Clean Eating Lifestyle

Do you have a foodie in your life who already has everything? I have a feeling that is what our families think about us. But my fellow foodies and I are here to tell you that we have a special affection for unnecessary kitchen gadgets. Now, I will say – not all gadgets are created equal. Some are just ridiculous! But, sometimes its the ridiculousness that make then great!

We’ve compiled this list of completely unnecessary gadgets that we (not so) secretly wish we had in our kitchen. Oh, if I only had to counter space for that air fryer…

Do you have a hard to shop for foodie? Let us know what they like in the comments and we’ll try to help you find the perfect unnecessary gift for them!

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Here is our list of completely unnecessary things for the foodie who has everything else.

The Avocado Spoon

Because a teaspoon is so old school. Every foodie “needs” this avocado spoon to make superior guacamole.

This innovative tool easily halves, pits, scoops, slices and mashes avocados.

Chef’n Zipstrip Herb Stripper

Simplify the process of stripping rosemary off the stem with this Herb Stripper. It’s super handy and ergonomically designed.

Simply insert stem into desired hole root first and pull herb through hole to remove herbs from stem. How could it be any easier? It even measures!

Epicureanist Electronic Cheese Grater

Why use all your arm strength to grate your cheese. This one will do it for you.

There is no better way to enjoy perfectly grated cheese on all of your dishes.

Bonus: it also grates spices and nuts!

 

Norpro 121 Grip EZ Jalapeno Corer

The jalapeno corer is perfect for the jalapeno lover. This tool cores the jalapeno so its ready to be stuffed with something delicious.

King Kooker JS12 Jalapeno Stuffer
If your foodie is coring jalapenos, then they’ll probably be stuffing them. Don’t forget to add this jalapeno stuffer as well.

• Makes Jalapeno Stuffing Quick and Easy.

Kitchen Claws Premium Meat Claws

The perfect gift for the Paleo enthusiasts! Meat Claws!

You’ll thank us later.

 

Citrus Sprayer

Your foodie will wonder how they lived this long without one of these! It’s the freshest way to spray on the citrus!

The set includes two pieces: can be used for bigger fruits like lemons, oranges or grapefruits; another one for smaller fruits such as limes or tangerines.

Still looking for gift ideas for this holiday season? Here are some of our favorite books that would make wonderful gifts for the food lover in your life.

Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation
by Michael Pollan

This is by far my favorite book of the year. Michael Pollan expertly dives into modern food culture by digging back into the past and exploring the history of cooking. For me this book was not only very informative and well written but went a long way toward reconciling some ideas I have been struggling with surrounding food, and bread in particular. I recommend it for both the real food novice and connoisseur alike! Michael Pollan has also written many other important and influential books on food including In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, and The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World.

Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours
by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding & Jose Vouillamoz

Who doesn’t love wine right? Check out this book for everything the wine lover in your life needs and wants to know! This book is a little indulgent, but totally worth it. Any true wine lover would absolutely love this book.

The Nourished Kitchen: Farm-to-Table Recipes for the Traditional Foods Lifestyle Featuring Bone Broths, Fermented Vegetables, Grass-Fed Meats, Wholesome Fats, Raw Dairy, and Kombuchas
by Jennifer McGruther

Fellow food blog, The Nourished Kitchen released this book back in April of this year. It’s full of delicious recipes and includes more than 160 seasonally inspired traditional recipes.

The Paleo Kitchen: Finding Primal Joy in Modern Cooking
by George Bryant and Juli Bauer

I love this new Paleo cookbook. It is a result of the collaboration between Paleo food blogs The Civilized Caveman and PaleOMG. They have complied a book of easy to make Paleo recipes that any family can incorporate into their weekly routine. Tip: check out their burger recipe, it is to die for!

Niman Ranch Cookbook: From Farm to Table with America’s Finest Meat by Bill Niman

Someone gave me the first Niman Ranch book for Christmas back in 2008, and I love it. This one is even better! The Niman family are meat experts, this cookbook will educate you on different cuts, organic vs free range, along with tons of fabulous recipes. It’s the perfect gift for the foodie in your family.

The Philosopher’s Table: How to Start Your Philosophy Dinner Club – Monthly Conversation, Music, and Recipes
by Marietta McCarty

This book is about bringing people to the table. While I can’t recommend all the recipes in Marietta’s book, as most don’t fall into our eating philosophy here at MCK, I do recommend the rest. I love the idea of getting together with friends and/or family once a month to talk about an engaging topic, eat great food and savor your time together.

