Starbucks Deals + Ending the Cleanse

November 24, 2010 By Laura

Who wants 12 days of Starbucks deals??? Saving Money Living Life has delivered yet again.

Click for source

The Starbucks Deal: Text 12DAYS to 29943 to sign up for Starbucks’ 12 days of Sharing. Beginning December 1st you will receive one deal per day.

Merry Christmas, Coffee Addicts! 🙂

The woman at SMLL posts some awesome deals AND always manages to save an impressive amount at Publix (like getting $90 of stuff for ~$45). I wish she’d figure out how to do it at Whole Paycheck Foods!

I also learned about a FREE holiday music sampler iTunes download People Magazine through SMLL. Check out the deal on People’s website.

Speaking of coffee, I have a one-track mind today. The SP Cleanse is OVER!!! Mom and I celebrated with some midnight ab work (I know… we have never been normal).

I also had my second personal training session last night. I am still really loving it.

Some highlights:

20 push-ups in a row, followed by 2 sets of 10 (boy-style = no knees)
65 sit-ups in 2 minutes
20 oblique-ups
Lots of bicep curls, pull-downs, and triceps

Our last supper was a salad with Garlicky Grilled Eggplant (recipe at end). It didn’t get the gorgeous grill marks, but tasted great.

In my salad:

Zucchini
Cucumber
Carrots
Sweet potato
Garlicky Grilled Eggplant

This morning I am supposed to begin adding foods back one at a time in order to identify any food allergies/sensitivities (I may have chosen two things to add…).

In my oats:

McCann’s Irish Oatmeal
Arrowhead 4-Grain + Flax
1/2 tsp Coconut butter
1/4 tsp Vanilla
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
Blueberries

Have I mentioned how much I missed oatmeal???

I am aiming to add low or gluten-free carbs before going all out since that seems to be a common sensitivity.

Garlicky Grilled Eggplant

1 Eggplant
2 T EVOO
2 T Balsamic vinegar
2 Garlic cloves, minced
S & P to taste

Cut eggplant into 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices.

In small bowl, whisk together EVOO, balsamic, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

Brush liberally onto eggplant. Place eggplant on grill (or grill pan) for 10-14 mins, flipping once halfway through.

Note: You will probably have some of the vinaigrette leftover – don’t toss it! It is good drizzled over the grilled eggplant and makes for a great salad dressing.

Figgy Wild Rice and Mushrooms

November 14, 2010 By Laura

My favorite day of the week is Funday.

Ok, it’s the only day I really adore.

It all started with sleeping in, which I LOVE. I can rarely stay asleep past 9a any more, which was the case this morning. However, I turned back over and didn’t wake up again until 1030a. *insert sigh of happiness*

This luxury was followed by a hot cup o’ tea and Man vs. Food – in Atlanta! Adam Richman ate the Double Bypass burger at The Vortex. This burger is “topped with 2 fried eggs, 6 slices of American cheese, and 8 slices of bacon.” Served between 2 grilled low-fat cheese sandwiches.

Mr. Richman needs a cleanse after that one. 🙂

After drooling over red meat some TV watching, I made a tasty salad with grapefruit, daikon, cucumber, guac, and grilled chicken.

Mmmm… chicken returns!

And a little bit of my new favorite soup for dessert.

Butternut Apple Soupy Goodness

Then it was looking rainy… so I went shopping. It couldn’t be helped – it was Gap’s 30% off Friends and Family! Reusable and good at Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic

You better believe I made good use of it at all 3! 🙂

Tonight I adapted KERF’s Stuffing. The SP Cleanse doesn’t allow bread or nuts (oh sweet peanut butter, how I miss thee…), so I had to make a few adjustments.

Cooking on the stove top

Now that I’m on the the lean protein portion of the cleanse, I added grilled chicken. You could easily leave it out though. My version is gluten and nut-free.

