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Clean Eating Strawberry Banana Smoothie

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A yummy breakfast to go ready within 4 minutes

If you love strawberries you will be delighted with my clean eating strawberry banana smoothie. No need to be a big fan of bananas…

They will give this beverage just the necessary sweetness without tasting dominantly.

Perfect for people on the go

If you are not a morning person or you don’t have much time for a clean eating breakfast then smoothies are a perfect, almost addictive option. Breakfast smoothies are of course extremely versatile, that’s why I’m experimenting a lot with many different fruit and vegetable types.

But there is one easy smoothie that I’m doing over and over again. It is the following strawberry banana smoothie. It consists of only 4 ingredients and needs only little preparation time.

It is definitely my favorite breakfast smoothie combination at the moment as strawberries are in season!

Rev up your metabolism

Whipping up a smoothie for breakfast will help you sip away your pounds. The blended beverage offers you protein, fiber and calcium that helps you keep full until your next meal.

From Garbage to Gourmet

Believe me, I don’t like the taste of overripe bananas. It makes me cringe… And yet for the smoothie you see in my picture I have used an overripe banana with a black skin. The smoothie tasted still super yummy!

Obviously the strawberries gave this combination the perfect twist resulting in a delicious taste experience.

Clean Eating Strawberry Banana Smoothie
Serves 1
A delicious breakfast smoothie
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Prep Time
4 min
Prep Time
4 min
Ingredients
  1. - 7 strawberries
  2. - 1 ripe banana
  3. - 1/2 cup low fat milk
  4. - 1/2 cup fat free Greek yoghurt
Instructions
  1. Pour milk and yoghurt first in the blender container
  2. Add strawberries and banana
  3. Blend the ingredients until perfect consistency is achieved
  4. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
  1. Garnish with some lemon balm leaves
Clean Eating http://leanjumpstart.com/

Clean Eating Dessert Tip: Strawberry Banana Shake

With only a slight variation you could create a perfect milkshake for a hot summer day. Just use deep frozen strawberries and banana instead.

 

Lentil Nutrition - A 3 Step Habit Change

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Week #24: How to incorporate legumes in your meal plan easily

In this week’s challenge, we will focus on lentil nutrition to support your clean eating habits. If weight management is your goal, then this week’s challenge is crucial for you! The same is true if you struggle to get a sufficient amount of protein from your food.

I will also reveal to you my ultimate red lentil soup recipe. I think it is the most perfect and clean dish to implement legumes in your meal planning – and it’s quick and easy.

What are legumes?

Legumes are plants with seed pods that split into two halves. Examples of edible seeds from plants in the legume family are lentils, beans, peas, and soybeans.

Lentils nutrition facts

Lentils, like all legumes, are small powerhouses that are beneficial to your health. Nutrition experts and medicines appreciate them because of their high amount of nutrients headed by a considerable portion of plant protein:

25% (25.5 g/0.9 ounces) plant protein per 100 g/3.5 ounces

This is an impressive ratio! No wonder that lentils are especially popular in both vegetarian and vegan kitchens.

You can enjoy lentil nutrition pretty much year round. These seeds are very affordable, nutrient-dense, super versatile and you can store them packaged in your pantry or on your cupboard shelf for up to a year.

Once you’ve tried my favorite red lentil soup recipe, however, I guarantee they won’t last that long.

Red Lentils – perfect legumes for a 80:20 clean eating lifestyle

The most common kinds of lentils are brown, green and red lentils. For a lean jumpstart, my recommendation is to focus on red lentils.

1 cup of red lentils contains a highly nutritious 230 calories. Though all lentils provide great health benefits, red lentils cook up more quickly and taste the nuttiest and sweetest - in my mind, at least!

Another advantage: Unlike beans, or their sturdier green and brown lentil cousins, you don’t need to soak them in water overnight to speed up the cooking process or ease digestion.

And yet red lentils can compete with brown lentils regarding energy density and nutrient content.

Valuable lentil nutrition: Protein with a high satiety effect

Meals with red lentils provide a high satiety effect and are ideal for all weight conscious individuals on a clean eating diet. Apart from their high protein content, lentils are low in fat and high in fiber.

Your body is forced to absorb the complex carbohydrates from legumes slowly. This has a beneficial effect on your blood sugar level too.

In addition, legumes are top suppliers for minerals like iron, potassium, magnesium and phosphor as well as for vitamins K, C, E and some B vitamins.

