Strawberry Spinach Salad

Salad is one of my favorite foods to eat. I can eat it during any time of the day. One of the many reasons for that is the delicious ingredients and flavors that are put into a salad! Salads can be customize however you'd like. You can add any vegetables or fruits that you prefer. But most importantly, it's healthy! This salad is very simple, yet full of flavors and nutrients. As Jonathan Vine says, "It's more than a salad, it is a bomb of nutrients and a mouthful of refreshing and delicious flavors with each bite" (Vine 44). You will be putting so many nutrients into your body without even realizing it. 1 cup of spinach has almost 1 gram of protein! When it comes to fruits and vegetables, don't ever hesitate to eat them. Vine claims you can indulge on fruits and vegetables as much as you want. They are healthy and you can combine them into any recipe (Vine 23). This salad is refreshing, delicious, and sweet. Even if you don't like this specific recipe, customize your own salad!



Ingredients:
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup halved strawberries
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Handful of sunflower seeds

Since I only have spinach in this salad, using other lettuce might be a nice touch to the recipe. What other ways do you customize your salads?



Vine, Jonathan. Clean Food Diet: 50 Best Recipes. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Delicious Zucchini Muffins

When you read my title, you probably thought to your self, Zucchini muffins?? What in the world? But never judge something by how it sounds or looks. These muffins are a great healthy alternative to regular cupcakes, which have tons of calories and sugar in them. Ever since becoming a vegan, it's been hard to find yummy recipes without all the animal products. Without a doubt, natural ingredients are always better for your body. As Jonathan Vine says, "Focus on eating clean and channel your positive energy, and only then will you see a change in your lifestyle" (Vine 22). I could not agree any less with Vine. Eating clean helps you mentally as well as physically, giving you more energy than processed foods will. This recipe is perfect for vegans, with a few changes. It calls for 1/4 cup of milk, which I substituted with soy milk. I also substituted the low fat cheese with Daiya cheese, which is vegan cheese. But, if you are not vegan, you can follow the recipe as it is! These muffins can be served as an appetizer for any meal, or top it with cream cheese to turn it into a decadent cupcake (Vine 45).

Ingredients:
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup milk - *substituted with soy milk*
1 teaspoon honey
2 cups grated zucchinis

Here are before and after pictures:

Overall, they tasted pretty good. The only negative was they were a bit dry. To fix this problem next time, I would add a bit more applesauce. Otherwise, I thought they were pretty delicious!

How do you guys incorporate vegetables into your food? 

Vine, Jonathan. Clean Food Diet: 50 Best Recipes. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Smoothies are one of my favorite drinks to make. This smoothie tastes just as good as it looks. Along with being delicious, it also takes less than 10 minutes. This is perfect if you are running late, or just want something quick and easy to fill you up. "This smoothie is thick and rich, fragrant and delicious, but also healthy and nutritious" (Vine 38). Vine sums up this smoothie perfectly, it tastes great and still is healthy. This smoothie has no added sugar, and it can't get any more healthy. Another bonus is you can choose to use either fresh fruit or frozen. "When out of season, you can buy frozen fruits and vegetables, but choose reliable brands and be sure to read the labels" (Vine 15). So even in the winter you can create a healthy smoothie. You can create this delicious smoothie in no time with the following recipe:

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup low fat milk
1/2 low fat peach yogurt
1/2 orange
1 tablespoon raw honey

The only thing you have to do is blend these ingredients together!

Final result:


After reading the ingredients, what kinds of fruits do you like to put in a smoothie?


Vine, Jonathan. Clean Food Diet: 50 Best Recipes. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Delicious Chocolate Souffle

Making a healthy dessert seems like an impossible task. But it's not as difficult as you might think. A decadent dessert is always nice to have in a healthy diet. "Chocolate souffle can be a part of your diet if you prepare it following this recipe" (Vine 32). This dessert is yummy, light, and has an airy taste. In addition, all the ingredients listed are clean and healthy. "Cooking clean starts with choosing clean ingredients, the ones that come from safe sources and are healthy and chemical free" (Vine 10). Choosing clean ingredients is the first step to eating healthy. After eating this dessert, you won't even notice it's healthy!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup natural cocoa powder
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup honey
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon lemon juice

I first whipped the egg whites with the lemon juice until they were fluffy. From my experience with making this dessert, I think I should have whipped the egg whites a little more.

Then I added in the honey and mixed it in. Another bonus in this dessert is that you are adding honey not sugar! So no processed ingredients.
Lastly, I folded in the cocoa powder, flour, and the milk. Then I equally divided the mixture into 4 ramekins and baked the souffles.
This was the final result:

In conclusion, the souffles didn't turn out exactly how they should have, but still tasted delicious. The souffles had cracks in them, which they shouldn't have. Other than that, my family and I really enjoyed these healthy little treats.
How do you guys create desserts that are healthy, yet delicious?




Vine, Jonathan. Clean Food Diet: 50 Best Recipes. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Healthy Avocado Bruschetta

When you think of healthy food, it probably doesn't sound appetizing. But, eating healthy food has a greater impact on you than you might think. "Your health will improve, your immune system will be better, and you will feel much better overall" (Vine 20). I support his theory because I feel the same way when I eat healthy. I try to create my own healthy meals knowing it will benefit me greatly. Junk food is easy to eat and it's always around, but in the long run it's a bad choice. Like healthy food, junk food with affect your overall body, except negatively instead of positive. Food is like a medicine to the body, helping your body heal and stay healthy (Vine 15). The food you choose to eat affects you as a person. I found a classic recipe that is quick and easy to make, and very delicious:

Guacamole Bruschetta

Ingredients:

- 2 slices whole grain bread

- 1/2 ripe avocado

- 1/2 ripe tomato

- 1/4 cucumber 

- 1 table spoon lemon juice

- 2 tablespoons Feta Cheese crumbles 

- Salt and pepper to taste

How do you guys incorporate healthy foods in your day?


Vine, Jonathan. Clean Food Diet: 50 Best Recipes. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.