This dish was one I’ll definitely make again! The wild rice and mushrooms had a great earthy taste. I was tempted to just serve it as a stir-fry without adding the broth and putting it in the oven. That would have been a mistake – those additions gave the dish a creamy texture you don’t want to miss. The figs provided just the right amount of sweetness, too.

Crisped in the oven

Served with sauteed garlicky mustard greens

Wild Rice with Figs & Mushrooms

1 1/2 C Wild rice (cooked)
2 T EVOO
2 T butter (I used black truffle butter)
3 Celery stalks, chopped (about 1 1/2 C)
1/3 C Yellow onion, chopped
3 C Mushrooms, sliced (I used a mix of shiitake, baby bella, and oyster)
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Rosemary springs, chopped (about 3 T)
4-5 Sage leaves, chopped (about 4 T)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 Fresh figs, quartered
2 Chicken breasts, grilled and chopped
1 1/2 C Vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter and oil in a large iron (oven-proof) skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until celery and onion are tender.

Add garlic, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender.

Add cooked rice and stir. Then add figs and chicken, tossing evenly to combine. Pour in broth. Cook until just warmed through, about 3-4 mins.

Cover the skillet with foil and bake for 10 mins. Remove foil and bake 10 more mins, until top is slightly crisped and broth is (mostly) absorbed.

***

Figs are fun.

Are you a fig-fan?

Do you ever sleep in?

Fall Soup Perfection – Butternut-Apple

November 13, 2010 By Laura

We are half way through the SP Cleanse! I have to say… I am surprised at how much I have enjoyed it.

What I have learned so far:

Eating clean does wonders for my energy level (hello, 7 mile run!)
It also helps me to sleep like a baby
I can be pretty creative with finding a variety of foods to eat
I like love spaghetti squash
My mom is a fun person to cleanse with (and is an amazing cook… but I already knew that)
When I don’t eat enough/often enough, I get headaches and I over-eat
Carbs (even rice) at lunch cause me to crash hard at about 230p like clockwork
Lentils get old really fast (If I ever see another lentil again, it will be too soon. No joke.)
I don’t crave things I thought I would: pizza, beer, totchos, meat (except for lamb and pork, oddly enough)
Things I do crave are mostly healthy: oats, hummus, crusty bread, ice cream (weird – I am more of a cake person), red wine, good cheeses (mainly gouda and herbed goat cheese)
I actually do possess some self-control

The point of this was NOT to lose weight, but to cleanse my system and jump start some better habits.

That being said, I am down a few lbs and I am damn happy about it! 🙂

Ok. I am about to post the best cleanse-approved recipe so far.

We had a roasted butternut squash in the refrigerator begging to be used. Despite our veggie diet, we had not made a good soup yet.

Hours after she ate this Butternut Squash Apple Soup, my mom kept saying “Laura, that soup was amazing.”

(This really meant a lot – see above comment about what a good cook she is!)

This recipe is on the sweet side due to the apples, but packs a little heat on the end thanks to the red pepper-infused olive oil.

Local product shout-out: I love Sweetwater Growers’ infused olive oils. They carry them at Whole Paycheck Foods and Kroger in Atlanta – I’d be interested to know if you have seen them in other states!

I <3 infused ingredients

Butternut Squash-Apple Soup

1 T Red pepper infused olive oil
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Butternut squash, pre-cooked and diced*
2 Apples, diced (I used Gala)
1/4 C Yellow onion, diced
1T Rosemary (fresh)
5 C Vegetable broth
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp)
Freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and roast until just beginning to brown.

Add pre-cooked* butternut squash, apples, onion, rosemary, and veggie broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 10 mins (until apple is tender).

Using a hand mixer or blender, puree ingredients. Add additional seasonings – turmeric, salt, and pepper. Mix and allow to cook 5-10 mins more.

Pour into bowls, drizzle with rosemary-infused olive oil, garnish with fresh rosemary spring, and enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

Notes: You can use regular olive oil and add red pepper to taste. Be creative with the seasonings! I would love to try this with some cinnamon and nutmeg, or with so cumin and smokey paprika for a spicier soup. Don’t be afraid of the salt – it does a lot to bring out the sweet apple taste (I used a blend of sea salt and herb-infused).

