Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Chocolate-Avocado Pudding

By

This week has my nerves a bit frayed.  

I’m in a funk.

I can’t shake this tired feeling.  My banana muffins turned out salty.  Stevie is turning into a terrorist.  My photos aren’t loading properly on Flickr.

*Whine*

Tonight I got through half an hour of P90X Yoga and hit the stop button.  Bah.

Funk = Comfort food.

So tonight I met a friend for some authentic tonkotsu ramen at Yakatori.  It was sheer deliciousness.

Creamy, rich, pork-y broth.  Fresh noodles.  Crispy cabbage bites.  Not too salty.

The service is friendly, the decor is simple, they don’t have forks, and most patrons are not native English-speakers.  Awesome.

This isn’t microwave ramen – you will wait for your food.  Totally worth it.  They bring out crisp, sesame-coated green beans for you to snack on.  If you’re in Atlanta (and you eat pork), it’s a must-try.  Warning: they only serve the ramen at dinner.

Continuing the comfort food, I made chocolate pudding.  With avocado.

If you don’t spill 1/2 the container of coconut butter (try cleaning that off the floor… epic FAIL), this literally takes just 2 mins to prepare.

You can’t taste the avocado – it only adds some good fat and creaminess.  I swear.  Crosses don’t count.

Mine – of course – included chili powder and cinnamon for a little Mexi-flare.  You can leave out one or both of these, but I strongly urge you to at least try the cinnamon.

Did I mention it has 16g of protein?!

Chocolate-Coconut Pudding

  • 1/2 avocado
  • 2 T cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
  • 2 T unsweetened coconut milk (I used So Delicious)
  • 1 T almond butter
  • 1 T maple syrup
  • 1/2 T coconut oil
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 packet Stevia
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder (optional… I like all my food spicy!)

Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

Devour.

***

Don’t cut your tongue licking the blades (that’s right… I deserve a Darwin Award.)

What is your favorite comfort food? 

Does it change seasonally?

Full Week

By

It’s Wednesday morning and already this week I:

1. Tried two new products

 

Close-to-locally made Kombucha

 

Buchi. Made in Asheville, N.C., purchased at Whole Paycheck Foods in ATL on Ponce.

It was good!  Very authentic (read: vinegar-y), but if you’re already used to the taste of Kombucha you’ll probably like it.

Added bonus: it comes in a beer bottle. 😉


Awesome taste. Awesome nutrients.

 

Omega-Rich Hummus with Walnuts & Flax.  Kudos to you, Whole Foods.  Has any one else seen this?  I’ve never noticed it before.

I don’t eat seafood, so I’ll take all the non-fishy omegas I can get.

Warning: it is purple-ish.  Not sure why.

 

2. Made (and eaten the h-e-double hockey sticks out of) granola

 

I love the hint of citrus in these

 

Callie @ Rawxy posted these Citrus-Spiked Granola Bars a couple of months ago.

I bookmarked them and FINALLY got around to making them.  Don’t make my mistake.  Make these now.

Delicious, filling, and only 4g of sugar!

My modifications:

  • Omitted the hemp seeds (didn’t have any)
  • Added zest of an additional (small) orange
  • Reduced dates to 2
  • Reduced Stevia to 1 packet

They were still sweet without the extra data/Stevia, but I do prefer my granola more nutty than sweet.

 

3. Flew to DC and back

While in DC, I ate at Big Buns.

 

No, I didn't buy a t-shirt.

 

It was surprisingly good.  Sadly, I forgot a pic.

I had the grilled chicken (which was perfectly cooked) over field greens with grilled pineapple, sprouts, roasted red pepper, and sweet chili vinaigrette.

The big surprise was the room upgrade:

 

Penthouse suite!

 

View from the bedroom

 

Don’t worry – I refrained from taking a pic of the phone in the bathroom. 🙂

Thank you, Westin!

 

4. Hosted a Roundtable Discussion with my boss.  No pics, but it went well.  Aside from the jokers that didn’t show up.

 

5. Hit the Gym

 

I have been working out... but this is hilarious.

 

The gym was my second stop (after my house) upon landing in ATL tonight.  Biceps and back + 100 stability ball crunches.

 

6. Cleaned the floor

Stevie didn’t successfully use the potty while I was away.  Dammit.

 

7. Made a tasty dinner

This actually means I tried another new (to me) product – Quorn Turk’y Burger

 

Less than impressive pic, but it hit the spot

 

Hunger took over and I thawed the burger in the microwave.  It still wasn’t bad, but I’d like to try it again in a grill pan or oven.

