Chef notes
"Clean eating" is the hot new way to eat healthy, and proponents say you can feel better and lose unwanted weight by focusing on fresh, unprocessed foods and cooking at home as much as possible. Here, Martha Stewart shares four tips and four recipes from her new book, Clean Slate.
TIPS
1. Start with fresh produce, whole grains, and lean proteins; prepare them simply; and take the time to share and enjoy them.
2. Clean eating means making meals from scratch, whether a workday breakfast for one or a weeknight dinner for four.
3. Make your own snacks instead of relying on anything from a package.
4. Focus on every aspect of your meals — turn away from screens and devices and avoid other distractions so you can savor the process of cooking and eating.
Most people reach for butternut squash or acorn squash, but there are other varieties worth exploring, including Japanese kabocha squash. With its slightly sweet flesh and edible skin (which also contains many nutrients), kabocha is especially good roasted; try it steamed, too.
Ingredients
- 1/2 small kabocha squash, unpeeled, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch slices
- 1 small red onion, sliced into wedges, root end attached
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse salt
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 to 5 ounces each), butterflied
- Red-pepper flakes
- 16 fresh sage leaves (from about 4 sprigs)
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place squash and red onion on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil evenly over vegetable mixture, and season with salt. Toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, pound chicken to a 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt and red-pepper flakes. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Fry sage until just crisp, about 1 minute; use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain.
Working in batches, add chicken to pan; sauté until golden and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Serve chicken topped with spinach, roasted vegetables and fried sage.Nutritional informationPer serving: 267 calories, 15 G fat (2 G saturated fat), 51 MG cholesterol, 10 G carbohydrates, 26 G protein, 2 G fiber.