*To pre-cook squash: Cut in half (soften in the microwave if too hard to cut). Place cut side down in a baking dish and fill with ~1 inch of water. Roast in 350 degree oven for 45 mins, or until outside skin is soft to touch.

***

Time for my experiment of the day: Will running errands in my running clothes mean that I will go to the river for a run before heading back home? 😉

Is your mom a good cook?

Do you like a sweet ‘n spicy combo?

Drink Yer Squash

November 12, 2010 By Laura

I went to kickboxing last night for the first time in months. Knuckle Up is a great local boxing gym that offers intense, sweat-inducing 50 minute kickboxing classes.

One of the many pieces of sporting equipment in the trunk of my car

It felt good to be back and the instructor even complemented my form! Very exciting.

(I’m thinking about trying a boxing class… more on that if/when I get the kahunas to actually do it.)

My need to to hit something is dedicated to Excel. Which I spent the entire day yesterday in. And then stayed up until 3am working on the same document. Needless to say, I am falling asleep sitting up this morning! But it is done and I’m pretty happy about that. 🙂

Day 11 of the SP Cleanse (tomorrow) means we get to add chicken. Strangely enough I haven’t craved meat. I’m still really excited to get protein from something other than smoothies.

Speaking of smoothies… have you ever tried squash in a smoothie?

This butternut-cherry-chocolate combo sounds strange, but it was almost cake-like. And filling!

Drink yer SQUASH

Butternut Squash-Chocolate-Cherry Smoothie

1/4 C Butternut Squash
1/2 Banana (frozen)
1/4 C Black cherries (frozen)
2 scoops chocolate protein powder (I used Juice Plus)
Pumpkin Spice
Cinnamon
Fresh grated nutmeg

Throw it all in a blender, add ice, water (or milk – no dairy allowed on the cleanse), and spices to taste, and slurp away!

Makes 1 huge or 2 medium smoothies.

***

I know it sounds weird, but give it a try. It was sweet, thick (even using the water), and a great way to use some leftover squash. YUM.

Would you ever tried a non-conventional smoothie item?

Mamma Can Cook

November 10, 2010 By Laura

Do you have spots in your town that seem to be unable to keep a tenant?

There is a location in my neighborhood that has become a revolving door for restaurants. It is unfortunate, but the property owner has come up with a unique idea to combat the problem.

Let the people choose! Literally. They took suggestions and narrowed them down the the Top 5. Now we get to vote! Since I obviously have a ton of influence… VOTE FOR THE HIGH END MARKET!!!

I loved Savi when I visited the Inman Park market a few weeks ago. Midtown has nothing like it. I would definitely walk to it 2-3 times a week if we did!

A week into the cleanse and we made the best cleanse meal yet.

By “we” I mean Mom. Though I added the kale and red pepper flakes!

If you are making your own sauce, start it first. It is better when the flavors have time to meld together!

We blended a container (750g) of Pomi chopped tomatoes and 3/4 C of basil, simmered the mixture in a pot, and added salt and red pepper flakes to taste as we went.

Sugar isn’t allowed on the Cleanse, but mom remembered that carrots add sweetness and combat acidity.

This was a great addition since tomato sauces often call for sugar to balance the acidity and eggplants can be on the bitter side.

Mamma’s Italian Stir-Fry

1 C wild rice
1 C water
1 C vegetable broth
1 red onion
2 carrots
4 garlic cloves
1/8 tsp habanero-infused olive oil
1/8 tsp EVOO
3 Japanese eggplants
1 C Shiitake mushrooms
3 red kale leaves
salt & pepper, to taste

Bring water and vegetable broth to boil. Add wild rice and cook according to package instructions.

Chop onion, carrots and cloves. Heat the olive oils on stove top over medium heat. Saute chopped veggies until tender, place on dish, and set aside.

