Day 1: Clean Eating - Penne Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, & Tomato

My first day of clean eating was a huge success! Here's a quick rundown of the day:

Breakfast: Protein Shake

Lunch: Protein Shake

Snack:  Handful of Almonds & Dried Berries

Dinner: Penne Pasta with Chicken, Broccoli, & Tomato.

Dinner was by far the highlight of my day. I wanted to start my clean eating with a recipe that had ingredients I knew I would like, so this was a great fit. I feel like it is important to mention I had no idea what a food processor was, until today. The recipe mentioned using a food processor to puree some of the ingredients, so I went to the store and bought one on my way home from work.

I literally do not know how I have lived without one of these amazing machines! They can chop, dice, slice, puree, and basically anything else your can think of! The recipe said it takes 20 minutes, however, it took me a little over an hour (mostly spent putting the food processor together). Here is a quick rundown on the recipe contents:

• 1 1/2 Cup: Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Cup: Fresh Basil 
• 1/2 Cup: Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 3 Chicken Breasts
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Package Whole Wheat Pasta
• 1 Zucchini
• 12 Cherry Tomatoes

I started by boiling a pot of water and added the package of whole wheat pasta. I then added the fresh basil, cilantro, garlic clove, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini to the food processor and pureed them all together. It made a really nice sauce like texture. I then moved to the chicken breasts. I cut the chicken into small chunks and cooked them in a skillet on medium heat. I drained the pasta, and then added all the ingredients into the skillet together. I let all the ingredients marinate for a few minutes and then VOILA!! I made a plate for both myself and my hubby and put a little bit of mozzarella cheese on top.

The fresh spices and herbs were amazing and so vibrant in this recipe. I absolutely loved every bite. I will say that I did get full about half-way through my plate, so I saved a little bit for later. Also, the recipe makes 4 servings, which is nice because my hubby like leftovers. I am so glad today went so well, it made me really excited for cooking tomorrow!

This recipe is definitely one to try!