Eat Clean Meal Ideas with Pasta!

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Explore Asian. Thank you for supporting He and She Eat Clean.

Raise your hand if you love pasta! I have good news for you! I've found a high protein, low carb alternative. Explore Asian has reinvented the pasta aisle changing an everyday favorite into a ridiculously healthy and nutritious meal.

You might be thinking…she's crazy.

Don't knock it ‘til you try it! Honestly, when I first bought a package a few months ago I was skeptical but pleasantly surprised! Their products are made with the finest, organic NON-GMO ingredients and are vegan, gluten free, organic and Kosher certified. Oh, and they are ready in under 10 minutes. It's so easy!

You can create new recipes or even try out some of their suggested recipes on the package (or on their website). In an effort to show you more of my meals instead of just food prep, below are a few ways I've incorporated these products into my normal meals.

This week our food prep consisted of the following:

• Honey Chipotle Ground Chicken
• Eat Clean Chicken Salad
• Italian Turkey Burgers
• Sweet-Sweet Potato Cubes

…and we added Explore Asian Organic Edamame Spaghetti and Organic Black Bean Spaghetti.

For a few of my meals I used a serving of the Edamame Spaghetti and mixed it with an Italian Turkey Burger and topped it with fresh pasta sauce. I also added some onion powder on top. It was delicious!

Next, I used the Black Bean Spaghetti and mixed it with the Honey Chipotle Ground Chicken. I think this is one of my favorite meals now!

The nutritional stats on these products are amazing! The Edamame Spaghetti has 24 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, and 21 grams of carbs per serving. The only ingredient is organic edamame. The Black Bean Spaghetti has 25 grams of protein, 12 grams of fiber, and 17 grams of carbs per serving. The only ingredient is organic black beans.

Since I was adding additional protein to my meals I didn't use an entire serving of the pasta and it was still very filling!

Wondering where to purchase Explore Asian products? They are available at many Whole Foods, Costco and Fairway stores. Our Costco (Buford, GA) carries the Edamame Spaghetti. Check out the store locator to find a store near you: http://www.explore-asian.com/store-locations

It gets even better! There's a contest opportunity! From November 25 - December 24, create a recipe using Explore Asian products and take a picture of your creation to enter to win a $100 gift card to Whole Foods. Recipes and pictures can be sent to info@explore-asian.com. All entries must be received by December 24, 2015.

Connect with Explore Asian:

• Website: http://www.explore‐asian.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExploreAsianCuisine/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/Explore_Asian
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/Exploreasian
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/exploreasian/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ExploreAsian

​Have you tried Explore Asian products before? Which one is your favorite? We can't wait to try the Thai Brown Rice Noodles next!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Explore Asian.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Andrews Bald & Rocky Top

I have NO idea why I just realized that although our website is pretty extensive we basically leave out a HUGE portion of who we are and what we do. We aren't like many other fitness websites or fitness "personalities". We don't count calories or macros. We also don't live in the gym.

More often than not you will find us outside hiking. We've been on some amazing hiking trips that I plan to post about in the coming months. Hopefully you find these inspirational and a way to get outside of the gym. Along with the new travel page we've also added a money page to the website in order to fully encompass what we are all about! We are very excited to bring much more than just workouts and recipes to you in 2016!

Back to hiking, a few weeks ago (Nov 20-21, 2015) we went hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Scott had the day off on Friday so we drove up early. GSMNP is about three hours from us and we always leave super early to beat a lot of the traffic in the park. We were only there for two days but took advantage and hiked each day.

Hiking In Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Andrews Bald

3.5 Miles
Moderate

We did Andrews Bald on Friday afternoon for a short and sweet hike. It was only 3.5 miles and we loved it! The payoff was HUGE, especially considering it was such a short hike. Once we got out of the trees and onto the bald, it was breathtaking.

We posted the plank picture (above) on Instagram. I absolutely love the way it turned out with the mountains in the background. After resting and eating for a few minutes we headed back out to the car. One the way out we were talking about how this hike is a great one for someone just starting out because it's not too difficult (but definitely leaves you breathless in some spots!) and has great views.

