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Clean Eating in 2024 | 5 Healthy Recipes & Weekly Diet-Chart

Dr. Sreelekha Daruvuri

7 Min Read

Fast Check Fact Checked

As a new year begins, we can resolve to eat clean in 2024 by making a few lifestyle changes. Whether your goal is to eat less junk or processed food, lower your calorie intake, or learn how to cook with more vegetables, our focus should be on the adoption of ‘clean eating.’

Clean eating is a diet pattern that focuses on fresh and whole foods. It simply involves choosing minimally processed, real foods that provide maximum nutritional benefits.

This lifestyle can be easy and enjoyable if you follow a few important guidelines:
– Eat more whole foods and less packaged and refined foods. Read labels and check for added sugars and also be aware of the fats that go into the manufacturing of these foods.
– Vegetables and fruits should form the base of a clean eating lifestyle. These whole foods require little preparation and provide many health benefits.
– Refined grains are inflammatory, as they lack fiber and other valuable nutrients. To eat clean, choose minimally processed grains — or avoid them altogether.
– Margarine and some vegetable oils are highly processed and linked to an increased risk of disease. Hence, opt for healthy, minimally processed oils and fats.
– Sugar is highly processed and linked to several health problems. If you’re trying to eat clean, use small amounts of natural sweeteners occasionally or avoid sugar altogether.
– Although moderate wine intake may help protect heart health, alcohol is linked to an increased risk of several diseases. Alcohol consumption should be restricted when practicing clean eating.
– When eating clean, replace pasta, bread, and other refined cereals with vegetables to boost the nutritional value of your meal.
– Instead of packaged snack foods made from refined grains, choose nutrient-dense whole foods like nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.
– Choosing meat from animals raised humanely on small farms is consistent with clean eating principles.
– Water is essential but refrain from drinking sugary drinks or fruit juices that contain added sugars. We tend to lose salt in the form of sweat when exercising. Having a glass of lemon/ mint water with a pinch of salt will help to compensate for the loss of electrolytes.

The pandemic has brought on major lifestyle changes and created a buzz around the immune system.

A key recommendation to boost up immunity includes managing stress levels, a physically active lifestyle, adequate sleep, and eating the right foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, probiotics, and adaptogens such as turmeric, ginger, garlic etc.

A diet focused on supporting the immune system will continue to be in the spotlight through the entire new year.

5 Healthy Clean Eating Recipes

(1) Poached egg with smashed avocado on toast

Egg Avocado Toast

Ingredients:
1 tomato
1 small ripe avocado
1 slice of whole-wheat bread
1 egg
½ tsp unprocessed vegetable oil
Salt and crushed black pepper

Method:
Step 1 – Heat a non-stick pan, cut the whole tomato into 2 pieces and brush the cut surface with little oil and cook them cut side down in the pan until they have softened and slightly caramelized. Meanwhile heat a pan of water, carefully break in the egg and leave to poach for 1-2 min until the whites are firm but the yolk is still runny.
Step 2 – Cut the avocado then scoop out the flash and smash onto the bread, add little salt and pepper, on top of that add a poached egg, grind over black pepper and salt and serve the tomato on the side.

Nutrition per serving:
Cal: 285 kcal
Fat: 12 g
Protein: 10 g
Carbs: 22 g

(2) Quinoa Porridge in coconut flavor

Quinoa Porridge

Ingredients:
100 g quinoa
½ tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp-soaked chia seeds
100 g coconut milk
1 tsp jaggery powder
Pinch of cinnamon powder
For the toppings: Mixed berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, crushed walnuts, and 1 tbsp Coconut yogurt

Method:
Step 1 – Soak quinoa overnight in cold water, the next day drain and rinse through a fine sieve.
Step 2 – Heat a pan and cook quinoa in water, cover the pan and simmer for 20 min, add vanilla essence and coconut milk and 1 tsp jaggery powder to make it sweet. Add soaked chia seeds and cinnamon powder and mix it well. Set this porridge in a bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hrs., Garnish with coconut yogurt, mixed berries, and crushed walnuts.

Nutrition per serving:
Cal: 250 kcal
Fat: 15 g
Protein: 15 g
Carbs: 20 g

(3) Strawberry spinach smoothie

Spinach Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:
150 g fresh strawberries
8 to 10 baby spinach leaves
1 scoop of avocado flesh
2 tsp flax seeds
1 tbsp unsweetened Greek yogurt
1 cup fresh orange juice and grated orange zest for garnishing

Method:
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth, if it is thicker and a little bit of chilled water. Pour it into a glass and garnish with orange zest.

