Eating clean might sound like a whole lot of celery sticks and lemon water, but this week’s featured foodie, Amie Valpone of The Healthy Apple, proves there’s more to (a clean-eating) life. She’s sharing her favorite clean-eating recipes, ranging from dinner-worthy salads to homemade, grain-free breads. And don’t worry, there’s even a chocolate dessert. Hey, looks like we can all get on board with this clean-eating craze if bread and sweets are still in the mix.
1. The Best Kale and Sweet Potato Salad
We know what you’re thinking… of course boring salads are included in clean-eating recipes. But TBH we’re just trying to prove how easy it is to throw together a delicious salad that will fill you up at dinner and clean out your fridge. Use this recipe as a base, because we’ll be adding in whatever our fridge has to offer.
2. Roasted Onion Arugula Salad With Creamy Hummus Dressing
Don’t judge a salad by its simplicity. Roasted Vidalia onions are caramelized to a sweetness that complements savory quinoa, crunchy walnuts, and a homemade hummus dressing tossed with arugula. Pro tip: If you have leftover store-bought hummus, just mix it with balsamic vinegar and lemon juice for a super-fast DIY version. We won’t tell.
3. Grain-Free Coconut Shortbread Crackers
With coconut flour, cacao powder, and a peach, you might call BS on the fact that these are considered crackers. But if we’re comparing to a chocolate chip cookie, these are far less sweet. Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, flatten to a 1/2-inch crust, and bake in the oven for close to an hour. Who cares what you call them? All that matters is they are damn good.
4. Grain-Free Parsnip Focaccia Bread
Your Italian grandmother might say WTF at this bread, but we say it’s FTW. It may not be as fluffy as standard focaccia, but if you’re going grain free or Paleo and you miss bread (who doesn’t?), then get out a few parsnips, chickpea flour, and flaxseeds and you’re already halfway done.
5. Paleo Sweet Potato Flatbread
Sweet potatoes, you just keep getting better. This recipe looks just like the focaccia bread you’ve already drooled over, but the taters give it a unique (and also drool-worthy) taste. Once you give these no-grain-needed breads a try, you might consider a bread-free life forever.
6. Quinoa Pizza Crust With Carrot Ribbon and Shallots
Invite your gluten-free friends over, because you’re ready to throw a pizza party. You’ll need to be somewhat prepared, because the key to this crust is soaking the quinoa the night before, but then you’re just mixing it with veggie broth and flaxseeds before sticking it in the oven. The easy-to-prep toppings give it that gourmet look that will impress guests but keep you stress free.
7. Raw Chocolate Coconut Banana Tart
When you think of “clean eating,” desserts aren’t the first thing to come to mind. But this no-bake, chocolaty recipe is about as squeaky clean as it gets. With a crust made up of almonds and dates and a creamy filling of mostly bananas and coconut milk, we think it’s totally OK if you eat this for breakfast.
Amie Valpone, HHC, AADP is the founder of The Healthy Apple and best-selling author of Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body. She is a Manhattan celebrity chef, nutrition expert, wellness consultant, and motivational speaker specializing in simple gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free clean-eating recipes. Amie lives in New York City, where she cooks for clients with busy lifestyles. Visit Amie on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