Dice eggplant into ~1/2 in pieces. Salt to taste. Place in saute pan used in step 2 (fewer dishes! 🙂 ), and cook eggplant until tender over medium heat (about 12 mins). Dice mushrooms and to pan to cook for last 4-5 mins.

Add veggie mix from Step 2 to the pan. Toss with kale and heat until kale is just wilted.

Plate the rice, add the veggie stir-fry, and top with your favorite tomato sauce!

Cleanse = Fries

November 9, 2010 By Laura

The Cleanse is going really well. I love that I’m trying so many new things and my energy level is great!

Funny what I don’t crave – the thought of fried food makes me nauseous. Not that I ate a lot of fried foods before, but I did have a penchant for tater tots and really good fried chicken.

And what I do crave – ice cream. I have never eaten a lot of it. Right now I would run over my own mother for a bowl. (Just kidding, Mom!!!)

I ran 3 miles on the treadmill last night to test my new running shoes. The guy at Fleet Feet recommended inserts, so I’m testing those too. The jury is still out.

What I don’t like:

The inserts feel hard (not rocks, but harder than just shoes)
Inserts make me feel like my heel isn’t deep enough in the shoe
The show may be a bit narrow… they do stretch though…

What I like:

With the inserts, my overpronation problem felt much improved
The length is perfect
The laces don’t slip (they are the wavy kind)
They are pretty 🙂

Sooooo… I’m not sure what to do. I will definitely need a couple more treadmill tests before deciding.

Side note: I used to run exclusively on a treadmill and couldn’t imagine running without a TV. Tonight I realized I now much prefer running outside and was bored to tears on the “hamster wheel.”

I had work to do and was up until nearly 1 am, so no Whittle My Middle. However, I got up this morning and did it!

Here’s the latest:

Front plank: 90 secs
Side plank: 60 secs each side
Torso twists: 40 reps
Plank ups: 14 reps
Boat pose: 25 reps
Bicycle: 2 sets of 30 reps, 1 set of 40
Side plank w/ twists: 15 reps each side

Has anyone ever heard of the snack cake diet? I am considering it after my cleanse… 😉

Rutabaga fries. They almost taste like real fries. Seriously.

I like mine extra crispy

These fries are really, really good. I’m pretty sure the San Francisco McDonald’s franchises are going to begin serving them with Happy Meals (sans toy, of course).

Rutabaga Fries

1 rutabaga
1T olive oil
2 rosemary springs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sea salt (ground to “flaky” texture)
3-4 shakes of cayenne

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel rutabaga and cut into thin fry-like slices. Toss with extra virgin olive oil.

Rough chop rosemary and mince garlic. Sprinkle over rutabaga slices. Add sea salt and cayenne. Toss until each piece is coated.

Spread evenly on non-stick baking sheet. Place in oven ~20 mins, turning twice. Remove, taste, and adjust spices as needed.

Note: Omit the cayenne if you don’t like you nose to run!

How about some vegan cheese sauce with that? We can’t have real cheese on our cleanse, but this isn’t bad. It definitely doesn’t taste like actual cheese, so I hesitate to call it that… but there weren’t any leftovers!

Cheesy Vegan Non-Cheese Sauce

1/4 C Tahini sauce
1/4 C EVOO
1 T Miso Tamari

Place ingredients in mixing bowl and combine until smooth.

***

Whether it be food, running, low-rise jeans, etc… are you ever shocked by how your preferences change?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html?hpt=T2

Healthiest Crackers Ever Made

November 8, 2010 By Laura

Baby Sis and I went for a rockstar run. We braved the cold (and the dark) and conquered 7 MILES!

The best part: when we got home, we both said we could have gone longer. I never thought I’d be saying this… but I didn’t mean to start running more than 2-3 miles at a time. It just happened.

Note to self: File under “Things that I never thought I’d say.”

Stats:

Distance – 7 miles
Time – 60:00 mins
Avg Pace – 8:57 mins

I think we are going to be just fine for our Thanksgiving 10K Gobble Jog. 🙂

Disclaimer: We made a pit stop at Old Navy about half way though for 10 mins for a quick peek. Girls will be girls…

Prior to the run, I did my Whittle My Middle with Mom. She held a very impressive 90 second plank!

