Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Biscoff Granola

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I’m primed by Whole Foods.

Did you know that stores are priming you to buy certain things?  They use store layout, temperature, displays, dewy mist on fresh veggies… they even leave the cantaloupes in the cartons at WF to make then feel more “rustic” (read: farm fresh).

Bananas and apples have “ideal” colors for sales.  Despite the beautiful color, the average grocery store apple is actually 14 months old according to this article.  Gross.

Unfortunately, you can look at my grocery bill and see that Whole Foods‘ visual merchandising works on me.  And I majored in advertising!

Funny how logic tells you one thing, yet impulse still takes over…

It seems I’ve also been primed by Delta and Biscoff.  Impulse took over and I am posting an airplane-inspired delicacy today because I’m leaving for Italia tonight!!!  I thought this trip would never get here.

Well, it’s almost here.  I have a 730am meeting that is 30-45 min north of the city.  Why didn’t I take today off?!

We are flying Delta, which means I will be enjoying more than my fair share of Biscoff.  And I will be praying for an upgrade.

Naturally, I made Biscoff Granola to take with me.

Crunchy, cinnamon-laced, cookie-inspired.

These are filled with raw oatmeal, sunflower seeds, and cashews as the base.  The coconut give it a little chew and the cacao nibs bring a cocoa-coffee-laced flavor (coffee + Biscoff = perfection).

It’s fantastic on it’s own, with yogurt, on ice cream, and atop a bowl of oats with PB.

Click here to order your own Biscoff spread from their website.

Biscoff Granola

  • 1/2 C sunflower seeds (raw, unsalted)
  • 1/2 C cashew pieces (raw, unsalted)
  • 1/2 C oatmeal (uncooked)
  • 1/4 C unsweetened coconut chunks (shredded would work too)
  • 2 T cacao nibs
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 T Biscoff spread
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Flax egg (1 T ground flax + 1 T water)

Preheat oven to 325F. 

Combine ingredients in a large bowl, mixing to combine.  Add wet ingredients and stir until well-blended.

Press mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 30-35 mins.  Let cool completely before breaking apart.  Store in air-tight container.

Note: this is a “crumbly” granola.  I use a flax egg as a binder, but if you want yours to stick together in more clusters, try adding a tablespoon of maple syrup or agave.

***

During my travels, I’ll try to find the perfect wine to pair with Biscoff. 🙂

Are you a knowing victim of visual merchandising?

What is the best trip you’ve ever taken?

Vegan Ricotta Pasta Bake

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Wicked.

 

Last night I went to the Fabulous Fox Theatre to see Wicked with my mom.  It was wicked good!

The Wizard of Oz was filled with political undertones (ex: the yellow brick road refers to the gold standard), and this “rest of the story” play delivers on that level as well.  It was actually a pretty dark play!

 

I’m always impressed when playwrights that are able to parallel what’s going on in society in such creative ways.  For instance, at one point the Wizard says to Elphaba:

When I came here, there was discord and discontent. And what better way to bring people together than to give them a common enemy?

 

Sound familiar?  

But this isn’t a political blog.  Let’s talk about food, baby.

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Yesterday I posted a dinner pic for WIAW.  You are probably sick of hearing about how I’m only using what I have this week BUT… but I am always amazed when these garbage hodge podge  recipes deliver.  Everything But the Kitchen Sink Stew, for instance.

This bake was a winner.  Like whoa.

 

Doesn't everyone take their pans outside to photograph... errrr... cool..?

For those of you who have been turned off by shirataki noodles in the past, believe me when I say NONE of the sea-like smell remains after this dish bakes.

 

My “lazy” tomato sauce turned out well too – it’s amazing what sauteing some onions and garlic can do for the jarred stuff.  Capers and artichokes were a great add with the lemon-y “ricotta.”

Yes, “ricotta.”  I would not have believed it if I hadn’t tried it for myself, but this vegan tofu variation of the creamy Italian cheese is actually good.

 

To summarize:  Vegan (that is, until I grated what was left of my French sheep’s milk cheese on top).  Gluten-free.  Low carb.  Delicious.  The secret’s in the sauce.

 

It also tastes good leftover… eaten straight out of the pyrex.

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Vegan Ricotta Pasta Bake

Tofu Ricotta

  • 1/2 tofu block, extra firm
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 T nutritional yeast
  • 1 T fresh thyme

 

Tomato Sauce

  • 1 small shallot, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 C jarred artichoke hearts, rough chopped
  • 1 C marinara sauce (I used tomato-basil)
  • 2 tsp capers, drained
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • S+P, to taste
  • 1 package Shirataki tofu noodles (or regular noodles)

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Press tofu for ~20 mins (I do this by placing a stack of cookbooks on it).  Crumble into a bowl and combine with remaining ricotta ingredients.  Using your hands, break up mixture until it reaches a “ricotta-like” consistency.