Definitely check out our post about this book by clicking here.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I: 50th Anniversary
by Julia Child and Louisette Bertholle

This classic makes most must have cookbook lists for a reason. It is a true masterpiece and something every cook should own. Any cook would be happy to unwrap this book, and who knows maybe you will get to sample some of the dishes.

Clean Eating Freezer Meals
by Tiffany McCauley

We love this clean eating cookbook by Tiffany McCauley. Tiffany is the great mind behind The Gracious Pantry, the clean eating blog where she shares her wonderful recipes. In her book she offers a wide array of wonderful recipes that can be stored in your freezer so that they are at your fingertips whenever you are ready to eat!

Click here to see our review of this book. 

Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes
by Mark Bittman

Food Matters lays out  a plan for responsible eating that is not only good for your waisteline, but the planet as well. This book is a wonderful gift for anyone wishing to learn more about what they are eating and where it comes from.  Mark Bittman has also written other important books including “How to Cook Everything” and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.”

Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great
by Danielle Walker

Another one of our favorite food blogs, Against All Grain has a super fun, and simple Paleo cookbook. It’s affordable and available for Kindle.

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I love the holiday season. Other than college football season, it’s my favorite time of year. The holidays are a time for family and food. What’s better than that? Some of my favorite holiday memories are;

• Digging through holiday decoration storage boxes to find the “chirping ball” my parents bought in the early 70’s. Who would make something like that? A silver ball, that chirps like a bird. So bizarre! But as a child, I LOVED this thing.
• My Grandmothers antique bubble Christmas tree lights. When they got hot, they bubbled. Loved those things!
• My mom’s deviled eggs! Which are delicious, but for some reason my family only made them at the holidays. I mean, why couldn’t we eat them more often?
• and finally…. One year my uncle gave me a 6 foot long stuffed snake. He always gave me the most unique gifts! We ended up hanging it from my bedroom ceiling..because what else are you going to do with a 6 foot long stuffed animal!

Speaking of memories, we are excited to announce our December Giveaway – Mezzetta Memories – sponsored by Mezzetta! Each day in December Mezzetta will give away a gift basket.. Gift baskets will include delicious Mazzetta products like,  100% Italian Estate Grown Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Golden Greek Peperoncini, Garlic Stuffed Olives, Castelvetrano Olives, Pitted Greek Kalamata Olives, Roasted Marinated Red & Yellow Sweet Bell Peppers as well as some other fun items too, like aprons, olive spoons, and more.

To enter, simply visit the Mezzetta page and share your fondest holiday memory! Ready to Enter? Click here. 

Bonus: In the next few weeks, we’ll be making some delicious MCK recipes with a few of our favorite Mezzetta products.

Here’s the first – Bacon Green Beans with Cocktail Onions

In addition, to the fabulous gift basket giveaways, you can get a coupon for .50 off your favorite Mezzetta Product. To download that coupon, click here. 

Many thanks to Mezzetta for sponsoring today’s story and giveaway. Also for encouraging us and many others to spice up my favorite Holiday recipe.  Family owned since 1935, the fourth generation of Mezzetta family is continuing the commitment to bring their customers the highest quality foods available. They source the finest fresh produce from the sun-drenched soils of California, Italy, Spain, France, and Greece and prepare them according to their Italian family recipes in the Napa Valley.

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of being asked to take a look at Tiffany McCauley’s new cookbook Clean Eating Freezer Meals. I have been a follower of Tiffany’s blog, The Gracious Pantry for a while now. I love the idea of a clean eating freezer meal book because freezer cooking is such a lifesaver. Having a well stocked freezer means you will never be put in that “oh crap” position of having nothing for dinner. This is usually the scenario that forces people to dine out or order in, which are the quickest ways to kill a clean eating diet.

After a quick peruse of the books contents I became extremely excited…the recipes looked fantastic! I don’t just mean a couple of the recipes looked good, but rather every single one was something I wanted to try.

The book starts out with a very detailed introduction that includes Tips on Finding Clean Ingredients, Tips For Clean Eating on a Budget, How Your Freezer Can Help You Eat Clean and How to Freeze Almost Anything. I especially liked the tips and information in the last part, because while I dabble in freezer cooking, I would never call myself an expert. I still have questions regarding the best way to freeze certain foods and dishes.