Following the run, Baby Sis and I completed the Yoga for Runners DVD, which really helped keep the soreness to a minimum today for both of us.

The narration is a tad cheesy, but its effective!

For some reason I have a hard time making myself take time to stretch after a workout, but I am always glad when I do. I need to get better about doing it!

On to the big cracker win!

Unbelievably, I figured out how to make cleanse-approved crackers. These are probably the healthiest crackers ever created. AND they are packed with flavor!

Mixing the fillings

At first there were 2

Then there was 1

Asian-Spiced Flax Crackers

1 C flax meal (mine were roughly ground)
1/4 C chia seed
1 carrot
1 kale leaf
1/4 C cilantro
1/4 C mint
1/2 jalapeño (seeded)
1/8 large yellow onion
2 T tamari miso
2 T lime juice (freshly squeezed)
1 T cumin
1 T coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 150 degrees.

Combine flax meal and chia seeds in a medium bowl. Place remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the puree to the seed mixture and stir until combined evenly.

Line a baking sheet with Silpat (non-stick aluminum foil works too!). Spread mixture about 1/8 in thick onto sheet.

Place in oven and bake for 2 hours, until firm enough to flip. Flip the cracker and bake 2 hours more. Turn off the oven and leave crackers in to dehydrate overnight.

Break into pieces and they are ready to eat!

Notes: You may crack the oven door if crackers are too moist. Ideally you would use a dehydrator for this, so feel free if you have one!

***

The fail part: I tried for a sweet flax cracker but adding coconut butter, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. The butter made it too moist (ewww…) and we had to turn it into a topping for the grilled pineapple.

The final day in San Fran

November 7, 2010 By Laura

We didn’t want to leave, but if you have to end a trip this was the way to do it.

Laura arranged for us to have massages at her spa. I got the hot stone massage and Mallory got wrapped in eucalyptus leaves. The ladies lounge had a misting room, hot tub, sauna, and steam room. Naturally, we spent and additional hour lounging after our massages. If you are in the Bay Area, I highly recommend checking out Burke Williams. Ask for Taylor or Tuesday!

After a light lunch at one of the cafes in the Ferry Building (and some dessert sampling), we walked around Pier 39. Check out the sock store. Before we knew it, it was time to get back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.

Proud side note: I Whittled My Middle before we left!!!

The Sumos enjoyed the Trolley

Did I mention the Giants were in the World Series?!

Classic San Fran – Giants, Trolley… and a German flag?!

Dinner was something totally different – raw food at Cafe Gratitude.

Everything on the menu was raw and vegan (except for 3-4 items… but they were still vegan!).

I am grateful

You order an item like our appetizer – nachos. But the nachos are called “I Am Honoring.”

And they consist of flax chips with sunflower seed “refried beans” over mixed greens with guacamole, salsa, & cashew nacho cheese.

I am Honoring

Then, when they bring them out, the server places the dish in front of you saying “You are honoring.”

Side note: raw refried beans are wayyyy better than the real thing.

My favorite was the lasagna Laura ordered: layered zucchini, cashew mozzarella, olive tapenade and pesto topped with marinara, cashew ricotta and Brazil nut Parmesan.

I Am Fabulous

Mallory’s was good too – a sushi bowl consisting of quinoa tossed w/kale, avocado, cucumber, nori, scallions & herbs in sesame-ginger sauce.

She said she couldn’t believe how much it tasted like sushi.

I couldn’t believe she ordered something called “I Am Accepting.”

I Am Accepting

Since I can never get enough Mexican, I ordered the enchilada – a live vegetable tortilla with sprouted seed filling, topped with spicy salsa verde & cashew sour cream. It was served with cilantro coleslaw and quinoa.

It was good. Better after they brought out the hot sauce.

I really just wanted to say “I Am Elated”

Then there was dessert. Why stop the gluttony on the last day?

