RECIPE – Spaghetti Squash with Sausage Ragu

July 3, 2021 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Spaghetti squash is a great option for those that are following a low carb lifestyle! It looks intimidating but it’s just as easy and much faster than boiling pasta.

Fast Cooking Spaghetti Squash (2 servings)
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Make a few slits with a sharp knife in your squash. Do not cut it in half!
Place it on a plate or in a dish and microwave for approx. 10 minutes – flip squash at the 5 minute mark.
Squash will be soft and very hot so be careful when pulling it out of the microwave!

Sausage Ragu (2 servings)
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1/4 yellow onion diced
1 small bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup black onions
1/2 fresh zucchini, chopped
1 cup pasta sauce of choice
2 Aidells Italian chicken sausages, chopped
Herbs and spices – I used salt, pepper, thyme, italian seasoning, garlic powder

Drizzle a little olive oil in a large pan and cook all ingredients together until veggies are soft.

I topped the squash with a tad more olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder before adding my sauce.

Sprinkle with a little cheese, if desired.

There you have it! A healthy, fast and nutritious dinner in less than 20 minutes that the entire family will love!

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{RECIPE} Black Bean Burgers – Vegan, Gluten Free, Nutritarian

November 8, 2020 CleanEatingMama1 Comment

Black Bean Burgers are a staple in my home. They are versatile, filling and family friendly! Use different herbs and veggies to change the flavor profile. They freeze well, also. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag, and just take out and thaw when you want one.

Black Bean Burgers – Makes 4-6 patties depending on size
– 2 cans (or about 3 cups) of black, pinto, or garbanzo beans NOTE- Garbanzo beans are not the greatest option as they are harder than black or pinto
– 3 cups whole rolled oats
– 1/2 cup chopped red onion
– 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
– salt, pepper, garlic powder
– optional – add fresh herbs like cilantro or basil to change the flavor profile

Drain and rinse beans if you are using canned. Place the beans in a large bowl and add oats. Use your hands to squish the beans and oats together. I have tried using an utensil but nothing compares to my hands. I used 1 can of black beans and one can of garbanzo beans and I found the garbanzo beans were not soft enough to mash. I would use garbanzo beans sparingly… maybe 1/2 cup to 1 1/2 cups of black/pinto. You can add water sparingly to make the mixture a bit more gummy.
Now add your seasonings and veggies to the mixture. Use your hands or a large spoon to mix.
Take a handful of the mixture and form into patties. They will not shrink when baking so feel free to make them as large or small based on your preference.
Bake at 350 degrees F on parchment paper for 15 minutes on each side. They will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Serve on top of a salad, in a bun, in a wrap or eat on their own with a side of veggies!

Bean Burger on top of greens with hummus drizzled on top

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11/7/2020 {Food Journal} Full Day of Clean Eating Plant Based Style

November 7, 2020November 7, 2020 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Hello hello! I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Today’s post is another what I ate in a day! This was from this past Wednesday.

I started the day with black coffee and water. Then around 10AM I had a super food smoothie. I blended it up before I headed off to the office for the day
My smoothie had vanilla vegan super food powder, natural peanut nut butter, almond milk/water, ice, 1/2 frozen banana and cinnamon. It tasted like a cinnamon sugar cookie!

Lunch was a big bowl of nutrient dense goodness!

Romain, kale and cabbage as a base, then topped with 1/2 cup peas (frozen then thawed), 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 cup pinto beans, and dressed with organic salsa.

I’m not sure if you can tell from the photos but this salad was very big and very filling! I was full for the rest of the day up until dinner. Dinner was homemade pizza – dairy free and guilt free!

I used whole wheat pita bread and organic tomato sauce, topped it with red onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms and dried basil.
Full of flavor and none of the guilt, stomach issues or inflammation!

A year ago I found out I am intolerant to eggs and dairy. I try to avoid these items but I have been testing the waters lately. I wanted to see how they truly effected me and if I was still sensitive to those foods. My ND told me that sometimes sensitivities could go away.

I found my digestion was horrible after eating my trigger foods, I had breakouts on my face and felt super puffy. So I am ditching them completely. It’s not worth the pain and the inflammation. And while I am at it, I am limiting my meat consumption as well. I ALWAYS feel my best when I eat a plant based diet.

I have some new recipes for you coming up that I am excited to share with you! Even if you are not plant based, I am certain you will like them or at least inspire you to eat more clean!

