A few days ago several readers and I had a great discussion on Facebook about make-ahead breakfast ideas. As I was mulling over all the great options you suggested (and thank you for those!) I remembered that there was a gem of a recipe (details later in the post!) in my new favorite cookbook: Clean Eating for Busy Families, by Michelle Dudash, R.D.
You have likely heard of “clean eating” or the “clean food” movement, but if not, the basic idea is that you attempt to eat food as close to its original source as possible, avoiding GMOs, artificial ingredients, preservatives, and high-fructose corn srup. I’ve been intrigued by the idea for a long while, but honestly, the thought of switching my entire approach to eating (and letting go of many convenience food options that are loaded with all that bad stuff) was pretty overwhelming.
My family actually was on the Paleo diet for about a month, and that was a great way to force a restart in our systems and get our bodies used to not inhaling sugar and additives constantly. We have since that time migrated over to a more whole foods, clean eating approach, and this cookbook has been instrumental in that process.
Why do I love it so much? Because it is REALISTIC. Michelle wrote this book with families just like mine in mind. We want to serve wholesome, delicious food. We also have a million things on our “to do” lists such that cooking complicated dishes from scratch constantly isn’t feasible. And we have real budgets, meaning that we can’t spend hundreds of dollars every week at places like Whole Foods. Michelle’s recipe ideas are the perfect balance between price, time and health consciousness!
Michelle even includes weekly grocery list ideas and practical tips to help encourage healthy eating habits in your home. And most of the recipes are ready in 30 minutes or less! Heck yes!!! Michelle is an outstanding resource for finding practical ways to clean up the food in your house. I actually had the chance to be part of a conference call with her a while back and I learned some fantastic tips for encouraging healthy habits for kids. Definitely give that a read if you haven’t yet!
Ok, so about that recipe I found for a make-ahead (and totally freezable) breakfast idea. Check it out!
Are you shocked to see a breakfast recipe with the term “cookies” in it? Especially in a “clean eating” cookbook? I think this gives you an idea about just how practical Michelle’s approach really is! Her recipes are delicious AND appealing to the entire family, including kids. When I told Darah were were having “breakfast cookies” she almost couldn’t contain her excitement. She inhaled these (and to be honest, so did Tim and I!). I am actually going to make another batch today to tuck away in the freezer for the weeks ahead. They come together fast, and they go so well with a cup of coffee! 🙂
 I’ve been wearing out the pages, lately, and I plan to continue doing so over the summer and beyond! Need a few more ideas for simple clean eating recipes? Check out my easy clean eating version of a Lunchable, as well as some picks for frozen foods that are clean (or close to it!).
I received a complimentary book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. This post contains affiliate links.Â
Lily Kwan says
The Creamy Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Pepitas recipe sounds very tasty!
Kristin @ Keenly Kristin says
Red Potato Salad with Scallions & Greek Yogurt!! YUM!
trixx says
The Skinny Chicken Parmesan with spinach sounds amazing!
heather c says
This sounds great – Spinach Avocado Salad with Lime Cumin Vinaigrette
Lisa L says
Arugula & Shrimp Salad with Orange Vinaigrette sounds absolutely delicious!
Sand says
The Spinach Avocado Salad with Lime Cumin Vinaigrette sounds good.
laurie brown says
Breakfast cookies
Diane Cooper says
Just thinking about the Four Seasons Fruit Pizza is making my mouth water!
Brittney House says
Four Seasons Fruit Pizza
Allison says
Breakfast cookies
Shannon F says
The Beef & Bell Pepper Stroganoff with Whole-Wheat Noodles sounds good to me!
tina reynolds says
I want to make Mint Hibiscus Lemonade
Jennifer C says
Four Seasons Fruit Pizza
latoya says
Spinach Avocado Salad with Lime Cumin Vinaigrette sounds delish!
Claire says
breakfast cookies
Laura I says
Cajun-Crusted Tilapia Tacos with Pico de Gallo
Buddy Garrett says
Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach sounds delicious.
kathy pease says
id love the Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach
latanya says
Grilled Balsamic Chicken Medallions with Tricolor Bell Peppers & Red Onions
Melissa says
Lean & Green Dill Salmon Burgers with Creamy Cocktail Sauce sounds really good!