After hiking we went into Gatlinburg, TN to eat dinner at Bennett's Pit Bar-B-Q. At Bennett's we wanted to just order a few pounds of meat because we don't eat any of the sides that most BBQ restaurants offer. This restaurant was just like a few others we've been to where they don't let you order just the meat while dining in. However, our waitress allowed us to order from the "to-go" counter to get just the meat and eat it at the table. I know that many of you always ask what we eat when we go out so these posts will give you a glimpse into that. We normally only eat out while we are traveling.

After dinner we drove to our hotel in Townsend, TN (we stayed at Townsend Gateway Inn). 

Rocky Top

11.5 miles
Strenous

On Saturday we woke up and set out to hike Rocky Top. Thankfully this was only about a 20 minute drive from the hotel. We started this 11.5 mile hike at the Lead Cove Trailhead. It was pretty difficult and basically uphill the entire way to the top. This trail does join the Appalachian Trail for a few miles so I had to stop and take a picture for my dad!

Once at Spence Field it was another 1 mile to Rocky Top where it was cold and windy. We actually talked about quitting and turning around but we, of course, didn't. We hiked all the way to Rocky Top and we are glad we did!

On the way back down the mountain we met the nicest dad and daughter hiking duo. They were doing a two night trip in the park. I love seeing families spending time together outside! We meet some of the best people hiking and I can't wait to tell you more of their stories!

After finishing the hike we headed back into Gatlinburg (after picking up some Red Velvet Fudge!) to eat lunch. We were going to eat at Mellow Mushroom but it was almost impossible to get to the restaurant with traffic so we ate at Texas Roadhouse instead. After lunch we made the three hour drive back home.

I hope that this post, previous hiking posts I've written (you can find those here), and future posts will encourage you to get up and start moving. Don't limit yourself to the gym, running, or classes. Almost all of my best ideas come from when I am outside in nature, completely unplugged.

Clean Eat Recipe: No Bake Gingerbread Protein Balls

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Kohl's. Thank you for supporting He and She Eat Clean.

These No Bake Gingerbread Protein Balls are the PERFECT pre and/or post workout snack. You can also just keep them on hand for when a craving strikes or when your kids want a festive treat but they've (or you've!) had too much junk food already!

The hardest part about this recipe is actually waiting until they are finish cooling to eat! I'm pretty sure I ate half of the batter before they made it into actual Gingerbread Protein Balls.

Honestly, I'm not a big gingerbread fan. After making these I realized that I'm just not a fan of baked gingerbread. These are perfect because they are "no bake" so they still taste like the batter after they cool. That's a plus in my book!

I made these using this food processor from Kohl's. We've had ours for years and it is perfect for what we use it for. However, if you are looking for a heavy duty food processor Kohl's has many different options at different price points (you can view those here).

Clean Eat Recipe: No Bake Gingerbread Protein Balls

Ingredients:

• 1 packet/scoop vanilla whey protein powder (we use TLS whey protein packets)
• 1/3 cup oat flour
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey (you may also add or sub for another sweetener of your choice)
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor, except for the maple syrup and additional sweetener (if desired) and process until mixed. Add in maple syrup and sweetener. Process again. The batter will form against the sides and will be sticky.
2. Scoop out the batter by hand or use a spoon and roll into ¼" balls. Depending on which sweetener and how much you used, they might be sticky. Sprinkle additional oat flour over the batter and on your hands in order to easily roll them into shape. Place balls on wax paper or parchment paper.
3. Place in refrigerator to chill. These are best served cold (after a few hours in the refrigerator).
4. Enjoy!

Kohl's #MakeYourMove campaign isn't only about moving, it's about living an overall healthy lifestyle. Finding healthier alternatives to your favorite foods is a great way to #MakeYourMove in the kitchen! What are your favorite holiday treats? We might be able to help you make a healthy version!

Don't forget to download our FREE Fit Festive Foods eCookbook! It includes the following recipes + tips to stay on track over the holidays! Grab your copy here.

• Sugar Cookies
• Gingerbread Muffins
• Gingerbread Smoothie
• Cranberry Sauce
• Pomegranate Mojito
• Cherry Almond Shooter

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Kohl's.