Yum

"Help me lose weight!"

... is probably one of the most common phrases you hear in January. I walked into the gym two weeks ago, and could barely find a free locker.

And traffic for my clean eating and weight loss websites? Shooting off the roof!

While Im happy everyones asking for weight loss help, and has health and fitness on their minds...

I must stress that weight loss--and especially doing it through a clean eating diet--isnt a traditional process that deprives of certain food groups and cutting calories. Instead, proper weight loss (through clean eating diet) requires daily eat clean habits and exercise--and continuing both for a life time.


A clean eating diet, despite its ability to help with weight loss, is not a diet but a life style change.

And hence this little websites purpose to provide free daily clean eating and weight loss meal plans, with easy and healthy meal ideas, as well as constant reminders that aid in your weight loss journey.

One of the improvements Id like to make to the Clean Eating and Meal Plan site, in 2015, is to add more healthy weight loss recipes.

Meal plans are good; links to other sites are great. However, I also feel that providing healthy recipes right here adds variety and therefore improves visitors overall experience.

Without further a due, heres todays Healthy Lunch Recipe--Shrimp Avocado Boat.

I served this to family and friends during Christmas, and everyone loved it. I think youll like it too, especially if youre an avocado-lover.

Healthy Lunch: Shrimp Avocado Boat

Ingredients:

- 11/2 to 2 cups of cooked shrimp, diced
- 1 table spoon of fresh organic chives, diced
- 1 Haas avocado
- 2 leaves of basil, broken into small pieces
- 1/2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 dash of sea salt
- 1 dash of fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tea spoon of organic balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup of organ cream cheese
- 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tea spoons of dry dill

Directions:

1. Cut avocado into two halves, and take out core. Lay on plate and set aside.
2. Heat frying pan on high. Add olive oil.
3. When olive oil heats up, add chives and shrimp. Stir for 30 seconds.
4. Add sea salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Stir and cook for about 1 min.
5. Turn off heat. Transfer cooked shrimp into a bowl. Set aside.
6. In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, yogurt and dill. Mix well.
7. Add cooked shrimp into the mixing bowl. Mix again.
8. Scoop mixture evenly into each avocado halve (or boat).
9. Top with broken basil leaves.

Serve and enjoy!

I think Ill make this healthy lunch again tomorrow.

Just looking at the Shrimp Avocado Boats makes me drool. Hope you like it too.

By the way, for this clean eating recipe, here are the products I recommend:

Vila Manodori Organic Balsamic Vinegar

Made from Italy, birth place of balsamic vinegar, this is a premium balsamic vinegar with rich, potent and enjoyable flavor. Also, its certified organic.

Find it at Vila Manodori Vinegar.

California Olive Ranch Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This award-winning olive oil is known for its amazing flavor and elegant casing. Its 100% California-grown and certified extra virgin by COOC. A really great item for cooking.

Find it at California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Well, thats it for today at the Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan.

Thanks for visiting.

Hope you liked todays healthy lunch and clean eating recipe.

Have a nice weekend!

Read More..

I love that so many of my friends are interested in food, some of them are even full blown foodies at this point. This has always meant dinners out at great restaurants, amazing cheese plates or decadent desserts at parties, and there is always someone to share a good bottle of wine with. I feel blessed to have never heard the phrase “lets go get a Big Mac” when taking suggestions for the evenings festivities. More recently this has also translated into getting some outstanding recipes e-mailed to me from my fellow food lovers which I fully support and thrills me greatly.

So when I was looking for a side to go with my new improved purple version of Rachel Rays rosemary chicken it seemed fitting to use a recipe sent to me by the only other person I know that condones the use of Rachel Ray recipes. Sara and I have been exchanging favorite Rachel Ray recipes for awhile so I was pretty sure I could trust the leek recipe she sent my way to be good. And it was.

As the fella started saying recently, “Everything is better with leeks.” It is our French cooking mantra. So a recipe involving nothing but leeks cooked to perfection is not surprisingly really great. The only difficult part is getting the darn things clean, leeks are sneaky gritty buggers. Thankfully the recipe includes in depth instructions to battle the dirt.

It looks like a lot of work but it really isnt that difficult once you get things going. Though I did get impatient waiting for the wine to reduce and ended up with a soupy sauce that was still tasty. Though it didnt really cling to the leeks. Fittingly enough this recipe finally gave me a reason to open the bottle of Four Buck Chuck Saras fella, the infamous German left here after my last party. It was a truly undrinkable bottle of wine that got put to good use so it can stop taunting me from the back of the refrigerator.

Thanks for the recipe idea Sara.

