Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Georgia Peach & Tempeh Hash

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Invariably when I tell someone I’m from Georgia they exclaim “A Georgia peach!”

 

This annoys the crap out of me.  Same goes for “Hot-lanta.”

What does not annoy me are actual Georgia peaches.  This time of year you can’t walk through a farmer’s market without passing a giant table filled with the fragrant fruit.

I’m a fan of using them in sweet concoctions like Peach Cobbler Chia Pudding, or for a strange-but-summery appetizer like this Peach Caprese Salad.  Having been there, done that, I decided to try something a little more ambitious this week.  A brinner.

GA Peach & Tempeh Hash

 

Standing in the fridge door, I had my own version of Chopped as the strange (but good) idea evolved.  Sweet, yet savory.  I wanted bacon but was unwilling to go to the store.  Tempeh is a good stand in for bacon!  Honey mustard sounded good with a hash, and I finally remembered the horseradish I need to use (it expired in 2013… clearly just a suggestion).

My Georgia peach needed to be used and it seemed to me that it would go well with honey mustard (it did).  The sweet from both the fruit and mustard balanced out the tang from the tempeh and horseradish.  It was entertaining without being distractingly confusing to my tongue.  #TWSS

Ga Peach & Tempeh Money Shot

 

When you obtain local eggs, you know they need to be placed on all the things.  Besides, how can you have a brinner without #yolkporn?

Don’t skip the egg.  It made for a lovely dressing that tied the whole thing together perfectly.  Like a symphony in mah mouth.

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Georgia Peach & Tempeh Hash

Georgia Peach & Tempeh Hash

  • 2 tsp honey mustard
  • 2 tsp horseradish sauce
  • 6 oz tempeh, cubed
  • 1/4 C red onion, diced
  • 1 medium potato, cubed
  • 1 peach, diced
  • 2 eggs, fried

 

Preheat oven to 400.

In a small bowl, mix together mustard and horseradish.  Toss with tempeh cubes and spread evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Baked 10-15 mins, stirring half way through.

Meanwhile, grease a large skillet (I used coconut oil) and heat over med-high heat.  Add the potato cubes and cook until they are tender and browned on the bottom, stirring occasionally (~15 mins).

Stir in onions and sauté onions until translucent (~5-6 mins).

Removed tempeh from oven and add to skillet along with peaches.  Cook until peaches are heated through (~2 mins).  Stir in any remaining horseradish sauce and with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Transfer the hash to plates, top with the fried eggs, and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

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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.

If you’re not a blogger, you can still share your recipes on Instagram with the #strangebutgood hashtag.

Sprint 2 the Table

 

 

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



***

This weekend is the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival.  It’s my 4th year going – bring on the beer and donut pairings!

Do you like fruit in savory dishes?

What is your state/town known for?  Any annoying intros?

 

Tempeh Mole Muffins

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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?

 

5 To Go + Healthy BBQ Sauce

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This week is a lesson in endurance.

“Prolonged endurance tames the bold.” – Lord Byron

When I was playing roller derby, we used to have Monday night endurance practices.  After 2 hours of balls-to-the-wall skating until you wanted to puke, Coach Jim would line up up for 30 more laps.  He’d always announced the little “surprise” at the end of practice by saying “30 to go!”

I always started out going as fast as possible to get it over with, but by the last 5 my legs were shaking and the only reason I was still moving was so I could go home.

Today I only have “5 to go.”  My first figure competition is Saturday.  I’m tired.  Each day I’m pushing myself as hard as possible with every workout, running sprints, doing 30 mins of posing practice, and keeping up with my 100 pull ups.  That familiar “if I can just push through this last bit, I can rest” feeling has returned.

Not to mention the diet changes… more on that Wednesday!

With those diet changes, I can’t even eat this BBQ sauce.  I’m glad I did it when I did!

For those who aren’t 5 days out from a competition, this is a great open for a clean BBQ sauce.  It has no sugar or sodium added… and it’s actually good.

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

There are two schools of thought on BBQ Sauce – one likes a more ketchup-like sauce, and the other is a vinegar-based sauce.  I don’t feel the need to choose!  My sauce is tomato-based and laced with that satisfying vinegar tang.

