Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Survival of the Crossfit-est + PB Banana Shake-which

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Crossfit is no joke.

 

Source: list09.com

 

I took Dynamics this weekend.  Dynamics is the 5 hour “training” course you are required to take before they throw you to the wolves you can join a regular class.  I left that class feeling alright.  We did a couple of workouts.  I finished second both times – just behind a guy who rock climbs and looked like he was born in a gym.

Walking into class last night I realized I was nervous.  These people are hardcore about their workouts.  Would I be good enough to not embarrass myself?

 

Click for source

 

I’m pretty confident when it comes to gyms. I have worked out for the better part of the last 5-6 years.  I lift free weights in the “boys” section.  This was a whole new ballgame.

Self-doubt set in full-force.  I caught myself looking at the pic below and thinking “there’s no way I could do that.”

 

Click for source

 

The first move was deadlifts.  3 lifts, 2 min rest, add 50 pounds, 3 more lifts, 2 min rest, add 50 pounds, and so on.  Women start at 85 lbs.  I got through that 85, but decided to play it safe and add just 20 lbs.  Did that and added 20 more.  Did that.  Got irrationally scared.  Started to do 3 more when the time gods smiled upon me and we were DONE.

One girl lifted 300 lbs!!!  I’m pretty sure I looked like a version of this:

 

Click for source

 

Then we did the WOD.

(WOD = workout of the day.  I’m so fancy with the lingo. 😉 )

  • 4 mins pull ups
  • 3 mins handstand push-ups
  • 2 mins push-ups
  • 1 min double under jump rope (I have yet to master the double under.  Thank you, hopeless white girl coordination.)

 

Click for source

 

First day thoughts:

  • It’s very humbling to feel intimidated in the gym
  • You shouldn’t be intimidated, just give it all you have
  • Crossfit-ers are very friendly people
  • I learned that I kind of like handstand push-ups
  • I’ve been working hard, but it’s time to get out of my comfort zone
  • A “can-do” attitude can take you far… growth comes from pushing past the point of can’t
  • This style of workout makes me ravenous

Click for source

 

I’m scheduled to go back to Crossfit tonight.  In the wise words of my best friend’s mother: “Don’t let that dog know you’re scared of it!”

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Naturally, I came home and made a smoothie to end all smoothies.  This dream shake was served in a Guinness pint glass.  The excess was slurped from the Vitamix spatula.

 

 

It’s only a few days into March, but my Crossfit-bruised ego is ready to declare smoothie victory.  This is the best smoothie of the month.  Not just because it was consumed out of a beer mug (though that didn’t hurt).

 

Avocado.  Banana.  Peanut flour.  Spinach.  Avocado and banana make for an incredibly creamy smoothie.  Add peanut flour to that and you have a liquid PB + Banana shake-wich.

I’ve recently been adding a lil’ lemon to smoothies too.  I find it helps draw out flavors, not to mention that lemons are good for digestion!

 

 

Praise Jesus I can’t fit my face into the actual blender to lick up the remnants… I would lose a tongue on those blades.

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PB + Banana Shake-wich

  • 1 C spinach
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/4 avocado
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 wedge lemon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp bourbon vanilla extract
  • 5-6 drops stevia
  • 1/8 tsp guar gum (optional)
  • Ice + water, to taste

 

Put it all in the blender and mix until smooth!

 

Top with nuts/seeds if so desired.  My topping is a crumbled Endurance Crackers (recipe here from Oh She Glows).

Makes 1 pint. 

***

Thank you all for the Best Healthy Eating Blog votes (click here to vote) AND for the FoodBuzzin’ – My Vegan Salade Nicoise made the Top 9 yesterday!  You guys totally made my day. 🙂

Have you ever been to a Crossfit gym?

What is your favorite post-workout meal?

 

Sprouting Raw Chickpeas

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My green thumb doesn’t exist.  

I’ve killed house plants, basil, cilantro, and even mint.

Sprouting is either idiot-proof or it doesn’t count as growing something, because I succeeded in sprouting my own chickpeas!

Why would I want my chickpeas to grow little tails?  It’s healthy, of course!

