Here’s my simple solution to stay on track with clean eating during 2012: identify one simple goal and work toward it between now and the end of March. Let’s break things down and think one quarter at a time so as not to be overwhelmed.

I know, you’re probably saying, “I have a laundry list of goals I want to accomplish this year with my health, why only one?”

Simply put, I want you to focus on what’s most important and make small steps in that direction. When you have a long list of goals you diffuse your attention across too many activities and it’s easy to feel like you’re not making any forward progress.

Instead, why not adopt just one clean eating goal – your biggest, juiciest clean eating goal that you want to achieve no matter what! Something that will motivate you and get you into action. Here are a few examples:

• Drink at least 6 glasses of water per day to support clear, glowing, you-can’t-be-over-25-looking skin
• Juice fresh fruits and vegetables at least 3 times per week for super-charged energy, kissing the mid-afternoon I-just-have-to-take-a-nap slump a triumphant goodbye
• Prepare one clean eating meal per week where half can be frozen for later use to create a mini-stockpile of, healthy, delicious and easily accessible meals – no expensive, less than healthy takeout needed

I think you get the idea – it has to be something that’s important to you, with a specific, desired result that will keep you going when you want to give up.

When we focus on only one goal at a time, we can give it our full attention yet take small steps in the right direction. I can think of plenty of baby steps to move toward the goal of at least 6 glasses of water a day:

• Buy a beautiful, recyclable cup to keep in the car and hydrate while you’re driving as well as use at work
• Fill the bottle at night so it’s ready to roll in the morning without the least bit of effort
• Set an alarm twice a day for water alerts – say mid morning and mid-afternoon – to keep you on track and remind you to drink up
• Find a water drinking buddy at work to help hold you accountable, ask him or her to check in with you each day at a certain time
• Record how much water you drank at the end of the day – to increase your awareness and see how you can do better the next day

Then be sure to identify how you know you will be successful like:

• Not a trace of acne or dry skin
• You look in the mirror and feel perfectly content with what you see
• A steady stream of “your skin looks SO amazing” compliments

Once you master your first, most important clean eating goal for the first quarter of 2012 and you’re feeling victorious (and have solidly integrated it into your busy life), THEN move on to creating a new, equally juicy goal for the next quarter.

So…what’s your number one goal for 2012, clean eating wise? What are you committed to doing no matter what? What’s got you inspired to get and stay in action?

Let me know what you’ve got in mind and the first steps you plan to take. Need some help getting started? Just let me know and I’d be happy to provide some coaching.

With this past weekend’s super frigid temperatures (when I pretty much don’t want to leave the house and love hunkering down with some movies), it just screamed comfort food to me.  But instead of reaching for one of my fav comfort foods (like homemade mac and cheese), I was busy creating a comfort food makeover – with a healthy twist.

Check out the ideas I shared on WTNH’s Good Morning Connecticut yesterday for clean eating, cozy comfort foods — Panko-crusted baked chicken (instead of fried), souffled sweet potatoes (light and airy, and oh so delicious instead of mashed potatoes and gravy) and some Hoppin’ John (collard greens and black-eyed peas – a Southern favorite, but without the pork).

Here are the two yummy dishes that I featured which I think you’ll enjoy:

Souffled Sweet Potatoes
(Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)

I first tried this recipe at Thanksgiving as a savory side dish that was a departure from other sweet potato dishes I’ve made in the past. Sweet potatoes are a great substitution for white potatoes and nutritional powerhouses, full of antioxidants and fiber. This dish is a perfect makeover for traditional mashed potatoes and gravy.

Ingredients:

4 pounds sweet potatoes, well scrubbed
1 head garlic, cloves separated and unpeeled
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, prick each one several times and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until soft.
2. Place the garlic gloves in tightly sealed foil and bake on a separate baking sheet for about 30 minutes until tender.
3. Remove potatoes and garlic and let cool.  When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes, squeeze the garlic from the skins and combine in a bowl with the broth. Mash until smooth and then add the rosemary, salt and pepper.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar.  Use an electric mixer on high speed and whip for 2-3 minutes until stiff peaks form. Fold half the egg whites into the potatoes with a rubber spatula and then fold the rest in.
5. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray and transfer the potato mixture. Bake in the oven at for approximately 30 minutes until the top is slightly browned then serve and enjoy!

