Eating "Clean" and Need More ideas/recipes...encouragement? Something???

If you are still looking for suggestions, here's mine. Pick up a copy of one (or all) of the Flat Belly Diet cookbooks. I don't like the word "diet" though; it's more of a healthy eating plan, which is essentially what you are looking for. They talk about eating healthy food, most of which is relatively quick to prepare, and they talk about portion sizes too. When I stick to their plan, I do really well with weight control. When I fall off the wagon, I tend to go up a couple of pounds. But the recipes are really good, and my husband and I enjoy them (sometimes the kids too). Good luck to you!

I am not a "cooking" person either but I like to make batches of cold rice/grain salads to keep in the fridge... My favorite is quinoa with tomato, cucumber, lemon juice, cilantro, a little onion, garlic and jalepeno... the longer it sits the better the flavors blend... or brown rice with whatever kinds of veggies and spices you like...I was really weary of rice and grains when I first started eating clean because I have been so conditioned to think that any rice etc is high cal and not allowed but if you are only eating real foods then these grains actually help you lose. Plus they fill you up. I am just (today actually) getting back on the "clean" wagon after a pretty long fall out of eating nachos with sour cream almost every night (thanks to a ton of chips left over from a party)... I just had romaine lettuce with guacamole as the dressing. I am grossed out by how I look in the mirror right now so I refuse to weigh myself at least until I have been back on the wagon for a few days lol! I would say to go ahead and keep your york but keep it to one a day because then you will look forward to your little treat and you won't pig out on ten of them one day because they have been "off limits." Whenever I need a "jump start" I do a fruit/veg/nut only day... unlimited amounts of all... and it always helps me to shed water weight and lose a few lbs fast for motivation. Good luck, you can do it! :)

TIA. That's funny. I'm a total nerd when it comes to understanding shortened lingo, but I actually knew what that meant!
I just wanted to say something about your "non-clean" pretzels. Pretzels are amazing. I snack on them all the time. The package I'm looking at says a serving size is 42 pretzel sticks, calories 110, calories from fat....5.
If you have to watch your sodium intake, you may need to watch that, but pretzels don't seem "un-clean" to me.
You can eat vegetables and fruit in abundance. I love this time of year because melons and things like that are easy to come by.
There are less than 80 calories in a boiled egg.
Licorice and gummy candies have zero fat. They have calories, but they're not bad for a treat if you're craving one.
You can't go wrong with lean meats, fish, fruit and vegetables.
It seems like the trick is not getting bored by eating the same thing all the time.

You're off to a great start!
Best wishes.

Hi Tia,
I use a meal replacement drink. Really healthy, low cal, glutten free and tastes great. 10lbs down in the last 3 weeks. Somehow it has absolutely helped with my cravings for all things not good for me:) This doesn't help with your recipe request, but does help with those times you just don't have any good food prepared and you slip up and cheat. If you want more info, let me know.
E.

I'm answering the last paragraph of your post that talks about being bored with food. I recently read the article I am posting below. I loved it because it talks about the true emotional relationship we have with food. I know with me sometimes I get so obsessed with trying to make "healthy" food it feels like eating is a duty that I don't enjoy. I found the approach of the chef in the article (who espouses clean eating that still tastes good) refreshing. Hope it helps.

http://www.thelinemedia.com/features/davidfhima10610.aspx

I like a handful of peanuts (or any nuts) and a handful of raisins (or any dried fruit) (or any fresh fruit!) Smoothies using organic yogurt, frozen fruit, bananas, & milled flax seed. Peanutbutter. Hard-boiled eggs. Tacos. :) As a side note, splenda is very unhealthy. Very. My advice would be to cut it out of your diet ASAP. :)

Well, something that is still "clean eating" in my estimation can be smoothies - they are fun, no "cooking" involved and you can make them as extremely healthy, or a little less healthy, and more dessert-y as you want! I just got the August 1 issue of Women's World, and it has an article about Dr. Oz and losing weight with smoothies. There are 5 recipes for smoothies in there, and they can be meal replacements, or in smaller portions they can be your snack or "Dessert"....one has protien powder in it, but other than that, they are all fruits and veggies, some ice, water, and milk or milk substitutes like soy, coconut and almond milk.

There is even one for a Cherry Juice smoothies that is supposed to support better sleep. I love using my Magic Bullet Blender for smoothies, there are tons of recipes for them everywhere, and they are fast and easy food, and great for this horribly hot weather we are having.

Whoops shouldn't have posted answer here!

There is a magazine called "Clean Eating". Pick up a copy at a newsstand and see if you like the recipes.

I found the recipes a bit bland so always upped the spices, but over all it is a nice publication.

You might want to take a look at Weight Watchers and their "Power Foods". The ability of a food to be filling and to have positive impacts on health make it a power food. What are the power foods? All fruit except dried fruit and juices and no added sugar. Most vegetables as long as they don't have added sugar or oils. Potatoes (but not French fries). Whole grains. Fat free dairy products. Soy products. Lean proteins including beef, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey, veal, dried beans and peas, eggs, game meats, lentils, tofu, most fish and shellfish, organ meats. Reduced calorie breads. Broth and some broth and tomato based soups. Sugar-free gelatin.

The Weight Watchers web site, cookbooks, and magazine have a lot of delicious recipes. Many of them are considered power food recipes because the majority of the ingrediants are power foods. I use a lot of their recipes (but I typically use less salt than they call for).

Hi Tia,

Eating clean doesn't have to be boring. There are plenty of tasty things. Yes, there are bad things and if you love them you can have them on occasion... in small portions. Portions is huge (no pun intended for sure!) in this game.

It's more about balance than deprivation. At every meal you should have some complex carbs, protein and fats in proportion. That's the trick......portions again. You can also have yourself a little snack a couple of times a day to stave off hunger. Portions again! It's re-learning what a proper portion size is. For example your meat should be about the size of a computer mouse or a deck of cards....... yet somewhere along the line we decided we needed two chicken breasts or a side of beef!

I drink a meal shake for breakfast to get a healthy easy and filling good start to my day. a couple of hours later I have a piece of fruit with a few (not many) nuts. A couple hours later a healthy (portion appropriate) lunch. About 4pm I have a protein drink or a cup of tea (treat myself to some honey in it for my sweet tooth) and then a nice dinner. Nothing after dinner except maybe more tea. I exercise a mere 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Everyone deserves time off. I'm healthy and at a good weight.

A good dinner to me is a lean meat, a salad, a vegetable and a little bread or rice. Don't try and get fancy. Garlic and onions make everything taste pretty good.

Contact me if you are interested in meal replacement snacks, shakes or bars. Jump start yourself because if you do I am convinced you will feel better than you have in a long time within 2 weeks!

I see that you're in mpls. There is a restaurant in the uptown area called Ecopolitan. EVERYTHING there is made of raw foods....great burritos, but everything is good.
I try to hit up the farmers markets to give me new ideas...

MY FAVORITE place to go for this is a magazine called Clean Eating Magazine ... they give you a two week menu and the grocery shopping list for the two weeks and they make it economical. It is a WONDERFUL magazine to use for this lifestyle. They have articles on the lifestyle and how to make it work for you and your family. I wish you well.

Check out my friend's website: http://fastpaleo.com. There are lots of great recipes, all are healthy and you can search by main ingredient such as vegetables, chicken, etc. The recipes are all user contributed so most of them are really easy! Good luck with your goals!!