‘Clean Eating’ Articles at Sweetnicks, Page 6

Clean Eating: Ham Veggie Wraps with Horseradish Cream

November 15, 2010 · Clean Eating, Narrative

Okay, the real name of this recipe is Happy Wraps, which, as you can tell, I wasn’t a fan of. I mean, how less descriptive can you be? And it’s such a disservice to such a yummy, clean-eating fueled lunch. I mean, really, look at how awesome that looks! I’ve got to say, I was pretty impressed with myself on how pretty I got the wrap to look, because when it comes right down to it, delis have the market cornered on making subs and wraps look amazing. And perfect. They just never look the same at home.

I found this little gem in an August issue of First magazine, and you could not ask for a better guilt-free, colorful, vitamin-boosted lunch. With the carrots and tomatoes, you’re getting vitamins A, C and K, which is perfect for boosting your immune system this time of year, you’re getting dietary fiber in the whole grain wrap and protein from the lean turkey or ham. All that and it’s delicious too? Are you surprised I had this for lunch more than once last week?

Whether you are on the clean eating bandwagon with me or not, make this. It’s healthy, filling, tasty, portable and even kid-friendly, and with the ingredients, you can certainly swap out one thing for another to load up on ingredients that are more up your alley. For example, instead of using lettuce, I used fresh spinach leaves to boost the veggie quotient even more. I also used light veggie cream cheese, instead of regular. And that horseradish? Love that little bite it gives the wrap.

And while I’m on the subject of clean eating, Sarah interviewed me recently for Tablespoon.com (a site owned by the fine folks at General Mills) … you can read it right here, and pick up some tasty new recipes on their site while you’re there!

Project 365
November 15, 2010, Photo #215

Madeline’s school is studying the letter F this week, and I promised her we would make fudge for her class to enjoy. After dinner, the kids helped me make one of our favorites, Butter Pecan. A seriously simple and seriously OMG recipe. I will need to make sure that every last piece leaves the house tomorrow because as addicted to clean eating and rigorous workouts as I am, I don’t have enough willpower to resist this one.

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Recipe: Chicken Souvlaki Salad Pitas

October 19, 2010 · Clean Eating

When it comes to Sunday dinner, I usually vacillate between two thoughts. Either I want to do something slow and cook-all-day, or I want to keep it simple. Depends on how crazy the weekend has been. This past weekend, one that was filled with apple picking, the cancer walk, a flat tire (which turned into a nearly 3 hour ordeal), and dinner guests both Saturday and Sunday night, I went for something simple. The perfect way to ease into the upcoming week, you know?

I discovered this handy recipe in one of those little grocery store checkout cookbooks and love that it falls neatly into the clean eating category. While I used it as part of our Sunday dinner, it is great to have in your repertoire for any other night when your schedule is more than a little crazy with school, sports and the like. Mix all the ingredients together and stuff into a toasted whole wheat pita. Yum. I love the Greek-inspired flavors, and Nick loved this one with whole wheat crackers as a snack the next day.

And speaking of clean eating … it’s something I definitely don’t get tired of talking about (or being inspired by). I have an essay on clean eating that will run on a major parenting website in the new year, a blurb in a major magazine and an upcoming interview with a food website. Revamping how I thought about food, and my transition to clean eating, was definitely one of a few big catalysts to losing so much weight this year. It was one of the things that made it all click for me, and it’s no wonder it’s a topic I’m fond of.

Last week, my friend Chris asked me how his boss could lose 20 lbs in sixty days. The answer is simple. Clean eating. I will eventually get around to writing up some guidelines that I’ve followed, but it’s really very easy. Don’t eat food (for the most part) that has ingredients. And as I explain it to people, Oreos have ingredients. Asparagus, chicken, broccoli, fish, bananas, oranges, none of them do. Just a few examples, of course, but the easiest way of explaining it. It harkens back to some of what Michael Pollan (and many others) talk about, but the closer you get to eating food in its natural state, the better it is for you. Eat the food as God and nature intended. In its cleanest form.

Do I sometimes deviate? Of course I do. There was a thin slice of pumpkin pie this weekend that can certainly attest to that. But most of my choices on a regular basis, day in, day out, stick to this common core principle. And then I added in a very active workout schedule, and the rest … is Cate Version 2010.

