Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Tales from the Gym + Caffeinated Giveaway

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There’s one in every crowd.

You  know the one.  The dude that you keep catching staring at you in the gym.  You know it’s just a matter of time before he comes over to chat.  Monday was that day.

First, you have to picture this guy.  Mid-30s, frat boy hair cut, tattoos up on arm… fairly big guy with a little beer belly.   He sauntered up to me while I was adding weight to the seated row machine.

He opened his mouth to reveal one of the most Southern accents I’ve heard in Atlanta.

Frat Man: “I believe that’s more than you weigh.”

Me: “Not quite, but close.”

Frat Man: “I’ve been watching you.  You’re strong.”

Me: “Thank you.”

We went our separate ways, but I notice he’s still glancing over at me.  Later I was doing my calf raises and he asked if he could work in.  I obliged, but before he started, he had to add more commentary.

Frat Man: “I’m sorry I keep staring at you.  I can’t help it – you look just like Tinkerbell.”

Me: “Well… thanks!  I love Tinker.”

Frat Man: “I mean it.  Straight from the TV… how much do you weigh?”

Me: “I’m not really sure.”

Frat Man: “Well, you look good.”

Me: “Thanks.  Have a great workout.”

All of this went down in the least creepy way possible (trust me – I know creepy).  Well, aside from the fact that he said he’s been watching me.  LOL!

Slightly less funny, but still amusing.  This was on the television at the gym yesterday morning:

Daria.

I kind of wanted to stop and watch.

But I mentioned a giveaway, right?

This is one of the more exciting giveaways I’ve done, IMHO.  Reason being is that I LOVE this product.  Often I see giveaways for products that aren’t so great.  Of course, everyone has different tastes… but I do make it a point to try samples before agreeing to a giveaway.  There have been products I’ve turned down – I feel like it reflects badly on me if you are sent something that isn’t that great!

That’s not the case with this giveaway (or with the P28 Bread – I am in LOVE).

Chike contacted me about their coffee protein powder a few weeks ago.  I was hesitant – often I find coffee-flavored stuff to be too fake.  I like the real thing.  The rep assured me the caffeine content was the same as a 2 espresso shots, and it was low sugar/low sodium I knew I had to give it a shot.  Enter: a new addiction.

Who needs Starbucks when you can have a homemade protein mocha frapp with a fraction of the sugar?  If you were to order a Grande (16 oz) Mocha Frappucchino Light at Starbucks, you’d be drinking 130 calories, 28g carbs, 26g sugar, and 4g of protein.  You might as well just swallow 2 tablespoons of sugar.

With 20g of whey protein, 23 vitamins & minerals, and just 2g sugar, this powder makes for a perfect pre-workout shake.  Sunday I was feeling really sluggish after eating too many salty truffle fries on cheat day (I woke up feeling hung over!), but I downed this before meeting my trainer and had a great leg workout.

In my re-creation of the frappuccino, you’ll only have the 2g of sugar from the Chike protein powder and an additional 6-7g from half of a banana.  This is a mocha (any excuse for chocolate in the morning), but you could change up the flavors to recreate your favorite.

Check out this Pumpkin Frapp I did last fall, for example.

You guys know I can’t make a smoothie without adding spinach, so this delicious beverage has a slightly green-ish tint.  The banana added natural sweetness and lent a creamy texture to the drink.

I can never stress enough – use good cocoa!!!  Your drink will be 10x better and 1T of the good stuff won’t break the bank. 🙂

Recipe at bottom.

I’ll get off my sugar-soap box now and tell you how you can get your own Chike High Protein Coffee.

3 winners will be randomly chosen to receive 5 packets of the coffee, and a Chike Blender bottle.  You can never have enough blender bottles.

Receive up to 4 entries:

  1. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win a blender bottle and sample pack from @iLikeChike with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1rZ  #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow Chike, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What is your go-to caffeinated beverage?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST Thursday night,  August 23rd.  The winner will be announced here on Friday, August 24th!

Open to US Residents only.  If you’d like to try these bars but didn’t win, you can order your own on the Chike website.

