010 11:40:11 AM.

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

DH and I are getting ourselves into shape as well! Here's a favorite of his that's healthy, light yet filling. He loves eating protein and finds this very satisfying. It's a recipe from Real Simple Magazine:

Chicken Salad with Apple and Basil

Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 20m
Total Time: 25m

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
1 tablespoon white wine or rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 scallions (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples (peeled, if desired), diced
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil


Directions

1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Pound it to an even thinness. Place the chicken in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1/2 inch. Add 3 teaspoons of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until no trace of pink remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the lime juice, vinegar, and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the scallions and apples and toss.

3. Drain the chicken and pat it dry. Dice the chicken and add it to the apple mixture along with the peanuts, mint, basil, and the remaining salt and pepper. Toss and divide among individual plates.

Link to Actual Recipe

Personally, I put in less lime because I find it overpowering. Otherwise, it's very tasty!

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

most of my cooking is like this.

I rarely fry anything, and use small amounts of olive oil. I don't over do it with dressings/gravies/sauces etc.

tonight we are having oven baked perch (taking perch fillets and dressing them with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice/slices, and capers and baking until flaky) serving with roasted asparagus (just more olive oil and s/p..maybe a few parmiggiano shavings) and potatoes with rosemary and garlic.

I am not generally speaking a "heavy" cook for dinner.

desserts is our danger zone.

ETA: I use full fat everything. I don't skimp on richness...I just don't use a lot of it.

I also don't serve bread with pasta and stuff like that (unless it's a special gluttonous occasion)

Message edited 1/12/2010 12:30:14 PM.

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

One of the biggest issues I have had is eliminating refined sugar and white flour products. I have addiction problems. He made me show him the ingredients in Red Hot before he'd agree to eat it (he thinks EVERYTHING has sugar in it).

It's stupid, innocuous things that I keep coming up against that are making me nuts.. no dredging in white flour, only whole wheat bread crumbs.. which are pointless anyway since we aren't really frying. No thickening sauces with flour or corn starch.. no glossing with butter. Ketchup? Loaded with sugar. Same with bottled dressings and just about any prepared food I have to make life a little easier. And bread... no Italian bread or ciabatta.. only real whole grains. Pasta? Not unless it's whole wheat. Jarred sauce? Don't even think about it.

One week.. I can do. I'm just not sure I can do it for too much beyond that!

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

rojerono-It's funny my DH is like yours.

Honestly I am not a heavy cook and usually cook PRETTY healthy but I use white flour, sometimes fry cutets, eat too much macaroni..that sort of thing.

In one week I *felt* lighter (no scale--DH dropped something on it and I prefer to see my weight through my clothes anyway.

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

there is NO WAY we would give up certain things, like regular pasta.

but I almost NEVER dredge anything in white flour...there is no need to. I almost never use thickening agents either, but like I said, I don't do a lot of gravies...mostly just "jus" with wine or cider/beer.

I tend not to use premade sauces...mostly just bbq and peter luger if ever.

I try to avoid HFCS.

we are a white rice, regular pasta, whole grain whole wheat, whole grain cereal kind of house.

we eat potatoes with the skin.

we eat a lot of beans and oatmeal.

you can lead a "balanced" life...you don't have to be the refined items police for your dh to have a 6 pack.

Re: A Week Of "Clean(-er)" Eating.

We eat pretty healthy over here as well. I always try to "lighten" up my meals and use very little olive oil and whole grains.

For instance, on the menu this week is Chimichangas w. guac - I use whole wheat tortillas, very lean meat etc.

I cook with a lot of beans (I like dry beans - almost never used canned) for their fiber content.

I am also making a roasted vegetable pasta, which is very healthy, chock full of veggies and very low in fat. ANd my DH, the carnivore, LOVES it!