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Appetites and Adventures

Ultimate Veggie Trail Mix

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It would be impossible to make this dish any more healthy.

Filled with raw, fresh veggies, you would probably ascend into some new level of raw health food heaven if you ate it all in one sitting.  Either that or have some serious gas.

When I saw this recipe for a Detox Salad from Angela @ Oh She Glows, I knew I had to make it post-Chilean tour of gluttony.  In my version I use her base of cauliflower and broccoli, but added some extra nutrients with kale and mushrooms.  I love the meaty earthiness the mushroom adds!

To dress the veggie mix, I used fresh lemon juice and my new Chilean spice blend, merkén.  You can read more about it here, but it’s basically a mix of red chilies, coriander, cumin, and salt.  Spicy and smokey!  The other blend in the pic above is a sea weed flake mix: dulse, laver, and sea lettuce.  I picked it up a Whole Foods recently and am addicted to the briny, slightly sweet flakes.

All mixed up it looks like trail mix, hence the name.  However, I wouldn’t recommend adding chocolate in this type of trail mix. 🙂

Recipe at the end.

I finally have workouts to recap!  This week I was back on it full-blast.  I’m embarking on a new fitness endeavor… after my first leg/glute workout with a trainer on Monday, I was so sore that I could barely walk until Friday.  At one point I (slowly) lowered myself to the floor to do push ups, gave up at 40, and then just laid there in downward dog for a sold half hour.  More this new punishment journey tomorrow!

Today I am sore from playing 4 softball games in 90 degree weather.  I drank 150 oz of water and I STILL had a headache until bedtime.  At least I my socks looked cool.

Workout Recap (6/18- 6/24):

  • Monday – Ab Ripper X, Legs/Glutes (w/ trainer), 40 push-ups
  • Tuesday – Tris/Chest, 1.5 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Wednesday – Shoulders, 3 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Thursday – Biceps, 3.5 mile walk, 100 push-ups
  • Friday – Back/Tris (w/ trainer), 2.5 mile walk
  • Saturday – Butt/Shoulders, 20 min bike ride
  • Sunday – 4 softball games

The Ultimate Veggie Trail Mix - this might be the healthiest thing you could put in your mouth!

Ultimate Veggie Trail Mix

  • 1 small head broccoli, stems removed
  • 1/2 small head cauliflower, stems removed
  • 1 large carrot, shredded or finely chopped
  • 2 large kale leaves, finely chopped
  • 5-6 baby bella mushrooms, diced
  • 2 T red onion, minced
  • 1/4 C pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1/4 C fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp merkén (or mix of smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, and salt)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Dulse or lavar flakes (optional)
  • 4-5 drops NuNaturals orange liquid stevia (or other sweetener, to taste)
  • S&P, to taste

In a Vitamix or food processor, process the broccoli until fine. Place in a large bowl.  Repeat with cauliflower, then with carrots.

Stir in kale, mushrooms, onion, pumpkin seeds, and rosemary.  

In small bowl, stir together lemon juice and seasonings to taste.  Pour over salad and mix well.  Allow to marinate at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes ~5 cups.

Approximate nutritionals: 94 calories, 5.9g fat, 8g carbohydrates, 2.7g fiber, 2.6g sugar, 5.1g protein.

***

I brought this trail mix to the ball field for lunch.  Amazingly, people didn’t stare.  They must have been too busy having heat strokes.

Have you made any good blogger recipes lately?

What was the highlight of your weekend?

“Spaghettied” Zucchini and Walnut Salad

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These past few days have FLOWN by.

I can’t believe that we land in the States tonight!  

Like all good vacations, I am sad to leave but excited to get home and share all of the fun stories, pictures, and FOOD with everyone. 🙂

Today’s post comes from Meg @ A Dash of Meg.  This girl is one of the sweetest bloggers I know.  She’s one of those people who you interact with once and feel like you’ve known forever.  She also has a knack for writing post at just the moment I need it.  When I found out I tore my ACL a couple of weeks ago, Meg wrote this amazing post on the importance of REST (something I suck at).  Today in her guest post she shares a veggie-based recipe that is light a refreshing.  Just what I’m craving after a week of gluttony travel.

