Quick Pickled Pepper Onion Relish – Not Just for Mini Philly Cheesesteaks Anymore

As promised, here is the pepper and onion relish you saw me accessorize my bite-sized cheesesteaks a few videos ago. The whole trick here is to find peppadew peppers, which have a very vibrant, sweet-hot-tangy flavor, and quickly and easily turn a pan of sautéed onions and jalapeños into a world-class condiment.

Pretty much any large grocery store that has one of those self-serve salad/olive bars will have these peppers. Just be sure to ladle in some of the flavorful pickling liquid, as that’s what really brings this all together. You'll also sometimes see them in jars on the shelf, as well as online.

You can certainly use any jarred, pickled pepper, but this works best with something that’s on the sweet and spicy side. No matter what pepper you use, you can always adjust with salt, sugar, and/or vinegar. Like I said in the clip, even if you don’t do the mini Philly cheesesteaks, I still hope you give this versatile relish a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 1 cup of relish:

2/3 cup finely diced onion

1/2 cup diced jalapeño

1/2 cup diced Peppadew peppers, or other sweet-hot pickled pepper

1/4 to 1/3 cup of the reserved Peppadew liquid, or as needed

“Loaded Baked Potato” Super Bowl Dip – [Insert Deflated Football Joke Here]

Any decent Super Bowl snack table has to have a few substantial dips, and this “loaded baked potato” dip, with its three pounds of bacon, is nothing if not substantial. 

It’s also shaped like a football, which of course has been proven to taste better to people drinking beer than dips in a bowl. Speaking of beer, I think will pair nicely with something cheap, domestic, and in a can. Save the Pliny for the Kobe sliders. 

Needless to say, you can doctor this dip any way you see fit. There are so many ways you can “Tom Brady” this football, and change it to your liking. Some roasted chilies would be great, or maybe even some of that pickled pepper-onion relish I’m about to show you.

If you do want a stiffer mixture, for sculpting a more realistically shaped football, you could use part cream cheese, but I liked the lighter texture, and we still got enough height to qualify as 3-D. So, if you’re looking for a fun and delicious Super Bowl dip recipe, I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 48 servings:

3 pounds bacon

3 pounds (6 cups) sour cream

1/2 pound grated extra-sharp cheddar

1 cup chopped green onions for dip, plus more chopped green parts for the “grass.”

pinch of cayenne

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

lots of potato chips

Mini Philly Cheesesteaks – Winning the Super Bowl Snack Table

Miniaturized sandwiches don’t usually float my boat, or submarine, as they’re almost always not as good as the full-sized versions, but these mini Philly cheesesteaks really captured everything I love about the classic.

Thinly sliced rib eye is traditionally used, and it’s fried and chopped on the grill, before meeting cheese and bread. Since we’re going to “grill” these in the oven, we’ll use a nice, juicy skirt steak instead, which has a big beefy flavor, and great marbling.

It will brown up around the edges, yet stay moist and tender because of the fat and connective tissue. I also really enjoyed the double shot of the sliced provolone and provolone “cheez whiz,” which provided a great creamy, richness. The peppers and onions brought everything together, and long story short, I ate the whole tray.

This was great hot, warm, and cold, and that alone makes it a perfect choice for your Super Bowl snack spread. Also, stay tuned for the quick and easy pickled pepper and onion relish recipe I mentioned in the clip. I hope you give these mini Philly cheesesteaks a try soon. Enjoy!

Enough for about 48 mini Philly cheesesteaks:

12 ounce skirt steak, or flap meat, or rib eye, or NY Strip

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup of pickled pepper and onion relish (stay tuned for video), OR 1/2 cup of sautéed onions and sweet peppers

*once mixed, be sure to taste and salt the final diced steak mixture!

For the “cheez whiz” sauce:

2 generous tablespoons flour

2 generous tablespoons butter

1 cup cold milk

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cayenne

salt to taste

2 thick slices provolone cheese (about 2 to 3 ounces), torn up

48 slices of baguette

sliced or grated provolone to top the cheesesteaks

Once assembled, bake at 400 for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is browned

Healthy Lunch Recipe: Avocado Tomato Open Face Sandwich

A HUGE misconception about the clean eating diet is that clean eating meals, or weight loss foods in general, require fancy, exotic ingredients and complicated steps to make.

In reality, a clean eating diet is simple: use as little processed ingredients as possible, and make quick and easy meals. For these reasons, clean eating has gained much popularity in the last few years. It's simple, tasty and creates a healthy lifestyle. What's not to like?

