A 50 K, a 50 mile, and Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

September 5, 2013 By Laura

Wise, insightful posts are so inspiring.

I so admire people who can write them.

Kat wrote one such post today in her bi-weekly guest spot below. I am forever grateful to her for bringing a ~~mature~~ different voice to this blog.

It make me feel less guilty for sharing ~~crap~~ interesting tidbits like this:

Hello Kitty beer. It’s a real thing in China. Apparently it comes in lime and peach flavors… and there are 4 more coming. Like banana. *gag*

Rather than making about a million inappropriate jokes, I going to stop and let Kat take over. Her Vegan Eggplant Parm recipe certainly tastes better than Hello Kitty fruity beer.

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A 50 K, a 50 mile, and Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

The rest of my West Coast Trip ROCKED! I finished 3rd in my age group at the Mount Tam 50K, and it was such a beautiful race! However, I wore the wrong shoes, and my feet ACHED! I wore the Saucony Kinvara trail shoes (which I love, but only for about 15-18 miles or so). I got new shoes as soon as I got home (to wear in my 50 miler last Sunday).

Mount Tam 50k

Then I went zip lining through the redwoods! I highly recommend this! (Editor’s note: I’ll pass on the 50K but sign me up for this!!!)

I learned so much about the trees and how adaptive they are. They really are super cool, and the zip lining is a blast, too.

After 10 days, getting back to “normal,” has been a slow process, at best, but I’m so happy to be home with all of my babies – the three kitties and the three puppies! (Editor’s note: I always feel that way too – even after the most amazing of trips.)

I also was super excited to run the Yeti Snakebite 50/50 on Sunday, September 1. So many of my friends were there to either run 50K or 50 miles, and it was awesome to see all the friendly faces. Unfortunately, it was a much harder race and hotter day than most anticipated, so tons of people were unable to complete the race (and I was super slow). However, I finished the 50 miler, a little over 12 hours after I started.

Krista gave up her whole day to crew for me. She showed up at every aid station to bring me things I needed and wanted and to help me though. I am humbled and grateful to have people in my life who care about me and are willing to support me in my (crazy) endeavors.

My new Innov8 Trail Roc shoes also ROCKED! I was a little nervous, having only run in them once (for about 6 miles), to wear them in such a long race, but I highly recommend them. They are lightweight, but have a beastly cleat (Editor’s note: Best description ever) on the bottom to help you on the trails, while not hurting your feet for short spurts on pavement.

The Race itself was extremely difficult, and when it rained (POURED) on us, it was slippery and dangerous. EEK! I also got off-trail for a bit, which reminded me to just smile through it and eventually cross the finish line! The volunteers were amazing, and kept us going even when super frustrated.

It helps to step back after a race like that and ask yourself, “Why?” Why do we do this? Why do we intentionally do things that we know will hurt, that will push us to our physical and mental limits?”

I keep coming back to the answer that it shows me that I can push through the most difficult feelings, and survive when I want to quit. Applying this lesson to life, I keep wanting to also show myself I can do it with a smile. (Editor’s note: That, and you’re a little crazy. Which is why we get along. 😉 )

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At my house, we recently started getting fruit and vegetable delivery, once a week, from Cold Life Organics. They have several options for boxes, and you can add on to any box, skip a shipment, or change which box you need or want. It’s only $40 for one week for two people! It’s been awesome, and with the variety they bring, it encourages me to try new things and think outside the box. 😉 (Yes, that was a cheesy pun. You’re welcome!)

Last week we got eggplant. I wanted to have friends over, rather than going out and spending more money, so I decided to get creative for my vegan friend, Ann. I ended up doing a play on Eggplant Parmesan, sans the Parmesan… and it was SO GOOD! (Editor’s note: Holla at this friend!!!)

It was super crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside, and perfectly delicious. Using the pecan meal with the nutritional yeast gave it the perfect amount of nuttiness that we didn’t get from the real Parmesan, and the garlic gave it an awesome little kick with some sweetness. And I would not do this without the fresh basil! Try this recipe!