 

Hello!

I’m Meg and I blog over at A Dash of Meg.

I blog about my daily life, but I also share a bunch of tasty recipes and heart-pumping workouts too. 😉

If you’d like to know more about me check out my About page on my blog!

Creating new recipes is one of my all time favourite things to do, so I thought it would be a great idea to share a recipe with all of you today that I created last year, but have not shared with anyone yet!  Think of it as a secret treasure that I have been keeping all to myself until now 😉

Now that it’s spring (almost summer!) though, it is definitely time for this recipe to be revealed!  It’s fresh, light, and totally addictive.  I hope you enjoy and make it over and over!

 

“Spaghettied” Zucchini and Walnut Salad

Salad:

  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1 10 oz. container grape tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup walnut halves

Dressing:
There are two different options for the dressing

Option 1:

  • ½ TBSP fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 TBSP walnut oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Option 2:

I have made the salad many times. Sometimes using dressing option 1 and sometimes option 2; both are fantastic

Slice zucchini with mandolin into spaghetti-sized pieces. Combine all ingredients into bowl and toss with dressing of your choice.

Makes 2 servings.

This recipe is simple, definitely not as exceptional as any of Laura’s recipes (Editor’s note: Whatever!  Simple, fresh veggie recipes are the best.), but I certainly do hope you give it a try I’m sure I will be making it quite frequently this summer!

Thanks for having me Laura! It’s been fun 😉

Meg xoxo

***

I can’t wait to get home and try those out – I love using zucchini as pasta and, after all of this heavy (yet delicious) South American food, I need something light and spring-y.

What are you favorite spring/summer veggies?

Do you use “different” oils such as walnut or avocado?

Zombies are Coming + WIAW

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Zombies have taken over the South.

Well, the idea of zombies has.  Seriously – zombies are “cool” now.  Clearly I am not cool because I don’t get it.  They taped an episode of some zombie TV show outside of my office a few months ago, people are all about zombie movies… and today I saw this while driving:

If they are coming, at least I was behind a Zombie Apocalypse Response Vehicle.

Time for something I DO understand: What I Ate Wednesday.  How about a zombie themed WIAW next, Jenn?

Check out my eats below; then click here to hop on to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see what everyone else ate Wednesday!

Breakfast:

I had an appointment with a trainer later in the afternoon, so this morning I skipped over my traditional protein smoothie in favor of the last Pumpkin Zucchini Muffin in my freezer.

I topped it with a peanut icing (peanut flour, almond milk, and cinnamon), and enjoyed it with Banana Cream Pie yogurt… which I stirred more peanut flour and cinnamon into.  Nom.

Lunch:

Total salad porn.  It tasted just as decadent as it looks.

In my salad:

  • Spinach
  • Cabbage
  • Alfalfa sprouts
  • Tomato
  • Sprouted adzuki beans
  • Cashew pieces
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Local, farm-fresh runny egg

Dinner:

After the first Italian Baked Broccoli Slaw win, I had to try it again.

This one was similar, but I used a few different veggies.  I think I like this even better!  The red onion was the perfect addition.  Other additions:

  • 1/2 package broccoli slaw
  • Portobello mushroom
  • Alfalfa sprouts
  • Zucchini
  • Radishes
  • Red onion
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Herbs de Provence
  • 1 C roasted garlic marinara sauce
 I just realized how weird that combo sounds… but really, what isn’t good when slathered in marinara sauce?

Snacks:

It was a snack-y day.  This may not look like much, but check out my lunch and dinner.  You better believe I snacked on all those veggies while I was chopping them for each meal.

Clockwise from the top left: Sweet Potato Pie Protein Shake (in a bowl with a cherry on top), watermelon (the first perfect one of the season!), Fitmixer Berry BCAA Powder mixed in water, carrot sticks, and a new late-night muffin creation (recipe to come).