Source: nutroasters.com

Benefits of sprouting raw chickpeas:

  • Nutrients increase their concentration: proteins by about 20%, nucleic acids by 30%, and many vitamins by as much as 500%
  • High enzyme activity stimulates the body’s own enzymes into greater activity, giving you more energy
  • Sprouted seeds are easier to digest since complex carbohydrates break down into simple sugars, and proteins break down into amino acids; both are easier for the body to process and promote our ability to absorb minerals in the food
  • Seeds use energy to grow a sprout; therefore, sprouted seeds have fewer calories than in their whole form
  • Sprouts have a number of anti-cancer properties.

The other benefit is that it’s one more way you can incorporate raw foods into your diet.  Eating raw gives me more energy, is cleansing (the improved digestion is no joke!), and – maybe its just me – feel a little “high.”

It has taken me a long time to attempt sprouting because I always thought it was a complex process.  Notsomuch.  This may be the easiest thing I’ve done in the kitchen (PB&J sandwiches aside).

How to Sprout Chickpeas:

  1. Rinse 1/2 cup of dried chickpeas and place in a wide-mouth container.
  2. Cover chickpeas with water, then cover the container with cheese cloth or other mesh, secure with a rubber band or tape, and let soak for 24 hours.
  3. Drain and rinse the beans through the cloth, then drain again.
  4. Store the jar out of direct sunlight at room temperature atop a kitchen towel.  Lay the jar on its side with the bottom propped up so that excess water drains onto towel.
  5. Rinse and drain the chickpeas once every 8-12 hours for 36-48 hours (depending on how large you like your peas).  The tails should be about 1/4 inch long.
  6. Rinse and drain once more, and allow sprouted chickpeas to air dry.  To store, place then in a container or plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

I have been popping them like candy every time I pass the fridge; however, I’ve used them to make some awesome salads too.

Sprouted chickpeas are still a bit crunchy, which adds a great texture to dishes.  The taste is more or less the same as it is when cooked, maybe just a bit earthier.  It did give me energy – I busted out a few intervals on the bike while watching Desperate Housewives (don’t judge).

Here’s what my all-raw dinner looked like last night:

In my salad:

  • Sprouted chickpeas
  • Broccoli sprouts
  • Red cabbage, shredded
  • Broccoli slaw
  • Red pepper
  • Asparagus, julienned
  • Yellow onion
  • Celery leaves
  • Raw sweet potato hummus dressing (1T of my sweet potato hummus recipe + 1 T apple cider vinegar + red pepper flakes)

Last week I set aside my fears and posted this ab-bearing pic… you guys couldn’t have been sweeter with all of your support.  It reminded me once again why I LOVE blogging.  I’ve met some of the coolest, most supportive people.  This community is among the most motivating and encouraging I’ve ever been apart of.  Thank you!!! 🙂

Sweat sessions last week were really satisfying.  I upped my weight in several workouts, tried some new moves, got my butt kicked by BodyRock, AND completed the CrossFit Dynamics course this weekend.  Tonight is my first “real” class… I’m a little nervous and very excited for a new challenge!

Workout Recap (2/27 – 3/4):

  • Monday – P90X Cardio, Bike Intervals, 100 push-ups
  • Tuesday – Tris/Chest, Core, 100 push-ups
  • Wednesday – This 5-4-3-2-1 workout, Legs,100 push-ups
  • Thursday –  Shoulders, P90X Ab Ripper X, Bike Intervals
  • Friday – Biceps/Back, This BodyRock, 100 push-ups
  • Saturday – CrossFit, 100 push-ups
  • Sunday – CrossFit, Bike Intervals, 6 min plank intervals

***

Have you ever sprouted your  own seeds? 

What was the best part of your weekend?

Building Blocks

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The human body is pretty incredible.

25 days ago (pre-cleanse) I was nowhere near the abs I wanted.  My diet was not terrible, but could use improvement.  I was lifting weights, but had hit a plateau with my upper body and all but neglecting legs.  It was time to take the next step in building a better me.

The pictures below are my progress:

The top pic is upper body.  I’ve managed to up my weight on many exercises, not the least of which is lat raises.  Those has always been a weak point for me.

