Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

A Day of Food at 4 Days Out

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Change is often slow.

 

The bane of my impatient existence.

Change does come to those who stay the course.  When I started training for competitions I had some muscle tone, but was underweight and had literally run my ass off.  I posted about my journey here so I won’t rehash.  What I will say (again) is that there is NOTHING you can’t accomplish with hard work and the unwavering belief that you can do anything you want to if you want to badly enough.

Yes, I’m still small for Figure; I know I have a long way to go.  This weekend’s show is the most competitive one I’ve ever done and I know I won’t place.  That doesn’t lessen my excitement to have the experience, and to be around so many inspiring competitors.  AND – regardless of the outcome – I’m pretty damn proud of this progress in about a year and a half.

Progress pic 2013

Competing isn’t easy.  Some days I don’t want to get up and do cardio or eat healthy food or hear snarky comments from people… but it is worth it.  The good days and the personal satisfaction outweigh the bad.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: find something you’re passionate about and go do it to the fullest extent.  It could be running, lifting, painting, writing code… whatever!  You will be more fulfilled and SO MUCH happier – it has made all the difference for me.

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Enough inspirational mush!  This WIAW I am 4 days from my 3rd figure competition!  Bring on the lean protein, complex carbs, and yes… the asparagus. 

WIAWbutton

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else delicious creations!

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Breakfast:

As usual, I started the day I with my Aminos and ACV morning cocktail.  I swear it’s more energizing than coffee.

Breakfast was pancakes.  Not as good as my usual.  These were just oat flour, an egg white, baking powder, and cinnamon.  BUT… I got to have pancakes!  The sauce was the best part.  I mashed up raspberries, added a dash of maple extract, and microwaved them for ~10 secs to create a syrup.  I’d eat that outside of competition prep!

With a side of Cinnamon-Flax Baked Chicken.

oat cakes and raspberry sauce

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

Leftover Parrot Fish with asparagus and sugar peas.  Nom.

The fish looked prettier on Instagram 2 nights ago.  For those that were curious on Monday, the fish was tasty but nothing out of the ordinary. It was a mild white fish, on the meaty side and slightly buttery.

parrot fish

 

Lunch:

I froze last week’s leftover lean beef burgers for lunches this week.  It was just as good warmed up and eaten with sweet potato rounds, asparagus, and red peppers.

Some have asked why I eat the majority of my asparagus raw.  The reason is VERY important: I like it better raw.  It has a sweet crunchiness.

burger

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

I gave in to a cliché and went back to an old recipe this week… Tequila Lime Tilapia.  Tilapia is “the” source of protein for many in the bodybuilding community.  Variety is a better choice for me; if I had to eat the same thing every meal I’d never make it.  Tilapia is fine in moderation though!  Especially with tequila.

The fish and calabaza squash were cooked during my Sunday meal prep.  I reheated them ate at it with a quick raw salad of yellow cherry tomatoes and white asparagus tossed in a mix of nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, and a homemade Mexican spice blend.

Tequila-Lime Tilapia

 

Dinner:

Dinner was a roasted veggie fest – part of this week’s food prep was a giant pan of white and green asparagus, red bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, green onion, and fresh herbs in Meyer lemon juice.  I also tossed pieces of the actual lemon in the pan too.  It’s completely edible and not too sour after a good roast.

Eaten with my favorite protein: Sea Bass.

sea bass and roasted veggies

 

Dessert:

No more diary and no more protein powder in my diet… it’s Cinnamon-Flax Baked Chicken and carrots for dessert.  Admittedly, this is NOT my favorite part about competing.

chicken dessert

***

“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.” ~Diane Ackerman

What are you passionate about?

Do you prefer veggies raw or cooked?  I generally like ’em raw… though I do love a good char roast.

 

StrangeBut Good: Curry Sweet Potato Burger

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Sometimes you just need a good burger.

 

I’m not one to deny myself.

The craving has hit me hard toward the end of this prep.  The beef is easy – most grocers sell some form of “super lean” grass-fed ground beef (my veggie friends could use a bean burger or tempeh here).

curry sweet potato burger

 

The bun is a bit harder to replicate… until I remembered my eggplant chips!  They are delicious alone, but they also make for a perfect burger vehicle.