Clean eating diet can also help you lose weight, because eliminating processed ingredients eliminates refined sugar, hydrogenated oil and all the harsh artificial ingredients that induce weight gain. By simplifying your meals, you reduce unnecessary calories--and most of them develop into fat.


Today's healthy lunch and clean eating recipe reflects just the simplicity that defines clean eating.

With only five ingredients, this juicy, delicious and completely clean sandwich was a pleasure to both make and eat.

Plus, it took less than five minutes to make. We all like that, don't we?

Healthy Lunch Recipe: Avocado Tomato Open Face Sandwich

Ingredients:
- 1 piece of whole wheat bread, slightly toasted
- 1/2 avocado, peeled, de-cored and sliced
- 2 slices of tomato
- 1 slice of all-natural swiss cheese
- 2-3 leaves of basil, broken
- 1 tea spoon of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tea spoon of organic balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions:
1. Slice toast in halve, and lay each piece on a plate.
2. Stack swiss cheese, avocado slices and tomato on top. 
3. Splash basil leaves. Then drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar, if you choose to use them.

That's all. Now enjoy each bite.

Thanks again for coming by Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan!

I hope you enjoy today's Healthy Lunch Recipe.

(I think you would if you're an avocado-lover.)

I also hope to see you next time!

Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan 87

Breakfast

Organic Cereal with Real Maple Syrup and Mango on the Side

During winter, my go-to healthy breakfast is a bowl of steamy organic grain. I love how cereal is both hearty and filling. With drizzles of real maple syrup--I recommend Coombs Family Farms 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup by the way (see products section below)--my hot, grainy, healthy breakfast always taste good.

Also, I love adding fruits to breakfast. Fruits offer natural sugar and are delicious. Today, I went with mango.

Mid Morning Snack

Toasted Walnuts

Walnuts are full of nutrition and antioxidants. They're high in omega-3, vitamin E, manganese, copper, iron and a variety of other nutritional content.

After 10-20 minutes of toasting in the oven, walnuts become golden, crispy and snack-able. Enjoy them alone, or on top of yogurt, fruits and such.

Lunch

Turkey Sandwich with All-Natural Turkey Breast Lunch Meat, Whole Wheat Bread and Mayo Made with Safflower Oil

Turkey sandwiches are my go-to lunch. They're quick and easy, and taste great. Plus, they're low in fat and high in nutrition. 

I was happy to discover Safflower Oil Mayo a few years ago. Made from safflower seeds, safflower oil has gained much attention in the health food arena due to its high content of mono saturated fat and vitamin E. It also tastes good, with an earthy and wholesome flavor.

It's a healthy and versatile oil to incorporate into a clean eating diet--and in mayo, it's awesome.

If you haven't tried Safflower Oil Mayo, you must, especially if you're trying to eat clean.

Afternoon Snack

Yogurt-Covered Almonds

What's better than almonds? Cover them in yogurt of course!

Try these. They are delicious!

Dinner

Sweet Cherry Brown Sauce Over Baked Chicken, with Steamed Carrots on the Side

The sweet cherry brown sauce is made with real cherries, pan-seared into soft juice and turned into creamy sauce. It was rich, sweet and mouthwatering. I highly recommend it. 

If you want the recipe, click here.

Thanks for visiting Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan again.

Hope you enjoyed today's clean eating ideas.

Also, check out the products below for clean eating products you might make use of.

*** Product Recommendations ***

Coombs Family Farms 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup

Sweet, glaze-y and absolutely delicious, this maple syrup is certified organic and certified kosher. It has no artificial flavoring--and tastes just as pure. It's a fantastic sugar substitute for breakfast, snack or baking.

Get it at Coombs Family Pure Maple Syrup.

Hains Safflower Oil Mayo

Instead of regular mayo, safflower oil mayo tastes just as good but offers more vitamins and minerals. Give it a try, if you haven't.

Crispy Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings – Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Winner

Every year about this time, I get a bunch of emails asking which of our previously posted oven-fried chicken wing methods is the best. I never know how to respond, since I think they’re all pretty close, but now I finally have a definitive answer…this one!

By the way, the honey-sriracha glaze is quite delicious and incredibly simple, but merely an afterthought here. The real star of the show is the strange, but effective technique of coating the wings with a baking powder-laced spice rub before baking. Through the magic of chemical reactions, the surface of the chicken becomes bone-dry, and eventually crisps up to something very similar to what would come out of a deep fryer.

