Know Your Avocado Varieties and When Each Is In Season!

Avocados flummox me. I just sort of freeze when confronted with a bin full of avocados, and grab the first one that looks decent. But what is decent? How do I chose? And this one - it says Hass. But these huge ones over here say Choquette. Is bigger better? Which is best for slicing? Which is best mashed into guacamole? Which isn't for me?

Check out this awesome post over at FoodRepublic.com: Know Your Avocado Varieties and When They're In Season!

I love learning more about fruits and vegetables I wasn't brought up with - I never knew there were so many varieties! My parents weren't avocado people, so I didn't taste one until I was in college.The avocado is healthy and nutritious - don't worry about the fat hype. It's an excellent once or twice a week addition to your diet.

Bell Pepper Slaw

 A friend was telling me about a simple coleslaw her mother used to make that had sliced cabbage and various bell peppers in it - sounded delicious! My husband's 95 year old grandmother grew up on a farm in Kansas with no electricity, and taught me to make a cole slaw that's dressing is oil, vinegar and sugar - no mayonnaise, because that would spoil! Combine the two great recipes and what do you get?

Bell Pepper Slaw.

Yeah, yeah. This recipe has a minute amount of sugar in it. It is actually important, just to take the edge off the tartness of the vinegar/oil mixture. It's a small amount of sugar. If it bothers you, try switching it out for liquid stevia, or agave nectar.


 Bell Pepper Slaw

• 1  (10-ounce) bag  cabbage slaw mix
• 1  large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1  large green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1  large orange bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1  large yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1  large purple bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1  cup grape tomatoes, sliced
• 1/3  cup olive oil
• 1/3  cup white-wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2  teaspoons dried basil
• 2  teaspoons dried oregano

Directions

1.Place slaw mix, peppers, and tomatoes in a large glass jar with lid. Shake to combine; set aside. 

2.In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano, whisking well. Pour mixture over peppers. Close lid and shake well to coat. Allow slaw to marinate and meld at least 2-3 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

3. Store covered in the refrigerator. Slaw is best when made a day before serving.

http://www.recipe.com/bell-pepper-slaw/?sssdmh=dm17.619115&esrc=nwdr091812

Clean Eating Principles - A Handy Reminder

Clean Eating At The Office

I found this nice little graphic online a few days ago - and it is courtesy of another great CE blog out there, HeandSheEatClean.com. 
I don't pretend I'm the only CE blogger out there, and will happily point out other great websites to look at in your quest for CE information. Check out my sidebar; I've got links to several CE blogs and sites online.

So - a nice reminder of CE at your office - courtesy of HeandSheEatClean.com.  

[Rant] Clean Eating / Oxygen Magazines [/Rant] - Seriously?

I follow Tosca Reno on Pinterest. She usually pins recipes from CE bloggers, pics from her photo shoots, weightlifting info, etc. So when the picture above hit my Pinterest feed...I said "WHAT???" loudly ( in my head, of course. )

This was the last straw. I've been slightly irked at CE Magazine for a few months now - slowly but surely, Unclean content has been filtering into the pages. Recipes for desserts, unclean ingredients. Inappropriate ads.

You might not have noticed - I specifically didn't do a "Newsstand Alert" post for the October 2012 issue of Clean Eating Magazine. Why? I was really unhappy with the content - and I didn't renew my subscription to the magazine when it lapsed.

Poor content:

Page 9 - Advertisement for King Arthur Flour. WHY on Earth are they advertising white flour in a magazine where it is much more appropriate to advertise whole wheat flour? A core tenant of CE is removing white flour from your diet. DUH to whoever checks their advertisements.

Page 17 - "Cheers to A Fat Fighter: Red Wine" - Seriously? Alcohol is a CE no-no - regardless if studies show a small amount is good for you. You can get the same heart healthy type benefits from other foods ( raw grapes, for example ) without drinking wine. Wine and alcohol are detrimental to your body's machinery. It's a don't, any way you slice it. Sorry CE Magazine. You muffed up.

Page 33 - Advertisement for Kashi Peanutty Dark Chocolate bars. Another in the "Who the heck is in charge of advertising over there?" questions - The bars shown in the advertisement have over 30 ingredients - MANY of which are forms of sugar.

You and I both know people will buy this product thinking it is Clean when it is FAR from Clean.

And the KICKER as far as I am concerened...

