Plump My Ride + WIAW

January 30, 2013 By Laura

Cars are getting bigger.

MTV, can you Plump My Ride?

Seriously though… people are getting too FAT for their cars. It’s not just the car seats. Buttons – like the one to roll down your window – have to be made bigger to accommodate “bigger” fingers. This article reports that video back-up screens were added because “necks are too thick for drivers to turn around and look.”

It’s a safety issue too – most car safety features like airbag and seatbelts are designed to protect a person of average size (163 lbs). AND a recent study says that 800,000 car accidents a year in the US are caused by drivers with obesity-related sleep apnea.

I never, ever considered this issue before. Mind = blown. Time to put down the keys and walk a little more?

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This WIAW I managed to stay away from Waffle House. My trainer changed up my diet and I’m enjoying more healthy fats while keeping a good amount of carbs. I’m still ramping up, but so far I feel fantastic. 2 months until competition time – ahhh!

Check out my 7 meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

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Meal 1:

As usual, I enjoyed my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos). 30 mins later I ate a pancake topped with a mix of peanut flour, sugar-free syrup, and cinnamon along with fresh blackberries.

No recipe for the pancake… I testing and it wasn’t my fav. The topping rocked though!

Meal 2:

As I took this pic, my co-worker was literally standing over my shoulder quizzing me about my food. You mean it’s NOT normal to bring salmon sashimi for snack at work?

This was fantastic. I love the rich salmon with the sweet mangoes and the crunchy roasted seaweed. I made a wasabi dip by mixing wasabi paste into a paleo hummus gifted to me by a friend.

Meal 3:

Lunch was a mix of leftovers and new. Last week I made extras of the dal I had for dinner, so the last serving made an appearance. I ate it with swordfish (it’s been wayyyy too long since I’ve had this!) and fresh broccoli.

Random fact: I only like broccoli raw.

Meal 4:

A little before Meal 4 I had a Good Belly – I’ve never used these consistently before, so I’m experimenting with these to see what effect probiotics have one me (if any). I also have been rocking the water today – 120 ounces down!

Observations so far: I like that they offer a no-sugar added “Straight Shot” that tastes good, love that it smiles at me… and I went #2 twice today. That never happens. TMI, I know…

Back to the food. I had a new discovery – no salt deli meat! Whole Foods has no salt added turkey. It made my day. And my turkey salad.

Greek Turkey Salad

No-salt added deli turkey, torn into small bits
Celery
Greek yogurt
Nutritional yeast
Lemon juice
Rosemary
Red pepper flakes

I didn’t measure… just poured and mixed until the consistency was like chicken salad..

Meal 5:

I need to ban myself from making pizza on WIAW nights… but yeah, I made my (cheese-less) cauliflower pizza crust again. It’s just so easy and good!

My toppings:

Balsamic chicken
Korean watercress
Onion
Basil
Cloth-aged cheddar
Balsamic nutritional yeast sauce (Nooch + balsamic + red pepper flakes)

Meal 6:

Post-gym good carbs and whey: a mix of mashed butternut squash, whey protein powder, and cinnamon. I realize this looks like poo… it tastes better than it appears.

Meal 7:

Remember last week’s Blueberry Cheesecake Fluff? I am obsessed. So I made another version, this one with bananas and peanut flour. I’m still smiling. I could live on this peanut butter-y goodness. Topped with cocoa syrup, FTW.

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Banana Peanut Butter Cheesecake Fluff

1/2 C cottage cheese
1/4 C mashed banana
2 T peanut flour
1/4 tsp butter extract
1/4 tsp butterscotch extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
Pinch of cardamom
6-7 drops liquid stevia
Water or milk
1/2 C brown rice crispies

Place everything except the cereal in a blender with enough liquid to blend. Blend until mostly smooth.

Pour over a cereal. Top as desired – I made a chocolate sauce with cocoa powder, almond milk, and stevia.

Devour.

Note: if you don’t have butter and butterscotch extracts, simply sub vanilla and/or almond extract.

***

The protein count for the day: 179.3g.

What do you think about this obese driver issue? Had you heard about it before?

Do people at your office stare at your food? Yes? You should join the Strange But Good link up this Friday! 😉

Nutty Quinoa Fuel Bars

January 28, 2013 By Laura

Sometimes I get a wild hair and do nutty things.

Like signing up for 8 hour races, totally untrained.

