Clean Eating June 2016

Grow Your Own Herbs Is your thumb more black than green? Do you live in a tiny apartment? No worries! You can still grow a container herb garden at home and enjoy nutritious, fresh herbs all year long, even if you regularly kill your houseplants. Our beginner’s guide will take you step by step through the gardening process, and 5 delicious recipes show you how easy it is to use fresh herbs in creative – and sometimes unexpected – ways. cleaneating.com/herbgarden OH GHEE! Ghee – or a type of clarified butter – is on our list of approved healthy fats for good reason. A staple of Indian cuisine and Ayurvedic medicine, ghee is rich in butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid that can actually help heal your digestive tract. Make your own rich,…

“That was easy.” Is there anything more smile inducing and unexpected than uttering those three simple words? It’s not often in life that something turns out to be much easier than anticipated, especially when it comes to meal planning, food shopping and cooking – and ensuring all of the aforementioned is brimming with flavor and exceptional health, which is why you’re going to devour every bit of this issue. We put together a package for you to kick off delicious summer eating with ease, leaving you plenty of free time. Start on page 78 with a super-simple one-week meal plan that’s a great foray into the world of clean eating with minimal commitment if you’re trying this way of eating for the first time (and we guarantee you’ll feel great!).…

The soul of clean eating is consuming food the way nature delivered it, or as close to it as possible. It is not a diet; it’s a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation, leading to an improved life – one meal at a time. Eat five to six times a day – three meals and two to three small snacks. Include a lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate with each meal. This keeps your body energized and burning calories efficiently all day long. Choose organic whenever possible. If your budget limits you, make meat, eggs, dairy and the Dirty Dozen (ewg.org/foodnews) your organic priorities. Drink at least two liters of water a day, preferably from a reusable canteen, not plastic; we’re friends of the environment here!…

Q: How long can barbecue and picnic foods keep safely outside before they should be thrown away? – CHRISTINE KIRKLAND, LOS ANGELES, CA A: According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 40°F to 140°F is the “danger zone” for perishable food, where bacteria can grow fast enough to quickly render it unsafe. How quickly? Within two hours, they say, or one hour if the temperature outside is 90°F or more. The danger zone applies to all perishable foods such as meats, seafood, cheese, dairy, fruits, vegetables and cooked grains. Does this mean you’re taking your life into your hands at 120 minutes? Maybe not, but better to be safe than sorry. Better still, if you’ll be lingering over your meal at a picnic or barbecue, make sure to keep cold…

KATE GEAGAN NUTRITIONIST/AUTHOR PARK CITY, UT Kate Geagan's love affair with healthy food began at age 22 when she bought a one-way ticket to Italy where she worked at a cooking school in Florence for a year before returning to the US to complete her master’s degree in nutrition. For this issue, the registered dietitian nutritionist developed “Your One-Week Jump-Start to Wellness” on page 78. “I love how eaters and health professionals alike continue to be awakening to the connections between how we produce our food and its impact on our health,” says Geagan. JENNIE SCHACHT COOKBOOK AUTHOR/FOOD WRITER/EDITOR OAKLAND, CA "We all have times when we need to quickly put something healthful and delicious on the table, with limited expense,” says Jennie Schacht, who created the scrumptious weeknight recipes in “Budget-Stretching Dinners” (p. 72). When Schacht’s…

Though sometimes mistaken as a genetically modified fruit, the pineberry is actually a fragrant hybrid of the South American strawberry variety Fragaria chiloensis and the North American strawberry variety Fragaria virginiana, which results in a conical white berry with red seeds. You’ll find these soft, juicy berries in small quantities at gourmet grocers and specialty food stores. MARKET NAMES: White pineberry, pineberry strawberry, pineapple strawberry SEASON: Spring to early summer. PREP IT: Wash just before eating, as moisture will shorten their shelf life. STORE IT: These berries are delicate and highly perishable, so keep them refrigerated until ready to eat and enjoy them as soon as possible. EAT IT: Can be used the same way as regular strawberries in desserts and salads, but these sweet, aromatic berries are best enjoyed fresh or as a garnish.…