Simple and Delicious Spinach Salad

I'm excited that my strawberries and blueberries are growing like crazy this year. I've been trying to think of creative ways to eat them, and one of my favorites so far is a Strawberry, Blueberry, Spinach Salad. It's simple, delicious and perfect for the summer! 


Ingredients: 

Organic Spinach: Spinach is low in calories and packed with nutrition. One 40 calorie cup has all you need for vitamin K and A for the day, plus folate, and manganese. It contains cancer-fighting antioxidants, improves cardiovascular health, protects against aging and improves brain function!


source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/2700-facts-health-benefits-spinach/

Organic Strawberries: One Serving of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries increase HDL cholesterol, also protect against cancer and can help lower blood pressure. 


source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/nutritional-benefits-of-the-strawberry

Organic Blueberries: Also are packed with Vitamin C, manganese which is important  for converting fats, proteins and carbohydrates into energy. Blueberries are loaded in antioxidants, they come close to being one of the top choices when it comes to antioxidant activity per serving! We all know that antioxidants are extremely important because they fight off free radicals which are linked to cancer.


source: http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/health-benefits-of-blueberries/blueberry-nutrition/

 Toasted Organic Walnuts: Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. They can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol,  and increase HDL (good) cholesterol. Walnuts are also high in antioxidants, and excellent source of Vitamin E, B complex vitamins and minerals such as manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.  They are also a great source of protein, with about 15g per serving. They are a bit high in fat and calories... so don't get too crazy on them! To toast walnuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange walnuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, checking frequently.


source: http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/walnuts.html

 Goat Cheese: Goat cheese is low in calories compared to other cheeses. "Goat cheese is higher in vitamins, D, K, thiamine and niacin than a serving of cow's cheese. A serving of goat cheese has the same amount of vitamin A as cheddar cheese, with 6 percent the daily value. Goat cheese is also high in the B vitamin riboflavin, as well as the mineral phosphorous. The body cannot produce vitamins and minerals on its own, so goat cheese provides a source of these micronutrients."

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/402645-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-eating-goat-cheese/

 Dressing of your choice- I used an Organic Champagne Dressing, but any type of balsamic or  poppyseed dressing would work too. 


Combine all the ingredients and...... 

Enjoy!

Eating Clean....

Lately I've had a few clients ask me what "Eating Clean" means. Remember this rule, "If man made it, don't eat it."  Focus on eating fresh and unprocessed foods. Try to get your food from local sources and organic if it's in your budget. It might take a little bit more time to prepare your foods, it's so simple popping a frozen burrito in the microwave, but it will be worth the time in the long run. Clean eating is not a fad-diet. Clean eating is a lifestyle and not a quick fix to lose weight. If you are putting in hours at the gym and hitting your workout outs hard, you can blow all that time and energy by following a poor diet. Eating clean will allow that hard work to pay off! 

  (Of course we aren't gonna be perfect, and it's good to enjoy the foods we love, but keep it moderation and try to eat as clean as possible. It's perfectly fine to indulge every once in a while. I like tho follow the 80/20 rule. I eat clean 80 percent of the time, and enjoy a few drinks or some nachos on the weekend, hey we only live once!) 

Here are some example of clean foods the next time you get your groceries:

Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables are staples of a clean diet. Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach are good clean diet foods. In "The Eat-Clean Diet," author Tosca Reno recommends artichokes, broccoli, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, green beans, and leeks, among others. She also says blueberries are a superfood, but all berries are very good for you. Other clean diet fruits are apples, cherries, figs, peaches, apricots and watermelon.

Basically, any fresh fruits or vegetables are clean diet foods. Try to eat them clean, which means without any added sauces. Spices and olive oil can help make them more tasty. Frozen vegetables are clean diet foods, as long as they are just the vegetables, without any added sauces or preservatives.

Whole Grains

Whole grains belong on any clean diet food list. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates, which are broken down by your body slowly over time. They help keep you full longer, too. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, good sources of whole grains are bulgur, brown rice and plain oatmeal.

Another example of a clean diet food is quinoa, a whole grain used by the Incas. It has a nutty taste and can be found in health-food stores or in the health-food aisle at your local grocery store.

Protein

Most plant protein sources are clean diet foods. These include most beans and legumes including lentils, soybeans, kidney beans, chickpeas and black beans.

Other sources of clean diet protein are lean chicken breast, lean ground turkey, eggs, lean red meat and wild-caught salmon.

Nuts and seeds are also clean diet foods. Consume them raw or roasted without any added salt or sugar. Nut butters such as all-natural peanut butter and almond butter are also good sources.

Lowfat dairy products such as plain Greek yogurt and low-fat milk are also clean diet foods. Other examples are soy milk, rice milk and almond milk.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/214599-list-of-clean-diet-foods/#ixzz1maNF1Uwe

So why would a person want to try Clean Eating? There are a number of proven benefits to Clean Eating:

• Decreased body fat
• Increased lean tissue (muscle)
• Improved energy
• General improvements in overall health and immunity
• Decreased risk of certain types of diseases like diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancers
• Less consumption of pesticides, artificial food additives and preservatives, sodium and sugar
• Less impact on the environment, since Eating Clean is also Eating Green; the foods you preference in a Clean Eating diet are minimally processed, and thus use less energy and produce less waste than highly-processed foods
• Less expensive. Contrary to what you might believe, Clean Eating is actually more cost-effective and less expensive than eating pre-packaged food or fast food. For instance, for the price of a Super-Sized Big Mac Meal Deal, you could prepare an entire pot of healthy soup that would make more than a half dozen meals that are healthier, more satisfying and more nutritionally-dense.
• Sustainable. Unlike fad diets, Clean Eating is a holistic approach to eating that a person can practice for their entire life. You don’t “go on” a Clean Eating diet — you’re always clean eating.

http://www.answerfitness.com/204/clean-eating-eating-clean-answer-fitness/