Mocha Protein Frappuccino

  • 1 serving Chike High Protein Coffee (or 1 scoop protein powder + 1 tsp instant coffee)
  • 1 C spinach (optional)
  • 1/2 medium banana
  • 1 T cocoa powder
  • 7-8 drops liquid Stevia
  • 1/4 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1.8 tsp Guar Gum (optional, acts as a thickener)
  • Ice, to taste

Place all ingredients in blander and mix until smooth.

Top with your favorite add-ins – I used raw oats here – and enjoy!

***

Yesterday we lost one of the most brilliantly funny comedians to walk this earth.  RIP to Phyllis Diller.  I’ll leave you with her wisdom: “Best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out.”

What is your funniest gym interaction?

Are you concerned with sugar intake? 

Lemon Cardamom Granola

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I’m a schwag whore.

 

 

Race expo bags, conference loot, free t-shirts, retreat goodies… you name it, I get excited.  You can imagine my eyes popped out of my head when I saw the gigantic bag ‘o schwag we were gifted at the Blend Retreat.  Lots of bars, cereal, Fitmixer Aminos, protein drinks, and even granola.

One of my favorite items was a lemon-blueberry granola by Nature’s Indulgence.  It’s loooong gone, but I still think about it.

 

 

When I saw this guest post on Lauren’s blog, I was excited to be able to combine those flavors once again.

I had to take liberties with the recipe, as my training diet doesn’t allow for the sugar.  You know what?  I don’t even miss it in this recipe!  A mashed banana helped to sweeten and bind the granola, and it lended a subtle fruit flavor since dried fruits are a no-no (pure sugar, people!).

 

 

Another twist I put on the original was to add a bit of cardamom.  You have to be careful with it – a little goes a long way – but a small amount added to sweet-ish recipes can elevate it to something uniquely delicious.

 

 

One of the things I liked the most about the Nature’s Indulgence version was the inclusion of millet.  It added a cool crunch to the texture.  I didn’t have any millet, but the chia seeds in my version to achieve a similar effect.

It is really fantastic sprinkled over a bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh plum and cinnamon.

 

Recipe at bottom.

______________________________________________________________________________________

First a little round up from the blog world!  I sometimes worry that much of the stuff I make is too weird for anyone to actually try.  More often that not I end a description with “Its really is good, I swear!”

Because of this, I get unnaturally excited when you guys share your own iterations of recipes I’ve posted.  Here are a few recent shares from around the blog/Instagram world… they’re good, I swear!!!

 

Allie ordered her very own peanut flour and tried my favorite sauce combo: peanut four, almond milk, and sriracha:

 

 

Heather rocked out a vegan version of my Tiramisu Protein Parfait using a coconut whipped cream that looks absolutely scrumptious:

 

 

Ashley made this Protein Breakfast Tart that I adapted from Tessa… coincidentally, I made it again yesterday morning. 🙂

 

 

Lauren made my PB & Jeggs with a grilled PB&J after I told her of my childhood love.  I wonder if anyone will try this lightened up version posted yesterday. 

 

 

Last but far from least, Meg made my take on a Cauliflower Pizza Crust.  It turned out beautifully, and I love her runny egg on top!

***Since the original post, I’ve remade and improved upon the crust.  Based on feedback from others I realized the measurements needed to be more precise and detailed instructions.  Look for that update on Monday!***

 

Thank you to everyone who has tried a recipe and/or given feedback!  I love learning from you all. 🙂

____________________________________________________________________________________


Lemon Cardamom Granola

  • 1 C rolled oats
  • 1/2 large banana, mashed
  • Zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1T coconut oil
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • 10 drops NuNaturals Lemon Liquid Stevia
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract

 

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl until well-combined.

Spread the mixture evenly onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 15 mins.  Stir the granola and bake another 10 mins, until golden brown.  

Allow the granola to cool completely before transferring it to an air-tight container.

Note: If you don’t have Stevia, you can sub in 1-2T of your favorite liquid sweet treat (maple syrup, agave, etc.).