Meanwhile, saute shallot with a bit of olive oil in a medium saucepan until just turning translucent (~5 mins).  Add garlic and artichokes, sauteing 4-5 mins long until garlic is beginning to brown.  

Add pasta sauce to saucepan with the capers and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine.  Bring to simmer, tasting and adjusting flavors as needed.

While sauce warms, prepare noodles according to package instructions.  Mix noodles and tofu ricotta.  

Place noodle mixture in 9 x 11 pyrex dish.  Top evenly with tomato sauce.

Bake at 325 for 15-20 mins, or until heated through.

***

Leftovers for lunch.  Perfection.

Have you tried any of the homemade vegan “cheese” variations?

Do you like to go to the theatre?  What is your favorite play?

 

Pumpkin Shortage + WIAW

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Don’t panic but…

 

There may be a pumpkin shortage.

Damage from Hurricane Irene is worse than we thought.  The hurricane destroyed hundreds of pumpkin patches in the Northeast.  Prices for the surviving pumpkins have doubled in some cases.
Growers in other regions are shipping pumpkins to the NE, but if you’re in the affected area you still want to get your pumpkins early before the good ones are gone!

No word on whether it will affect canned products or pumpkin ales.


I hope I didn’t alarm anyone.  🙂

Back our regularly scheduled WIAW: The Using Everything in My Kitchen Edition.

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Breakfast:

I recently bought what will probably be the last peach of the season.  Sad.

 

Peach Cobbler Chia Pudding isn’t sad though.  This made for a tasty breakfast while on an early conference call with Taiwan.

I did it the same way as usual (click link above for recipe), except I used chunky PB and sunflower seed milk (which was NOT as good almond milk in this!).

 

Not pictured are my 2 cups of coffee.  Black, with cinnamon sprinkled in the grounds (pre-brew).

 

 

Lunch:

I went on a nice little 7 mile run and was starving when I got back.

Monster Salad time.

 

In my bowl:

 

I wasn’t a huge fan of Sunshine patties at first, but I discovered that microwaving them half way and then finishing them off in a pan makes it much better.

 

Snacks:

Biscoff Cookie Dough Ball for pre-run fuel.  These kept really well in the freezer… but this was the last one. 🙁

 

I also made another Biscoff spread treat.  Which I will share on Friday… it seems timely since I’ll be eating Biscoff on my flight. 🙂

 

Dinner:

This was a creation inspired by the cooler weather… and fact that tofu, spinach tofu noodles, and tomato sauce are all on list of this to use in my fridge.

 

This Vegan “Ricotta” Pasta Bake was seriously good.  I added artichokes and capers, which made it not-your-mamma’s pasta bake.  And – of course – red pepper flakes.  

 

I love surprising myself.  Recipe coming tomorrow!!!

For a more delicious eats, check out the round up at Peas and Crayons!

***

It is proving to be a fun challenge to use only what I have.  Running out of spinach is a scary thing though!

Are you affected by the pumpkin shortage?

What ingredient are you most looking forward to being back in season?

 

Black Cherry Breakfast “Soup”

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3 more days!!!

This week is creeping by… yet flying at the same time because I have SO much to do.

Not the least of which is formatting some rockin’ guest posts.  Hopefully you guys will discover some new bloggers and gain so fantastic info from these guest spots.  All of these lades and gents offer something special and unique!

My lofty goal is to post every other day.  Wi-fi may be sketchy and we are going to be on the move quite a lot, so I’m being realistic at the same time.

 

One of my other lofty goals is to use everything in my kitchen this week.  My challenge to myself is to not buy even the smallest thing at the grocery store.  It’s much harder than it looks!

The color of today’s breakfast almost made the title this post “Food No One Will Steal From the Office Fridge.”  The fact that it is too long a title is the only thing that held me back.

 

I used a new product – Sunrich’s Sunflower Seed Milk.  Sounds exciting, right?

To be honest… it tastes a bit like Milk of Magnesia on its own.

Mixing it in smoothies and oats hides that taste.  I still wouldn’t buy it again.

 

The “soup” does taste good!  Much better than the color would indicate.  🙂

I love cherries and with the creamy texture the banana adds it makes for a fantastic soup.  Why not just drink it like a smoothie?  Because eating it with a spoon for breakfast seemed like more fun!

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Black Cherry Breakfast Soup

  • 1/2 C black cherries
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 C milk (or milk substitute)
  • 1 C fresh spinach
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 large banana
  • 5-6 drops NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia
  • shake of guar gum (thickener)
  • Ice/water, to taste

 

Throw it all in your blender/Bullet/Vitamix and blend until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and top with your favorites – nut butter, granola, cereal, muffins… whatever you crave!

Enjoy!