 

I threw together a quick salad:

  • Baby spinach
  • 1/2 avocado
  • Raw asparagus (julienned)
  • Lemon juice
  • S+P
  • Greek-style yogurt, plain 2% (yep – more Atlanta Farm Fresh)
  • Garlic chili paste
  • Fresh ginger

I tossed the asparagus with a little lemon juice, salt, and pepper, adding it to a bed of spinach.  That was topped with sliced avocado.  On a whim, I mixed the yogurt with the chili paste and ginger (YUM – will do that again!), and drizzled it over the salad.

 

Check back tomorrow to see what I did with the other half of that avocado!

Hint: it involves dessert.

***

After this weekend and Monday/Tuesday, I feel like it should be Friday again! 🙂

Do you find you cram in more activities during the warmer months?

 

Meyer Lemon Ricotta Penne

By

Do you ever just not feel like exercising?

 

You’ve been in Cubonia all day, staring at a screen…

The thought of lacing up and running can be excruciating.  That was me yesterday.  I skipped the weights I planned Thursday.  I sat at my desk all day Friday.  Slug.

 

Yes, sometimes you NEED rest days.  But sometimes you just need to get a foot out the door.  I got my foot out the door for 34 minutes and 4 miles.  It made me feel 100% better.  (Note to self: moving make you feel good.  Just do it.)

I feel like everyone with a blog also has a fancy Garmin watch.  I do not.  They’re great watches and can give you some nifty data… I just don’t need that much watch.  I use the Tech4o Accelerator.

Features include:

  • Accurate pedometer
  • Customizable –  specify your height/stride/weight
  • Chronograph (ok, ok… I’ve never used this)
  • Countdown timer (this is pretty cool)
  • Daily alarm

 

The best part?  It’s on sale for $50!!!

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After my refreshing run, I needed fooood.  And there was a Meyer lemon in the fridge calling my name.

If you haven’t tired a Meyer lemon yet, run out and do so now.  They’re at the end of their season and they are light years from a plain lemon.

 

How do they differ from regular lemons?

  • Deeper yellow in color
  • Twice as juicy
  • Sweeter/less acidic
  • Edible skin (you can eat a regular lemon peel, but you probably won’t get far)

 

Drooling yet?  They are awesome in compotes, cheesecakes, drinks, draaaanks, dressings… anything!

I decided on a ricotta sauce, to be used with penne and super-thick asparagus (seriously – I’ve never seen stalks this huge).

 

It is rare that I make pasta at home.  I’m more into quinoa or lentil mixes.  With the ricotta, I needed something with more umph.

When you read this, it sounds like a time consuming recipe.  It isn’t – each piece can be done simultaneously.  I had a gourmet-quality dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

Hit.  The.  Spot.

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Meyer Lemon Ricotta Penne with Asparagus

  • 4 oz penne pasta
  • 1 Meyer lemon + zest
  • 1.5 T olive oil (I used Sweetwater Growers’ Basil-Infused)
  • 1/2 C ricotta
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • S+P, to taste
  • 2-3 T shallot, minced
  • 1 C asparagus

 

Prepare pasta as directed on package, adding 1 tsp of sea salt to the pot.

Meanwhile, place a small pot filled with water over high heat and bring it to a boil.  Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside.  Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for 1-2 mins (just until turning a vibrant green). Drain asparagus and add to ice water to stop the cooking and retain color.  Drain the asparagus again, cut into 2-in pieces, and set aside.

Heat a small amount of oil in small pan over med-high heat.  Add minced shallots and sauté until translucent.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, stir together lemon zest, lemon juice, ricotta, red pepper flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and salt.

Toss veggies and pasta with the ricotta and enjoy!

***

If possible, consume on a patio while enjoying a warm, sunny evening. 🙂

Do you run with some sort of tracking device?  Garmin?  iPhone?

Do you make pasta at home often?


Shallot and Kale Socca

By

Yesterday I couldn’t figure out why my quick, 5K run had me struggling.

While running, I only look at the distance on my watch (I ignore the time/pace).

Post-run is when I look at the time.  I don’t know why, but this has always been my ritual.  No pressure, I suppose…

Stats

Distance: 3.14 mi

Time: 25:52 (?!?!)

Pace: 8:13  <—– figured out why the run was so hard!


That may be my fastest pace ever.

Then I came home and did P90X Ab Ripper X.  Rawr.

