I derive a ton of inspiration from blogs, which is what led me to finally start one of my own. Often, I'll take the foundation of another person's recipe and adapt it to ingredients I have in my own kitchen. I love the concept of throwing together a mystery meal with whatever is on hand. To make it easier, I always refrigerate large batches of quinoa, brown rice, and baked sweet potatoes. These items are easy to incorporate into any meal and cut down on my prep time during the week.

This dish is inspired by Tales of a Kitchen, one of my all time favorite blogs. The original recipe is a raw Massaged Kale Avocado and Millet Salad, which can be found by clicking on the highlighted link. In contrast, my recipe is a hot dish with fewer ingredients than the salad calls for. With the weather still chilly here in the northeast, warming rather than refreshing is what I am looking for. Whichever version suits you, both use a similar salad dressing base and are absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for frying
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
4-5 large kale leaves, chopped, stems removed
1 cup cooked brown rice
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Directions:
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, pepper and carrot to the pan. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Add the kale and cook until wilted. Stir in the brown rice, black pepper and pumpkin seeds. Remove pan from heat. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegars, mustard and red pepper flakes. Stir vinaigrette into the rice mixture. Portion into bowls and serve.

Shown Above: Purple Power Juice (left), Sunrise Juice (center), Blended Watermelon Juice (right).

If you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen, homemade juice is a fun way to get your fruit and vegetable servings. The variety of juice blends you can make are only limited by your imagination. It does involve a little bit of work and clean-up time, but no more than if you were to dirty a few pots and pans.

To get started, you need to choose an appliance that works for your lifestyle:

Smoothie Blenders: these are great for people who want the least amount of work and clean-up time. The pulp is not extracted, so the texture will be thicker and less smooth than a juice, but the fiber benefits will not be lost either. Brands to consider: NutriBullet - Average Price $89.99, Vitamix $349 and up.

Centrifugal Juicer: these are high speed juicers that use a spinning metal blade to extract the juice and throw the pulp into a separate container. These juicers are great for juicing just about everything except wheatgrass. There is some debate about the nutrient value of the juice being reduced by the heat that this juicer produces. Requires disassembly and cleaning of various parts after use. Brands to consider: Jack LaLanne's Power Juicer Express - Average Price $99.99, Breville Juice Fountain - Average Price $149.99

Masticating or Slow Juicer: this juicer is considered superior for it's cold-press, nutrient dense juicing capabilities. It extracts more juice than a centrifugal juicer, but tends to be more expensive. It is great for juicing greens, herbs, wheatgrass and soft fruits, though stringy fruits such as pineapple can cause it to become clogged. Requires disassembly and cleaning of various parts after use. Brands to consider: Omega Nutrition Center Masticating Juicer - Average Price $180+

Beginner's Recipes
These recipes are mild, combining just a few ingredients. You could also start with just one ingredient, such as watermelon, which can be used in either your blender or juicer. 

Sunrise Juice

Ingredients:
1 orange, peeled and halved
1/4 cup papaya, diced
3 large carrots, diced
4 romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:
One-by-one, run each ingredient through the juicer. Serve immediately.

Purple Power Juice 

Ingredients:
1 cup seedless purple grapes
1 cup strawberries
1 lime, peeled

Directions:
Add each ingredient to the juicer. Serve immediately.

Workday Green Smoothie 

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach
1/2 banana
1 cup frozen mango or pineapple
3/4 cup almond milk

Directions:
Using a blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Pour into a thermos and take it to go.

Shown Above: Whole grain raisin toast with fig jam, whole grain toast with scrambled egg, sliced tomato and cilantro, side of papaya with blueberries, cappuccino with unsweetened almond milk and honey.

With social media, "eating clean" has become the current trendy term for how a person wanting to get fit should eat. Women new to this style of eating feel confusion about how to plan and structure their meals. Should they count calories, when and what should they eat, does it matter if they have a tiny bowl of ice cream? They come to regard it as a boring, hard-to-follow restriction on the variety of foods they're allowed. Most try to stick to a basic healthy diet, with "cheat meals" or even cheat days built into each week for sanity. Often, these junk laden cheat meals cause bloating and lethargy, followed by a rapid decline in motivation and good exercise habits. This leads to stress and feelings of guilt, causing the person to give up before they have the chance to achieve results. Whereas, people who are successful regard it as a healthy, flexible lifestyle change. Excitement drives them to search out and try fun, healthy recipes. Community support from others on social media with the same goals drive them to succeed. They don't fail nearly as often because they see women online posting motivating photos, propping others up when they find the journey difficult, or getting themselves back on track after a holiday, illness or weak moment.

Getting to the Fun Part

Choosing high quality foods the majority of the time is the basic concept of clean eating. It does involve some restrictive measures. Processed foods and alcohol are discouraged, but not necessarily eliminated. Quality foods to consider include fruits, vegetables, lean meats (white meat poultry, 85-90% lean beef, fish), legumes, and whole grains (brown rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa). Minimally processed items with few ingredients such as yogurt or certain breads are also included. If coffee and tea are dietary staples, one need not give them up. However, consider swapping out brown and white sugar for low glycemic sweeteners such as honey or agave nectar. Cream or whole milk can be replaced by skim, almond, coconut or soy milk. Craving a mocha latte? Try making one with chocolate almond milk.

Creativity is another component of clean eating. It has to be, otherwise no one would stick with it. This is where social media sites such as Pinterest or Instagram can again be helpful. Every day thousands of people proudly post photos from their kitchens. Many include links to their blogs. These people are passionate about food, and their recipes often rival the best celebrity chefs in taste and simplicity. For example, ice cream lovers are blending frozen bananas with cacao powder, coffee or other fruits and topping them with dark chocolate chips or nuts for a sweet treat. Cheesecake connoisseurs have figured out how to combine cashews and coconut butter for a creamy confection. How about protein pancakes, overnight oats with raspberries, baked omelet muffins or a strawberry smoothie bowl topped with chia seeds for breakfast? One of my favorite new discoveries is a pasta salad using avocado in place of mayonnaise. When you find recipes you truly enjoy, make those part of your main rotation.

Don't complicate it. A recipe that includes twenty ingredients can often be adapted to whatever you have in your pantry. Simplify by searching out chutneys, pestos, vegetable based spreads and sauces. These versatile products can be used with almost anything. If you have a plan and ingredients on hand, it isn't necessary to set aside an entire day for meal prep. Having staple foods available in sufficient quanitites will allow for small batch cooking. For example, if you know you're going to bake chicken one night, plan to make enough for several future meals. Since the oven is already on, bake sweet potatoes for quick healthy snacks or breakfast sides. The same can be done with brown rice, shrimp, mixed vegetables or any other basic ingredient you choose. 

Snack wisely. This is where many people struggle the most. We use snacks to satisfy cravings, reduce boredom or find comfort. Craving sweets? Try yogurt topped with berries, nuts or dark chocolate chips. Salty and sweet? Try prosciutto wrapped dates. Savory? Heat a bowl of broth, any protein/vegetable combo you like and top with parmesan cheese. Bottomless pit? Try a mini meal such as a nut butter & jelly sandwich on whole grain bread with a side of fruit, or quinoa pasta tossed with peas and pesto. 

Make breakfast your blueprint for the day. When you start the day well, you tend to want to keep the momentum going. It also gives you some breathing room to weave a couple of treats into your daily meal pattern without creating feelings of guilt. Eating clean doesn't have to be a painful experience. Approach it with the intention of having fun, and it will be.