Have You Tried...Falafel?

 

     Falafel is a dough made from ground chickpea ( garbanzo beans ) that is usually fried in a light oil and served in a pita pocket with tomatoes, lettuce, and often a hot sauce or tahini ( ground sesame ) on the side. It is a very common staple of the Mediterranean diet and is common in Egypt, Israel, and surrounding countries. Though usually fried, it can be baked to make it with a healthier cooking option. I've had falafel in restaurants, and it was delicious - so I thought perhaps making some at home might be a Clean menu alternative.  Homemade falafel is a little time consuming and often, ( I have heard ) the results aren't ideal. I opted to look for a Clean mix with which to experiment. I found an acceptable option with Fantastic World Foods brand Falafel mix.

     The directions couldn't be simpler - add 1 1/4 cups water to the mix, let stand for 15+ minutes, form into balls or patties, and fry / bake. I did. I decided to cook my falafel 4 different ways : traditional frying in 1/2" off veg oil, broiled after a quick brush in olive oil, baked after a quick spray of olive oil, and baked with no oil whatsoever.  

     

     Perhaps I did something wrong, because the only edible option was pan fried in oil - the least healthy option. Broiling and baking did not make the falafel brown and crispy, and the results were like dried up sand. Truly - inedible. The outside of the pan-fried batch was crispy and actually tasty - but the inside was grainy and unappealing. My husband, ever quick with the quip, dubbed it "Fal-awful."

     Seriously...anyone? Have you tried falafel mix at home? Is there a secret I didn't know? Or are falafel mixes just a gross alternative and best left to your local Mediterranean restaurant?

Listen to Some Old Greek Dude

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”  – Aristotle

 

      If you repeatedly put junk (unhealthy, unclean foods) in your body, then it will become a habit and the result will be poor health, obesity and a host of other things.  But if you put healthy, life-giving foods in your body then you will reap amazing benefits and you will feel it in your mind, body, spirit and soul.  Make it a practice to put the good stuff in your body (most of the time), then it will become a habit.

52

     

This morning was difficult. I overslept; my insomnia was cranked up to 11 last night. My son was cranky and uncooperative. I couldn’t log in to my blog. The dog ran into our neighbor’s yard and decided not to listen.

     Trying to be Zen about so many Other things…but getting emotionally overwhelmed.

     I pushed away from my computer this morning, and went about my morning routines to get my son and me out the door on time. While brushing my teeth, I glanced down at the scale. I weighed myself Monday ( my usual day ); I generally only do it once a week. I stepped on the scale.

After many rather lackluster weeks, I had done it.  I have broken past a plateau.

I have lost 52 lbs total since having started Clean Eating in August of last year.

I fist pumped the air, and said “Yes!” aloud. I looked at the scale, and I just…smiled.

I got what I needed, when I needed it most.

Greek Yogurt Taste Test, Part IV

     The number of Greek yogurt choices in the market are simply growing on a daily basis. At this rate, I'll have a few new brands to review every couple of weeks!

 This time up: Stonyfield Organic Greek lowfat yogurt.

     I've been aware for some time now that Stonyfield had a Greek yogurt in its product line besides Oikos    ( Stonyfield owns Oikos, by the way... ) but I hadn't found it in my local DC area grocery stores until this week. There is no 0% fat option - only "low fat" - which in the case of the honey vanilla flavor I tried, means it has 3.5 grams of fat for the 6 ounce cup. Not horrible, but not non-fat, either.

     At 190 calories per cup, it is on the high end of the calorie scale - but if calories aren't a concern for you   ( lucky!! ) then not to worry. One thing I did like, however - is the potassium count for this yogurt: 530 mg, or approximately 15% of your daily recommended intake. ( For comparison, Oikos brand lists its potassium count for a serving as 220 mg, and Yoplait doesn't even mention potassium levels at all on their cup! ) However, there is always a downside - and in this case, it is the sugar content ...28 g. That alone for me is a deal breaker.

     Upon opening the cup ans inserting my spoon, I was significantly surprised because this brand is thick. Really thick. It is so thick, in fact, that upon withdrawing my spoon, the yogurt stretched thin between the cup and my spoon, broke, and left a significant peak of yogurt where my spoon had been. Wow! The taste is very creamy, with a slightly oily mouth-feel that I didn't find objectionable, but is not present in the other brands I've tried previously. It is sweet, too. Really sweet - and not particularly tangy...perhaps a 2 out of 5 on that "tang scale" of mine.