Tricia Andrews says
I’d like to try the Four Season Fruit Pizza!
Holly Storm-Burge says
The Quick-Broiled Open-Face Turkey Swiss Sandwiches with Spinach & Avocado sounds yum. I would love this book! Thanks!
Christina says
My husband deploys soon and I feel that it will be a great time to get me and my 3 kids (5,3, and 8 months) on a clean eating start since hubby is the junk food king. The book looks wonderful!
susan smoaks says
i want to try the Slow Cooker Lentil Sloppy Joes
Michelle C says
On-The-Go Tangy Chicken, Bell Pepper & Red Potato Packets
Saver Sara says
Creamy Avocado, Tomato & Black Bean Dip
Natalie says
On the go tangy chicken looks good, we just joined a CSA so this book wld help !
meredith says
the Cucumber Quinoa Salad with Feta Cheese, Olives, Mint & Oregano sounds yum
Karen Gonyea says
Steve’s famous tailgate chili with kidney beans 🙂
Megan Morgan says
I would love to try the grilled cilantro shrimp tacos with mango salsa!!
Michelle Tucker says
I think the Grilled Rosemary Dijon Pork Chop and Vegetable Skewers sounds very good.
Brenda Elsner says
I would like to try Steve’s famous tailgate chili with kidney beans
Tracy Allen says
Grilled Rosemary Dijon Pork Chop and Vegetable Skewers sounds great
liz l says
Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach
alexandra c. says
Chicken Parm w/ spinach….Nom Nom Nom!!! =)
Ed Nemmers says
The Pecan Crusted Chicken Strips would be my recipe of choice!
Alex Roach says
Breakfast cookies look delicious!
Jen H says
I’d love to try the Creamy Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Pepitas! sounds so good!
Scrapless Press says
It’s nice to see people blogging about gmo free and clean eating. My family has been doing it for a little over a year. It’s definitely a lifestyle change and not easy, but very much worth it.
Gianna says
Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Crispy Rice Treats.
brenda robinson says
avacado and black bean dip is the one i would like the most, doing clean eating to help with chronic hives
brenda robinson says
avacado and black bean dip
Daniel M says
Four Season Fruit Pizza sounds interesting
Jennifer Manriquez says
The grilled cilantro shrimp tacos sound amazing! I am new to the clean eating movement, and I just added this book to my wish list on Amazon two days ago! Hope I win! =)
Emily says
Breakfast cookies look great!
renee says
•Four Seasons Fruit Pizza
Becca says
Hearty Broccoli Cheddar & Yukon Gold Potato Soup 🙂
Alexa says
On-The-Go Tangy Chicken, Bell Pepper & Red Potato Packets
Jessica Sage says
the creamy avocado, tomato & black bean diP!
Karen says
I like the Grilled Cilantro Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa recipe.
Rachael says
Grilled Cilantro Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
I love shrimp tacos!
Jen L says
Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach sounds good.
Crystal Medina says
Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach
ColleenMarie82 says
I think the Four Seasons Fruit Pizza sounds yummy!
Lisa says
The Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach sounds good.
Susan Chester says
I would like to try the Creamy Avocado, Tomato & Black Bean Dip.
Michele says
I’d definitely like to try making the four seasons fruit pizza for my kids. I think they would really enjoy it.
Leah says
Cucumber Quinoa salad sounds delicious, may have to see if I can get this from the library!
Megan says
Jamaican Jerk Chicken & Sweet Potato Planks
Jaclyn Reynolds says
The pecan crusted chicken strips sound like a great lunch or dinner!
Kelly McGrew says
Creamy Avocado, Tomato & Black Bean Dip (p. 35)
Stephanie Grant says
I would love to try the Four Seasons Fruit Pizza, my son is a fruit lover and I think he would really get a kick out of this one 🙂
Tina Wegner says
Starting to eat healthy. This looks like a great book to help me.
Heather says
Slow cooker beef and vegetable tacos all the way! 🙂
James Coyne says
Four Seasons Fruit Pizza
Renee G says
I’d love to try the Spinach Avocado Salad with Lime Cumin Vinaigrette. It sounds wonderful for summer.
polly says
the orange vanilla cheesecake bars sound yummy!