The bottom left ab pic was taken at week 2 of the cleanse and the right was taken yesterday (11 days later… I promise I washed this outfit in that time).  I wish I’d had a before!  I’ve ALWAYS wanted 6-pack abs and I’m so close right now it hurts.

This is thanks to 25 days of pushing harder and building a solid foundation with a clean, plant-based diet.  It can be done!

Believe in yourself and anything is possible.

I also have to make a confession – I almost didn’t post the ab pic.  In fact, yesterday I posted it on Instagram and purposefully didn’t like it to Twitter.  I was scared to share my progress with a larger audience!

Then I remembered this post by Lindsay where she showed off her incredible abdominals.  She posted her post-baby ab pic to celebrate hard work, to motivate, and because she was PROUD.  And she should take pride in her hard work paying off!

Change is hard!  It’s overwhelming to begin cleaning up your diet.

In the spirit of building, here’s how I built a healthy lunchtime wrap.  At least it was supposed to be a wrap… I got a little carried away with the fillings. 🙂

Step 1:

Prep veggies and slather a tortilla with spread.  I used my Raw Sweet Potato Hummus.

Step 2:

Layer your veggies on the tortilla.

My Fillings:

  • Kale
  • Broccoli and mustard sprouts
  • Beets (raw)
  • Asparagus (raw)
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • Lentils  – ***These are key to making your wrap filling.  Lentils are prepared for the week every Sunday so I can quickly add bulk and protein to veggie dishes.***

Step 3:

Attempt to wrap the monstrosity up!  I had to eat the carrots in the side to make way for the lentils.

Step 4:

Devour.

***

Tomorrow I am trying out CrossFit for the first time!  I love a new workout. 🙂

Have you ever tried CrossFit?  Do you have any tips to share?

Celebrate Friday with some self-love – What accomplishment are you proud of?

Raw Sweet Potato Hummus + WIAW

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Can eating too much orange food really tint your skin?

I think I may be in danger.  

Between the carrots and sweet potatoes I’ve been eating today, I’m going to look like a Jersey Girl.  GTL!

For real – it’s called Carotenosis.

 

Luckily Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday doesn’t go green until March.  Orange fits perfectly with the February vegetable theme.

 

Breakfast:

This morning I met my boss for breakfast a “famous” local breakfast spot, The Flying Biscuit.  While boss-man is used to my picture-taking, my stomach wasn’t used to waiting so late to eat.  Totally forgot to take a picture.

No matter.  My tofu scramble wasn’t that great.  I would have rather had my homemade Indian-Inspired Tofu Scramble:

Lunch:

My Foodie Penpal, Laura, has created a monster.  I made another round of Bibimbap using the ingredients she sent me in this month’s package.

It’s an addiction.  That crunchy rice and  spicy sauce ain’t whack.

Click here to check out the recipe I posted yesterday.  The only change today was that I served it with cucumber rather than carrots.

Snacks:

First us was my first juice creation in the Vitamix.  It was all veggie and all delish!  This was a post workout snack, so I added my Sun Warrior protein powder.  I was worried that would make it a weird consistency, but it was quite pleasant!

In my juice:

  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp maca
  • 1 C spinach
  • Handful of wheat grass
  • 1/4 C parsley
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 in piece of ginger
  • 3-4 drops stevia
  • 2 in piece of cinnamon (I tossed a real stick in and it WORKED!)
  • 1/2 C water

Snack #2 was a recipe I’ve had marked from Rande @ The Vegetable Centric Kitchen.  Can you guess what this deliciousness is?

RAW Sweet Potato Hummus.  It was insanely good, and an embarrassing amount was consumed… much of it straight from the blender.  I made a few modifications (recipe at the end of this post).

The only difference in using a raw sweet potato is that it isn’t quite as sweet as it would be if it had cooked and caramelized a bit.  To me, this makes it a perfect hummus candidate.

The liquid smoke added a neat dimension with the nutty-sweet tahini, and the spices were just enough to give it a kick on the end.  Even cooler was the addition of Meyer lemon and miso.  These added some sweetness, along with a little tang and saltiness!