     Stonyfield Greek yogurt is good - but as far as Clean Eating goes, the sugar content makes this a brand I doubt I'll buy again. I prefer a less sweet yogurt, and I personally find 28 grams of sugar to be too much for something I will eat and recommend to others. Yes, it is thick and creamy - and the potassium level is excellent...but unless they reformulate this to lower the sugar content, it will be a no-go for me.

      The second brand I tried this time around was Voskos 0% fat organic Greek yogurt honey flavor. I was instantly pleased with this brand upon opening. With a light stir, the yogurt was thick and creamy - exactly as I think Greek yogurt should be. It also had the tangy freshness I've come to expect from Greek yogurt versus "regular" yogurt - and I'd rate it a solid 3.5 out of 5 on the tangy scale. It wasn't too sweet, but it was really satisfyingly creamy. At 130 calories per cup and 17 g of sugar, I find Voskos to be similarly in line with the nutrition of most of the brands. The sugar level is moderate for a Greek yogurt. Since I eat no sugar in the rest of my diet, I feel that the morning sugar grams are tolerable, and can be "burnt off" fairly quickly and easily. Would I eat this before bed? No - but I would first thing in the morning when I have 12+ hours of activity before me. And with just 3 ingredients: organic skim milk, organic honey, and live yogurt cultures, I find myself drawn to this brand - a definite brand that will make a return performance for this Clean Eater.

 

New Mambo Sprouts Coupons

Mambo Sprouts Coupons

Current Mambo Sprouts coupons include:

$1 off Organic Valley Milk
$1 / 2 Lifeway Kefir
$1 / 1 McCann Irish Steel Cut Oatmeal

I'm also hearing that there is a new Mambo Sprouts coupon booklet available at select stores nationwide, like Whole Foods Market, Spouts, Trader Joe's, or small "Mom and Pop" organic markets.

Remember, not all of these products are Clean. ALWAYS check that label for added sugars, starches, additives, preservatives, or an ingredient list a mile long!

$1/2 Shelf Stable Almond Breeze (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/3 Clif Energy Bars (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Clif Zbars or Zfruit Rope 6-Packs (exp 7/31/11)

  $5/1 Garden Of Life Raw Probiotics (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/2 Happy Baby Products (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Kashi Cereal (exp 7/31/11)

 $1/2 Lifeway Kefirs 32oz (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Lightlife Product (exp 7/31/11)

  $.50/1 Luna Protein Bar (exp 7/31/11)

  $.75/1 Lundberg Rice Chips (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Naked Juice Smoothie (exp 7/31/11)

  $.50/1 Organic Valley Half-n-Half Creamer (exp 7/31/11)

  $.50/1 Organic Valley Half-n-Half Soy Creamer (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Organic Valley Omega-3 gallon Milk (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 RW Knudsen Just juice (exp 7/31/11)

  $.75/1 Santa Cruz Organic Product (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 YoBaby Yogurt (exp 7/31/11)

  $.75/1 stash Tea (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Crunchmaster Bag or Box (exp 7/31/11)

  .50/1 ThinkThin Bar (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Beveri Golden Flaxseed (exp 7/31/11)

  $1/1 Uncle Matt's Organic Juice (exp 7/31/11)

  $3/1 Wellness Dry Dog or Cat Food (exp 7/31/11)

Special TY to Organicdeals.com

How to "Clean Up" Your Favorite Recipes

  


     Cleaning up your favorite recipes isn't as hard as you might think. It's simply a matter of substituting appropriate ingredients, and being flexible with those ingredients. Today, we will be "Cleaning up" this average recipe for lasagna. I got the following recipe from Allrecipes.com.

Lasagna - Original Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Below is the Clean version of the recipe above. We've changed as many of the ingredients to organic,  and made sure our canned and processed ingredients are low/no salt, and no sugar added.

Lasagna - Cleaned Up Ingredients - changes are in bold. 