***

Needless to say, I just got carried away stocked up at the Farmer’s Market.  You would think I had a family of 5 with all the veggies in my fridge.

Are zombies “in” where you live?  Do you get it?

What is the best thing you ate this Wednesday?

Mexican Pineapple and Beet Salad

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It’s hard to believe it’s almost Cinco de Drinko Mayo.

I didn’t actually realize it until I saw someone else’s blog post.  Maybe that’s why I’ve been craving Mexican lately?

This concoction is an unexpectedly Mexican combo, but a tasty one.  My pineapple was perfectly golden to the top, meaning it was on the sweet side.  That sweetness was wonderful with the earthy beets.

The colors were nice too – pretty food tastes better!

Mexican Pineapple and Beet Salad

You can use pre-cored pineapple from your grocery store, but I recommend buying pineapple whole.  Whole pineapples always intimidated me in the past because I wasn’t sure how to tell if it was ripe.

Then I found a fool-proof method.

There are 2 ways that – in combination – I have found to be fool-proof:

  1. Color: A ripe pineapple should be golden in color.  Yes, there will be some green, but there should be gold forming, particularly at the base (the sweetest part of the pineapple).  The further up the gold, the sweeter the fruit.
  2. Leaf: You should be able to fairly easily remove a leaf from the crown of the pineapple.  Some say this is a myth, but has never steered me wrong.

Pineapple and Beet Salad

Cumin, red pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon give the salad its Mexican taste.  The cilantro and the lime juice on top set it off and balanced the stronger spices.  (If you don’t like cilantro, parsley would be an excellent sub here.)

Note: I didn’t include the measures for any of these because… well, you don’t really need them.  Make as much or as little as you like, as adjust the spices to your tastes.  I piled on the cilantro and the red pepper flakes.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Mexican Pineapple & Beet Salad

Mexican Pineapple and Beet Salad

  • Pineapple
  • Beets, roasted
  • Cilantro
  • Cumin
  • Cinnamon
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Pepper
  • Fresh lime juice

Peel and core the pineapple and cut into half-moon slices.  Slice beets into rounds.

Arrange in layers on a plate.  Sprinkle with each of the spices, adjusting flavors to your palate.

Top with cilantro and fresh lime juice.  If it’s available, crumbled cotija cheese would also make a nice addition here.

***

I am realllly looking forward to Cinco de Mayo this year because I will be hanging with some of my favorite bloggers at the Blend Retreat!

Are you going to Blend?

Do you have a secret for determining if a certain fruit is ripe?

Spring Endive Boats + WIAW

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Endive Boats are the perfect party salad.

Boats make salad a finger food!

Last Christmas when I catered this party I served endive boats rather than a salad dish.  They went over really well, so I decided to make a spring version for the wedding shower.

This spring version contained raspberries, raw asparagus (thin stalks), and pecans.  Over the top I drizzled a light raspberry vinaigrette.

A lot of people are surprised by raw asparagus, but it is quite tasty.  In season, the asparagus is especially sweet and the crunch it added was perfect.

The raspberries were just a tad sweet, but still have an early-season tartness that was well-balanced with the fruity vinaigrette and rich, nutty pecans.

Like the deviled eggs, there weren’t any leftover by the end of the party!

Recipe at the bottom.

Last week I announced I was taking the Green Giant Veg Pledge to add an additional cup of veggies to my daily eats.  Many of you said you would join me… have you been doing it?

Jenn @ Peas and Crayons is with her  What I Ate Wednesday theme for April:

Check out my veggies below; then click here to see how everyone else incorporated extra servings.

Breakfast:

Do you ever wake up starving?  Having followed the P90X workouts this week, I cannot get enough food!

Carrot Cake Smoothie:

  • 1 C spinach
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/2 in piece fresh ginger
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 7-8 drops liquid vanilla stevia
  • 1 T rolled oats
  • 1/2 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp maca (optional)
  • Pecans (optional – for topping)

Lunch:

The veggie-theme was full force at lunch today.  I had a conference call, so I ate it in two parts.

