What is Clean Eating and a yummy pancakes! :)

I've had lots of people ask me what actually "Clean Eating" is? It is trying to eat food as close as to how they are found in nature as possible.  Our "technology" advanced society processes a lot of food for us. They are many people who feel these artificial ingredients and chemicals in our food are unhealthy for us and has caused the increase in many allergies and health problems in our society today.  I have a little munchkin who is allergic to everything under the sun (not really but sure seems like it poor baby) so I have to constantly read labels anyways.  But we have had a lot of health issues in our family and I am hoping that eating more healthy, less processed food helps us.  The Gracious Pantry has a good "list" of what is considered "Clean" as well as some tips.http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/./

I know that I have gone off of it a few times in the last couple of week and honestly I feel like crap soon after eating the "crap".  And an also wonderfully added bonus I have lost 9lbs since I started changing the way we eat.  I have also noticed some positive changes in Angel's behavior since we started, though I know I can't really control what she gets fed at school and daycare, at least while they are home they are eating the right things and hopefully I can instill a good eating habits for them in the future.  And honestly you don't have to give up yummy things like Mac and Cheese or Pizza, who just have to make them in a wholesome and healthy way.   I think the hardest part is you have to MAKE or BAKE or COOK everything since you are avoiding boxed or processed food and I know when I come home from work there are many times I wish I could just grab a "premade" food and warm it up. But I know I am feeling better since we started it and it keeps me going :)

And now for the yummy pancake recipe: 

• 1 cups whole grain flour or unprocessed/bleached flour
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk, plus more if necessary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Directions

1. Mix together flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat together the egg, milk, salt and artificial sweetener in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries, and stir to incorporate.
2. Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking until golden brown.

 Blueberry Syrup

1 bag frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon honey

On med high cook blueberries and honey until thicken and bubbly.  Allow to sit to cool off some then serve over pancakes.

1 week!

It has been one week since we started eating "clean" and I have to admit it hasn't been as hard as I thought it was going to be. Also purging all the "nasty" stuff out of our systems has really helped me resist the "Bad for you stuff".  I have felt so much better and more enegentic and I have noticed some postitive behavioral changes in Angelique.

It has been a crazy busy week and we have another one ahead for us.  I am only going to make a few things for the Thanksgiving potlock this year instead of the tons of things I make every year.  I need to destress a bit and commit a bit less.

After next week I am going to try and post a "Clean" recipe once a week.  I made some super delicious pancakes with fruit compote that the kids ate up like crazy and they where also super healthy! YAY!!! I think I will post that one first :) Have a Happy Thanksgiving :)   

2nd day!

I can't believe how much more energy I have already.  I woke up this morning EARLY! Normally I sleep in as long as possible on the weekend and take a nap.  I woke at 7:30 am and I actually felt ready to get out of bed.  I also didn't feel tired or like I needed a nap at all this weekend.  This is really exciting for me, I have been feeling tired all of  the time lately and I hated that feeling.  That is part of what led me to the clean eating in the first place. 

This morning I made oat-ricotta pancakes, with ricotta cream and strawberry syrup. It was pretty tasty, obviously not as yummy as "regular" pancakes, but much more filling and better for us. I think it will take awhile to get our taste buds to get used to the whole grain everything and lack of sugar (I used honey for sweetener).  For lunch I made "healthy" mac and cheese.  It was really good, though it had mashed potatoes to thicken the sauce, I think next time I will use less potatoes.  Tonight for dinner I am making stuffed peppers, which we all love and I am drooling just thinking about eating :) I am really excited to see how the rest of the week goes!

Going "Clean eating"

After doing a lot of reading and research we have decided to start eating clean.  What is eating clean you ask? It is eating non-processed food with only ingredients you KNOW.  In other words whole grains, healthy meats, oils, and lots and lots of fruit and veggies.

Today was day 1 of our "experiment".  First I cleaned out our fridge and pantry.  Over three garbage bags and one box of foods to donate to the food bank I was done.  It felt so GOOD to clean the junk out of our house and I simply couldn't believe how much junk we where putting in our bodies. A lot of stuff we thought were healthy really wasn't, it had a lot of bad chemicals and artificial flavors in it.  Next was the trip to the grocery store. OMG how many items of food have artificial colors or dyes?? We couldn't even find any yogurt without artificial colors or flavors.  Have to hit a "health food" store tomorrow for a few items we couldn't find in the grocery store.  So far so good on the eating, have to see how the next few days go.  Of course also have to wait for the 14 year old to come home from his mom's and see how he deals without the sugary, unhealthy junk he LOVES sooooo very much! (He doesn't even like fresh veggies, he prefers the "prechewed" canned veggies)