June Clean Eating Challenge + Healthy Grocery List {Week 1}

Ready to jumpstart your health? We challenge YOU to eat clean for one MONTH straight, for every meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even your snacks! We have the tools to help you! Eating clean can sometimes be a chore as it is confusing. When you are only used to the endless, processed foods at the supermarket, sometimes you must question, so what is “clean” anyway? First of all, clean eating is not a diet-it’s a lifestyle. You are either in it to change your ways or you shouldn’t do it at all. I believe everyone has their own personal idea of what’s considered “clean eating,” especially since there is NO clear definition of what “clean” is. However, I would have to imagine that everyone would agree to some extent that the general definition would be: the elimination of processed, extra additives, chemicals, and refined foods in one’s daily diet. Instead, you are choosing to eat foods in their simplest or “whole” state. Some benefits to eating a clean diet are:

• Fat loss
• Increased energy and stamina
• Decreased health problems
• Better sleep
• Improved mental well-being
• Improved skin
• The list goes on!

The easiest way to start eating clean is to prepare your own meals at home. Yes, this means you have to start learning how to cook! This way, you know exactly what ingredients you are eating and the amount of calories you are consuming. Confused about what to buy or what to eat? Included is a specific meal plan with specific foods for each day & meal. However, you may use the plan as a guide to making your own dishes-since this plan is not a “one size fits all.” Not everyone likes chicken. Not everyone eats meat. Not everyone likes fish. Etc, etc, etc.

The Grocery list

Here is a huge grocery list of clean eating foods. You do not-I repeat DO NOT- have to go out and buy every single item on this list. This is solely just to give you an idea of what is considered clean and for you to use as a guide for the future when you are grocery shopping. Veggies:

• Cucumbers
• Squash
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Zucchini
• Okra
• Broccoli
• Bell Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Radishes
• Turnips
• Rutabagas
• Rhubarb
• Onions
• Sweet potato
• Pumpkin
• Avocado
• Eggplant
• Cauliflower
• Artichoke
• Kale
• Collard Greens
• Spinach
• Arugula
• Beet Greens
• Swiss Chard
• Turnip Greens
• Lettuce
• Cabbage
• Leek
• Brussels Sprouts
• Asparagus
• Celery

Fruits:

• Apple
• Banana
• Orange
• Strawberry
• Blueberry
• Grapefruit
• Dates
• Figs
• Blackberry
• Raspberry
• Tangerine
• Honeydew
• Cantaloupe
• Papaya
• Pear
• Cherry
• Mango
• Guava
• Tomato

Protein:

• Turkey or Pork tenderloin
• Salmon
• Cod
• Tilapia
• Tuna
• Lean Steak
• Skinless Chicken breasts
• Turkey bacon
• Extra Lean Ground turkey
• Tofu
• Hummus
• Tempeh
• Grouper
• Egg whites
• Turkey
• Pork Chops
• Scallops
• Shellfish

Flours

• Spelt flour
• Wheat flour
• Oat flour
• Almond flour
• Chickpea flour
• Rice flour
• Quinoa flour

Nuts/Seeds:

• Walnuts
• Cashews
• Almonds
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Peanut Butter (Natural)
• Almond Butter (Natural)
• Flax seed
• Macadamian Nut
• Hemp seeds
• Peanuts
• Pecans
• Sesame Seeds
• Pistachios
• Pine Nuts

Grains/legumes:

• Brown rice
• Oats
• Quinoa
• Lentils
• Whole wheat bread (love Ezekiel bread)
• Black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, green peas, pinto beans, mung beans
• Whole wheat tortillas
• Whole Wheat English muffins

Dairy:

• Unsweetened Almond milk
• Unsweetened Rice Milk
• Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• String Cheese
• Goat Cheese
• Lowfat cheddar cheese

Condiments/Oils/Dressings/Extras:

• Raw maple syrup
• Raw Honey
• Stevia
• Olive oil
• Balsamic Vinaigrette (any vinaigrette really)
• Sunflower oil
• Coconut oil
• avocado oil
• olive oil

Drinks:

• Water
• Coffee (black)
• Protein shake

AVOID:

• No refined sugar
• No white sugar
• No white pasta
• No soda or juice
• No fast food
• No alcohol
• No cookies, donuts, or pastries
• No chips