Instead of the soft, slippery skin associated with most oven baked wings, we get a crispy, blistered surface that really holds onto whatever glaze you decide to toss your wings with. The surprising thing is, once these are cooked you would never know baking powder was involved.

I’m not exactly sure who originally invented this; I heard about it via America's Test Kitchen, but that doesn’t really matter, since the only thing that really matters is who people 10 years from now think invented this. And if this is video somehow goes viral, that could be me. To that end, I really hope you give this unusual, and highly effective method, and honey-sriracha sauce a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 1/2 pounds chicken wing sections

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp baking powder (aluminum free)

- Coat wings, and bake at 425 F., turning every 15-20 minutes, until they are browned and crispy. Total cooking time will be about 1 hour, but that depends on the size and temperature of your wings.

For the Honey Sriracha glaze:

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup Siracha

1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 tsp sesame oil

sesame seeds to garnish

Healthy Lunch: Shrimp Avocado Boat

"Help me lose weight!"

... is probably one of the most common phrases you hear in January. I walked into the gym two weeks ago, and could barely find a free locker.

And traffic for my clean eating and weight loss websites? Shooting off the roof!

While I'm happy everyone's asking for weight loss help, and has health and fitness on their minds...

I must stress that weight loss--and especially doing it through a clean eating diet--isn't a traditional process that deprives of certain food groups and cutting calories. Instead, proper weight loss (through clean eating diet) requires daily eat clean habits and exercise--and continuing both for a life time.


A clean eating diet, despite its ability to help with weight loss, is not a diet but a life style change.

And hence this little website's purpose to provide free daily clean eating and weight loss meal plans, with easy and healthy meal ideas, as well as constant reminders that aid in your weight loss journey.

One of the improvements I'd like to make to the Clean Eating and Meal Plan site, in 2015, is to add more healthy weight loss recipes.

Meal plans are good; links to other sites are great. However, I also feel that providing healthy recipes right here adds variety and therefore improves visitors' overall experience.

Without further a due, here's today's Healthy Lunch Recipe--Shrimp Avocado Boat.

I served this to family and friends during Christmas, and everyone loved it. I think you'll like it too, especially if you're an avocado-lover.

Healthy Lunch: Shrimp Avocado Boat

Ingredients:

- 11/2 to 2 cups of cooked shrimp, diced
- 1 table spoon of fresh organic chives, diced
- 1 Haas avocado
- 2 leaves of basil, broken into small pieces
- 1/2 table spoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 dash of sea salt
- 1 dash of fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tea spoon of organic balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup of organ cream cheese
- 1/2 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tea spoons of dry dill

Directions:

1. Cut avocado into two halves, and take out core. Lay on plate and set aside.
2. Heat frying pan on high. Add olive oil.
3. When olive oil heats up, add chives and shrimp. Stir for 30 seconds.
4. Add sea salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Stir and cook for about 1 min.
5. Turn off heat. Transfer cooked shrimp into a bowl. Set aside.
6. In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, yogurt and dill. Mix well.
7. Add cooked shrimp into the mixing bowl. Mix again.
8. Scoop mixture evenly into each avocado halve (or boat).
9. Top with broken basil leaves.

Serve and enjoy!

I think I'll make this healthy lunch again tomorrow.

Just looking at the Shrimp Avocado Boats makes me drool. Hope you like it too.

By the way, for this clean eating recipe, here are the products I recommend:

Vila Manodori Organic Balsamic Vinegar

Made from Italy, birth place of balsamic vinegar, this is a premium balsamic vinegar with rich, potent and enjoyable flavor. Also, it's certified organic.

Find it at Vila Manodori Vinegar.

California Olive Ranch Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This award-winning olive oil is known for its amazing flavor and elegant casing. It's 100% California-grown and certified extra virgin by COOC. A really great item for cooking.

Find it at California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Well, that's it for today at the Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan.

Thanks for visiting.

Hope you liked today's healthy lunch and clean eating recipe.

Have a nice weekend!

5 Easy and Healthy Breakfast Ideas (Weight Loss Help)

Need weight loss help but running out of healthy eating ideas?

Healthy breakfast recipes are the hardest to come by. Although breakfast is (still) the most important meal of the day, it's also one you have the least time to prepare. 

