While on the Advocare 24 Day Challenge I find breakfast to be my favorite meal of the day. I love making different kinds of omelets, having all kinds of fruits. drinking a smoothie…there seem to be a lot of choices when it comes to clean eating breakfast options. I also follow the philosophy that it’s best to have your carbohydrates in the morning and decrease them as the day goes on. I like having the extra energy in the morning, and I also like knowing that they serve as fuel that I can burn off throughout the day. This is why I’ve been wanting to find a way to make some guilt-free pancakes.
I have seen recipes floating around on Pinterest for Paleo Pancakes or Clean Eating Pancakes. After pinning a few different ones, I looked around the house for what I had on hand, and what I thought would taste good and made my own version. Here is what I came up with:
CLEAN EATING PANCAKES
1 cup organic rolled oats
1 ripe banana
2 tbsp Chia seeds
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup egg whites
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon – added to your preference
Add all ingredients into a blender, Vitamix or food processor and blend to make “batter”. Pour into a greased pan (I use coconut oil spray) and cook on medium heat just like you would regular pancakes. Serve with fresh fruit, organic maple syrup or organic honey. I must say they turned out really well. They had great flavor, were really filling, are good for you, and the kids liked them! Hope you enjoy!
Well now that you know what we have been eating for breakfast these days, here is a line up of this week’s clean eating dinner meal plan. I have my in-laws in town, so I hope they enjoy eating clean with us this week. Hopefully they won’t even notice that I’m putting “health food” in front of them every night, and they just feel like they are sitting down to a good home-cooked meal (which of course we know it is!)
Monday- Chopped Vegetable Quinoa salad with a fresh basil dressing (my mother-in-law loved it)
Tuesday- Shredded salsa chicken taco salads
Wednesday- Homemade ground turkey chili
Thursday- Olive hummus crusted chicken and baked vegetables
Friday- Mushroom and chicken marinara over brown rice pasta
Saturday- BBQ- kabobs and turkey burgers
Sunday- Chicken boy choy
That’s all for today….have a happy & healthy Tuesday! xo
Although I haven’t been keeping up with my Monday Meal Plans via the blog, they are always ongoing in our home. I feel like our household has been upside down the last few weeks, but the one thing that remains constant and simple to maintain is what we are eating. I look forward to making dinner because there is some organization to it which seems to be lacking from the rest of my day.
Here are the clean eating meals we enjoyed last week:
MEAL PLAN {4/15-4/21}
Monday- Chicken Summer Wraps {Shown in above photo- omitted mayonnaise and used natural PB}
Tuesday- Turkey chili
Wednesday- Buffalo Chicken Quinoa
Thursday- Breakfast for dinner {made a veggie quiche}
Friday-Homemade turkey meatballs with brown rice pasta
Saturday- BBQ {We did carne asada. Not the cleanest of meals but had some low carb sides- minus all beer & margaritas oops!}
Sunday- Went out to eat at El Torito and had delicious chicken salads.
MEAL PLAN { 4/22-4/28 }
Monday- Chicken & Veggie kabobs on the grill
Tuesday- Zuchini Buffalo turkey burgers with sweet potato wedges
Wednesday- Crockpot Southwestern 2 bean & chicken chili {Shown in above photo}
Thursday- White bean, kale and quinoa soup
Friday- Crockpot salsa chicken taco salads
Saturday- Cucumber California rolls {no rice}
Sunday- Hosting a girly party at our house….aka….cheat day! Hoping to make some fun apps!
As always, I would love to see what your recipe line-up is for the week. Also if you ever want further details on something we ate just let me know and I will be happy to post a recipe if I haven’t already. Hope you all have a tasty and healthy week ahead!
Ok so I don’t ever use the word “ya’ll” but I just had to throw it in there after returning from my amazing two nights away in Austin, TX for a bachelorette party. I haven’t had a chance to write about my trip since I just got back yesterday afternoon (and was in bed by 7:00pm ha ha), but I wanted to do a quick Monday Meal Plan post. I will also quickly say that Austin was AWESOME, and since I’m on the subject of food I must say how impressed I was by our wining and dining experience there. I had totally planned to cheat on eating healthy by diving into some southern comfort food but let me tell you, I had such a misconception of eating out in Austin.
Did you know Austin is actually ranked in the top 10 healthiest cities to live in? I sure didn’t! The food was wonderful…organic…fresh…healthy…and delicious!! At one restaurant the bartender actually apologized for the only drink on their menu that had some syrup in it because everything else on their menu was completely fresh and natural. I was so impressed! It was as though all the restaurants there are trying to outdo one another by being the healthiest. So, thank you Austin!! I really did want to indulge this weekend, but you didn’t even allow me the opportunity to do so.
Now that I’m back, and my Austin fog is lifting, I am trying to jump right back into our Monday routine. Although I should probably start by unpacking my suitcase, I know that our refrigerator needs some restocking first. Here is what I have on the lineup for this week’s clean eating Meal Plan Monday menu!