Project 365
October 19, 2010, Photo #183

I was washing a few dishes the other night and I caught my reflection in the kitchen window. My collarbone area has always been a good indicator when I’ve lost a lot of weight. See those bones? Loving that. Forty-four pounds ago, you couldn’t see them. Some of the changes during the year have been tiny little things like that, while others have been much larger. All good.

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Summerfest 2010: Loaded Bowl of Deliciousness

August 25, 2010 · Narrative

Didja miss me today? Sorry about the website issues, folks. The server was giving me a headache, but all is right in the land now. Onto what you *should* have seen here today…

Another gym night, another need for a quick, but healthy, dinner choice. This weeks’ Summerfest 2010 ingredient is the wonderful tomato. My kids adore them, with Madeline snacking on grape tomatoes like they’re candy, but for some reason, the tomatoes at the grocery store lately have seen rather pitiful – thank goodness for farmer’s markets!

When it comes to recipes with tomatoes, unless it’s in a hearty Italian dish, we tend to like our tomatoes in all their naked, unadored glory. Rough chopped for a salad. Thinly sliced for some crostini. A nice even dice for a fresh salsa or bruschetta. Raw and pure. And tonight’s dinner was no exception.

I came up with the idea for this Loaded Bowl of Deliciousness on the fly, at nearly the eleventh hour, as I was rushing out to the gym. I needed something quick, since we weren’t going to eat until I came home. And something that used tomatoes, for tonight’s Summerfest. And something that everyone would eat. That’s a pretty tall order these days. The Loaded Bowl was it. Much like the Open Faced Chef Salad Sandwich I made awhile back, this is a great recipe to use as a guideline to mix and match the end result based on whose bowl it is.

Jamie doesn’t like mushrooms, so I took hers. Nick thinks he doesn’t like spinach, so his was more disguised. Everyone likes avocado, so extra all around. Nick doesn’t care for onions, and neither does Madeline, so more for me and Jamie. You get my drift. You cook what needs to be cooked, line up the bowls and fill them according to who is digging in. I did include a basic outline of how I made our Loaded Bowls of Deliciousness tonight below, but this is one of those things that you need to just use as a guideline and personalize to your own tastebuds … the possibilities are endless, each one more tasty than the next. And seriously, clean eating at its best. We were chowing down within 15 minutes of me walking in the door.

And now for more tomato goodness, do check out my fellow Summerfest food blogging participants and see what they’re dishing up (since all of us are in varying time zones, a few of the posts might not show up until tomorrow, so keep checking):

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef: Heirloom Tomato Tart with Parmesan Crust

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: What to do with slow-roasted tomatoes

Alison at Food2: Heirloom tomatoes

The FN Dish: Tyler’s Ultimate Tomato Salads

Margaret at A Way to Garden: More than one way to ripen a tomato

Gilded Fork: Celebrating summer lusciousness with a tomato dossier and recipes

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Recipe: Lemony Egg Salad with Basil and Capers

August 19, 2010 · Narrative

A low-fat healthy lunch that is quick to make and full of flavor.

Lemony Egg Salad with Basil and Capers

I tend to have a very fickle relationship with egg salad. I probably last had it a good six months ago, if not longer. I like it just fine, but I don’t go looking for it very often. I need to be in the mood for it. Or, as the case may be today, be inspired by a recipe for it.

Do we really need a recipe for egg salad? No, not if we’re making the basic standard version. This is not that. This recipe for Lemony Egg Salad with Basil and Capers is one of those unique combinations that I never would have thought to put together. Lemon juice? Capers? With egg salad? But then you have it, and can’t imagine how you got by without it.

Between the creaminess of the egg salad, the slight sharp tang of the lemon juice, and the salty bite of the capers … it’s an unusual combination that just works. You’ll have to trust me.

The recipe only calls for a tablespoon of mayonnaise, and I used low fat since I’m not really eating mayonnaise these days. Served on a slice of dark toast, and a clean eating lunch doesn’t get much better … and simpler … than this.