Page 42: "Loaded Baked Potato Pizza" recipe - which includes ham as an ingredient. This recipe was developed by Chef Jo, CE Magazine's resident chef. The recipe calls for Deli sliced, all natural ham, chopped - and advises "Try Applegate Farms Natural Slow Cooked Ham."

a ) Processed meats are NOT Clean, regardless of the "all natural" attribute to the label.
.
b) Applegate Farms brand claims the ham isn't cured - but you'll find celery powder in the ingredient list. Why is this important? Meats cured in celery powder are just as loaded with nitrates as meats cured with chemical additives. It's the nitrites that are the bad news, folks - doesn't matter if the source is natural or man made. ( For the record, celery naturally has nitrates. You'd have to eat THOUSANDS of stalks to get the nitrate load you get in one "naturally cured" ham slice. So eat celery without worry. It isn't heated. )

c) Why are nitrates bad for me?  The problem with nitrates in ham, bacon, or hot dogs isn't the nitrate itself, but the carcinogenic nitrosamines that are created when nitrate and amino acids are heated together, i.e., when the ham ( or bacon ) is cooked. These have been clearly and directly linked with cancers, heart disease, and COPD. During the meat processing, the food is heated to a high temperature to kill bacteria and make it safe to ship. So even if you eat the ham cold or the hot dog straight from the fridge - you are still eating those nitrosamines that resulted from high heat application.

Using ANY processed meat is not Clean, not healthy - and this recipe is NOT Clean. CE Magazine's quality control has gone way WAAAAY down if this made it past the editorial board review.


Page - 74 - Photo for "Fall Weeknight Dinners"shows a family at the dinner table - and Mom and Dad don't have a glass of water in front of them - they both have a glass of red wine. Tsk, Tsk Showing alcohol consumption as an everyday occurrence. Again - alcohol ISN'T Clean. Period. .

And to wrap it up?

Page 98 - Recipe for "Gooey Peanut Butter Brownies" - CE Magazine has somehow lost their path, and more and more dessert recipes are popping up in the magazine. ANYONE who eats Clean on a regular basis will tell you: The more you eat sweets, the more you crave them. And the more you crave them, the harder it will be to avoid processed desserts like candy bars and packaged baked goods. I really don't care the recipe has mainly organic and natural ingredients. It's best for the CE Lifestyle to not eat desserts or sweets. There are so many temptations out there - your brain can't discern a "healthy" brownie from the high test version. It just knows "WANT!" and will scream at you until you buy that candy bar at 7-11 or eat a dessert when you know you shouldn't.



So when I saw the graphic at the top of this post, I got redheaded, boiling irritated at CE Magazine/ Oxygen magazine. Bacon is Clean? Just because it is cured in a jillion pounds of celery powder?

Sorry, Tosca. Color me one very disappointed follower.

Friday Funny

Sweet Potato & Goat Cheese Tater Tots

Surprise! I'm back. :-) I just stumbled across the really delicious sounding recipe for sweet potato and goat cheese tater tots - they sound delicious. I'm posting the recipe as it appears on Heathersdish.com. My Clean Eating tweaks are below the original recipe.

SWEET POTATO GOAT CHEESE TATER TOTS

These tater tots take almost no active time to make and come out with a big finish. Sweet potatoes and goat cheese make the perfect sweet-creamy-salty bite!

3 small sweet potatoes, washed and peeled
1 small Russet potato, washed and peeled
1/4 cup flour
4 oz goat cheese
4 cups vegetable oil
sea salt

Using the fine side of a box grater grate the potatoes. Drain them as best you can; I wrapped mine in a towel and squeezed out all the liquid I could. Toss them in a bowl with the flour and goat cheese and mix until well combined. Wrap the mixture in plastic wrap until it makes two long tubes of potato mixture about 1 foot long and 1 inch in diameter. Stick in the freezer for about 30 minutes until slightly firm. Using a sharp knife slice the cylinder into nuggets about 1/2 inch thick; leave on the plastic wrap to make it easier to pull off when putting in the oil.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat until bubbles start to form when you stick a wooden spoon in. Drop 10-12 tater tots into the oil and fry for about 3-5 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-covered plate to drain and season immediately with salt. Work in batches until all of the tater tots are done.


Clean Eating Tweaks:
 *Substitute whole grain flour for regular white flour
*Make sure the goat cheese is organic, and if possible, has a low sodium content
*spray the tots with oil and bake until golden brown instead of deep fat frying


Thank you, heathersdish.com! Great recipe!