In addition to the detailed introduction on clean eating freezer cooking, Clean Eating Freezer Mealshas tons of easy and delicious freezer recipes. The recipes in the book are broken down into the following sections:

• Breakfast
• Casseroles
• Skillet and Grill
• Soups, Stews, and Chilis
• Slow-Cooker Meals
• Desserts
• Sauces

I have to admit that I tested out quite a few recipes (and I have plans to make several more) and by far my favorite is the Orange Chicken and Brown Rice. It is surprisingly easy to make and cooks in no time. As someone who tends to spend way too much time making dinner, (hey, when you love to cook it happens!) it was great to discover – a really flavorful recipe I can make in less than 20 minutes. All I had to do was mix up a couple of ingredients for the sauce, brown some diced up chicken, pour in the sauce and viola Orange Chicken that is tastier and quicker than takeout! Since the chicken was so easy, I made a couple of batches and threw them in the freezer, along with some brown rice. I have to admit I was impressed by how well the chicken reheated. Tiffany’s freezing and reheating directions were easy to follow and made the whole process extremely simple!

In addition to the Orange Chicken and Brown Rice I have also made the Mexican Tortilla Lasagna and the Broccoli and Cheddar Egg-White Breakfast Burrito for Two. The lasagna was delicious and makes so much food that Robocop and I got to eat it two nights in a row. Believe me we were not complaining about the leftovers! The breakfast burritos are great for having in the freezer and grabbing a quick breakfast on busy mornings.

If you are just getting started with clean eating or have been at it a while, this book will be helpful. Planning ahead makes a busy home cooks life so much easier. Tiffany’s book provides a framework as well as recipes to get you going. The “make ahead” or “make and freeze” guidelines she has are simple to follow. Her recipes are well thought out, tested and healthy. Plain and simple, the book has everything you need to pack your freezer full of delicious, healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whether you need a quick meal on a busy night or want to serve a sit down dinner for your family, you’ll find it here. No take out menu required.

Executive Chef Nate Lindsay

Last week Sara and I had the privilege of visiting Jardenea at the Melrose  Georgetown Hotel in Washington, DC. They invited us in to try their new fall menu.

The Restaurant’s Executive Chef Nate Lindsay shares the same seasonal farm to table philosophy we support at My Clean Kitchen. The young chef carefully sources his ingredients each season, making sure to build the menu around the quality ingredients he is able to find. We love local, boutique restaurants like this one. There are many reasons to support Chef’s like Nate Lindsay, as well as restaurants that support and encourage the seasonal, farm to table concept like Jardenea. As we thought though how we wanted to share our dining experience with you, we wanted to be sure to include some of the background on why we would even consider writing a review for them. Bottom line, we hope we inspire you to not only visit Jardenea but also to visit other farm to table restaurants the same way we encourage you to shop for local ingredients when you make our recipes. So, even if you aren’t a Washingtonian, please don’t stop reading. Take what you read here and be inspired find a farm to table restaurant near you.

 The Farm to Fork Approach

Jardenea calls their approach Farm to Fork (a fun play on the traditional Farm to Table terminology). In addition to their Farm to Fork approach the restaurant also focuses on the use of seasonal ingredients. Chef Lindsay changes his menu 4 times a year, based on seasons. I’m so glad we went for the fall menu, its my favorite food season of the year. This year’s fall menu features apples, pears, brussels sprouts, winter squash, parsnips and other flavors that evoke the feelings of fall. Through its’ use of seasonal ingredients Jardenea’s menu is able to deliver exceptionally well on providing the taste of fall. Each dish we sampled evoked strong memories of autumn.

Cast Iron Seared Duck Breast

For our meal, we decided to try the fall dishes Chef Lindsay recommended. We started with the Pheasant Terrine & Aged Gouda Souffle and the Autumn Artisan Mixed Green Salad. The Pheasant was delicious and very pretty on the plate however, for us the cheese souffle was the star of the dish. It was creamy and so lusciously flavorful, we were tempted to lick the plate clean (don’t worry we didn’t, we were on our best “out where people can see you behavior”). The Autumn Salad was a pleasant surprise. The braised pears were spicy, like a chai latte, and the pickled onions were reminiscent of a sweet girken pickle. All the components went togther well, except the blistered tomatoes, which seemed a bit out of place.