Project 365
August 19, 2010, Photo #148

Rainbow Cake Party Invite

How is it possible that it’s already time to send out invites for our Annual Back-to-School Rainbow Cake party? It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the end of the school year, and here we are, ready to start a new year already. I’ve actually never sent out formal invitations, but I was inspired and wanted to do something a little different this time around. Let the fun begin!…

Hot Dogs with Tomato Avocado Relish

August 16, 2010 · Clean Eating, Narrative

My friend Beth and I are a little addicted to avocados. It’s not even a new thing, but it certainly falls right in line with clean eating, so I have zero guilt about it. If I have to have an addiction (and Nick and I were just talking about good addictions tonight), I think this is an excellent one to have. Hellooooo Good Fat!

“I think I need an avocado intervention,” she said last week. Nothing doin’. I’m not giving up avocados, and I don’t think she is any time soon either. But avocados on hot dogs? Yep, why not?

When The Ex has the kids on his weekends, I always ask Nick what he wants for dinner when they come home on Sunday nights. Sometimes he lets me choose and doesn’t want anything in particular. Sometimes he’s very specific about what he wants. Even though he had hot dogs over the weekend, he wanted them again Sunday night when they came home. And I wanted them too. But could I really make them so I could eat them without feeling guilt?

These days, while I work my own little program, I don’t want to deprive myself too much, because I think that’s one of the surest ways to hop on Failure Road. Instead, I try to think of ways to get creative and have what I want, but in a retooled way, in an effort to absolve myself of all the guilt. Or most of it anyway. And so it was with these hot dogs.

For starters, I used whole wheat hot dog buns. Let’s face it. There’s little difference in the taste and it’s so much better for you. White bread = bad. And then all natural hot dogs. Next I decided I wanted to get some vegetables into the mix, but how? I didn’t want to go the usual route of something like caramelized onions and sauteed or grilled peppers. I wanted to keep it fresh. Light. Summery. I ended up creating a recipe for a Tomato Avocado Relish and it was just the ticket. Full of all the goodness that summer offers us with the juicy red ripe tomatoes and the fresh-from-the-garden basil. Buttery, creaminess from the diced avocados. A teeniest pinch of heat from the dash of hot sauce. Something that you totally wouldn’t have thought to put up on the top of a hot dog, but after you try it, there’s no going back.

So the message? You can have have your cake and eat it too. Or in this case, your hot dog. Kids were happy. I was happy. Dinner doesn’t get better than that.

Project 365
August 16, 2010, Photo #147

It seems only fitting that with yesterday being the one year anniversary of being back in this house, today’s photo of the day features something from our neighborhood. It never fails. Every time we come around the corner, on our way home from the gym or wherever else, the sky is doing something incredibly beautiful and I kick myself for not having my camera with me. This time, we went home, got the camera and came back out. Of course, the original formations in the sky were gone in the five minutes that it took to get home, get the camera and get back on the road (the sun was peeking through some thunder clouds and making these gorgeous streaks in the sky), but we’ll settle for this beautiful sunset instead.

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Summerfest 2010: Spinach and Corn Stuffed Portobello Caps

August 3, 2010 · Narrative

When it comes to “clean eating,” there are some (ok, a lot) foods that just don’t make the cut. That being said, there are, however, a lot of foods that normally wouldn’t be ok, but with a little reworking and creativity, they can be. Stuffed Mushrooms are one such beast. Normally stuffed with bread crumbs and butter, it’s hardly clean eating, but tonight I decided to play with the ingredients a bit, using both traditional and non-traditional ones, to see if I could make it a little more “clean eating” friendly. The end result? A deliciously beefy stuffed mushroom that delivered on taste, but not the guilt. Sign me up. As soon as the garlic and onion hit the pan, I knew I was in for a great dinner, and it didn’t hurt that it took less than 5 minutes to make.