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What Is Clean Eating? Tips From Expert Tosca Reno

Tosca Reno has been interviewed for CNN.com - Click on the link below to go read Tosca's story, and tips from her if you are starting the Clean Eating lifestyle.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tosca Reno champions a clean eating lifestyle
• Clean eating means avoiding all processed food
• It "really is a lifestyle change," Reno says
• Living healthy has helped her power through grief after her husband's death

Reno, the author of 13 clean eating books, says the secret to being healthy and happy is eating clean. Her popular "Eat-Clean Diet" encourages individuals to drink plenty of water and eat six small meals daily, including a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates.

Put simply, clean eating is avoiding all processed food, relying on fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains rather than prepackaged or fast food.

"It may sound counterintuitive, but eating clean allows you to eat more and weigh less because you are making smart food choices," Reno said. "I sometimes get criticized for using the word 'diet,' but the Eat-Clean Diet really is a lifestyle change that leads to healthy, steady weight loss and healthy eating for life."

Love this quote:

Reno's advice to those wanting to change their lives is to first realize there is another way to live. "This could come in the form of that 'a-ha' moment, when you suddenly catch a glimpse of your lumpy reflection in a store window, or perhaps after you receive some bad news at the doctor's office," she said."You just need that opening, that moment, when you finally decide to give yourself permission to change."

CNN.com: What is Clean Eating? Tips From Expert Tosca Reno

Bolognese Cupcakes

  I love the idea of small individual meatloaves cooked in a muffin tin. I found this recipe mentioned in the September 2012 issue of Prevention magazine ( You know, the Dr's office has a weird selection of magazines to read while waiting! ) and then I found many instances of the duplicate recipe online.

 
Ingredients

½	cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1	tablespoon olive oil
1	large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
2	carrots, coarsely grated (1 cup)
1	rib celery, finely chopped (½ cup)
2	teaspoons Italian seasoning
1	1/ 2 lbs lean ground beef, preferably grass fed
2	large eggs, lightly beaten
½	cup chopped fresh parsley
2	tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
6	Tablespoons organic ketchup

Directions

* Cook quinoa following package directions (you should have 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa ). Drain if necessary and transfer to large bowl.

* Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and Italian seasoning and cook, stirring, until tender, about 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with quinoa and let cool.

*Add beef, eggs, parsley, Worcestershire, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt pepper. Mix to together until just combined. Form into small balls, place in muffin tin, and gently frost each loaf with ketchup.

* Cook at 375 degrees for  25 minutes;  or until instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 160 degrees.

The Case For Mindful Eating

   

     Before you discovered Clean Eating, did you ever find yourself halfway through a bag of chips only to find yourself saying to yourself "Why am I even eating this??" And how often do you actually taste your food? This is dining without thinking. Shoveling food in without thought or consequence. The end result is a meal prepared and eaten in the shortest possible time. Mindfulness applied to eating can keep cravings in check and boosts your gratitude in the process.

1. Before you pick up your food, take a couple of deep, relaxing breaths to allow your mind and body to settle.

2. Look at your food. Look at it. Think about where it comes from. Try to see each ingredient in your food in your mind's eye - where it comes from, each ingredient in its original environment and beyond that - the people who made the food possible - the farmer, the truck driver, the grocery store clerk.

3. Without going on a guilt trip, be appreciative you have food on your plate, and it is ready and able to nourish your body. This will bring the feeling of thankfulness that is at the heart of meaningful mindfullness in practice.

4. If it is food you eat with your hands ( an apple, for example ), notice its temperature, colors, and texture as you pick it up. When you move it to your mouth, shift your focus to the aroma and taste of your food. Mentally think about the various tastes you are experiencing. Slow your chewing down to experience the food - not just to chew it up so you can take another bite.

5. Notice how your mind responds to what you've just experienced. Do you like what you are eating? Did you smile at the thoughts you were having? Do you wish the food was a little sweeter? Saltier? Spicier?

Greek Yogurt Review XIII -Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt

I found Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt at my local grocery store - and I was both intrigued AND skeptical at the same time. Only 80 calories per cup? How can that be? That's more than a third less calories than most Greek yogurts out there. It only comes in 4 packs - so I was forced to buy 4. I'm actually glad I had to; it gave me an opportunity to try the yogurt, then try it again.

First - it isn't tangy whatsoever. It has a strange mouthfeel that my first impulse came out as "chalky" but then I decided was the defatted proteins that make this yogurt "Greek" but also lower in calories. It's a different feeling than you are used to if you are a normal Fage or Chobani eater.

Second - I had the vanilla flavor ( I always test vanilla flavor; I add my own fruit ) and the Dannon Lit & Fit is like licking a vanilla bean or guzzling some vanilla extract. It's really strongly flavored with vanilla - almost cloyingly so. Maybe the fruit added varieties are less strongly vanilla - but the taste is definitely pronounced.

