‘Eat Clean’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Recipe: Japanese Zucchini & Onions {Whole30}

March 4, 2018 · Narrative, Whole30

A very simple and quick side dish that is packed with flavor and Whole30 compliant. Let’s dig in to Japanese Zucchini and Onions!

My go-to method of having zucchini is usually making them into zucchini noodles (aka zoodles), but to be honest, zucchini is usually a take-it-or-leave-it vegetable for me. I don’t mind it and will eat it, but I don’t really crave it, so sometimes you want to change it up a bit, and here we are. This dish seriously takes less than ten minutes to make and was so packed with flavor, I may or may not have licked the plate when I was done.

True story.

I also made it two more times that week.

Yes. It’s that good.

A simple slicing of the zucchini to make bite-size strips, thin slicing of the onions and mushrooms, add in some seasonings, stir fry it, and devour.

And if you happen to be following Whole30, paleo, or just like to eat clean, this recipe hits all those marks. I served it alongside some lemon grilled chicken, but it would be equally delicious with some fish or a host of other main entrees.

And, tbh, I just ate a small plate of it for lunch one day as well.

Hungry for more zucchini recipes?
This recipe for Zucchini and Carrot Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce isn’t Whole30, but it’s still fresh and delicious.
Baked Zucchini Fries are a perfect side dish to hamburgers.
If I’m in the mood for zucchini noodles, this recipe is one of my favorites.

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Recipe: Filipino-Style Torta

January 19, 2018 · Narrative

A super pretty, very delicious Filipino-Style Torta that is hearty enough to keep you full until lunch … and it’s Whole30 approved!

If you’ve done a Whole30 round before, you know that you might find yourself eating a lot of eggs. Not because you HAVE TO, but just because they’re an easy breakfast option, and even a fail-safe go-to for a quick and easy dinner. So knowing that, I wanted to make sure to keep an eye out for recipes that may feature eggs, but were slightly different enough to keep things interesting, and this Torta delivered.

I spied the recipe in an issue of People magazine of all places, and with minor tweaks, I could make it be Whole30 compliant. The recipe notes that it’s ready in twenty minutes, and, well, I beg to differ. Closer to 40 minutes seemed a little more accurate, but it is still simple to make, and totally worth it.

The wedges, once sliced, are filling enough to keep you satiated through the morning with just a little fresh fruit on the side. And what I also loved about it is I could warm up a slice and wrap it in a napkin for an easy grab-and-go breakfast. You could easily swap out the ground beef and use sausage instead, or skip meat entirely and make an all-vegetable version. I made my layers fairly wide, which made for some interesting maneuvers when it came time to flip it, and ended up with five layers. You could make your layers smaller, and then you’d have a higher stack, or do two smaller stacks. Whatever you do, you can’t mess this one up.

Hungry for more Whole30 recipes?
With the Super Bowl coming up, you can have these Buffalo Chicken Meatballs and still stay on course.
Everything is better with bacon, and this Broccoli & Bacon Salad is no exception.
Avocado Fries are soooo good, and on my list for this weekend.

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Recipe: Cauliflower “Fried” Rice with Diced Ham

May 10, 2017 · Clean Eating, Narrative

A super healthy side dish that will fool even the most ardent cauliflower-haters.

My kids won’t eat cauliflower. Neither of them like it, no matter how I prepare it.

Until this dish.

My daughter wouldn’t touch it, and my son kept asking me what kind of rice I used, but he ended up eating it all. So I consider that a win.

As for me? I don’t hate cauliflower. I’m very firmly in a take-it-or-leave it camp, but loved this version of a healthier version of fried rice.

I taught a cooking class last week and had leftover carrots, scallions, garlic, and sesame oil, and with a bag of Trader Joe’s riced cauliflower in the freezer, I happily had all the ingredients on hand to make this.

I started with a recipe I found from Skinnytaste (you can find the original here), but made a few changes along the way, based on preference and what I had on hand. It comes together very quickly, particularly if you use a bag of riced cauliflower, instead of starting with a head of cauliflower, and makes a tasty side dish for one of the kids and an actual full meal for me. I think this is a great recipe to use as a guideline to customize as your own taste buds see fit. Adding in some grilled shrimp or chicken would make this an even more complete meal, and perfect for days when you want to get in and out of the kitchen, or want something a bit lighter to eat.

As a side note, Trader Joe’s actually limit the amount of bags of riced cauliflower you can buy to two at a time because customers go crazy for it. Out of the past 7 or so times I’ve visited TJ’s, this is actually the first time I’ve seen it in stock because they sell out mid-morning. At only $1.99 a bag, and saving quite a bit of time and mess, it’s no wonder!

