Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Mediterranean Salmon Burger

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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.

Sprint 2 the Table

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

Mediterranean Salmon Burgers

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?

Microwave Protein Cookie + WIAW

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Lifting weights will not make you bulky.

It drives me NUTS when I hear women say they don’t want to lift because they are scared they’ll get bulky or look “manly.”  Women don’t have the hormone levels men do, so it’s just not possible to gain like a dude.  It takes a TON of work to significantly grow muscle.  I should know.

It is especially important for women to have a strength training program.

A few of the benefits include:

  1. Body Fat Reduction – As you increase lean muscle, so does resting metabolism.  This means that you burn more calories all day long.  Studies have shown that for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35-50 more calories each day.  That’s as much as 18,250 calories in a year!
  2. Decreased Risk of Osteoporosis and Heart Disease – Women are at an especially high risk of suffering from this disease.  Weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density, and – combined with adequate calcium – can be one of the best defenses against osteoporosis.  Cardio is important in heart health; however, lifting can help to lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, increase “good” (HDL) cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.
  3. Improved Athletic Performance – Research continually proves that strength training improves athletic ability.  It enables you to increase endurance, improve technique, and decrease the risk of injury.
  4. Improved Mood and Fights Depression – A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did!  Strength training often helps women feel more confident and capable, both important factors in fighting depression.
  5. Physical Strength – This may sound obvious, but strength training is important for daily activities – chores, chasing after kids, carrying groceries… basic, daily tasks will be much easier.  And how nice is it to be able to open ajar unassisted?

Strength training isn’t the only factor though.  I’m trying my best to gain as much as possible before my November competition.  Just as important as lifting is diet.  Healthy fats, complex carbs, and a lot of protein are key to gaining mass.  As much as I’m taking in, I’m still not She-ra…. but I am making gains!

A few people have asked for progress pics.  I wish I’d done a better job to tracking and taking pics from the same angles, but here’s the best bicep progress pic I have:

Still a really long way to go, but I think there are some changes!

Speaking of strength training (nice transition, right?), this fall’s  What I Ate Wednesday theme: “Fall Into Good Habits.”

Check out my healthy fall fuel below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get ideas from others’ fall eats!

Meal 1:

I probably bore you all with my morning cocktail, but this day started out like every other day with a mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine and Aminos (I’ve switched since this pic to ON brand and LOVE it) … with some kombucha and water.  This week I had a lavender-rosemary homebrew to mix in.  Good for the digestion, skin, and overall energy!

30 mins later I noshed on a random concoction:

A Morningstar veggie sausage scrambled with egg whites and topped with cilantro, 1/2 a grapefruit, and a slice of Ezekial bread with sugar-free strawberry jam.  Not super creative, but it was the jam on this rainy morning.

Meal 2:

If it’s going to rain, at least my food can be bright!

There’s no shame in microwave baking!  Especially when it is an iced Sunbutter cookie. 

This cookie is incredibly easy.  I was going to bake it, but that seemed too time-consuming.  35 secs in the microwave for this baby!  I blended together cottage cheese, stevia, and apple pie spice as the icing and arranged golden kiwi slices on top.

Recipe at the bottom.

Meal 3:

Monday night’s dinner was a healthy version of Crab Eggs Benedict.  I remade it for WIAW because it was so delicious.  I’d probably be eating it again right now if I wasn’t out of my local farm fresh eggs.

However, I’m a tease.  The recipe will be shared tomorrow… sorry, but I felt it deserved its own post. 🙂 

Meal 4:

Tilapia again… but I did prepare it differently!  I’m working on a project making my own (salt-free) spice blends.  This was cooked in a grill pan with my Mexican blend and fresh lime juice.  On the side was roasted broccoli slaw and brussels, topped with more of my blend, rice vinegar, and nutritional yeast. 

Meal 5:

I’m trying not to Instagram everything before I post it on WIAW… but I couldn’t help myself last night.

This pizza combo knocked my socks off.  I toasted a low-carb tortilla as the crust, then slathered it with a sweet potato mashed with lemon juice, cumin, and chili powder.  Meanwhile, I sautéed asparagus and chopped fennel in a splash of garlic-infused olive oil.  That saute, arugula, and pre-cooked salmon topped my pizza.

I put the whole thing in the oven on broil for a few mins, finish with freshly ground pepper, thick balsamic, and cilantro… and viola!

Total foodgasm.  ♫ The neighbors complain about the noises above… ♫

Meal 6:

An old favorite… with a new twist.  Remember my Carrot Cake Protein Batter?  I made it chocolate. 

This Chocolate Carrot Cake Protein Batter was basically the same recipe, but I added 1 T cocoa powder and use almond extract instead of vanilla.