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

Thick and satisfying, this is the perfect topping for just about any protein.  You could even toss some red pepper and broccoli slaw in it for a quick BBQ veggie roast.  That was a really a really tasty combo.

In this photo shoot, I sliced tempeh into thin strips and coated one side with the sauce.  I baked it at 375 for 10 mins, then flipped and coated the other side and baked for another 8 mins.  Easy!

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

Served here with side of roasted winter squash, asparagus, zucchini, carrots, red onion and sage.  My leftover sauce is n the freeze for safe-keeping for when I can have this again!

Recipe after workout recap…

Workout Recap

There’s nothing more disappointing than seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and having it suddenly shut off.  Friday I got my final workout plan from my trainer.  I thought Sunday was going to be a rest day… it wasn’t.  Turns out you don’t workout 2 days before a show, so there will be no rest until Thursday.  Lovely.

We took measurements at Saturday’s workout.  I haven’t gained much in terms of inches – my waist and chest are actually smaller – but my body fat is certainly lower!  I’d like to find one of those Bod Pods to get an accurate measurement at the end of the week.  I’d also like to have to time to actually go do it.

There will be pic ad nausea post-comp, but for now a little sneak peak…

Workout Recap (10/20 – 10/28):

  • Monday – Rest
  • Tuesday – Legs, 2 mile walk 100 pull ups
  • Wednesday – Back/Tris, Calf raises, 1 mile incline walk, 100 pull ups 
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile incline walk, 100 pull ups
  • Friday – Chest/Bis, 100 pull ups, Calf raises, 2 mile incline walk
  • Saturday – Legs (with trainer), 100 pull ups, 2 mile sprints/incline walk
  • Sunday – Shoulders, 100 pull ups, Calf raises, 1.5 mile sprints/incline walk

Healthy BBQ Sauce - sugar and salt free!

Healthy BBQ Sauce

  • 15 oz can tomato sauce (no salt added)
  • 1/3 C apple cider vinegar
  • 2 T ancho chili powder
  • 1 T smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Liquid smoke, to taste

Place tomato sauce in a small pot over medium heat. Add vinegar and spices, stirring and tasting as you go. Add the liquid smoke to taste. Start with 5-6 drops and add from there – a little goes a long way! Allow to simmer 5-6 mins more to allow flavors to combine. Taste and adjust flavors again before serving.

Note: You might add a bit of Stevia or other sweetener here if you like a sweeter BBQ sauce. I prefer the vinegar-based.

***

It sounds like I’m complaining… but I’m just tired.  I’m really excited/nervous/ready to get ‘er done!!!

Do you prefer vinegar or ketchup-like BBQ?

What inspires you to push through?  Any good quotes or songs to share?

Herbed Eggplant and Tempeh Marinara Bake

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It’s a seasonal landmark.

 

I had to bust out the socks.  I woke up and it was only 60 degrees.  This may sound perfect to many of you, but I love the summer.  I’ll miss you, ballet flats.

 

 

Don’t get me wrong.  There are many thing about fall that I do love: football, boots with the fur, apples… and tomato sauce.

You can tell what season it is by looking at how I’m eating tomatoes.  In the spring, I’m eating salsa like a deranged Mexican.  In the summer I load up on Heirlooms – no recipe needed, just slice ’em fresh.  When cooler weather strikes, I want marinara sauce and red wine.

 

 

When Uncle Dude’s posted to twitter asking for people to try out their sauce, I jumped at the opportunity.  I am guilty of being a lazy sauce-maker.  It’s not hard to make from scratch, but more often than not I use something from a jar and add my own twist to it.

This particular sauce is called “Uncle Dude’s Ridiculous Marinara.”  With a name like that I had to try it!

 

 

Dude’s sauce is indeed good.  I especially love that they left nice chunks of tomato and onion in it.  It gave it a feeling of being homemade.  My only complaint is that it was a bit salty.  If you don’t have a low-sodium diet, you probably won’t notice.

Being homemade with fresh veggie pieces didn’t save it from my modifications.  This bake received as herbed twist with fresh rosemary , basil, and thyme.  I also topped it with a little nutritional yeast (it would also be good with freshly grated parmesean).  Finished with a thick, velvet-y aged balsamic that I scored on my trip to Italy last October.

