Clean eating is all about eating healthier food. In a clean eating diet, you are supposed to focus on whole foods, such as vegetables and meat, and avoid as much processed food as possible, especially processed meat. Of course, it is not written in stone, and some adjustments might be made according to your needs or until you get used to it. Previously, I shared with you clean eating meat recipes and clean eating chicken recipes. This time I want to share with you delicious, clean-eating Asian recipes.
Tip Before We Start
Asian cuisines use fish sauce and soy sauce a lot. Soy sauce is full of nutrition, but the problem is the salt in it. You can use a low-salt sauce for a healthier meal or adjust the salt in your recipe based on the sauce.
1. Vietnamese Shrimp Pho
This recipe from Vietnam is usually done with rice noodles, but I removed it to make it healthier. Mung bean noodles make a healthier alternative and are ideal if you are aiming to lose weight.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Overall time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 8 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 thinly sliced medium onion
- 2-inch piece of sliced ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 star anise
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- Fresh herbs (cilantro, Thai basil)
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Fresh chili slices (optional, but the dish tastes better with it)
Instructions:
In a pot, heat the broth until it starts boiling. Add the ginger, onion, cinnamon stick, and star anise, and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the fish sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Add the shrimp to the simmering broth and cook them until they turn pink (about 3 minutes).
Pour the broth and shrimp into the soup bowl.
Top it with bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and chili slices. Serve it with lime wedges.
Nutritional Values (approximate per serving):
- Calories: 130
- Protein: 14g
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
Serving Ideas:
Serve with fresh herbs and lime for an extra flavor.
Meal Prep Ideas:
Store the broth separately from the shrimp. Reheat it and prepare it when you are ready to eat.
2. Vietnamese Beef Soup (Bún Bò Huế)
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Overall Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Broth:
- 6 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 halved medium onion
- 1 piece of sliced ginger (about 2 inches)
- 2-3 star anise pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Salt to taste
- Shrimp and Toppings:
- 12–16 peeled and de-veined
medium shrimp
- Fresh bean sprouts
- Freshly chopped cilantro leaves
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh lime wedges
- Green thinly sliced
onions
- thinly sliced jalapeno or chili pepper, (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Broth:
In a large pot, allow the broth to heat until it starts boiling. Add the onion and ginger slices.
toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat until you can smell their fragrance, then add them to the broth.
Reduce the heat and let the broth simmer for 20-25 minutes to allow the flavors to seep in.
Season with salt and fish sauce to taste.
Cook the Shrimp and Serve:
Add the shrimp to the simmering broth and cook them for about 3-5 minutes until they are pink and cooked well
Divide the shrimp and broth into bowls.
Garnish it with bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, mint, green onions, and chili pepper if you want.
Squeeze lime juice over the top just before you start eating.
Nutritional Values (approximate per serving)
- Calories: 120
- Protein: 12g
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
Serving Ideas
- Serve it with a side of fresh herbs and lime for additional flavor.
- Add extra chili slices for more spice, if you want.
Meal Prep Ideas
- Prepare the broth in advance and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat it and add the shrimp just before serving.
- Store the fresh herbs and lime in a separate container to keep them fresh.
3. Turmeric Fish with Dill
It is typically served with rice vermicelli noodles; you can prepare that as a side dish or ditch it if you are on a low-carb diet.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Overall time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb white fish filets (such as catfish), cut into pieces
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp olive 1/2 cup of fresh chopped dill
- 1/2 cup of sliced green onions
- Fresh herbs (lettuce, mint, cilantro)
- Roasted peanuts (for garnish)
- Lime wedges
- Fermented shrimp paste or fish sauce for dipping
Instructions:
Marinate the fish with turmeric and fish sauce for 10 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the fish, and cook it until it is golden.
Add the dill, and green onions, and toss them to combine.
Serve with fresh herbs and peanuts.
Nutritional Values (Approximate per serving):
- Calories: 180
- Protein: 22g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
Serving Ideas:
Serve it with fresh herbs, peanuts, and a dipping sauce on the side
Meal Prep Ideas:
Marinate the fish in advance. Reheat the fish just before serving.
Japanese-Style Broth Bowl with Seaweed and Mushrooms
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Overall time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 slices of cooked beef
- 1 soft-boiled egg cut into halves
- 1 sheet nori (seaweed) cut into halves
- 1/4 cup of sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup of thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms or black fungus
- 1 tbsp of sesame seeds
- Shredded carrots and sprouts for garnish
Instructions
In a pot, pour the chicken broth and let it boil. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil.
Arrange the beef, egg, nori, mushrooms, and green onions in the bowls.
Pour the hot broth over the ingredients in each bowl.
Garnish it with sesame seeds, carrots, and sprouts. Serve it hot.
Nutritional values (approximate)
- Calories: 200 kcal per serving
- Protein: 12g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
Serving ideas
- Enjoy it with a side of steamed brown rice for a more filling meal
Meal prep ideas
- Prepare the broth and toppings in advance, then combine and reheat them before you serve it.
5. Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Overall time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) if diced chicken breast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 diced bell pepper
- 1/2 diced onion
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. Add the chicken and cook until the pieces are brown.
Add the bell pepper, onion, and cashews, then stir until the vegetables are soft.
Pour in the soy sauce and oyster sauce, then stir in cornstarch slurry until the sauce thickens.
Cook it for another 2-3 minutes. Serve it hot.
Nutritional values (approximate)
- Calories: 280 kcal per serving
- Protein: 25g
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
Serving ideas
- Serve over steamed brown rice.
Meal prep ideas
- Dice the vegetables and marinate the chicken in advance to save time during cooking.
Sesame Chicken with Shredded Cabbage Salad
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Overall time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- Handful of baby spinach
- Lemon wedge for garnish
Instructions
Marinate the chicken thighs in soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey for 10 minutes.
Grill the chicken thighs until they are cooked through, then slice them and sprinkle them with sesame seeds.
Arrange the cabbage, carrot, and spinach on a plate. Place chicken slices on the side.
Garnish it with a lemon wedge and serve it hot.
Nutritional values (approximate)
- Calories: 300 kcal per serving
- Protein: 20g
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
Serving ideas
- Pair with brown rice or a side of miso soup.
Meal prep ideas
- Marinate chicken and prepare salad in advance, storing them separately. Then combine them when you are ready to eat.
The Bottomline
Those Asian cuisines will serve as a great addition to your clean eating regimen, as they are healthy and full of nutrition, not to mention quite tasty.
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