Makes 4 servings (1/4 C each).

Approximate nutritionals: 117 calories, 6g fat, 16.4g carbs, 2.3g fiber, 2g sugar, 3g protein

***

I’m attending y first show this weekend!  I can’t wait to see the figure competitors… it’s hard to believe that’s going to be me in a few months! 🙂

What is your favorite granola combo or recent blogger recipe?

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

 

Grilled PB&J with Peanut Tofu Butter

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Comfort food will always reign supreme in my heart.

Even something close to the memory of your favorite comfort food can satisfy.  Take pizza, for example.  I LOVE good, Italian pizza but… It’s like gettin’ frisky.  All pizza is good, some is just better than others.

Cinnabon may be about to bust up my theory though.  They are apparently introducing Pizzabons.  Lucky ATL is their test market.  

[Photo: @AJCFoodandMore]

I can’t judge because I haven’t (and won’t) try it, but my hunch is that Cinnabon should stick with what it knows.

If I had to choose, grilled PB & J would be my #1 comfort food.  Growing up, my mom used to load the sandwich with lots of peanut butter (JIF) and my grandmother’s homemade muscadine jelly.  She would then butter the outside of the bread and grill it up like a grilled cheese.  The peanut butter would become runny and the buttery, crunchy bread was just the right contrast to the oozy-goozey center.

It’s been years since I’ve had one.  I can’t bring myself to put that much butter and gooey deliciousness on a sandwich.  This thing was probably close to 1000 calories.  That’s before the sides – Cheetos and chocolate milk (with extra syrup snuck in when Mom wasn’t looking).

When I was craving this particular sandwich yesterday, I decided to try to make a healthier version of my mom’s classic.

The bread was easy: I used my favorite P28 High Protein Bread.  The jam was also a no brainer – sugar-free Smuckers Strawberry.

The hardest part was the peanut butter.  I needed to achieve the right amount of gooey-ness, and actual peanut butter isn’t allowed on my training plan.  Time to get creative.  Peanut FLOUR is ok (it’s de-fatted), but it won’t melt.  It needs to be a creamy filling… and you know what’s creamy?  Tofu.

I blended my peanut flour with a serving of tofu and a couple of stevia drops for an amazing creamy, low-fat, protein-filled peanut butter.  Bam.

Rather then Cheetos I opted for apple sprinkled with cinnamon.  There was a little tofu-peanut butter left over, which made the perfect apple dip.

I never thought I’d say thing, but these days apple slices are legit more appealing than the processed orange cheese things.

Grilled Protein PBJ

Grilled Protein PB&J

  • Bread
  • 1 serving peanut tofu butter
  • 2 tsp sugar-free jelly
Peanut Tofu Butter
  • 3 oz tofu
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 2-3 drops stevia

Pre-heat George Foreman grill, panini press, or grill pan.

Place Peanut Tofu Butter ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Spread peanut butter and jelly on your bread of choice to make you sandwich.  Place in/on hot grilling apparatus and cook until each side is golden brown.

Enjoy!

***

To be clear: I have nothing against Cinnabon (outside of a general opposition to junk food).  Admittedly, the smell of their cinnamon rolls is intoxicating.  I just can’t imagine wanting a Pizzabon over a real pizza slice or a real Cinnabon.

Would you try the Pizzabon?

What was your favorite childhood meal?  Would you still eat it today?

Maple Zucchini Bread Batter + WIAW

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I’m full.

No, not full of shit.

Full of food.  Protein.  Complex carbs.  Veggies.  This is a result of my my nutrition plan changes.  I mentioned Monday that they were coming.  And come they did. I was secretly hoping I’d just get another cheat day. No dice.

The veggies and carbs have increased slightly… and then there’s the protein.  It has doubled, and is now required to be from a “real” source (fish, egg, or soy) at a minimum of 3 meals.  I’m not there yet, so don’t call me out on this first WIAW.  It’s going to take me a little time to ramp up.  I’m fast learning that figure competitions are not for the faint of heart.  😉

In summation, this is the bulking edition of What I Ate Wednesday.  Tuesday morning was spent at a panel event where I knew I wouldn’t be able to get the foods I need.  It was fun to brainstorm some portable meals that could be prepped the night before!