Monday- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Tuesday- Ground turkey and veggie chili
Wednesday- Pineapple pork kabobs
Thursday- Zucchini Turkey burgers with sauteed onions and sweet potatos
Friday- Mushroom Chicken marinara over spaghetti squash
Saturday- Dinner out with the fam
Sunday- Shredded Salsa chicken – tacos or salad
I’m excited to try a few new recipes this week and I think the boys are too! Happy Monday everyone and I hope your week is off to a great start!
I know every family runs dinner time differently in their household, but around here I like to have every day planned out ahead of time. I’m terrible at doing laundry, you will never find me scrubbing anything, I don’t think I’ve ever emptied a trash can and our bed is only made when I know people are coming over. Crafty? Sure! Domestic? Not even close. But I will make an exception when it comes to dinner…it’s always planned, and always ready by the time Greg gets home from work. I don’t think he has any expectations for my day besides making sure our kids survive so I know he really appreciates this after he has had a long day. Twelve hours of our day are spent on completely different wave lengths, and when our worlds collide at 6:00pm, sitting down to dinner as a family is the best way for us to get back on the same page. We may only get 10 minutes to actually eat our food, and sometimes dinner is spent standing around our kitchen island but we know this routine will get easier and easier as the boys get older. It’s important to us, so we try our best.
Since changing to eating primarily clean meals, I’ve also found that planning ahead makes all the difference. I used to buy a lot of premade foods from Trader Joes to make preparing dinner easier. Frozen meatballs, premade stuffed peppers, frozen turkey meatloaf, etc. At the time I thought we were eating fairly healthy (I mean isn’t everything from TJ’s healthy?), and I loved being able to throw these items together last minute with some side dishes, but now I know that dinner can be just as quick without taking the less healthy short-cuts. The best part is Greg hasn’t noticed any difference in the taste and portion department, but he has noticed a difference in how his clothes are fitting him. Since the new year he has lost almost 30 lbs on our diet changes alone!!! It’s truly shocking to both of us that this lifestyle change has made such a huge difference to our bodies without actually feeling like we have changed anything at all. I’m not going to lie we have cut back on alcohol. WAYYYYYY back! I think I can count on 1 hand how many times we have had drinks the past 4 months in comparison to having wine/beer a few nights a week to unwind. I’m sure as the warm weather approaches we will find ourselves outside with a drink in our hands, but for now this hasn’t been a difficult change to make.
There are so many awesome resources out there now for clean eating recipes, but like any creature of habit, I have found our favorites and just rotate them throughout the weeks. I’d love to know what some of your favorite “go-to” meals are during the week. Do you meal plan? If so, what’s on this week’s lineup? I try to do one new recipe a week and will add it to the rotation if it ends up being a hit. I’d love to hear new ideas!
Here is what I have planned for the week:
Monday- Hummus crusted chicken with roasted veggies
Tuesday- Zucchini turkey meatballs, marinara sauce over spaghetti squash (over brown rice pasta for boys)
Wednesday- Chicken fajitas with guacamole
Thursday- Rosemary pork with a sweet potato/mixed veggie quinoa side
Friday- Southwestern chicken and bean chili
Saturday- Buffalo turkey burgers and sweet potato fries
Sunday- BBQ!! Chicken kabobs and grilled veggies
I just realized it’s not very nice to talk about all this food without sharing a recipe too. I made a new quinoa salad last week that was great! I suggest making a large portion of it…I was able to stretch mine out for a dinner meal for the family and then had enough for lunch the next 2 days. Hope you enjoy!
VEGETABLE QUINOA SALAD w/ FRESH BASIL
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa (I used Trader Joes Organic tricolor quinoa)
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3 roma tomatoes chopped
1 yellow bell pepper chopped
1 1/2 cups corn
3-4 green onions thinly sliced
1 handful fresh chopped basil
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
To prepare: Whisk together the EVOO, lemon juice and vinegar and set aside as dressing. Prepare the quinoa as stated on the package. While quinoa is cooking prepare/cut the above listed vegetables and throw into a large mixing bowl. Once quinoa has slightly cooled add to the cut veggies and toss together with dressing. Enjoy right away or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
We celebrated yesterday with friends, family and neighbors! I think I tried every version of corned beef and cabbage known to man, and had my first Irish Car-bomb since college! This mama still has it (not really, not really at all!).
I made this easy, fairly healthy, and festive rainbow fruit platter! Within minutes it was attacked by all the kids, and I was happy to see they went for the fruit before the “clouds” and “gold”.
I used strawberries, Cuties, pineapple, kiwi and blackberries. You could definitely use cantaloupe, honeydew, green or purple grapes, blueberries, and mango as well. The marshmallows were clouds but whip cream could also be fun, and I used Rolos as the pot of gold!
I hope you all have a lucky and SAFE St. Patty’s Day weekend!