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage ( delete entirely; sausage is unclean. You can potentially add a texturized vegetable sausage substitute product, but I think those are unclean as well )
• 1+ pound lean organic / grass fed ground beef
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes ( organic, no salt added )
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste ( organic, no salt or sugar added )
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce ( organic, no salt or sugar added )
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar ( delete entirely; or add 4-6 packets of stevia  )
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt ( keep this in - you need a little salt in here to accent the flavor )
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 12 lasagna noodles ( organic whole grain )
• 16 ounces ricotta cheese ( organic )
• 1 egg ( organic )
• 1/2 teaspoon salt ( again, keep this in. A small amount of salt in the ricotta is important )
• 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced ( organic )
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese ( organic / low salt )

If you are deleting the Italian sausage, I would recommend adding to the Italian seasonings. You will lose some flavor by not having the sausage flavoring in there. You could also potentially use one of the Clean organic pasta sauces out there in lieu of the canned tomatoes / tomato paste part of the recipe, but you will definitely get a different flavor profile by using a processed product. 

I would encourage you to attempt to make your favorite "normal" recipe but instead clean it up so that the end product is healthier. It is easier than you think.

Trader Joe's Spotlight : Lara Bars

 In the first of a series of posts that will encourage me to get my behind to my local Trader Joe's on a more regular basis, I am going to purchase a Clean item at TJ's and give it a review.

I've been a "nay-sayer" concerning protein and meal replacement bars for quite some time now. While the packaging and advertising try to promote a wholesome, nutritious, and often Clean outward appearance, most protein bars are anything but. Pick up any protein bar at the store, and find the ingredient list. It will be a little difficult, because in almost all cases, the manufacturer hides the ingredient list underneath the packaging flap! They don't want you to see the sugars and additives they have added! Most are extremely unhealthy - and really, only meant as a quick calorie addition for athletes ( which is what they were invented for - serious weightlifters, bicyclists, runners ...people who expend a lot of calories. Not people like you and I. )

Protein bars aren't Clean. But, along comes the Lara Bar.

I had heard about these from a friend of a friend, but hadn't seen them in the stores to investigate until I hit my local Trader Joe's to prepare for this new blog series. I stopped my cart, and picked up a few of the bars. They are small, only 3 1/2" long by 2" wide. I flipped the Cherry Pie flavored bar over, and was floored. The ingredient list was on the side - NOT hidden under the wrapper fold. Completely and utterly dumbfounded. Ingredients? Just 3 - Dates, almonds, and unsweetened cherries. This is unheard of in protein bars. I picked up the Peanut Butter Cookie flavored bar. Ingredients? Just 3. Dates, peanuts, salt. It was the nutritional info that was hidden under the flap on the Lara Bar - and there was a little shock. Calories in these small bars?? 180 to 220. That is a lot!! However, for the simplicity of the ingredients, I was hooked.

I purchase 3 different varieties - Cherry Pie, Peanut Butter Cookie, and Apple Pie. All 3 I found tasty, though the overwhelming texture of the bar is from the dates in the mixture - but not the taste. The Apple Pie tasted of Apples, the Cherry of cherries. I happen to like dates, but some might not care for the texture. They are soft and chewy, and I think might be a good Clean "On the Go" supplement for the Clean Eater. Something to tuck into a desk to eat when your sweet tooth attacks. Something to eat with a piece of fruit for one of your mini meals. These would also be perfect to eat prior to going out for the evening, to help prevent cravings of inappropriate foods.

I will be on the lookout for Lara bar coupons from now on. I've seen a Buy 1, get 1 coupon previously. By the way, I think these would be excellent for your Clean Eating stockpile or for Clean Eating TEOTWAWKI.
 With a long shelf life ( the ones I bought said "Best by late 2012 ), these would be great for keeping in an emergency preparedness stockpile.

These are apparently available at other retailers nationwide...I just found them at my TJ's first.

IMI : Incentive, Motivation, In Control

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing. 

That's why we recommend it daily."  -Zig Ziglar

     If you've made the decision that Clean Eating is the nutritional change you need to make your body and mind healthy - congratulations! You are starting down a path towards better health. You realize that removing processed foods from your diet is the key to "resetting your body's machine to factory specifications"...but staying motivated? That can be harder. We are human. We often take the easiest path. We often revert to deeply ingrained habits. 

     Use the following 3 keys to keep yourself motivated, and On Path. 

1. Incentive:  Sometimes your own personal motivation isn't enough. Sometimes what we need is someone who will kickstart us, we need a hero, a role model - someone we can look up to. Find that person. They are your catapult. Keep their picture near you; write yourself notes with quotes from that person to remind you why you admire that person. Take that inspiration because that is your power, your driving force. Your role model would stick to it. Why aren't you? 

