Baked Sweet Potato Wedges make an easy, yet healthy side dish.

Sweet potatoes are sometimes considered a “fall” food, but I love them any time of year. I enjoy them baked, sautéed, mashed, fried – you name it, I like it! [Read more…]

 

Deep fried French fries are delicious no doubt, but definitely not part of a clean eating diet. If you are looking for a healthy alternative then try these super easy Parmesan French fries!

Potatoes are sometimes looked down on in the health-food world due to the amount of starch found in them. However, they are a great addition to a healthy eating plan. There are a million varieties of potatoes to choose from including russet, baby red, Yukon gold, sweet potatoes, etc. These delicious Parmesan French Fries are made using russet potatoes. [Read more…]

Week 8 of the 12 Week Meal Prep Series is all about beans, beans the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot!

All kidding aside, beans are extremely healthy for you! Beans are loaded with protein AND fiber, hence the reference to farting!  I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables throughout the day and I try to get at least 25g fiber. Sometimes I fall short on fiber, even with all those fruits and veggies. However, if I have a serving of healthy beans throughout the day then I blow my 25g goal out of the water! [Read more…]

Protein is a major part of meal prep. We’ve gone over cooking chicken in Week 1 and beef in Week 5. Now it is time to add some pizzazz to your meal prep with a delicious side dish! Protein is the powerhouse of the meal, yet the side dish can steal the show. A delicious, healthy side dish made with clean ingredients can keep meals from feeling boring.

During Week 2 of the 12 Week Meal Prep Series we discussed vegetables in general, but it is time to take it up a notch. Use your knowledge from Week 2 and Week 3 to create a side dish that involves vegetables AND whole grains. [Read more…]

We are two weeks down in the 12 Week Meal Prep Series. How is it going? Did you prepare enough chicken during Week 1? Did you make a bunch of vegetables this last weekend to get you through the week?

If you missed the first two weeks, then check those out here and here.

For Week 3, I challenge you to make your favorite whole grain in bulk so that you can add it to meals throughout the week. An important component to meal prep is whole grains. Whole grains will keep you full longer and add more nutrients to your diet compared to refined grains. [Read more…]

 

Every healthy diet should have plenty of vegetables incorporated. My challenge for you Week 2 of the Meal Prep Series is to prepare a variety of vegetables to last you the week. If you missed Week 1 of the Meal Prep Series then you can find that here.

I am lucky because I actually enjoy the taste of (most) vegetables! When I food prep I typically try to cook 4-5 different vegetables to rotate throughout the week. My go-to veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers and carrots.

If you struggle with vegetable intake then start by picking your two favorites and work your way up from there each week. [Read more…]

 

Some of my favorite foods are in season in the fall. Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, kale, apples, pears, figs, etc. So I decided it would be brilliant to combine several of my favorite fall foods into one salad. The result? Farro Harvest Salad.

Farro is an ancient grain that is high in fiber, magnesium and iron, plus is surprisingly high in protein compared to other grains. It does contain gluten, so if you are gluten-free then you could substitute quinoa or brown rice. [Read more…]

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite foods. It is one of those vegetables that seems like it will leave me hungry an hour later. However, I am always surprised how filling it is!

A lot of people are intimidated by spaghetti squash. In fact, a coworkers came to me one day and said “hey Mel, you eat weird food so I brought this for you”. It was a spaghetti squash! [Read more…]

Cauliflower rice is a fun and different way to eat the vegetable. At only 25 calories per cup, it is low in calories, high in vitamin C and vitamin K, plus provides 2.5 gram fiber!

It can be eaten raw, roasted, sautéed, blanched and even grilled. However, “ricing” it is one of my favorite ways to prepare it.

WARNING: Preparing cauliflower rice can be messy! [Read more…]

One of my new favorite ways to cook broccoli is to blanch it. Blanched broccoli is cooked for less time compared to other methods, which leaves more nutrients in the vegetable.

First of all, it takes very little time to prepare. Second of all, it leaves the broccoli tender, bright in color and requires zero oil. Roasting and grilling broccoli is a great way to cook broccoli, but it does take some of the color out of the vegetable. However blanching vegetables, including broccoli, make them quite vibrant.

So how do you prepare blanched broccoli? It is incredibly easy and ensures the vegetable remains clean eating friendly. [Read more…]