Side note: Did you know that 1 T of cocoa powder has 1g of protein?

Meal 7:

In the interest of honesty… this happened:

I get an extra cheat each day in effort to gain weight… although this may not be what my trainer had in mind…

It was delicious though!  Terrapin is a Georgia brewery, and their Pumpkinfest beer is fantastic. It combines two styles – pumpkin beer and Oktoberfest – to create a spiced pumpkin beer that isn’t overly sweet.

Never fear!  I got my protein in too: 

A maple-casein version of my 150 Calorie Microwave Protein Cake topped with fresh figs.

Micro Protein Cookie steps

Nutty Microwave Protein Cookie

  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1 T water
  • 1 T Sunbutter
  • 2 T egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia

Mix ingredients in a small bowl.  

Coat small, microwave-safe plate with cooking spray.  Spread dough on plate and microwave 30-40 secs.  

Serves 1.

***

Protein count for the day: 191.3g from fall clean eats!

Do you do any strength training?  Why or why not?

What foods have you been loving the most this fall?

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm…

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Strange, but good.

 

That’s going to be my new tagline.

Training for a figure competition means my diet is a little odd.  It may make you go hmmmm.

I need certain combos of food and certain times.  Rather than view these parameters and restrictions, I try to turn them into opportunities to create.

I love trying new flavors.  Adding sweetness to things that are traditionally savory and vice versa.  Using spices that are not-so-common to give the ordinary a little something extra.  Sometimes it doesn’t work… but when it does it WORKS.

 

Today I want to share a few that I’ve tried recently, and a couple of “proof” shots from others:

1. Recovery Sweet Potatoes

This was born of a craving.  It was early in the morning and post-workout.  I wanted something breakfast-sweet, but also had a craving for sweet potato.  Then there was the matter of getting my protein to feed muscles growth and aid recovery.  This vanilla-cinnamon concoction fit the bill!

 

 

Recovery Sweet Potatoes

  • 1 small sweet potato, pre-cooked and cubed
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 3 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • Pinch of cardamom
  • 2 T raw rolled oats

 

Place sweet potato cubes in a bowl.  

In a small bowl, mix protein powder and spices.  

Pour sauce over sweet potatoes and top with oats.  Devour.

 

 

2. Tequila Lime Tilapia and Kiwi

 

 

For meal 2 I get a fruit, a protein, and a tablespoon of seeds.  It was close to noon before I was able to eat, so I wanted something more savory as my protein.  With this leftover Tequila-Lime Tilapia, I made a sort of fruit salad by adding golden kiwi and peptias (pumpkin seeds).

 

 

3. Salmon and Peach Salad

This pre-workout meal was eaten in the car on the way to the gym (hence the blurry-in-a-hurry pic).  Again, it was a late Meal 2, so I  needed my fruit and protein.  I had some leftover grilled salmon in the fridge that needed to be eaten.  Salmon is slightly sweet to begin with, so I paired my leftover  it with a late-season peach.  I mixed in a little Greek yogurt (maybe 2-3 T?) to add moisture.  With the slight smoky-char flavor from the grilled fish, the sweet peaches were absolutely fantastic.

 

 

For those of you who are short on time, this is an easy, fun meal that can be thrown together 5 mins before walking out the door and eaten on the go!

 

 

4. Greek Chocolate-Orange Protein Yogurt

Chocolate and orange probably isn’t a strange combination to many of you.  I haven’t been a big fan of the combo in the past.  I like my chocolate served with a side of chocolate!  Keeping an open mind (and in need of a quick meal 2), I eyed the half eaten orange in my fridge.

I wanted Greek yogurt, but I try to limit my diary as I find it makes my face break out.  Often my solution is to eat just half a serving and combine it with 1/2 a scoop of protein powder to get at least 20g of protein (my minimum at each meal)., which is exactly what I did here.

 

 

Greek Chocolate-Orange Protein Yogurt

  • 1/2 c Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 3-4 drops of chocolate flavoring (I use these Capella drops)
  • 5 drops of orange liquid Stevia.  
  • 1/2 segmented orange

 

Mix together yogurt, protein, chocolate flavor, and Stevia in a small bowl.  

Top with orange segements and (optional) sprinkle of cinnamon.