Breakfast and dinner are always easy meals to plan in our household. Lunch is a whole other story! I feel like we are always running in the door after a morning of errand running, school pick ups, play dates etc and lunch can seem chaotic most days. I love finding lunch options that are quick, healthy, and kid approved. That’s why we love smoothies around here. I usually make a huge one for my lunch, and serve a small one for the boys in addition to whatever they are eating. There is no better feeling than seeing your kids chug down their fruits and veggies for the day all in one sitting! I also like to add ground flax seed. Flax seed is rich in several important compounds including omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytochemicals, all of which have very important health benefits and should be included in a nutritious diet. To reap all of the health benefits of flax seed, it’s recommended that you eat 1-2 tablespoons a day. Here is a smoothie I put together today that turned out delicious! I like to experiment with different fruit/veggie combos usually based on what I have on hand, and this one passed the test by both me and the boys!
INGREDIENTS:
Blend the following on high speed until smooth:
1/2 cup Trader Joe’s frozen fancy berry mix (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
1/4 cup Trader Joe’s frozen pineapple bits
1 large handful of Kale
1/4 cup Almond Smooth almond milk
1/2 ripe banana
1 T. ground flax seed
Ice & water
ENJOY!! *Those of you on the Advocare 24 day challenge- this recipe is approved for both the cleanse and Max phase
It’s been a crazy last 2 weeks in our household. I wish I could say we were too busy having fun, but unfortunately this germ-infested winter hit our boys hard and knocked us off our feet for awhile. They both started with a mild cough and cold, and before you knew it fevers were up to 104, there was pneumonia, RSV, ear infections and too many sleepless nights and trips to Urgent Care that it hurts my heart to think about it again. I’m so happy to report that these two are back to their smiley selves again.
We are just now getting back on track and trying to resume our normal weekly routine. Of course part of this routine is Nathan heading back to school, where the only things he and his classmates willingly share are their germs. Since wrapping my boys up in bubble wrap, and keeping them in isolation isn’t an option….I’ve been looking into things I can do to try and keep them as healthy as possible.
In talking to my friend Mckenzie the other day, I came to find out we were living parallel lives just a few states apart. Her two children were sick with the identical thing my boys had and is also looking for ways to clean up her family’s diet and help boost their immune systems. She has eliminated dairy from their diets, which we have also done (not by choice, the kids have never liked milk. Since our pediatrician doesn’t push cow’s milk either this was a battle I would let them win). She has also been working hard at eliminating sugar from their diets as well. Her aunt is a nurse and recommended an awesome immunity boosting oatmeal recipe that I wanted to share that excludes both sugar and dairy. I made a huge batch this weekend and so far it’s been a great way to start our day!
You will need:
· 4 cups rolled organic oats
· 2 cups oat bran
· 1 cup sunflower seeds
· 1 cup raw unsalted nuts, chopped ( I use the almond slivers)
· 1 cup lecithin granules (if you can’t find that is ok)
· 1 cup ground flaxseeds
Mix all the ingredients together and grind well in a blender. I took this mixture and put it into a large Tupperware container to store in our pantry (this amount will last you a long time!) I spoon out about two tablespoons into a bowl. I add un-sweetened almond milk, mix well, and microwave for about 45 seconds. For sweetness I sprinkle on a little bit of cinnamon and add some sliced fruit. Bananas add the perfect amount of natural sweetness.
Mckenzie’s aunt says: “It must be eaten 4 times a week for the effects to be noticeable. People who use it regularly notice an enhanced immune response and fewer allergic reactions, as well as improved digestion. They often report increased energy and stabilized blood sugars. It also is instrumental in lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels. High fiber diets have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of colon cancer.”
Since I had these items on hand and have enough oatmeal mixture made to last months, I thought I would whip up some super easy “cookies” with some of the same ingredients. If your kids aren’t quite sure of the oatmeal texture to start, I bet you could fool them with some of these:
You will need:
- Two ripe bananas – 1 cup rolled oats – 1/4 cup flaxseed - 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
Mush all the ingredients together and scoop out onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
Yes, I cheated a little here and added chocolate chips but these would be good without them. You could also add cinnamon and raisins for more of an oatmeal cookie flavoring.
My husband was in love with these. He described them as “Cliff bars but so much better” (and WAY better for you!). These were incredibly simple to make, and an awesome breakfast on the go! Looking forward to discovering more simple solutions to eating cleaner and healthier! Hoping the rest of this winter takes it easier on us!
*On a side note- since I last posted my results on the Advocare 24 day challenge I have lost another 5 lbs. That is 15 lbs total since the new year! The above recipes are totally approved of for those of you who are also trying this challenge (well everything but those chocolate chips ha ha). Enjoy!!
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Hey! I’m Lauren Rene
I'm a So Cal Mommy of 2 boys, and wifey to one handsome fella! Interior Designer by trade, but SAHM by choice. I spend my days loving my family, getting crafty, cooking clean, exercising, snapping photos and sharing it all with you.
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