Les Johnson says
The Creamy Avocado, Tomato & Black Bean Dip sounds delicious. It would be great for summer cookouts.
Jill N. says
I would love to try the Jamaican Jerk Chicken! Thanks for the chance to win!
Alanna says
Grilled Cilantro Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
Jennifer T. says
The Cucumber Quinoa Salad with Feta Cheese, Olives, Mint & Oregano recipe sounds great to me and I have most of those ingredients on hand.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com
Alyssa Roberts (Lucy) says
Grilled Balsamic Chicken Medallions with Tricolor Bell Peppers & Red Onions
I looooooove grilled food and i’ve never tried grilled bell peppers!
Jennifer Pittman says
opps, I think I might have spelled my twitter account wrong on the entry… it is aggiewaterbug (not agiewaterbug) – Thanks!
Jennifer Pittman says
I have been thinking about trying out clean eating – so this book would be great! I think the Chicken Tortilla Stew with Black Beans & Green Chile sounds great!
erum shaukat says
cucumber quinoa salad with feta cheese sounds delish. also i love she is an RD
Kathleen Downes says
The Hearty Broccoli Cheddar and Yukon Gold Potato Soup sounds delicious.
Beth says
The Chicken Tortilla Stew with Black Beans & Green Chile sounds delish!
rebecca williams says
Lime Basil Watermelon Cooler
Katie K says
Cucumber Quinoa Salad with Feta Cheese, Olives, Mint & Oregano (p. 27)*
Dorothy Teel says
I would like to read more and see about cooking this one – •Jamaican Jerk Chicken & Sweet Potato Planks (p. 84)* always looking for different ways to cook chicken and we love sweet taters…
sunnie says
The slow cooker beef and vegetable tacos sound good.
Jennifer Rogers says
This sounds yummy to me! Arugula & Shrimp Salad with ORange Vinaigrette!
Linda Bradshaw says
I love slow cooker meals. I would love to try Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetable Tacos.
Shelley P says
I’d love to try the Spinach Parmesan Stuffed Salmon recipe!
Stephanie Larison says
I’m all about the slow cooker! So this one sounds good to me: Steve’s Famous Tailgate Chili with Kidney Beans.
Lauren S. says
I love cilantro, so the fish tacos are first on my list.
Renee C says
The Four Seasons Fruit Pizza sounds good.
Kristin says
The slow cooker beef and vegetable tacos. Yum!
Lisa suroviak says
Sounds like a book I need!!
Mary says
The cilantro grilled shrimp tacos sound delicious!
I bought the America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Cookbook hoping that it would have a lot of nice, simple recipes I could prepare quickly and easily, but no such luck…There are a few things in there, but most of them require a lot of preparation I don’t really feel like doing! A cookbook where most recipes are under 30 minutes is just what I need!
lisa says
Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Crispy Rice Treats
Ashley says
Oven-Fried Fish and Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders should like just what I need for my picky eating 4yo!! And with the yummy sauces to match, mama may have found some keepers as well!!
valerie says
crispy, hazelnut rice krispy treats. its time for dessert…
Yvonne Davis says
Spinach Avocado Salad with Lime Cumin Vinaigrette and Mint Hibiscus Lemonade both sounds amazing!
Lovely sounding recipes…just what I need.
Great review and thanks for the giveaway!
Geri Fink says
Pecan crusted chicken with yogurt dill dip.
Trinity says
I would love to try pecan crusted chicken strips with the dill yogurt dip. Yum!
Mary Williams says
The Four Seasons Fruit Pizza sounds great!
Nicole Kimberlin-Gentry says
The Four Season Fruit Pizza sounds fantastic!
Denise says
I want to try the Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetable Tacos.
Jayden H. says
Grilled cilantro fish tacos with mango salsa!
Kari says
Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Spinach sounds really good!
Dianna Thomas says
Four Season fruit Pizza sounds refreshing and fun
Sarah Victor says
On the go tangy chicken
Brianne says
I fall into a busy family! I need to look into this book more! I’m just starting to ease into clean eating.
Kasey says
oh i am trying those cookies! I love my morning cup of coffee and they sound like the perfect sidekick.
CJ says
First time on your website. Interesting articles. Will add this to my list.