 

 

This rich, herb-laced bake was served with a glass of my current favorite el cheapo wine: Apothic Red.  This wine runs about $10 a bottle and has a deep cherry flavor with hints of mocha on the nose.  It has a smooth finish with just a hint of spice.

 

 

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Herbed Eggplant and Tempeh Marinara Bake

  • 1 C marinara sauce
  • 1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2 in rounds
  • 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1/2 small red pepper, diced
  • 2 servings (~150g) tempeh, crumbled
  • 2 T fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 T fresh thyme
  • 2 T nutritional yeast
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread 1/4 C of the marinara sauce along the bottom of a 9×9 baking dish.

Arrange the veggies, tempeh, and herbs in layers in the dish.  Top with remaining sauce, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins.  Remove foil and bake 15 mins more, or until veggies are tender and sauce is bubbling.

Make 2 large or 4 side portions.

***

Today I need full-body support socks.  Leg day with my evil trainer nearly killed me last night.  450 lb leg press?!  Really?!

What is your favorite fall meal?

Have you had to bust out the socks yet?

Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

By

I’m beet up and ‘choked up this Monday!

 

It’s the second installment of Heather’s Meatless Mondays from A-Z challenge!

 

 

Last week the ingredient we were to use was artichokes, and I submitted this Quinoa Stuffed Artichoke.  Without thinking, I incorporated this week’s ingredient – beets – into the recipe by soaking my quinoa in beet juice.

 

 

This week… Oops, I did it again.

My submission is a Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper, and in my tempeh stuffing I incorporated both beets AND artichoke hearts.

 

 

If you are someone who doesn’t do well with red beets, I encourage you to try the golden variety.  Golden beets tend to have less of an “earthy” taste, and are slightly sweeter than red beets.  I loved that sweetness in this dish balanced with the mild heat of the poblano pepper.

Don’t be scared of the poblano.  It rates a 4 out of 10 on the Scoville Scale (compared to a habanero which is 9 out of 10).  A poblano’s heat is more of an accent than a punch.  They are perfect for those who like just a touch of spiciness.  FYI – the reddish-brown poblanos are more ripe, and are sweeter than the true green ones.

 

 

Poblanos are commonly used in Mexican dishes, but I took this in a more Indian direction by coating my sautéed stuffing ingredients in a quick sauce made of curry and nutritional yeast.  Curry is an excellent pairing with the nutty tempeh and nutritional yeast flavors, and the sweetness of the beets added a fun twist to the stronger flavors.

Admittedly, I’d never roasted a pepper before.  It seemed like a complex task for some reason.  Rest assured it was stupid-easy, and definitely worth a shot.  This recipe can be easily multiplied and customized to fit the needs of a crowd!

 Next week’s ingredient is caperberries… should I purposefully aim for artichokes, beets, and capers?  😉

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Workout recap before food though!  This week was a weird one.  I traveled on Wed/Thursday so I had to take a rest day midweek.  Being on an airplane makes my body really tired/weak-feeling, making Friday’s workout was a hard one.  I also had a weird pain in my heel on Friday morning.  It feels bruised, but I didn’t do anything that would bruise it.  It happened before I workout – almost immediately as I got out of bed.  It still hurts today… I’ve been resting and icing, and I skipped past leg day Saturday to give it a rest and instead focused on upper body.  Like my triceps:

 

Last week I mentioned being frustrated that while I have seen increase in weight I can move, my weight is the same.  This week will bring some adjustments to my diet, adding more fats, protein from “real” sources (not powder), and a small increase in carbs and veggies (woo hoo!).  Candidly, I am a little nervous.  That’s a LOT of food, and I often struggle to get in all  7 meals with the smaller portions.  If anyone wants to come shovel food in with me, I could use the encouragement! LOL!

 

Workout Recap (8/6 – 8/12):

  • Monday – Legs (w/ trainer)
  • Tuesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Shoulders/Butt
  • Thursday – Rest, 1.5 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises
  • Saturday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Sunday – Shoulders/Butt
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Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

  • 1 large poblano
  • 1/2 tsp avocado oil
  • 2 T red onion, chopped
  • 1/3 C golden beet, diced
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 serving tempeh
  • 1/4 C chopped artichoke hearts
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp curry
  • Shake of cumin
  • ~2T water

 

Preheat oven to 475.

