Review: Special Issue - Meal Plans Made Easy

Title: Meal Plans Made Easy
Clean Eating Magazine Special Issue

In the Magazine Section
at your local Barnes and Noble
OR
Clean Eating Magazine.com

I picked this up because plain and simple, I am addicted to cookbooks and any cookbook that is smaller and handy, is awesome in my book. I really had no idea how much I was going to love this book and I don't just mean book porn or food porn!

I have been making these  meals and following the plans for a week now and I LOVE IT! Each recipe is so easy and so good. I literally went shopping one day and then each morning, I gather all my stuff together and either eat it then or take it with me to work. I LOVE IT!

I have been struggling with losing weight and I couldn't figure it out. I finally realized I wasn't getting enough protein in my diet. These meal plans have solved that. The majority of them have protein in 2 of the 3 meals.

It also tells exactly how much to serve - a bunch of grapes - about 15, just for those of us (ME!) that don't know what a bunch means. It has really awesome combinations I would never have put together myself.

I also learned how to make my own homemade dressings for salads. I am not a fan of salad dressing. Haven't been for awhile. They are too thick, too sweet or too syrupy. The ones I made at home were so easy and super light, but gave good flavor.

Also a favorite of mine was the occasional juice drink! YUM!!!!

There are two things I would change. ONE, I am dairy free and it includes a bunch of dairy products like cheeses, yogurt, cottage cheeses. I would prefer a back page with substitutions. TWO, I do not know how to broil or poach eggs nor some of the other cooking methods they simply state in here. A page of brief explanation would be good too!

Now, for the food porn -

This was MY FIRST TIME EVER making soup from scratch and it was AWESOME!! Asparagus Soup -
(PS I need to buy a blender bc this spilled over my puree machine)

Asparagus soup with the dressings - crab meat, toasted croutons (GF), red peppers and some cheese garnish (DF). 

This was the ever incredible steak salad with broiled (I think) steak - very rare (sorry for those who prefer well done) with arugula, romaine, mushrooms, carrots and other stuff I can't remember. OH and homemade dressing!!!

Breakfast one morning of a fried egg (bc I couldn't remember how to poach) over arugula, crab meat and toast.