Saras Braised Leeks


6 large leeks
3/4 cup oil (approximately)
1 cup shallots, sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 400°F.


Remove any bruised outer layers from the leeks. Trim leaving the root end intact, then trim the tops of the leeks on the diagonal, leaving 2 inches of the green part attached. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, and submerge in a large bowl of cold water to clean them. Shake the leeks well to dislodge the dirt stuck inside. Let them sit a few minutes, to allow any grit inside the layers to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Repeat the process until the water is clean. Place the leeks, cut side down, on a towel and pat dry completely.


Turn the leeks over so their cut sides are facing up, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and a few grindings of black pepper.


Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil, and wait 1 minute for it to heat. Place the leeks in the pan, cut side down, being careful not to crowd them. (you will probably need to saute them in batches. Add more olive oil to the pan as needed, for each batch.) Sear them 4 to 5 minutes, until they are golden brown. Season the backs of the leeks with salt and pepper, and turn them over to cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to a large gratin dish, lining them up, cut sides facing up. (Choose a baking dish or gratin dish that can go from oven to table and that will accommodate all the leeks.)


Pour 1/4 cup olive oil into a pan and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until the shallots are just beginning to color. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Add 1 1/2 cups stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the liquid over the leeks. The stock should not quite cover them; add more stock if necessary.


Braise in the oven 30 minutes, or until the leeks are tender when pierced.

Read More..

Yum

Breakfast

Organic Oatmeal with Banana Slices, Cinnamon and Real Organic Maple Syrup

We recommend Coombs Family Organic Maple Syrup

Mid Morning Snack

Brads Raw Sweet Potato Chips

Get them here.

Lunch

Butter-Seared Shrimp in Balsamic Vinaigrette, Whole Wheat Toast and Tomatoes on the Side

Afternoon Snack

Grapes

Dinner

Herb-Rubbed Broiled Chicken Breast with Steamed Green Beans on the Side

Thanks for your time!

To conveniently receive new meal plans, please sign up via email above.

Hope to see you next time!

Read More..

Yum

Veggie wraps may be one of the easiest of healthy lunch recipes to make, but do they taste good?

I felt skeptical too, but love the idea of combining healthy foods like veggies and whole grain, and decided to create my own veggie wrap. Because Im a fan of Middle Eastern flavors, I used ingredients like hummus and tahini. To balance the strong flavors, I added blander foods like beans and quinoa.

This healthy lunch recipe turned out delicious! And of course, as expected, it was simple to do as well.

If you have a chance, you should absolutely give it a try--and add it to tomorrows clean eating and weight loss meal plan.

Healthy Lunch Recipe: Veggie Quinoa Wrap

Ingredients:

- Whole wheat tortilla

- 1/2 cup of cooked organic quinoa

- 2 table spoons of hummus

- 1 tea spoon of Tahini

- 1 pinch of sea salt

- Roasted minced garlic and red peppers

- 1 cup of romain leaves

- 1 cup of cooked kale

- 1 lemon wedge (or 1 tea spoon of lemon juice)

- 2 tea spoons of Tamari soy sauce

- 1 table spoon of apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Lay tortilla wrap flat on a plate.

2. In a mixing bowl, add all other ingredients, and mix well.

3. Spread mix evenly on tortilla.

4. Roll tortilla into a wrap and cut in half.

5. Enjoy!

There you go.

Healthy, tasty and one of the easiest healthy lunch recipes Ive tried. See? Healthy foods dont always taste bad. I hope you enjoy this veggie and quinoa wrap as much as I did.

Thanks for visiting Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan!

Again, I hope you enjoyed todays clean eating recipe.

 And please come back for more healthy lunch recipes and clean eating ideas!

See you soon.

Product Recommendation

Kevala Organic Sesame Tahini

USDA-Certified organic, kosher, GMO-free, gluten-free and made with the finest sesame seeds, this delicious spread adds serious flavor to foods. If you want to "spice" up a meal, this Tahini sauce makes a great choice!

Find it at Kevala Organic Tahini.

Read More..

Yum

A HUGE misconception about the clean eating diet is that clean eating meals, or weight loss foods in general, require fancy, exotic ingredients and complicated steps to make.

In reality, a clean eating diet is simple: use as little processed ingredients as possible, and make quick and easy meals. For these reasons, clean eating has gained much popularity in the last few years. Its simple, tasty and creates a healthy lifestyle. Whats not to like?

Clean eating diet can also help you lose weight, because eliminating processed ingredients eliminates refined sugar, hydrogenated oil and all the harsh artificial ingredients that induce weight gain. By simplifying your meals, you reduce unnecessary calories--and most of them develop into fat.