Hungry for more cauliflower recipes?
There are hundreds of recipes for cauliflower pizza crust, but this one is one of my favorites.
This Loaded Fake-Out Baked Potato Casserole lets you indulge without the guilt.
Visit Flavortown with this recipe for Sesame Glazed Cauliflower.
Cauliflower Fritters. Kind of like a fried latke. But not.
These Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots from Kalyn’s Kitchen were fun little bites to pop in your mouth.
If you haven’t made this ridiculously simple Three Ingredient Cauliflower Soup, you are seriously missing out.
This Buffalo-Style Roasted Cauliflower is one I keep going back to. So good and so easy.
This Roasted Cauliflower Spread is a riff off one that Sarah and I enjoyed at Tom Douglas’ Lola in Seattle.
Visually, this Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower is a showstopper, and I made it for a cooking challenge at the CIA.
If you haven’t had this Cauliflower Steak with Homemade Caesar Dressing, I don’t know how to help you.
This super simple Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a great comfort food spin when you’re craving carbs and cheese.
These Cauliflower Bread Sticks were another great riff, and delish!
This Mock Shrimp Risotto was almost as good as the real deal.
And lastly, Cauliflower Garlic Mashed Potatoes will satisfy your comfort food craving.

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Recipe: Asian Quinoa Salad

January 17, 2017 · Narrative

Light, healthy, and super easy to make, this Asian Quinoa Salad makes a delicious lunch or side dish.

Last week, I ran a kids’ workshop where we focused on Chinese New Year. We did two crafts (more details on those coming soon), and we made this Asian Quinoa Salad.

Any time I can get the kids shredding and chopping vegetables, they are happy campers, and feeding them a healthy, clean salad is most definitely a bonus at the end of the class.

This recipes makes a HUGE bowl, so safe to say it serves six as a salad, or me if I feast on it for the week. You can add grilled chicken or shrimp to it and really make it a more hearty meal, or keep it as is for a light salad, snack, or side item. It takes less than 25 minutes to make, which means it’s an easy weeknight choice, or make it on Sunday and keep the dressing on the side and you’ll have lunch for the week.

I love how colorful it is, and how guilt-free it is. It’s kind of like Spring on a plate, despite the gloomy grey skies we’ve been seeing out of our window lately, and it’s got a great crunch to it.

*That gorgeous plate comes from Suite One Studios, and the beautiful wood background comes courtesy of my Saturday morning dumpster diving adventures as seen on Snapchat (I’m cateomalley on snap).

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Recipe: Mediterranean Mix

September 15, 2016 · Narrative

A super healthy Mediterranean-inspired dish that is bursting with color and flavor.

Earlier in the summer, I partnered with the folks at Bush’s Beans for my kids’ cooking camp. The Bush’s Beans’ team was excited for an opportunity for me to introduce their Hummus Made Easy product line to all my campers, and I also developed several recipes using their canned bean products, which made for a very tasty summer.

And now that my teenager has become (mostly) vegetarian, we are eating all.the.beans all.the.time.

Which makes this Mediterranean Mix a perfect dish to throw together when you want something tasty and healthy …

What I love most about this recipe, beyond how colorful it is, is how flexible it is. You can easily swap out the quinoa for couscous, add more zucchini and less tomatoes, more onions or less, or maybe some bits of carrots for crunch or even sliced mushrooms. Once you get the basic guidelines of the recipe and the dressing down, get creative and add or subtract your favorite add-ins.

This Mediterranean Mix keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for several days, and is perfect as a side dish or a light lunch all by itself. The kids in cooking camp had never had quinoa, and a few of them had never had chickpeas, but they all enthusiastically approved of this recipe. And, aside from the cooking of the quinoa, they assembled this dish from start to finish all by themselves. I gave them the recipe, pointed to the ingredients, and away they went. The easiest way to give kids confidence in the kitchen is to let them have at it. They worked on following directions, double-checking ingredients, and figuring out measurements … and kids are always more inclined to eat something that they have had a hand in making. Bonus points when they make the whole recipe by themselves.

Dig in.

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Recipe: Asian Inspired Baby Bok Choy and Portobello Mushrooms

June 9, 2016 · Narrative

A very quick-to-make side dish that is bursting with antioxidants and flavor. Let’s talk about bok choy…

The first time I had bok choy was, surprisingly, only two years ago, when I received a menu plan from a personal trainer. I don’t know why it took me so long to try it, because I love most leafy green vegetables, but now I’m making up for lost time.

I originally created this recipe for a new recipe development client, but she won’t be using it, so now I can share it here.

One of the best things about bok choy is that it cooks up super fast.

Like, blink and it’s done.

And who doesn’t need THAT type of ingredient or recipe in their dinner repertoire?

Even better that bok choy is a superfood.

