Healthy Endeavors

Yours truly, The Clean Eating Coach, really don’t mind spending quality time cooking healthy, clean eating meals during the colder months. I’m naturally inside more since I have a strong dislike for the cold, so hunkering down to whip up a yummy soup or stew, suits me just fine. It’s nothing for me to do some thoughtful meal planning as I think about the coming week.  But now that I can happily be outdoors more, I’m just not willing to spend endless hours in the kitchen, and forget about turning on the oven for any length of time.  Summer meal planning for me is brief and to the point, albeit healthy!
 
As you can probably imagine, it’s our body’s natural tendency to want to eat more lightly during the summer months.  Instead of heavier comfort foods that seem appropriate during colder months, once summer rolls around, most of us are craving high energy, cooling foods.  In addition to juicing, here are a few suggestions to spend less time in the kitchen yet still whip up some delicious clean eating dishes you and your family will enjoy.
 
Eat more raw fruits and veggies. During the winter months, I’m naturally drawn to more cooked food but that changes substantially in the summer.  I do more juicing and with the bounty of fresh, locally grown produce, it’s easy to incorporate more raw fruits and veggies into my diet. Why not make a healthy salad the center of your dinner plans?  Don’t want to turn on the stove?  How about adding in wild canned salmon with some fresh avocado and other veggies for a quick and healthy meal? 
 
Sprout your grains.  Have you ever experimented with sprouting grains? It’s a simple way to get in nutrient dense food. Sprouting grains releases healthful food enzymes and can increase the vitamin content of what you’re eating – your grains retain living enzymes plus you don’t have to turn on the stove to cook them!  I tried my hand at sprouting quinoa recently and loved it.  The texture is very different than when cooked – course and a bit chewy – so it’s a nice contrast to traditionally cooked grains.  I made a sprouted quinoa tabouli recipe that was delicious and very simple.  It simply requires soaking the grains in advance until they sprout and continuing your preparation from there.
 
Add veggies to your smoothie.  A healthy smoothie doesn’t always have to be only fruit-based.  I’m a big fan of adding veggies like raw spinach or kale to my smoothies, not to mention things like spirulina (green algae bursting with nutrients), chia seeds and plant-based protein powders like hemp.  Alternatively, you can add nuts such as almonds, cashews or sunflower seeds.  You might try “re-envisioning” dinner to include a smoothie and salad instead of a heavier, cooked meal.
 
Use quick cooking preparation methods.  This is the perfect time to break out the grill, or if you’re like me and don’t own a big grill, pull out the George Foreman grill – it does a great job.  You can easily prepare and marinate things like chicken and fish and have them cooked in a jiffy.  Love corn on the cob but hate turning on the stove to boil the water? Grilled corn is delicious with a deep rich flavor.
 
What can you try this summer that’s new and different and will reduce your cooking burden, focus on clean eating and feature more fresh, local produce?  I would love to hear what you’ll be making that affords you more time to play and enjoy the summer months!

Filed under: clean eating, Fruit, Greens, Healthy Meals, Locally Grown Food, Raw food, Summer, Vegetables