The Plan Day One Meal #1:

• 4 Avocado Bacon Bites (see recipes)
• 2 slices Ezekiel bread

Meal #2:

• 1/4 cup protein powder (I use MRM's Natural Chocolate Whey. You can get 40% off your entire purchase with discount code SIA at checkout!)
• 8 oz water (or almond milk for a creamier taste)

Meal #3:

• 1 filet salmon, baked
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 7 asparagus spears

Meal #4:

• 1 or 2 oz. cheddar cheese
• 10 multigrain crackers

Meal #5:

• 5 oz. baked or grilled sirloin steak
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1cup steamed broccoli

Meal #6:

• 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp peanut butter

Day Two Meal #1:

• Fruit & Oat smoothie (1/2 banana, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup almond or coconut milk, Stevia or honey, ice)

Meal #2:

• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 small apple

Meal #3:

• Tuna salad sandwich on 2 slices of Ezekiel bread: (1 can tuna, 1 boiled egg chopped, 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, 2 tbsp mustard, 2 tbsp diced pickles, 1/4 cup diced onion, salt & pepper to taste)

Meal #4:

• 2 cups plain air popped popcorn, no butter

Meal #5:

• 4 Sweet & Spicy Meatballs (see recipe)
• 1 cup steamed whole green beans
• 1 small sweet potato

Meal #6:

• 2 tbsp cottage cheese
• 4 strawberries

 Day Three Meal #1:

• 3 egg whites, 1 whole egg scrambled
• 2 slices turkey bacon
• 1/2 cup oats

Meal #2:

• 1/4 cup protein powder (I use MRM's Natural Chocolate Whey. You can get 40% off your entire purchase with discount code SIA at checkout!)
• 8 oz water (or almond milk for a creamier taste)

Meal #3:

• Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (see recipe)

Meal #4:

• 2 tbsp hummus
• 10 carrot pieces for dipping

Meal #5:

• 4 oz. grilled chicken breast, skinless & boneless
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup steamed edemame

Meal #6:

• 1 glass almond milk

Day Four Meal #1:

• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal (1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp pumpkin spice, 1 tsp Stevia, 1/4 cup almond milk)

Meal #2:

• 1 handful almonds

Meal #3: Turkey & Hummus Wrap (1 whole wheat wrap, 3 oz deli turkey, 1 slice pepperjack cheese, 2 tbsp hummus, any veggies you want!) Meal #4:

• 1 protein bar

Meal #5:

• Spicy Ground Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers (see recipe)

Meal #6:

• 1 stick mozzarella string cheese

Day Five Meal #1:

• 4 Avocado Bacon Bites (see recipe)
• 2 slices Ezekiel bread

Meal #2:

• 1/4 cup protein powder (I use MRM's Natural Chocolate Whey. You can get 40% off your entire purchase with discount code SIA at checkout!)
• 8 oz water (or almond milk for a creamier taste)

Meal #3:

• 1 grilled chicken breast, skinless & boneless
• 2 cups spinach
• 2 tbsp of your favorite lite dressing

Meal #4:

• Fruit & Oat smoothie (1/2 banana, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup almond or coconut milk, Stevia or honey, ice)

Meal #5:

• Dijon Baked Pork Chops (see recipe)

Meal #6:

• 2 tbsp cottage cheese
• 1 slice canteloupe

 Day Six Meal #1:

• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal (1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp pumpkin spice, 1 tsp Stevia, 1/4 cup almond milk)

Meal #2:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp honey

Meal #3:

• 1 salmon filet
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 small sweet potato

Meal #4:

• 2 tbsp hummus
• 10 pita or multigrain crackers

Meal #5:

• Slow Cooker Hawaiin Chicken (see recipe)

Meal #6:

• 2 slices deli turkey

Day Seven  Meal #1:

• Avocado Toast (1 slice Ezekiel bread, 1/2 avocado mashed, salt & pepper)
• 1 banana

Meal #2:

• 1/4 cup protein powder (I use MRM's Natural Chocolate Whey. You can get 40% off your entire purchase with discount code SIA at checkout!)
• 8 oz water (or almond milk for a creamier taste)

Meal #3:

• 1 baked tilapia filet
• 1 cup steamed green beans
• 1 sweet potato, mashed

Meal #4:

