Clean Eating is a lifestyle that favors whole healthy food over processed and ultra processed food. Clean eating diet has many benefits that I have talked about comprehensively here.
For this blog, as per your requests, I will share with you 6 healthy, clean eating recipes that are suitable for weight loss.
Read More: Clean Eating Chicken Recipes
Herb-Grilled Fish
For this I prefer tilapia, especially small ones. This Meal is low on calories so it is perfect for weight loss, besides the protein content would help with satiety.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Overall time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 2 whole clean fish (such as sea bream or tilapia)
- 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Fresh, chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Score the fish on both sides with shallow cuts.
3. Rub the fish with olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
4. Stuff the fish cavity with lemon slices and sprinkle parsley over the fish.
5. Place the fish on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and roast them for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
6. Serve it with a side of fresh salad (with fish, I prefer tomato salad cut into small cubes and drizzled with lemon and sesame oil).
Nutritional Values (approximate):
- Calories: 200 per serving
- Protein: 25g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbs: 3g
Serving Ideas:
You can Pair it with quinoa or roasted asparagus
Meal Prep Ideas:
- Clean and season the fish the night before and store it in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Pre-slice the lemon and chop the parsley, then keep them in separate small containers.
- You can also store the cooked fish in individual meal prep containers with the sides.
Read More: 7 Clean Eating Meat Recipes
2. Veal Stir-Fry with Bean Sprouts
Here we got a dish from Eastern Asia. Go for lean veal or lamb meat for this one. The combination of fibers and protein will make you feel full for a longer time.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Overall time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 200g of lean veal or lamb, cut it into small cubes
- 1 cup of bean sprouts
- 1 small julienned carrot
- 1 sliced green chili
- 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 minced clove garlic
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- ½ tsp of coriander powder
- 1bsp of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and lightly coat it with olive oil.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and saute them for 1 minute.
3. Add the meat cubes and cook them until they are brown on all sides.
4. Toss in the carrots, bean sprouts, and green chili, and stir-fry for 3–5 minutes.
5. Add soy sauce, salt, and pepper and stir well. Then, Drizzle the sesame oil before removing it from heat.
6. Serve it hot with a squeeze of lime or a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Nutritional Values (approximate):
- Calories: 250 kcal
Protein: 28 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Fiber: 2 g
Fats: 12 g
Serving Ideas:
Serve it with brown rice or cauliflower rice.
Meal Prep Ideas:
- Pre-chop all the vegetables and store them in a separate container.
- Marinate the beef in soy sauce and garlic a day ahead for a better flavor.
3. Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken with Vegetables
Another Asian recipe (I love Asian food, what to do), using chicken as the main ingredient this time, so if you don't like red meat you can go with this one.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Overall time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 200g diced chicken breast
- 1 cup of diced carrots
- 1 cup of diced zucchini
- 1 dried, crushed chili (you can use more if you like it to be spicer)
- 1 minced clove garlic
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp of soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and lightly coat it with olive oil.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, and crushed chili; then saute for 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken and stir until it's cooked through. Usually, that would take about 5 minutes.
4. Toss in the carrots and zucchini, and stir-fry them for 5–7 minutes until tender-crisp.
5. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, pepper, and sesame oil, mix them well to coat the chicken and vegetables.
6. Serve it immediately.
Nutritional Values (approximate):
- Calories: 240 kcal
- Protein: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Fats: 11 g
Serving Ideas:
Serve it with a side of steamed broccoli or lettuce wraps.
Meal Prep Ideas:
- Dice the chicken and marinate it in soy sauce and garlic a day ahead.
- Pre-chop the zucchini and carrots and store them in an airtight container.
- Cook the dish and divide it into containers with sides like steamed broccoli or cauliflower rice.
- Reheat it quickly for a quick meal.
Read More: 6 Clean Eating Asian Recipes
4. Baked Sheikh El-Mahshi with Quinoa
A Palestinian recipe that is easily one of my favorite Middle East recipes. I adjusted it by baking the eggplant instead of deep frying it.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Overall time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 4 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise and hollowed
- 200g lean ground beef (you can use turkey as well)
- 1 medium finely chopped onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 medium diced tomato
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa (Traditionally it's with white rice but I replaced that with quinoa as it has fewer fats and more protein)
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Brush the hollowed eggplants with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Saute the onions and garlic until they are fragrant. Add the ground meat and cook it until it is brown. Stir in the tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Then cook them for 5 minutes.
3. Mix the cooked quinoa into the meat mixture. Stuff the eggplants with this filling.
4. Place the stuffed eggplants in a baking dish. Mix the tomato paste with broth and pour it over the eggplants.
5. Cover it with foil and bake it for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake it for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Garnish it with parsley before serving.
Nutritional Values ( approximately per serving):
Calories: 280
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 18g
Fat: 12g
Serving Ideas:
Pair it with a side salad of cucumbers and tomatoes or a spoon of plain Greek yogurt.
Meal Prep Ideas:
Store it in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven or the microwave before serving it.
Read More: 6 Healthy and Sweet Clean Eating Snacks
5. Grilled Charred Steak with Roasted Frying Chili and Sweet Potatoes
This recipe uses potatoes originally, but I used sweet potatoes because they have a lower glycemic index.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Overall time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 2 lean veal steaks (150g each, trimmed of visible fat)
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut them into wedges
- 6 frying chilies
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh, chopped parsley
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Toss in the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast them for 25-30 minutes, and turn them halfway through.
4. Rub the steaks with the remaining olive oil, garlic, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Then set it aside.
5. Heat a grill pan over high heat and grill the steaks for 3-5 minutes per side. Then let it rest for 5 minutes.
6. Grill the frying chilies on the same pan for 2-3 minutes until blistered.
7. Serve the steak slices with the roasted sweet potatoes and chilies. Drizzle it with lemon juice and garnish it with parsley.
Nutritional Values (per serving):
Calories: 380
Protein: 32g
Carbs: 20g
Fat: 14g
Serving Ideas:
Serve it with a fresh green salad or steamed asparagus to add more fibers.
Meal Prep Ideas:
Store the sweet potatoes, steak, and chilies separately in containers. Reheat the steak gently to avoid overcooking.
6. Tom Yum Soup
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Overall time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 stalk lemongrass, cut it into chunks
- 2 torn kaffir lime leaves
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 small sliced onion
- 1-inch sliced piece of ginger
- 1 sliced red chili
- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms
- 100g shrimp (optional)
- 2 stalks of sliced celery
- 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons of lime juice
- 1 lemon slice for garnish
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions:
1. In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the lemongrass, lime leaves, onion, garlic, ginger, and chili. Simmer it for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
2. Strain out the aromatics (you can leave them if you wish) and return the broth to the pot.
3. Add the mushrooms, celery, and shrimp (if you are using shrimp). Simmer it for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp and vegetables are cooked.
4. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.
5. Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
6. Serve it hot, garnished with cilantro and a lemon slice.
Nutritional Values (per serving):
Calories: 150
Protein: 12g
Carbs: 10g
Fat: 3g
Serving Ideas:
Serve it with a side of steamed vegetables or a small quinoa salad.
Meal Prep Ideas:
Prepare the soup base in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add the fresh herbs and garnishes before serving.
The Takeaway
You will certainly enjoy those six meals that are nutritious, healthy, diverse, and suitable for a clean eating diet and weight loss as well.
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