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No running today – taking a rest since it’s a crazy day at work (in a good way).  Lots getting done AND we sold an add-on for a cool project.  Always a good way to start the end of the week!  (Yes, I designate a beginning to the end of the week.)

That’s not the only good news today…

…drumroll please…

I finally made Socca successfully!

 

Attempt #1: on the stove top in a pan.  Epic fail.

Attempt #2: in the oven, still a gooey mess.

 

After this frustration, I put down the chickpea flour.  Almost.  I did make some delicious Gena @ Choosing Raw’s Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers.  Two thumbs up!

Today was my day.  With “All I Do Is Win” in the background, I created a masterpiece.

Attempt #3:

I also roasted some tofu and topped it with Muhammara (which freezes beautifully, btw).

There were a couple snafu’s…

DO NOT skimp on the EVOO when greasing the pan.  I almost had to eat my socca out of said pan.

I also got too excited about the socca working… subsequently over-cooking my roasted tofu.  Whatever.  It still tasted good.

This was enjoyed on my patio in beautiful, 70 degree weather. While watching the guy across the street sunbathe at his pool.

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Shallot and Kale Socca

(adapted from Dorie Greenspan)

  • 1/2 C chickpea flour
  • 1/2 C room temperature water
  • 1 tsp olive oil (plus more for pans)
  • 1/2 tsp herbes de provence
  • 1/4 tsp teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 C diced shallot
  • 1/2 C kale

Saute the shallots and kale in small pan.  Set aside to let cool.

Whisk flour and spices together in a small bowl.  Add water and oil, whisking to combine.  The batter with be very thin.  Stir in cooled shallots and kale.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours (can stand overnight).  Preheat oven to 500 F.

Place an 8-inch round cake pan in center rack of oven.  Add a tablespoon of oil to pan and swirl to coat the bottom (don’t skimp on the oil – this was my remaining blunder!).  Return to the oven 1-2 mins to heat the oil.  Remove the hot pan and pour the batter into pan.

Cook for 5 minutes, turn on broiler and broil for an additional 3-4 minutes, until the top is getting some nice burnt patches. Remove from oven and flip out onto a plate or cutting board.

***

Are you on the Socca-train?  What’s your favorite version?

 

Chocolate Sweet Potato Shake

By

Happy last day of the month!

This was a month of spectacular eats, so choosing a recipe to submit to Spicie Foodie’s Your Best Recipe was difficult!  She rounded up a ton of great, international recipes – check out her site for the line up!

Ultimately I went with the Tempeh Crab-Free Cakes.  They were so cool to make.

I’m crab-free!

Vegan-izing food is fun… even if you’re not vegan…

Other items I wanted to choose (click the pics for the recipes):

Chickpeas + Spiced Tomato Sauce

Egg-fin

Zucchini-Banana Muffins

Olive Basil Cookies

Mango-Cucumber Lentil Salad

Then there was the following tasty creation….

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I’ve made sweet potato shakes before.  They were good.  Delicious, in fact.

Like every other red-blooded female out there, chocolate is one of my favorite things to nosh on.

How is it that I never thought to combine the two tasty treats?!

Check out my new black border in the background!

Until now. *Insert evil cackle*

For this shake I used half of a Rich Dark Chocolate EAS drink.

I love these for a few reasons:

  • Taste = good
  • 17g protein
  • 0g sugar
  • 110 calories

That makes a perfect post-workout snack for me.  I also like the Strawberry flavor, but only in shakes.

I threw out the coffee flavor after trying it.  Not my cup of coffee tea.

Chocolate Sweet Potato Shake

  • 1/4 large sweet potato (pre-baked)
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 dark chocolate EAS drink
  • 1/2 C kale*
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • shake of salt
  • ice + water, to taste

Throw it all in a blender and blend until well-mixed.  Add straw and try to go drink it so fast you get an ice cream headache.

*Only 1/2 a cup because it was the Whole Food frozen variety.  Fresh is less condensed, so you’ll want to add more.  If green creeps you out, leave it out altogether!

***

My boss just called.  We’re meeting at a bar to watch the Brave’s opener.  Have I mentioned I love my job?!

Anyone else excited for baseball season?!

Strawberry Asparagus Tempeh Salad

By

Monday was eventful!  I…

1. …found out I received a number in the famed Peachtree Road Race on July 4th.  Who else is running???

 

2. …picked out paint colors for an accent wall and trim.  Although I’m pretty sure I picked too light for the accent wall…


3. …bought a new (much-needed) washer and dryer – being installed today!  Thank you, Craig’s List.