Savory Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas (Hoppin’ John)

I absolutely love collard greens, especially when prepared in this quick and simple fashion without hours of cooking.  Traditional Southern cooking calls for adding pork for flavor, but we can keep this dish happily vegetarian and healthy yet still flavorful. I love adding in the black-eyed peas for a more complete meal which you can serve with a side of brown rice.

Ingredients:
2 bunches collard greens
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15-oz cans black-eyed peas
2 tsp. apple cider or white wine vinegar
salt and pepper taste

Directions:
1. Wash collard greens, cut out stems and stack several leaves on top of each other.  Roll like a cigar and chop collards into small bite size pieces.
2. Heat olive oil in pan, add onion and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes until soft.
3. Add collard greens to pan and saute until bright green. Add a little bit of water if greens start to stick.
4. Add black-eyed peas and cook for a few minutes more until heated through.
5. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper.

What’s your favorite comfort food and what do you do to give it a healthy spin?

Have you ever had the experience of walking into a party, seeing a spread of food and diving in without any notion of how many calories or grams of fat you were consuming? If you’ve been there before, I totally understand – I’ve definitely overindulged that way in the past too. But these days, especially as we get older, eating everything in site with reckless abandon may taste great going down, but isn’t so good once the new year rolls around.

Instead of feeling like you don’t have a lot of healthy options at your next gathering, why not bring a dish you know is healthy that you and others can enjoy?  Focus on healthy, low fat clean eating ingredients such as beans, greens, whole grains and lean meat. Substitute olive oil for butter and Greek yogurt for mayonnaise.

One of my favorite dishes to bring to a potluck during the holidays, or any time of year for that matter, is super simple and absolutely delicious.  It features high fiber, gluten-free quinoa, chick peas and spinach.  A liberal amount of orange zest plus raisins and cinnamon add fantastic flavor.  It seems like every time I make this, it’s a bit hit, as I discussed on Good Morning Connecticut yesterday morning:

Here’s the recipe for you to enjoy and share at your next event.

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
½ tsp. sea salt
zest from two oranges
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup raisins
1 cup cooked chickpeas (or canned organic chickpeas)
6 cups washed and chopped spinach leaves
salt to taste
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
1 orange, cut into wedges

Rinse the quinoa well and drain in a fine-mesh sieve. Combine water and orange juice and bring to a boil in a 1-½ or 2 quart saucepan. Add the salt, orange zest, and the rinsed quinoa. Return to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes to fluff up.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet that has a tight-fitting lid.  Add the onions and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add raisins, chickpeas and spinach. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Adjust heat if necessary. Drain any excess water after cooking the spinach. Season to taste with salt.

Combine the vegetables into the quinoa. Stir in cinnamon. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and orange wedges.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

What’s your favorite healthy, clean eating dish to take to bring to a party that you know others will love? How do you avoid holiday overindulgence?

I’ve been having great fun looking through recipes and settling on our Thanksgiving menu. Of course, I can’t help but keep it healthy and clean eating.  I’m working from the notion that any of us can create a delicious, healthy and clean eating meal without having to add tons of calories that taste good going down but don’t feel so great when they morph into extra pounds. 

This past month I came across a recipe for sweet potato pie ice cream that is so simple and delicious that you’ll hardly believe it! It appears in the current issue of Clean Eating Magazine, one of my favs.  It’s only contains a handful of ingredients and uses only natural sweeteners and tastes like, well, sweet potato pie!  I made it for my most recent Good Morning Connecticut segment on WTNH earlier this month and it was a hit with Steve and the crew.

I adapted it just a bit after my first go round (it was a bit sweet for me so I reduced the maple syrup). You can have fun with this and make it your own. It’s the perfect way to mix up Thanksgiving with a new twist that’s healthy too.  Keep in mind that it takes a little pre-planning as you need sufficient time to freeze the ice cream.

Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced into 1/2″ pieces
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups unsweetened oat milk (available at the health food store)
1/2 cup raw honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place sweet potato pieces on a foil lined baking sheet (for easy clean up) and pour maple syrup over sweet potatoes to coat evenly.  Bake for 30-60 minutes until tender.

2. Remove from oven and then transfer to refrigerator to let soften further.

3. Put sweet potatoes in food processor and puree until creamy. Then add oat milk, blend a little longer and add remaining ingredients.  Blend until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes (I tried this in both the Vitamin and food processor and this is so much easier in the food processor as the Vitamix is too deep).

4. Pour into a square metal cake pan and freeze for 12 hours, until solid.

I found that the ice cream needed a good 10-15 minutes to soften up before serving.  Once it isn’t so cold, it’s a whole lot creamier!

Give it a try and let me know what you think about this clean eating treat.

Are you headed to Thanksgiving dinner and in charge of bringing a side dish or dessert? Are you tasked with creating a whole Thanksgiving meal – turkey and the trimmings? With a little pre-planning and setting an intention for a clean eating holiday, you can pull it off without adding tons of calories and fat too.  

I say make a healthy shopping list, get to the store before the crowds (I’ve waited until the day before far too many times in the past – those days are over!) and ease into your healthy cooking feeling relaxed, no last minute scrambling necessary.  

Here are a few simple tips to get your clean eating juices flowing: 

1. Skip the marshmallows in your sweet potatoes!  So many sweet potato dishes are needlessly loaded with sugar but the truth is that sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, and roasting them brings that out.  Instead of dousing your sweet potatoes in marshmallows, use more natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup, if you need any at  all.

2. Forego the butter and try olive oil instead.  Saute or roast your favorite vegetables in heart healthy olive oil instead of butter.

3. Reach for the pumpkin puree.  Making a pumpkin pie for dessert? Instead of buying pumpkin pie filling loaded with sugar, go for pure pumpkin to which you can add your favorite spices and a natural sweetener.  Your waistline will thank you!

4. Go for the green veggies! Focus more on healthy vegetable side dishes like green beans, Brussels sprouts or collard greens and less on calorie and carb-rich dishes like stuffing made with white bread.

 5. Use whole grain bread.  Whether serving stuffing or dinner rolls, increase the health factor by using whole wheat bread instead of white.  I bet your guests won’t even be able to tell the difference. 

What will you do to help create a clean eating Thanksgiving meal for your family? What’s your favorite holiday dish that you’ve made healthier over the years? Do tell!   

It’s so easy to pack on the pounds when the holidays roll around, especially when you’re surrounded by tantalizing sweet treats. But this year, you can take a different approach and bring yummy, healthy desserts to your holiday gatherings. You will know that they are of a healthier variety, even if others don’t!

You could jazz up your traditional holiday with uniquely healthy and delicious desserts. The best way to increase the nutritional value of your desserts is by substituting in whole wheat flour for bleached white flour, focus on whole grain, substitute nuts milks for dairy (I’m a big fan of almond milk), and especially by using natural sugars instead of refined ones (think raw honey, pure maple syrup or agave nectar). How about oatmeal almond cookies, no bake chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin mousse, all simple to make and healthier than your average holiday dessert?

Come join me on Wednesday, October 26th at 6:00 PM and I’ll show you how! I am offering a fre*e, fun and interactive workshop at the New Haven Public Library. I’ll be whipping up some tasty holiday treats using natural sweeteners, nuts, seeds and grains – a healthier spin for the upcoming holidays.

We’ll talk about eating in moderation and more mindfully enjoying these treats so you don’t need as much to feel satisfied. And there will be lots of samples too.

Hope you can join in the fun! Click here to register for this workshop.

