Eating Clean, start with spinach

One of the miracles that has happened to me in the last few years has been my health. If the way I feel, right now, is healthy, then I've realized that I've never been healthy in my life...until now. Not only does my body look fit, but I feel as if I have this "healthy" energy that people notice and comment about.

I feel heathly because I eat healthy. I eat healthy, because I can eat more! Healthy foods are lower in calories, it's just that simple.

I lost my weight by going back to basics. Basic heathly, live foods. And my goal was not to get healthy, it was to lose weight! And like my KB training, it has been a progression. The more good clean food I ate, the more I wanted to eat. The better and faster I got at cooking and preparing good clean food, the better and faster I got! Every one has to start somewhere, and I started with spinach!

But before I get into that, I want to expand upon what I mean by clean food. Clean food, to me, is live food. Live food isn't necessarily food that has been alive at one point, although that is a literal definition of live food, but also food that gives life. And, what I mean about that, is food that gives health, because a healthy life is the best life. Live food is obviously the least processed. Live food is real, not fake.

Now I'm not claiming that I never eat some processed and even fake foods, but it gets less and less every week. And my weakness is desserts! That's why I cave at bake sales, because I much prefer "home made, home baked" goodies, as opposed to store bought, made with hydrogenated fats and fake sugars. I chose ice cream with real sugar, not corn syrup, and I never eat foods or drinks w/splenda or equal. (there's another reason for that, also, that I will get into another time).

So, back to the spinach. I found spinach to be the easiest vegetable to incorporate into everyday foods because it's flavor is mild, therefore less "detectable", it cooks fast, and can be eaten raw. And with pre-washed, pre-packaged baby spinach so available, the most convenient, not to mention highly nutrtious, (oh yeah, that too, lol).

So in addition to opening up a package of baby spinach and making a salad, which can be as easy as adding a tomato and store bought dressing, to now, I clean and wash my own fresher (IMO) spinach, add home grown tomatoes, just picked green beans, and homemade dressings. And since my salads are always "main dish" salads, which means I add my protein source to it, you can buy a roasted chicken or use a can of tuna, or steak, whatever. I like to get a small bite of all the ingredients at once, so I measure out my protein, dice it, shred it or slice it and toss it with the other ingredients.

I've added spinach to pasta when making spaghetti, carbonara, tortellini, ravioli, what ever I was cooking for my family. If you add it into the pasta water (along with the pasta, of course)seconds before draining, it wilts instantly, or adding hot pasta to it, wilts it while leaving it slightly firmer, and then sauce. Just the sight of bright green, fresh, live spinach swirling amongst the pasta makes you feel healthier!

I've added it to lasagna, shredded it into tacos (instead of lettuce), made spianch pesto, and I even add it to my meatloaf. Of course, a simple saute w/olive oil and garlic (maybe a pinch of red pepper flakes) as a side dish is done in 30 seconds! There is nothing I cook that doesn't have an added veg to it, nothing.

So from spinach, (pre-packaged, to fresh), I went to swiss chard, and kale. Both are similar, but take longer to cook. At first I only used the leaves of these veggies, and then when I figured out that you can eat the stems, I cook those too! I don't waste anything, and I eat everything!

My point is to start somewhere. Start easy, and it will become easier to always add health.

Spinach Walnut pesto

in a food processor add;

1-2 cloves garlic
pinch red pepper flakes
2tbl. - 1/2 c. toasted walnuts
1 lb. spinach

with processor still running drizzle in;

2 tbl. - 1/2 cup olive oil

Taste, and season with salt and pepper (don't forget this final step).

Toss with hot pasta (adding some reserved pasta water to adjust consistency if needed). You can add parmesean, feta, goat cheese, cottage cheese, etc.

Since oil and nuts are high calorie foods, depending on how I'm using the pesto (as a spread, in a salad, or as a pasta sauce) I adjust the amount to fit my caloric needs. I would use the higher amounts when serving it to non-dieting family members ot guests!

Spinach Pasta Salad

In a large bowl add;

1lb spinach (store bought baby, or wash your own fresh)
thinly sliced red onion

Cook and drain (according to pkg.) 1 pkg. pasta (small like orzo, or long thin spaghetti)and add hot pasta to bowl. Stir quickly to wilt spinach and toss with store bought, or home made balsamic salad dressing ( I like Newman's). Add toasted pine nuts or walnuts, feta cheese and kalmata olives. Chill.

I use less dressing at first then add additional dressing after chilling, right before serving. If I were to make this for myself I would use 1/2 pkg of pasta, increasing the spinach to pasta ratio, half the nuts and cheese, and add chicken for at least 2-3 main dishes.

Spinach is good, life is good