4. …saved $10.50 at Whole Paycheck Foods.  That’s one helluva PR!

 

5. …tried a new ice cream: Almond Dream Praline Crunch.  It was AWESOME – creamy, nutty, and didn’t have the “I’m unsuccessfully trying really hard to act like ice cream” taste.  Totally worth the $$$.  Nevermind that I had a coupon.


Not too shabby for a Monday!

AND I continued my streak of morning workouts with my favorite bike-elliptical-treadmill interval routine.  Despite the insane thunderstorms/rain that went on all night long.

AND I am participating in “Your Best Recipe” for the month of March.  Check back on Thursday, March 31st for an update/link to the list!

 

Hosted by Spicy Foodie (click image for link)

 

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Every smoothie I drink is green.  I think tofu is delicious.  The only acceptable way to drink coffee is black.  Olives have been known to find their way into my cookies.  Salsa and eggs were made for each other, IMHO.

“Weird” eating habits are not new to me.

HOWEVER, I will concede that if someone tried to tell me the dinner I ate last night was delicious… I may have rolled my eyes.

Balsamic roasted strawberries.  Roasted lemon-y asparagus.  Grilled tempeh.  Served over a bed of spinach and parsley.

Pure deliciousness.

Sorry for the iPhone blurry pic... I was hungry!

Tempeh can be a bit bitter if you don’t boil it.  One of the cool things about this recipe is that the sweetness of the strawberries cuts the bitter.  This way you can pan-fry your tempeh freely without having to worry about adding a sugary sweetener.

Strawberry Asparagus Tempeh Salad

For the tempeh*:

  • 2T EVOO (I used habanero-infused)
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 block tempeh

Mix together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Thinly slice the tempeh.  POur marinade over tempeh slices, gently tossing to coat.  Let sit 5-10 mins to absorb flavor.

Heat a large skillet over med-high heat.  Coat with a bit of oil and place tempeh slices in pan.  Cook until golden brown and crispy (~ 5-6 mins), flipping half way through.

Remove from heat and set aside.

*You could do this with chicken or tofu if you prefer!

For the asparagus:

  • 7-8 asparagus spears
  • Juice from 1/2 a small lemon
  • 2-3 tsp EVOO
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to broil.

Toss asparagus in lemon juice, oil, and pepper.  Place on foil in oven for 6-7 mins, watching closely.  Remove when just beginning to brown and wrinkle.

For the strawberries:

  • 1/2 C strawberries, quartered
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to broil.

Toss strawberries in balsamic.  Place on piece of foil in oven, letting roast for 2-3 mins.  (I just added mine to the asparagus during the last couple of minutes.)


Place a generous handful of spinach in salad bowl.  Toss with parsley.  Top with asparagus, strawberries, and tempeh.  Drizzle with a little EVOO and lemon juice.  Sprinkle with nutritional yeast (or cheese), and S+P to taste.

Note: You may notice in the pic that I added an heirloom tomato.  I’d leave it out next time… not terrible, but it didn’t add anything.

***

What’s the weirdest thing you like to eat?  Do people comment on your food choices?

My name is Laura and I <3 weird food.

 

Speaking Up

By

A friend and I recently had a delicious dinner at an Atlanta restaurant.  While there, we noticed that the restaurant was beginning a Monday night dinner at their community table.  16 seatings, $35 for  a “three-course, family style dinner featuring paired wine and beer.”

Before we even left the restaurant we made reservations for the community dinner, which took place last night.  We included 2 others who had never been to this restaurant before, excitedly telling them about the place.

The dinner was supposed to begin at 7p.  Apparently other parties were running late, so service was to begin late.  Mistake #1: Don’t make me wait for food!

The server offered drink menus, which we initially declined… but after another several minute wait we caved and ordered drinks.  The server – clueless about the wine list – tried to tell me a Moscato d’Asti would be dry, btw.

By the time they arrived, the restaurant had decided to go ahead with the dinner.  Fine… but that meant suddenly I had 2 full glasses of wine.  It would have been nice if they’d warned us of their decision to begin the first course/pairing – I wouldn’t have ordered the wine.  No biggie though… you know I drank both!

Unfortunately, that was just the beginning of the service problems.

Chef came out to introduce Course #1: a salad of frisée, asparagus, radishes, and pistachio encrusted goat cheese.  Good.  Nothing spectacular, but well-executed.

No one introduced the first wine pairing.  When I asked the server what we were tasting, she had to go ask the bartender.  (It was an Italian chardonnay.) She offered to write down the name.  I accepted (very nice of her to offer)… but apparently she forgot and I never received the name card.