That’s exactly what yours truly, The Clean Eating Coach, shared with Steve Villanueva and Anne Craig on WTNH’s Good Morning Connecticut yesterday morning. We had great fun talking about three simple dishes that are sure to make your fall a little healthier and tasty: kale chips (a great substitute for greasy, calorie-laden potato chips!), butternut squash soup (bursting with Vitamins A & C and fiber) and roasted apples with pumpkin puree.  All the dishes we discussed are full of antioxidants to help prevent disease, low in calories and oh so good for you!  The perfect addition to your clean eating lifestyle.  And you can find butternut squash, apples and kale, along with a host of other fresh produce, at your local farmers’ market.

Check out the video and recipe for the apples below:

3 farmer’s market finds to have in your kitchen: wtnh.com

You will love this apple recipe – it’s so easy to make and it’s the perfect way to take advantage of the fruits of your apple picking adventures this fall. Even better, you can nip your sugar cravings in the bud with this simple recipe.

Roasted Apples with Creamy Pumpkin Puree

(Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine)

Ingredients:

4 crisp apples (Fuji, Gala or Braeburns work well)

1 cup canned pumpkin

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tbsp. pure maple syrup

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place apples in a square pan and add one inch of water. Cover with foil.

3. Bake apples for 30 minutes then remove foil and bake for an additional ten minutes.

4. Remove apples and allow to cool.

5. In a bowl mix create the pumpkin mixture by adding pumpkin, yogurt, maple syrup and spices.

6. Cut apples in half, removing seeds and stem, and then top each apple with 2 tbsp. of the pumpkin mixture.

7. Serve and enjoy at room temperature.

What’s my do-over for fall? Well since I’ve just done a cleanse and I’m in a groove with clean eating, I’m focused on adding in 1-2 more servings of vegetables, leafy greens specifically, each day. Not so much a do-over but an add-on.

When I was younger, I always liked the concept of “do-overs” – you know, when you mess something up, you get another try. I love applying that metaphor to our health. It’s easy to be overly hard on ourselves – maybe you didn’t eat so clean over the summer – too much sugar, alcohol or caffeine and processed foods – or perhaps you went to one too many barbecues where you filled your plate and ate with reckless abandon.

So instead of beating yourself up if you didn’t eat as healthfully as you wanted to this summer, let’s have a do-over as we move into fall. But let’s do it in a gentle way that doesn’t feel so restrictive and difficult to maintain. Here are a few suggestions to help you refresh and refocus on clean, healthy eating as we move into fall:

· Identify one food to “crowd out” – It generally doesn’t work to try to change up all the things you’re eating at once, that just sets you up for failure. Removing one less than healthy item, however, can get you on the path to healthier eating. What’s one food for which you’ve been overindulging that you could eliminate? Think about a healthier option for that particular food, something that you would find satisfying. For example, you could crowd out potato chips by making a batch of kale chips. You can still have that crunchy texture in a much healthier form.

· Do a cleanse for a few days – In late August I did a 5-day raw food cleanse that gave my body a nice break – no sugar, dairy, meat, processed food or salt. I ate and drank the most delicious soups, smoothies and green juices that gave me the perfect restart and I’ve been doing a great job of maintaining my healthy eating ever since plus my sugar cravings are completely gone! The good news is that a cleanse can be very simple and inexpensive – for example, identify a few items that you would like to eliminate for a few days so your body and digestive system can rest.

· Eat in silence at least once per week – I love eating in silence with no distractions although I don’t do it nearly as often as I should. Cutting out all distractions helps you connect with your food and get in tune with your body in a powerful way. When we turn off the TV, step away from the computer and learn to be with ourselves, we can often discover that we’re eating far more food that we need to. Quiet down and slow down and your body will appreciate it.

What’s my do-over for fall? Well since I’ve just done a cleanse and I’m in a groove with clean eating, I’m focused on adding in 1-2 more servings of vegetables, leafy greens specifically, each day. Not so much a do-over but an add-on.

What’s your simple do-over plan that will help you reconnect, recharge and take your health up a notch this fall? Do tell!

Simply put, I think chia seeds are divine! So simple, so healthy, so good for you and they require minimal work, making them the perfect on-the-go breakfast for both kids and adults.

I tasted my first chia seed pudding sometime last year when I was doing a 5-day raw food cleanse that my friend Ruth organized.  I had heard of chia seeds before but have never actually tasted them, and what a surprise was I in for!  Each day my friend Ruth provides freshly made green smoothies, juices and soups that are super healthy for the body and soul.

