Diet books and cookbooks are a dime a dozen, and they always have one thing in common: no matter what the routine, they promise quick and easy weight loss. Eliminating a particular food group, or maybe a magic combination of foods, will melt away fat.
Tosca Reno's Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook makes no such promises, and offers no such gimmicks. Instead, Reno offers detailed recipes for healthy foods, focusing on whole grains, lean proteins, and organics, along with common-sense advice on portion control.
The Eat-Clean Premise
Instead of ten commandments, Reno has 14 clean-eating principles that are the backbone of her weight-loss program:
- Eat 5-6 small meals every day.
- Eat every 2-3 hours.
- Combine lean protein and complex carbs at every meal.
- Drink at least 2 liters or 8 cups of water each day.
- Never miss a meal, especially breakfast.
- Carry a cooler loaded with Clean-Eating foods to get through the day.
- Avoid all over-processed, refind foods, especially white flour and sugar.
- Avoid all saturated and trans fats.
- Avoid sugar-loaded colas and juices.
- Consume adequate healthy fats (EFAs) each day.
- Avoid alcohol (another form of sugar).
- Avoid all calorie-dense foods containing no nutritional value.
- Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins and enzymes.
- Stick to proper portion sizes.
Putting Clean-Eating Into Practice
Healthy foods and portion control – a no-nonsense approach to weight loss that seems like common knowledge, but that any seasoned dieter will admit is easier to preach than to practice. The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook makes it easier by offering over 150 recipes that put Reno's principles to work.
At first, some of the recipes may be slightly intimidating. One of the early chapters focuses on grains, and kitchen novices may wonder about such ingredients as wheat berries, quinoa, edamame or Wehani rice. Not to worry; even the less familiar ingredients are easy to come by, and in some cases, Reno has offered substitutes.
Each recipe includes the nutritional value per serving, along with an estimate of preparation and cooking time. The format is easy to read, and the instructions easy to follow. There are even big, colorful pictures to accompany every recipe. All in all, The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook is a winner for anyone looking to incorporate healthier foods into the daily menu, even if weight loss is not the goal.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Used with permission from the Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook
- 1 cup/240 ml quinoa, well rinsed and drained
- 2 cups/480 ml water
- sea salt
- 1/2 cup/125 ml edamame, frozen
- 1 fresh tomato, chopped
- 1/2 cucumber, unpeeled, chopped
- 1 tbsp/15 ml fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp/15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbs/15 ml low-sodium soy sauce
- fresh chives, minced
- fresh parsley, minced
- fresh thyme, minced
- Remember to rinse the quinoa well before using.
- Combine quinoa with water and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Place edamame on top of quinoa and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Put all ingredients in a glass serving bowl and toss.
- Add herbs, citrus juices and soy sauce and toss again.
Add to your Eat-Clean lifestyle with the Eat-Clean Diet Workout!
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