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Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

1 Medium eggplant
1/2 T org. buckwheat flour
1 T almond meal
2 T pecan meal
1 T dried parsley
1 T nutritional yeast
Big pinch salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 Large fresh basil leaves, chopped
Plenty of coconut oil
16 oz jar of tomato sauce, or homemade tomato sauce (I made my own)

Pre-heat the oven to 425.

Mix your buckwheat, almond and pecan meal, parsley, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and fresh basil in a bowl with a fork. In another bowl, pour some melted coconut oil.

Cut eggplant into ¼ – ½ inch rounds. First dip them in the dry mixture, then into the coconut oil, then back into the dry mixture. Make sure it gets a good coating on there. Repeat with the whole eggplant.

Place on baking sheet lined with foil and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy on top (I had to broil mine an extra 2-3 minutes after).

Let some of the oil drip onto a towel/paper towel and let cool for about 3-5 minutes. Then serve with sauce!

Makes 3-4 servings.

***

I think Kat nailed it this week with a #strangebutgood recipe! And I am adding this to the list of things to beg her to make me…

What do you do for self-improvement? How do your workouts help? It clears my mind and helps me remain more focused on goals!

Do you have organic veggie delivery!? Would you look into it?

Strange But Good: Jicama & Tofu Nachos

August 23, 2013 By Laura

Mexican-inspired breakfasts are some of my favorites. Jicama & Tofu Nachos are my morning take on the giant plates of nachos I love for dinner!

This Mexican-ish deliciousness happened for breakfast, but I think it makes a good brinner dish too. When is breakfast not appropriate?!

I don’t make guarantees often, but I promise that if you try this, you will be in love. It seems like a lot of steps, but they happen simultaneously so it’s not too time consuming.

If you haven’t had jicama before, here’s what you need to know:

Pronounced HIK-ka-ma
Root vegetable, sometimes called a Mexican turnip
Tough brown skin should be peeled before eating or cooking
Inside is white, wet and crunchy… like if a potato and an apple had a baby
Flavor is slightly sweet, a little nutty
Low in calories
High in Vitamin C and fiber… but not just any fiber! It’s fiber infused with oligofructose inulin, which has zero calories and doesn’t metabolize in the body
Inulin enhances absorption of calcium from other foods and is a prebiotic (read: promotes “good” bacteria growth)

Jicama is good raw in salads like my Edamame and Jicama Salad, but it’s also great roasted. I cut it into “chips” and roasted it in the oven for use as the nachos in this recipe.

It was awesome topped with tomatoes and creamy avocado… and tofu! If you haven’t baked tofu before, now is the time to try it. It poofs up like marshmallows! In a good way.

Even more fabulous was the runny egg on top. That #yolkporn dripped down into the crevices of my nacho creation, making each bite worthy of a giddy grin.

My only complaint was the not-so-happy ending – I was really sad when the last bite had been taken.

[Tweet “Jicama & Tofu Nachos are a healthy, breakfast spin on nacho plates!”]

Jicama & Tofu Nachos

1 small jicama, peeled and sliced thinly
6 oz tofu, cubed
1 tsp Mexican spice blend (use your favorite)
1/2 medium tomato
1/4 avocado
Egg (optional)
Garnish ideas: lime, red pepper flakes, pepper

Place the thinly sliced jicama on half of a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Season cubed tofu with your favorite Mexican spices and place on the other half of the baking sheet.

Cook both under broil for 10 mins, flipping half way through. Make sure you watch the jicama closely so as not to burn it.

While that is roasting, cut your tomato and avocado into cubes. Set aside.

When the chips and tofu are done, remove from the oven. Arrange chips in nacho-form on the baking sheet. Top with tofu, tomato, and avocado. Place the pan back in the oven under the broiler for ~5 mins, until warmed through.

Meanwhile, cook egg to desired level of doneness on the stove top.

Remove chips from over and verrrry carefully slide off onto a plate. Top with the egg (if using) and garnish as desired.