Do you have any food allergies or intolerance? If so, please share below!

Enjoy the rest of your day friends!

Tasha – The Clean Eating Mama

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{Recipe} Chicken Power Bowl

October 27, 2020 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

This dish is full of protein and fiber filled carbs. Perfect for a hearty lunch on a cool fall day!
I love barley. It’s chewy and hold up in both hot and cold dishes. A great carbohydrate that is filled with nutrients and fiber! And lentils are a great carb and protein source for both vegetarians and meat eaters. You can omit the chicken to make this completely vegan and still get in a healthy amount of protein!

~ Chicken Power Bowl ~
Serves 2-3

10 ounces pre-cooked chicken breast
1 cup cooked barley
1 cup cooked lentils
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup edamame
1 cup broccoli florets
Salt, pepper, garlic,

I had all of these items pre-cooked so I simply added them in a bowl and mixed. You can buy pre-cooked packages of barley and lentils, or you can cook them according to the package. I cooked both my lentils and barley in water with some salt.
Once you have the barley and lentils, add the veggies. I used frozen peas, edamame and broccoli florets and steamed them until thawed. Feel free to use fresh ingredients!
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
Top with freshly baked chicken and serve. Enjoy warm or chilled!

Approx macros per serving:
45 grams protein
42 grams net carbs
14 grams fiber

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Pumpkin Patch 2020

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020 CleanEatingMama1 Comment

We spent last weekend in Poulsbo, WA and visited Suyematsu Farms!

Like most of you, going to a pumpkin patch in October has been a yearly tradition since Jordan was born (12 years ago now!).
I have my favorites but it has been fun visiting new ones! This year we spent the weekend with my mom and family in Poulsbo, Washington. It was a typical cloudy weekend in the Seattle area but perfect fall pumpkin patch weather!

We even visited a neighboring farm where there were horses and a camel. Super fun to see a camel roaming the pasture with horses! This is a private but open to the public farm where you can pull up, get out of your car and stand near the fence. It was feeding time for the animals and the owner was nice enough to throw the hay near us so we were able to see them up close and personal!

After dinner the boys had fun carving their pumpkins.

Do you have a fall tradition? If so, share in the comments!

Here are some links to past years:

breakfast · dinner · Food Journal · lunch · Uncategorized

Rest Day + Food Journal {3.29.18}

March 30, 2018 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Hey friends!

This is going to be a food heavy post tonight! Today was an unscheduled rest day from running/working out. I have trained pretty hard since Sunday, and while my body feels strong and capable, mentally I needed a break.
Plus, a glass of wine sounded amazing! I don’t drink often at all… maybe a few times per month. And tonight I wanted to kick back with a nice glass (or 2!) of red wine.

Before I get into the wine, let’s start with breakfast, shall we?!

I ordered a soy + SF cinnamon dulce latte from Starbucks this morning. I normally order a black Americano but today I wanted something a bit different. Their SF cinnamon dulce syrup is on point when added with soy milk!

10 AM is when I typically eat breakfast. I have never been one to eat right when I awake. 10AM has always been the time I typically eat breakfast. Before I left for the office I scrambled egg whites with onion, spinach and red bell pepper and topped with cherry tomatoes. Once I get to work I place my container in the fridge and eat my eggs cold. I actually like them chilled!
On the side I toasted a few slices of sprouted bread and had half of an avocado.

Lunch was Pacific Foods butter nut squash (I love this one!), over some Jasmin rice and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper. I ate it with multi grain rice crisps and Lilly’s red pepper hummus. Super simple and very good!

I stopped by the grocery store after work to pick up some dinner things… like bread, smoked Gouda and wine! 😉 A little pre-dinner snack!

As I was walking around the wine aisle, I noticed these chicken sausages in the cold case nearby. It had been quite a while since I made them and they sounded delish!

More wine? Yes please!

Dinner was pretty simple but very good! Chicken sausage, steamed sweet potato, steamed asparagus and a little more bread. I added a little fresh ground Italian seasoning to my asparagus for an added pop of flavor.

I also picked up a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Americone Dream – my favorite flavor!!! Jordan’s too! So you bet I had some dessert tonight!

Rest day was a success! I feel nourished, happy and peaceful! Now it’s time to sleep!

Good night!

XxOo Tasha

breakfast · dinner · lunch · marathon training · running · Uncategorized

Grub + Training Plan!

March 29, 2018 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Hi Friends! Happy Wednesday!