For my eggplant bun I cut the slices a bit thicker so that they were hearty enough to stand up to a festive fall spread.  Festive in color… perhaps a little nontraditional flavor-wise.  Some might call it strange, but I call it good.

Curry Sweet Potato Burger bite

During my meal prep each week, I bake a few sweet potatoes.  I mashed up part of one with nutritional yeast, curry powder, and smoked paprika to make a pleasantly sweet, Indian-spiced cheesy spread.

Craving = satisfied.

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Curry Sweet Potato Burger

Curry Sweet Potato Burger

  • Burger patty (or protein of your choosing)
  • Eggplant chips
  • 1/4 C sweet potato, mashed
  • 2 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • Juice of 1/4 lime
  • Smoked paprika, to taste

 

Prepare burger and chips.

Meanwhile, prepare your sweet potato spread by mixing sweet potato, nutritional yeast, spices, and lime in a small bowl.  You may need to add water depending on the moisture content of your sweet potato.

Construct your burger and enjoy!

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How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Sprint 2 the Table

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


***

I eat a TON of orange food.  How my palms are glowing in the dark yet it beyond me!

What was the best costume you saw this Halloween? 

Are you a curry fan?  Have you ever used it with sweet potato?

 

Cherry-Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt + NuNaturals Giveaway

By

Happy Birthday to meeeeeee!

 

Shameless over celebration of birthdays is a family tradition.

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of Sprint 2 the Table.  Rather than wax poetic, I figured I’d just give you guys presents.  Everyone ok with that?

This week there will be a giveaway EVERY DAY!  These are NOT sponsored – I reached out to my favorite brands to ask if they’d be willing to share some love with you in honor of the big #3.  I’m excited to start it out with my go-to sweetener.

Vanilla Stevia Alcohol Free 2 oz Liquid

 

I try to avoid added sugars (within reason – don’t come between me and my chocolate cake), but I have a MAJOR sweet tooth.  One of my strategies for taming a sweet tooth is to use Stevia, which come from the Stevia leaf.

NuNaturals has offered to take place in the blogiversary celebration by offering to FOUR of you (1) one bottle of each of the Lemon, Peppermint , Vanilla, and the NEW Cherry Vanilla Stevia Liquids.  Even better?  This is open to anyone WORLDWIDE.

They sent me a little present too – I got to try the new Cherry Vanilla flavor!  I went straight to me favorite meal of the day to test it out.  Dessert!

Cherry-Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt Bowl

 

Nearly every night I have a midnight snack in the form of a Greek yogurt or no-salt cottage cheese creation (yes, I eat after 7pm *gasp*).  I don’t care for casein powder, so this is the perfect alternative for me.  To sweeten these creations, I prefer to use liquid Stevia because I find it blends better.

This bowl of Cherry-Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt is the perfect blend of rich cherry-vanilla from the Stevia and creamy, sweet sweet ‘tater.  The texture is silky-smooth, and I love adding cherries, raw oats, and cacao nibs to the top for a little texture contrast.  And chocolate.  Always chocolate… mmmm…

 

Oh, right… the giveaway!!!!  Enter here and keep reading for the recipe! ↓
a Rafflecopter giveaway

In case you don’t win, NuNaturals is also offering s discount on all orders placed online (www.nunaturals.com).  Just enter discount code BLG1213 to receive 15% off of your order through December 31, 2013.  There’s also free shipping on in the US on all orders over $35.

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Cherry-Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt

Cherry-Sweet Potato Greek Yogurt

  • 1/2 baked sweet potato, peeled and mashed
  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1 T coconut flour (optional… but not really ;))
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • Pinch of cloves
  • 5-6 drops NuNaturals Pure Liquid Cherry-Vanilla Stevia
  • 1 T unsweetened almond milk (or other liquid)
  • Optional toppings: cocoa powder sauce (cocoa powder + liquid + stevia), cherries, cacao nibs, oats

 

Combine everything in a small bowl and mix until smooth.  You may need to add more liquid to achieve desired consistency.

Top with your favorites and enjoy!

Note: You can make this ahead and/or even freeze it to make a fro-yo!  This also makes for a bangin’ protein shake combo.

