What is Clean Eating?

Clean eating: what does it mean?  Seriously, I wash my grapes, everything I buy is tightly sealed in plastic wrap, and even though my floors aren't so clean one could eat off of them, we don't actually eat off the floor (that's why we have dogs).  Even raccoons wash their food before they eat it out of garbage cans, so, really, doesn't everyone eat clean?

Depends what you define as clean, I suppose.  If clean, for you, is a score of 97% on a surprise inspection by the health department, displayed so proudly right by the menu of your favorite fast food joint, read no further.  This menu is not for you.

For some, clean eating is toxin-free.  It is becoming more and more difficult to admit that our bodies are full of toxins, from what we eat to what we breathe, even what we wear.  You are no longer seen as crazy-granola-tree hugger if you start talking about toxins in your body.  (Just don't tell anyone they came from the alien abduction.)

For others, clean eating is eating as close to non-processed as you can.  Whole foods, unprocessed.  Foods that came from farms not factories.  These are the foods that are brightly colored themselves, not their packaging. 

For me, it's pretty much chucking the junk.  My aim is to eat next to nothing processed, nothing refined, just actual, tasty food.  You know, the way it was before food became an industry.  Basically, I'll eat any food that doesn't have its own lobbyist.

Sunday: Pear Pork Medallions, Goddess Green Beans, Baked Sweet Potatoes

Pear Pork Medallions
16 oz pork tenderloin, sliced thin into medallions
salt to taste
pepper to taste
garlic powder, to taste
8 pear halves, canned in juice (reserve juice)

Preheat oven to 350.  Place pork medallions in a rimmed baking dish.  Lightly sprinkle each piece with salt and pepper and garlic.  Drizzle 1 t. pear juice over each medallion.  Thinly slice each pear slice and fan slices over each medallion.  Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 min, or until pork is cooked all the way through. 4 servings

Goddess Green Beans
for each serving, you'll need:

1 c. fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed
1 T. butter
1 shallot, chopped
slivered raw almonds, for garnish
pinch sea salt
pinch white pepper

Saute butter in saucepan with the shallot.  Stir until the shallots look translucent.  Turn off heat.

In a separate saucepan, boil enough water to cover the green beans.  Once water boils, add the beans and let them parboil for 2 min or until they turn bright green. Remove beans from heat and rinse with cold water until they become lukewarm.

Add the green beans to the sauteed shallots along with the slivered almonds.  Turn heat to high, mixing the buttered shallots with the almonds for two minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.


Monday: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

(4 Servings)
1 cup Traditional Quinoa
2 cups Water
4 large or 6 medium  Green Peppers
1 medium Onion, diced
1/2 lb. fresh Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 - 28 oz can Tomatoes, coarsely diced (reserve juice)
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 - 12 oz jar Mexican Salsa
2 Tbs. Dry Sherry
5 oz  reduced fat Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Pre-heat oven to 325° F. Cook traditional quinoa following basic directions (add 1 cup quinoa to 1 1/2 cups boiling water, return to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes). Steam 4 large or 6 medium green peppers until soft but not limp. In a large skillet, saute the onion and mushrooms in butter. Add the diced tomatoes (reserve the juice). Add the crushed garlic and Mexican salsa. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the sherry and simmer 10 more minutes. Fold in quinoa. Place peppers in baking dish and fill with quinoa mixture. This will take about half the mixture. Thin remainder with reserved juice and pour around peppers.

Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over peppers and bake in 325° F. oven for 30-35 minutes.



Tuesday: Teriyaki Halibut, steamed brown rice, steamed edamame

Teriyaki Halibut

4 Fresh or Frozen Halibut Steaks, 6-8 oz each
1/2 cup low sodium  soy sauce
2 t. chopped fresh ginger
1/2 t. sesame oil
1/4 c. dry sherry
1 t. worcestershire
2 T. chopped green onion
2 cloves minced garlic
cooking spray

Rinse fish and pat dry.  Combine low sodium soy sauce, worcestershire, ginger, sesame oil, sherry, onions, and garlic in saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer slowly 5 minutes.  Strain liquid and chill.

Place the halibut steaks in a shallow non-aluminum pan and cover with marinade.  Refrigerate 15 minutes.  Remove fish from marinade and drain.

spray broiling pan with nonstick cooking spray.  place under broiler 4-5 inches from heat and cook 8-10 min per each inch of thickness.  Turn over halfway through cooking time.  Garnish with additional green onions.

Wednesday: Grilled Chicken with Roasted Kale

 Thursday: Naked Chicken-Pico Tacos

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and cayenne
homemade pico or storebought fresh pico
8 large boston or iceberg lettuce leaves

Grill the chicken until done, and dice.   divide chicken and pico evenly among lettuce leaves; wrap up and serve

homemade pico
two tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 T. lime juice
1 T. minced jalepeno
salt

Combine all ingredients.

Friday: Very Veggie Egg Bake, fresh fruit

Very Veggie Egg Bake

4 eggs
1 cup egg beaters

1/2 cup broccoli, chopped small
1/2 cup red bell peppers
1/2 c. mushrooms, quartered
salt and pepper, to taste
chopped green onions (optional)

Oven to 350.

Saute the vegetables in a nonstick pan with cooking spray until tender crisp.

Beat eggs and egg beaters together in a bowl. 

Spray 4 individual au gratin dishes with cooking spray.  Evenly distribute the cooked vegetables in each dish.  Pour eggs on top, evenly.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with green onions, if desired.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, or until eggs are cooked through.

Saturday:  Leftovers