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

Today my dad would have been 58 years old. I still feel the hole in my heart… but the Mitch Albom quote holds true: “Death ends a life, not a relationship.” I feel his presence, love, and support every day. His lessons live on through the lives he touched. Happy Birthday, Old Man.

How do you like your eggs? Green with ham? 😉

Have you ever had jicama? Do you prefer it raw of cooked?

Fluffy Cauliflower Protein Pancakes

August 16, 2013 By Laura

Cauliflower is surprisingly versatile.

Or maybe I’m surprisingly strange?

Either way, these are good. Cauliflower may seem like a strange thing to make pancakes with, but it’s one of those veggies (like spinach) that doesn’t have a strong taste.

I had to do a few trials, but persistence paid off. My first trials were without the oats, but it does need that addition to thicken properly.

What results in a super-fluffy pancake hiding a little extra veggie punch that NO ONE will ever guess is in there. I added a quick blackberry syrup and decorated with some toasted sunflower seeds, which added a nice crunch to every bite.

A couple of tips:

Cut the cauliflower into small pieces to so that they will blend smoothly
Make sure to grease the pan well to make flipping easier
Don’t touch the pancakes until they are ready to flip. If you mess with them, it will take away from the fluff factor.

Fluffy Cauliflower Protein Pancakes

For the Pancakes:

2 T oatmeal
100g (~2/3 C) cauliflower
1/4 C egg whites
1 T (1/2 scoop) vanilla protein powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp no sodium baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp butter extract (optional)
5-6 drops liquid stevia

For the Blackberry Syrup:

1/4 C blackberries, mashed
1 tsp sugar-free syrup

In a blender (I used a Magic Bullet), pulse the oats into a flour. Place in mixing bowl.

Place cauliflower in the blender cup with egg whites and mix until smooth.

Add oats back in, along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until combined.

Cook in a well-greased skillet (I used PAM).

Meanwhile, mix together syrup ingredients in a small bowl. Place in the microwave for ~10 seconds to warm and “melt” the berries.

Plate the ‘cakes and drizzle with syrup. I also added sunflower seeds as a crunchy garnish.

Serves 1.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

This week has certainly been strange… it’s so cool in Atlanta it feels like October! Normally this would be awesome, but I’m crossing my finger for a little warmth because I’m supposed to try paddle boarding for the first time this weekend!

What is your favorite way to sneak in extra veggies?

Do you like to make pancake breakfasts? Or are you an oat/egg/yogurt/other person?

Marvelous Smoothie Crack: Mocha Beet Frappuccino

August 12, 2013 By Laura

Crack is whack.

Thank you, Whitney Houston for that insightful quote.

After a long hiatus, I am jumping back into Heather‘s Meatless Monday link up!

I would never expose you to something whack, so this post isn’t actually about crack. It is a super-energizing smoothie though!

This week’s MMAZ link up is about making someone else’s recipe. Unfortunately, I am unable to follow recipes (or directions). Rather, I took inspiration from someone’s recipe.

Sarah created this vegan Mocha Chip Mousse last week. I loved how she used tofu to create a protein-rich healthy-ish dessert. It made me remember my favorite Carrot Cake Batter Shake, where I used tofu to get a milk shake consistency. Why hadn’t I done it with chocolate?! And coffee… this was a frapp waiting to happen! There may have been some strangeness too… I’ve been loving chocolate-beet smoothies lately and I carried that idea over to make this a Mocha Beet Frappuccino. 🙂

Recipe for this crack-like creation at the bottom…

First I have to share some marvelous!!! I had the pleasure of dining with one of my favorite ladies: Sarena! She invited me over for dinner with her family. I’d never met her crew before, but felt like I already knew them thanks to social media. Tony (her husband) said he felt like Instragram was coming to life. 🙂

If you’ve never tried any of Sarena’s gluten-free baked goods before, let me assure you this stuff is the jam. She made a loaf of gluten-free bread that was better than most of the “real” bread I’ve had.