***

Thank you to everyone for the sweet hair compliments – you guys made my day! 🙂

What’s your favorite milk substitute?  Or do you prefer the real thing?

Do you try to use everything in your fridge before trips?

 

Miles to Go Before I Sleep

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6666 Miles.

 

That’s how many miles I earned last month on Delta.  Should I be concerned?!  LOL!

Also, there appears to be a tread of rocking chair in airports.  The above is in St. Louis.  I’ve also spotted them in Charlotte.  Weird – more so for St. Louis than Charlotte, I think.

 

 

No blogging for the weekend.  Saturday was a busy day – I drove up to see my stylist and get a new ‘do for Italia.

 

It’s red.  It’s shorter than I’ve ever had it (I usually keep some length in the front).  I LOVE it.  I love my stylist, Karen.

 

Karen is the owner of Lava Hair Salon.  She used me in a couple of ads than ran recently!

 

The thing about red dye is that it runs if you get your hair wet too soon after getting it done.  Today I took it upon myself to serve as a warning for those of you who are planning to go red.

 

6 mile run post-dye job.  I looked like I just killed someone.  No wonder people were staring as I ran by!  LOL!

 

 

I also spent some QT with my credit card.  While I was at the outlet mall, I HAD to buy a new Coach bag for the trip…

 

Did you celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day this weekend?

In honor of this very special day I want to profess my love for a new (to me) product:

Pirate’s Booty.  Veggie flavor.

 

How did it take me so long to try this?!

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Not quite as many days on the road, but I did take a rest day.  Those late-night flights make it hard to fit a workout in! Plus my body was feeling a little road-weary.

 

Workout Recap (9/12-9/18)

  • Monday – 3 mile run, Biceps/Back, 6 min plank sequence, 100 push-ups
  • Tuesday – 100 push-ups
  • Wednesday – Kickboxing, Legs
  • Thursday – 5 mile run, Ab Ripper X, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – Tris/Chest (click link for the workout!), 6 min plank sequence, 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – 6 mile run, 100 push-ups
  • Sunday – 6 mile run, Ab Ripper X, 100 push-ups

***

Get ready for some “use everything before I leave” cooking this week!

What was the best part of your weekend?

What’s the craziest color you’ve ever had your hair?

 

Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats

By

Cinnabon.

Can’t you almost smell it through your screen?

That smell kills me when I’m walking through Terminal A in the Atlanta airport.  It’s absolutely intoxicating… and all I can do not to stop and order a dozen cinnamon rolls.

I nearly attacked the man behind me last night… he brought one on the plane and didn’t offer a bite.  Cruel.

The only thing that saved this man’s life is the fact that I’d had Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats for breakfast.  Post-run.

Cinnamon Roll Extract was the discovery of a lifetime.  I found the teeny bottle (seriously – this pic is true to size) in a cook’s supply store.

It is made by LorAnn Oils and is referred to as a “Super Strength.”  If you use this, know that it’s VERY concentrated – 3-4x a regular extract.

I only needed to use a couple of drops to achieve that buttery cinnamon roll taste!

These oats pack a ton of protein and nutrients that will keep you full until lunch!  They will also provide you energy as your brush up on wines of Italy… one more week!!!

 

Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats

  • 1/4 C oatmeal
  • 2 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use Growing Naturals)
  • 1/4 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 6-7 drops Vanilla NuNaturals Stevia
  • 1/16 tsp cinnamon roll extract (a little goes a long way!)

In a small bowl, mix together dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients and stir until combined.

Place in fridge overnight.  Remove in the morning, stir, and enjoy!

Note: These were great cold after a workout, but the same flavors would be fantastic in a warm oatmeal on a cool fall morning.

***

I haven’t tied to get oats through airport security yet… I wonder if they count as liquid?!  Will test it out and report back. 🙂

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Have you found any unique extracts that you love?

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup

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Traveling a lot has made me pretty good at using up ingredients.

 

Despite the cool weather having gone by the wayside, I’m ready for fall and craving hearty soup.  My preference is a thick soup – to me, broth is often just taking up space in the bowl.

Exceptions made for really incredible broths, like the authentic ramen found at Yakitori Jinbei.  It’s not your college 99 cent ramen.

 

This soup really is everything but the kitchen sink – I had lot of veggies, fresh herbs, and some vegetable broth to use up, along with some forgotten dried chickpeas.  Soups are the easiest way to get ‘er done.

 

Don’t be afraid to play with spices and herbs.  Add some garam masala and your soup can have an Indian flavor… or some cumin and chilis for a Mexican flare… or herb it up for an Italian feel… or get some white pepper and mustard powder (or even pour a bier in it!) for German warmth… most soups are like blank slates!

This was sort of unintentionally vegan, though I’m sure it would be good with beef broth and/or shredded chicken.  I also like grating cheese on top of warm soup.  The gooey nuttiness that ensues is particularly satisfying to me… like a melty grilled cheese.

