CLEAN EATING RECIPES FOR WEIGHT LOSS: Yams & Spinach
Healthy and simple are at the heart of my coaching philosophy. It’s it’s not healthy, it’s obviously not going to help us with weight loss. If it’s not simple, it’s going to cause burnout—and ultimately not help us with weight loss. This yam dish is one of my favorite SIMPLE clean eating recipes for weight loss.
Health Benefits of Yams
Let’s chat briefly about the health benefits of yams. There are A LOT—including helping our bodies with weight loss!
- Help control our weight—the dietary fiber and complex carbs in yams helps us feel fuller for longer.
- Regulate our metabolic functions—the minerals in yams make them an excellent choice for boosting your metabolism.
- Help with digestion—the starch and fiber in yams reduce gas, bloating and constipation.
- Improve heart health—Vitamin B6 helps break down an amino acid that is high in people who have had heart attacks.
- Reduce risk of cancer—Vitamin C helps to prevent oxidative stress, which is linked to a variety of cancers, and Vitamin A boosts our immunity.
- Fight aging—Carotene and Vitamin B6 decrease wrinkles, dark circles, fine lines, etc.
- Boost eye health—Vitamins A and C strengthens our immune system, which lowers the risk of macular degeneration.
- Improve brain health—potassium helps regulate our brain’s nerve activity.
- Prevent premature births—the iron in yams helps prevents a deficiency, which can cause an early birth.
- Promote hair growth—beta carotene (the orange stuff) makes our hair thicker and shinier.
Now hat’s what I call multi-tasking!
(SIDE NOTE: The combination of foods in this recipe is said to be especially good for that time of the month we ladies have to deal with due to its hormone balancing powers.)
I just think it’s delicious…buon appetito!
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This simple Yams & Spinach dish is one of my favorite clean eating recipes for weight loss and makes for an EASY lunch or dinner. I bake up a whole bag of organic yams and sauté a couple bags of spinach at once so I can throw this together really quick throughout the week. And, if you're a Fixer, this is easily done using your for containers!
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- 1 organic yam (depending on size)
- 1/4 cup sautéed organic baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon olive or coconut oil
- 1 Tablespoon crumbled goat or feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped raw pecans
- salt + pepper (to taste)
- 1-2 splashes balsamic vinegar (to taste)
- If you're cooking a single serving, you can microwave the yam on high until done (make sure you poke the skin with a fork). If you're making up a big batch, I prefer baking them at 375 F until done. For smaller yams, about 20-30 minutes is good...larger ones need up to an hour.
- Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet, preheat the oil over medium heat then sauté the spinach until soft. You can do your single serving or a big batch—if you're cooking up the whole bag like I do, set aside your 1/4 cup and put the rest in an airtight container for the next meal.
- Mash or slice 1-2 yams (skins and all!) in a bowl and top with sautéed spinach, goat or feta cheese, and pecans.
- Season with salt, pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar, if desired.
If you have any of those gourmet oil and vinegar places near you, I urge you to get yourself over there and treat yourself to some balsamic vinegar like you've never tasted before! My favorites are white balsamic and regular fig balsamic!