Place the pepper on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Roast for 30 mins, turning pepper every ~10 mins.  The goal is to char it on all sides.

Once charred, place in a bowl and cover with a towel to steam for ~10 mins.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and begin to saute onions and beets.  Once onion begins to turn translucent, add garlic, tempeh, and artichokes.  Add apple cider vinegar (or other white vinegar), and stir to combine.  Cook until warmed through, and garlic becomes fragrant (~2 mins).

Mix nutritional yeast, curry, and cumin with water and pour over saute.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.  

Remove pepper from bowl and begin peeling.  The skin with come off easily when they’re cooked like this.

Make a small slit down the length of one side of the pepper, being careful not to cut through to the other side. Carefully remove seeds, leaving stem intact.  Spoon tempeh mixture into the pepper to fill.

Transfer stuffed peppers to baking sheet dish.  Place in oven and bake until golden, 5-8 mins. Cool for a moment before transferring to a plate.  Sprinkle with chopped mint, lime juice, and additional nooch sauce if desired.

Makes 1 (easily doubled or quadrupled). 

***

I didn’t want to clutter the post with all of my cheat day treats, but this happened (among other things):

 

Have you ever had an odd heel pain?  Any advice?

Do you like beets?  What is your favorite way to eat them?

 

Vegan Salade Niçoise for #GreensLove

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We interrupt my usual post-fee weekend for a BLOGHOP!

 

This month’s theme is #GreensLove in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.  Naturally, I got unnaturally excited.  75% of everything I eat is green!

I thought about making another green smoothie, but decided that was getting old (not to my taste buds, but after you’ve seen one green smoothie pic, you’ve seen them all).

 

 

A salad seemed too obvious.  What about an not-so-obvious version of a famous salad?  As I brainstormed ideas for my French-themed vegan book club, I knew the dinner spread would be incomplete without the famous French  salad – Salade Niçoise.

 

A traditional (by traditional, I mean Julia Childs’ recipe 🙂 ) Salade Niçoise consists of lettuce, green beans, shallots, vinaigrette, tomatoes, boiled potatoes, chunked tuna, hard-boiled eggs, anchovy fillets, Niçoise olives, and capers.

I couldn’t have tuna, potatoes, eggs, or anchovies.  That’s half the salad.  Undeterred, I set to work on recreating the dish in a fun way.

 

 

Dressing that can make or break a salad.  I wanted to light, herby vinaigrette that wouldn’t overwhelm with the stronger flavors from the olives and capers.  The lemon-thyme vinaigrette did the trick – the lemon flavors brought out the other veggies in the salad.  A high-quality olive oil allows you to use less in the recipe without compromising flavor.  This particular bottle is from my recent travels to Italy.

 

The other stand-out in this vegan-ized recipe was the “tuna” tempeh.  Meant to sub for the tuna, it doesn’t really taste like tuna (a good thing in my book).  Rather, it adds a slightly nutty, lemon-pepper protein addition.  The crunch it adds as a result of being slowly sautéed is a fun dimension to the salad.

 

 

You may think you’re going overboard with the pepper on the tempeh – and feel free to adjust to your tastes – but when it’s combined with the lemon flavors and them eaten with the other salad ingredients, it’s the perfect flavor.

 

The color of the salad is fabulous.  It was the most photogenic thing on the table!

 

 

You’ll notice I didn’t include measurements for the veggie toppings.  Add as much or a little as you like!  I simply added “handfuls” until the bowl was filled and looked pretty.

If you are unable to locate Niçoise olives, substitute Kalamata or another high-quality dark olive.  Read: don’t use your left-over pizza topping olives.

 

 

Check out these other (vegan) French dishes served that Book Club:

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Salade Niçoise

For the Salad:

  • Arugula lettuce
  • Red leaf lettuce
  • French green beans, ends removed and cut in 3-4 in pieces
  • Wax beans, ends removed and cut in 3-4 in pieces
  • Niçoise olives
  • Capers
  • Tomatoes, diced
  • Red onion (1/4-1/2 C), diced

 

Place lettuces in a large bowl.  In individual sections, add each veggie topping.