2. Motivation : Visualize where you want to be. What is your ultimate goal with Clean Eating? Weight loss? Better physical health? What are small goals you can reach to step forwards to your ultimate goal? Lose 5 pounds in the next month? Reward yourself with something special once you attain that small goal. Write it down, and don't hesitate to reward yourself for staying on track. Write down a timeline of rewards - what will you give yourself for 10 lbs lost? 15? 25? Post this in a very central place - above your computer, or on the fridge.

3. In Control :Forward movement is up to you. You are the Master of your body - what happens to it, and how you treat it are entirely up to you. Knowing you are successfully changing your diet - your nutrition, and ultimately your health ( and as a nice side effect, your appearance ) is incredibly impowering. Focusing in on   "I am in control." Keep mental cues at the forefront. For me, it was the phrase "This will not get me where I want to be..." when I was contemplating an unclean food - and I still have to say this to myself occasionally. 
( Easter candy was on sale 75% off  this week at CVS. I looked at it. A lot. After coupons, they would have basically been giving me the candy - but I said no - that candy will not get me where I want to be, and my family doesn't need it, either. )

Incentive, motivation, control. 3 keys to keep in mind as you take your first steps down a Cleaner path. Give yourself incentive and motivation. Know you are in control.



Here is my motivation. I've been looking for a goal for a little while - something to work towards. Last week while driving home, I noticed a sign by the side of the road, announcing my church's annual 5k walk/run for charity. I stopped on the side of the road, and stared at the sign intently...and realized, this is my goal.

This time next year, I will enter and run in that charity 5k event. I've never run before...but I know I can do it. I have incentive, I have motivation - and I am in control.

Another Clean Eating Condiment: Amore Pesto Paste

     Clean Eaters are always on the lookout for purchased products that can enhance their meals. I've discovered a line of herb condiments in a tube that are not only Clean, but are well worth your purchase and experimentation.

      Amore brand pastes are a really nice addition to the CE pantry. Careful to use them in moderation...they can have quite a high sodium content - however, when used correctly they will add a lot of flavor to CE staples like salmon and chicken.

     Amore pastes are available in the following varieties: pesto, garlic, herb, tomato, anchovy, sun dried tomato, and hot pepper. You might start looking for them in the section of your grocery store that has gourmet items, or where you would normally find items like spaghetti sauces, or even perhaps in the spice and herb aisle.

     I bought and used the pesto flavor and added a small smear to a plain grilled chicken breast. It has an intense basil and pine nut flavor, and really added a lot of flavor to my chicken with a very very small amount of paste. The ingredient list for the pesto paste is refreshingly short: basil, sunflower oil, olive oil, salt, pine nuts, garlic, and citric acid. A serving of the pesto paste is considered 2 tablespoons...and that in my opinion is a lot. The sodium content for the 2 tablespoons? 590 mg...yikes! However, I would estimate I had a teaspoon or less on my chicken breast and that was indeed more than enough - and that is a sodium content I can live with for a product used sparingly and that adds so much flavor in such a little dab.

 By the way - like all of my product reviews...I am not compensated nor receive free product in exchange for them. Unlike some bloggers, I don't look for free samples. When I find a product I like, I post about it. When I find a product I dislike, I post that, too.

   

Clean Eating Magazine Fusion Enchiladas

     I love Mexican food - and since starting Clean Eating, I've discovered that many of my Mexican favorites aren't necessarily off the menu anymore. They just need to be rethought and reconstructed.

I found this recipe at Clean Eating Magazine's website , and was immediately inspired to try it. The "refried bean" puree was easier to make than I anticipated, and the results were delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

“REFRIED” EDAMAME

• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame beans
• 1 tsp cumin, ground
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