I did not forget about blogging! I am just trying to find my groove after months and months of not blogging 😉

Between working full time, taking care of little man, training/running/gym, and everyday life things, I am trying to see when I can actually sit down and whip out some posts!

I will say that if you want to see what I am eating on a more regular basis, head on over to my Instagram – this is my preferred platform for posting pictures and life happenings. I wish blogging was as easy as Instagram! HA!

Here are a few things that I have been grubbing on lately! And you may see a trend with these eats… CARBS! I am running more these days and trying to fuel myself with more healthy carbs.

Breakfast is my most favorite meal of the day! I seem to always take pictures of my breakfast 😉

3 egg whites with sauteed onion and red bell pepper, 2 slices of bread toasted and fresh cherry tomatoes.

Overnight oats with apple and peanut butter.
For the overnight oats I added 1/2 cup whole oats to one cup of unsweetened almond milk, a few table spoons of chia seeds, cinnamon and stevia. Place in fridge and I topped it with a chopped apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter in the morning before I left for work.

This may look or sound a bit unusual but it is one of my favorite combos!
I chop a few carrots, some stalks of celery, 3-4 medjool dates and add a dollop of nut butter. Easy and so delish! I typically add an apple but we were out so I added more carrots.

I had a mid-day dentist appointment so on my way back to the office I stopped at a local natural food store and picked up some quick treats. This made a great lunch! Multi-grain crackers, hummus, a chocolate Rebbl protein drink and a coconut macaroon bar.

This was one of my easy lunches – greek yogurt, stevia, granola, homemade oatmeal cookies and a few dates (I was going to eat these before an after work run but I ended up not being hungry)

And looking back at all of my food pictures, this was the only dinner picture I took! Dinner is a little hit and miss with me – usually I am snacking on a few things here or there or eating as I am cooking dinner for Jordan. I have gotten out of the habit of actually sitting down for a meal. I should probably get better at this! But for now this is how life is.
This bowl had a modge-podge of yummy things in it! Whole wheat pasta, chickpeas, leftover turkey burger patty, baby spinach, fresh parmesan, and a a mix of different herbs and spices. I remember being so RUNGRY (hungry after a run HA!) that as soon as I took this picture, this bowl of food was gone in minutes. And it was a BIG bowl!

And speaking of running, I have finally created a training plan for a marathon I am running in August!

My customized HalHigdon Novice1 marathon training plan!
To say I’m a little excited is an understatement. #nofear #allgood
The last time I was training for a marathon was over 5 years ago. I sustained a lower back injury that put me on bed rest for weeks. I was at a complete hault with no recovery time in sight. Once healed, I was so scared to run any distance over 4 miles that I completely took races out of my future.
Until this year.
The difference?
Weight lifting, conditioning, proper rest, a plan and patience.
And ENJOYMENT!
I have always enjoyed it, but I would be so critical of my time and how I felt during and after each run. Now I embrace my speed (or lack of), and embrace the flow of each run.
I am so excited for this year, this challenge and to see where my love of running will take me!

I am also encouraging Jordan to run with me on the weekends.

Here was his very first jog with me!

I will be updating my running here on the blog. But remember to head on over to my Instagram for more running and race updates!

Well, this is all for now! I am off to the gym to work on some speed running at the gym.

Goodnight!

XxOo
Tasha

breakfast · dinner · jordan · lunch · Uncategorized

The day after…

March 21, 2018November 7, 2020 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Hi friends!

Just a quick post to show what I ate today! 🙂

I was pretty hungry this morning and my tummy was growling at me by 8:30. That is pretty early for me as I normally have my first meal around 10. But last night was leg night and I am ALWAYS more hungry the day after.

I generally stay away from meal / protein bars but I do have a small stash in my desk in case of emergencies. And I didn’t feel like eating my “real” breakfast so early in the day as I knew I was not going to be able to grab lunch until 2PM today.

So I enjoyed this Zone bar with my coffee this morning while checking emails.

Around 10:30 I enjoyed my actual breakfast that I brought to the office with me.

3 egg whites scrambled with a little coconut oil and spinach and fresh baby tomatoes. I make my eggs in the morning before work and then keep them in the fridge until I am ready to eat them. I actually prefer my eggs cold vs. hot!

I also had some oatmeal with chia seeds, cinnamon, stevia and natural peanut butter.