This week, the ingredient of choice for our Summerfest 2010 is corn, so I wanted to be sure to find a way to include that in the stuffing as well. (You can find more details on how to join in the Summerfest fun right here). My fellow participants have also been equally busy and creative and are sharing many delicious ways you can enjoy your summer bounty of corn. Here’s what everyone is dishing up this week:

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Creamed Corn with Bacon and Rosemary

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Vintage corn Americana slideshow, and no-frills creamed corn

The FN Dish: Creamed Corn-Off: Battle of the Southern Cooks

Alison at Food2: Freezing Corn

Toby at Healthy Eats: Candied Corn, and 4 more easy recipes

Michelle at Cooking Channel: Browsing Corn Porn

Judy/Tuscan Diva: Fried Polenta Crostini with Porcini Ragu

Jennifer of Gilded Fork: Corn: Sweet Versatility (history, uses & recipes from cocktails to cornbread)

Chef Mark: Gettin’ Corny! (Musings from childhood, tips & fresh-corn recipes)

Caron of SanDiegoFoodstuff: Chino Corn Risotto with Chanterelles and Burrata

Caroline at The Wright Recipes: Pickled Corn with Summer Onion and Basil

White on Rice Couple: BBQ Chicken and Corn Pizza

Shauna at Gluten Free Girl and the Chef: a sweet corn risotto (and how to make corn stock with husks and mirepoix)

Tigress in a Jam: Cream Corn Scones (the perfect way to use up leftover roasted or boiled corn)

Alana at Eating from the Ground Up: Corn on the Kabob (invented by her artist husband)

Kelly at Just a Taste: Caramel Corn (plus pics of corn in its various popping stages)

The Sister Project: Memories of Corn Pancakes

Tara at Tea and Cookies: Farro Corn Salad with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

Project 365
August 3, 2010, Photo #137

I know it’s silly, but I was totally tickled to see my Facebook page updated yesterday.

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Healthy Overstuffed Sandwich

July 15, 2010 · Clean Eating, Narrative

When the kids had their Blueberry Pancake feast last night, it was all I could do to not make a plate for myself. But I was on my way to the gym, and really didn’t want to undo my hard work before I even got there, you know? So before I could grab a fork and dig in, I fixed this sandwich. Omg, a sandwich never tasted so good.

I mean, really, look at this!

Multigrain bread (I used a loaf from a local restaurant that makes their own)
Sliced chicken (other proteins like ham or turkey would be just as good)
Sliced tomato (I used one whole plum tomato for the sandwich)
Half an avocado, sliced
Handful of fresh spinach
Sprinkling of sea salt (I put it over the tomato layer)

Put it together and devour. I don’t think I barely came up for air. Satisfying, filling, healthy and delish. With the avocado, you don’t need any other condiments, as it acts as a great glue to keep the sandwich together, and gives it a nice creamy, buttery taste.

Who said “clean eating” can’t be packed with flavor?

Project 365
July 15, 2010, Photo #128

We go through a crazy amount of avocados in this house. It’s a good fat for you, and a taste we love in so many different incarnations (see Creamy Avocado Toast, Super Wedge Salad, Bacon Avocado and Watercress Pizza, and Lime Chicken Avocado Salad for a few delicious examples). But every once in awhile, we have a half leftover, and if you use avocados, you know how quickly they can brown. Blink and it’s over. Next time you have leftover avocado, keep the pit in the leftover half, sprinkle it with lemon juice and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will be good at least until the next day.

Simple Spicy Chicken Wraps

July 13, 2010 · Clean Eating

When I was getting ready to get married twelve years ago, I started working out regularly with a local personal trainer. After the wedding, life intervened. I moved. They moved. We lost touch. But over the past few months, I have reconnected with Michael, and am totally better for it. He has this quiet simple way of inspiring me, pushing me further along the track I was already on. As he said recently, even though he and his family are now living in the Carolinas, “just picture me on your shoulder, whispering in your ear, guiding you along the way.”

They used to make me lunch every day (we bartered services), and it was because of them that I fell in love with sweet potatoes. Nobody makes them like they do. They have since published a small cookbook, and subscribe to all the “clean eating” methods that we have been employing in the O’Malley house over the last few months, so it was perfect timing for us to realign.

Tonight I made their recipe for Simple Spicy Chicken Wraps. From start to finish, it was on the table in less than 20 minutes, and that’s with two kids underfoot, particularly ones who want to “help.” Packed with veggies and full of flavor, these wraps make a great snack, lunch or quick dinner. So, so, so good…. For Madeline’s, to make it easier for her to eat, I just deconstructed it, serving her one of the chicken tenders with the vegetables on the side. Kid-friendly, trainer-approved, and food you can feel good about serving and eating. Sarah, you know it’s coming … winner, winner, chicken dinner. ;)

Nick told Jamie yesterday that he wants to be a cook when he grows up. Totally knows how to make his Mom smile.