Bok choy is part of the Asian greens family (which means you can get it super cheap at your local Asian grocery store) and the Brassica family, which also includes broccoli and brussels sprouts. Choy in Chinese refers to all leafy vegetables and the word bok means white, so bok choy is literally translated to “white leafy vegetable.” Originally from China, it is now grown for the US market mostly in California.

Bok choy is very low in calories and carbs, and it quickly takes on the flavors of whatever you’re cooking it with. Kind of like the principles of cooking with tofu, except it tastes NOTHING like tofu. It has high amounts of Vitamins A, C, K, and B, and antioxidants. If you want to learn more on bok choy, this page is a good resource.

I won’t lie. What you see pictured in the bowl above was exactly what I ate for dinner. That and nothing else. But this would go nicely alongside some grilled chicken or seat, or even with a runny egg on top of it.

However you serve it, make it. It’s too delicious to miss.

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Recipe: Almond Milk

January 4, 2016 · Clean Eating, Narrative

Creamy and delicious, this version of almond milk blows the store-bought stuff out of the water. Let’s get started.

If you told me last year that I would be making my own almond milk, I would have laughed. I probably would have laughed if you told me that last month.

Because, really. Why?

And yet, here we are.

With a homemade recipe for almond milk.

Because it’s like making your own mayo. And chocolate syrup.

Once you find out how easy it is, WHY WOULDN’T YOU MAKE IT?

And…It’s cheaper and way better for you.

And that is that. I use almond milk in smoothies pretty regularly, and lately I’ve been hearing about people making their own, which is what got me intrigued. A lot of store-bought versions have carrageenan, which is stuff you want to stay away from. Namely because it’s not good for your digestive system and can cause inflammation, ulcerations, and bleeding. None of which we need.

So by making it yourself, you know exactly what’s going into it, and you save money to boot.

Win. Win.

You need a few inexpensive supplies, which you can reuse over and over again.

Namely, a nut milk bag.

And a glass jar.

Both of which I purchased from Amazon. Easy peasy.

Then just your ingredients (almonds, dates, water, cinnamon), and you’re all set.

I’ve got to say … even though it is SUPER SIMPLE to make, I was feeling mighty proud of myself when I was done and had 30 oz of homemade almond milk and it cost about six bucks for the ingredients.

Like … WHO DOES THAT?

WHO MAKES THEIR OWN ALMOND MILK?

Now we do. Yes, we do.

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Recipe: Cauliflower Crust Veggie Pizza

July 28, 2015 · Narrative

Overloaded vegetable pizza that is carb free? Yep, yep. Right here.

When it comes to cauliflower crust pizza, been there, done that.

And after that recipe, which was good, you wouldn’t think I would need another.

And you would mostly be right.

Until I spied a picture for a new version in a recent issue of Cooking Light magazine.

You know how they say “a picture is worth a thousand words?”

They would be right, because I ended up making the recipe the next night.

The power of persuasion and all.

This recipe was very similar, but just different enough to yield a slightly new result. I’m not going to lie, it’s slightly time consuming, as is the one I originally made two years ago. The major difference between the two recipes is that this one from Cooking Light calls for baking the “riced” cauliflower before making your crusts. A teensy new step, but one that resulted in pizza that was … dare I say it … foldable. Not completely foldable like a traditional slice of pizza, but enough so that it was possible. And because of that slight difference, I think it’s worth having this recipe in your repertoire as well.

And besides, who can go wrong with all those loaded veggie toppings?

For that part, I added extra mushrooms (and skipped their suggested peppers), and the whole thing resulted in one delicious dinner.

It makes two decent size pizzas, so I had one for dinner, and had the second one for lunch the next day.

side note: it does lose a bit of its foldability and crispness the next day, but still tastes just as awesome.

If you’re avoiding (or going light) on carbs, or just want to take your pizza in a completely different direction, make this.

PS If you haven’t picked up the August issue of Cooking Light magazine, get it! Filled will all sorts of clean eating recipes, it’s my favorite issue in a long time.

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Recipe: Cracklin’ Chicken

July 6, 2015 · Narrative

A healthy, super delicious two ingredient dinner that you can get on the table in fifteen minutes? YES, a thousand times yes.

When you find yourself making the same recipe twice in less than seven days, you know it’s a winner.

This is that.

I originally discovered it in the Nom Nom Paleo cookbook some months back, and finally got around to making it. I’m not even sure why it took me so long … oh, right. Too many recipes, not enough time. But now that I have, and again a second time, it is guaranteed to be in heavy rotation.

Because two ingredients (I’m not counting spices from your cabinet) and it’s both healthy AND delicious?

Yes, please.

Bonus points for being kid-approved.

And it fits so many eating plans … Whole30, Paleo, Primal, clean eating… everything except vegetarian. Natch.

