2 Sauces based on Yogurt

While looking for a CE recipe for Tziki, I found another recipe for Indian Raita. Here are both.


Raita:

1 1/2 c plain low fat yogurt
3/4 c chopped seeded peeled cucumber
3/4 c chopped seeded tomato
1/4 tsp salt
1 teaspoon garam masala spice

Mix and chill before serving

Greek Tziki

1 c plain Greek yogurt
3/4 c finely chopped seeded cucumber'
1 tsp chopped mint
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper

Mix and chill before serving

Safeway Better Oats Deal - 2 boxes free!

If you have a Safeway near you, I'd suggest you print out this coupon here: Better Oats on Facebook You do not need a Facebook account to get this coupon!

Better Oats Naturals are on sale this week Buy 1, Get 1 free. If you bring the coupon linked above, you will get BOTH boxes for free!

These will be great for the cold winter mornings ahead, and nice to keep in your desk at work for your mid-morning boost before lunch!

Update on Last Night's Christmas Party

     We had a lovely time at the Christmas party last night, despite a cold persistent rain all evening. I'm happy to report I did very well CE wise - I started with a lobster and avocado over field greens salad ( delicious! ) and had my "pre-scoped out" dish as my entree - the pepita encrusted salmon with sauteed spinach and roasted potatoes. I also ordered a side of grilled asparagus and I was not disappointed - crisp and amazing - perhaps the best asparagus I've ever had. No bread to start when all around me gulped slices, and no dessert. I was very pleased with myself ( sounds corny, huh? ) 

     My boss is quite the host, and he kept worrying that I was drinking iced tea ( I'm a Southerner - iced tea is good all year 'round! ). Alcohol is not Clean Eats and I don't drink much anyway, so it's no big deal to shy away from it for me. However, my boss kept prodding ( Beer? Wine? Martini? ) until a co-worker kindly ( ! ) offered up that I do have a taste for whisky. The restaurant we were at has a famous selection of whisky, and my boss wasted no time ordering a very expensive glass ( behind my back ) for me : a 25 year old Glenfarclas. My jaw dropped as it was handed to me; It's an expensive single malt and I'm sure my boss paid at least $40-50 for the glass that was handed to me. It was delicious, and I was stunned at his generosity and the head and shoulders above any other whisky I've ever had ( sorry Laphroaig! ) of the yumminess of the Glenfarclas. *sigh*

A small 3 fingers of indulgence - now, back to your regularly scheduled CE. :)

Cooking Light December 2010: Draining and Rinsing Beans to Reduce Sodium , Whole Grain vs Whole Wheat

From this month's issue of Cooking Light:

1. Draining a typical can of cooked beans can reduce the sodium content by 36% according to a study by the University of Tennessee. They also found a combination of draining AND rinsing the beans before use reduces the sodium content another 5%.

Drain those beans AND rinse them. Canned beans are darn convenient - but not CE if they are like a salt lick!

2. What is the difference between whole grain and whole wheat? ( Awesome question! )

"Whole grain" refers to a category of of foods that contain the entire grain kernel - bran, germ, and endosperm - and all of the nutritional goodies therein, like fiber and antioxidants. A whole grain can be a whole food, like brown rice, popcorn, oatmeal. It gets confusing when it comes to food packaging. If the front of the package says "100% whole grain" then all of the grain listed in the package must be whole. If the package just says "whole grain" than at least 51% of the grains on the ingredient list must be whole.
"Whole wheat" simply means that the wheat component is whole. It doesn't speak to other refined or processed grains.

If you buy breads or other foods made outside of the house, , make sure it is 100% whole grain, and not whole wheat. Whole wheat is clearly not the CE choice!

Planning Ahead To Make a Smart Choice

This evening, we'll be attending my company's Christmas get together at a local nice restaurant.
Isn't it pretty? A local historic house turned into a gorgeous restaurant:

I haven't been to this restaurant in years, but their specialty is seafood, so I have a good chance to stay on track and enjoy myself as well. I went online and downloaded their "core" menu - 20+ items they always serve, regardless of season. Rather than get carried away in the moment and allow my judgment to lapse in the party atmosphere, I picked 2 "go to" dinner choices that will be on my mind as we order our dinners. I have a tendency to have a "Oh, this is a special occasion, it doesn't count / I'll make up for it tomorrow" mentality - so being forearmed with a smart CE choice is a smart move for me. I looked ahead and planned ahead - try to keep this technique in mind as you go forth this Holiday season.  You'll look back the day after and be proud of yourself, I promise!

