Top Ate Clean Eating Dinner Recipes (Part II)

January 6, 2014

I know you are all dying to hear about what happened (or didn't happen) in the bathroom. First thing's first, let's discuss the sugar withdrawal.  Leading up to the cleanse, there was a serious influx of chocolate infesting our house.  I had purchased way too much chocolate on purpose by accident for Halloween.  Kit Kats were the major issue and I made it my mission to finish them before the cleanse started.  I succeeded.  Here is a quick blow-by-blow of each day of the cleanse.

• Day -1: The Last Supper: See last week's post, Top Ate Clean Eating Part I for a picture.
• Day 1: I ran a 5K and felt great afterward.  The cleanse was new.  It was fun. We didn't know any better.  We still had sugar in our bodies.  I had given up coffee a week before (I had the headaches then), so I didn't really miss the caffeine.
• Day 2-4: Sugar withdrawal sets in. I was desperate for a Kit Kat. Here is a text message that accurately captures my state of mind.  It was with my dear friend, Sarah, the yoga teacher/gluten-free vegetarian.  She had such good intentions of encouraging me, but I wasn't having it!

• Day 5: Sugar withdrawal ended.  I finally felt great.  I slept so well and woke up with so much energy.  I hadn't slept well in months.  I was really starting to feel the benefits.
• Day 6: It was Friday.  We have a Friday takeout/wine/cheese habit that was exceptionally difficult to abandon.  Old (and delicious) habits die hard.  We went to bed at 8:30PM to avoid the takeout cravings.  But again, we slept so well and woke up refreshed.
• Day 7: We busied ourselves with errands and ended up at Whole Foods to get the ingredients for Tuna Steak Kabobs.  Clean eating was actually starting to become fun! Wait, did I say that out loud?
• Day 8: We were obligated to go to my grandma's for dinner.  I knew the cleanse would not be received well.  We brought our dinner, Brown Rice Bowls.  I challenge you to explain to an 85-year-old woman why you don't want to eat her brown sugar squash and fried fish cakes.
• Day 9: Felt great, but started craving pasta.  I worked hard to resist the urge.
• Day 10: The pasta craving was really setting in.  My husband had to teach that night which meant I was home alone, left to my own devices.  I cheated.  I had a half a box of pasta (why did I make that much?) with Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing and an Oreo two Oreos.  It tasted so good…until the next morning.
• Day 11: I realized why I did the cleanse.  I woke up feeling hung over and exhausted even though I had slept eight hours and hadn't drunk any wine.  It made me realize that putting crap in my body changes not just how I feel, but how I act and how I carry myself throughout the day.
• Day 12-13: Stuck with it and didn't crave ANYTHING!
• Day 14:  Ended the cleanse early as my brother came to visit from Philadelphia and I had to make him a good meal! 

As a result of the cleanse, I have made some permanent changes:

• No more sugary granola bars. Larabars are so tasty and are made with fruit and nuts only!
• No more bottled salad dressings.  It's so easy to make your own!
• No more coffee! (well, in moderation once every couple weeks, but I am definitely not hooked!)
• Avoid pasta as much as possible.  I have made some of my favorite pasta dishes with quinoa or brown rice and have been very satisfied!
• No more processed peanut butter.  I spread all natural peanut butter on fruit daily for a snack.
• More eggs!  They are packed with lean protein and keep me satisfied for several hours.

Disclaimer: Here comes the toilet talk.  Skip this paragraph if your interest is not piqued by our family's time on the toilet!

My husband summed up the cleanse pretty well when he said, "How do you know when you've been cleansed?  Do your farts stop smelling?"  He then responded to his own rhetorical question, "No, they just smell worse!"
While I have to admit that I had some going problems (a little bit of a plop, plop, plop issue) at the beginning of the cleanse, by the end everything was moving quite nicely!  My husband was going (S-SHAPED as Oprah and Dr. Oz recommend!) three times a day, which he NEVER does!  So, yes clean eating changes EVERYTHING!

1. Clean Eating Tuna Steak Kabobs: Kabobs are super fun.  Guests love them too!  Try them with different kinds of meat.  I've made them with shrimp, chicken and scallops. Yum!

2. Clean Eating Turkey Burger with Caramelized Onions on a Portobello: I take zero credit for this recipe.  Kim and Greg, my clean eating inspirations, gave me this recipe.  Even though this recipe is cleanse approved, I didn't end up making it until the cleanse was over.  We loved it so much that is made the Top Ate!

3. Clean Eating Brown Rice Bowls: Couldn't be easier and travels so well!  Bringing these rice bowls when visiting friends for dinner will help you stick to your clean eating

4. Clean Eating Lemon Tamari Tilapia: Adding an Asian flair to this fish dish gives it a great flavor.  Serves well with brown rice and roasted broccoli!

5. Clean Eating Slow Cooker Chicken and Apples: I love slow cooker recipes that require the chef to just dump everything in and set the timer.  The sweet apples in this recipe break down and complement the herbed rosemary chicken perfectly.

6. Clean Eating Slow Cooker Chili: I love this chili recipe.  It made me feel like I was eating like a normal person when I wasn't too happy with the clean eating cleanse.  Serve with fresh avocado!

7. Clean Eating Grilled Chicken: This is not your average grilled chicken.  The apple cider vinaigrette gives a punch of flavor to otherwise bland chicken.

8. Clean Eating Cilantro Lime Quinoa: I am a big fan of quinoa.  The fresh Mexican flavors of this dish pair so well with the nutty texture of the quinoa.






Update 1/12/14: I HAD to add this recipe for Clean Eating Banana Honey-Oat Muffins.  They kill my sweet cravings and go so well with all-nautral peanut butter.







Check out Part I of this post: Top Ate Clean Eating Recipes Part I.