Course #2 was a duck confit served over a delicious white bean and ham mixture.  The runners borough it out before we had plates.  Upon receiving plates, we realized the family-style food had not come with serving utensils.  We almost helped ourselves regardless.  Luckily, the server appeared with tongs and spoons just in time (reaching over everyone to lay them on the table).

This course was never introduced.  Unsure if the chef would be coming out again after staring at the food for another several mins, my friend inquired as to whether we should wait to eat.  With more than a touch of ‘tude, our server told my friend that she supposed she could go ahead if she didn’t want to wait for the chef.  Welll… no one wanted to wait and it’s a good thing we didn’t since he never came out.

Of course, the wine was not introduced either.  It was red and actually quite good.  That’s all I know.

As mentioned above, the beans with ham was delicious.  The duck confit notsomuch. I don’t know how, but it was dry.  Not that anyone asked me how my meal was.

Course #3 was a dessert course. We were brought key lime pie squares topped with a toasted marshmallow.  The marshmallow was the best part.

Ok. When you attend a “three-course, family style dinner featuring paired wine and beer”… do you not infer that each course has a pairing?

No pairing. When I asked our server about it, she said she would have to check.  When she returned, she unapologeticlly informed me a pairing was not included because if they did that they would be losing money.  Super.  Excuse me for asking.

At this point I’m really unhappy with the way the night has gone.  My dining companions (my friends and the others around the community table) were also disappointed.  So I said something.

The chef came out to address the issue with me.  I – very nicely – mentioned the short-comings and the sub-par service.

They comped our meal – NOT my goal – asking that we pay for drinks and tip the server.

Then they apologized for my misunderstanding of what the dinner would be.  Uh-huh.

It’s unlikely I’ll return. Not because the food was so-so (my first trip was quite good) or because of a “misunderstanding” (I get that they’re new and appreciate the meal being comped).  No, I won’t go back because of the poor service and being made to feel like anything unsatisfactory was my fault.

In the end,  restaurants are in the service business.  If you don’t deliver quality service at a higher-end establishment, I’ll not be spending my time or money there.  There are too many fantastic places to eat in Atlanta.

On a happy note, we met some awesome people through the community seating format.  We hope to dine with that crew again soon!

 

The other issue was that it wasn’t enough food.  So I made a pit stop on the way home.

Shameless WaHo love

***

Due to a misunderstanding with my computer, I can’t post the cookie recipe I had planned this morning… so that’s coming tonight.  I’ll give you the recipe free-of-charge if you promise to tip though!

Since I can’t have a photo-less post and I do like to share good finds…

My friend and softball teammate Kelly made the carrot cake for the wedding shower.  Literally everyone was raving about it.  I’m going to beg her for the recipe.

Kelly, please open a bakery

I may have told my mother this is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had… sorry, Mom.

I want this for lunch

***

I feel a little bad about the restaurant comping our meals…

Have you ever been made to feel  like poor service was your fault? 

Do you speak up or just let it go?

Tough Mudder is Tough

By

The Tough Mudder was today.

I am more proud of myself for finishing this race than any other I’ve done.

They aren’t kidding about the “Tough” part

When my friends and I registered, the course hadn’t been finalized.  The race was supposed to be 8-10 miles of obstacles and trail running (followed by a “party” with 2 free beers).

Then we get more info in an email.  It’s actually 11 miles.  Fine.  What’s one more mile?

Then more: the county the race is in is dry.  No beer.  Whatever.

tough mudder

Then we get to the start… and the announcer says it is about 12 miles.

It was actually 13.5 miles.  (Or 15, depending on whose GPS-tacking claims you believe.)

The Short Story:

  • They ran out of water cups at stations… and out of water.
  • There was no sort of electrolyte replenishment (13+ miles => need better fuel stations… esp. when distance isn’t accurately communicated)
  • They dumped ICE in every mud water obstacle we swam/slogged through
  • Mountains hills I never thought I could make it up 10 miles in with wet, mud-caked shoes were conquered
  • Displays of camaraderie and willingness to help other racers was by far the most impressive I’ve encountered.
  • I ran in just a sports bra for the first time ever (wet, muddy shirt was discarded on a mountain tree branch)
  • Chocolate Muscle Milk is good.  (Bonus points for Georgia Tech-themed bottles)

The Summary: It was 13.5 miles/3.45 hours of TOUGH.

***

Will I do it again?  HELL NO.

Not today anyway.

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