I did keep it seasonal, thanks to a recent rampage of the Farmer’s Market.  Check it all out below, then click here to visit Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s summer eats!

Meal 1:

As usual, I began my day with Fitmixer Aminos mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water.  I won’t bore you with another pic,  but trust me when I say this stuff is the bomb.  Especially when you have to wake up for a 7am conference.  I wish I was making that up.

This week I managed to NOT have PB & Jeggs for once.  This week I planned ahead and – knowing I’d need the caffeine for my early morning – made Overnight Mocha Protein Oats.  Who needs Starbucks when you have this tastiness?

Mocha Protein Oats:

  • 1/3 C rolled oats
  • 1/2 C water (or liquid of choice)
  • 1/4 C coffee (chilled)
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1-2 tsp cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia 
Place the oats and liquids in a medium bowl and microwave ~3 mins (some liquid should remain).

Mix in remaining ingredients and place in fridge overnight.  In the morning, stir, top with your favorite fruit, and enjoy!  

Note: If you prefer your oats warm, you can also pop these in the mirco again in the morning.

Meal 2:

Greek yogurt is a protein-rich staple in my diet.  Right now I’m hooked on seasonally appropriate strawberry Greek yogurt.

The fruit flavors in the grocery store have a ton of added sugar, but you don’t have to buy those!  I make my own using fresh berries and a touch of Stevia.

To make, simply mash up 1/4-1/2 C of your favorite fruit and mix it into a serving of yogurt.  I added a bit of Stevia and cinnamon as well.  Topped with  pumpkin seeds and eaten with a side of black tea.

This bowl was prepped the night before and frozen.  By the time I was ready to eat Meal 2 (at the afore mentioned meeting) it had thawed to an awesome fro-yo consistency.

Meal 3:

This lunch on the go was better than I could have found at a salad bar chain!  Once again, I prepped everything the night before.  The salmon, Ezekial bread, and edamame were stored in the freezer over night so they were just thawed in time for lunch.

Yes, those are individually packaged Dora the Explorer edamame packets.  I swear I tried to find the regular package   They were out.

In the tupperware I packed my veggies and arugula, and had a dressing ready in the mini container.

The dressing was a quick mix of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, lime juice, and cumin.

Beat that, Doc Greens! 😉

Meal 4:

I made it back home for afternoon snack and heated up a few of the Chick-less Nuggets I posed yesterday.  They are just as good on day 2!

The dip with this was awesome.  I picked up a jar of Marmite and couldn’t wait to use it!  It is a strong flavor, so I mixed 1/4 tsp with 1 T of peanut flour, 2 drops of liquid smoke, and 1.5 T of water.  I’m forever indebted to Heather for introducing me to this stuff!

Meal 5:

Other bloggers are a HUGE source of inspiration to me.  JL posted these tempeh patties 3 weeks ago and my only regret is that I took so long to make them!

I followed her method but increased the nooch to a full tablespoon and added fresh lime juice and thyme.  OMG.  Next time I’m tripling the recipe and freezing some for later.

Served with spinach socca (basic method here; this time I blended in 1 C spinach), sweet potato, raw asparagus, red pepper, onion, and a chipotle pepper pureed with a pinch of cloves, cinnamon, and teeny bit of water.

Meal 6:

I got called out on Instagram for eating Carrot Cake Batter every day week.  It’s addicting!!!

In an effort to be less boring, I decided on a different kind of batter.  I must have had Kristina’s french toast on the brain…. because this is what I came up with:

Maple-Zucchini Bread Batter.  Words cannot even describe.  Sweet with a little depth from maple extract and spice notes from cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cloves.

Carrot cake whaaat?

Recipe at bottom.

Meal 7:

I went simple.  Apple.  Casein pudding.  Uncle Sam’s Cereal.  Cinnamon.  Classic.