We started with a salad, then for dinner enjoyed succotash, grilled pork, and homemade bread. And more bread. I wish I’d gotten a pic of the Pavlova Sarena made for dessert too. It was fantastic!

Also marvelous was a sunny Sunday run up Stone Mountain. Remember those booty building incline sprints? I’m back at it. 🙂

While we’re talking about booty, I finally picked up a pair of the Nike Pro booty shorts I see everyone on Instagram wearing. They are actually amazing – comfy and breathable.

I shamelessly wore them all day long. Including to 2 grocery stores.

Killer bicep/tricep workout, followed up with more crack.

Check out what else is marvelous in blog land this week in Katie’s link up!

Mocha Beet Frappuccino

1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1/2 serving (1.5 oz) tofu
1/4 C roasted beet (or 1 tsp beet powder)
1 T instant coffee granules
1/2 T cocoa powder
1/4 inch piece fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
5-6 drops vanilla liquid stevia
Pinch of xanthan and guar gums (optional)
Ice and water (adjust according to thickness preference)

Toss it all in the blender and mix until smooth.

Inhale. Bounce off the walls.

***

Why don’t I ever remember that it’s a bad idea to run up mountains the day before leg day?! Doh.

Do you run around in your gym clothes all day?

Do you even gluten-free products even though you don’t have an allergy? I like trying all the foods!

Strange But Good: Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

August 9, 2013 By Laura

The Peach State isn’t actually the largest peach producer in the US.*

Not that it stops me from eating copious amounts while they’re in season.

You may remember my love of PB & Jeggs. Or Aggs. Or (vegan) Ceggs. Or Zeggs. I could go on forever, but all this is to say that I was actually thinking of my PB & Peggs when I came up with the combo.

Now that I type this, I realize I should have added peanut flour too! Tomorrow is another day…

One of the slightly strange adds was sweet potato. I cubed it and sautéed it quickly before making the scramble. It was so easy! Adding the peaches at the end was just enough to warm and caramelize the natural sugars a bit. Then there was the basil, which was a nice, herb-y accent to give the dish a bit more “pop.”

And bacon… because everything is better with bacon. Really, the savory-salty bacon sprinkles made every bite fun. Sounds strange, but trust me. It was good.

*In case you were wondering, California is the largest peach producer in the U.S. South Carolina is the largest in the East.

Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

Coconut (or other) oil to grease pan
1/2 C diced sweet potato
1/2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
Shake of cayenne (optional)
1 Peach, chopped
Basil
Bacon, crumbled (optional)

In a lightly oiled skillet, sautee sweet potato until tender. Set aside.

Scramble together egg whites, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne with a spoash of water (the water helps them “fluff”).

Transfer to a lightly oiled skillet and cook over medium heat until half way done (~1-2 mins). Add sweet potato, peaches, and basil. Mix and cook through.

Plate your scramble and top with additional basil and bacon sprinkles, if desired.

Note: Feta or goat cheese would also be good here to add a pop of saltiness.

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week?

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!

Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

And now I have to brag. I get to have dinner at Sarena‘s house tonight. Her food makes me drool.

Is there anything bacon (or vegan bacon bits) isn’t good with? It’s like peanut butter!

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

August 8, 2013 By Laura

Stress does funny things to people.

Or it makes you find odd things funny…

I’ve been traveling this week and with the possibility of more travel looming and a bunch of personal stuff on the horizon, the stress level is high.

So I looked for the humor. Turns out, all I needed to do was look down… and then coin my new favorite hashtag: #meetingfeet.

You know you’re in Florida when an exec rocks the sock-less loafer look.

Those would be beer mugs on this business leader’s socks.

Speaking of stress, my friend Kat is stress-free after the Bar Exam!!! I am so proud of her – I can’t even imagine having the discipline to get through all that.

