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Clean Eating is the Best Way to Improve Your Health
Are you working hard toward your fitness goals but struggling to find a delicious meal that isn’t a salad? Clean eating is the healthiest way to lose unwanted fat and improve your health. We searched high and low for the heartiest, healthiest recipes.
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Here are the top 5 easy recipes for clean eating – Bon appétit!
Sweet Potato Oven Fries
Unlike starchy white potatoes, sweet potatoes are chock-full of nutrients like potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Use as a main vegetarian dish or as a side for a lean protein.
Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes, cut and peeled in 1/4-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
One small minced clove of garlic
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400° and coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
Gently toss sweet potatoes in oil until coated evenly. Arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender, turning the potato slices after 15 minutes.
Combine parsley, orange rind, and garlic in a small bowl; stir well. Sprinkle parsley mixture over sweet potato slices.
Low-Cal Mac ‘n Cheese
Classic Southern macaroni and cheese has a hefty serving of heavy cream, which contains as much as 800 calories per cup. For a lower calorie option, use the recipe below for onion-garlic puree and include whole-wheat noodles.
Ingredients
½ cup Onion-Garlic Puree
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
9 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ cup water
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
4 ounces whole-wheat macaroni
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded 50% reduced-fat cheddar
1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
Salt
¼ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat an 8×8- inch baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
To prepare the onion-garlic puree, combine the onion, garlic, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 10 minutes.
Pour mixture into a blender and blend until it is completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
To prepare the macaroni, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the macaroni and cook 7 to 9 minutes; drain.
While the pasta is cooking, bring the onion-garlic puree and cayenne to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Whisk in the cheddar until it melts. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the yogurt.
In a medium bowl, toss the cooked macaroni with cheese sauce and coat thoroughly. Season to taste with salt. Pour the macaroni into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top.
Bake until cheese has melted and the macaroni is hot throughout, about 10 minutes.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Slow cooker recipes take advantage of natural flavors in meat without extra fat. The flavors of the vegetables and broth blend together over hours of cooking.
Ingredients
3 large carrots, sliced and peeled
2 medium red potatoes, sliced into wedges
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 bay leaves
3 pounds boneless tenderloin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups beef broth, fat free, low sodium
A pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
Add carrots, potatoes, onion, bay leaves, roast, garlic, vinegar and broth to slow cooker. Sprinkle mixture with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or until internal temperature of roast has reached 145 degrees and vegetables are tender.
Spice-Rub Grilled Chicken
While sauces and marinades inject savor and flavor into dishes, they also add fat. Try a spice rub instead. The kick of spice adds as few as 10 calories per serving and doesn’t sacrifice taste.
Ingredients
Vegetable cooking spray
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
Preparation
Grind coriander seeds, caraway seeds, and crushed red pepper until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in garlic powder and salt.
Coat both sides of chicken with the rub up to 30 minutes before broiling.
Position a rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler.
Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Place the chicken on the foil. Broil, watching carefully and turning at least once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°F, 10 to 15 minutes total.
Oven Baked Fish and Chips
This recipe cuts the calories of traditional fish and chips in half by eliminating oil for frying and baking them instead. The other key ingredient is a corn-flake breading. While 2 cups of breadcrumbs contain over 800 calories, cornflakes contain only 200.
Ingredients
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 pound russet potatoes cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
4 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, divided
2 cups cornflakes
1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites, beaten
1 pound Pacific cod or haddock, cut into 4 portions
Preparation
Position racks in upper and lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F.
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Set a wire rack on another large baking sheet; coat with cooking spray.
Toss the potatoes, oil, and ¾ teaspoon Cajun seasoning in a large bowl. Spread on baking sheet without the rack. Bake on the lower oven rack, turning every 10 minutes, until golden and tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, coarsely crush cornflakes in a seal-able plastic bag. Transfer to a shallow dish. Place flour, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, and salt in another shallow dish. Place egg whites in a third shallow dish. Dredge fish in the flour mixture, dip it in egg white, and then coat all sides with the ground cornflakes. Place on the oiled wire rack. Coat both sides of the breaded fish with cooking spray.
Bake the fish on the upper oven rack until and the breading is golden brown and the meat is opaque in the center, about 20 minutes.