Part 1: A slice of whole wheat multi-grain bread from the farmer’s market with my Chipotle Corn Hummus, raw asparagus, zucchini, and carrots.

I brought the veggies to work in that carrot bag.  The bag was almost empty, so I piled my asparagus and zucchini slices rather than wasting another baggie.  I’m a total hippie.

Part 2: Garden Lites Cauliflower Souffle

Tasty, but I may have over-microwaved it.

Snacks:

With my 2-part lunch, I didn’t do much snacking… there was the daily Kombucha with raspebrries, a Think Thin, Wasa flatbread, and unpictued stuff (nuts, 1/2  cupcake, cereal):

Dinner:

It was a pizza night at a favorite pizza joint, Double Zero.  You cut the pie with scissors and they have one of the best Italian wine selections in ATL.  My pie was tomato, mozzarella, arugula, roasted garlic, and chilis.

Spring Endive Boats

  • 6-8 endive heads
  • 2 pints raspberries
  • 1 bunch thin asparagus, chopped
  • 1/2 C chopped pecans
  • Raspberry vinaigrette

Assemble endive leaves evenly across a large tray.  Divide raspberries, asparagus pieces, and pecans evenly among boats.  

Lightly drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette just before serving.

Serves 30.

***

I was going to post that mac ‘n cheese recipe… but I had to go endive for the veggie theme! 🙂

How are you doing with the Veg Pledge?  Have you been incorporating an extra veggie serving each day?

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

Edamame and Jicama Salad

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What do you do when its 20 degrees warmer than usual?

Embrace it with big green salads for lunch!

This creation was inspired by a wandering trip through the grocery store.  I am someone who reads menus or looks at ingredients and can get a sense of what a flavor combination will taste like.  As I strolled through Whole Foods (and it was a stroll – 2 hours!), I began tossing the ingredients in my cart and a refreshing summer salad idea formed in my head.

Edamame has long been a favorite snack, but for some reason I rarely use it as the “main event” in a dish.  Having picked up a huge jicama, I began to imagine the contrast of the textures – the soft edamame with the crunchy apple-like fruit.

Jicama always makes me crave cilantro, which also make me want to toss onion in the mix (have I mentioned that I love Mexican food?).  A little jalapeño for some heat and lemon zest for brightness brought the dish to life.

Best of all, this light dish comes together in less than 10 mins!

The measurements are just guidelines – I literally just tossed this in a large bowl.  Add or adjust ingredients to your liking.

I loaded up extra cilantro and jalapeño on mine and served it alongside gazpacho and broccoli slaw.

Edamame and Jicama Salad

Edamame Jicama Salad

  • 1 C edamame seeds
  • 3/4 C jicama, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1/2 jalapeno, minced
  • 1/2 C cilantro
  • 1/3 C yellow onion
  • Juice of 1/2 small lemon
  • S+P, to taste

Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy!

Serves 2-4.

***

The rest of my family ate this in lieu of fries alongside their (grilled) Chick-fil-a sandwiches.

Have you tried jicama before?  How do you like to eat it?

Are you planning an Easter brunch?  What are you serving?

Facebook and Eating Disorders + WIAW

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Facebook may lead to eating disorders.

Last week it was narcissism, this week it’s eating disorders.  Poor Facebook is taking a hit!

 

 

A new study that found that “51% of respondents felt more self-conscious about their physical appearance after looking at pictures of themselves on Facebook.”  These Facebook users are checking out their friend’s photos, which leads them to be more critical of their own physiques.

I don’t know about this… you can compare yourself to other people just walking down the street.

Read the full article on Newser by clicking here.

 ______________________________________________________________________________________

Want to know how to feel better?  Eat some veggies!

Yesterday I asked you all to join me in the Green Giant Veg Pledge to add an additional cup of veggies to your daily eats.  Jenn @ Peas and Crayons is also taking part in the challenge, so this month her  What I Ate Wednesday theme is…

 

 

Check out my veggies below; then click here to see how everyone else incorporated extra servings.

