Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup

I know what you are saying....another soup recipe??  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE SOUP!!!  Plus, this week has been a week of illness for me and my two babies.  So soup is a comfort for me when I am sick.  And Tomato and Basil Soup is one of my all time favorites.  So why not experiment with making it clean!  Again....I use my old trick of pureed cauliflower to add creaminess instead of milk or cream.  But no one will be the wiser!

28 ounce of can of Cento San Marzano Whole Tomatoes (3 purples)
1 head of cauliflower chopped (4 greens)
1 1/2 cups no salt added chicken broth
1/2 onion chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon EVOO
1 teaspoon Himalayan or Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 fresh basil leaves chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (1 blue)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:  Heat oil, garlic, and onion on medium-high in a large pot for 5 minutes.  Add chopped cauliflower and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 30 minutes.  Remove cauliflower and put into a blender/processor until pureed smooth.  Add back to the pot.  Pour can of tomatoes into blender/processor until pureed to desired consistency.  Add to the pot.  Add salt, pepper, basil, powders, and cheese.  Mix well, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve garnished with shredded cheese or turkey bacon if desired.

Yield:  4 servings
**This recipe is clean eating and 21 Day Fix approved.**
21 Day Fix:  1 serving is 1 purple, 1 green

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Who doesn't love soup?  I certainly do.  Any time of year.  Nothing warms my stomach and heart more than SOUP!!!  Now, this soup isn't creamy in the traditional sense, because I have eliminated the milks and heavy creams.  I have made a healthy version of "creamy" by using pureed cooked cauliflower.  Cooking cauliflower and pureeing it is such a easy and healthy way to make a dish thick and creamy...but without the added fats.  This way you are getting another nutritious and delicious vegetable into your meal....most of the time without anyone even knowing it!  Note...if you use blender for the cauliflower, it will be more puree-like and thick.  If you use a masher, it will be slightly chunkier, and have a rice like consistency.  Either is fabulous and tasty!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 red)
1 cup chopped carrots (1 green)
1/2 cup chopped celery (1/2 green)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1/2 green)
2 cups large chunks cauliflower (2 green) (leaving it in large chunks makes it easier to remove later)
3 cups no salt added chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon himalayan or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup of cheese (2 blue)

Directions:  Put EVERYTHING in a pot (EXCEPT THE CHEESE), bring to a boil.  Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.  Turn off stove.  Remove cauliflower and puree or mash.  Remove chicken and shred.  Return cauliflower and chicken to the pot and mix everything together.  Add cheese and stir until completely integrated.  Enjoy!!!

Yield:  4 servings

**This recipe is clean eating and 21 Day Fix approved.**
21 Day Fix:  1 serving is 1 red, 1 green, 1/2 blue

5 Day FREE Clean Eating Challenge

Maybe you are looking for a new way to get healthy?  Maybe you are looking for a new way to lose weight?  Maybe you have heard of clean eating and just want to learn more about it?

If any of these apply to you, why not join my completely FREE 5 day Clean Eating Challenge group.  I run a group of challengers who are wanting to try clean eating and want support, direction, and motivation.  I give you menu options, a grocery list, an introduction to what clean eating is and why it is important, and support throughout your challenge.  This is a challenge, and I expect you to commit to the full 5 days to give it an honest effort.

Are you willing to commit just 5 days of EATING GOOD FOOD to see if it makes a difference in your health?  Contact me on this site for more information.  I run these groups EVERY MONTH, so there is no such thing as being late to the party!

Chicken Fajitas

This is one of my favorite clean recipes because it is so quick and easy, but because you don't realize you are eating clean.  I enjoy these with my salsa recipe (see blog), and a cilantro lime greek yogurt, which I will list here as well.  Clean Chicken Fajitas = delicious.  Enough said.

Fajitas:
Corn Tortillas
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Onion
1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Cilantro Lime Yogurt: (mix all together)
1 individual serving cup plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
dash of Himalayan or Sea Salt

Cut into strips the chicken, pepper, and onion.  Spray a non-stick skillet with olive oil spray.  Cook chicken on high until done, about 5-7 minutes, then remove chicken.  Put peppers and onions in the skillet and cook about 7-8 minutes until softened, add chicken back in.  Add juice from the lime, cilantro, and garlic.  Mix cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl; add to fajita mixture.  Cook one more minute until all flavors are combined.  Serve on corn tortillas with salsa and yogurt, if desired.