 

Bonus: I’ll have soup waiting for me when I land tomorrow night.

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Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup

  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 C vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
  • 1 C water
  • 2T apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp adobo chili powder
  • 1 T fresh thyme
  • ~8 basil leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • S+P, to taste
  • 1 C cooked chickpeas
  • 14.5 oz or 1/5 C diced tomatoes (I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted)
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 3 large celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • ~5 kale leaves, torn apart
  • 2 C spinach

 

In a large pot, saute garlic with olive oil over low heat until just turning gold.  Add broth, water, spices, and herbs, stirring to combine.  

Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer ~15 mins so that flavors combine and intensify.

Add veggies to mix broth.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for ~20 mins, until veggies become tender.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste (I also sprinkled some red pepper flakes on mine).  Ladle into bowls and enjoy!

Makes 3-4 servings.

***

8 more days and I’ll be in Italy eating lots of hearty soup creations!!!

What is your favorite “kitchen sink” meal or creation?

Do you prefer a thick or more broth-y soup?

 

BYOB Airplane-Style + WIAW

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Getting up and seeing the moon makes me tired.

I dutifully packed my bag and headed to the Midwest.

Perfected packing for a one day meeting:

  • Breakfast
  • Sweater (conference rooms are COLD)
  • BlackBerry (try not to lose it… again)
  • Heels (wear flats for running through the airport)
  • Laptop
  • Charger
  • Files to bake into cake later 

16 hours later I was back home in that South after a successful day of meetings!

I did forget one thing… I didn’t take pictures of anything I ate after breakfast.  Breakfast was really the only thing picture-worthy though.

Instead I’m posting a WIA Sunday-thru-Tuesday for WIAW.

Breakfast:

I brought my own… but treated myself to Starbucks while waiting to board the plane and eat.  Technically the client treated me, but who’s counting.

Tip: add a little sweet in your coffee without adding much in the way of sugar and calories by ordering a black coffee (in this case an Americano) with light whip on top.

Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg to add a little “fall” flavor.

Need other ideas to entertain yourself while waiting to board?  Take pictures of unsuspecting travelers in matching Hawaiian shirts.  Priceless.

Upon boarding, it was time to enjoy BYOB on a plane.  That’s bring your own beer breakfast.

I finally copied took the advice of Sarah @ Smart Kitchen and made my own yogurt in a recycled cup.

Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt

This container of orange fall deliciousness is Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt.  I don’t understand how every yogurt maker out there doesn’t offer this flavor – it may be the best idea ever.  Do you hear me, Atlanta Farm Fresh???

Add some vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and it’s like pie filling you can shamelessly eat for breakfast.  Recipe at the end of this post.

Lunch:

Here’s the part where I add some previous meals to replace the eats that weren’t worthy of picturing. 🙂

Vegetable Chickpea Soup.  Vegan, gluten-free, and damn good.

This recipe will be up tomorrow!!!

Snacks:

Not pictured, but snack time was pretty junky good:

  • Chocolate-Toffee Think Thin bar (side note: I’m sad – they changed the recipe and they aren’t as good.  I won’t be buying them again. 🙁 )
  • A few of my co-worker’s chips
  • Fun Size M&Ms (free in first class)
  • Beer (again, cheers to the upgrade!)

Dinner:

I was craving pasta on Sunday night so I took a little trip to Decatur to give No.246 another chance (I was totally underwhelmed the first time).  Round 2 was much better!  I sat at the bar, which turned out to be a great decision. The bartender, Brenda made some great suggestions and I enjoyed our conversation

I began with a tasty salad of radicchio, endive, granny smith apples, walnuts, and bacon (not pictured).  The pasta I chose was a Trofie.  Trofie is made with flour and water (no eggs).  It’s hand-rolled into little squiggly shapes.  246 serves it with a chicken liver, pork, and beef bolognese.

At first it was just good…  then Brenda gave me some chili infused olive oil.  That kicked it up and notch and gave the dish the “pop” it needed to succeed.

Pairing: Nebbiolo, Damilano, Alba 2008 – this was a great suggestion from Brenda.  It is a bigger wine, stony/earthy taste.  It stood up well to the meaty pasta dish.   OMG I’m going to be in Alba in a couple of weeks!!!

No. 246 is on it’s way.  The basics are there, the kitchen just need to get over this apparent fear of spices.

For a more delicious eats, check out the round up at Peas and Crayons!

Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt

Combine everything in a blender (I used my Magic Bullet) and mix until smooth.  You may need to add more liquid to achieve desired consistency.

Top with nuts of your choice and enjoy!

Note: you can make this ahead – I did.  The flavors melded and intensified overnight.

***

Can you tell I’m ready for fall by the looks of these dishes?!

What foods (if any) do you bring on planes?  

What’s your favorite pasta dish?

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