Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

DIY (Chinese) New Year Noodles

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She’s crafty, and she’s just my type…

 

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you know why this song is stuck in my head.  I did something crafty!

Like everyone else, I am addicted to Pinterest.  One of the first items I “pinned” were chalkboard wine glasses.  I’m not crafty.  When I see something cool, I look for a way to buy it.  Chalkboard wine glasses can be bought, but they are wayyyyy overpriced ($60 for 1 glass and a carafe… nothankyou).  I had no choice but to be crafty.

 

 

The whole process was super easy – I followed the instructions from this “pin” to a tee.  All it takes is a spray can of chalkboard paint and 6 wine glasses (which you can find on the cheap at Home Goods or T.J. Maxx).

PSA: You’ll notice there are only 5 glasses pictured.  Do not drive around with a box of 6 wine glasses in the back of your car for 2 weeks.  Consider yourself warned.

 

 

I can’t wait for the next wine gathering at my place!

 

P.S. I swear I wasn’t drinking rose in the middle of the day (or ever – blech).  I poured myself of glass of this deliciousness:

 

My Whole Foods sells growlers of my favorite kombucha – Buchi Fire. 🙂

I love you Whole Foods… it’s my wallet that doesn’t.

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In the continued spirit of DIY, I avoided a typical Chinese New Year takeout celebration yesterday by cooking my own Asian-flavored meal.

Weeks ago I purchased a bag of kelp noodles… and for weeks I’ve been staring at them in the fridge, unsure of what to do with them.  Last night, in the spirit of the Chinese New Year I busted them out.

 

 

I realize these noodles aren’t necessarily Chinese, but kelp feels like it should be Asian.  Sushi > seaweed > kelp.  See the connection?

Any how, I felt I needed to get in the spirit with an Asian-themed new noodle dish.

 

 

I love, love the sauté goodness I conjured to go with my kelp noodles – the simple mix was filled with flavor.  As it cooked, the ginger, shallots, and garlic made my kitchen smell better than Chinatown.

 

 

The noodles… I’m still unsure.  They were oddly rubbery and crunchy.  I had to use kitchen shears to cut them apart in order to eat.  The texture did grow on me as I ate them, and the taste really was neutral.

Bonus: You can eat the entire package, as 1 serving only contains 6 calories and 1g carbs.  Really – it’s only water and kelp.  They are also a RAW food – upon further research I learned you can marinate them in lemon juice to “cook” them and help the texture.

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Chinese New Year Noodles

  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 large shallot, minced
  • 1 in piece of fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 serrano pepper
  • 1/4 C edamame beans (shelled)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 C spinach
  • 1 pkg kelp noodles (or any noodle/rice)
  • cilantro, for garnish

 

In a large skillet, toast sesame seeds over medium heat until just browning.  Transfer to plate to cool.

In same skillet, heat sesame oil.  Sauté ginger and shallot for ~5 mins, until shallot becomes translucent and ginger is fragrant.  Add garlic, pepper, and edamame.  Cook until softened and garlic is turning golden (~3-4 mins).

Reduce heat to medium low.  Add soy sauce and vinegar, stirring to combine.  Add spinach and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally (~8-9 mins).

Add kelp noodles (or cooked noodles/rice) to the pan.  Stir well to coat in mixture.  Continue cooking until noodles are warmed through.

Transfer to plates and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro.

Serves 2.

***

 The real test will be if I do any of the other DIY projects I’ve pinned.  Oddly, most involve vino…

Have you ever crafted something from Pinetrest (or another website)?

Have you ever tried kelp noodles?  Tofu noodles?

 

What I Ate in Maryland

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Travel can be an adventure in eating.

 

It can also be an adventure in finding workspaces with outlets, tables, cell phone signals… yesterday I worked all afternoon in a flatbread pizza place.