 

 

Breakfast:

Do you ever wake up starving?  After Sunday’s jam-packed day of softball and plyometrics, I was in need of an extra-filling breakfast.  I mixed this concoction and let it sit in the fridge to thicken (~15 mins) while I downed a glass of water and got the coffee started.

Those blackberries on top were incredible – the first perfect berries of the season!

 

 

In my oat bowl:

  • Rolled oats
  • Chia
  • Greek yogurt
  • Chia seeds
  • Unsweetened almond milk
  • Vanilla extract
  • Cinnamon
  • Blackberries

 

Lunch:

I failed to take a picture of the final result… but here’s what my veggie-centric lunch consisted of:

 

 

 

I am fully aware that gazpacho is easy to make yourself… but with my crazy schedule, Whole Foods’ soup had to happen.  It was delicious with some red pepper flakes and avocado (unpictured) on top.

I devoured this with some spinach, broccoli slaw, and ak-mak crackers.  These crackers were new to me – they were delicious and reminded me of Wasa crisps.

 

Snacks:

It was a snack-y sort of day – handfuls of this and that here and there.  A few munchies:

 

KIND bars are my new addiction

Bowls of grapes and edamame

 

My two favorite drinks - coffee and kombucha

 

Dinner:

I was starving by dinner time.  You know what that means…

 

 

All that remained were 2 strips of tempeh when I remembered to take a pic.  My cousin and I hit up a local vegetarian spot called World Peace Cafe for dinner.  It was my first time there, but certainly won’t be the last!

That tempeh was sitting on top of a huge salad with shredded beets, carrots, and tomatoes.  On the left is a bowl that held a delicious mushroom–kale–lentil soup.  The crumbs around to bowl belonged to a slice of rye toast.  The tea pot in the background was filled with lemon-gnger tea.

We also split a piece of vegan chocolate-almond cake.  It was divine.

 

***

Adding veggies isn’t so hard… I think I could eat edamame all day long.

Did you incorporate an extra veggie serving to your day?  If so, how?

Any thoughts on the Facebook story?  Do you think it’s any worse than the millions of other way you can compare yourself to others?

 

Green Giant Veg Pledge

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Eating clean takes effort.

Many of us use spring as an opportunity to clean up our diets.  The crisp, seasonal produce and the warmer air lends itself to lightening up our dishes.  Adieu, winter squashes.

However, the feeling in the air alone doesn’t make it easier to eat cleaner.  Eating better does take some forethought.

 

Skinny Girl Thai Greek Sauce

 

As part of the Food Buzz Tastemakers program, I was selected to take the Green Giant Veg Pledge.  This is a two-week pledge to eat one more cup of vegetables per day.  I am especially excited to have the extra motivation to step away from the Peeps and towards the rabbit food.

 

Beet Sunflower Pesto

 

 

Who else is up for the challenge?

To help us get started, here are some ways I like to add additional veggies to my diet:

  • Add a handful of spinach to smoothies/shakes – it will turn your beverage green, but you’ll never taste a difference.  Check out this green spinach smoothie:  

 

  • Before dinner each night, begin with a side salad – this can get your greens in and help you to fill up on the good stuff before filling up on heavier fare
  • Use greens in place of carbs, like I did with these collard tacos
  • Keep pre-cut veggies in your fridge for a quick grab-and-go snack
  • Shop the perimeters of the grocery store – if you don’t meander down the cookie aisle, those treats won’t end up in your pantry at home and you’ll be “forced” to choose a healthier (veggie) snack option
  • Turn salads into meals by “eating the rainbow” – add colorful veggies like beets, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, sugar peas, raw yellow squash/zucchini, etc. (Check out these lunch salad ideas!) 

 

  • Add a veggie or two to your usual meals: saute spinach and mushrooms to go with scrambled eggs, toss some kale into soups, serve grains in a roasted red pepper or tomato, use parsnips as rice or beans for burgers. 

***

I do love my greens. Nevermind the gas.  🙂

Will you take the Green Giant 2 Week Veg Pledge with me?

How do you incorporate more veggies into your diet?

 

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