"Fuel Up to Fight Moodiness"

Found this little blurb in last weekend's USA Today Sunday insert:


"Today, too many people skip breakfast, have a light lunch, then eat a heavy dinner - a recipe for moodiness and exhaustion says Liz Vaccariello, author of 400 Calorie Fix, Eating meals at regular intervals keeps blood sugar and energy levels balanced and metabolism high. Vaccariello recommends three to five 400 calorie meals a day to stave off hunger, with foods proven to increase satierty, including fruits and vegetables, nuts, prtein rich foods, and high fiber foods. "

Sounds familiar, huh? Part of CE is keeping your hunger level just below the surface by eating foods on a regular time table so you don't have hunger pangs which prompt eating without thought or eating foods that simply are convenient and not necessarily good for you.

The idea that eating in this manner can also affect your mood is something to think about. If you suffer from depression and/or exhaustion, it could be not what you are eating - but when and how you are eating.

.55 off 2 dozen eggs

Getting a coupon for a staple item is just wonderful!

.55 off 2 one dozen carton of eggs

Buy 24 eggs, get .55 off - $1.10 if your store doubles.

Product Review: Garden Lites Souffles

I found this product in my grocery store's frozen section where the organic and natural frozen foods live. The packaging caught my eye, and I was looking for something different - so I decided to give one a whirl.
The ingredient list on these souffles is short - for example, the spinach flavor contains: spinach, potatoes, egg whites, whole eggs, onions, brown sugar, rice flour, sea salt, and spices. That's it - nothing unpronounceable, nothing weird. I was duly impressed.

Out of the package, the product is small , it's a single serving so keep that in mind - you won't be sharing it with anyone! The souffles are best when microwaved - the top has a nice firm crust like appearance, and the souffle is actually smooth and eggy. They really are quite tasty. The only downside is the price - normally these are $4 each in my local grocery stores. If you find them on sale, by all means, pick one up and try one. Excellent to keep in the freezer to grab to take to work for lunch, or as a veggy side when you need a smackerel more. At about 140 calories each - no problem! Just be sure to keep your water intake up - they have about 350-400 mg of sodium each which make them a little "un" CE, but...*hides package quickly* You didn't see anything, did you?

The New Issue of Clean Eating Is Out! The New Issue of Clean Eating Is Out!

I'm so easily amused.

Highlights from this issue:

1. Very tasty looking stuffed portobello recipe on page 22

2.  Tosca's article on page 23 about alternatives to peanut butter is interesting ( However, I take a little exception to her claim that commercial peanut butters are "all" loaded with sugar and other unnecessary ingredients. I examined every jar of commercial and organic / natural peanut butters when I was in the store the other day, and other than more salt in most commercial, the ingredient lists were almost identical. Not saying eat spoonfuls of Skippy , but in the whole scheme of things, I think there are bigger fish to fry, know what I mean?)

3.. Great article about cooking for one on page 43

4.. I know one man who will really like reading the soup and stew recipes starting on page 58
 ;-)

5. The 14 day meal plan on page 73 is a great start for new Clean Eaters! Even using some of the days when you first start of will really be a help and give you a gentle introduction to your new lifestyle.

Clean Up Your Act!

Making small changes to your diet and exchanging your small dirty choices for cleaner ones will really make a difference! Finding "this for that" tweaks will really help you stay on the path which will get you where you want to be.

1. Your morning coffee - exchange packet sweeteners for cubes or granules of demarara sugar ( a raw, unrefined sugar with a pale yellowish cast to it due to the natural cane juices left in the crystals ), exchange creamers ( powdered or liquid - unclean! ) for regular, every day milk.
2. Breakfast - exchange bread for whole grains like oatmeal ( steel cut over rolled "quick" kind ), wheatena, etc , exchange sugary smears of jam or fatty butter for a protein packed smear of natural or organic peanut butter. Exchange that extra piece of toast for a piece of fruit.
3. Lunch - exchange that lunch grabbed on the run with one that you packed from home containing a healthy sandwich wrap or salad in a portable salad container, a few cubes of organic or artisnal cheese, fruit, edamame, etc. Exchange your single cup of water with lunch with a reusable water bottle you refill multiples times per day.
4. Snack times:  Exchange man made but "clean" snacks - organic cookies, pretzels, etc - with nuts, fruit cubes, cheese cubes, a hard boiled egg, a handful of organic raisins.
5. Dinner - Exchange man made bottled marinades and sauces with simpler marinades made at home - mustard sauces, soy sauce based marinades ( no, not made at home but low sodium soy sauce is a clean choice ). Exchange regular potato for sweet potato. Exchange a starch ( rice, polenta, couscous ) for a starchy vegetable choice ( potato, corn, beans ) or an organic or homemade soup.

