‘Tis the season for becoming your best self in 2019! If improving your diet and overall health is on your list, look no further than Instagram for inspiration.
Out of all the diet trends, clean eating has to be one of the simplest plans to follow. Just eat real food. Really, that’s it. No processed food from the freezer or middle grocery aisles with a mile-long ingredient list. Eating real foods — veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts, healthy oils and fats, animal and plant-based protein — yields great results, including boosts in energy levels, weight loss, and improved mental focus. It even lessens your impact on the environment and reduces your carbon footprint.
If this all sounds like music to your ears, check out some of my favorite Instagram clean eating accounts for some amazing recipes to get you started. I selected, and recipe tested, eight beautiful and easy meals — including desserts — with glowing reviews!
Vegan Blue Smoothie Bliss
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If you are like me, your smoothie bowl doesn’t usually look anything like Purely Kaylie’s beautiful creations. I’m trying to change that by following her account for inspiration for innovative toppings and ingredients. If you are stuck in a smoothie rut, try something new like this blue smoothie bliss with spirulina, a superfood.
Crispy Garlic Fries with Vegan Tzatzkiki
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The Hungry Warrior’s crispy garlic fries were already perfect, but her addition of vegan tzatziki makes them out of this world. You never crave take-out fries with processed dipping sauce ever again.
Sweet Potato, Pumpkin and Coconut Milk Soup
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This cozy sweet potato and pumpkin soup by Frei Style is absolutely delicious. The coconut milk and caramelized walnuts really make the dish. I didn’t have truffle oil on hand, but no doubt it would make this soup even more decadent.
Paleo Pancakes with Cranberry Chia Syrup
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For this feel-good breakfast, Olive Eeeats used paleo pancake mix and topped the stack with a cranberry chia maple syrup sauce. This recipe was quick and a big hit in our house.
Baked Saffron Tilapia with Pistachio Cream Sauce
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Veggie bowls with a protein are one of my favorite weeknight meals. What really sets this one by Nutriholist apart is the pistachio cream sauce. How amazing does that sound? It’s zesty and wonderful and if you sub a non-dairy yogurt it is a dairy-, gluten-, and grain-free meal.
Gluten-Free Pink Pitaya Coconut Truffles
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These five-ingredient coconut truffles by Nm Meiyee are not only beautiful but amazingly easy to make. The pink color comes from pitaya superjuice powder, which serves as a powerful antioxidant.
Vegan Cashew Thai Curry
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I am obsessed with the nut-based sauce in Bites by Mi’s cashew Thai curry. It is also a breeze to make — you simply throw the ingredients in the blender and voila! Add vegetables, rice noodles, and dinner is set.
Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Fudge
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Can you eat clean and have dessert too? Yes! Erin Lives Whole created this gluten- and dairy-free peanut butter chocolate swirl fudge and I just about fainted.
Feature photo by Jannis Brandt on Unsplash.
Macaire Douglas lives in Chicago with her husband and two sons. She proudly supports Share Our Spare, a local nonprofit that collects goods for children in need.