How to cook lentils

Lentils should be rinsed before cooking to remove impurities.

The cooking time for red lentils is 10 to 25 minutes, depending on how soft and disintegrated you want them. Don’t overcook them or else you risk destroying nutrients.

While cooking, they usually turn from orange to a lighter yellow color and fall apart into a smooth, mush-like consistency.

That makes them a perfect companion for soups, stews, Indian dals and other curries.

Tip: If you are cooking a stew with legumes, eat a slice of whole grain bread with it, or add some whole grain noodles or rice to the dish. By doing so, you consume them together with grains which, in return, results in a high quality combination for your body.

Baby Steps: How to incorporate a red lentils recipe into your weekly diet

Below is a simple 3-step habit change that will help you automate your lentils intake.
You want make it a habit to eat legumes once a week.

Step 1: Use your weekly meal plan as a trigger

Step 2: Include a lentil dish in your meal plan once per week

Step 3: Print out my healthy lentil soup recipe below, or research another easy legume recipe - see my suggestions below.

My Ultimate Red Lentil Soup Recipe: Quick & Easy

On the web you’ll find many recipes for making lentil soup. The following simple, vegetarian lentil soup recipe is one I cook at least two times per month. Big advantage: Most of the ingredients are staples that I have at home any way.

Clean Eating Red Lentil Soup Recipe
Serves 4
a delicious legume recipe
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Prep Time
7 min
Cook Time
25 min
Prep Time
7 min
Cook Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 tsp olive oil
  2. 1 carrot sliced
  3. 1 onion, diced
  4. 2 medium potato in small cubes (200 g/7 ounces)
  5. 4 cups vegetable broth (low sodium)
  6. 1 cup dry red lentils (250 g/8.1 ounces)
  7. 1/4 tsp pepper
  8. 1/4 tsp dried coriander
  9. dash salt
  10. 2 tbsp vinegar
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, sauté the carrots and onions in olive oil for three minutes, until the onions turn clear. Add the vegetable broth, potato cubes, red lentils, pepper, coriander and salt and let it come to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook until the potatoes are soft, which should take about 20 - 25 minutes. Stir in vinegar before serving. Makes four servings.
Notes
  1. Great Tip: Serve it with some whole grain bread for the best possible bioavailability.
  2. As garnish I used frozen parsley because I didn't have fresh one, it looks and tastes of course way better with fresh parsley;)
Clean Eating http://leanjumpstart.com/

Cooking with lentils - Other Quick and Easy Recipe Ideas

Besides my simple lentil soup, there are a whole bunch of other quick and easy recipes with lentils. Once a month I include red lentil rice as a yummy side dish in my meal planning. From time to time, I also opt for a delicious lentil salad or a creative lentil pasta.

Legume Alternatives

There are many legumes to choose from, which gives many possibilities for variation. Peas, chickpeas, brown beans, red kidney beans and soy beans are other great options for legume recipes - but most of these are not as quick to prepare as red lentils.

Luckily, the 80:20 approach allows you to store some not-so-clean kidney bean cans as an instant base for a seldom, but super quick, chili con carne.

On a side note: Cooking with lentils or other legumes can provoke flatulence. Put some caraway or coriander in your dish to improve salubriousness.

Do you know of any easy red lentil soup recipes?

I’m very curious about your lentil nutrition. Please share your lentil recipe ideas with us in the comments below.

Best Fish to Eat - A simple 3-step habit change

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Week #21: How to implement healthy seafood in you nutrition

What are the best fish to eat to support your 52 week clean eating diet? This week, I will give you some tips for simple and clean eating fish recipes you can enjoy without guilt.

Are you looking for a healthy 80:20 approach that incorporates seafood? Remember: fish supplies your body with ever-important omega-3 fatty acids that your body cannot produce on its own. But could environmental pollutants cancel out that benefit?

Further, you might want to take into consideration the global overfishing phenomenon as well…

Benefits of eating fish in general

First of all, fish supplies high-quality protein that our body can digest easily. The tender meat also contains important vitamins and minerals, like the bone-friendly vitamin D. Salt water fish delivers the needed iodine for our thyroid gland. Fatty fish types, like herring or salmon, are rich in the above mentioned long chain omega-3 fatty acids that are especially valuable. So it should not come as surprise that nutrition experts recommend the consumption of at least one to two 3-ounce servings (90-180 g) of fatty fish per week.

But what kinds of healthy fish can you eat without guilt?