It calls for cooking the chicken thighs in ghee. Ghee is something I’ve been cooking with since I did my first round of Whole30 some months back. It’s clarified butter, which means it is butter without the dairy. You can definitely make it on your own, but, for now, I’ve just been buying it at the Indian grocery store. It’s super cheap there.

The recipe suggests buying a splatter guard, and although I hate have extra items in my kitchen, after making it twice already, I think I’m going to add one to my wish list. It’s not terrible without it, it would just save a few minutes of extra clean-up from the splatter.

Because you’re pounding the chicken so it’s very flat, which allows for even cooking, this cooks up in nothing flat. The ghee gives the skin a nice extra crispy coating. Almost like fried chicken, but not.

I cut the skin off Nick’s pieces, because he’s in a I-don’t-like-chicken-skin-phase, which was fine because it made the dogs happy.

Skin weirdness notwithstanding, it’s a meal that we all can agree on and love.

Make it; you won’t be disappointed.

*last night, I served it with Baked Cheesy Cauliflower Tots and homemade mayo. Last week, as shown in the first photo, it was a side of zucchini noodles with Parmesan

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Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

June 1, 2015 · Narrative

When you need to satisfy a sweet craving, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls might just be your new BFF.

I honestly don’t have much of a sweet tooth. I’m more of a salty snack girl.

And queso.

All kinds of cheese.

Always and forever, amen.

Which is why I’m able to bake as much as I do, because most of the time it doesn’t tempt me.

But every once in awhile, I’ll get a craving for something sweet, and as much as I try to eat healthy 85% of the time, when the craving is fierce, I’m sorry, but a handful of grapes, much as I love them, just isn’t going to cut it.

This is when you need to start thinking outside of the box a bit and get creative.

Slightly adapted from a post I saw on Instagram last week, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls are the ticket to satisfying that intense I NEED CHOCOLATE NOW moment.

Five minutes to make, four ingredients, super healthy.

But the best part? You’d think you were eating a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup if you didn’t know better.

TRUST ME.

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Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Fritters

May 19, 2015 · Narrative

Looking for a new way to make sweet potatoes? These light and easy fritters might be just what you’re after.

Sweet potatoes are one of those things that I don’t give a lot of thought to preparing. It’s either baked and served with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon…. Or roasted.

But how about we turn it on its ear and look at it in a completely different way?

Like a fritter?

And one that’s healthy to boot?

This is that.

And how about a healthy sweet potato fritter that takes ten minutes to make, start to finish?

I’m not sure it gets much better.

The process couldn’t be simpler, and is totally open to customization. Once you have the basic premise down … shred one potato, add an egg, and spices and pan fry … you can make many different riffs of it based on your particular tastes or cravings. To counterbalance the slightly sweet taste of the sweet potato, I stuck with smoky and spicy seasonings. Cumin and chili powder. But your add-ins are limited only to your imagination.

After a meeting last night, I wasn’t especially hungry, Maddie wanted waffles, and Nick had already eaten. So a few of these fritters, topped with a runny egg, made a perfect light and quick meal for me.

Hungry for more sweet potato recipes?
These fritters are slightly similar, but add zucchini and coconut flour to keep it this side of something different.
This Shaved Brussels Sprout and Sweet Potato Salad was another unusual twist, and delicious.
I haven’t had these Sweet Potato Fries in ages; they definitely need to come back into rotation.

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Recipe: Zucchini and Sweet Potato Fritters

May 7, 2015 · Narrative

Looking for a creative recipe for your vegetables? These vegetable fritters are just the thing.

I’m always looking for new ways to cook vegetables, just to keep it interesting.

And also to sometimes entice the kids into eating something they normally would shun.

This is that.

Zucchini, much like cauliflower, is a take it or leave it vegetable for me. I don’t go around craving it, so I’m always looking for new ways to keep me eating it.

Inspired by a picture I saw on Instagram, these fritters are a delicious way to stuff yourself silly with vegetables.

Without realizing that’s what you’re actually doing.

And because this recipe is so simple, think of it more like a guideline.

Which means that you can play around with the spices and add-ins without fear of messing it up. Use white potatoes. Or carrots. Or all of the above.

And that is pretty much my favorite kind of recipe.

And the best part?

You can be devouring this deliciousness in under fifteen minutes.

Which means it’s perfect for a busy weeknight, or those moments when you just don’t feel like being in the kitchen.

I topped one of mine with a runny egg, because runny eggs make everything infinitely better, and for the others, I dipped them in this buffalo aoili sauce.

Whether you do either of those options or you eat them naked, you can’t go wrong.

Hungry for more?
These kind of remind me of a favorite Jamie Oliver recipe. If you haven’t tried his Vegetable Bhajis, they are totally worth making as well.

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