For the entrees, we both went with food that was quintessentially fall, the Cast Iron Seared Duck Breast and the Citrus Brined Berkshire Pork. The plates themselves were very pretty, with the pork coming out looking to rival the beautiful DC architecture that surrounds it. The duck was beautifully done and included a confit brioche, that was like a delectable gourmet grilled cheese. But, the star of the entree course was the panchetta brussels sprout slaw. We both decided that this is how brussels sprouts should always be prepared. Coming in a close second was the apple butter that garnished the pork. It was quite possibly the best apple butter either of us had ever tasted. Finally for dessert we had the chocolate lava cake with homemade vanilla ice cream and the chefs take on a deconstructed smore, with a wonderful homemade marshmallow. The whole meal was amazing and the made in-house desserts were the perfect way to end the meal.

Now lets talk a little bit about where the food came from. To start off with the chef explained to us that he sources as many of the fruits and veggies that he can from local or regional farmers. He develops relationships with the farmers and in return they let him know what the good stuff is. In addition to sourcing local produce, Chef Lindsay also sources all his dairy from a farm in PA. Knowing where your dairy comes from is incredibly important since the care of the animals and the quality of the milk can vary so drastically by farm. Not only does this focus on local produce and carefully sourcing the meat and dairy help to enhance the flavors of the meal, but it is also a more ethical way of sourcing your food than buying off the shelves at the grocery store, but more about that later.

Why Farm to Fork Matters  – The Power of Eating Local

So why does it matter that Jardenea focuses on locally sourced seasonal ingredients? This is a question you might be asking yourself. “Farm to Table” is becoming an overused phrase in modern dining, almost to the point of losing its meaning. Everywhere you go you see a restaurant touting their farm to table philosophy. In addition, you are bombarded with the local food movement. Everyday there is a new article on the importance of local food and it is likely your Facebook feed is overrun by people posting pictures of their local farmers market. Given this onslaught of terminology and hype it is easy to understand why some people may view the “local food movement” as just another passing trend. However, unlike other trends this one is important and not only impacts your personal health, but the health of the planet as well. Here are some reasons why you should be jumping on the local food band wagon:

Citrus Brined Berkshire Pork

• Fresher Food Tastes Better – Often our food is picked when unripe and chemically treated so it ripens during transport. When you eat food that is grown locally, it ripens before its picked, allowing it to mature to its full flavor.
• Healthier – Once produce has been picked it begins to lose nutrients. Since most food in the grocery store, that is not local, has likely traveled from at least across the country and more likely across the globe, it is less nutritious than the fruits and veggies you buy from your local farmers.
• Supports Local Economies – Utilizing local food chains helps connect urban and rural communities by encouraging partnerships and social interactions. This builds stronger economies.
•  Increases Diversity – Monoculture is the death of genetic diversity in plants.
• Protects the Environment – Generally speaking, small local farms are more environmentally conscious in their farming practices than their corporate counterparts. Also, the diversity of vegetables grown on small farms helps to preserve the nutrients in the soil, thus reducing the overuse of fertilizers.
• More Sustainable -Buying local also helps to reduce the “food miles”, the distance your food traveled from the farm to your table, of the food you eat. On average food travels 1500 miles before it arrives at your dinner plate. Think about all the energy that was expended to get it there. Is this sustainable? Buying locally can significantly cut down on the fossil fuels involved in transporting the food you eat.
• Preserves Open Space – Sick of apartment buildings and strip malls popping up in your surrounding neighborhoods?  When farms go out of business, their land is often bought up by developers. Supporting local farms help to preserve the open space where you live.

As far as our Jardenea visit, overall the food was prepared well, beautifully plated and the service was excellent. We even witnessed a man across the restaurant all but lick his soup bowl. We asked our waiter, and he had ordered the Parsnip soup. It must have been good! That being said, the restaurant , which is located inside the Melrose Georgetown Hotel, seems awkward in its connection with the hotel. The only way I can describe it is; an awkward hotel restaurant feel with superior food. The hotel itself sits just between two trendy areas of DC, Foggy Bottom and Georgetown. It seems that Washingtonians would have a hard time determining which it truly belongs to, and I think the restaurant is also grappling with its identity in the same way. While they do describe themselves as a Georgetown hotel, I can see how locals don’t view it as such. It’s not in any of the main Georgetown areas. Other than the beautiful decor, the best asset of the location is that it’s only a short walk from the Foggy Bottom metro, which should hold some appeal, for locals and travelers alike. Even though the restaurant is attached to the hotel lobby the overall vibe makes it seem like it would be a really cool place to hang out and have drinks and a meal with friends. The entry way to the restaurant has large high top family style tables that would be great for large groups.

