Can you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a 38 year old mama, blogger, recipe developer and cookbook author.
About 4 years ago, I realized that if I kept living the way I was living, I wouldn’t be alive for much longer. I had high blood pressure, I found out I was pre- diabetic, and I had just had a beautiful baby boy. The moment I held him in my arms for the first time, I knew I had to get healthy for both his sake and mine. While I still struggle with weight loss, clean eating has changed my life. I feel healthier and more energetic which allows me to be a better mama for my child.
When did you start The Gracious Pantry and what is it all about?
I started The Gracious Pantry in September of 2009 in order to track what I was doing with clean eating and weight loss, as well as to keep a log of my recipes, but more importantly to hold myself accountable. There’s nothing like telling a ton of people what you are doing to keep the accountability high.
Can you explain for those who don’t know, what exactly is clean eating?
Clean eating can mean something different to different people. But at it’s core, the idea is to avoid all processed foods. Most people who eat clean also eat 5-6 small meals per day instead of 3 larger meals. The idea is to keep your blood sugar balanced with frequent meals while giving your body the most nutrients with fewer calories than the traditional American diet has. It’s a very healthy way to eat if it’s done correctly.
What are some of your top tips for our readers to get started in eating clean? 
Most people can’t jump into clean eating 100% overnight. While there is always the exception to the rule, the best way to get started is to convert your kitchen and pantry one ingredient at a time. In other words, as you use up your white rice, replace it with brown rice the next time you go shopping. If you don’t want to make an immediate switch from white to brown, buy a bag of brown and mix it with your white rice so you can slowly get used to the “new” flavors and textures. Baby steps are key for most people, but you have to be sure you are taking those steps on a regular basis to accomplish the switchover.
Give it time. Things you don’t like now, you may end up loving after you’ve been eating clean for several months. Our taste buds do change and “detox”. So don’t get frustrated if you don’t like everything right away. You’ll get there.
How do you know if a food is considered clean or not?
When people ask me how to tell if a product is clean, I usually tell them two things:
- If it has a label, it’s suspect. Learn to read those labels! Broccoli and carrots don’t have labels. They are in their natural state, so they are clean.
- When reading labels, take each individual ingredient into account separately. Is each ingredient something you would buy separately at the store to cook with in your own kitchen? For example, if a jar of spaghetti sauce says it contains tomatoes, garlic and onions, then it’s clean. If it says it has tomatoes, garlic, onions and maltodextrin in it, it’s not clean. You would never go to the store to purchase maltodextrin to cook with at home, and you certainly can’t get maltodextrin out of the ground or off a tree in it’s packaged form.
What are some of your favorite “clean” foods to use in your recipes?
I have staples, as most clean eaters do.
- Chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- White whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour
- Fresh produce of all kinds, but especially spinach
What are some of your favorite recipes for summer?
I live for my grill in the summer. There’s just nothing like a good plate of something barbecued to enjoy the summer season!
- BBQ Orange Pork with Fennel: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-bbqd-orange-pork-fennel/
- BBQ Tarragon Chicken: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-bbq-tarragon-chicken/
- Lemon Portobello Mushroom Burgers: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-lemon-portobello-mushroom-burgers/
Sugar is the worst culprit. Even natural sugars such as honey and maple syrup can have an impact on overall health. I urge people to cut back wherever possible and host a No Sugar Challenge (http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eaters-no-sugar-challenge/) every few months that people love and have great results on.
Switching from white flour to whole grain, from white sugar to natural sugars, and from packaged “foods” to fresh is the best way to clean up your diet.
How has eating clean changed your life?
I could write a book! Clean eating has changed my life in so many ways and on so many levels. Not just because I feel better and I’m losing weight, but also because you really start to become aware of food issues politically and ethically as well. It’s hard not to when you actually care about the food you put in your mouth.
Clean eating has also changed my son’s life, though he doesn’t know the difference. Had I not started eating clean just shortly after his birth, I’m convinced he would not be as healthy and vibrant as he is now. Food affects our children on every level, from general health to their overall behavior.
No one should ever underestimate the power of food. It’s the most powerful medicine we have.
For more recipes and information on clean eating, please visit The Gracious Pantry!