The good thing is that I’m just a stubborn as I am nutty. If I sign up for a race, I’m going to do it! Next to proper training, the most important thing you can do is fuel properly.

Photo credit: Pangea Adventure Racing

For last weekend’s adventure race, I made absolutely sure I had what my body needed. A big part of that was these bars. If they won’t keep you going, nothing will.

I’ve seen recipes for homemade granola bars, yet for some reason I was too lazy to make them. But… I figured that if I could do a race like this, then I could muster the energy to make my own fuel. After seeing Lindsay’s Quinoa Breakfast Bars I knew mine HAD to include quinoa – good, filling carbs.

When I’m running, I don’t like to take in massive amounts of protein because it can cause cramping. The moderate amount in these bars helps keep you sated and energized.

They also include brown rice syrup for energy – endurance is not the place to try to sub with Stevia. The chia seeds are great for hydration, and contribute healthy fats along with the nuts. Lastly, I added ginger. Ginger is known to help calm the tummy, something I was worried about having just recovered from the stomach flu.

Finally, the most important part: TASTE. These are phenomenal. Not so sweet as to exhaust your palate, but just enough to complement the peanut butter. The way the oats and quinoa softened during baking bring to mind a fudge-y peanut butter. I also loved having the bite from the larger pieces of nuts.

Bonus: They held together in a baggie during the race, and the extras have worked well frozen and reheated as a quick snack/yogurt topper.

Nutty Quinoa Fuel Bars

1/4 C brown rice syrup
1/4 C nut butter (I used 2T almond and 2 T peanut, freshly ground)
2 T coconut oil (melted)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C quinoa, cooked
3/4 C rolled oats
1/4 C vanilla protein powder (I used Growing Naturals Rice-based)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 T chia seeds
1 egg (or flax egg)
1/2 C nuts (I used crushed pistachios and walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a square muffin pan or an 8×8-inch pan.

Combine the syrup, butters, and vanilla in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, oats, protein powder, cinnamon, ginger, and chia seeds. Stir in egg, mixing well to avoid clumps.

Add the wet mixture to the bowl, again stirring well to distribute the ingredients and form a dough. Fold in nuts.

Spoon the dough onto prepared pan, spreading into a flat layer. Bake for 18-20 mins, until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let cool before removing from tins or cutting into squares.

Makes 11 squares. ~~(I must have eaten too much dough…)~~

Approximate nutrition: 183 calories, 9.5g fat, 21.6g sodium, 18.5g carbs, 3.2g fiber, 5.2g sugar, 7.g protein

***

I am all registered for the Blend Retreat! Hope to meet /reunite with many of you there! 🙂

What is your favorite race fuel?

When was the last time you got a wild hair? What did you do?

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

January 21, 2013 By Laura

I am not a morning person.

That’s an understatement.

After hitting snooze too many a few times, I’m forced to race through my morning routine. I squeeze in a quick workout, shower, try to make my face look presentable for work, and inhale breakfast. This means I NEVER have time for something a decadent as baked oatmeal.

Then light bulb went off. Pre-Baked Oatmeal. I made this Raspberry version last spring, but wanted to create one for the winter months.

Sweet Potatoes are one of the seasonal items I most look forward to. The sweet potato helps to bind these bakes together, and provides a creamy texture that is excellent against the chewy rolled oats.

Aside from the pie-like taste they add, sweet potatoes also pack a ton of nutrients. They are rich in Vitamins B6, C, D, and are good sources of iron and magnesium.

When you freeze them, all you have to do is pull one or two out and pop it in the microwave to defrost. 45 seconds later you can be ~~shoveling~~ delicately eating your oatmeal on the run.

Yes, this baked oatmeal recipe was created to be made in advance to freeze… however, I dare you not to eat one hot out of the oven. I “iced” mine with a mixture of Greek yogurt, cinnamon, and a couple of drops of liquid Stevia.

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

1 ½ C canned or mashed sweet potato
1 egg
½ tsp almond extract
¼ tsp maple extract
3 C rolled oats
1 T cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
20 drops liquid stevia
¾ C Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened Vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners, or grease with cooking spray.

Mix together sweet potato, egg, milk, and extracts. Stir in oats, spices, baking powder, and sweetener. Mix in milk and stir until combined.

Pour batter evenly into tins. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

Enjoy a few fresh, and allow the remaining to cool completely before placing in a freezer bag for storage. For a quick breakfast, remove muffin from the freezer and microwave ~30 seconds (until warmed through).