Barnes & Noble was closed for MLK (WTF?!  That’s like Starbucks closing – it just doesn’t happen!).  This meant that Starbucks was even more crowded than usual.  Flatbread it was.  I left the store having been cured of craving pizza for a while and smelling like an Italian mamma.

At least I had a wonderful dinner recommendation from Kimberly @ Grubarazzi to look forward to – Woodberry Kitchen.  They even celebrate Meatless Monday!

Side note: check out her blog – she makes some rockstar dishes!  

Goldeneye

 

Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore is incredible.  It was a little dark for pics (I was ill-prepared in the camera department), but everything was delicious.  Don’t skip the Goldeneye drink.  It was stellar.  Say hi to Conner the bartender for me.

If you ever go, DO NOT skimp the CMP for dessert.  Malted ice cream, chocolate sauce, marshmallow fluff, and wet peanuts.  All house-made.  It was one of those “moment of silence” desserts.

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This is What I Ate Wednesday, not what I drank Monday.

 

 

Breakfast:

An adventure in hotel icky oatmeal.

 

I grabbed some of the hotel’s runny, mucus-like oatmeal and made it edible with a few mix-ins:

  • Double vanilla ice cream-flavored protein powder from home (really good, btw)
  • Peanut butter
  • Apple
  • Coffee

It was not Sweet Potato Pie Oatmeal, but by the time I got done with it these oats were not too shabby!

 

Lunch:

We ate at a burger place.  I had a salad and a sweet potato.  It was underwhelming… this is what was left when I remembered to take a pic:

 

Dinner:

I don’t care what Hollywood says, the Grubarazzi won’t lead you astray.  Thanks to another of her recommendations we dined like A-listers in a Vietnamese restaurant located in a strip mall.

 

The Saigon Noodle House doesn’t look like much from the outside, but their summer rolls and pho were ah-mazing.

Tofu Summer Role with peanut sauce and sriracha

Tofu Pho with Thai basil, jalapenos, and bean sprouts to garnish

Shrimp Curry (I picked around the shrimp)

Chicken and Rice Clay Pot… in an aluminum pot

 

Verdict:  Do NOT miss the summer rolls and the pho.  I could to skipped the other two dishes, but – to be fair – I picked around all the seafood/meat and didn’t get the full effect.

 

Snacks:

B&N-Starbucks-style.  Raspberry Oolong tea and the best KIND bar I’ve had to date – Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew.

 

There was also some late-night chocolate that had to be eaten. 😉

***

I made the FoodBuzz Top 9 today with these Chewy (Vegan) Granola Cookies!!!  Thanks to everyone for the BUZZ and welcome to any new visitors!  Check out the Top 9 by clicking here.

Have you ever had pho?

What’s the best “bar” you’ve tried lately?  Have you had a KIND bar?

 

Spinach Shiitake Miso Soup

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Forever Lazy

 

Ah, how I wish I could be.

Ok, maybe not lazy… but free of work.  If I didn’t have to work, I’d still cook, workout, and travel.  I’ve come to terms with the fact I’m not happy unless my hair is on fire.

And I’d still want one of these:

 

It’s like a Snuggie.  But better.  The Forever Lazy even has snaps in the back for easy bathroom access.

The only thing that would make this more perfect would be if it had feet.

 

They’re buy one get one free right now – just $29.95 for 2!  Who wants to go in on a pair with me?*  It’s 22 degrees… my snuggie is ON right now.  (I’m not kidding, I have a Georgia Tech Snuggie).

*Forever Lazy did NOT ask me to promote the stroke of genius.  I do wish they’d send me a freebie to review!

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This has become Miso week.

 

With my throat feeling scratchy and the onset of cold weather, warm soup was my dinner craving.  Eying the miso paste (a.k.a. my new love), I decided to try a miso soup.

 

Miso has many health benefits:

  • Loaded with amino acids
  • Aids in digestion
  • Good source of Vitamin B
  • Reduces breast cancer risk
  • High in antioxidants

 

Not to mention it’s delicious.  How is it that I’ve never used miso before?!

This soup came together quickly and the different garnish options added a lot of fun flavors.

 

A couple of tips:

  • Add the first 2 tablespoons of miso and taste to see if you need the third – the strength of the flavor varies depending on the brand a color (lighter = sweeter)
  • Mix it in a small bowl with some of the hot broth before adding to the pot – this eliminates clumps 
  • Don’t skip the garnishes – they make the dish more flavorful and they’re fun to decorate with
  • Get creative!  You can add anything to the base – kelp, daikon, tamarind, wakame (seaweed), shrimp… to name a few!

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Spinach Shiitake Miso Soup

  • 3 oz soba noodles
  • 4 C water
  • 1 C shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 in piece fresh ginger, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 oz tofu, cut into small cubes
  • 2 T miso
  • 2 C fresh spinach
  • Garnishes: green onion, carrots, cilantro, sriracha
  • S+P, to taste

 

Cook soba noodles according to package instructions.  Drain, run cold water over the noodles to stop them from cooking, and set aside.

In a pot, add water, ginger, garlic and mushrooms and bring to boil.  Lower heat, just high enough to maintain temperature. 

Spoon a bit of the hot water into a small bowl.  Stir in miso to that it dissolves evenly.  Add back to pot and stir to combine.  Taste, and then add more miso a bit at a time as needed.  Let simmer for a few minutes.

Add tofu, stirring to combine.  Remove from heat and add in spinach leaves, allowing to sit 2-3 mins until tender.  Taste and season with pepper and sea salt as needed.

Garnish with chopped green onion, julienned carrots, fresh cilantro, and sriracha.

Note: “Traditional” recipes use dashi (a Japanese broth containing dried kelp, sardines, and/or skipjack tuna) rather than water as the broth base.  I didn’t have any on hand, but I’m sure it would be fantastic.

Makes 4 side dishes 2 main.

***

Need some healthy baking tips to start the year off right?  Check out my guest post over at My Naturally Frugal Family!

Do you have a Snuggie?  How about a Forever Lazy?

Have you worked with miso before?

 

Asian-Inspired Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf

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2012 doesn’t mean I learned my lesson about making brown food.

 

It doesn’t photograph well.  At all.

 

 

Given the indulgence that December brought, I’ve decided to clean up in January and go vegetarian.  This isn’t a stretch for me – at home my diet is 99.9% plant-based.  It’s the dining out that gets me.  Social life should slow down now that the holidays are over, making it easier to stay in and stick to being vegetarian (my wallet could use a little break too).

 

Naturally, I decided vegetarianism is the perfect time to try meatloaf.  Veggie-style.  I’ve bookmarked many lentil loaf recipes to try over the past year or so.  For some reason they’ve always intimidated me – maybe because I have never cared for meatloaf or ketchup.  My mom made it once when I was in elementary school and I threw up during that dinner.

 

 

Ultimately I ended up taking the base from this loaf by Gena @ Choosing Raw and adding an Asian twist.  It’s vegan and gluten-free (I used gluten-free oats).  Served with roasted brussel sprouts, nooch sprinkles, and carrots.

Shredding the sweet potato would be a pain if you don’t have a shredder attachment for your food processor.  I have one and it was well-worth the effort.  The Asian flavors are especially satisfying in the cooler weather.  Don’t skip the ginger or the walnuts.

This may be an odd description… but the crunch and nutty flavor from the walnuts in this loaf is almost exciting.  Next time I’d add use an additional 1/4 cup.

 

 

My favorite part about this is the glaze.  Since I don’t like ketchup, there was so way I was going with the traditional meatloaf topping.  Instead I used garlic chili paste (like Sriracha with garlic added), miso, and tomato juice from the San Marzanos.  It was incredible.

This sauce could be used for so many things – tofu marinade, salad dressing, or to flavor soups.


Hands down the best thing I’ve made this year. 😉

Guaranteed not to make you hurl.

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Sweet Potato Asian Lentil Loaf

  • 1 T coconut oil
  • 1 C celery, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 serrano pepper, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 in piece fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 3/4 C vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
  • 1 C French green lentils
  • 1.5 C grated sweet potato (I used garnet)
  • 1/2 C toasted walnuts, chopped
  • 1/4 C blended San Marzano tomatoes (or tomato paste)
  • 1/4 C cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice
  • 1 T liquid aminos (can use tamari or soy sauce)
  • 1 C rolled oats
  • S+P, to taste

 

Miso Glaze

  • 1 T mellow white miso
  • 1 T chili garlic sauce (or sriracha)
  • 2 T tomato sauce

 

Heat coconut oil in a large pot, and sauté the onions and celery until soft and the onions are browning (~6-7 minutes).  Then add pepper, garlic, and ginger.  Sauté until fragrant (~3-4 mins).

Add lentils, veggie broth, and sweet potatoes.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until broth has mostly absorbed and lentils are very tender (~30 mins).

 

Stir in walnuts, tomatoes, and spices.  Stir to combine and cook another ~2-3 mins.  Add oats and remove pot from heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

Allow lentils to cool a bit.  Place half of the mixture in food processor.  Process until mostly smooth.  Return mixture to pot and stir to combine with the non-blended portion.

For Glaze:  In small bowl combine all glaze ingredients.

 

Press mixture firmly into a loaf pan. Brush with miso glaze, if desired.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 mins, or until a knife finds it firm. If the top starts to brown, cover with foil midway through.

Serves 8-10.

Approximate Nutrition: 207 calories, 7.1g fat, 28.2g carbohydrates, 6.2g fiber, 3.2g sugar, 8.2g protein

***

I got the thumbs up on the texture of this loaf from a meatloaf-lover tonight! 

Are you purposefully detoxing/eating cleaner this month?

Have you tried for a vegetarian diet before?  Any tips?

 

Raw Kale and Oyster Mushroom Salad

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This Raw Kale and Oyster Mushroom Salad has an amazingly rich texture.  The kale softens in the marinade and the creamy avocado is balanced with the unexpected crunch of sesame seeds.

This raw kale salad was fantastic with its Asian-inspired flavors and marinated Oyster mushrooms.  I must be on a ‘shoom bender.

The kale marinade is a simple one: rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, seasoning, sesame seeds, lime, and – the secret ingredient – avocado.  The flavors combine perfectly to make a delicious, taste-filled side.

It’s all groovy… and then you reach the most satisfying part – biting into the meaty mushrooms, filled with the juicy goodness of their marinade of soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil.

Added Bonus: the lime keeps the avocado fresh enough to eat the salad for lunch the following day!

Raw Marinated Kale and Oyster Mushroom Salad

For the kale:

  • 1 T rice wine vinegar
  • 2/3 tsp soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 1 tsp Bragg’s Sea Kelp Delight (or other herb-y seasoning)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 T white sesame seeds
  • Juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1 small avocado, mashed
  • S+P, to taste
  • 1/2 bunch of kale, roughly chopped with stems removed

For the Mushrooms:

  • 1 tsp soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1/4 tsp sesame oil
  • ~10 oyster mushrooms

To prepare the kale: Mix all ingredients except the kale in a large bowl.  Add kale and massage into marinade until well-combined.

To prepare the mushrooms: Mix together all ingredients except the mushrooms.  Add mushrooms, tossing until coated.  There will not be any marinade to spare.  Not to worry – the ‘shrooms will “juice” as they marinate.

For at least one hour, allow each mixture to marinate.

Toss to combine just before serving and enjoy!

Makes 4 servings (as sides).

***

I made this to go with the baked Chili Nutty Tofu (as seen in yesterday’s WIAW post).

Do you ever make raw meals?