***

I have to say again how EXCITED I am for this week.  Tomorrow’s is awesome… and it comes with a workout.  Overall this week is pretty marvelous. 😉

MMIM

Have you tried Stevia yet?  What’s your favorite way to use it?

Which do you prefer – sweet potato or pumpkin puree?  Others?

 

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

By

My name is Laura.  I hoard booze.

Really.

Many of you were surprised that I could keep this pumpkin beer in my fridge – untouched – for 2 months.  That’s actually easy for me.  It’s mine.  It’s not going anywhere.  It won’t spoil.  It will be there for me in 2 months (after my next figure competitions).

Going out… that’s another story.  That lamb-stuffed squash blossom is seasonal!  The beers on tap rotate!  I might not remember to come back to try the bacon Manhattan!  (Ok, ok… it’s unlikely I’ll for forget bacon).  You get my point.

As such, this is (part) of my collection:

Wine fridge

I don’t store my beer in the wine fridge. It was posing for the pic.

Many of you commented and tweeted about YOUR favorite pumpkin beers that I should try.  Thank you for the suggestions!  I would like to officially announce that I am open to donations. 😉

Enough about my sobriety.  You know what goes well with beer?  PIZZA!  Kat has an awesome Sweet Potato Pizza Crust to share today!  

I’m not-so-secretly hoping she’ll make me one to drink with my pumpkin beer in a couple of months… 

 

Mix it up: Night Running and Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

This weekend, I (Kat) mixed it up by visiting a place I used to live, Savannah, GA.  I had a great time with friends, and sat at a booth with/for the Stonewall Bar Association at Pride.  I also got to visit with great old friends!  It was super fun. Now I’m trying to mix it up at home and outdoors.

I have been trying to mix it up by running with more friends (which is more difficult than you think).  I get turned down all the time, and people don’t invite me on group runs very often (Editor’s note: My invite must have gotten lost in the mail…).  So I decided to inquire about this lack of running buddies.

I find that the friends who know what kind of distances I run are afraid to run with me because they think I’m fast.  WRONG.  I am not actually that fast, but I can run super far, for a super long time (Editor’s note: Lies.  You are fast.  But you are a patient partner.).  That being said, I enjoy running at an 8:15-9:15min/mile pace in the city, and depending on the trails and the distance, 10:30-13min/mile.  So, run with me!  Let’s mix it up! 🙂

Slow Runners

I have also found that running in the city on pavement, especially flat surfaces, really hurts my body.  My knees and feet ache terribly if I run on pavement more than 7 or so miles.  So, I stick to the trails as much as possible, and throw in a bit of yoga for strength and flexibility (Editor’s note: You should come lift with me!).

While for many people, trail running is a great way to mix it up, because that’s my usual form of running, I’m taking extra measures to mix it up!  This Sunday at 7:30p.m., I am going night trail running with some friends.  It’s huge rush that heightens your senses, and it actually makes me run faster.  Check out this fun article on trail running at night.  If you want to join me, let me know, and I’ll forward you information on the run.  I wish I could go during the full moon, tomorrow night!

Full Moon

Speaking of mixing it up, my friend Julie from Savannah told me about a Sweet Potato Pizza she tried to make when I mentioned Laura’s Cauliflower Pizza.  When I got home, I had to try this!  I didn’t love any of the recipes I found online, so I tried my own!  (Editor’s note: Story of my life.. also prepping this post made me come home and pull one of my cauliflower crusts out of the freezer for a pizza dinner!)

I wanted to capture a picture of it picked up once I realized how great it was, but I was near the end of the slice… excuse my excess Sriracha (I put that sh** on everything). ← Don’t we all? 😉

Sweet Potato Pizza - Pick it up

This pizza, like the Cauliflower pizza, can be picked up like a piece of pizza (Editor’s note: It’s not pizza unless you can hold it in your hands!).

It’s a little chewy and a little crispy.  It has a bit of sweetness, and a bit of heartiness.  Really, a GREAT gluten-free pizza crust option!

 

Sweet Potato Pizza

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

  • ½ C sweet potato (mashed)
  • 1 egg (I bet this would be great with Chia, too)
  • ¼ C almond flour
  • ¼ C buckwheat
  • 1 T flax meal
  • Pinch of Salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder 

Preheat oven to 375.