Makes 12 muffins.

Notes:

Use a flax egg (1T ground flax + 3T water) to make the recipe vegan
Use Gluten-Free Oatmeal to make these gluten-free
Can sub ¼ C sugar for the Stevia
Using Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened Vanilla rather than skim milk saves you 42 calories in this recipe

Be sure to check out Silk Pure Almond website and Facebook page to see more delicious, creative recipes!

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Silk and FitFluential, LLC. All opinions are my own. Learn more about Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened on Facebook andTwitter.

***

Thank you all SO much for all of your support during the past weekend’s race. It was SO much fun, and we didn’t come in last. 🙂 I’m working on a recap!

Are you a morning person?

What is your favorite “quick” breakfast?

Strange But Good Mornings

January 18, 2013 By Laura

Strange doesn’t wait for 5 o’clock!

Neither does my mother… she’s in Mexico! 😉

Remember Kat’s “Amazing Kitchen Mistakes” post? We’ve been on the same wave-length eating similarly, so I apparently am also making happy accidents.

Have you ever under estimated how much is left in a bottle? I thought there was just a drop of butter extract left when I dumped it into my oatmeal… it was more like 1/2 a teaspoon. I thought I’d ruined it. Too much extract can be nauseating (and I don’t need more of that!). It turn out, too much butter extract in your oats is like eating cookie dough for breakfast. Strange, but unbelievably good.

Cookie Dough Oatmeal

1/2 C oatmeal
1 C water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp butter extract
1/4 tsp vanilla
5-6 drops liquid Stevia
1 T peanut flour (or nut butter, to taste)
My toppings: pomegranate arils, Greek yogurt, more cinnamon

Cook oatmeal as usual, adding flavors in the last 2-3 mins (or when your microwave finishes). Stir in peanut flour when just done, adding addition liquid as needed.

Add toppings. Inhale.

I’m not the first person to do eat quinoa in the morning… but it’s still uncommon enough to be strange. And it’s good!

What took me so long it beyond me, but quinoa for breakfast is amazing. If you haven’t tried it, you must. Particularly this cinnamon-y version. The heaping scoop of cinnamon with the coconut butter had me dreaming of an airport treat that shall not be named.

I just realized this looks a lot like the oatmeal above. I had a lot of pomegranate.* Sorry.

*Did you hear the FTC found “POM Wonderful health claims to be deceptive?”

Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Quinoa

1/2 C quinoa, cooked with a cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp coconut butter
1 tsp ground flax
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
Milk, to taste (I used ~ 1/8 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
My toppings: pomegranate arils, Morningstar maple breakfast sausage

Stir it all together, top with your favorites, and enjoy!

In order to kill two craving with one stone for Meal 2, I added a poached egg to the last of my mom’s Matzo Ball Soup. The strange part isn’t even the egg. It’s HOW I poached it. My lazy arse poached that thang in the microwave.

Let me be the first to tell you that runny, silky, yolk porn goodness streaming into a hot bowl of soup is heaven on a spoon. So good that I wanted to be spooned after it was over.

Microwave Poached Egg

1 egg
1/2 C water
1 T apple cider vinegar

Fill a small bowl (I used a cereal bowl) with water. Add 1 T of apple cider vinegar (this is important – it keeps the egg white intact). Microwave until boiling hot, about 2 mins.

Crack the egg and gently drop it into the water. Whites will begin to cook/thicken, and you may need to use a spoon to carefully direct them around the yolk.

Microwave for another 20-30 seconds. Remove immediately from water and place in soup, atop salad, on bread, etc.

Now for the link up! The 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 Instragrams of your creations. 🙂

***

This time tomorrow I’ll be in a forest in FLA… in the midst of an 8-hour adventure race. Ahhhh! #strangebutcrazy

Also, I forgot to mention I was featured in FitFluential’s Ambassador Spotlight yesterday! Check it out here.

Have you ever made breakfast quinoa? What are your favorite mix-ins?

What #strangebutgood creations have you enjoyed lately?

Turkey Beer Chili

January 3, 2013 By Laura

No drinking in Junk-Free January.

Booze cooks out, so I’m calling the recipe “in bounds.”

With the holidays over, you may have some extra beers lying around your house. Don’t let them go to waste! Even if you don’t drink beer, it’s a good idea to keep them on hand.