Todays healthy lunch and clean eating recipe reflects just the simplicity that defines clean eating.

With only five ingredients, this juicy, delicious and completely clean sandwich was a pleasure to both make and eat.

Plus, it took less than five minutes to make. We all like that, dont we?

Healthy Lunch Recipe: Avocado Tomato Open Face Sandwich

Ingredients:
- 1 piece of whole wheat bread, slightly toasted
- 1/2 avocado, peeled, de-cored and sliced
- 2 slices of tomato
- 1 slice of all-natural swiss cheese
- 2-3 leaves of basil, broken
- 1 tea spoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tea spoon of organic balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions:
1. Slice toast in halve, and lay each piece on a plate.
2. Stack swiss cheese, avocado slices and tomato on top. 
3. Splash basil leaves. Then drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar, if you choose to use them.

Thats all. Now enjoy each bite.

Thanks again for coming by Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan!

I hope you enjoy todays Healthy Lunch Recipe.

(I think you would if youre an avocado-lover.)

I also hope to see you next time!

Read More..

Breakfast

Whole Wheat Toast with All-Natural Peanut Butter, Hard Boiled Eggs and Avocado Slices

The best weight loss program consists of the macro-nutrients carbohydrate, protein and fat. Consumed in moderation and along with exercise, a balanced intake of macro-nutrients helps with healthy weight loss.

Todays breakfast is full of macro-nutrients and a delicious combo thats easy to fix in busy mornings. Hope you like it.

Mid Morning Snack

Think Thin High Protein Bar (from here)

With 20 grams of protein per bar and only about 230 calories, Think Thin High Protein Bars are about the best healthy snack bars on the market. Theyre also sweet, tasty and chewy--not much different from candy bars but better for you.

I LOVED the brownie crunch flavor (seen below), but enjoyed peanut butter chocolate flavor too.

Want to try them? Visit Think Thin Healthy Snack Bars.

Lunch

Broccoli Turkey and Cheddar Wrap

This recipe is from Clean Eating Recipes Blog, and can be found here.

Cheesy and scrumptious with all-natural cheddar and fresh turkey, this wrap is flavorful and easy-to-make. If you have about 5 - 10 minutes, please try the recipe. 

Again, its from Clean Eating Recipes Blog, and can be found at this link.

Afternoon Snack

Steamed Edamame with Sea Salt

 Edamame are soybeans harvested before beans harden. Like beans, theyre gluten-free, low-calorie and low-cholesterol, but abundant in protein, calcium and iron. 

The beans inside the shells are soft, chewy and fun to eat. Steamed or boiled hot and sprinkled with sea salt, these snack-able veggies make a great way to satisfy the munchies. If you crave something salty, bypass the potato chips and go for edamame.

By the way, if you cant get raw edamame, there are pre-packaged frozen edamame that you can pop in the microwave to heat, or dry roasted edamame that you can grab and go.

  For dry roasted edamame, I recommend Sensible Foods Roasted Edamame. They are delicious!

Dinner

Apple and Avocado Salad (recipe here)

Adding fruits to vegetables is a good way to mix flavors and nutrients.

Todays clean eating dinner is a mixture of sweet apple chunks and supple avocado. Tossed in organic poppy seed dressing and on top of mixed greens, the apples offset veggies natural bitterness. This salad was tasty, light and refreshing. I absolutely enjoyed it!

I hope you give it a try and visit Clean Eating Dinner Apple and Avocado Salad for recipe.

Cannot believe this is the 100th Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan.

Thank you so, so much for your support!

I will try to make future meal plans better and healthier.

I hope you continue to visit, and continue to eat clean.

By the way, to celebrate the 100th meal plan, there will be a give-away coming soon.

Stay tuned!

____________________________________________

HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS | WEIGHT LOSS HELPPRODUCTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
____________________________________________

Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity Wristband

What it does:

• The fitbit wirstband tracks all-day activities stats like steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, stairs climbed, and minutes youve been active
• It displays your daily stats, time of day, and exercise mode with a bright OLED display
• Also, it monitors your sleep and wakes you with a silent alarm
• All notifications are provided through a wearable wristband
• You can accesses real-time run stats like time, distance, and pace to stay on track
• The stats can be synced wireless and automatically to your computer and over 120 leading smartphones 
• Its revolutionary technology is accurate, easy-to-use and most of all, help you lose weight and keep fit
   

Advanced technology; great fitness and weight loss help.

Get it at Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity Wristband!

Read More..