Every week, it seems there is a new crazy diet all your friends, co-workers, & celebrities swear you should try out for yourself. Some of those trendy diets I have ventured to try include, but are not limited to, keto, paleo, juicing, etc. Of all the diets I have tried, one problem remains consistent: restricting or eliminating food groups all together. The restriction of certain food groups in a diet plan (most commonly carbs, I love me some carbs) leave me feeling unsatisfied and unable to maintain the diet.
Now you may be asking, what is clean eating? A clean diet contains unprocessed, whole foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, carbohydrates, lean meats. In addition, the unprocessed, whole food must have no artificial ingredients, preservatives, sugars, saturated fat, or trans-fat. Listing everything that clean eating requires you to eliminate may sound like a daunting task. Instead, focus on eating foods in their unprocessed, natural state and unrefined grains (wheat carbohydrates, steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, etc).
To achieve the most success, I have adapted an 80/20 lifestyle for my diet. I use the term lifestyle because it is easy to adapt into your every day without establishing a strict diet plan to follow. 80 percent, I stick to a healthy, clean eating lifestyle. 20 percent I indulge and go to my favorite Mexican place, have a glass of wine, or enjoy some French fries. In the long term, this lifestyle has proven successful for me and I feel more energized and focused throughout my day.
One clean eating recipe I love to make for breakfast are Pumpkin-Pecan Breakfast Bars. Not only are they vegan and gluten-free, the bars are packed with fiber and satisfy your appetite all morning long. I have included the recipe below for y’all to try out. Enjoy! – Natalia
Pumpkin-Pecan Breakfast Bars
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups of uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2/3 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1/4 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, canned pumpkin, applesauce, pecans, cranberries, and vanilla; let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. Drop the dough in 12 rounds onto the baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten the dough mounds.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars stand for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing them to a plate to cool completely.
- Enjoy!