Beer can act as a tenderizer, adds lightness to batters (think: beer bread), and leaves behind a light hop/barley flavor in stews. I used a pilsner in this chili recipe, but a lager would work well too.

Chili is meant to be hearty, not soup-y (in my not-so-humble opinion). Mine is a beast of a bowl. Between the turkey and the beans (the more you eat ’em, the more you…), it’s nearly thick enough to eat with a fork.

Depending on your preference, ground chicken or crumbled tempeh would also work well here.

I like the smokiness of a Tex-Mex-style chili, so I added some liquid smoke and used fire-roasted tomatoes. If you don’t have smoke you can simply leave it out, or add smoked paprika in place of some of the ancho chili powder.

Mexican food is one of my favorites, so I made sure to add in jalapeno and cumin. The heat is pleasant – not overwhelming – and just what the doctor ordered in the suddenly arctic weather we are having in Atlanta. Seriously… what happened to our Southern California-like weather?

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Turkey Beer Chili

1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp avocado oil (can use olive)
1/2 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 T ancho chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 celery stalks, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
10-15 drops liquid smoke
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted, low sodium)
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
1/2 C pilsner beer
1/2 C low sodium veggie broth
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Fresh chives and Greek yogurt, to top

Heat a large pot over med-high heat. Spray with olive oil or cooking spray and place turkey in pot. Stir the turkey and cook until no pink remains (~ 5 mins).

Add the olive oil and the onion to the pot. Cook over medium heat until softened (~5 mins). Add the garlic and jalapeno, cooking until fragrant (~2-3 mins). Add spices and stir to combine.

Add the carrot, pepper, tomato puree, beans, liquid smoke, and beer. Stir and bring to a boil. Mix in broth and vinegar, then cover. Allow to simmer and thicken over low heat for 30-45 mins. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve, garnished with chives and Greek yogurt.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: To make gluten-free, replace beer with more broth or GF beer. To make vegan, use tempeh in place of turkey.

Approximate Nutritionals: 316 calories, 8.7g fat, 57.1mg sodium, 26.9g carbs, 7.2g fiber, 5.5g sugar, 30.9g protein

***

2 reminders: the h.h. gregg $100 gift card giveaway ends at midnight (click here to enter), and don’t forget to link up your Strange But Good creations tomorrow (click here for logo and details).

What is your favorite style of chili?

Have you fully recovered from the holidays? I’m still spinning a bit.

Mediterranean Salmon Burger

December 20, 2012 By Laura

Holidays in my family aren’t always traditional.

My family isn’t exactly normal…

We don’t have a set “meal” every year. Each of us enjoys food and trying new things, so we take the opportunity to get creative in the kitchen while we’re all in one place.

Last year we had a Taiwanese dinner. I made this Sweet Potato and Toasted Marshmallow Cake and Hot Buttered Rum.

The year before we had spaghetti and meatballs.

I also made this Gingerbread Martini:

This year… I have no idea what we’re doing. All I know is that I’m infusing bourbon with cranberries and cinnamon for a funky take on a Manhattan.

My point? I don’t have one other than to justify the fact that less than a week until Christmas and I’m about to share a recipe for Salmon Burgers. Not a traditional holiday food… but I decorated them in holiday colors!

When I made these Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes, I discovered that it’s hard (impossible?) to find canned salmon that is de-boned AND has no salt added. I made a mental note to attempt making salmon patties with fresh salmon. I promptly lost that mental note.

Months later, I finally remembered to try it out.

Lemon, rosemary, and dill were made for each other. Particularly when paired with seafood. We all know how well citrus and salmon compliment each other, but that extra herb-y punch takes this from hot bar to restaurant-worthy.

Not that there’s anything wrong with the hot bar – I adore it – but you know what I mean.

These were the perfect thing to thrown together and have for lunch during the week. If you prep your food at the beginning to the week, you already have cooked salmon and can whip this up in no-time mid-week. If not, add 10 mins to the cook time so you can broil the salmon first.

To make it festive, top them with pomegranate arils and edamame tossed in a quick nooch sauce (nutritional yeast mixed with vinegar and/or water). This may sound like a strange topping… but it was good!!!

Speaking of Strange But Good… Don’t forget to link up tomorrow! It’s the second week of the new link up here. thanks to everyone who participated last week! I’m continually inspired by you all!!!

Click here for the details, and grab the graphic below to share in your Strange But Good post tomorrow.

