My Clean Eating Challenge!

So I have recently been inspired to turn my lifestyle around to encorperate "clean eating" into my diet. There has been a bit of hype around clean eating lately, and while I'm not a fan of "wagon" diets, I really agree with the key principals of clean eating- because really it's just getting back to basics. Clean eating is all about embracing the foods that occur naturally around us, cutting out preservatives and processed foods wherever possible- and I'm all for that! 

Over the next couple of months I will be challenging myself to be the cleanest eating me I can be, and will encourage anyone who wants to start looking after themselves a little better to join me!

So what is clean eating exactly? 

Here's a list of the fundemental principals I will be following from TheGraciousPantry.com

Eat  Lots Of Plants – Eat food that is straight from nature. (Some people say “as close to the way nature made it as possible”. But I think that leaves too much wiggle room – in my humble opinion) Eat mostly foods that are off a tree, bush, plant or vine, and you’ve pretty much got it covered. The idea is to stay away from anything that humans (food corporations) have altered in any way.

Include Meats - Eat meats that are whole and straight from the butcher. Don’t buy pre-packaged meat products because you never know what’s in them. When possible, buy whole meats and grind them yourself. You’d be surprised what’s in ground turkey meat! You can also select a few turkey breasts and ask that the butcher grind them for you. Many butchers are more than willing to accommodate.

Enjoy Grains - Eat grains that are still complete and haven’t been broken down into “glue”. Stick to brown rice, whole wheat and other whole grains.(For a list of foods to stock your pantry with, check out this list from The Gracious Pantry!)

Read Labels - I don’t know how many breads I’ve picked up at the store that say they are whole grain. But when I take a look at the ingredient list, white flour is the second ingredient after whole wheat flour!

Eat Fewer Ingredients - Try not to purchase foods that have more than 3-6 ingredients in the ingredient list. And be sure you recognize each and every ingredient. If you find a “mystery ingredient” such as “spices”, contact the company! Ask them what they consider to be spices. If it’s anything other than honest-to-goodness herbs and spices, avoid it! And remember, if you can’t pronounce it, it probably shouldn’t go into your body.

Eat 5-6 small meals per day - This may seem like a lot at first. But remember, you are eating smaller portions. If you really have a hard time with this, prepare your regular three meals and a snack for the day, and divide lunch and dinner in half. You’ve instantly got 6 small meals!

I think the first recipe I'll try will be The Gracious Pantry's Sun Dried Tomato and Olive Chicken! 

Clean Eating Sun Dried Tomato and Olive Chicken
(Makes 6 servings)

Ingredients
5 raw, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 7 oz each)
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 lb. crimini mushrooms, sliced
5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
6 oz black olives, sliced or chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

Directions

Step 1 – Saute’ the mushrooms and garlic in the olive oil over low to medium-low heat.

Step 2 – When the mushrooms just begin to wilt, add the chicken and sun dried tomatoes.

Step 3 – Cook until the chicken is completely cooked through. It should be at least 165 degrees F. on a meat thermometer.

Step 4 – Stir in the olives and remove pan from heat.

Step 5 – Allow to cool slightly and serve.

Note: If serving over pasta, a little parmesan would go a long way sprinkled on at the end. But we ate this as is and it was delish by itself.

Full recipe and nutritional information can be found here. 

I feel as though clean eating is more a lifestyle choice than a typical "diet", therefore I am excited about the sustainability of my latest venture! I would love to hear all about your clean eating stories! Have you tried clean eating before? What was the experience like? Email me at beautyspot.melbourne@gmail.com or post some comments below!