Of course, I also had my daily Kombucha!  Served from my growler of Buchi Fire from Whole Foods.

Dinner:

The orange didn’t stop at snack time.  Even post-cleanse I have been craving an increasing amount of raw food.  For dinner I ate the rainbow in the form of this giant salad.

In my salad:

  • Spinach
  • Broccoli and radish sprouts
  • Shredded red cabbage
  • Cucumber
  • Carrot
  • Celery
  • Tomato
  • Onions
  • Sweet Potato Hummus Dressing (1 T hummus + 1 T apple cider vinegar + 2 drops stevia)
  • Angela @ Oh She Glows’ Endurance Crackers

Angela’s Endurance Crackers have been on my list to try for a long time as well.  I needed something to go with all that hummus, so today seemed the perfect day to try them out!  My only modification was to use 2 tsp of the Ras al Hanout spice blend made for my Babaganoush Soup rather than her onion-salt-herb blend.

If you haven’t tried this recipe, I highly recommend it.  I’d love to try a sweet-cinnamon version in the future!

Dessert:

Cinnamon-Vanilla Ice Cream.  The Vitamix was me on a wintertime ice cream bender.  I was working late and felt yet another treat bowl was in order.  Thank god it can be made healthy!  This purple bowl inefficiently hides a “secret” ingredient.

The ice cream blend is really easy – unsweetened vanilla almond milk, vanilla, stevia, cinnamon, and ice… and the secret ingredient.  Purple Cabbage.

I know you think I’ve lost it, but I swear on my shoe collection that not a trace of cabbage taste could be detected.

 

Sweet Potato Hummus

Modified from this recipe from Rande @ The Vegetable Centric Kitchen

  • 1 medium sweet potato (raw and unpeeled)
  • 2 T tahini
  • 4-5 drops liquid smoke
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 Meyer lemon
  • 1 T water
  • 1 tsp yellow miso
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 2 T fresh thyme

Toss everything in food processor or blender and until smooth.

Note: If using Vitamix, toss the whole lemon in; otherwise, only use the juice of the lemon.

Make 1.5 cups.

***

Spicie Foodie’s “Your Best Recipe” for the month of Feburary is up today!  Hop over to her site to check out my Vegan Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes and everyone else’s awesome contributions!

Do you ever intentionally try to eat more raw food?

Do you watch Jersey Shore?  I’m amazed at how passionate people are about it!

Cleanse Recap + A New Addition

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There is a new addition in my family.

 

Hang with me and you’ll see what the addition is and why I went for it…

Friday night we had another cleanse buddies dinner.  My friend Kathleen decided to begin the cleanse on Friday, so Mallory and I had a great time re-hashing our experiences with her.  (Click here for the “rules” and post #1.)

 

My first experience doing this cleanse was in November of 2010.  It was HARD.  My eating habits were not clean – I ate too many burgers, drank too much booze, and had a sugar addiction.  Needless to say, the first few days were a shock to my body.  I was tried, cold, and grouchy.  And constipated.

1 week before the 2010 cleanse

 

This time around I didn’t have as difficult a time.  My eating habits had remained fairly clean since that first cleanse; however, I noticed some old habits beginning to creep in and wanted to give my body a little reminder of how good clean feels.

 

Some observations:

  • Caffeine wasn’t as hard as I thought to give up.  My friend, Mallory, who also cleansed noted that after day 4 she actually had MORE energy without her previous 5-6 caffeinated beverages a day habit.
  • My overall energy level was excellent.  I slept better and the circles under my eyes lightened.
  • Digestively speaking… I’ve always struggled with “regularity.”  That was all better by day 3 of the cleanse.
  • At the risk of TMI, I must warn you to beware of gas – all of those greens are potent.  It’s healthy, but others around you may not appreciate that. 😉
  • My daily exercise didn’t change, and there wasn’t any difference with the amount of effort I was able to exert.  In fact, I increased my weight toward then end of week 2.  Popeye was on to something!
  • Creatively this cleanse has been a win.  Tighter food parameters force you to think outside of the box, which has resulted in some of the best meals I’ve had in a while.
  • Weight loss was NOT my goal.  I maintained my weight throughout the cleanse.  Again, my eating habits didn’t drastically change and I made an effort to have an extra protein shake or chia pudding every day.  My cleanse buddy’s eating habits changed pretty drastically… she lost 10 lbs!!!  Congrats, my bestie!
  • Hunger was never a problem.  People were always asking “aren’t you starving?”  Nope.  You would be shocked how filling veggies can be.  I actually was forcing myself to eat more some days!  I also planned ahead (see tips below) to make sure I was never caught without a food option.