Project 365
July 13, 2010, Photo #126

Can you tell it rained today in New Jersey? Like cats and dogs, torrential downpour rain. They were all planning to go to the beach this afternoon, but instead, the living room was turned upside down to make room for a tent for a movie and picnic lunch. Happy Feet on the television and PB&J and popcorn in their little bellies, life is good.

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Pineapple Orange Smoothie

July 13, 2010 · Clean Eating

These days I feel like I practically live in the grocery store. With all the “clean eating” we’re doing, it means several trips for fresh produce and fruit. The upside is there is less waste than ever, because we’re using up everything fast.

The kids are crazy for fruit and we all eat some form of it at least once or twice a day. And smoothies? A favorite all ’round. We have a ton of different ones that we make, but lately, this Pineapple Orange Smoothie has been hitting the blender on a regular basis.

Fresh fruit. Juice. Mix. Only just a few minutes of blender time stand between you and a glass full of sunshine.

Project 365
July 12, 2010, Photo #125

When I was a kid, Lucky Charms was a favorite cereal of mine, right up there with Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch. The kids don’t like it as much as I do, so the box in the cupboard is probably more for me than for them for a very infrequent quick fix. But do you see what they added to the marshmallow mix? Rainbows! Love it!

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Creamy Avocado Toast

July 8, 2010 · Clean Eating, Narrative

“OMG, I just had the best lunch ever.”

So went my email to a friend today. It’s funny how something completely, utterly, ridiculously simple could achieve such a satisfying bite. Such was the case with this Creamy Avocado Toast I had today. Bread. Avocado. Sliced turkey. Tomato (oh yes, pretend you see it in the picture). Lemon juice. Salt. That’s it.

And what do you get? A light crunch from the toast. Creaminess from the avocado. A hint of protein from the turkey. Clean eating at its best. And all for five minutes of your time.

Truth be told, add avocado to anything and I am there. T-h-e-r-e. In fact, this dish only called for half an avocado, and I just ate the other half by itself. Love the stuff.

Until Monday … have an awesome weekend! The O’Malley clan will be heading South to dip our toes in some Jersey shore.

Project 365
July 8, 2010, Photo #124

Thanks to my readers help, I found the hat I was looking for (on Etsy, of course!). Now to get a little monkey to share it with me.

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My Big Fat Greek Breakfast

July 7, 2010 · Clean Eating, Narrative

When it comes to breakfast, time is usually short and the most important meal of the day quickly becomes an afterthought. For the past few months, I’ve been vacillating between fresh fruit, a variety of veggie-packed egg white omelets, or oatmeal mixed up with a chopped up banana. A Greek egg white omelet has been an often go-to choice. Quick to make and packed with spinach and a bit of feta, it’s a good healthy way to start the day. For the time being, I’ve sworn off all cheese except feta. As a self-confessed cheese-aholic, this pains me in ways I can’t even describe, so feta makes many appearances during the week. Not quite the same as a nice Stilton or Cheddar, but it will have to do.

Over the weekend, my friend Beth and I were talking about clean eating, and she shared this breakfast that she recently made. With just a few minutes to saute some mushrooms and onions, and a half-hour in the oven, you can have your breakfast made for the whole week. Now that’s time well spent. If the Greek flavors aren’t your thing, you can totally change this up … add zucchini or bell peppers, or if you’re really lucky, swap out the feta for cheddar. The options are only limited to your imagination, and this dish is a great way to use your fresh farmer’s market finds or clean out your refrigerator from leftover bits and pieces.

Quick and easy to make, inexpensive, healthy and delicious to boot. My Big Fat Greek Breakfast indeed.

Project 365
July 7, 2010, Photo #123

In our family, we are more than a tad superstitious. Madeline, unfortunately, doesn’t really care. I usually try to hide the umbrellas from her, because otherwise this is what happens. When I’m trying to make dinner. You try explaining to a two-year-old that open umbrellas inside the house are a big no-no.

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