The "Clean Food Challenge" Day I

One of my goals for this month is to start eating more healthy. I love cooking and baking, especially baking cookies with my kids, which is not a good idea if you can't leave your fingers from them. I might have gained a pound or three... (Arrrrg!) So, with the holiday season behind us, I'm on my way to save my out of shape body.

Starting today, I want to introduce you to a new feature on my blog:

The three week "Clean Food Challenge"

www.laliluusa.com

I will be sharing a three week plan of healthy recipes that I'm including in my daily life. I also will show you inspirational books or blogs to help me taking this challenge serious.

The challenge is eating delicious RAW, VEGAN and VEGETARIAN dishes.

I invite you to join me on this three week journey of clean eating. Maybe you will love the idea of eating healthy and clean all the time.

DAY I:

Breakfast:

Fresh pressed Beet & Apple Juice

(makes about 3 cups)

Ingredients:

3 medium sized Red Beets
4 Apples, (I used Jonagold)
1 Orange

Directions:

Take out your Kitchen gloves! Peel beets, and cut into quarters. Wash Apples, leave peel on, cut in quarters, (take out seeds). Press Orange (should be about 1 cup)

Put Beets and Apples in a Juicer, press, then mix with freshly squeezed Orange juice.

Lunch:

Red Beet Soup with Coconut milk and Lemongrass

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

½ lb Red Raw Beets
1 big Onion
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Ginger, (about 1 tablespoon)
400 ml Vegetable broth
400 ml Coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons Fresh Lemongrass
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Chili flakes
Lemon juice (to taste)

Optional:

fresh Sprouts (your choice)
Linseed Oil

Directions:

Peel & cut Onions and Beets. Saute a few minutes in hot Olive oil. Stir in Broth and Chili flakes and press Ginger, stir into soup. Then, add Lemongrass (fresh or dried).

Add Salt, Pepper, and Lemon juice to taste. (Chilliflakes optional)

Cover, set stove to medium, let it cook ca. 25-35 minutes, or until beets are soft.

In a blender, puree soup. If you like your soup finer, you can run it through a sieve.

Serve Soup with a few drops of linseed oil, and fresh sprouts.

Dinner:

Roasted Beet Mesclun Salad

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 Carrots
1 red Onion
1 medium Potato
1 big Parsnip
1 big Beet
2 gloves Garlic
2-3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar (optional)
Hand full of Mesclun

Vinaigrette:

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
3 Tablespoons Lemon juice
½ teaspoon Mustard

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Peel, wash and cut (bite sized) Carrots, Potato, Parsnip, Onion, and Beets. Press Garlic. Mix with Olive oil, so that all veggies are evenly covered. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Balsamic Vinegar (optional).
Put everything in a Baking dish, put in oven, and bake at 350 degrees for ca. 30 minutes (until tender).

Meanwhile make Vinaigrette.
Whisk Olive Oil with Salt Pepper, Lemon juice, and Mustard.
Add over Mesclun Salad. Mix. Mix. Mix.
Add your roasted Veggies 🙂

Make sure you snack on unsalted nuts, and dring up to a gallon of water every day!

Have you ever tried eating RAW? If so… what are your experiences? Like it or not?! Do you feel full after you ate?

Enjoy,

Diana