BEEF FILLING

• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin, ground
• 8 oz sirloin beef, thinly sliced
• 1 cup corn kernels (frozen and thawed, canned or fresh)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups all-natural low-sodium tomato sauce, divided
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 small whole-wheat flour tortillas (about 6 to 8 inches in diameter)
• ½ cup low-fat organic mozzarella cheese, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Prepare “refried” edamame: Bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Add onion, garlic and edamame, bring back to a boil and cook for 4 minutes. Drain onion-bean mixture, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Pour bean mixture and reserved cooking liquid into a food processor and add cumin, chili power and lime juice. Purée until almost smooth and season with salt and black pepper. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.         
3. Prepare beef filling: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 tsp oil, garlic and cumin. Add beef and mix well to season. 
4. In a nonstick sauté pan, heat remaining 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté for about 1 minute, until lightly browned. Add corn, red pepper and spinach, and mix well to combine. Add 1/4 cup tomato sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until heated through. Season with salt and black pepper and remove from heat. 
5. Spread 1/2 cup remaining tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside. 
6. Spread tortillas out in a single layer on a flat work surface. Scoop 2 to 3 tbsp edamame filling and spread in the center of each tortilla. Top with 2 to 3 tbsp beef mixture and roll tightly. Place enchiladas seam-side down on top of tomato sauce in baking dish. Cover with remaining tomato sauce, top with cheese and place dish in oven. Bake enchiladas until hot throughout and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.
7.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Coconut Oil

  
      Recently I've been seeing many CE recipes calling for coconut oil in place of where you'd normally expect to see olive oil or vegetable oil. I've been wondering about coconut oil for some time now, so I decided to do some research on the topic and report back to you. I avoided websites that were clearly "Pro Coconut oil" for information - like "The Coconut Oil Research Council" :-\

This post is a cobbling together of information I've gleaned from multiple other sites: theundergroundbootcamp.com,
MSN.com,  
Foodnetwork.com
The Seattle Times

Coconut Oil: A Medium Chain Fatty Acid

     Because of its high saturated fat content coconut oil has earned itself an undeserved bad reputation. However, a series of scientific studies have recently begun to shed light on the numerous ways coconut oil can benefit the health of its consumers.
     Though coconut oil does contain saturated fat, the saturated fat found in coconut oil is a medium-chain triglyceride or fatty acid (MCT), which our bodies digest more efficiently than other fats. Because of this the saturated fat in coconut oil is not stored in our bodies as fat. Instead the medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil are rapidly broken down and converted into energy, thus putting less strain on the liver, pancreas, and digestive system.
     In fact, coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium-chain triglycerides. The fact that coconut oil contains (MCT’s) is what makes this oil far more nutritious than corn oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, and even olive oil. A second reason why coconut oil is far healthier than other oils is because it contains no dangerous trans-fatty acids which can raise ‘bad’ cholesterol levels (LDL), and lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and more.

Processed or “partially hydrogenated” coconut oil is unhealthy.

One thing both sides agree on is that when coconut oil is hydrogenated it becomes a trans fat, and trans fats are bad news. Trans fats have been closely associated with heart disease because they not only increase LDL cholesterol but impede the body’s ability to utilize HDL.
Unless you are cooking with virgin coconut oil, the only coconut oil in your diet may be hydrogenated, since that’s the form it takes in snack foods and nondairy creamers.

Coconut oil is one of the only plant-based sources of saturated fat (others include palm and palm kernel oils). Animal sources of saturated fat include butter, whole dairy products, beef and poultry skin. According to the American Heart Association, American Medical Association and USDA, we should limit our saturated fat to 7-10% of our daily calorie intake — this includes eating tropical oils such as coconut, which contains 92% saturated fat (one of the highest sources of saturated fats around).

Most old-school nutrition experts slam coconut oil because of its sat-fat content. Pro-coconut oil advocates, meanwhile, argue that the oil is easily absorbed because it’s a medium-chained triglyceride However, there’s strong evidence that suggests the various fatty acids found in coconut oil, including lauric, palmitic and myristic acid (all medium-chained triglycerides), raise both LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol and total cholesterol.

According to Thomas Brenna, a professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell University who has extensively reviewed the literature on coconut oil, a considerable part of its stigma can be traced to one major factor.
"Most of the studies involving coconut oil were done with partially hydrogenated coconut oil, which researchers used because they needed to raise the cholesterol levels of their rabbits in order to collect certain data," Brenna said. "Virgin coconut oil, which has not been chemically treated, is a different thing in terms of a health risk perspective. And maybe it isn't so bad for you after all."

Partial hydrogenation creates dreaded trans fats. It also destroys many of the good essential fatty acids, antioxidants and other positive components present in virgin coconut oil. And while it's true that most of the fats in virgin coconut oil are saturated, opinions are changing on whether saturated fats are the arterial villains they were made out to be. "I think we in the nutrition field are beginning to say that saturated fats are not so bad, and the evidence that said they were is not so strong," Brenna said.