Nutrition per serving:
Cal: 250 kcal
Fat: 10 g
Protein: 8 g
Carbs: 12 g

(4) Mushroom soup

Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 medium-size onion roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
Finely chopped 200 g mushroom
200 ml vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp fresh cream
Salt according to taste
Crushed black pepper
Freshly chopped parsley for garnishing

Method:
Step 1 – Heat the butter in a pan and cook bay leaf, onion, and garlic until soft but not browned. Add chopped mushroom and cook until gets softened. Pour the vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 2 – Remove the bay leaf and remove the mixture from heat, blend it until it gives a creamy texture. Gently reheat the soup, add salt, pepper, and fresh cream, stir for 2 to 3 min. Pour the soup in a bowl and garnish it with fresh cream and parsley leaves.

Nutrition per serving:
Cal: 220 kcal
Fat: 18 g
Protein: 8 g
Carbs: 12 g

(5) Oats matar cheela

Oats Peas Chilla

Ingredients:
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup peas
½ inch ginger
2-3 garlic cloves
1-2 green chilies
½ cumin seed powder
Salt
Butter or desi ghee

Method:
Step 1 – Overnight soak the rolled oats
Step 2 – Boil the peas for 2 to 3 min, in a chutney grinder add peas, ginger, garlic, green chilies, cumin seed powder, and salt, grind everything into a paste. Now drain the water and clean the oats well. Coarsely mash the oats and add pea paste to them. Mix everything together.
Step 3 – Now heat a pan and grease it with butter or desi ghee. Add a spoon full of paste to the pan and spread it evenly, cook each side well until turns golden brown. Add some ghee on both sides. Serve hot with green chutney

Nutrition per serving:
Cal: 160 kcal
Fat: 10 g
Protein: 7 g
Carbs: 12 g

Weekly Diet Plan

Meal/Day	Early morning	Breakfast Between 9 to 10 am	Lunch around 2 pm	Evening snacks 5 pm	Dinner around 8 pm
Monday	1 glass warm water + fistful of mix almonds and walnuts	2 medium size idli + big bowl of vegetable sambar + 1 tbsp coconut chutney + 1 medium size apple	2 multigrain roti + 1 cup rajma + 1 cup spinach vegetable +Salad + bowl of plain curd	1 cup green tea with roasted makhana	1 cup mix vegetable daliya khichdi + 1 cup green dal + salad
Tuesday	1 glass warm water + fistful of mix almonds and walnuts	1 cup vegetable poha + 1 cup curd + 1 medium size orange	2 multigrain roti + 1 cup moong dal + 1 cup cauliflower peas vegetable + cucumber raita	1 cup green tea with roasted chana	1 cup millet porridge + 1 cup yellow dal + Salad
Wednesday	1 glass warm water + fistful of mix almonds and walnuts	1 whole wheat multigrain toast + egg omelette + 1 medium size pear	1 cup vegetable pulao + 2 pcs grilled chicken + tomato onion raita	1 cup green tea with roasted peanuts	2 multigrain roti + 1 cup lentil dal+ 1 cup cabbage vegetable + Salad
Thursday	1 glass warm water + fistful of mix almonds and walnuts	1 cup vegetable upma + 1 cup mix sprouts + 1 medium size guava	2 ragi roti + 1 cup kala chana curry + cucumber carrot salad + 1 cup curd	1 cup green tea with roasted seeds	1 cup daliya khichdi + 1 cup moong dal + 1 cup sautéed vegetable
Friday	1 glass warm water + fistful of mix almonds and walnuts	2 moong dal cheela + 1 tbsp peanut chutney + 1 bowl papaya	1 cup steam rice + 1 cup white chana curry + Salad + mix veg raita	1 cup green tea with roasted makhana	2 ragi roti+ 1 cup soya curry + mix salad
Saturday	1 glass warm water + fistful of mix almonds and walnuts	1 vegetable/ paneer stuffed chapati with bowl of curd + 1 bowl mix berries	1 cup quinoa pulao + 1 cup labial dal + mix grated salad + 1 cup jeera raita	1 cup green tea with roasted peanuts	2 missi roti + 1 cup moong dal + 1 cup bhindi veg + Salad
Sunday	1 glass warm water + fistful of mix almonds and walnuts	1 whole wheat multigrain toast + 2 boiled eggs + 1 medium size apple	1 cup steam rice + 1 cup fish curry + green salad + plain curd	1 cup green tea with roasted chana	1 cup moong dal khichdi + 1 cup vegetable raita and salad

Let’s make healthy habits and not just resolutions this new year!

Want a customized weight-loss plan? Try the Free weight-loss diet plan on MFine app.

5 Ways To Kickstart 2024 on a healthy note:

Follow the above routine and build a habit of eating clean.
Stay active as that’s another pillar of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Take care of your mental health as much if not more than your physical health.
Avail free self-checks at MFine; stay aware, stay safe.
Book a full-body health check to monitor your health better.

Hope you and your family have a healthy and happy year ahead. If you have any questions related to the above diet plan or any other queries related to diet and nutrition, do leave a comment.