Simple 7 Day Clean Eating Meal Plan

In one of my first posts, I gave an Essential Clean Eating Grocery List. While this wasn't an EXHAUSTIVE list, I feel like it listed some very basic staples to get anyone started on their healthy eating journey. These items can be mixed and matched in a zillion different ways to create super simple, FAST meals.


I have put together one week of "sample" meals for you using just the items on the list. These simple "meals" are very similar to a meal plan I used t use for my free clean eating groups that ran on Facebook every few months. In these groups, participants lost an average of 3-5lbs in one week following the meal plan. More important, they report feeling better, having increased energy and just feel like they have a jump start on a healthy lifestyle!

The meal plan doesn't give EXACT portion sizes for everything, but you can refer to the below graphic if you want a rough idea of how much you should be eating ~

Depending on portion size, the meal plan runs roughly between 1,200-1,600 calories. A few things you will notice and that might help you in creating your own meal plan:

• I repeat snacks, breakfasts and some lunches! This not only helps make the planning process EASY, it helps reduce waste! Who wants to buy a week's worth of groceries only to let half of it go to waste??
• I utilize LEFTOVERS for lunch! Cook once, eat twice. No brainer. Again, reduces the amount of food you waste, too.
• Dinners tend to be a good balance of protein, veggies and carbs. Makes planning easy if you choose one of each and mix and match!

You can download the printable 7 Day Meal Plan here:
7 DAY CLEAN EATING MEAL PLAN_FEBRUARY

3 Zucchini Noodle Recipes on Your Table in 10 Minutes

Zucchini Noodles. Zoodles. Whatever you want to call them, I am addicted!! I had been hearing about them from friends forever so last month I finally broke down and bought a spirializer. AKA: Fancy name for Zoodle Maker. The one I bought was the Wonder Veg Spirializer ($24, Amazon). I love it and it works just fine--I am sure there are other brands that work just as well.

I have to say I haven't gotten too fancy with it yet, but I like to keep my meals simple, healthy and yummy and these 3 recipes certainly fit the bill! They all have few ingredients and very little chopping, too! #score




Zucchini Noodles with Sausage and Marinara
(serves 2)
2 Zucchini, spiralized
2 links of chicken apple sausage (or similar), diced - i like the Adelle's and Trader Joe's Spicy Chicken Sausage
1/2 jar good quality marinara sauce

1. Heat non stick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until slightly browned (3-4 minutes).
2. Add in marinana sauce and heat 1-2 minutes.
3. Add zucchini noodles and toss to coat in the sauce. Cook about 2-3 minutes longer until zucchini is heated through but NOT mushy!
4. Top with Parmesan and serve!

Zucchini Noodles with Tomatoes & Pesto
(serves 2)
2 zucchini, spiralized
2 tablespoons pesto (I like Costco's Kirkland brand!)
1-2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
Parmesan Cheese, red pepper flakes for serving

1. In a a non stick skillet, throw in the cherry tomatoes and pesto and cook until heated through and until the tomatoes cook just a bit (about 1-2 minutes).
2. Add in zucchini and toss to coat with the pesto (add more pesto if you like). Cook about 2-3 minutes until zucchini is heated through, but NOT mushy (no one likes mushy zucchini!).
3. Turn off the heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Top with red pepper flakes if you like,  pour yourself a glass of wine and ENJOY!!

Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp
(serves 2)
2 zucchini, spiralized
1/2 to 1lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup chicken stock
Parmesan cheese, basil and red pepper flakes to finish (optional)
2 teaspoons olive oil

1. In a large non stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink.
2. Stir in chicken stock and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add zucchini, cook for 1-2 more minutes, tossing until well combined.
4. Top with red pepper flakes, basil, Parmesan cheese and more lemon juice, if you like!

(adapted from Damn Delicious)

There you have it!! Hope this gets you started out on your Zoodling adventure!!!

3 Clean Eating Crockpot Recipes

Nothing makes me more happy than an easy recipe that pleases everyone in my family!!! These three crockpot recipes fit the bill! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

1. Cilantro Lime Chicken~ The great thing about this crockpot gem is that it's great in winter OR summer and only has SIX ingredients and NO CHOPPING!

Ingredients
Serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 container fresh-made, store bought salsa
1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup of cilantro, roughly chopped
Juice and zest of 2 limes
Optional toppings ~ sour cream, lime, cheese, avocado, lettuce
Instructions
1. In a crockpot, stir together salsa, taco seasoning, onion, cilantro and lime juice/zest.
2. Add whole chicken breasts and stir to combine.
3. Cook on HIGH about 4 hours or on LOW 6-7 hours until chicken in tender and shreds easily.
4. When chicken is done, shred into large pieces and serve one of the ways below....
My Favorite Ways to Serve ~
1. Soft Tacos: Wrap chicken in soft flour or whole wheat tortillas, top with toppings listed above. Add a side of black beans!
2. Burritos: During the last hour of cooking, add a can of black beans (drained) to the chicken. When heated through, spoon mixture into large tortillas, top with toppings and serve as a delicious burrito!
3. Chicken & Rice: Spoon chicken and all of the delicious sauce over brown rice!
4. Quesadillas: Leftover shredded chicken makes AWESOME quesadillas!