 

 

The most common question I’ve been asked is surrounding how time-consuming making all of this food is.  The short answer is that yes, it takes more time.

The longer answer is that it isn’t that hard if you PLAN.  I have a full-time job and am perpetually running late – I’m not someone who has hours to spend on cooking during the week.  My cleanse-buddy has a full-time job, a 7 month old baby, and a husband that travels all week.  If we can eat clean, you can too!

 

 

Here are some ways to make clean eating easier, whether you are cleansing or simply trying to eat better.

Preparation tips:

  • Bookmark/pin/note recipes you like and write down your weekly menu.  This way when you go to make your grocery list and/or prepare meals, you can do so quickly and not worry about scrounging through the fridge to see what you could throw together.
  • Reserve time to prepare food.  On Sunday nights I make a big pot of soup, roast veggies (squash, beets, eggplant, etc), pre-cook wild rice and/or lentils, and pre-cut veggies.
  • Always keep snacks on hand.  If you are anything like me, when you don’t have anything to eat you go into “panic” mode and have the urge to grab whatever is nearby.  Don’t let that happen!  Keep veggie sticks, fresh fruit, and other healthy snack items on hand so you never have to worry.
  • Don’t be afraid to get creative.  Creative doesn’t mean difficult (these roasted tomatoes looked impressive, but were incredibly easy), but it does mean you won’t get bored with your food and abandon clean eating.  There’s no need to eat a salad every meal.
  • Prepare extra food.  Leftovers make great work-bag lunches and are easy to grab when you end up getting home later than you intended.
  • Get a good blender.  Smoothies are fast and easy, especially in the morning as you’re rushing to get ready for work.  They are also an easy way to get extra protein by adding a scoop of a good (low-sugar) protein powder, and an extra serving of veggies add a cup of spinach (the only evidence is the color).  I love my Magic Bullet because it makes the drink right in the cup… I also love my new toy.

 

A HUGE bonus to the cleanse was cost savings.  My pre-cleanse spending habits cost me about $300 more each week than I spent on the cleanse.  That means I’ve saved $900 in 3 weeks.

My bad influence friend Kathleen suggested that I take that some of that money and use it on something to help me maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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Aaaaaand that brings me to the new addition.

 

I got a VITAMIX!!! I’ve had it for 2 days and it has already changed my life.  They are pricy…. but I think it’s going to be worth every penny.

Saturday night I celebrated with Sweet Potato Ice Cream.

Vitamix > Magic Bullet

 

Sunday morning I celebrated with a thick Carrot-Mango-Ginger Smoothie.  I’ve never had such a smooth, delicious breakfast.  I’ll be adding ginger to everything I can now; it added a great zing without overshadowing the sweetness from the carrot and the mango.

Check out the recipe at the bottom of this post.  I’m dying of happiness.

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This week was a little ADD in terms of workouts.  I didn’t have a clear focus of what I wanted to do and have (once again) been slacking on cardio.  I find it really hard to do without being able to run!

I DID do my final BodyRock fit test.  Extreme soreness had me waiting a couple of days, and clearly I didn’t stick to the 30 days exactly.  Each move is done for 50 seconds, with a 10 second rest in between.  I didn’t really except to see much more progress… but I did make a little more!  Funny thing is that I’m getting worse at burpees.  I blame the push-ups leading in to them.

 

There were a couple of fun new workouts this week.  Atlanta Fitness Diva gym contacted me asking if I’d like to try a workout.  Of course I would!  That took place Thursday and kicked my butt.  Literally.  We focused on glutes and I am STILL sore.  They are a but pricey to join, but I really enjoyed the small-group circuits we did.