No worries. Look below for healthy breakfast ideas--just on mornings that you need to rush out the door. 

1. Egg White French Toast with Banana, Real Maple Syrup and Cinnamon

2. Nonfat Greek Yogurt with Fresh Berries and Honey

3. Steel-Cut Oatmeal with Homemade Raspberry Sauce

4. Baked Avocado Boat with Eggs and All-Natural Blue Cheese

5. Whole Wheat Bread Topped with Organic Cream Cheese and Fresh Fruits

Easy, yummy and nutritious--just how healthy breakfast recipes should be.

Thanks again for stopping by Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan!

Regular meal plans should return in no time, so see you soon.

Pasta con le Sarde – Small Fish, Big Flavor, Long Shelf-Life

I’m no survivalist, but like any responsible chef I like to have a few cans of sardines stocked away, just in case. If times ever get tough, I could survive for hours, maybe days on them; but since things are going pretty well, I decided to dust off a can, and show you my version of Sicily’s famous, pasta con le sarde.

This will work well with many kinds of pasta, but I think bucatini is the best. It’s hollow, which sucks in the sauce, and flavors the noodles from the inside out. And, there’s a lot of flavor to suck. Speaking of which, be sure to get sardines that are packed in olive oil.

The flavor and texture is going to be better, plus you get sardine-infused olive oil that comes packed with the fish, which makes a great addition to our sauce.  By the way, if you can’t get fresh fennel, you can crush up a teaspoon of fennel seeds, and make a pretty decent version using that.

Like I said in the video, if you can get fresh sardines, they’re amazing in this. Fresh sardines are common around here, and they are such a delicious and under-appreciated fish. However, I honestly enjoy this version just as well, and seriously hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 appetizer sized portions:

1/4 cup extra virgin oil olive

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced fennel

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 anchovy filet

1/4 cup chopped golden raisins

small pinch saffron

1/4 cup white wine

2 cans (4-oz each) sardines packed in olive oil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

pinch red chili flakes

salt to taste

1/2 pound bucatini pasta, or thick spaghetti

1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, as needed

3-4 tablespoons roughly chopped fennel fronds, toss some in pasta at the end, and save some for the top

toasted breadcrumbs to garnish

Bluetons (Blue Cheese Croutons) – Trademark Pending

As promised, here are the blue cheese croutons you saw floating on top of the roasted apple and parsnip soup we posted yesterday. They were just perfect together, and as I ate my soup, dozens of other, “perfect togethers,” easily came to mind.

We only use three ingredients here, which is why this works so well. Try to resist the temptation to add salt, pepper, or other spices, as the blue cheese will provide all the punch you need. We’re going for pure blue cheese flavor in a buttery, crunchy package, and anything else would just get in the way.

Another tip here is to use bread that’s not too stale. I find that dry bread makes a crispy-hard crouton; verses fresher bread, which has more crispy-brittle texture. You can file that one under theories I can’t prove, but don’t need to.

The type of blue cheese really doesn’t matter to the technique, but the sharper, and more intense the flavor, the better. Like I always say, you're the boss, so use whatever you like. Speaking of which, Michele gets credit for the, "Louis Vuitton of your blue cheese crouton" line. I was going to go with "the Chef John of..." but hers was much better.

I guessed at some amounts below, but you don’t need those, since this is simply as much butter and cheese as you feel comfortable with. I hope you give these blue cheese croutons a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions Blue Cheese Croutons:

1/2 loaf fresh or day old bread (try to use something not already dry and hard)

5-6 tbsp hot melted unsalted butter

2-3 ounces strong blue cheese, placed in freezer until firm
*bake at 350 F. until browned and crisp. 

Clean Eating Weight Loss Meal Plan 86

Breakfast

Cheesy Scrambled Eggs and nonfat Greek Yogurt

Mid Morning Snack

Think Thin High Protein Bar (get them here)

Best protein bar ever! It's delicious, filling and full of nutrition. I highly recommend these. Get them at Think Thin Snack Bars.

Lunch

Egg and Feta Salad in Organic Raspberry Vinegraitte Dressing

Afternoon Snack

Open Nature Greek Yogurt

Dinner

Broiled Herb-Rubbed Chicken in Honey Mustard Dressing

Thank you for visiting today's Clean Eating and Weight Loss Meal Plan!

Hope you enjoyed today's clean eating recommendations.

See you next time.

And please visit www.cleaneatingrecipesblog.com for more clean eating ideas.