Restaurants like Jardenea are important. They help support local food economies and are a force of good against the powers of globalization. It is easy for many people to claim they believe in the power of real food and the importance of eating local, but when it comes to their dining options they opt for a large chain restaurant. However, we would argue that where you choose to dine is just as important as where you choose to shop. Restaurant like Jardenea show you that seasonal food is also delicious food. That when fresh ingredients are placed in the hands of talented chefs, they can be transformed into something wonderful. We loved our experience at Jardenea. The food was excellent, the service impeccable and the decor beautiful. We loved that they focus on locally sourced, in season produce and meats. If you are local or even in town for a visit, give them a try, you won’t be disappointed.

 My Clean Kitchen – Year 1 Highlights

Wow, we can’t believe it’s been a year since we started My Clean Kitchen. It all started in Sara’s little kitchen with the idea of writing a cookbook, that quickly evolved into a food blog. Little did we know when we got started that we’d be joining a unique and sophisticated group of people. Food bloggers are dedicated, creative and fun. We are honored to be a part of that community. Over the year, we have tried hard to create recipes that are not only delicious but also healthy, fresh and local. It’s been an exciting and challenging journey.

As we remember the year, we wanted to share with you some highlights;

• We started with our eCookbook – Paleo Kid Cookbook which included a collection of fun, kid friendly paleo recipes.
• The 2013 Holiday Season was a great time for our us, we had so much fun coming up with clean, delicious holiday food. We shared our last minute holiday sides, and even ideas for Christmas breakfast! We also came up with a few food gift ideas!
• Next was the 7 Day Eat Clean Challenge. We put hours and hours of work into the challenge ,crafting simple recipes anyone can make during a busy week. The Challenge is what put our blog on the map!
• January was a big month for MCK. We had our first giveaway, we did our first restaurant review, and we did our Super Bowl roundup, which included our number 1 most popular recipe of the year. In January, we also welcomed Kathryn McMillan as a regular guest contributor with her first post S.P.A.C.E. My Spices. 
• In February, we got our first pictures on Food Gawker and Tastespotting!
• In March and April we introduced “Cleaning Up Pinterest” where we took some of the most popular recipes on Pinterest and swapped ingredients to clean them up.
• After a taking some time to enjoy the summer we started the fall with a Whole30 adventure!
• And that brings us around to our 1st anniversary.

Looking back at this year, we must share our readers top 10 favorite recipes!

Our Readers Top Favorite Recipes 

1. Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Sauce

2. Turkey Bacon Egg Muffin

3. Green Olive Hummus

4. Slow Cooker Chicken and Red Lentil Soup

5. Almond Butter Buckeyes

6. Slow Cooker Eggs Florentine Breakfast Casserole

7. Almond Butter Protein Balls

8. Paleo Breakfast Sausage Egg Sandwiches

9. Avocado Chicken Salad

10. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

The MCK Team

Although we’ve known each other for about 10 years, this past year we’ve actually become a couple who’s been married for 30 years. Don’t get us wrong, its a happy marriage, we just act like an old married couple. Cooking together, writing together, and  daily google hangouts (that sometimes last 7-8 hours, not kidding) can do that to people!

We are so excited and proud of the work that we’ve accomplished together so far and can’t wait to see what we do in the next year.

Sara’s Journey – Trials and Tribulations of a Real Food Mom

Disclaimer: Fair warning, I’ve been watching A LOT of Gilmore Girls on Netflix. I apologize in advance if you find some hidden Lorelai-ism in this post. It’s not intentional and completely subliminal on my part. 

Wow, what a year it’s been. I must say, My Clean Kitchen has become a huge part of my everyday life. I have cooked, cleaned and eaten more in this past year than any other year of my life to date! Personally, I have evolved and learned so much, not only as a home cook, but also as a woman, mother, wife, neighbor, daughter, friend, you get the idea. As I reflect on this past year I thought I’d share a few of the lessons I’ve learned on this journey, specifically how they relate to the different hats that I wear, there have been struggles, and also successes.