Yield:  4 servings

**This recipe is clean eating and 21 Day Fix approved.**
21 Day Fix: 2 fajitas is 1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow.  Salsa counts as purple.  Yogurt counts as red.  If you are only using condiment sizes, they will be too small to count.

Spinach Chips

What is better than eating potato chips?  Eating chips and knowing that they are GOOD for you!!!!  I have heard of and tried Kale Chips, but I was new to Spinach Chips.  And I love them!  It is the same thing as Kale Chips, just with a different green.  And I found Spinach Chips to be better because I ALWAYS have spinach in my fridge and it has a more mild, sweet flavor than Kale.  So, if you are looking for a quick and easy, AND HEALTHY snack, give this one a try!

Spinach leaves
EVOO or olive oil spray
Pink Himalayan or Sea Salt
oregano or other seasonings (optional)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350.  Cover baking sheet with foil.  Spray or wipe with olive oil.  If using EVOO, toss spinach leaves in 1 teaspoon EVOO.  If using spray, place leaves flat on tray and spread out so they aren't touching, and spray lightly with olive oil spray.  Lightly sprinkle leaves with salt and any other seasonings you prefer.  Bake for 10 minutes or until they are crispy.  Enjoy!!!

**This recipe is clean eating and 21 Day Fix approved.**
21 Day:  approx. 1 cup = 1 green, 1 teaspoon

Almond Crusted Fish Sticks

Fish Sticks?  I pretty much grew up on them.  I'm sure you did too.  So with children of my own, I am constantly looking for foods that are child-friendly, quick, and delicious.  This recipe is just as easy as removing the store bought kind from the freezer and baking.  And quite delicious, if I do say so myself.

1 cup of raw almonds
4 filets of fish (I used Tilapia, you can use whatever fish you like....Salmon would be great!)
Himalayan or Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly spray baking sheet with olive oil spray.  Cut the fish filets into chunks or strips.  Place almonds in a food processor and blend about 1 minute, or coarse crumbs.  Place almond  crumbs in a shallow dish or bowl.  Coat each piece of fish with the almonds and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle fish lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip fish, bake for another 5 minutes, or until fish is done.  Enjoy!!!!

Yield:  4 servings (4 reds and 4 blues)

**This recipe is clean eating and 21 Day Fix approved.**
21 Day Fix:  each filet is 1 red and 1 blue

Caramel Sauce

So, prepared to have your minds blown.  Are you ready?  Here is the recipe for an EASY, clean, and 21 Day Fix approved caramel sauce.....Boom!  I find myself thinking of all the great recipes that I start making when Fall rolls around.  But, now that I am eating clean, my first reaction is that I can't have that.  Wait a minute....why not?  So I am rummaging through some Fall staples, and making them clean and healthy.  This is so easy and delicious, you may need to make a double batch!

1 cup almond milk (or canned coconut milk)
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (no...not pancake syrup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt (just a little pinch, it will become stronger as it thickens)

Put all ingredients in a non-stick pot.  Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.  Stir occasionally.  It takes about 6 minutes for it to boil.  Now this is where you have to have a little bit of faith and patience.  Just let it continue to boil and thicken.  I will admit, I was a doubting Thomas as I would check on it, but trust me....it will cook down into a DELICIOUS caramel sauce.  I even washed bottles while it did its thing.  So stir occasionally, but you don't need to watch it like a hawk.  You are looking for it to boil down from a light brown milky substance, to a nice, rich and thick caramel.  This will take about 14 minutes after it starts to boil....roughly 20 minutes total cooking time.  Pull it off the heat to cool.  Place in a container and it can be eaten immediately or stored in the fridge for about a week.  It will thicken in the fridge, so you can just warm it in the microwave.  And enjoy!!!!!

Yield:  about 9 teaspoons

**This recipe is clean eating and 21 Day Fix approved.**
21 Day Fix:  1 teaspoon counts as 1 of your honey/maple syrup for the day!  You get 1 to 2!!!!