Maple Zucchini Bread Batter

  • 1/2 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 T vanilla protein powder
  • 1/3 C no salt added cottage cheese
  • 2 T unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • pinch cloves
  • 1/4 tsp maple extract
  • 7-8 drops vanilla liquid stevia 

Grate zucchini into a bowl and set aside.

In blender, combine remaining ingredients and blend until nearly smooth.  

Add blended mix to the zucchini and stir to combine.

Enjoy!

***

Are you keeping track?  I managed 171.9g of protein – pescatarian-style this week.

Have you ever had to pump up your meals to gain muscle/weight?

Do you think I’m nuts on the zucchini batter piece?  I swear it’s good!

Chick-less Nuggets + Sweet ‘n Spicy Mustard Sauce

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Nuggets of gold, I tell you.

Vegan Chicken Nuggets

Who needs Chick-fil-a?!  These tasty vegan treats all the flavor and finger food deliciousness of the fast food treat, but without the MSG, high fructose corn syrup, ammonium sulfate, yellow 5, blue 1, etc.  (I only wish I were kidding about that ingredient list.)

Maybe they missed the memo:

Isn’t this awesome? I ordered this tee from Callie @ Rawxy. Her cookies are good too, IMHO. 😉

Growing up I thought my mom was so mean because we were rarely allowed to stop for fast food.  I wanted a toy with dinner!  Looking back I am grateful – to this day I have never eaten a fast food hamburger!

However, I did enjoy the occasional chicken nugget from a certain Southern chain.  Today I wouldn’t dream of buying them, especially when there are clean alternatives like these:

Vegan Chicken Nuggets

My chick-less nuggets are TVP-based and are vegetarian/vegan.

After a quick pulse in the blender, mix in some chickpea flour and an egg (a flax egg works here) to bind them.  This creates a nugget-like texture that… well… tastes like chicken.

Chick-less Nuggets! These meat-free nuggest easy to make and high in protein thanks to TVP.

You can make the bites any flavor you’d like, but I went for the classic blend of paprika, red pepper, onion, and garlic.  Lay off the red pepper and these would be ideal for kid meals!  Sorry, toy not included.

Dunked in a healthy, quick sweet ‘n spicy mustard sauce, you’d almost swear these were from a drive-thru… a thought you’ll quickly push aside because these clean bites are better.

Vegan TVP Chick-less Nuggets

Chick-less Nuggets

  • 1 C water
  • 1 no-meat chicken bullion cube
  • 1 C Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP)
  • 2 T chickpea flour
  • 1 egg (flax egg or the “real” thing)
  • 1 tsp spice blend (I used a mix of paprika, red pepper, onion, garlic)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees, or 475 convection.

Heat water in medium bowl and stir in bouillon until dissolved.  Add TVP, stir, and allow to stand for 5 mins.

Pulse soaked TVP in food processor; you want larger pieces broken up, but not a puree.  Add egg and flour and mix well.  Season with your favorite spice blend.

Form “nuggets” with the TVP mix (heaping 2T per nugget).  Drop balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Place in oven and bake for 10 mins, until golden.  Flip nuggets and bake for an additional 5 mins.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Makes 10 nuggets.

Note: Use a flax egg to make vegan.

Approx Nutritionals (per nugget): 47 calories, 0.8g fat, 20.7g sodium, 3.7g carbohydrates, 1.7g fiber, 1.4g sugar, 5.8g protein

 

Sweet and Spicy Mustard Sauce

  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 2 T water
  • 2 drops lemon liquid stevia (or sweetener or choice)
  • Tabasco sauce, to taste

Mix together and dip away!

***

I added a mini “about” section to my side bar with a pic, but am unsure about it… too much?

Do/did you ever like fast food?

What is your favorite dipping sauce?

Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

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I’m beet up and ‘choked up this Monday!

 

It’s the second installment of Heather’s Meatless Mondays from A-Z challenge!

 

 

Last week the ingredient we were to use was artichokes, and I submitted this Quinoa Stuffed Artichoke.  Without thinking, I incorporated this week’s ingredient – beets – into the recipe by soaking my quinoa in beet juice.