So I was thrilled when chia seed pudding was on the menu for one of the breakfasts, replacing the smoothie.  I took one bite and it was instant heaven — creamy (made with fresh almond milk), silky, slightly sweet with a richness to the flavor. Chia seeds are high in protein, antioxidants and omega 3s and they’re so easy to use – bake with them, add a tablespoon or two to smoothies, or sprinkle on your favorite dessert.

Here’s how I like to make my chia seed pudding but you can easily adapt the recipe:

Ingredients:

2/3 cup almond milk (you can substitute your favorite milk – soy, rice, etc.)

2 tbsp. chia seeds

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (or to taste)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or to taste)

3-5 drops liquid stevia (or other natural sweetener)

Fresh fruit

Directions:

1. Whisk chia seeds into milk (I like a thicker pudding so I use less milk but experiment with what works for you).

2. Add cinnamon, vanilla extract and sweetener.  Mix well.

3. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

4. Add fresh fruit (I’m partial to blueberries) and nuts if desired.

This is definitely the type of recipe that is fun to experiment with and see what best suits your tastes.  Play around and make it your own!

What’s your favorite way to enjoy chia seed pudding?  Do you eat it just for breakfast or do you branch out and enjoy it for a snack or dessert as well? Do tell!

Haven’t we all heard the adage, “the best way to start the day is with a healthy breakfast?” umpteen times before? And it’s true what they say: having a healthy, clean eating,  nutrient-rich breakfast sets the tone for both kids and adults when it comes to focus and concentration, energy levels and overall effectiveness. And you shouldn’t be afraid of consuming too many calories at breakfast (unless you’re eating, calorie-rich, high-fat food with limited nutritional value) – you will have more energy and if you’re active, you will have plenty of time to burn it off.

Study after study shows that when kids start the day with a healthy breakfast that can bridge the gap to lunchtime, they are more alert in class and do better on tests. Same holds true for adults at work. How many times have you kicked yourself after eating a bagel full of simple carbs or a sugary donut? It may taste good going down, but a gap in energy and concentration can zap your effectiveness. Simple carbs, refined baked goods and sugary cereals set us up for a mid-morning energy crash that can do a number on both our metabolism and blood sugar levels for the day.

There are two ingredients I always try to include in a clean eating, healthy breakfast: protein and fiber. Lean forms of protein – egg whites, tofu, peanut or almond butter or even homemade turkey sausage are all great ideas to add to your daily routine. Protein stabilizes your blood sugar level and helps avoid dips, provides sustained energy and supports good concentration. Combine that with a healthy dose of fiber — from whole grain bread, oatmeal or fruit and veggies – that will help you feel full and satisfied.

Here are a few examples of what I mean:

• A fruit smoothie that contains a banana and a cup of berries (lots of vitamins and fiber). Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder for sustained energy. Take it up another notch by adding a handful of raw spinach. You will get a serving of energy-boosting veggies first thing in the morning.
• Chobani fat-free Greek yogurt­. I’m a big fan of their plain yogurt. It boasts 14 grams of protein and when you add some fresh fruit (I can never get enough of summer berries) and a small handful of nuts, you have yourself a quick, simple and sustaining breakfast that again combines both protein and fiber.  The plain yogurt is especially good because it doesn’t contain added sugar.  But even with the small amount of sugar in the fruit flavors, kids will probably find it more appealing than the plain version
• An egg white omelet with sautéed or steamed veggies and a piece of whole grain toast (throw in a cup of fresh fruit and you’re doing even better!). Eggs are the perfect protein and easy for your body to digest. Add some veggies and you can start your day with nutrient-rich foods.  Put it in a whole wheat wrap and it’s instantly portable.

What’s your favorite healthy breakfast that contains protein and fiber and keeps you going all day? Do tell!

Want more breakfast ideas, especially kid-friendly ones? Tune into to Good Morning Connecticut this Sunday morning for healthy, quick and portable breakfast tips.