Plus, it turns out, not all saturated fats are created equal. Marisa Moore, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, a nonprofit association of nutritionists, said, "Different types of saturated fats behave differently."

 If you chose to include coconut oil in your CE diet...

How To Choose The Best Coconut Oil

Recently coconut oil has gained tremendous popularity in the west and has become readily available in most supermarkets. However, not all brands of coconut oil are of the same quality. In order to make sure you are purchasing the best coconut oil look for the following factors:

• Certified organic
• Ensure the label says "Virgin" or "Extra Virgin" 
• Made from fresh coconuts, not dried
• No chemical additives (100% virgin coconut oil)
• None refined
• Non-GMO
• Non hydrogenated
• No hybridized coconuts (crossbred)

Have You Tried : Kefir?

      What is kefir? It is a fermented milk product, very similar to a drinkable cup of yogurt. Many Clean Eaters use the plain kefir as a base for creamy salad dressings and sauces, but I had yet to try it. This afternoon while at the grocery store, I noticed that Lifeway kefir ( the "main" brand of kefir distributed in the United States ) was on sale - and there was a .50 off coupon stuck to the lid. The couponer in me was pleased, and as I've wanted to try kefir for quite some time, picked up a bottle. I was a little chicken to try the plain kefir first, so I opted to buy the strawberry flavored variety. 
     I was expecting something thicker, with perhaps an "off" milk taste. I mean, c'mon - fermented milk? But honestly, it is like a yogurt smoothie - rich and creamy. It also has a slight "foamy" quality that was actually pleasant in the mouth. I discovered while researching kefir that it is actually a slightly effervescent beverage - that was the foamy and thick quality I detected.

INGREDIENTS: Pasteurized Cultured Lowfat Milk, Nonfat Milk, Organic Cane Juice, Strawberry Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Red Beet Juice For Color, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3, 
CONTAINS MILK, GLUTEN FREE

NUTRITIONAL FACTS
SERVING SIZE 1 CUP (240mL) 

Calories Fat Cal Total Fat Sat Fat Trans Fat Cholesterol Sodium Total Carb Sugars Protein

140 20 2g 1.5g 0g 10mg 125mg 20g 20g 11g

Vitamin A 10%, 
Vitamin C 4%, 
Calcium 30%, 
Iron 0%,
Vitamin D 25%




     I enjoyed the strawberry kefir I drank very much, and will probably have a serving once or twice a week as part of one of my mini "in between meals." If you were reading carefully above, you noticed a cup of kefir has 20g of sugar. That is a lot of sugar for a cup of anything. I'll keep that in mind; too much of this stuff per day would definitely be a Clean Eating no-no. I need to find out how much sugar is in the plain kind of kefir...


Edited to add: Plain kefir has 12g of sugar. better...



Sign up for a $1 off 2 coupon here : Lifeway.net

Huzz00t! Salmon Burgers Again!

     Ever since I discovered at the end of March that the salmon burgers I had been eating were not something I should be eating,  I've been looking for a salmon burger that meets my Clean criteria: not a lot of ingredients, extra fillers, salts, and is produced in the United States. I have found a replacement that I can get behind and eat on a regular basis - and one to recommend to my readers.

     Trident brand Alaskan salmon burgers are produced in the US and are about as Clean a salmon burger as you can find. With a low ingredient list ( Salmon, water, canola oil and 2% or less of the following ingredients - lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, sea salt, mesquite smoke flavor, "vegetable extractives", and "natural flavor." ) I was relatively happy enough to buy the product. I wasn't crazy about whatever "vegetable extractives" could be, but I decided to breathe deep and buy the box of 4 burgers. I grilled mine on the George Foreman a few minutes on each side per the instructions, and ate them just with some Dijon mustard...and they are delicious. Seriously - very good.

Each patty has 130 calories, and a moderate sodium content ( 230 mg ) for the 2.8 oz burger.


It's so good to have salmon burgers back on the menu!!!

Savings on Fage Yogurt

Like your Greek yogurt a bit on the tangier side but don't like the sticker shock per cup? Go to Fage's          
( pronounced  Fa-YEH ) website and sign up for one of 2 coupons:

SAVE $2.00 off 2 cups of 17.6 oz FAGE Total.

SAVE $2.00 off 5 cups of FAGE Total flavor varieties.

Fage USA : Coupon Savings

If you've never printed a coupon online before, it will prompt you to install a small coupon printer program. Don't worry, it is safe.