I was going to take my lunch at 2 after my meetings but I was pretty satisfied still from my two breakfasts; so I opted to stay at work and eat when I got home around 4:30. I will say by the time I got home I was pretty hungry and the ONLY thing that sounded good was a big salad!

This salad had a ton of chopped baby spinach, green cabbage, red onion, shredded carrots, a few kalamata olives, a sprinkle of fresh parm and ceasar dressing. I also had a side of flatbread crisps.

And to curb my sweet tooth, I had 3 dates.

Little man had a super-short, but super-cute recorder concert at his school – he had so much fun! And it was so fun to watch him and all his friends play instruments!

Tonight’s workout:

40 minutes speed-work on the treadmill + back/biceps

Question: What is your favorite “healthy” sweet treat? I love dates and dark chocolate!

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Getting back in the saddle!

March 20, 2018 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Well here it is… my first food blog post in several months!

Again, I wanted to start documenting my food as I love looking back and seeing what I was eating in different seasons of my life. If you have been a long time follower, you know that I have been primarily plant based, consuming little to no animal products. This too fluctuates with the different seasons of my life, and right now I am consuming animal products. I will write a post on this in the upcoming weeks and why I am… but for now let’s just get into my eats for the day!

I always start with water – at least 20 oz – and black coffee

I wasn’t too hungry this morning so I sipped on Suja Mighty Dozen green juice during some work meetings. This is my favorite bottled green juice!

For lunch I made a yogurt bowl – Zoi Greek Honey Yogurt, an Opal apple cut into bit size pieces, Bear Naked granola and cinnamon. These yogurt bowls NEVER seem to get old!

For an afternoon snack I had a hot cup of Turmeric tea and a Power Crunch bar. These are not my preferred bars but it curbed my afternoon hunger.

For dinner I had a 4 ounces of chicken breast over romaine lettuce and shredded carrots, dressed with a few splashes of Tuscan Italian dressing. Also a side of steamed asparagus with a few spoonfuls of noodles I made for Jordan. The noodles were lightly tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, basil and fresh parmesan.

Workout Summary:

T25 Full Body Blast after work before I made dinner

Gym session tonight – Steady cardio and legs: I am dealing with some knee swelling so I am taking it a bit easy this week until I can reduce it.
I did 20 min elliptical hills, 10 minutes stairs, leg machines at a moderate weight, then finished with 35 minutes walking at a 10% incline at 3.1 rate.
I have been consistently lifting pretty heavily and increasing my muscle strength. The past few weeks I have been incorporating running outside and ever since, I have had knee swelling. I am icing quite a bit but they are both pretty swollen. I have never dealt with knee swelling when I have ran so this is new. I do have some races coming up this year, so I am hoping with a little TLC my knees will start to acclimate to running again. I :crossing fingers!:

Well that sums up my day! I may or may not be posting every single day but I am going to try to stay consistent with at least 3-5 posts per week. Again, let me know what you would like to see from me!

Have a great night!

life · lunch · Uncategorized

Oh, Hi!

March 19, 2018March 19, 2018 CleanEatingMamaLeave a comment

Well HELLO there!!

It has certainly been a while, hasn’t it?! PS – Jordan is now 9! Crazy, right?!

I wanted to quickly pop on to let all you (my readers, fans and subscribers) that I am going to start posting content again! FINALLY!! It certainly has been WAY TOO LONG and I soooo miss my little blog! :(

There have been many life changes, prioritizing and shifting over past few years. But for the past few months, my little blog has been calling me! I didn’t realize how much I have missed blogging until I started reading my old blog posts and revisiting my favorite blogs again.

I am genuinely excited to be connecting with you again! I am going to be posting journal-style posts (like day in the life posts), recipes, product reviews, workout/running updates, etc.. I really enjoy this kind of blogging style as it not only keeps me accountable but it‘s really fun to create!

And if you wouldn’t mind, please leave me a comment letting me know what you would like to see! Again, I am planning on using this as a personal journal type website but I still would love to get suggestions from you!

And to end this post on a “yummy” note, here was my lunch today from this amazing little bistro called Sage Coffee House & Bistro! I ordered The Melt bagel sandwich which had turkey, bacon, tomato, cucumber, spinach, Swiss cheese and brown mustard on an everything bagel. I paired it with a cup of split pea ham soup and a much needed soy milk latte. Heaven.
So if you are in Washington state driving on I-90 near Quincy, be sure to take a moment to stop and enjoy a coffee or tasty meal!

XxOo
Tasha