Finally - Dannon has a terrible track record when it comes to yogurt. Unnecessary ingredients, preservatives, etc. I was partially pleased when I saw the ingredient list for the Greek vanilla yogurt:

Ingredients: Cultured grade A non fat milk, water, fructose, contains less than 1% of modified corn starch, natural & artificial flavors, sucralose, citric acid, potassium sorbate ( to maintain freshness ), acesulfame potassium, sodium citrate.

99% Clean 1% potentially suspect ( though not all are deal killers - but just know acesulfame potassium is an artificial sweetener. If it makes up one ingredient which accounts for less than 1 percent of a product, I'm not honestly sure how much having it really would be detrimental to your health. But be advised- if you are avoiding ALL artificial colorings, preservatives, and sweeteners...Dannon Light & Fit Greek DOES have an artificial sweetner in it. ).

I think if the calorie content ( 120-160 for Chobani, Fage type yogurts ) has you scrunching your face every morning, perhaps Dannon Light & Fit is a yogurt for you to check out. Try different flavors, and keep in mind that this variation on Greek yogurt is a bit different than you may be used to - approach with an open mind. My mind was closed before my first bite. I was a bit more than surprised as I ate it that I found it tolerable. Yes, it is very vanilla-y. Yes, it has a funky mouthfeel. But I did eat all 4 cups in the package over the period of a week.

Try it before you dismiss it.

Clean Eating Tip - Don't Skip ANY Meals

     One of the core tenants of Clean Eating is eating 5-6 small meals a day. Why?  Giving your body small amounts of fuel to process at regular intervals does more than just keep you satiated. It keeps your blood sugar at a constant level which significantly lessens cravings. It keep your body's metabolism at a constant rate as well. As the picture above reminds us, the machine of your body is encoded through thousands of years of evolution to assume prolonged periods without food equals potential starvation - and what does the body do to protect itself? It burns less fat because it "thinks" the fat will be needed at a future time.  

     Eating small meals ( approximately 300+ calories per mini meal ) 5-6 times a day will give you the fuel you need at even doses to maintain your body's machine at peak performance. It is one of the main reasons Clean Eating works - you are never hungry; your body is literally always working on digesting something - so don't skip any meals!

Product Review: Open Nature ( Safeway ) Veggie Chips

I found a new product at my local Safeway today, and they are really very good: vacuum fried veggie chips. What is vacuum frying? Glad you asked!

A vacuum fryer is a deep-frying device housed inside a vacuum chamber. It was originally developed for potato chip production. Vacuum fryers are fit to process low-quality potatoes that contain higher sugar levels than normal, as they frequently have to be processed in spring and early summer before the potatoes from the new harvest become available. With vacuum frying it is easier to maintain natural colors and flavours of the finished product - this making the process ideal for high sugar veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.


So yes - these are fried. They also have no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Yes, they add fructose ( why? I have no idea... ) but I can deal with a natural fruit sugar for those times when I need a crunchy, wheat free snack.

I liked these, a lot. The store also had carrot chips and sweet potato chips I will definitely go back for - but for my first time, out, I decided to try the mixed bag of veggies. They did have a slightly oily feel, but not so much I was put off by it.

Part of a Clean diet is finding foods that satisfy you mentally without straying too far off your Clean path. This type of crunchy salty sweet product does it for me. I can see a bag of these chips in my desk drawer at work, or taking a bag along with me on a trip.

If you have a Safeway or Safeway affiliate store ( Safeway, Carr's, Von's Dominick's, Pak N Save Randall's, Tom Thumb ) in your area that sells Open Nature brand products, you'll find these in the fruit / vegetable area of the store - or near where they have raisins and dried fruit.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Taro, Carrots, Green Beans, Canola and/or Palm Fruit Oil, Fructose, Sea Salt.
Manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, wheat, egg and soy.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 15.0 pieces (28 g)

Servings Per Container 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 130	Calories from Fat 35

% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4 g	6%
Saturated Fat 0.5 g 3%
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0%
Sodium 125 mg	5%
Potassium —	—
Total Carbohydrate 22 g	7%
Dietary Fiber 2 g 8% Sugars 4 g
Protein 1 g

Vitamin A	20%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	0%
Iron	0%
Copper	—
Folic Acid	—
Iodine	—
Magnesium	—
Niacin	—
Phosphorus	—
Riboflavin	—
Thiamin	—
Vitamin B12	—
Vitamin B6	—
Vitamin D	—
Vitamin E	—
Zinc	—

• * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.