Clean eating doesn’t have to be a complicated way of living. This one-day meal plan demonstrates that with a little planning, clean eating can be simple. Your goal is to aim for meals and snacks that are the quick, satisfying and healthy.
Breakfast
Start your day with a smoothie. Need a recipe? How about a Mixed Berry Cobbler Smoothie? Featured in Fitness Magazine from the cookbook Ultimate Cookbook of Modern Juicing, this smoothie is full of antioxidants and healthy fats.
Here’s What You Need:
- Half a cup strawberries
- Half a cup blackberries
- Half a cup blueberries
- Half a cup almond milk (or you can use hemp seed, or coconut milk if you prefer)
- 2 or 3 Medjool dates
Preparation
Blend all ingredients until you have a smoothie! This recipe produces one serving.
Morning Snack
By 10 a.m., it will be time for your mid-morning snack. Not feeling hungry? You should still make time for a taste of a little something. Your dietary practices will all figure into the grand scheme of keeping your stomach satisfied for the remainder of the day.
Crunchy veggies like carrots, cucumbers, celery or bell pepper slices are exceptionally satisfying and filling coupled with a smidgen of guacamole.
Lunch
Do not skip lunch! More than likely, your stomach will not allow you to do it, and if you do, you will pay the price later. Try to focus on filling these meals with whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Salads are an excellent choice for lunch.
However, there’s no need to lock yourself into the traditional bowl of romaine lettuce. With a bit of meal preparation on the weekend, you can indulge in a Vegan Buddha Bowl. This recipe contains sweet potatoes, chickpeas, avocado dices and homemade tahini dressing and was featured on EatingWell.com.
Here’s What You’ll Need:
- 1 sweet potato (cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 firm ripe avocado, diced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Preparation
Prep time: 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 425°F
- Toss sweet potato with one tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the remaining lemon juice, garlic, two tablespoons oil, tahini, water, with the ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Put the quinoa into four bowls and add the avocado, chickpeas and sweet potatos. Add tahini sauce and parsley or cilantro.
Afternoon Snack
By 2 p.m. you are probably on the downslope of your day. However, its time for a little pick me. A bowl of fruit such as apples or oranges and a handful of almonds are a great way to check the box for your p.m. snack.
Dinner
Dinner is another meal that you can prepare ahead of time the night before or on the weekend. This preliminary planning helps to ensure that you have a healthy meal waiting for you at home. However, if you have a little time on your hands, try making homemade veggie burgers.
The following Black Bean Plantain Veggie Burger with Avocado recipe that appears on Greatist.com.
Here’s What You’ll Need:
- 1 plantain with a blackened peel
- 1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1/4 cup of hemp seeds
- 1 ½ tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
- 1-2 tablespoon oat flour (to help bind)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt + ½ tsp chipotle powder
- Toppings – sliced onion, lettuce, sliced avocado
- fresh salsa, vegan mayo
- sprouted grain buns
Preparation
- Start with the Plantains, slicing them into thin rounds.
- Warm the skillet and oil before adding your sliced rounds to the pan. You will only need to cook these slices for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Allow them to brown. If your pan loses oil or becomes dry, add a little water.
- Remove plantains from pan and add 1 cup to a large mixing bowl.
Note – Keep the remaining plantains for a side dish if any are left over. - Mix together in a bowl the salt, onions, hemp seeds, black beans, chipotle powder, lime, tahini, cilantro and oat flour. Mash well with a potato masher or fork.
- Get your skillet ready. Add 1 tsp of oil and warm it over medium heat.
- Shape your patty mixture into round patties then place each one into the skillet.
- Cook for up to three minutes until each side is brown.
- Assembly – On the bottom bun, spread the vegan mayo, add the patty, lettuce, onion, avocado, salsa, followed by the top bun.
Voila! You are ready to serve.
Evening Snack
Your evening snack is simple. Indulge in a bowl of fruit. Grapes are a fan favorite because there’s not much fuss in gathering this fruit and they are filling.
This one-day meal plan is just a mere sample of a day in the life of clean eating. There are thousands of recipes available to fit your lifestyle and preferred tastes!