$1 / 1 McCann Steel Cut Oats

Steel cut outs are preferable to regular oatmeal- Steel-cut oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into only two or three pieces by steel rather than being rolled. Quaker oats, and other oats, are rolled and are not whole with the nutritious groat. And, unfortunately, steel cut oats are more expensive.

$1 off 1 McCann's Irish Steel Cut Oats

Steel cut takes longer to cook that those quick rolled oats, but they are good!

CE Breakfast : The Spinach Frittata

If you are starting CE and are looking for food choices that are both clean for you AND will be accepted by your non CE family, look no further than the familiar frittata. It's packed with nutrition to start the day, it's warm, home cooked, and very CE friendly.
It's a simple omelet, started on the stove and finished in the oven. A cast iron skillet works best, but if you have an oven friendly pan, that will work too.

Spinach Frittata 

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb spinach leaves (about 2 bunches), cleaned, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 9 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Sun-dried tomatoes, about 2 Tbsp chopped - note , make sure there are no weird preservatives!
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 oz goat cheese, organic

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F.
2 Cook spinach in 1/4 cup of water in a covered saucepan until just wilted, a couple minutes. Drain water and set aside.
3 In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.
4 Sauté onions in olive oil in an oven-proof, stick-free skillet, until translucent, about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add garlic and cook a minute further. Add cooked spinach and mix in with onions and garlic.
5 Spread out spinach mixture evenly on bottom of skillet. Pour egg mixture over spinach mixture. Use a spatula to lift up the spinach mixture along the sides of the pan to let egg mixture flow underneath.
6 Sprinkle bits of goat cheese over the top of the frittata mixture. When the mixture is about half set, put the whole pan in the oven. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until frittata is puffy and golden. Remove from oven with oven mitts and let cool for several minutes. 
Cut into quarters to serve. Serves four.

Assorted CE and Organic Coupons

Always welcome to find coupons to make CE a little less expensive...

 $1 / 1 any Horizon Organic Milk - coupon expires 30 days from print

$1 / 1 Silk Soy Milk  ( I have to admit, not my favorite, but some people love the stuff )

Sign up now for a future coupon for Cuties Clementines - the kind most stores sell in a wooden crate this time of year: Cuties Citrus Coupon - Just register with the site; I've heard people in their datebase will get a coupon for Clementines soon.

Assorted Organic Valley Coupons  ( the .75 / 1 eggs is great if your store doubles! )

 $5 off a Brita Water Pitcher

Clean Eating At Work

One of the biggest obstacles to overcome when making the switch from regular to Clean Eating is figuring out what to eat once you are away from your own kitchen. For example, the work place can be a difficult place to stick to the path you've chosen.

1. Plan ahead - it is key. Using the evenings and weekends to prepare your meals for the upcoming week is essential. Pre-pack fruit, vegetables, nuts, a sandwich - whatever you are bringing to work. Otherwise you might find yourself out of time in the morning and out of luck...foodless and looking at the local deli with $10 in your hand.
2. Make sure your co-workers know and understand what you are doing. They might see your diet and your habits change drastically, and wonder what is going on. Share CE with them, and ask for their support. No, you don't want a piece of birthday cake ( but you will be happy to sing with everyone! ). No, you don't want some of their kid's Halloween candy, thankyouverymuch.
3. Keep CE friendly snacks at work. On Mondays, bring a small bag of fruit in that will last the week. Keep some canned tuna, nuts, and such in your desk.
4. Pack leftovers from last night's dinner for us as today's lunch. A leftover chicken breast can be easily cut up and put over lettuce and some veggies for a quick chicken salad. That single turkey burger you were too full to eat last night is today's reheated burger in a wrap.

The best advice I can give is to be prepared. Put a piece of fruit, some hard boiled eggs, a cup of yogurt, and your other usual CE suspects in a bag in the fridge for easy grabbing the next morning. Some time that afternoon, you'll be thanking yourself for the effort the night before.