Welcome to Day 1 of our Clean-Eating Plan. Congratulations on taking the plunge into the world of healthy eats — you're going to love how you feel. Today is also a prep day; with a little extra chopping and cooking, you'll set yourself up for the rest of the week. Be sure to check out the to-do list before diving into each day's meal plan, and print out this week's rundown [1] of what to make, prep, and save each day.
What to prep in the Morning
Chop and freeze 1/2 banana (this is for your smoothie today)
Cook 2 hard-boiled eggs for Day 2 snack and Day 3 breakfast
Grate (or shred) 2 cups carrots (if you didn't buy shredded carrots)
Freeze steak for Day 6 dinner
Prepare chia pudding base (here's the recipe [2]) for Day 2 breakfast and snack on Days 3 and 5
What to Prep While Making Dinner
Prepare extra buckwheat to use for multiple meals this week
Cook extra salmon for Day 2 lunch
Make extra pesto for Day 2 lunch
For more details on how the plan works, read: Welcome to Your Clean-Eating Plan For 2017 [3]
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 medium orange
1/2 banana, frozen in chunks
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Directions
- Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add ice as desired for a frothier smoothie.
NUTRIENT TOTALS
Calories: 340
Protein: 8.5 grams
Carbohydrate: 36 grams
Dietary Fiber: 13 grams
Total Sugars: 19 grams
Total Fat: 19 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams
Sodium: 336 mg
Notes
Use juice leftover orange half from breakfast.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 5-ounce can albacore tuna in water, drained
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 avocado, diced
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
Directions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, balsamic vinegar, zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper and set aside.
- Combine tuna and avocado, likely mashing some of the avocado with a fork to combine with the tuna.
- Combine spinach, cucumber, and carrots in a salad bowl and top with tuna and drizzle with orange dressing.
NUTRIENT TOTALS
Calories: 462.4
Protein: 67.4 grams
Carbohydrate: 17.9 grams
Dietary Fiber: 6.652 grams
Total Sugars: 7.309 grams
Total Fat: 16.2 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.759 grams
Sodium: 647 milligrams
Notes
Save 1/2 of pear for Day 3 breakfast
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium pear, thick sliced (wrap remaining half for Day 3 breakfast)
2 teaspoons almond butter
1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
Directions
- Dip the edge of the pear slices in the almond butter, then the chopped pistachios.
NUTRIENT TOTALS
Calories: 161.4
Protein: 3.486 grams
Carbohydrate: 17.9 grams
Dietary Fiber: 3.945 grams
Total Sugars: 9.789 grams
Total Fat: 9.912 grams
Saturated Fat: 1.044 grams
Sodium: 48.9 milligrams
Notes
Save 1/2 cup of buckwheat for Day 3 lunch
Save 1/2 cooked salmon for Day 2 lunch
Save 1/4 cup pesto for Day 2 lunch; freeze the rest for later
Freeze 1 cup buckwheat for Day 4 snack and Day 5 lunch
Ingredients
- Pesto:
Makes about 3/4 cup pesto
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 cups fresh basil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Buckwheat:
Makes 2 1/2 cups cooked buckwheat
- 2 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cup toasted buckwheat groats (if using raw groats, toast over medium heat in medium skillet until fragrant, about 5 minutes)
1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salmon bowl:
- 8-ounce salmon filet
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced yellow onion
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
1 cup cooked buckwheat
1 tablespoon pesto
Directions
Pesto
- In a blender or food processor, pulse walnuts and garlic together until minced.
- Add basil and lemon juice and process again until minced.
- Drizzle in olive oil until and blend until fully incorporated.
- Stir in salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add 1 teaspoon of warm water to thin out pesto as needed.
- Reserve 1/4 cup for meals this week, then freeze the rest in ice cube trays).
Buckwheat
- Combine water, oil, and buckwheat in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until buckwheat is tender.
- Drain off any excess liquid.
- Reserve 1 cup of buckwheat for Day 1 dinner, store 1 cup in the freezer in a zip-top airtight bag or freezer safe container, then refrigerate the remaining 1/2 cup for use later in the week.
Salmon bowl
- Preheat the broiler to high.
- Rub the top (nonskin) side of the salmon filet with lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Broil for 6-7 minutes, or until salmon is cooked fully and flakes with a fork.
- Cut the salmon in half and store the remaining 4 ounces for Day 2 lunch.
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, and sauté red pepper, onion, and zucchini until tender, about 7 minutes.
- To assemble the bowl, place 1 cup buckwheat in a bowl, top with veggies and salmon, and drizzle 1 tablespoon pesto over the top.
NUTRIENT TOTALS
Calories: 517
Protein: 30 grams
Carbohydrate: 39 grams
Dietary Fiber: 6 grams
Total Sugars: 5 grams
Total Fat: 28 grams
Saturated Fat: 4 grams
Sodium: 367 milligrams
Notes
This recipe makes 2 servings; freeze 1 in a popsicle mold for Day 5 treat
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
Pinch cloves
Pinch salt
Pinch black pepper
2 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons raw honey
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 ounce dark chocolate
Directions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together water, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper.
- Heat the mixture until just before boiling, then turn off heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
- After the mixture sits, whisk in almond milk, vanilla extract, honey, and coconut oil, and heat to steaming hot again.
- Serve golden milk with the dark chocolate.
NUTRIENT TOTALS
Calories: 165
Protein: 2.505 grams
Carbohydrate: 16 grams
Dietary Fiber: 3.157 grams
Total Sugars: 9.329 grams
Total Fat: 10.6 grams
Saturated Fat: 3.523 grams
Sodium: 228.8 milligrams
Look Ahead
Check out the recipes for Day 2 [9].
Links:
[1] https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Week-1-Rundown-Clean-Eating-Plan-42881642
[2] https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Banana-Walnut-Chia-Pudding-Recipe-42779352
[3] https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Day-1-Clean-Eating-Recipes-42783395
[4] http://cjnutrition.com/
[5] http://cjnutrition.com/
[6] http://cjnutrition.com/
[7] http://cjnutrition.com/
[8] http://cjnutrition.com/
[9] https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Day-2-Clean-Eating-Recipes-42797554