Eating Clean is Stress Free

We have Chris Munch with us today to share his approach to Eating Clean the stress-free way by making a plan for the week, visiting his local farmer for a hand-selected basket of veg, and making awesome recipes like the one he shares below for pretzels. 

Typical CSA Farm Share basket. 

Let’s face it, guys like food! I personally love food, my life revolves around food.  When I am not eating, I am generally planning what the next meal will be or making a meal plan for the week.  I even met my wife while working as a cook in a restaurant.  In fact, I love food so much that it may surprise you that I also love Clean foods.

I started trying to Clean up my diet a couple of year ago, after picking up a copy of Clean Eating magazine.  After learning about Eating Clean, I slowly transitioned my diet to a point where I can say that 95% of what I eat is Clean. (Yes, I do eat the occasional cheat snack, who doesn’t! Well Tosca maybe? Note from Tosca: yes, I do treat myself too) But that is the beauty of Eating Clean, you do what you can! Any step towards Eating Clean is a step in the right direction. I swapped my cola for sparkling water, my white sugar for maple syrup and my white flour for whole-grain red fife.  I even signed up for a community supported agriculture share (CSA) where every week I pick up a basket of produce from the local farmer.

I am also 7 weeks into the GSP Rushfit exercise program. The nutritional plan included in the program also promotes a Clean diet.  By eating balanced Clean meals I find that I have more energy and able to commit to my workouts.  Something I had a hard time doing while eating junk and I would end up quitting after a week or two.

Honestly, not many guys are going to eat salads and sip green tea when hanging out. (Yes, I do this while alone). When my buddies come over and I feed them Clean foods, they generally have no idea.  Burgers (homemade) and hot dogs (Clean, nitrate free) on the BBQ or homemade soft pretzels (whole wheat) dipped in mustard. I have even combined them and made Eating Clean pretzel dogs! Eating Clean is not always what you would suspect!

Eating-Clean Pretzels

Ingredients
1 cup warm water
1 packet of dry active yeast
1 tbsp maple syrup
4 cups red fife flour (or other whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
Egg wash
Coarse salt
Water
0.5 cup baking soda

Methods
1. Mix warm water and maple syrup in a bowl.  Stir in yeast and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foaming.
2. Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Pour yeast mixture into flour mixture and add oil.
4. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined (adding more flour or water to create a soft dough).
5. Coat a large bowl with a bit of oil and place dough ball in. Cover with plastic wrap and let site for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Bring a large pot of water and baking soda to a boil.
8. Punch down dough and kneed for 5- 10 minutes by hand.
9. Divide dough into 8-10 portions and roll out dough to a long string.
10. Shape dough into pretzel form.
11. Drop pretzels into boiling water for 30 seconds a side and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
12. Brush pretzels with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
13. Bake pretzels in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until browned.

Note: To make pretzel dogs, follow steps, except in step 10, wrap pretzel dough around hotdog and continue with remaining steps.

Note:  You can use the same basic recipe for clean pizza dough, in step 9 just form into pizza dough and top with your favorite ingredients.