Beat the egg, add the sweet potato, and then mix in everything else.  It should form a sticky dough.

Spread the dough onto a piece of parchment paper (about ¼ inch thick) and bake for 18 mins.  The middle should be firm when it’s done (you should be able to pick it up).

Load with veggies/toppings of choice.  Bake for another ~7 minutes to heat.  Devour.

Sweet Potato Pizza Steps

Also, if you like that bad-ass pizza cutter, check out Pequea Valley Forge. They have AWESOME kitchen utensils, etc. I found this on my trip to the beach in August, and it’s my new favorite thing (which results in eating way more pizza).

My pizza has sautéed peppers and onions, Daiya mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and spinach.  Delish!

xo,

Kat

***

I told Kat yesterday that I was going to require taste tests from now on.   Quality control, right?!

How are you mixing up your running/lifting/workout routine to get an extra rush?

Did you try Laura’s Cauliflower Crust?  Do you think the sweet potato or cauliflower does/would work better?  I wonder if we could combine them…

PB & J Topped French Toast + WIAW

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My favorite porn is #yolkporn.

 

I can only imagine the search terms I’m going to get from this…

When I saw this video on Lifehack yesterday I couldn’t wait to share it with you guys.  It’s (allegedly) a fool-proof way to cook a sunny side up egg.

In case you need the definition a perfect sunny side up egg should have the whites just cooked through, but the bright yellow yolky deliciousness should remain runny.  Like a silky syrup for your toast or oats or salad or jicama nachos… anything!

Warning: this video will make you crave butter.  And egg, obv.

The guy’s name is Mr. Breakfast.  He must be an expert.

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In other news, I failed and didn’t have a runny egg on WIAW.  I did win at food prep though!  After a few weeks of being less than planned, I was happy to have my meals ready for me today!WIAWbutton

Read on for my prepared food, and then check out Jenn’s blog.  I don’t know if she’s doing the link up though… because she had her bagel baby!!!!!!!

♥ Congratulations and welcome to baby Mia! ♥

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Breakfast:

Of course I had my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) to start my day out right.

I was feeling like something decadent for breakfast in honor of the short work week.  That only means one thing: french toast.  My protein-filled toast tasted like a treat with the peanut flour sauce and strawberries.

Note: I order peanut flour from iHerb – use discount code USO924 for $5-10 off your order.

PB & J Topped French Toast

PB & J Topped French Toast

  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 4-5 drops liquid Stevia
  • 1 large slice of bread (I used p28 High Protein)
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 tsp sugar-free syrup
  • 1/8 tsp butter extract
  • Almond milk (adjust to desired consistency)
  • Strawberries and granola (to top)

 

Beat together first 5 ingredients in a shallow bowl.  Soak bread slice in the mix, flipping once to coat.

Cook in greased pan over med-high heat until browned.

Meanwhile, mix together peanut flour, syrup, butter extract, and almond milk.  I used 2 T almond milk; add it slowly and adjust to your desired consistency.

Plate toast and top with syrup, berries, and granola.

 

Lunch:

Things got busy and I missed my mid-morning snack so I had an early-ish lunch.  I packed up the chicken, tabbouleh, and celery sticks from my food prep, and added to that some hummus and a piece of Ezekial bread.

Chicken and tabbouleh

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

No need to eat boring food just because you’re sitting in an office.  This snack was incredible: salmon sashimi, lavar, edamame, and kabocha.

Totally normal work eats, no?

edamame, lavar, and salmon sashimi

 

Late-Afternoon Snack:

My schedule was thrown off and I had to busy out an emergency bar to power through my workout before dinner.

Note: I don’t actually like these.  It was a freebie. 

Detour neapolitan bar

 

Dinner:

I was going to eat the snapper from my food prep… but after I workout all I want is a smoothie bowl.  Eating solid food after a workout just doesn’t appeal to me.

My new staple is this Chocolate Beet variety.  Last night I wolfed it down with oats, fig, and a bar I made as part of meal prep (side note: I want to make some adjustments before I share – sorry!).  Extra spinach.

chocolate-beet protein shake

 

Dessert:

Smoothie bowls are like dessert to me, but that didn’t stop me from having a second dessert.  The post-Labor Day fall mood struck and I made a Sweet Potato Pie Protein Bowl as my midnight snack.  I’ve been adding coconut flour to everything lately – it makes everything deliciously cake-y.