• 1 apple
• 2 tbsp almond butter

Meal #5:

• Spicy Fish Tacos (see recipe)

Meal #6:

• 5 celery sticks
• 2 tbsp lite Ranch

Recipes Avocado Bacon Bites Ingredients: • 1 avocado • 8 strips turkey bacon or lowfat pork bacon • Lemon juice • Salt/Pepper Directions: 1. Take one ripe avocado and mash in a bowl with a fork until creamy consistency. 2. Add 2tbsp lemon juice, 1tbsp salt, & 1tbsp pepper. Mix well. 3. Cook bacon at 350 degrees in the oven till crispy. Cut each bacon slice into one inch strips. 4. Add a small spoonful of avocado mixture between two bacon slices. Serves roughly 15-18. Sweet & Spicy Meatballs Ingredients: • 1 bag of frozen Turkey meatballs • 1 jar of Welch's sugar free grape jelly • 1 container Chili sauce (I personally love Sriracha, but it is too hot for some people. Heinz has a good one, too) Directions: 1. Throw all 3 ingredients into a crockpot. If you do not have a crockpot, you may throw the ingredients into a skillet (defrost the meatballs first if you go this route). 2. If in crockpot, let cook for 2 hours or until meatball is tender. If in skillet, cook time can be 15-20 minutes if thawed first. 3. Serve on tooth picks on a platter. Serves roughly 15 people. Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients For the salad: • 1 bag of baby spinach leaves • 1 container of strawberries, sliced • 1 container of feta crumbles • ½ cup of pecans, toasted For the vinaigrette: • ¼ Balsamic vinegar • ½ cup olive oil • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp pepper • 1 tbsp light brown sugar Directions 1. Pour bag of spinach leaves into a large salad bowl. Add chopped strawberries, feta crumbles, and toasted pecans (you can easily toast pecans in the oven at 350 degrees by laying on a cookie sheet, spraying lightly with Pam, and baking for 10 minutes). 2. Make the vinaigrette in a small bowl by beating the balsamic vinegar with the dry ingredients. Slowly add the olive oil in while mixing constantly. 3. Add 2 tbsp of dressing to your plate of salad. Then make sure to refrigerate the rest! Spicy Ground Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers Ingredients • 4 green bell peppers • 1 lb lean ground beef • ¼ cup green onion • 1 small onion, diced • 1 tbsp oregano • 2 tbsp garlic salt Directions 1. Heat a skillet and brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Drain. 2. Add in onions & spices. Set aside. 3. Cut the tops and middle flesh out of the bell peppers. 4. Stuff each pepper with equal amounts of the round beef mixture. 5. Place in a baking dish to keep upright and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Dijon Baked Pork Chops Ingredients: • 2 thick cut pork chops, boneless • ¼ cup Dijion mustard • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar • ¼ cup olive oil • Salt/Pepper to taste Directions 1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the pork chop. I always use the term “to taste” because everyone's tastes are different. Personally, I love more pepper and less salt. 2. Whisk together Dijion mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl. 3. Put chops into a dish and pour mixture over both pieces. 4. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the middle is no longer pink. Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Ingredients • 1 whole chicken • 1 can of pineapple • 1 bottle of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce Directions 1. Place the chicken in your crockpot. 2. Turn on Hi if you are planning on eating it within 5 hours or Lo if you are cooking it overnight. 3. Pour BBQ sauce over the chicken or baste it. 4. Top with contents of the pineapple-juice and all. 5. Let cook until juices of the chicken run clear. Spicy Fish Tacos Ingredients • 2 filets of Tilapia • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs • 2 whole wheat tortilas • 2 tbsp olive oil • ¼ cup light mayo • ¼ cup sriracha chili sauce • Chopped lettuce, onions, and tomato (optional) for topping Directions 1. Take each filet of tilapia and coat evenly with Italian bread crumbs on both sides. 2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet on medium. 3. Place each filet in the skillet and brown on each side. This usually takes 5-7 minutes. (Fish cooks fast) 4. In a bowl, combine light mayo and sriracha to make a spicy mayo. Spread mixture in each tortilla. 5. Place one filet in each tortilla and top with fresh lettuce, onions, and tomato. For more of my free diet and workout plans, click the image below: