Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

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?

 

Cardamom Hill

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If you have been reading for a while, you know that I LOVE Indian flavors.

 

Wednesday night I tried a much-hyped new Indian restaurant in Atlanta, Cardamom Hill (1700 Northside Dr.NW #A6, Atlanta, GA 30318, 404.549.7012).

The owner, Asha Gomez, is locally-famous for her underground supper clubs.  She wanted to share her food with a broader audience, thus Cardamom Hill was born.  I’m sad to have missed her Supper Clubs, but am excited to see where she takes the restaurant.

 

Cardamom Hill menu

 

They don’t have their liquor license yet, but they do keep some beers in the back to share.  Thus, I tasted my first Schiltz. It wasn’t as bad as I had imagined… though that’s not saying a lot.  They did have a Sweetwater IPA in the cooler that the server mercifully graciously brought me after I couldn’t handle anymore Schlitz.

 

 

The food was MUCH better than the beer selection. 🙂  I’m really kidding – it was great of them to offer my friend and I anything at all.

 

We started with a beautifully plated salad of arugula, starfruit, radish, cucumber, and papaya.  It was dressed in a tamarind vinaigrette.  Each item on its own was flavorful and fresh; however, my companion and I both felt it lacked something to pull it together.  I also thought it was slightly over-dressed (normally I ask for dressing on the side – my mistake!).

 

 

Our second app was on the house.  Beef and Potato Croquettes seasoned with ginger, garlic, and green papaya salad.  I nibbled on the potato part of the croquette (trying to stick to the veg thing) and wasn’t blown away.  I loved the (pickled?) ginger and garlic served with it.  I wish that had been used in a salad!

 

 

For my entrée I chose the Vegetable Trio, served with coconut rice.

Part 1 of the trio was Sweet Potato Verka sautéed in coconut oil with mustard seeds, shallots, and curry leaves.  It was absolutely fantastic.  A little oily, but honestly… that just made it better.  Perfectly balanced between the sweetness of the potato and the subtle heat from the spices, I could eat this dish all day every day.

 

 

As good as that was, Part 2 of the trio topped it.  It was a “Seasonal” Thoran, which is listed on the menus as a stir-fry but (as the waiter described) this more accurately identified as a soup.  A phenomenal soup.  The broth was just spiced enough with dried red chillies.  It contained bite-sized pieces of carrot, eggplant, potato, and tomato.  I’m not sure what sorts of other spices were in this, but whoa.  My friend and I agreed it was the best dish of the night.

Dear Asha, Please keep this on as an appetizer soup.

 

Lastly, I had a Beet Pachadi.  3 warm beets layered with housemade yogurt (ask for it to be left off to make this dish vegan) and mustard seeds, topped a curry leaf.  It was also good, just not quite as stand-out as the first 2 items.

 

My friend had the Braised Short Ribs with roasted coconut sauce, served over umpa (like fried polenta, but made from semolina).  It was nice… but I was happy I stuck with the veg.

 

 

We couldn’t pass up a traditional dessert.  I have no idea what this is called, but it was a warm coconut milk soup with toasted coconut, cashew halves, cardamom seeds, ginger, and rice noodles.  It was one of those dishes you keep eating but you’re not entirely sure you love.  The flavors were just so interesting!  We wondered if it would be better (albeit non-traditional) cold?

 

 

If you’re in the Atlanta area, I do recommend trying Cardamom Hill.  The service was solid and it has a lot of potential.  This isn’t the typical curry-laden Indian food many of us are accustomed to.  Dishes from the Southwest Indian state of Kerala are laced with interesting spice blends and not heavy on the heat.  It just enough spice to detect.  You know the balance of flavors much be great if I’m not begging for more heat.

Don’t miss the Vegetable Trio, try the dessert for fun… and do make sure to BYOB.  There’s no corking fee while they await the liquor license.

***

I just realized it’s friday the 13th!  Some people shudder, but 13 is my lucky number and this is my lucky day (knock on wood).

Do you like trying authentic food from different cultures?  Panda Express doesn’t count.

Who’s doing something fun this weekend?

 

Silver Balls + WIAW

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“Normal” people think I’m strange.

 

It’s perfectly normal to blow up a 65 inch fitness ball at your desk, right?  The stares would indicate otherwise.

People who have never even bothered to say hello in the elevator before stopped by to comment.  I’m sure this could be turned into some social experiment.

 

 

Whatever.  My butt falls asleep in my chair and it makes my hips hurt to sit there all day.  Everyone can kiss my big, silver ball.  (Yessss… I worked balls into yet another post!)

 

Since I’m not allowed to try running again until Saturday, I’m modifying The Sweaty Betties’ January Mile-a-Day challenge.

 

Runner's Knee or some IT-related thing. Lovely.

 

I’m now using a bike or elliptical for 30 mins of intervals in lieu of running.  Which only make me want to run more.  That’s how I started my day today, along with P90X Ab Ripper X.  Shout out to Dr. Schuman at 1st Choice Healthcare – it does feel better today!

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My big silver ball and I are happy it’s time again to celebrate Hump Day with  What I Ate Wednesday! 

 

 

Breakfast:

Covered in sweat after the elliptical, I was actually chilly when I got back to eat breakfast.  I had a craving for some deliciousness I created over the weekend: Shredded Sweet Potato Oatmeal.

 

I had shredded sweet potato left over from my Asian-Inspired Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf.  What better use than in oats?!

Yes, I realize I’ve made Sweet Potato Pie Oatmeal before… that used sweet potato puree, which make it more pie-like.  This was more in the vein of Carrot Cake Oats with the grated potato.  Less silky, though no less lovely.

(Recipe at bottom)

 

Lunch:

I still can’t get enough green!

 

At a loss for lunch inspiration, I stumbled across Sunflower Beet Pesto (which I made and liked before my recently acquired taste for beets) in my freezer.  I made a hodge podge salad and used the pesto as dressing.  With a side of Salt & Pepper PopChips, this was an winner.

In my salad:

 

Dinner:

My boss is in town from Houston, so we hit up one of my favorite spots for dinner: Top Flr.

Top Flr offers several vegetarian-friendly menu items.  I’ve been successfully avoiding meat (aside from one digression to have a taste of foie gras ice cream) since January 1st, and I have felt better.  Most dining establishments offer at least a few sides that are veg-friendly, but finding a tofu/soy-protein-based dish is still rare.

We started with hummus with chili oil and fried capers.  I don’t know what they do to it, but it is the most amazing hummus I’ve ever had… and I’ve had a lot of hummus.  Served with grilled pita, hot peppers, and olives.

 

 

My main was a the Orange-Apple Tofu, served with Baby Bok Choy and Japanese Eggplant Miso.  I order this every time I go.  Normally I don’t eat fried stuff, but I make an exception for this dish.

The freshly breaded crunch contrasts perfectly with the pillowy tofu.  I also loved sweetness of the orange with the savory miso sauce.  The bok choy was a little too done and covered in sauce for my taste… but I can forgive them for tofu perfection.

 

 

Sadly, the server dumped our check on the table without offering dessert.  There was a bread pudding on the menu I would have dove into.  I probably didn’t need it anyway. 🙁

 

Verdict: I’ll be back.  I could live on their hummus and the stellar cocktail program alone.

 

Snacks:

It’s no secret I’m a snack whore.

Especially for homemade Granola Cookies that have just 3g of sugar.  Not to worry, I’m sharing the recipe soon. 🙂

 

 

Followed up with a Cutie.  Because they’re not just for kids.

 

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Shredded Sweet Potato Oatmeal

  • 1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 c water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 c oatmeal
  • 1/2 grated sweet potato
  • Shake of salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • Maple syrup + ground cinnamon, to taste

 

Bring milk and water to a boil in a small pot with cinnamon stick.  Add oatmeal, grated sweet potato, and salt.

When 1-2 min from being done, add vanilla and spices.

Scoop into bowl and top with cinnamon and syrup to taste. 

***

Thank you SO much for all the well-wishes on my knee.  I don’t say it enough, but it means a lot to have such an awesome support group.

If you’re not a vegetarian, do you enjoy ordering veg items at restaurants?

Do you work in a state/location separate from your boss(es)?  Does it make a difference to you?

 

Babaganoush Soup

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Happy National Soup Month!

I’d really like to know who comes up with the stuff.  I’m going to declare next month National Wine Month.  I kid… I’m eating cleaner.. less wine, more water.  Unless I figure out how to turn it into wine… hmmm…

Did you know that the first soup can be dated back to ~6,000 BC and was made of a hippopotamus?

As much fun as it is to say, I can’t imagine hippopotamus being fun to eat.  Seems like it would be chewy.

No hippos were harmed in the making to this Babaganoush Soup.  In fact, it’s vegan.

The nutty tahini in this makes it reminiscent of a hummus or chickpea soup.  But it’s better – the flavors from the roasted red pepper and onion take this soup to a whole new level.

 

You will taste it before blending and think it’s too strong.  Blend it before adjusting… the purred veggies do balance it out.

Then you’ll think it’s missing something but you won’t know what… but you’ll ladle the soup and squeeze the lemon juice in it and realize this soup has reached perfection.

Don’t be scared of the fats from the tahini – sesame seeds are good fats!  They are a great source of copper, manganese, and calcium.  And – at the risk of sounding like a grandma – 9g of fiber in a bowl is pretty awesome.  Two of sesame’s more unique properties – sesamin and sesamolin – are special fibers called lignans, that can lower cholesterol and prevent blood pressure.

Creamy and satisfying, this one left me licking the bowl.

Save some leftovers – most soups taste even better on day two after the flavors have a chance to meld and this soup is no exception!

Babaganoush Soup

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 tsp grapeseed oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 San Marzano tomatoes (or 1 large regular tomato)
  •  1 1/2 C vegetable stock
  • 1 C water
  • 2 tsp ras al hanout*
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • Lemon
  • S+P, to taste
  • Optional Garnish: red pepper flakes, cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut eggplant into 1/3 in slices and lay on a foil-lined baking sheet (spray with cooking spray if not anti-stick foil).  Salt generously and allow to rest 10-20 mins. (this draw out moisture and helps to remove bitterness).  When done, wipe away moisture with paper towel.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, add red pepper and onion slices to the sheet, and roast for 25 mins.

Let cool and rub off any blackened pepper skin.  Rough chop peppers and eggplant.

Heat oil over medium-high heat then add garlic. Saute for ~1 minute until just beginning to turn golden.

Add the stock, tomatoes, eggplant, red pepper, and onion. Stir in ras al hanout. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for ~10 mins allowing the flavors to combine.  Remove from heat and add tahini.

Using an immersion blender (or regular blender), puree until smooth.

Ladle into bowls and finish with fresh lemon juice, cilantro, and freshly ground pepper.

Makes 6 cups (3 mains or 6 sides).

Approximate Nutritionals (for main dish serving): 211 calories, 12.6g fat, 1.7g saturated fat, 22.3g carbohydrates, 9.1g fiber, 8.5g sugar, 6.4g protein.

*Ras al Hanout is a spice blend I had not heard of until reading Cara’s blog.  I made her blend with a few modifications.  It’s also delicious with sautéed spinach and onions!

Ras al Hanout

  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

***

“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” is now stuck in my head.  Ugh.

What kind of soup are eating for National Soup Month?

 Do you make your own spice blends? 

Weekend Fun + Roasted Lemon Pepper Cabbage

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Particularly awesome weekends make it hard to go back to work.

 

Friday I had dinner at Wahoo (how awesome is that name?!) with one of my oldest friends.

 

Beet Salad with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, arugula and mint vinaigrette

 

Then I came home and did something I haven’t done in a long time – I curled up in bed with a nice scotch and read a book.  My first book of 2012 was Room.  I also started using GoodReads again, thanks to a reminder from Carol.

 

RoomRoom by Emma Donoghue

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The first half of this book was really, really slow. It was an especially hard read since it was written in the voice of a 5 year old. The second half was better, but depressing. I can’t say I recommend it.

View all my reviews

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Saturday I woke up to some exciting news – my Spinach Shiitake Miso Soup made the Food Buzz Top 9!  It made my day. 🙂  Thank YOU for the Buzz, and welcome new readers!  In case you missed it, check out my soup and the other 8 awesome recipes here.

 

 

I had a crazy list of errands to tackle, so I made a fun lunch to fuel it.  This resulted in me eating 1/2 a head of cabbage.  It was so good I couldn’t stop!  Clearly I didn’t learn my lesson about too much cabbage and gas (TMI, sorry) from the last time.

 

Roasted Lemon Pepper Cabbage and Asian-Inspired Lentil Loaf

 

This lemon-y roasted cabbage was so good I couldn’t stop eating it!  At the last minute I decided to add nutritional yeast to the mix, giving it a little more dimension.  I loved the rich nuttiness with all the lemon and pepper.  It was delicious with my Asian-Inspired Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf.

(Cabbage recipe at bottom)

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Saturday night I met up with a bunch local bloggers Carol, Heather, and Lee for the Atlanta Underground Market.

 

The market is wall-to-wall food samplings prepared by locals in their kitchens.  There is even a good variety of vegetarian and vegan food.  These aren’t restaurant owners, just home cooks and small-time bakers in Atlanta who want to share their food with a broader audience.  The website calls it an “incubator for new food talent.”

 

My favorites of the evening:

 

Teff bread with 4 Ethiopian tastes from Kushina Catering

L to R: Coconut Lime Yucca, Spicy Sweet Potato, Lemon Kale, Pumpkin Flax, Chocolate Parsnip Fig

 

Cookie Underground is one of the coolest ideas there.  They make cookies from vegetables!  Each cookies is about 50 calories and filled with good, clean vitamins and nutrients from fresh veggies.  Good thing because I could eat a dozen of the ancho and chipotle chili-laced Spicy Sweet Potato Cookies.

Sunday was a straight up lazy day of rest.  It was everything I hoped it would be.

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I was doing SO well with the Mile-a-Day Challenge… until Saturday’s run.  Around mile 2 I began having sharp pain in my left knee.  I didn’t twist it or anything, so I stretched a bit and kept going thinking it would work itself out.  Notsomuch.  It only got worse and I limped the last couple of miles home. I have no idea what happened… it still hurts to walk!  Needless to say, I skipped my Sunday mile-a-day and took a rest day instead. 🙁

Workout Recap (1/2 – 1/8)

  • Monday – This Biceps/Back workout with 1 mile intervals
  • Tuesday – This BodyRock, 1 mile run, TRX suspension class
  • Wednesday – This Tris/Chest workout with 1 mile intervals, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – Kickboxing, 1 mile run, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – Legs, 1 mile run, 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – 5 mile run, 6 min plank rotation, 100 push-ups
  • Sunday – REST, 100 push-ups

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Roasted Lemon Pepper Cabbage

  • 1/2 medium head of cabbage
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 freshly ground pepper
  • Salt, to taste

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil (spray with olive oil if not non-stick).

Cut cabbage into wedges, then trim the core bits from each wedge.  

Place wedges on pan, evenly spaced.Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.  Using a brush, coat the top of each wedge. Flip wedges over and repeat on other side.

Roast cabbage for ~10 mins, or until the beginning to brown.  Carefully flip the wedges and roast from an additional 8-10 mins, until the cabbage is browned and tender.

Serves 1-2.

***

Tonight is my first book club!  I’m really loving the motivation to read for fun again.

What’s the best book you’ve read lately?

Anything fun/exciting happen this weekend?


Spinach Shiitake Miso Soup

By

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?

 

Mile-a-Day Challenge + WIAW

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Waking up to an alarm was cruel and unusual punishment this morning.

 

Thank god it’s a short week because after so much time off (or at least out of the office), getting back to normalcy hurt a little.  Like a good back-on-track human, I only hit snooze 3 times before getting up and hitting the gym for a quick Body Rock workout and a 1 mile run.

 

1 mile everyday is January is my goal.  It’s about the longest I can stay on the dreadmill and I refuse to run outside when it’s 22 degrees outside.  When I saw the January Mile-a-Day challenge on The Sweaty Betties, I knew it was the perfect fit for me.

This is my way of *hopefully* maintaining some semblance of running shape while on my running “break.”

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Another benefit of a short week is that it feels like What I Ate Wednesday came faster!  Happy 50th, Jenn!!!

 

 

I’m in full-on snack mode.  I want to eat veggies and protein, and I want to eat them often.

 

Breakfast:

Post-workout breakfasts are usually cold, but this morning was a mini workout… and it was only 22 degrees outside.  A warm Pumpkin Zucchini Muffin topped with melty peanut butter and a side of hot green tea hit the spot.

 

 

 

Lunch:

“Meat” loaf leftovers!  This vegan loaf was even more awesome on day 2.  The flavors came together even more and provided a delicious, warming work lunch.

 

In case you missed it, check out the recipe for my (vegan!) Asian-Inspired Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf here.  I can’t tell you enough to try it – I can’t believe it took me so long to make one!

Today I ate it with raw zucchini sticks (if you on’t already eat it raw you have to try it) and red pepper hummus.

 

Dinner:

Since I’m obsessed with my new discovery – miso – I made a miso soup!


 

This was an amazing, hearty noodle-filled soup with plenty of green and just enough spice to make my nose run.

Recipe to come tomorrow!

 

Snacks:

Most people are probably the opposite, but I snack MORE when I’m a work.  It is my equivalent of a smoke break. 🙂

 

Cutie + lots of water

 

Primal Vegan Jerky

 

Think Thin Cookies n' Cream Bar

 

Attempt #1 at a Protein Microwave Muffin. #Fail

 

***

I was feeling under the weather… but I SWEAR the miso cured me.

Are you doing any January challenge?  Want to run with me? 🙂

Do you snack more at work or at home?  The same?

 

Asian-Inspired Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf

By

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?

 

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