There is a lot of talk about 'Clean Eating' these days...And I don't know about you, but when I first heard these words, I was wondering what all the 'buzz' was about! I was pretty excited when I started learning more about clean eating, as I came to find out that about 90% of my recipes fall into the category of clean eating without me even knowing it! Yippee!

Because clean eating has become pretty popular these days, I have decided to discuss it further to shed some light on the topic! (Keep in mind, I don't claim to be an expert...Just did my fair share of research, and thought I'd share my findings and my point of view!)

In a nutshell, clean eating is just a simple way of talking about a way of eating, (not a diet or short term thing, but more like a lifestyle). This way of eating incorporates whole foods that are unprocessed, don't have chemicals added to them. Simply put, any food that has been stripped of all nutrient value by man, and injected with a bunch of chemicals is not considered 'clean'.

You may have noticed that most of my recipes are listed as ’Clean Eating’, which again simply means that I use foods in their most natural state, and don’t include any processed ingredients. One example of this is that I use whole grain oats in my baked goods rather than white or whole wheat flour, (which is essentially a whole grain that has beens stripped of it’s nutrition in a factory).

There are many benefits to 'clean eating'... Some of the most common being weight loss, increased energy, and improved digestion just to name a few!

So, if this sounds like something of interest to you, you may be wondering how to get started!?! Well, to start here are a few basic choices from each food group that are considered 'clean' to start you off:

• Protein Sources: Chicken, Turkey, Fish, Egg Whites, Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Protein Powder
• Veggies: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Squash, Green Beans, Onions, Sweet Potatoes
• Fruit: Strawberries, Apples, Blueberries, Bananas
• Whole Grain Sources: Old Fashioned Oats, High Fiber Pasta, High Fiber Wrap Bread, Ezekiel or Whole Grain Bread
• Healthy Fat Sources: Avocado, Nuts, Nut Butters
• Sweeteners: Stevia, Honey, Agave Nectar, Maple Syrup

These are some of the clean eating foods that can be found in most Dashing Dish recipes, which can be found under the 'Clean Eating' tab under recipes!