Today she’s sharing her relaxation strategy and a couple of quick-yet-awesome recipes. I cannot WAIT to try her Thai Coconut Hummus! But I’ll let her tell you about it…

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

Thank god the bar is over!!!! It was not fun, and I hope I never have to take it again. Unfortunately, bar results don’t come in until October 28 or so. Yeah, that seems like a LONG time. But, “patience is a virtue,” and I guess it gives us some time to get over the trauma of a two-day, four-session, exhausting marathon of a test. (Editor’s note: It is downright cruel for them to leave you hanging so long!)

One text I got in the middle of the first day was, “You’re 25 miles into the ultramarathon,” and that’s how it felt… taking it a few steps at a time, leaving whatever happened in the first parts of the test behind to focus on success in the future.

After the Ultramarathon (the Bar Exam), it was time to start letting go of the built-up stress, tension, and the parts of me that really aren’t so pretty when I feel so overwhelmed.

Two days after the exam, I took off to the beach for a long weekend! It was wonderful to get away, and not study! I got to read for fun on the beach, meditate, collect seashells and just let go anything weighing me down. (Editor’s note: Most deserved trip ever.)

Reading on the beach at sunset. Heaven!

It was also fun! We found a dog beach, where our newest rescue, Scout, was able to go swimming and play with all the other dogs!

I had never seen anything like it. There were probably over 50 dogs that I saw, all playing, swimming, rolling in sand, and enjoying the day.

By the end of our first day at the beach, I may have had 1^st or 2^nd degree burns on my butt and back. No, this is not a joke. (Editor’s note: Ummm… why did the sun see your arse?!) My back-side has not had a lucky summer…. between poison ivy and now not being able to sit due to a sun ~~bum~~ burn! But I was still so happy to get away.

In my bar recovery regimen, I also need to give a shout out to the cuddle bugs, the animals in my life. They are the most wonderful beings who help ground me, and who love me unconditionally, and I do not know how I could have survived the bar without them! Scarlett and Echo are my kitties (Echo turned 5 on Saturday). And then Gracie the golden, Murphy, and Scout the lab.

I love them!

Before I took the bar, I had no time for any fancy meals or kitchen projects, so I kept it super simple. Here are two super easy, fun recipes that allow you to enjoy delicious food, when time is not on your side.

Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizza

1 Rudi’s Gluten-Free tortilla, thawed
Handful of spinach
Tomato paste, spread thinly
Olive oil, lightly drizzled over the spinach, before the cheese
¼ sautéed onion, sliced
3 baby bella mushrooms, sautéed and sliced
1 oz honey goats cheese, crumbled
1-2 oz drunken goats cheese, sliced
Any other toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to 425.

Top pizza and bake ~15 minutes, or until your cheese begins to brown a little.

Devour.

This is a meal I had several times while studying through dinner.

Thai Coconut Hummus

½ C plain hummus
3 T coconut cream
Thai Curry Almond Seasoning (found at Whole Foods)

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and eat!

I’ve been snacking on this with raw beets, carrots, chips, gluten-free tortillas, and anything under the sun! It’s light and flavorful. A new staple.

And now that I’m done, it’s time for more adventures!

I have a few trail runs in California in the coming weeks, and some adventures to wrangle (Editor’s note: What adventures?! I want to wrangle…) before I really get serious about working full-time! 🙂

***

No, I didn’t crawl under the table for the sock shots. I just casually held my phone down. 😉

How do you recoup after a long stretch of go-go-go?

What’s your favorite quickie meal when you’re too busy for a big-deal meal?

Zucchini TVP Lasagna

July 25, 2013 By Laura

Taking risks is one of life’s great joys.

It can also ~~be a fail~~ require patience.

My favorite risks involve something food-related. Hence all the #strangebutgood.

A couple of years ago I decided to adopt a vegan diet. That risk didn’t pan out, but it did result in a TON of recipe risks that did. One of my favorite discoveries from that time was Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP). It’s super-high in protein, low in carbs, and low in fat. It’s like a body builder’s dream food.

