Clean Eating January-February 2014

Start Your Clean Routine! I was working a couple of different jobs plus a steady freelance gig, squeezing in workouts at the gym every chance I got, spending more time in malls than I’d ever like to again – and in my spare time I’d rush home to plan the wedding. I did all of this while eating as clean as humanly possible to look my best in the dress. It was complete self-inflicted chaos, and not surprisingly, I got quite sick just days before my destination wedding. It didn’t ruin the day, but I vowed to take it easy when I got home and take a little hiatus from such a stringent diet to let myself indulge a bit. Well, let me tell you, the pendulum certainly swung in the other…

fabio viviani When it comes to clean eating, Chef Fabio Viviani says less is more. “If you want to keep your body clean, you have to get your hands dirty,” he says. Featured in “Cooking With” (p. 26), Viviani shares his simple yet flavorful approach to Italian and Mediterranean cuisine as well as his favorite clean recipes. julie o’hara FREELANCE WRITER/RECIPE DEVELOPER, CHICAGO, IL In "Pack It To Go!” (p. 48), Julie O’Hara says the recipes she created were inspired by the years she spent preparing nutritious work lunches for herself. “I learned that minimal ingredients plus easy prep adds up to the most successful lunch idea,” she says. ivy manning COOKBOOK AUTHOR/FOOD WRITER, PORTLAND, OR As the meatloving wife of a vegetarian, Ivy Manning is a pro at making flexible meals. For “Modifiable Meals” (p. 62), Manning…

Meet Our Experts Q: What are the top clean foods I should be including in my diet for a long and healthy life? A: Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, along with a balanced diet, daily exercise and healthy lifestyle choices, is key for preventing disease. Kale is rich in vitamins A and C as well as vitamin K, a nutrient that supports bone health and is necessary for healthy blood clotting. Additionally, the carotenoids and flavonoids found in kale may help prevent some types of cancers. Citrus fruits are also packed with vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps prevent the buildup of disease-causing free radicals in the body. Garlic may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, while the allicin compound found in fresh garlic may help fight certain cancers. And, the…

We Hear You! TASTY TACOS OMG! Made the Spicy Shredded Beef Tacos (p. 57) from the November/December 2013 (thank God you are back) issue. I’m drooling just thinking about eating the leftovers for dinner tomorrow. – Ann Maksymetz, Keswick, ON LETTER OF THE MONTH WELCOME HOME Getting my subscription today was like having a friend who moved away come home again. Thank you Active Interest Media for staying true to what previous subscribers were used to. I have dogeared almost every page of this issue because the recipes are so amazing. – Andrea Slaughter, Coronado, CA Totally happy to find Clean Eating magazine in the mail today! I’m definitely making the Sweet Potato Pecan Pie (p. 46, November/December 2013) for Thanksgiving now. – MaryLeigh Bishop, Delmont, PA ORDER BACK ISSUES OF CLEAN EATING AT CLEANEATING.COM BIRTHDAY SURPRISE Thank you so much for…

SUPERFOOD:THE POWER OF SAFFRON Just a pinch – that’s all you need when cooking with the spice that’s quite literally worth its weight in gold. Good thing, too, since saffron is one of the most expensive food products in the world, commanding a price tag of around $20 for a standard 0.06-ounce bottle. Each one of the earthy, bitter spice threads are extracted from the small purple crocus flower, which produces just three threads per bloom – harvesters hand pluck 14,000 blooms just to yield an ounce of saffron (hence the high price tag!). The crimson-golden threads are prized for their brain-boosting power, as they have been shown to help improve mood, fatigue and even depression. Luckily, a little goes a long way in the kitchen, so a standard bottle should…

CINNAMON PEAR GRILLED CHEESE SERVES 2. Spread 1 tbsp raw honey on each of 2 slices whole-grain cinnamonraisin bread. Top each slice with 2 oz sliced cheddar cheese, ½ large pear, thinly sliced, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro. Top each slice with an additional 2 oz sliced cheddar cheese and 1 slice whole-grain cinnamon raisin bread. Mist a medium nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and heat on medium. Add 1 sandwich, then cover and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook, covered, until golden and cheese is melted, about 2 more minutes. Mist skillet with cooking spray and repeat with remaining sandwich. Serve warm. BENEFIT: Pears are very high in fiber, packing 7 grams per fruit! Fiber is key for a healthy digestive tract and has been shown to…