 

 

This week… Oops, I did it again.

My submission is a Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper, and in my tempeh stuffing I incorporated both beets AND artichoke hearts.

 

 

If you are someone who doesn’t do well with red beets, I encourage you to try the golden variety.  Golden beets tend to have less of an “earthy” taste, and are slightly sweeter than red beets.  I loved that sweetness in this dish balanced with the mild heat of the poblano pepper.

Don’t be scared of the poblano.  It rates a 4 out of 10 on the Scoville Scale (compared to a habanero which is 9 out of 10).  A poblano’s heat is more of an accent than a punch.  They are perfect for those who like just a touch of spiciness.  FYI – the reddish-brown poblanos are more ripe, and are sweeter than the true green ones.

 

 

Poblanos are commonly used in Mexican dishes, but I took this in a more Indian direction by coating my sautéed stuffing ingredients in a quick sauce made of curry and nutritional yeast.  Curry is an excellent pairing with the nutty tempeh and nutritional yeast flavors, and the sweetness of the beets added a fun twist to the stronger flavors.

Admittedly, I’d never roasted a pepper before.  It seemed like a complex task for some reason.  Rest assured it was stupid-easy, and definitely worth a shot.  This recipe can be easily multiplied and customized to fit the needs of a crowd!

 Next week’s ingredient is caperberries… should I purposefully aim for artichokes, beets, and capers?  😉

_____________________________________________________________________________

Workout recap before food though!  This week was a weird one.  I traveled on Wed/Thursday so I had to take a rest day midweek.  Being on an airplane makes my body really tired/weak-feeling, making Friday’s workout was a hard one.  I also had a weird pain in my heel on Friday morning.  It feels bruised, but I didn’t do anything that would bruise it.  It happened before I workout – almost immediately as I got out of bed.  It still hurts today… I’ve been resting and icing, and I skipped past leg day Saturday to give it a rest and instead focused on upper body.  Like my triceps:

 

Last week I mentioned being frustrated that while I have seen increase in weight I can move, my weight is the same.  This week will bring some adjustments to my diet, adding more fats, protein from “real” sources (not powder), and a small increase in carbs and veggies (woo hoo!).  Candidly, I am a little nervous.  That’s a LOT of food, and I often struggle to get in all  7 meals with the smaller portions.  If anyone wants to come shovel food in with me, I could use the encouragement! LOL!

 

Workout Recap (8/6 – 8/12):

  • Monday – Legs (w/ trainer)
  • Tuesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Shoulders/Butt
  • Thursday – Rest, 1.5 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises
  • Saturday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Sunday – Shoulders/Butt
______________________________________________________________________________________

Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

  • 1 large poblano
  • 1/2 tsp avocado oil
  • 2 T red onion, chopped
  • 1/3 C golden beet, diced
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 serving tempeh
  • 1/4 C chopped artichoke hearts
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp curry
  • Shake of cumin
  • ~2T water

 

Preheat oven to 475.

Place the pepper on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Roast for 30 mins, turning pepper every ~10 mins.  The goal is to char it on all sides.

Once charred, place in a bowl and cover with a towel to steam for ~10 mins.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and begin to saute onions and beets.  Once onion begins to turn translucent, add garlic, tempeh, and artichokes.  Add apple cider vinegar (or other white vinegar), and stir to combine.  Cook until warmed through, and garlic becomes fragrant (~2 mins).

Mix nutritional yeast, curry, and cumin with water and pour over saute.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.  

Remove pepper from bowl and begin peeling.  The skin with come off easily when they’re cooked like this.

Make a small slit down the length of one side of the pepper, being careful not to cut through to the other side. Carefully remove seeds, leaving stem intact.  Spoon tempeh mixture into the pepper to fill.

Transfer stuffed peppers to baking sheet dish.  Place in oven and bake until golden, 5-8 mins. Cool for a moment before transferring to a plate.  Sprinkle with chopped mint, lime juice, and additional nooch sauce if desired.

Makes 1 (easily doubled or quadrupled). 