Texturally, TVP is reminiscent of ground beef. This lead to the obvious first recipe – “Beefy” TVP Chili. Taste-wise, TVP is like chicken. It will take on the flavor of anything you add to it… so the “Chick-less” Nuggets were born. Beef, chicken… why not bacon?! Kat made hers and then I followed with a smokey version.

All of that was good… but was it really that strange? Chicken and TVP take on any flavor… hold up. So does… OATMEAL!

I went TVP oatmeal crazy: Mango-Coconut, Maple, Pumpkin Pie, Spiced TVP Breakfast Squash, and even Greek Yogurt Overnight Oats!

This was a really, really long-winded way to say that I am ridiculously excited to share Kat’s guest post today. Her brilliant move is to use it in lasagna! Well played, my friend.

Here’s Kat….

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Zucchini TVP Lasagna

This blog has to be short and sweet because I am in study mode. The Georgia Bar exam is less than a week away, and I’m still trying to absorb as much as I can! (Editor’s note: How’s that osmosis working for ya? 😉 )

Mostly through the emotional, mentally exhausting roller coaster, I have realized it is SO important to stay positive through this time.

Choose to see the good stuff (because it IS a choice), and I have to trust that I have it in me to achieve this goal! (Editor’s note: YES YOU DO! I’m so proud to call you a friend.)

I would not be able to make it through this time with out running, lots of running… and thinking about what I will do after. When I get done, I am going to the beach! I am getting a haircut, and I am going to NOT study, and maybe never take a test again!

Anyway, let’s get to the fun stuff! Every now and again a more intensive kitchen project is relaxing to me. Remember that ricotta I made? (Editor’s note: you mean the one you haven’t made me yet?) I decided to use it to make a vegetarian, gluten-free lasagna…. with zucchini and TVP!

Note: You can also use this quick, vegan tofu ricotta.

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Zucchini Noodle TVP Lasagna

1 giant zucchini (or 1.5 lbs of regular zucchini)
4 C pasta sauce (from the Farmer’s Market, if available)
½ C TVP
½ large onion, diced
1 ½ C mushrooms, sliced
Oregano, cayenne, and garlic, to taste
3 C fresh Mozzarella, grated
1 C ricotta, homemade
2 T coconut oil

For the Zucchini:

Slice the zucchini length wise to about ¼ inch slices. A mandolin would be a great tool for this, but I just used my knife-skills, since I don’t have one.

Lay them out on a pan and broil for 6-7 minutes to dry them out a little. Drain off water, then broil again for another 5 min. Drain.

For the Filling:

Mix the TVP with water, season with garlic salt and your favorite spices.

Sautee the onion on medium high heat for about 5 minutes in a medium-large sized pot, then add the mushrooms and TVP. Sautee for another 8-10 minutes or so, then add about 3 ¼ cups of the pasta sauce to make it a thick filling (reserve ¾ cup for the assembly).

Turn the temperature to Low, and let it continue to cook.

For the Assembly:

Grease 9 x 13 pan with coconut oil.

Coat the bottom of the pan with ½- ¾ cup the remaining pasta sauce, then lay zucchini gently over the sauce, letting it overlap slightly.

Then spread ½ of the filling evenly over the zucchini. Next, take 1/2 the ricotta, and crumble it around evenly over the filling. Cover with 1 ½ cup of grated mozzarella. Repeat again… Zucchini, the other ½ of the filling, ricotta, the other 1 ½ cup mozzarella.

Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes. (I then like to broil mine for 5ish mins to get the cheese a little browner).

The homemade ricotta made a huge difference in this dish! It really comes through. This is cheesy, surprisingly light, and really delish!

And for the leftovers… I refrigerated the pan over night. The next day, I cut it into individual sized portions, wrapped them in plastic wrap and then foil, and froze them. The lasagna is even better leftover! (Editor’s note: I’m convinced that all Italian food is better on day 2… and I love it on day 1.)

Now back to Bar Review! Hope you all are having a great week, seeing the good everywhere, and not getting TOO jealous of Laura’s trip! 😉

***

Good luck to Kat taking the Bar Exam in a week!!!! If we all send her good, focused study-vibes it must help a little, no?