I didn’t get a picture of mine, but I can declare that I AM SUPER. At least when it comes to the dark chocolate nugget I ate.

Mallory was Devoted in the form of a coconut cream pie.

I Am Devoted… to dessert 🙂

Laura was the winner (IMHO) with a scoops of vanilla and chocolate nut-milk ice cream. I was praising her choices.

Verdict: I wish we had something like this in Atlanta. I will always prefer “real” cream pie, but this is a great alternative. The lasagna is crave-worthy and I am happy anytime I can get a good quinoa dish.

Something cool happened while we were in the restaurant…

The GIANTS won the World Series!!!

The city erupted – it was really neat to be there and watch everyone (literally) go nuts.

Go Giants!

I would tell you what we did next… but I’d have to kill you.

We went to one of those super-secret unmarked bars. We knocked on the door and have to give a password to get in!

It was well worth the effort – I had the best cocktail of my life. The Citizen Cane.

And just like that, the awesomeness was over. 🙁

Back at the ranch… the cleanse update…

Day 3 was better. My headache was gone, but I was still feeling pretty low-energy.

Despite this, I completed P90X Biceps and Back – with the Ab Ripper X at the end. Then I promptly fell asleep for 45 mins.

If you haven’t tried it, I recommend the DVDs. I’ve never followed the program exactly (would LOVE to hear if anyone has!), but they are some great workouts when you aren’t motivated to pull together your own.

We were starving before dinner, so I made baked kale chips as an appetizer. They have been written about ad nauseam in the blog world – for a good “how to” check out Smitten Kitchen’s play-by-play.

Washed, dried, and coated with EVOO, salt, and red pepper flakes

These didn’t last long around Baby Sis and Mamma

On to the main event… I tried my first spaghetti squash! I couldn’t get over how much like real spaghetti this was! The consistency of the squash was such that I almost didn’t miss the noodles.

We prepared an awesome tomato sauce to go with it. (Kale chips are delish dipped in tomato sauce, btw.)

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

1 Spaghetti squash
2-3 T EVOO
1/2 C Yellow onion
2 Garlic cloves
750g (~24 oz) Tomato puree
1/4 C Parsley
1 tsp Oregano
Red pepper flakes, sea salt, and pepper to taste
3-4 Basil leaves

Cut the squash in half (can soften in microwave first). Remove the seeds. Place in a glass baking dish, cut side down, in about 1 in of water. Microwave for 7-8 minutes, or until shell is tender when pierced with a fork. (Yes, we were lazy hungry… you can also do this in the oven at 350 for about 45 mins. I thought the microwave worked fantastically.)

Remove the flesh with a fork. Place in serving bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, warm olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Saute until softened and beginning to brown(about 4 mins). Add tomato puree and adjust heat until sauce comes to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the parsley, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over very low heat.

Top with sauce, fresh basil, and chopped onions.

Other potential adds: Parmesan, capers, olives, rosemary, peppers, carrots, wine.

I would also have used chunky (not puree) tomatoes (San Marzanos are my fav), but Baby Sis doesn’t like the big pieces.

Now for the most exciting news… We found a cleanse-approved dessert!!!

No one said it had to be pretty…

Pineapple-Raisin Crisp

1 Pineapple
1/4 C Raisins
2 tsp Coconut butter
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

Core pineapple and cut into 1 in rings. Toss with pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and cayenne.

Heat coconut butter in ridged grill pan over medium heat on stove top. Add pineapple rings and grill for ~4 mins on each side (until grill marks form and the pineapple becomes fragrant). Add raisins just before pineapple is done.

Top with granola or flax/chia seeds for extra crunch! My topping as a roasted mizture of flax seeds, chia seeds, cacao nibs, cinnamon, and coconut oil (remnants of a partial fail I’ll disclose tomorrow).

Verdict: I would eat this again, cleanse or no. Grilled pineapple is satisfyingly sweet and the bit of heat from the cayenne is enough to keep it interesting. 🙂