***

I didn’t want to clutter the post with all of my cheat day treats, but this happened (among other things):

 

Have you ever had an odd heel pain?  Any advice?

Do you like beets?  What is your favorite way to eat them?

 

The Lawrence + P28 Giveaway Winner

By

Last Saturday’s cheat day adventures didn’t end with vegan soft serve.

 

I met up with Lee @ In My Tummy and her husband, Jason for dinner.  Lee and I have been talking about checking out The Lawrence (905 Juniper St., Atlanta, GA 30309, 404.961.717) since it opened.  A few months later… we finally made it!

 

 

We studied the menu, strategizing our order.  The menu is separated into small, medium, and larger plates.  The smalls are tapas-sized, mediums contain 3-4 ounces of a protein, and the larges are 6-7 ounces of protein.  We settled on sharing a few small and medium plates.

 

 

 

First, a gift from the kitchen:

 

Our amuse bouche was a spoon of sweet corn soup with a bit of smoked trout and parsley.  This may sound weird, but I really appreciated the touch of green to balance the sweet and smoky flavors.  Maybe I’m just a big fan of greens.

 

Our first small plate was actually quite large.  This plate of grilled summer squash was served with tarragon, maldon salt, and garlic oil.  The squashes were cut into thick wedges, which meant that there was still a good crunch to the center.

 

My favorite of the smalls was this Salt & Pepper Tofu.  Lee’s husband commented that it tasted a little lick chicken.  The chef had soaked it in a rice vinegar and coated it in rice flour to dry fry.  It was served with spicy radish slices, cilantro, and Serrano pepper.  I would go back for this dish alone.

 

 

Have you ever heard of dry frying?  I wasn’t familiar with the term so I googled it and found this article.  Exactly how it sounds!  I’ll be recreating this delicious meal soon.

 

The last small was good, but somewhat unremarkable.  Thin slices of Cremini mushrooms were tossed with artichokes, arugula, and a herb-lemon vinaigrette.  It wasn’t bad, just not special.  I’d try something different next time.

 

Our mediums were excellent.  We had the seared Black Bass.  It was served with baby eggplant, confit potato, carrot, and tomato compote – a sort of deconstructed ratatouille.  I never think to serve a rich tomato sauce with fish, but I loved the flavors together.  Black Bass is on the meatier side of the fish spectrum, which the sauce complimented well.

 

Last was the Speckled Trout Sashimi.  I’ve never seen trout served sashimi-style before, so of course I had to try this out.  It was beautifully plated with a schemer of black garlic mayo, edamame, and pickled maitake mushrooms.  Much to my surprise, the trout wasn’t too fishy!  I wish I had asked where it was sourced from because it was perfectly fresh, making it palatable for this new sushi eater.

 

I sort of wanted dessert, but no one else seemed passionate about it.  That turned out to be a good thing because a plate of mini-citrus Madelines and strawberry jelly bites (like thick fruit roll-ups) were delivered along with our check.  Jelly candies aren’t my favorite; however, I could have eaten the entire plate of cookies.  It was just the thing to end the meal. I’m trying the butter cake next time though.

 

Service is a big selling point for me.  The staff at The Lawrence was fantastic.  The hostess’ were friendly, our server was knowledgeable about the menu and the (too small) wine list, and my water was kept full by the entire team.

Overall, The Lawrence is another win for the Dinner Party group.  But please expand the wine list.

 

Check out Lee’s review from earlier in the week!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Don’t worry!!!  I didn’t forget the P28 Bread Giveaway winners!

*drum roll*

 

 

  1. Laura @ Mommy Run Fast
  2. Alysha @ She’s On the Run
  3. Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean

Congratulations!

Winners: Please send me your addresses. 🙂

***

My site was down over night and early this morning.  I apologize for this post being late… thank you guys for checking back and a BIG thank you for BlueHost customer support!

Do you freak out when you have technical problem that you have NO idea how to fix?  I admit… freaked more than a little this morning.

Do you like to order small plates to share, or have your own to hoard?

 

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