With all the toppings I had to take a bite shot for you to even see the pie!

Pumpkin Pie Protein Bowl

Pumpkin Pie Protein Bowl

  •  1/2 C sweet potato, mashed
  • 1/2 C no-salt cottage cheese
  • 1 T coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • Liquid Stevia, to taste
  • Almond milk (adjust to desired thickness)
  • Optional toppings: popcorn, figs, cacao nibs, breakfast bar crumbles

 

Mix it all together and devour!

Note: you could blend it to smooth… I was too impatient. 😉

***

How awesome that it’s already Wednesday?! 

Do you have a hard time eating solids after a workout?

Do you ever eat something you don’t love just because it’s free?  I don’t know why I’m so compelled…

 

Strange But Good: Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

By

The Peach State isn’t actually the largest peach producer in the US.*

Not that it stops me from eating copious amounts while they’re in season.

You may remember my love of PB & Jeggs.  Or Aggs.  Or (vegan) Ceggs.  Or Zeggs.  I could go on forever, but all this is to say that I was actually thinking of my PB & Peggs when I came up with the combo.

Now that I type this, I realize I should have added peanut flour too!  Tomorrow is another day…

Peach Sweet Potato Scramble w bacon

One of the slightly strange adds was sweet potato.  I cubed it and sautéed it quickly before making the scramble.  It was so easy!  Adding the peaches at the end was just enough to warm and caramelize the natural sugars a bit.  Then there was the basil, which was a nice, herb-y accent to give the dish a bit more “pop.”

And bacon… because everything is better with bacon.  Really, the savory-salty bacon sprinkles made every bite fun.  Sounds strange, but trust me.  It was good.

*In case you were wondering, California is the largest peach producer in the U.S.  South Carolina is the largest in the East.

Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

  • Coconut (or other) oil to grease pan
  • 1/2 C diced sweet potato
  • 1/2 egg whites
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • Shake of cayenne (optional)
  • 1 Peach, chopped
  • Basil
  • Bacon, crumbled (optional)

In a lightly oiled skillet, sautee sweet potato until tender.  Set aside.

Scramble together egg whites, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne with a spoash of water (the water helps them “fluff”).

Transfer to a lightly oiled skillet and cook over medium heat until half way done (~1-2 mins).  Add sweet potato, peaches, and basil.  Mix and cook through.

Plate your scramble and top with additional basil and bacon sprinkles, if desired.

Note: Feta or goat cheese would also be good here to add a pop of saltiness.

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week?

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!

Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Sprint 2 the Table

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

***

And now I have to brag.  I get to have dinner at Sarena‘s house tonight.  Her food makes me drool.

Is there anything bacon (or vegan bacon bits) isn’t good with?  It’s like peanut butter!

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Sweet Potato Ribbons + Other Marvelous Things

By

Sometimes you need a hug.

 

Other times you need to punch someone something.

This weekend I needed a hug.  Lately I’ve been feeling like I’m chasing my tail.  I’m frustrated with where I am and I need to ACT.  Marvelous is being honest about needing a hug and getting a bunch of love from Facebook land.  Marvelous is unplugging with a movie and popcorn on the couch.  Marvelous is a wise friend telling you what you needed to hear:

“You have everything you want right in front of you.”

 

Marvelous Monday

Here are a few more marvelous weekend highlights… be sure to check out the beautiful Diva-Mamma Katie’s Marvelous Monday link up. 🙂

Other things that are marvelous:

A full hour of booty building with a killer butt workout… and camera filters that make you look tan.

 

Free 2oz tastes of Buchi Fire sorbet at Whole Foods.  Its good… but I still like the actual kombucha best.

Buchi kombucha sorbet

 

Brewing your own kombucha at home.

homebrewed kombucha

 

Having dinner with a good friend…

And Instagramming pic from said dinner and receving multiple compliments on my boobs.

Watershed patio

 

Farm fresh local eggs from the farmer’s market.

farm eggs

 

Branching out.  I’ve taken a brief break from kabocha.

Sweet potato may not be an earth-shattering ingredient, but this dish stopped me in my tracks.  Let’s put it this way, there was Sea Bass on my plate and I still saved the sweet potato ribbon as my last bite.  The privilege of being the last bite is a serious thing.