 

For the Tempeh:

  • 8 oz. tempeh, cut into 1-in cubes
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon, plus zest
  • 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 4-5 drops liquid smoke
  • 1-2 drops liquid stevia
  • Salt, to taste

 

In a small bowl mix together remaining ingredients.  Toss with tempeh to coat well, and allow to marinate for 10-15 mins.

Heat oil in a medium pan over medium heat.

Place tempeh and any residual marinade in pan.  Cook, tossing occasionally until tempeh is lightly browned and crisped on the outside (~10 mins).

Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Once cooled, add to salad.

 

For the Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 C fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 C water
  • 2 T fresh thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 C extra virgin olive oil

 

In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients except olive oil.  Slowly pour in the oil, whisking constantly.

Alternately, place all the ingredients in dressing bottle or jar and shake to combine.

Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving alongside the salad.

Note: If not using dressing right away, cover and refrigerate, bring to room temp and shake again before use.

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I’m excited to be co-hosting the #GreensLove event with the following fabulous bloggers.  Be sure to visit them, and to add your own recipe via the linky tool below!

 

ASTIG Vegan ~ Richgail ~  @astigvegan
Bon a croquer ~ Valerie ~ @Valouth
Cheap Ethnic Eatz ~ Evelyne ~ @cethniceatz
Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies
Oh Cake ~ Jessica ~ @jesshose

Join us in the March #greenlove by linking up any leafy green recipe below.  Don’t forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #greenlove event!  The twitter hashtag is #greenlove.

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

***

I am also honored to announce that I was nominated as a “Best Healthy Eating Blog” for the 2012 Fitterati Blog Awards on FitnessMagazine.com.  You guys are the best and a constant source of inspiration.  If you’re so inclined, pretty please click here and vote for me. 🙂

 

What’s the best green food you’ve made lately?

Is anyone running this weekend?  Good luck – I’d love to hear how it goes!!!

 

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: A Tribute

By

Today is a tribute.

Friday seems like the perfect time to celebrate some fantastic bloggers who have inspired some of the best meals I’ve had.  This list is not at all exhaustive, but it’s what I’ve had lately for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast:

These fluffy, lemon-flavored chia muffins were based on this Lemon Chia Cake created by Lisa @ Healthful Sense.  I’ve made several of Lisa’s recipes and have never been disappointed.  She’s also the only person more obsessed with sweet potatoes and peanut flour than I am.

They are gluten-free and vegan – great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.  Next time I make them I’ll add some poppy seeds too, as that’s what the chia bites reminded me of.  Who doesn’t need a little opium first thing in the morning?

My modifications:

  • Used brown rice flour rather than millet
  • Replaced Stevia with NuNaturals Fiber Baking Blend
  • Reduced vanilla extract to 1/2 tsp
  • Added 1/2 tsp lemon extract
  • Used a full 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • Made 6 muffins rather than cake (baking time = 15 mins)

 

You should try these.  Like now.

 

 

Lunch:

When I can work from home, lunch is my favorite meal of the day.  I can cook something fresh AND use the daylight for picture-taking.  Even though I was too lazy to whip out the good camera for this pic.

 

 

Sweet potatoes.  Smashed and coated with goodness.  I took the idea from Pinterest – this recipe for Hot Crash Sweet Potatoes pinned from Donalyn @ DLYNZ.

 

My modifications:

  • Rather than her spice mix, I used this one created for use in my Babaganoush Soup… fitting because the blend was from another blogger, Cara @ Cara’s Cravings
  • Brushed sweet potato slices with a mix of olive oil and rice wine vinegar.  
  • Skipped the boiling step (increased baking time to 20 mins on each side using convection bake)

 

These “crashed” sweet potatoes tuned out beautifully, and my Middle-Eastern spice blend went perfectly with the Coconut Curry Marinated Tempeh by Turtle Mountain I had in the fridge.  Nom.

 

 

Dinner:

After an orange lunch, I needed a green dinner.

Janet @ The Taste Space created a Spinach Dal Palak that couldn’t be any greener if it tried.  If you don’t already follow Taste Space, check it out.  There isn’t a day where I don’t drool over a post.

 

 

My modifications:

  • Short on spinach, I reduced the recipe to make a single serving
  • Increased cumin
  • Used ground ginger (I’m out of fresh – use it if you have it on hand!)
  • Added more red pepper flakes (because I’m not happy ’til my nose is running)

 

Served with sriracha and an Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortilla.  Pinned and will be making again soon!

