This Resource Guide is for our Clean Cuisine 8 Week Clean Eating Challenge. You will be using this guide throughout the few weeks of the challenge and it will be available for you to reference.
Some items on this guide may not make sense until you arrive at the intended day. Please don’t jump ahead. Not everything on this page will be for everyone.
Take your time to go through some of our recommendations and as always, let us know if you have any questions.
BLENDER BUYING GUIDE
Having a high quality blender is one of the most important investments that you will make when eating clean. Yes, there is a BIG difference between a classic Ninja Blender that I used for years and years, and a blender system like one of these.
The blades are stronger, the power is better and you will be much more satisfied with your smoothies, soups, pureed vegetables. You can even make your own nut butters, your own nut milks and so much more.
DAY 2: HAND BLENDER BUYING GUIDE AND STORE BOUGHT SAUCES
Yes, the above blenders can handle hot soups but, not nearly as easily as a stick blender. This is an inexpensive way to puree some of your favorite hot soups quickly and efficiently. For years, I have ladled hot soups into my blenders but this is truly the way to go!
Up until recently, it’s not been easy to find a “clean” pasta sauce. Sometimes, we don’t have time to make pasta sauce, so we have searched pasta sauce shelves high and low and have found 3 that we feel comfortable using when not making our own sauce. Of the three, Roa’s is definitely the priciest, but worth it if you can’t find anything else that’s as clean and delicious.
To store bought sauces, I love to saute chopped onion, garlic, red bell peppers, mushrooms, leeks and whatever else I have in the fridge in a little coconut oil before I add the store-bought sauce. It gives a good boost of vegetables to your meal!
DAY 7: PHYTONUTRIENT SUPPLEMENTS
DAY 8: SUPERFOOD + ADAPTOGEN SUPPLEMENTS
Although smoothie recipes are great, we rarely stick to an exact ingredient list. We truly believe in the healing power of food, and always add in whatever we feel our body is needing on any given day. Use the key below to identify some ways to supplement your smoothie.
When adding any new superfood or adaptogen to our smoothies, we always start out small by adding just 1-2 teaspoons before arriving at the suggested serving size.
Don’t overdo it. Try out 1 or 2 of the following for a few days to see how your body reacts to the additive before adding in more.
1. Cacao Powder: Raw cacao is a true superfood. In addition to being one of the highest plant-based sources of iron (which is essential for hair and thyroid health)and magnesium (the most deficient mineral in the Western world), raw cacao powder has over 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries and more calcium than cow’s milk.
2. Hemp Seeds: An incredible plant based source of biologically available and easily digested protein, hemp seeds also contain a healthy anti-inflammatory 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fat.
3. Coconut Yogurt: We love making our own, and are so impressed with how well these probiotics help our gut-health.
4. Ashwagandha Powder: An effective, evidence-based remedy for anxiety, stress, and insomnia, ashwagandha also has anti-inflammatory properties. FYI: It is best to take ashwagandha in the root form (as a powder) rather than the leaf form.
5. Collagen Powder: Collagen powder contains numerous amino acids and is rich in L-lysine (an amino acid) and other amino acids including L-arginine. Several studies, one randomized of more than one hundred subjects who supplemented with the amino acids L-lysine combined with L-arginine showed that the combination reduced salivary cortisol levels as well as anxiety.
6. Spinach or Kale: Flavorless in smoothies, and a great source of iron, and many other nutrients.
7. Maca Powder: From insomnia to low energy, hot flashes to vaginal dryness and low libido, and even anxiety and depression, maca has consistently been shown to help women (and men!) with an array of bothersome hormonal symptoms.
8. Flax Seed Meal: A great source of fiber, Flaxseeds are one of nature’s richest food sources of lignans, potent antioxidants that fight free radical damage and act as phytoestrogens.
9. Camu Camu Powder: The more stress your body is under, the more vitamin C your body needs. And your body doesn’t just need vitamin C to lower cortisol and fight stress, this critical antioxidant is essential for more than 300 different functions in your body. Vitamin C even plays a critical role in the creation of key feel-good neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine. And there is no better way to get your vitamin C than from a whole food, which is exactly what camu is.
10. Coconut Oil: Another healthy source of fat. Helps to boost good cholesterol, and can help burn fat, and calories.
11. Goji Powder: One of the richest sources of antioxidants on the planet, Goji berries (and goji powder) are a powerhouse of nutrition and a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, more than 20 trace minerals and vitamins such as zinc and iron as well as anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.
12. Pomegranate Powder: This powder is raw and made from whole pomegranate fruit that is freeze-dried to protect the flavor and nutrients. The powder delivers the super high vitamin C content and abundance of potent antioxidants (including polyphenols and anthocyanins) that you would get from fresh pomegranate.
DAY 11: VEGETABLE BASED COOKBOOKS
When it comes to adding several vegetable dishes to your meal plan each week, you will eventually grow bored with just sauteing or roasting. These 3 vegetarian cookbooks are absolutely wonderful when you’re ready to venture out. Check them all out and order a copy of the one you find the most interesting. Whichever you choose, we know you will love the inspiration!