Let’s start with the struggles. We all have our daily struggles. A few of mine include, keeping my house  even a little clean, not eating an entire pint of ice cream at one time, laundry, making a healthy meal for my family instead of just ordering a pizza, getting my daughter to wash her hair, laundry, reading the same bedtime story 24 days in a row (yep, that happened), laundry, and the list goes on.  Did I say laundry? Anyway, I’m sure  many of you share those same struggles, I know I’m not unique. (The sarcastic part of my brain just called me a crybaby) I’m really not complaining, because I love my life, including my struggles. Those struggles make my life anything but boring. My 5 year old also helps with the not boring thing.

I promise, I’m getting to a point here; making a commitment to eating real, clean foods has forced me to focus on true solutions for some of those struggles. As a result, cooking a healthy meal for my family has become more of a habit than a struggle. It seems like nothing for me to make a “from scratch” dinner every night, even though it means we eat later than we used to. It’s just something I do, even when I have had a hard day, had a meeting or we have some kind of lesson, practice, etc. It has also taught me to be prepared, with healthy snacks, frozen leftovers that can be reheated quickly, and a well stocked pantry.

Something else cooking healthy meals has done for me is force me to keep my kitchen clean and organized, because cooking in a messy, unorganized kitchen is almost impossible. If you have been a reader for a while, you know that I live in an old house. It was originally built with a wood fire stove where my stove sits now. It was not designed for a dishwasher, garbage disposal, etc. Although, I’ve installed those items of convenience (this is so a first world problem, I know) the space available really isn’t ideal. Don’t get me wrong, I love and I mean love my house. But I don’t love that the only functional space for a dishwasher is half the size of the normal full size version. Therefore, I have a mini dishwasher. It is a pretty one though, stainless steel, top button GE deluxe dishwasher, but I can barely fit our dinner plates in this stupid thing. I actually get dishwasher envy when I’m at other peoples houses.  For me, doing dishes, and keeping the kitchen clean is a true struggle, especially since I really hate washing dishes. But, alas, cooking 3 meals a day in the kitchen forces me to at least keep the dishes done, and counters wiped!

I’ve also learned a few things this year that I didn’t anticipate. Obviously as a mom, it’s important to me that my daughter grow up with a healthy relationship with food. I want her to know what is good for her body and why. Between the ever present health educator I have in Jessica (she’s an MPH) and the research I’ve done for recipes and posts, I’ve gained a much better understanding of food and how it affects us. I thought I knew before, but what I thought I knew a year ago only scratches the surface to what I know now. For one, simply learning to read labels, I mean really read them, not just look at calories, sodium and fat, is a huge benefit to our everyday healthy food choices.

Knowing more about food also allows me to have honest conversations with my daughter about processed food and  fast food vs. healthy, whole foods. She’s only 5 but she already understands that carrots help your eyes, eggs make your muscles strong and keep you full longer than a bagel, as well as the fact that sugar is added to pretty much everything we buy at the store. I try to use the meal preparation time to educate her about the food we’ll be eating. So if I’m making guacamole, I explain to her that avocados are a healthy because they have omega-3’s and help her brain learn new things. This helps her get excited about the ingredients as well as the final meal on her plate. I’m lucky to have a kid who likes almost everything.

The final ah-ha I’ll leave you with is; school lunches don’t need to include a sandwich! I have had a great time this school year experimenting with creative lunches for my daughter. I’ve included everything from scrambled eggs and bacon in her thermos to almond butter, with sliced apples, complete with a fancy spreader so she can make her own apple “sandwich.” In fact, tomorrow I’m going to give her chicken lettuce wrap filling in her thermos, and the iceberg lettuce in her lunch box so she can assemble her own lettuce wrap at school. She is super excited! This new lunchbox project is different for me even from the end of the last school year. Before including a chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread was as creative as I got when it came to protein. This year, I decided to make her lunch a priority every morning. I get up early and make her one hot item. Usually its something I can also eat for lunch that day, so BAM – two meals done at once! This isn’t always easy, there are days I dont want to get up, but its the principal of the matter, I’ve done it this long, can’t stop now. I’m a working mom who has meetings, conference calls, and deadlines, and I have had to work hard to fit the lunch priority into my schedule. But now that I’m doing it, its not that difficult. All that being said, I would have never had the courage to tackle the sandwich free, hot food school lunchbox project if I hadn’t gone on this real food journey. Cooking all those meals the past year has given me the confidence to go for it!

Of course this one year anniversary blog wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t give you my top 3 favorite recipes of this year;

Chicken and Red Lentil Soup
Coconut Curry Chicken
Strawberry Banana Muffins

Honorable mention goes to the Creamy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas and the Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Spicy Fruit Salsa

Do you have a favorite MCK recipe? We’d love to know! Please share in the comments.

 Jessica’s Journey – Healthy Living through Food

The evolution of how I think about food has been an interesting journey. My parents were an interesting mix of competing eating habits and ideologies. I had a mother who tried to feed us organic meals long before it was the cool thing to do. As kids when we saw the word “organic” on an item we would whine and ask where the real food was. On the other hand there was my dad who loved McDonalds and tortilla chips. As a result of  the influences of both parents I grew up with interesting food habits. I was an adventurous eater who would try anything and loved to play around in the kitchen (creating what I thought at the time were amazing and creative dishes…) who also had a strong love for the Mac n Cheese in the blue box and delivery pizza.

To be honest I never really worried about the nutrition value of my food until recently. I have always been lucky in the sense that I have never had to worry about my weight and have never had health issues that forced me to evaluate my diet. Up until about 3 years ago I was convinced that I could happily, and healthily, live on bread, cheese and wine for the rest of my life (I still try to convince myself of this every now and then with the addition of chocolate…you gotta have the chocolate…but unfortunately I know better). For me the transformation to real food occurred in several stages and as a result of certain times and experiences in my life.

• 2008-2010 Hanging with Chefs – While I had always been fascinated by the concept of cooking and making my own food I was always very intimidated to try. This fear and intimidation was alleviated by spending time in restaurants and hanging out with chefs. As many people my age did ,I worked in a restaurant during college and well after I graduated. I was around food all day and started to try to experiment a little in the kitchen when I was at home. It was also during this time that I was lucky enough to have one of my best friends graduate from culinary school, Chef Hayley! I was always amazed by what she could whip up in the kitchen with only the most basic ingredients.
• 2010 – 2012 Getting my MPH – It was while pursuing my Masters in Public Health that I first started to become interested in the role diet plays in a persons health. It was during a class we lovingly termed “We Are All Going to Die” (aka Environmental Health) that I learned all the terrifying facts about what is in our water and food (I am still scarred). It was fascinating and a little scary to me what a major role diet and lifestyle play in a persons health. Basically every major chronic disease today is linked to diet in some way. It was this revelation that made me want to change the way I eat. I still wasn’t sure how or what my new diet would look like, all I knew was that I had been doing it wrong and needed to fix it.
• 2012-2013 No More Boxes – Okay so armed with my new degree and focus on fixing the way I ate, I left school and returned home to Georgia. I was determined to eliminate processed and harmful foods from my diet. I was also determined to help those around me do the same (good luck with that…people love being told what to do…oh the arrogance of the newly educated). It was during this time that I decided I would no longer make any meals out of the box. This lead to a tearful goodbye to my little blue boxed friend, but I was determined that I could figure out a way to make it work. While I was experimenting in the kitchen more and more I was still slightly intimidated at the idea of going off book and coming up with my own recipes. However, the more I cooked and played with my food, the less scary it became.
• 2013-Present My Clean Kitchen

Writing My Clean Kitchen has been a truly transformative time in my life. It has helped me to make sense of everything I learned while getting my MPH and translate into easy and understandable actions that can be made in everyday life. It has made the impossible seem possible. Not only for myself but for others as well. I love being able to share my passion and knowledge with our readers. I love the idea that reading about my trials and tribulations as I go on this journey might help someone that is scared and intimidated to take the first step. I love that improving our health can be done one simple, delicious meal at a time (Okay sorry, I will stop being sappy and bring this back down to earth now…phew that was a lot).

I will be the first person to tell you that never in a million years did I expect that I would write a food blog (I am not even sure if three years ago I could have told you exactly what a food blog was!). When Sara and I first started I thought it would be an interesting adventure, fun, and not all that time consuming. I mean you are just writing about food..how hard can that be right? … insert laughter here… Well I know better now. Even though almost every spare minute of the last year had been devoted to the blog, cooking, writing, and all the social media that goes along with it, I wouldn’t trade this adventure for anything.

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes:

Coconut Curry Chicken (Sara and I agree!!!)

Almond Butter Protein Balls

Green Olive Hummus