 

The other new addition was the GAINfitness app.  Cait @ Beyond Bananas posted about it last week.  This app will let you tell it time, equipment available, and what you want to focus on and then put together a workout for you.  All you do it hit “start” and it walks you through with a timer for rest periods!  Check out  Cait’s post for a more thorough explanation.

 

Workout Recap (2/20 – 2/26)

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Carrot-Mango-Ginger Smoothie

  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1/4 large mango
  • 1-in piece of fresh ginger
  • 1/2 C unsweetened coconut milk (or other liquid)
  • 1 tsp maca (optional)
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 capful vanilla extract
  • 6-7 drops liquid stevia
  • Ice, to taste (I used a LOT)

 

Place everything in blender and mix to combine.

Top as desired (I sprinkled some flax and cinnamon), and enjoy!

***

Sunday I was honored to make the FoodBuzz Top 9 for my Vegan Goat Cheese Stuffed Roasted Tomatoes.  Thank you for the Buzz, and welcome new friends! 🙂

Also, it’s time for the February edition of Spicie Foodie’s Your Best Recipe.  Click the badge for more info on joining, and be sure to check back when recipes are posted on March 1st!

Do you have a Vitamix?  Please share recipes! 🙂

Do you have any tips for eating well?

 

Provençal Tomato Spread + WIAW

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Is it just me…

or are more people are going plant-based?

I started reading restaurant menus (because that’s what I do for fun) to see who has veg-friendly offerings and it has really impressed me that most restaurants offer some sort of vegetarian/vegan dish that is more than pasta drowning in oily stir-fried vegetables.

It warms my plant-based, cleansing heart.

Jenn has also warmed my heart by hosting this month’s What I Ate Wednesday (WIAW) in the theme of  vegetable.

Breakfast:

I post a lot of smoothies… most of them are really good despite their color.  In case you ever questioned my honesty/sanity/taste-buds, I must admit to you that this smoothie was not great.

Blueberries do not go with avocado.  The.  End.

On happier note, I did get confirmation that my Valentine’s Roasted Beet and Orange Smoothie was indeed good.  Check out this pic from reader Ashley, who tweeted: “The verdict is in… yummy!”

Thanks to Ashley for the feedback a lovely pic!

Lunch:

Monday night’s french-themed book club left me with some leftovers (thank god because I woke up LATE).

See that pretty stuffed tomato?  I promise to share the recipe with you tomorrow.  It was really friggin’ good… and deserving of it’s very own post. 🙂

I ate that atop a leftover eggplant-seitan stir-fry and some lentils.

Snacks:

Kombucha!  Whole Foods was out of my favorite Buchi Fire, but they were having a sale on GT’s.  I was sad to see this bottom of this bottle.

Snack time was a bag full of veggies with a simple, herb-y Provençal dip left over from the par-tay.  I loved the colors in this dish, and the briny saltiness from the capers and sun-dried tomatoes were perfect paired with crisp veggies for dipping.  (Recipe at the bottom of this post)

How cute is the reusable baggie?  My mom got it for me… it’s from Snack Taxi, but I think she got it at The Container Store.  I’m going green left and right!

Dinner:

I felt like I needed more raw food in my life after a heavier lunch, so dinner was a colorful salad.  A massive, colorful salad.  This was not served on a tiny salad plate:

In my ensalada:

  • Arugula
  • Broccoli and radish sprouts
  • Shredded brussels (raw)
  • Grapefruit
  • Beets
  • French green beans
  • Cucumber
  • Red onion
  • Tempeh croutons 
  • Lemon-thyme vinaigrette
  • Sprinkle of cardamom, salt, and pepper

If you haven’t eaten beets with grapefruit before, you should do so immediately.  I’m not talking those sour grapefruits – get the vibrant pink sweet ‘fruits that are in season right now.  #Nom 

Dessert:

This Sweet Potato Pie Chia Pudding I posted earlier this month made an appearance.  I added a pinch of cardamom to the mix last night, which was fabulous.  However…

I didn’t take a picture because I was too pissed at myself for doing this:

Another one bites the dust…

At least I’d just had a relaxing Hour of Happiness after work so the string of words that came outta my mouth weren’t as bad as they could have been. 😉

