When you adopt a diet of “clean food”- meaning you consume low fat, low sodium, unprocessed foods in your daily diet, you may have to get creative to avoid hitting a boredom plateau.
Add some spice to your favorite dishes to keep things tasty!
After traveling Thailand for a month and eating the simplest, yet most delicious foods I’ve ever had, I learned a new appreciation for spices. Fresh garlic and ginger should never be overlooked, because they can turn a boring chicken and veggie dish into a tastebud stimulating experience.
I don’t like using the word “diet” because it sounds temporary. To live a healthy lifestyle, the things you do must be habitual- that goes for your diet AND exercise routine. Eating plenty of lean protein food sources along with a plethora of vegetables will help keep you feeling fuller for a longer period of time, thus helping you avoid any unnecessary ice cream binges and other setbacks.
So if you find that your healthy dishes are getting a bit bland, try these tips to keep you faithful to your clean eating habits:
1) Use fresh spices such as garlic, ginger, basil and cayenne pepper to infuse a boring chicken breast with life.
2) Add citrus fruits such as lemon, lime and grapefruit to just about any dish. Squeeze fresh lemon into your bottle of water, lime into any dish or cut small pieces of grapefruit up and add them to your green salad.
3) Switch your fatty salad dressing to something less artery clogging such as balsamic or red wine vinegar. You can add a splash of olive oil for some healthy EFA’s, but if you don’t want the extra calories, the vinegar will suffice.
4) If your stomach can handle spicy foods, experiment with different kinds of peppers to add life to your morning omelette, salads and other dishes. Thai peppers are great in omelettes, but beware of the burn!
5) Feel free to venture outside of your comfort zone and research different foods before you buy. Check out grocery stores such as New Sagaya or other ethnic markets to find something new to help broaden your culinary horizons!