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

Mediterranean Salmon Burger

1/2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pound fresh salmon filet, cooked
2 T chopped dill
2 T chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Heat the olive oil in a small pan and sauté shallots until soft. Add garlic and continue cooking until fragrant.

Add salmon to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in dill, rosemary, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, garlic, and shallots.

Shape into 4 patties. Place on a medium hot pan and cook until outside are browned (~3 mins each side).

Makes 4 burgers.

***

I spent all last night baking… one item in particular I can’t WAIT to share for #strangebutgood tomorrow!

Does your family cook together for the holidays?

Do you like to do a traditional Christmas dinner and/or brunch? What do you have?

Sweet Potato Mexican Pie

December 6, 2012 By Laura

Some like it hot.

My food as a child

I like it really hot.

Spicy often means a craving Mexican food. Most people think of Mexican as being unhealthy, but it’s actually one of the easiest cuisines to lighten up. Latin cooking is derives flavors from spices and herbs more so than fats. A little cumin, peppers, and cilantro can go a long way!

Ideas for ordering at Mexican restaurants

Tell your server not to bring chips so the temptation isn’t even on the table
Chicken or veggie fajitas, soft tacos, grilled shrimp or chicken, and ceviche are usually safe bets
Ask them to go light on the oil and salt
Choose soft tacos over chips, hard tacos, or rice; also request corn tortillas if available
Use salsa rather than cheese or sour cream to add flavor
Order black or pinto beans rather than refried
If you must have a margarita (and you know I must), order it with fresh lime juice instead of the sugar-y, processed sour mix

In keeping with my Kitchen Workout guidelines, I decided to satisfy my Mexican craving at home rather than go out to eat.

Spicy tomato sauce and sweet potatoes will forever be a favorite combination. Those flavors were in my head all day as I thought about how I would attack dinner.

Adding spices is a quick and easy way to make a meal something special One of my “secrets” to a good tomato sauce is adding a bit of cinnamon. It lifts the flavors and gives the illusion of a hunt of sweetness.

While this ingredient list may look long, it comes together very quickly. Make substitutions based on your preferences and what you have on hand. Just be sure to add small amounts at a time and taste as you go!

This dish makes 6 servings. I ate 4 over the course of the week and froze the remaining two to take to work. They have been perfect as homemade frozen lunches.

To make this vegetarian/vegan, use tempeh or TVP in place of the ground chicken.

Sweet Potato Mexican Pie

1 lb ground chicken
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and diced
2 T dried cilantro
1 T garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1 C chopped red pepper
2/3 C chopped baby bellas
2 C diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
1/2 cup water
1 medium zucchini, sliced
2 C spinach leaves
1 large sweet potato

Preheat oven to 350.

Brown the chicken in a pot with onion, jalapeño, and spices.

When chicken is cooked, add peppers, mushrooms, tomato sauce, and water. Let simmer for 10 mins.

While that mixture is simmering, peel and thinly slice the sweet potato.

Grease a 9×9 baking pan with olive oil. Layer a quarter of the meat sauce, followed by a layer of sweet potato slices, zucchini slices, and then spinach. Repeat until you’re out of ingredients, making sure to leave enough sauce to top the dish.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 mins. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 mins.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

***

Writing this made me want a margarita. Doh.

Do you have any secrets for eating healthy at restaurants?

Do you like food with a little heat? I find I want it even more in the winter months.

Roasted Butternut Chips and Curried Banana + Grand Spiced Milk

November 30, 2012 By Laura

Speaking of being balanced…

Everything in moderation, including moderation.

I’m excited to describe one of the most delicious, fun meals I’ve ever had. Heather and Kirk have done several pairing dinners for at-home “date nights.” When I knew I was coming to visit them in Colorado, and that Lauren and Greg would be in town too, I immediately requested a Blends pairing dinner. My fabulous hosts obliged with a (vegan) “Taste of Europe” dinner. Katie even stopped by to say hello and share a drink with us! It was great see her again, even if it was only a short visit!

Why do I always feel I have to crouch down in photos? My towering height isn’t blocking anyone… (Photo courtesy Heather)

The concept for these tasting dinners is that each person comes up with a couple of courses and a pairing. Heather and Kirk did the bulk of the work, but I was given the opportunity to make the Petit Bouche.

I decided to make Roasted Butternut Chips with Caramelized Curried Bananas. My pairing was a warm drink I like to call Grand Spiced Milk.