What is your favorte Asian-inspired dish?

Tofu Noodle Stir Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

By

The leftover gods smiled upon me.

I still had Moroccan Carrot Salad leftover and I was anxious to use more of the delicious peanut flour I ordered.  Then I spotted a red jalapeño about to go bad in the fridge.  In the same drawer was the end of a red onion.  Right next to the shiitake mushrooms I forgot I purchased.  This could only lead to a peanut sauce stir-fry.

Side note: Did you know that once jalapeños turn red they become more sweet and less spicy?  It still had a kick, but I could eat a raw piece without needing to chug a glass of milk.

This was one of the best quickie meals I’ve done in a while.  I love the way peanuts pair with spicy ingredients, and the way a creamy sauce coats noodles.  The crunch of the raw carrots and almonds made the texture, and the earthiness of the mushrooms was perfect with the nutty, amino-laced sauce.

I wrote the recipe below without detailing the Moroccan part of the carrots (that recipe can be found by clicking here).  You can easily make this without the spices I used there – the peanut sauce is plenty flavorful!

There are also substitution suggestions for the hard(er)-to-find tofu noodles (my Publix carries them), peanut flour (order online), and liquid aminos (Whole Foods carries it in a nifty spray bottle).

It’s a stir fry… a great opportunity to get creative!  This would be great with snow peas, sesame seeds, and/or red pepper.

Leftover leftovers make for a tasty next-day lunch at work! 🙂

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Tofu Noodle Stir Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

  • 1 package Shirataki tofu noodles (can use regular pasta)
  • 1/2 C shredded carrots
  • 5 shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 C red onion
  • 1 jalapeño
  • S+P, to taste
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced almonds (optional)

For the Sauce

  • 2 T peanut flour (can use peanut butter)
  • 2 T unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp garlic sriracha
  • 1/2 tsp liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

Prepare tofu noodles according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms, onion, and jalapeño in a pan with a bit of oil over med-high heat until tender (about 7-8 mins).  Add noodles and carrots, stirring briefly to mix (~1 min).

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients for peanut sauce, adjusting aminos or soy sauce as needed.

Add sauce to the pan and and toss together briefly.  Add salt and pepper as needed, plate, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

Serves 2.

***

I’ve been really bad about using up leftovers in the past – this creation has inspired me to try harder!  

Do you re-purpose leftovers?

What has been you biggest leftover success?

Japanese-ish Hummus

By

It’s New Hair Thursday! 🙂

I love my stylist even more than I love chocolate cake (translation: love her a lot).

Karen worked in my old neighborhood salon, but moved to North Georgia.  I now drive an hour to go see her at her own salon called Lava Hair Studio.  Check our her new ad:

Karen and I have been together since I was 15.  It was only fitting that I go see her right before my high school reunion this weekend.  I cannot believe it has been 10 years!

Always have to have some red in it. Somethings never change.

Today was especially good because I feel SO much more human.  Thank you all so much for the get-well wishes!

I busted out a easy run during lunch to sweat out the rest of my sick germs.

Stats:

  • Distance – 3.5 miles
  • Time – 28:55 mins
  • Pace – 8.16 mins

 

Delicious food made things brighter as well.  I wish today’s eats could have been featured on WIAW!

Brussel sprout porn

Sweet Potato Praline Cheesecake @ Apres Diem

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When I saw this recipe for Caesar Hummus at Healthy Exposures I was intrigued.  Then I saw Jess continue to mention how good/addicting it was… I knew I had to try it for myself.

Jess is right. This may be the best hummus ever.  Seriously – I don’t use extremes often.

Once I began tasting and mixing, I determined that this had a decidedly Asian taste to it.  So I went with that and added soy sauce and Japanese red pepper blend called Shichimi Togarashi.

This farmer’s market-find is a blend of: red pepper, sesame seed, orange peel, Japanese pepper, seaweed, and rapeseeed (<– I have NO idea what that is and I’m too scared to google it).