Unfortunately, there is a massive overfishing problem globally. That means that people are taking far more fish out of the ocean than it can sustainably support. Therefore, some fish types are threatened with extinction and put on the red list… Otherwise…As a result of the rigorous U.S. management process, fish harvested in the U.S. is inherently sustainable. A good sign is the blue MSC “eco-label” - Marine Stewardship Council. With this logo, the organization recognizes and rewards farms with sustainable fishing practices. This label is, however, only valid for wild fish, not for farmed fish from aquacultures.

How healthy is farmed fish?

Farmed fish contains a lower ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, lower levels of protein and higher levels of total fat. On top of that, aquacultures frequently use antibiotics, fungicides or even dyes. If unsure, I highly recommend to opt for “organic” farmed fish with an eco-label.

Salmon is among the healthiest and best fish to eat

Here is how you can avoid eating fish with too many pollutants. To make your life as easy as possible, I’ve already made a pre-selection for you. If you want to implement clean, healthy fish recipes in your weekly meal plan, just stick mainly with salmon. It meets two important criteria: It is the lowest in mercury and the highest in omega-3 levels. Wild Alaskan salmon generally has very low levels of toxins.Farmed salmon from Norway tends to be of better overall quality too. Further,salmon is pretty easy to prepare and it is versatile enough to create many delicious, clean eating fish recipes.

Baby Steps: How to incorporate a healthy fish meal in your week

Below is a simple 3-step habit change that will help you automate your healthy fish consumption. Use your weekly meal planning as a trigger.

  1. Research some simple clean eating salmon recipes or other low risk seafood recipes (see alternatives below). When cooking seafood, always opt for lean preparation methods, like steaming, sautéing, baking, grilling, boiling or pouching. I especially love baked fish recipes, grilled fish tacos or fish soup. Another yummy idea is to add salmon (or other healthy fish) to a big salad instead of the typical chicken breast or mini-steaks. Eat fish only natural without bread coating, crust or fatty sauce.
  2. Include one healthy low risk, clean eating fish dish in your meal plan once per week. Write down any ingredients you need for your fish recipe on your customized shopping list.
  3. Write down any ingredients you need for your healthy fish meal on your customized shopping list.

Healthy Salmon Alternatives

As always- variation is key! Anchovies, herrings or sardines are other great options for low risk seafood. You could toss each of them over an easy salad mix.

And what about tuna?

Canned tuna is the so-cheap-its-crazy source of protein but not among my selection of best fish to eat although we would have some room to include it with our 80:20 approach. To avoid too much mercury, try to replace it with canned salmon from time to time as it is an even more potent source of those crucial fatty acids (and it has less mercury).

Tip: Aldi offers affordable wild caught canned Alaskan salmon.

Which seafood you should avoid

Typical mercury bombs are marlin, king mackerel, swordfish, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, ahi tuna, filefish, and bigeye.

Best fish to eat - Check the most up to date data

Are you concerned about mercury and other contaminants in your seafood? Check the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) website for the most up-to-date data regarding contaminant levels of seafood in your region.

How to recognize fresh fish

That’s easy: fresh fish doesn’t smell! It may have a subtle odor, but it must in no case smell overly fishy or rancid. The bad smell associated with fish is provoked by substances that result partly from the dismantling of protein. The longer the fish is stored, the more protein is decomposed. If you are buying a whole fish, please pay attention at the following signs of freshness:

  • The eyes should be clear, not milky
  • The skin should be shining and covered by a transparent coating
  • The gills should be light red, not brownish

It is much harder to evaluate a filet. A fresh filet shines, doesn’t smell and doesn’t show any yelllowish, frayed edges.

Tip: Prepare your fish the day you have bought it.

Is frozen fish healthy too?

Absolutely. The fish I buy most often is frozen: wild caught Alaskan salmon. Often, fishermen gut their catches directly on board the same day and freeze it. In that case, the frozen fish is of excellent quality. The only caveat - it might be a bit more firm than the fresh variation. Remember to defreeze your filet in your fridge!

Money saving tip at Wholefoods: You can save over 50% when you skip the fresh fish counter and purchase instead the Whole Catch frozen wild Alaskan sockeye salmon.

Are you vegan or vegetarian?

You may want to get your omega-3s from phytoplankton. This is a single celled algae that floats in the ocean.

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Share with us below your thoughts regarding your best fish to eat or your favorite clean eating fish recipes!