What kinds of kitchen projects are relaxing to you?

What goal are you trying to achieve in your professional/personal life?

Starting Out Strange But Good

July 5, 2013 By Laura

Don’t you hate feeling repetitive?

Don’t you hate feeling repetitive?

Yes, I do amuse myself… hahaha! 🙂 Seriously though. I’ve done quite a few #strangebutgood breakfast posts. It’s just so easy to be strange in the morning! Maybe I dream about it since I typically fall asleep thinking about breakfast?

I have a few (more) atypical breakfast ideas for you today… but they could double as dinners or even a dessert!

1. Griddled Crab Mexican Pizza

This was inspired by my Griddled Chicken and Grapefruit Pizza. I told you I’m being repetitive. #sorryimnotsorry

I’ve been eating more savory breakfasts lately. My sweet tooth is legendary, and I find if I don’t start the day off with a sweet meal it helps keep it in check. ~~At least until lunch.~~

I prepared this just like in this post, except my toppings were crab, kale, salsa, and avocado.

2. French Toast with #yolkporn Syrup

For some reason I think it’s more acceptable for me to use the word “porn” if I hashtag it. Hmmm…

You may remember this from Wednesday (again with the repetition!), but I wanted to go into more detail. Because it was that good. I wanted french toast and a runny egg… so I just combined the two! That delicious local egg yolk made of a fantastic savory syrup on my toast.

Adding the blueberries on top with a touch of toasted coconut added the slightest sweetness, completing each delectable bite.

I prepared a healthy french toast just like in this PB&J French Toast recipe, using P28 Protein Bread for extra protein. When I cooked my egg, I just added blueberries and the coconut to the other side of the pan to be warming. Looks fancy, but it was quick and easy!

3. Peanut Butter Shirataki “Rice” Pudding

My last repetitive meal was created from Wednesday’s dinner leftovers. I had tried the Skinny Noodle Shirataki “Rice” for the first time. I loved the Israeli couscous-like texture! Perfect for breakfast, no?

One package is 2 servings. Since I’d already prepped the whole package (you MUST rinse and warm to avoid the funky flavor), I used the second half to pre-make breakfast. What resulted was reminiscent a thick, creamy bowl of peanut butter rice pudding. Incredible. I sampled a bite before bed and it was all I could do not to house the whole thing right then and there.

Mine was topped with a fresh Georgia peach, but I think any fruit would be good here. Like banana… mmmm… breakfast tomorrow…

Ingredients:

1 serving Skinny Noodle Shirataki “Rice”
1/2 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other liquid)
1/4 C peanut flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla liquid Stevia, to taste

Mix together all ingredients. Cover and place in the fridge at least one hour, or overnight.

In the morning, remove from fridge and stir. You may need to add additional liquid to thin it out to your preference.

Top as desired and enjoy!

Note: I order my peanut flour from iHerb – I like it better than PB2 because it is less processed and doesn’t have the added sugar and sodium. Use my discount code – USO924 – for $5-10 off your order!

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How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week?

Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

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I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!!! We got drenched but made the very best of it.

When was the last time you felt repetitive?

Does a more savory start to the day help curb your sweet tooth?

A 50 K, a 50 mile, and Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

A 50 K, a 50 mile, and Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

Strange But Good: Jicama & Tofu Nachos

Jicama & Tofu Nachos

Fluffy Cauliflower Protein Pancakes

Fluffy Cauliflower Protein Pancakes

Marvelous Smoothie Crack: Mocha Beet Frappuccino

Mocha Beet Frappuccino

Strange But Good: Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizza

Thai Coconut Hummus

Zucchini TVP Lasagna

Zucchini TVP Lasagna

Zucchini Noodle TVP Lasagna

Starting Out Strange But Good

1. Griddled Crab Mexican Pizza

2. French Toast with #yolkporn Syrup

3. Peanut Butter Shirataki “Rice” Pudding

Ingredients:

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