Photo courtesy Heather

All of this was created on the fly, which was interesting ~~when I nearly burned the chips~~. Despite the uncertainly, I was really happy when the way everything turned out!

The dish had a hint of heat and a little sweet from the curry and caramelized banana combo. It paired well with the almond milk drink, which was laced with Indian spices and a hint of orange from the Grand Mariner, then rimmed with crushed cashews.

The remaining courses were the stuff of dreams. Each dish and it’s pairing was better than the last. We traveled from my Indian appetizer (yes, I’m aware India isn’t part of Europe… but it was a British colony for a long time!), we went to the UK, Italy, France, and Germany.

German Chef Heather makes a killer dessert! Lauren and I kept sneaking more tastes of the almond pastry filling.

Photo courtesy Heather and her fancy camera skills

The Menu

Amuse Bouche: Strawberry Puff Bites and Lavender Rosemary Black Tea Reduction with “One Shade of Grey” Martini
Appetizer: Mushroom Tortellini Soup with Smoky Truffle Vodka
Entrée: Tourtière with 2010 Chateau del la Coste Margaux
Dessert: Marzipan Schaumrollen with Frangelico Martini

My favorite? It’s hard to choose, but I have to says Heather’s Tourtière blew my mind. Only this girl can take a traditional, meaty French dish an make it vegan and better than “real” thing. The wine pairing was also spot on; a drinkable wine laced with dark fruits and a hint of cinnamon.

My French is so terrible that I spent half the day thinking she was going to make a tortilla.

I miss these guys. Check out Heather’s recap here. She’s also gradually posting the recipes for each course on her blog.

Happy Belated Birthday, Heather!!!

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Roasted Butternut Chips with Caramelized Curried Banana

1 Butternut squash
EVOO
Cumin
1 small banana
Curry powder
Parsley (for garnish)

Preheat the oven to 375.

Cut the neck of the squashes off of the base. Peel the neck and slice it into thin slices (~1/8th of an inch thick).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper before spreading the slices across the sheet. Brush with a bit of olive oil, and sprinkle on a little cumin.

Bake the chips ~25-30 minutes, flipping half way through. Watch them closely and remove them when they turn brown and crispy. Timing can vary depending on you oven and the thickness/moisture content of your slices.

They may not seem fully crisp while they are still warm; take them out of the oven and let them cool for ~5 mins. They should crisp up, but If they still aren’t crisp, put them back into the oven for 5 -10 mins.

While the chips cool, cut the banana into ~1/2 in slices and spread it evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with curry powder and place under the broiler for 2-3 mins. WATCH these closely, because they will burn quickly! Remove from oven when the tops are browned and caramelized.

To assemble, place a banana slice on top of each chip and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Servings will vary depending on the size of the squash.

Grand Spiced Milk

1/2 C vanilla almond milk
3 oz Grand Mariner
3 oz vodka
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
Crushed cashews (to rim)

In a small pot over medium heat, warm the milk.

Whisk in the alcohols and spices, adjusting to your taste.

Spread the cashew dust on a plate. Moisten the rims of the shot glasses with lime juice and dip in the cashews.

Carefully pour the warm milk into each glass and enjoy!

Makes 5 shots or 1 big glass to sip on by the fire.

Note: This can be made non-alcoholic, but you would want to add an orange flavor from extract or zest.

***

In all my spare time (hahahahaha!), I need to host one of these dinners at my home.

Do you ever pair drink with meals at home?

What are looking forward to this weekend? I might get a new car!!!

Plump My Ride + WIAW

Meal 1:

Meal 2:

Meal 3:

Meal 4:

Greek Turkey Salad

Meal 5:

Meal 6:

Meal 7:

Banana Peanut Butter Cheesecake Fluff

Nutty Quinoa Fuel Bars

Nutty Quinoa Fuel Bars

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal

Strange But Good Mornings

Cookie Dough Oatmeal

Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Quinoa

Microwave Poached Egg

Turkey Beer Chili

Turkey Beer Chili

Mediterranean Salmon Burger

Mediterranean Salmon Burger

Sweet Potato Mexican Pie

Ideas for ordering at Mexican restaurants

Sweet Potato Mexican Pie

Roasted Butternut Chips and Curried Banana + Grand Spiced Milk

The Menu

Roasted Butternut Chips with Caramelized Curried Banana

Grand Spiced Milk

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