Diffusion de Tomate Provençal (Provençal Tomato Spread)

Modified from this recipe by Kathleen Flynn

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated and chopped
  • 15 Nicoise olives (or Kalamata), chopped
  • 2 tsp capers, chopped
  • 2 T rosemary
  • 1/2 -1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 C fresh basil, chiffonade (cut into thin strips)

Warm olive oil over medium heat in a small pan.  Add bell pepper and onions, and sauté until soft.  Add garlic and cook a minute more until fragrant.  Add chopped tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and vinegar and cook over low heat for another 7-8 mins.  Remove from heat.

When cool, add basil.  Add pepper to taste.

Note: This can be made up to 2 days in advance.  If making in advance, do not add basil until just before serving.  Taste again and adjust spices as they settle.

This is delicious with crackers, veggie sticks, or even atop grilled tofu or chicken.

Serves 8-10 as an appetizer/dip.

***

The floor is still sticky from that spill.  I swear I’ll clean it up before the next dinner at my house tonight.

Can anyone relate.. any recent mishaps?

Do you find that the world is becoming more vegetarian and/or vegan-friendly?

Nacho Wednesday

By

I am a big fan of trying new things.*

*Unless those new things are Dad’s Nads.

I’ve been really good lately about working through recipes/ideas I’ve noted to try.  This week I have made 3 new dishes already this week!

Side note: I’m really excited/flattered that so many people tried my Citrus Chickpea Cilantro Salad!  Check out this rendition by Sarah @ Quotidienne Moi. 

 

Back on track: with all the fun new recipes, this What I Ate Wednesday is more like “what I’ve eaten so far this week.”

 

Breakfast:

Great morning workouts leave me ravenous and in need to protein.  Kasey @ PowerCakes created this “Power Pumpkin Roll” that I knew I had to try.  This monster is ~450 calories and packs 45g of protein!

I am powerful.

I followed her recipe exactly, though next time I may add another 2 T of pumpkin and leave out an egg white.  I’m curious to know if it would work with flax eggs… that’s a lot of egg though!

Even if you don’t make the roll, make the Chia Vanilla Frosting.  I don’t often think yogurt tastes like dessert, but this one really does!

Lunch:

It must have been the week of orange, because my lunch was even more vibrant than the pumpkin roll!  This miso-laced carrot soup was as delicious as it looks!  Recipe to come Friday!

Served with a giant arugula and celery salad, which I dressed with hot sauce from the Mexican grocery store (the only place to go shop you are serious about heat), nutritional yeast, cumin, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Dinner:

Last night I had a couple of my favorite over for dinner.  My favorite Sports Glutton, Jed, recently shared a link to his Sweet Potato Nachos that I’ve been drooling over ever since.

One of my dinner guests is gluten-free, and we all make an effort to eat clean.  This dish is a much healthier alternative to your typical nachos, particularly with some modifications!

I used dried black beans… though I was a bit panicked when I realized I forgot to soak them.  Some Googling lead me to a cool method by The Paupered Chef that involved a quick boil followed by 75 mins in the oven.  I have never heard of cooking them in the oven, but it worked perfectly!  Click here for the details.

Post-oven, I let the beans rest until it was time to re-heat for company.  Jed simmered his beans in beer… I am fresh out, so I added the following (post oven-bake) to flavor my beans over medium heat:

  • 1/4 C veggie broth
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 2 Chipotle peppers in adobo
  • Dashes of paprika, garlic, parsley, red pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano

While that cooked I prepared the sweet potatoes… the easy way with Alexia’s Sweet Potato Waffle Fries.  Nom.

When the fries were done I topped them with tomatoes, serrano peppers, and queso.  Back into the oven on broil then went while I sliced an avocado and minced cilantro.

Remove, decorate, and devour.

 

Oh yes, there was also wine.  A Roquevale 2005 Portuguese Red (Alentejo) blend of Aragonez, Alfrocheiro, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  This was a big, fruity, dark wine that I could drink all night long.  Arguably a little heavy for a spicy Mexican-ish meal, but I love a big wine.