I have no idea why I don’t cook with coconut oil more.  I tend to reach for olive oil… but definitely go the coconut route in the recipe.  It’s absolutely delicious with the sweet potato and softens the slight bitterness of the greens.

Sweet potato ribbons and sea bass

 

I enjoyed this with a side of roasted beet that was a great compliment to the sweetness of the potato.  The beet was topped with a Greek yogurt curry sauce that I threw together.  Just 2 T Greek yogurt, 1/2 tsp curry powder, and a wedge of lime juice.

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 Sweet Potato Ribbons

Sweet Potato Ribbons

  • 1 small sweet potato
  • 1/4 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 T fresh rosemary
  • 1 C greens (I used red spinach)
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • Pepper, to taste

 

With a very sharp knife or a mandoline, carefully slice sweet potato lengthwise into thin strips.  

Once sliced, use a knife and cut them to about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness and set aside.

Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat, grease with a bit of oil, and add in sweet potato ribbons.  Continually stir until cooked through to desired doneness (~6-7 mins).

Add coconut oil, rosemary, and greens.  Stir and cook until greens are just wilted.  Sprinkle in cinnamo nand lime juice to finish.

Plate and top with freshly ground pepper (if desired).  

Enjoy!

***

And then I roasted another kabocha squash.

What was marvelous about your weekend?

Do you ever feel like you’re chasing your tail?  How do you break the cycle?

 

Tempeh Mole Muffins

By

Deciding on food is hard.

 

There are so many tasty options!

I saw 2 recipes I wanted to try (well, 3 really)… so I just made them all into 1 for an over-achieving Meatless Monday recipe!

MMAZ

 

This week we are supposed to choose a recipe someone else linked up using last week’s secret ingredient, dark chocolate.  Hopefully Heather will forgive me for bending the rules a little.  Especially since the first recipe I was inspired by was her own Tempeh Protein Muffins!

My version of the Tempeh Muffins

 

Inspiration recipe #2 was from the link up – Sarah’s Cinnamon Cocoa Mole with TVP Chorizo.  She used her mole as a sauce for her chorizo… but I decided to mix it all in one, and use tempeh.  And make muffins.  Don’t you love the creative process?!

I’d made Seiten Chorizo in the past, so here I used that recipe and Sarah’s to inform my mix of spices.  If you try this recipe, feel free to play around and change it up to suit your palate.  My combo was a smokey, savory mole with a fun swirl of sweetness throughout thanks to the sweet potato.

Tempeh Mole Muffins

 

I ate my mole muffins with a Mexican-inspired salad.  Local arugula with red bell pepper, raw zucchini, and a drizzle of lime juice.

Lastly, I chopped up a few plantain slices I broiled with coconut oil, cayenne, and cinnamon.

Tempeh Mole Muffins

 

Don’t forget to check out Heather’s link up to see what everyone else made this week.  I wonder if anyone braved my Chocolate Avocado Cookies???

I think this ia all pretty marvelous… and I know my Diva girl, Katie would agree, so I’m joining her link up again this week!  Check out all the Monday marvelousness:

Marvelous Monday

Katie… we missed you this weekend at Blend!!!

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Tempeh Mole Muffins

Tempeh Mole Muffins

  • 8 ounces tempeh
  • 1/4 C egg whites (or 1 flax egg)
  • Juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 C mashed sweet potato

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray & set aside.

place tempeh, egg, and lime juice in a food processor and pulse (I used my Vitamix). Add all remaining ingredients and pulse until mixed.  Manually stir in sweet potato, leaving chunks throughout mixture.

Divide batter evenly between 6 muffin containers.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until browned and set. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Using a knife, loosen the muffin edges from the pan and transfer to wire rack or plate.

Approximate nutritionals (per muffin): 108 calories, 3.4g fat, 29.7g sodium, 11g carbohydrates, 4.8g fiber, 1g sugar, 8.7g protein

***

I’m still smiling from the marvelous Blend Retreat this weekend!  I can’t wait to recap it all for you!!! 🙂

Have you ever made your own mole?  Chorizo?

Do you make an effort to go meatless on Mondays?

 

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