 

 

5. PB & Jeggs (and Aggs) Proof

I have a little PB & Jeggs (Aggs/Peggs/etc) addiction.  This egg white-peanut flour-fruit combo is a staple in my diet.  It’s the perfect high protein fuel, and suitable for breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Sounds weird, taste good.  But I’m not the only one who thinks so!  My friends Eiren and Meg agree:

 

Meg’s PB & Jeggs (with oats):

 

Eiren’s PB & Jeggs (isn’t this the coolest graphic?!  So sweet of her to make it):

 

And Eiren’s awesome twist on the PB & Aggs… PB & Aggs in a Jar:

 

***

In other weird food news, I remain addicted to Carrot Cake Protein Batter.   I’m eating it as I draft this post.  Pretty sure this will never get old.

Have you tried PB & Jeggs?  Just trust me on this one.

What is your favorite strange food combo?

 

Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes

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Important tip: read labels.

 

I’m new to this seafood thing.  It still makes me a little squeamish to touch it.

When I finally located low-sodium canned salmon I was so excited that I neglected to check the label to ensure it was de-boned with the skin removed.  It most certainly was not.

 

 

WHY would anyone want canned salmon with the skin and bones?!  They DO NOT.  I’ll gladly pay an extra dollar or two for that task to be done.

Stubbornness trumped squeamishness, and I dug through the damn can of salmon removing all the icky bits.

 

 

It paid off.  These cakes were the best seafood creation I’ve made yet!

I first worried I was adding too much lemon, but discovered that it only makes salmon more delicious.  The fresh thyme goes well with lemon, and adds a light slightly sweet accent.

 

 

These cakes are kept moist by the grated zucchini.  I loved its creamy and faintly nutty flavor made the salmon that much richer.

A bit of coriander goes well here, as it also has a bit of a nutty, citrus-y flavor that is well-balanced with the lemon and thyme.

 

 

I paired my cakes with a simple salad of raw asparagus, roasted beets, and chopped broccoli.  A quick toss is rice vinegar and pepper kept it light and refreshing.  Asparagus is surprisingly high in protein; that and the fiber from the broccoli make this a pleasantly filling salad.

The earthy beets against the crunch of the sweet, raw greens is fantastic.  Not to mention the colors – I’ve said it before, but colorful food just tastes better.  I made it several times this past week!

Recipes at bottom of post.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Workout Recap

Plantar fasciitis is a weird thing.  It hurt all week, and I decided to resume regular leg-day workouts as long as it didn’t make it worse.  Lo and behold, after 2 hard leg days it finally QUIT hurting.  Sunday was supposed to be a rest day, but I was so exited to be pain-free that I ran some sprints (my only trainer-approved cardio, as sprinting is good for the glutes).  “Sprint” is used loosely… I was so sore from leg day that they were more like sprints in slow motion. 🙂

I also found the secret to watching football without cable TV.  Rather than going to the bar like I would have in the past, I went to the gym and took a leisurely walk on the treadmill while I happily watched GA Tech play on ESPN… happily until the very end when we lost the game.  *sigh*

Even more exciting was a new bicep curl PR.  After a couple of years trying to get over the 15 lb hump, I was finally able to curl 20s!!!  I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat, looking around to see if anyone noticed how much of a beast I was.  LOL!  Of course, so one was tracking my curl weight, but whatever.  This is me trying to play it cool in the locker room:

 

Workout Recap (8/27 – 9/3):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 1 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Butt, 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Bis, 2 mile walk, Calf raises
  • Saturday – Legs (w/ trainer)
  • Sunday – Rest, Sprints
  • Monday – Back/Bis, Calf raises, 5.5 mile football walk

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Beet, Asparagus, and Broccoli Salad

  • 1 small beet, roasted
  • 1/2 C asparagus, chopped
  • 1/2 C broccoli, chopped
  • 1 T red onion, diced
  • 1 T rice vinegar
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and toss to combine.
Serves 1 (easily doubled).

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Lemon-Thyme Zucchini Salmon Cakes

  • 1 7oz canned salmon (no salt added), deboned with skin removed
  • 1/2 C grated zucchini, pressed to remove water
  • 3 T egg whites
  • 2 T red onion, chopped
  • 2 T fresh thyme
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander
  • S&P, to taste

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease muffin tin.

Place drained salmon in medium bowl and break into small piece with fork (or fingers).  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Spoon into muffin tin, lightly packing down to remove air spaces.  Bake for 20 – 25 mins, or until golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and let cool for a minute. Gently loosen with a knife and lift from the muffin tin.

Makes 4 cakes.

Approximate Nutritionals (per cake): 82 calories, 3.2g fat, 56mg sodium, 0.9g carbohydrates, 0.2g fiber, 0.6g sugar, 10.2g protein

***

These cakes are great to make ahead for an portable, protein-filled lunch!

How was your long weekend?  Any new dishes (or pumpkin beers) to report?

Does touching seafood/meat make you at all squeamish?

 

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