2. Crockpot Chicken Taco "Skillet" ~ Another family fave...the only problem is I always forget to double it for leftovers! Trust me, you will want to double this recipe! I love having this over brown rice, and my family likes it with tortillas or taco shells. It also works cold over romaine lettuce as a taco salad.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1lb ground chicken
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning

1 can low sodium black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 cup (or more) shredded cheddar cheese
Cilantro (optional)

 

Instructions

1. Add diced vegetables and ground chicken to slow cooker with taco seasoning.

2. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, 2-3 hours on high.

3. When meat and vegetables are cooked, top with shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro and serve!

(adapted from Sweet C's)

 

3. Crockpot Mongolian Beef ~ Ok, so there is a bit of sugar in this one so it's not 100% "clean," but it's still pretty darn healthy and my family loves it. You can substitute honey or Stevia for the brown sugar if you want to keep it clean.

Ingredients

Serves 2-4

 

1 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup cornstarch (optional, to thicken)
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, ,minced
3/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
1/2 cup water
1/2 brown sugar
2 cups shredded carrots (i used the kind in the bag)
3-4 scallions for garnish

 

 

Instructions

1. Add steak to crockpot.
2. Whisk together ginger, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar and cornstarch (optional); pour sauce over meat.
3. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW 5-6 hours until meat is tender and sauce has thickened (if using corn starch).
4. A few minutes before you are ready to serve, stir in carrots ( i like to add them late in the cooking process so they don't get soggy) .
4. Serve over brown rice and garnish with scallions!

 

 

Hope you and your family enjoys these easy clean crockpot recipes!

 

 

 

Easy Breakfast Egg Cups

Want a SIMPLE breakfast that you can prep ahead of time and will be waiting for you all week long?? These Easy Breakfast Egg Cups fit the bill! They are a go-to at my house for breakfast--packed with protein and I love how you can customize the "fillings" to fit your taste!

Easy Breakfast Egg Cups (makes 12)
7 large eggs
1/4 cup of milk
Salt/pepper
Whatever "fillings" you like--red pepper, Canadian bacon, onion, tomatoes, cheese, etc.

1. Mix together eggs, milk, salt/pepper
2. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray and fill half full
3. Drop in a small handful of whatever chopped fillers you want, top with cheese and bake about 20 min on 375 or until set!!
** They keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. Heat them up in the microwave for about 20 seconds and ENJOY!!

The Essential Clean Eating Grocery List

Want to get started eating healthy but don't have any clue where to start! Relax, girlfriend! I have you covered! Below is a SIMPLE clean eating grocery list that you can literally mix and match to make WEEKS of easy, healthy meals! Here's a peak and we will go through each category a bit and and I end of this post, you can download a copy and take it to the store with you this weekend! #winning

Lean Protein
Essential in a healthy, clean eating diet! Lean ground meats can be cooked in batches and used throughout the week. Rotisserie chickens are a staple at my house--shred off the meat and take off the skin and and top salads with it, make chicken salad, or just have it heated up alongside veggies.
I also love cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and hardboiled eggs for snacks!

Fruits & Veggies
Obviously this is not a complete list--you can add whatever fruits and veggies you like but they should take up a big part of you shopping cart! I chose the ones on the list based on nutrition content and versatility (you can throw together a simple side salad with mixed greens in about 10 seconds!)

Grains
Don't try to no-carb it, girls. Your body needs carbs for the fiber, vitamins and minerals. Not to mention the satisfaction!!! Stick with minimally processed whole grains whenever possible and just remember carbs aren't BAD--you just have to make sure you are balancing out your healthy carbs with veggies,  protein and other healthy food.

Canned/Other Items
Tuna, beans, good quality marinara and unsweetened vanilla almond milk are staples in my house! You can do so much with them and they are so versatile!

Nuts and Seeds
These are GREAT for healthy snacks--I always like something crunchy! Just don't overdo it. A serving of almonds is about 10-12 almonds..not an entire bag! I usually sprinkle them on top of Greek yogurt! You can throw a teapsoon of chia seeds in pretty much everything and it's instantly healthier! (French fries and chia seeds anyone??)

Healthy Fats
Your body NEEDS fat! So drop the "fat free" situation and just work on balancing out healthy fats with the rest of your diet. Olive oil, nut butter, avocados and cheese are some of my favorite healthy fats--in moderation.

Spices and Condiments
The list could go on forever here! Stevia or honey are my go-to sweeteners for coffee. Maple syrup is great drizzled over Greek yogurt. You can make a quick vinaigrette with just balsamic and olive oil for a side salad and taco seasoning....i use that on soooo many things!!!
I'll be mixing and matching these ingredients for a complete week's worth of meals in a later post! In the meantime, you can download and print the shopping list below! ENJOY!!!

DOWNLOADABLE CLEAN EATING GROCERY LIST

7 Day Free Clean Eating Meal Plan

Want to eat healthier, feel better and get on your way to a happier, healthier lifestyle?? Buuuutttt,,,,don't know where to start?? How about right here!

You can download my FREE 7 Day Clean Eating Meal Plan that will help jump start you into a lifetime of healthy habits!

DOWNLOAD THE MEAL PLAN HERE

If you have any health and fitness goals, I'd love to hear them! I run MONTHLY virtual health and fitness challenge groups that focus on:

- Clean eating & portion control
- Simple 30 minute workouts
- Superfoods to fuel your body
- Support, encouragement and motivation
- ME as your personal coach and cheerleader

Contact me at: cheerfully_fit_mama@gmail.com

I'd love to hear from you!!

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