My husband I were recently discussing the fact that food has become boring, that we’re both sick of the same old stuff.

Perfect timing for me to receive a new cookbook.

Now my husband isn’t much for eating healthy, I have to trick him to get him to try new food- the last I tell him is that it’s healthy. But he loves seafood and coconut and wouldn’t you know it The Best of Clean Eating is full of recipes featuring one or the other. I’m not much for fish but I do love shrimp so there’s even recipes that both of us can enjoy. Especially the desserts.

The desserts are something hubby and I can both whole heartedly agree on - like on page 152, you get the healthy sweet snacks Power Yogurt for One and Coconut Balls- both recipes sound delicious. But it’s the real desserts that will make you crave healthy decadence. On page 232 I am seriously drooling over the Molten Lava Cakes made with cocoa powder. On page 230 I see a cake I am going to make for my chocolate and coconut loving husband- Coconut Chai Chocolate Cake. Wow it sounds so yummy my stomach is grumbling in sweet anticipation.

For those of you who love carrot cake you have to check out page 226 the recipe for Slow Cooker Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Honey Drizzle will make non carrot cake lovers drool. Then there’s Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Orange Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake…On page 214 I spy the ultimate apple pie recipe- it’s a pairing of two of my favorite things- vanilla and apples. The Vanilla Bean Spiked Autumn Apple Pie is going on my Thanksgiving menu.

After going through this cookbook you’ll never ever again think that eating healthy is eating bland.

The full color photos are enough to inspire you into exploring new culinary delights then you read through the ingredients and your mouth will start to water.

So far I’ve only spoken of sweet delights but there’s so much more in The Best of Clean Eating, for both die hard foodies and those who simply love food or are looking to try something new.

Throughout the book you’ll find a huge assortment of recipes- gingery roasted squash, roasted cauliflower leek and garlic soup, golden mashed potatoes, apple grilled cheese, yummy hummus, clean eating tortilla chips, sweet potato spread, garlic bruschetta…is your stomach growling yet? Because mine is.

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts…you’ll find clean eating recipes for it in this book.

My husband and I are currently marking pages and making a shopping list for all the amazing recipes we are going to try. I can’t wait- I’m actually excited about food again.

ⓒ iStockPhoto - tacojim

If you planted large-seeded sunflowers like the Mammoth Russian, they provide both a lovely late summer accent in the yard and a healthy snack. Roasting your own sunflowers is easy, and a fun project with kids, though the brining and boiling will require supervision.

The sunflower seeds need to be ripe first. Wait until the sunflower head is drooping and the back is bright yellow, then cut the head and hang, out of the reach of birds and vermin, to dry. If you have the room, plant some sunflowers in a sunny spot out of view specifically for seed harvesting. When the heads droop, bag the heads in cheesecloth to keep the birds from feasting, and let the seeds mature and dry on the stalk.

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©iStockphoto.com - SharonDay

I discovered kale chips while looking for something to satisfy a crispy snack craving during a period of low-carb eating. I’ve eaten low carb off and on since 2003, and unless you buy into deep-fried pig skin as a healthy snack option, low carb just isn’t a very crispy diet. Celery and other raw vegetables can satisfy a need to crunch, but as I quickly learned on my first low-carb experience, crunchy isn’t the same as crispy. After a few weeks, I missed that crumble-in-your-mouth feeling of chips and crackers. Crispy kale fills that dietary void.

Variations on crispy kale abound, often with names that attest to the somewhat addictive nature of kale baked until crispy. This disappears quickly around my house, often straight off the baking sheet. After one experimental batch made for a brown-bag lunch, I found that crispy kale doesn’t stay crisp overnight, but you can re-crisp it. Another five minutes in the oven after it gets limp, and crispy kale is good as new. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - biffspandex

With so many specialized diets and health concerns, even a crudite platter isn’t the simple party menu choice it once was. Dips are a minefield of dairy, starch and sugar that can bog down even the best assortment of raw vegetables. Leaving aside how fat-laden and sugared-up commercial dips are, simply finding a party dip that meets the needs of all partygoers’ dietary restrictions can be a nightmare. This tasty dip is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and lower in fat than traditional sour cream-based dips. The ingredients are all low glycemic index foods. (continue reading…)

While most of us appreciate avocados in the form of good guacamole, many of us are not aware of the many health benefits that this delicious food has to offer. Here is a list of a few health benefits:

* When used instead of other fats, avocados contain over 25 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and can be part of a calorie-reduced diet.

*It contains more potassium than bananas, is the richest source of Beta-sitosterol, which blocks cholesterol absorption, as well as of antioxidants.

* Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit. (continue reading…)

These sesame bars make a great dessert or nutritious pick-me-up any time of day and they take only minutes to prepare. Enjoy!

Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
•           1 cup walnuts
•           ½ cup sesame seeds
•           1½ cups pitted dates
•           1½ cups raisins
•           1/8 tsp salt

Directions:
1.         Pulse all ingredients in food processor until mixture holds together when pressed.
2.         Press mixture into 9inch square pan, and chill. Cut into squares to serve.