Eating clean can bring many health benefits, potentially improving your sleeping pattern, giving you more energy and helping your skin. If you want to reap the benefits of clean eating but don’t know where to start, then take a look at these five clean eating dinners for some inspiration to get you on your way.
Sweet potato and chicken fajitas
Choose a lean, skinless chicken breast for this meal for optimum nutritional benefits - a 100g chicken breast contains around 31g of high quality protein. Pierce the sweet potatoes and microwave until they are almost soft. In a pan over a medium heat, cook the chicken until golden brown. Throw in any vegetables you want to include into the pan, such as onion, peppers, green beans and the sliced sweet potato. Cook it all together for a further few minutes, add in some spices then load up your tortillas with the delicious mixture, sour cream, guacamole and enjoy. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamins B6, C, D, iron and magnesium.
Butternut squash lasagna rolls
If you find yourself making and therefore probably eating too much lasagne when cooking it yourself, then try your hand at lasagne rolls instead. These creations are much better for portion control and are a clean eating dinner option perfect for vegetarians. This twist on the classic lasagne can include ingredients such as: mushrooms, spinach, sage, butternut squash and garlic. Spinach is a particularly nutritious food to include as it’s low in fat and contains: niacin, zinc, thiamin, protein, fibre and vitamins A, C, E and K. The steps to making this dish are basically the same as making a regular lasagna, but the last step is to roll the contents in the lasagna noodles, rather than layering them.
Healthy fish and chips
Any piece of white fish or salmon can be used for this clean take on traditional fish and chips. Instead of the batter that usually surround the fish, this recipe uses crushed crackers. Once the fish has been seasoned, coat it with a light layer of lemon juice and mayonnaise - which will act like a glue to hold the crackers. Then cover the fish in cracker pieces and bake in the oven until it’s cooked through. Fish is a good source of protein and it also provides the body with omega-3, which is vital for heart, eye and brain health. It is recommended that the average adult eats two pieces of fish a week and this dish is a tasty way of getting one of these into your diet. Replace the traditional high in fat and calories potato chips with polenta, turnip, green bean or sweet potato fries.
Grilled honey lime chicken breast
Marinade the chicken breast in lime and honey - ideally you should leave the chicken overnight to really bring out the flavours, but if you’re short of time, you can just leave it in the fridge to soak in a container for 15 minutes and continue to brush on the sauce while it’s cooking. This tasty chicken breast is an excellent source of protein and can be served on a salad bed or with some steamed vegetables. You could also accompany it with a small amount of brown rice - a whole grain alternative which will provide you with selenium and antioxidants, as well as carbohydrates and fiber.
Black bean and sweet potato burgers with avocado mash
Although this meal does not contain any meat, it is still provides a good source of protein and is a nutritious and filling clean option. Mix of the ingredients together into a paste: an egg, chili powder, your choice of herbs or spices, quinoa, cooked sweet potato and black beans. Then with your hands, form patties with the mixture and cook until they become crispy on the outside. Top the burger with avocado mash. To make this, just mash an avocado with a tablespoon of cilantro and some lime juice and zest. To accompany the burger, make some zucchini/courgette fries. They are a perfect, low calorie alternative to normal fries and provide dietary fiber, vitamins A and C. To make, mix almond flour, grated parmesan and some spices in a bowl and in a separate bowl, beat an egg. Then dip the sliced courgette into the egg and coat with the mixture. Cook until they are a crisp, golden brown.