 

Dessert:

I have a bajillion blogger desserts marked to try… but tonight was my own.

 

 

These Chewy Granola Cookies (not limited to dessert – momma texted me to say she had 2 for breakfast with Greek yogurt) with a glass of “Chocolate Milk.”

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“Chocolate Milk”

 

Mix in cocktail glass and serve with ice.

***

Yes, I realize such a simple drink shouldn’t count as a recipe… but it was good, so I’m going to milk it.  (Tee hee… milk it… get it?)

What blogger recipe have you made lately and loved?

What do you use to bookmark recipes?  Pinterest?  Reader?  Delicious?

 

Pumpkin Tempeh Chili

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I am a wuss.

 

There is a reason I live in the South – cold weather and I are not friends.  I showed up to run the Thanksgiving Half Marathon wearing fleece-lined running pants, a long sleeve shirt, a jacket (with thumb holes!), a fleece scarf, fleece gloves… and a body warmer attached to the inside of my jacket.  I couldn’t feel my toes until mile 4.

 

 

Suffice it to say that my soup cravings are now out of control.  Kind of like my pumpkin obsession.

The logical conclusion is to make soup with pumpkin.  Wait.  It’s too cold for a simple soup.  I need a bone-warming chili.  Pumpkin chili!   (No, I haven’t actually tuned orange.  Yet.)

 

 

This was my first time ever making chili, so the recipe evolved as I went.  I thought the black and white photo would hide the fact that is was dark and I have poor kitchen lighting make me look classic like Julia Childs.

 

This chili is vegan – using tempeh rather than ground meat.  Even if you are accustomed to tempeh, I strongly advise you to steam or boil it before you use it in chili.  It removes the bitterness, allowing the other flavors to shine.

With the tempeh and black beans, this is one helluva a fiber-rich, protein-filled meal!

 

Bad lighting combined with brown food = picture of the year.

 

I like strong flavors in chili, and the slight sweetness combined with heat.  When creating my chili, I wanted to really feel the heat and the warmth from the cumin and cinnamon.  Cinnamon may seem like an odd choice, but try it out!  It gives savory dishes a fantastic depth and brings out the subtle fruitiness of the tomato.

Cinnamon also works well with pumpkin.  I had about 1/2 a cup of the canned stuff  leftover from my Pumpkin Rum Bread Pudding, and into the pot it went!  I loved the creamy texture it added… next time I may try using even more!

 

 

Cocoa also went into the post.  It was almost an afterthought… I tasted the cumin with the black beans and thought a mole twist would be just the thing to make the dish pop.

 

Top it all off with avocado and – if you really love fire – Sriracha.

Guaranteed to warm you right down to the toes!

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Pumpkin Tempeh Chili

  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 package (8 oz) tempeh
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 dried arbol chili peppers, re-hydrated and minced
  • 2 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1.5 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1.5 C (1 can) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1.5 C diced tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
  • 1/2 C pumpkin puree*
  • 1 C vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp Xylitol (or sweetener of choice, if needed)
  • S+P, to taste
  • Optional toppings: avocado, sriracha, sour cream, cilantro

 

Steam tempeh 10-15 mins to remove bitterness.

Meanwhile, saute veggies over med-high in large pot (~10 mins).  Add garlic at the end to avoid burning.  Next add in spices, stir to combine, and saute another 1-2 mins.  Stir in apple cider vinegar to deglaze.

Add tempeh, beans, tomatoes, and  pumpkin.  Stir to combine.  Cover and allow to simmer for ~20 mins, stirring occasionally.

Remove cover and stir.  Taste and adjust flavors.  This is where I added Xylitol.  Allow to simmer 15-20 mins more until liquid is reduced and flavors have melded.

Makes 4 servings (4 cups).

Note: If pumpkin in chili creeps you out isn’t available, try using a winter squash or sweet potato puree.  You could also omit.

Approximate nutrition: 320 calories, 9.5g fat, 36.2g carbohydrates, 13.6g fiber, 5.9g sugar, 17.1g protein.

***

I want to try white bean next.  Possibly orange white bean with pumpkin…

Are you a white or black bean chili person?

Do you make large pots of food to eat throughout the week?  What is your staple?

 

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