Also exciting: I got to use my chalkboard wine art glasses!

I was the lucky winner of a giveaway at Ancient Fire Wine and received 4 bottles of wine from Tapena.  The Garnacha we tried was delicious!  It was approachable without compromising body.  We picked it as an earlier wine (thinking it would be lacking), but it was great!  I’d drink it anytime!

Dessert:

For dessert we nibbled on the vegan, gluten-free dessert I teased you with last week… I’m finally posting the recipe tomorrow!

We also have another dessert nibble courtesy of Callie – she sent over some Rawxies to sample and OMG are they ever good.

My favorite was the Cinnamon Walnut Raisin.  I love how the cinnamon came through – so often the taste gets lost in the sweetness of desserts.

Raw, gluten-free, and vegan… and totally worthy of a dessert platter to share with friends.  I may have enjoyed one as an afternoon snack as well… 🙂

***

Those Sweet Potato Nachos would be a GREAT addition to a Super Bowl spread!

Are you watching the Super Bowl?  Any fun dishes planned?

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten so far this week?

Raw-ish Vegan Jerky + WIAW

By

All day yesterday I thought it was Monday.

Funny how now that it’s Wednesday, I’m feeling like Friday is not so far away.

This week has really been awesome – tons of cooking, which means I have LOTS to share with you.  More to come!

For now, lets cheers to chalkboard wine glasses, kick-ass workouts, being half way to Friday, and my friend Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday.

 

Breakfast:

After last week’s hotel oatmeal ick, this more than made up for it:

Overnight oats in an almond butter jar.  Pure bliss.

  • Oatmeal
  • Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • Chia seeds
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Almond butter jar remnants
  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla
  • 4-5 drops of vanilla liquid Stevia
  • A little TBA chocolate something crumbled in. 🙂

Lunch:

Another bit of amazingness.  Citrus Chickpea Cilantro Salad  with carrots atop an eggplant patty.

Recipe for this deliciousness coming tomorrow! 

Dinner:

You may be familiar with a little problem I have.  When I go out I sometimes get so excited about the meal that I forget to take pics.  This is all that remained of my post-workout dinner last night:

That WAS a side salad, 2 veggie tacos, a chips and salsa trio, and a Patron Silver margarita.  Whoops.

More proof that Taqueria del Sol remains my favorite intown taco joint.

Snacks:

Continuing with last week’s blogger recipes, I tried Gena @ Choosing Raw’s Portabello Jerky.  It was a fantastically salty, satisfyingly chewy afternoon snack.  Seriously – Gena is a genius.

My raw-sih version of Gena’s raw jerky is at the bottom of this post!

Lucky me was asked to taste-test a new cookie recipe for Cookie Underground.  I mentioned trying these veggie-based cookies at the Atlanta Underground Market here.

My test-kit included an original recipe and 4 alternatives for their Parsnip Vanilla flavor.  In my mind there was a clear winner.  Check them out on Facebook to read more!

Apparently I need to rename this blog dessert underground because my pre-workout snack was on of these vegan Granola Cookies:

At just 3g of sugar and over 1g of protein, can you blame me?  P.S. They freeze perfectly.

Last, there was a vegan, gluten-free post-workout dessert.

I promise to share next week – I want to make one more batch to test with more soda.  Let’s just say they are silky in texture, impossibly chocolate-y, and inspired by a Cookie Underground concept. 😉

Raw-ish Portabello Jerky

  • 1 large Portabello mushroom
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 3 drops liquid Stevia
  • 3-4 twist of freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients.  Slice ‘shroom into 1/2 inch thick sticks and marinate overnight in refrigerator overnight.

Place on foil-lined baking sheet and cook in 170 degree oven* for ~3 hours.

*Note: Gena had a dehydrator – check out her instructions for raw jerky details.  For those of us without… just set your oven at it’s lowest temp (mine is 170 degrees).  It’s raw-ish. 🙂

***

I’m really into vegan/low-sugar cooking and baking lately!  It’s fun to try different style and I love feeling so clean.

Have you tried vegan jerky?  Have you tried “real” jerky?

Do you feel a little the-end-is-near relief on Wednesday?

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