I added 1/4 – 1/2 tsp of this and then sprinkled it on top of the final product.  Heat is my BFF, so be sure to adjust to your preference!

You know those sauces they bring out at Japanese restaurants?  I’m going to start bringing this instead.

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Japanese-ish Hummus

  • 1 C garbanzo beans
  • 1 T tahini
  • 1 T capers + brine
  • 1/2 tsp herbed dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Juice of 1/2 a medium lemon
  • Liberal drizzles of soy sauce
  • Shichimi Togarashi (or red pepper flakes/cayenne/paprika), to taste
  • Olive oil and/or water

If using dried chickpeas: soak chickpeas overnight (or 12 hours) at room temp (water should just over top of chickpeas).  Rinse and place in a large pot with 3-4 garlic cloves and salted water.  Water should cover chickpeas.  Bring to a boil and them simmer for 50-60 mins.  You may need to add water to keep peas covered.  When desired tenderness is reached, remove from heat and allow to cool in cooking water.  Drain and rinse before using.

Add chickpeas, tahini, capers, mustard, garlic, and lemon juice.  Pulse until beginning to come together.  Taste and add soy sauce and spice to taste, processing again to combine.  With processor running, drizzle in olive oil and/or water (I used ~2 tsp oilve oil and ~1/8 C water).  Continue processing until smooth.

Makes 3/4 cup.

***

I can’t stop eating this hummus.  Is it too abnormal to eat an entire cup of it in one sitting..?

Have you been to your high school reunion?  How was it?

Protein Powder #2 + Asian Tofu

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Powder #2

This morning I made hot oatmeal with the chocolate Vega powder.  (I know it technically is not just a protein powder, but neither is my current Juice Plus.)  It wasn’t my favorite.

In the oats:

90% of my breakfast decision was influenced by the fact that I still have these giant blueberries.  I love blueberries in hot oatmeal because they get all melty and juicy from the oatmeal heat.  YUM.

In addition to the berries, I used 1/2 the packet of Vega.  Half a serving gave me 5.5g protein, 0g sugar, and 55 cals.  I took a taste and promptly added a generous pile couple ‘o shakes of cinnamon.

I’ve made chocolate oats before… but these looked a bit… green.

Color, I can get over.  But they also tasted a little off.  You know when stuff tastes healthy?  My oatmeal tasted too healthy.  (Not that this prevented me from eating it.)

I’m still going to eat the other half, but this may be better in a fruit-filled smoothie.

New Challenge today – I started my first boot camp!  It was definitely a challenge.  We started with 5 mins of stairs.  One guy puked.  I did not.  Lots of boot camp-ish stuff (marching bands, planks, push ups, dips, etc.).  Then sprints.  Lots and lots of sprints (maybe this will help my 5K time?!).  The workout was rounded out with ab work.  I’m already sore.

Two things I’m really proud of:

  1. I stayed up with the “in shape” guys the whole time
  2. I ran to the boot camp and home after.

After that craziness I was starving.

Thankfully, dinner was less… green… than lunch.  I diced some extra-firm tofu and tossed it in an Asian-style marinade before boot camp.

When I got home, I put the mixture in a grill pan on medium heat.

Meanwhile, I sautéed some red onion and asparagus with a little olive oil and lemon juice.

 

Then I tossed all of that with arugula, carrots, celery, and cucumbers.

I couldn’t get this on the table fast enough!

Asian-Marinated Tofu

  • 2/5 block Extra-firm Tofu, cubed1T Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1T Soy Sauce
  • 1/4 tsp Red Curry Paste
  • 1/2 tsp Thai Chile Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic, minced (about 1 small clove)

Whisk marinade in medium bowl and toss with tofu cubes.  Marinate ~1 hour. 

Grill on stove top over medium heat until browned (about 4-5 mins on each side).  Remove from heat and enjoy!

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