Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Five is for Friday

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It’s been a crazy, crazy week. 

Here are 5 things I’ve been meaning to share with you, but just ran outta time…

1. Blend Retreat Recap Round-Up

The hardworking organizers have collected all of our recaps (click here for mine) on the Blend Retreat in Boulder, CO!  Check them all out by clicking here.  There are some great ladies in this group  you might just discover a new favorite blog. 🙂

2. Protein Peanut Butter Sauce

I’ve been using peanut flour to slather my baked (errr… frozen….) goods lately.  It’s also good by the spoonful.  Not that I would know.

Protein Peanut Butter Sauce

  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/4 C almond milk
  • 1/4 tsp maple extract (or syrup, to your liking)
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional, I just love cinnamon)
  • 1-2 drops liquid Stevia
  • Shake of salt
Mix it together and pour it over the treat of your choice!

3. Coconut Noodles

One more Food & Wine Festival mention then I swear I’ll shut up.

Saturday I attended a session with Bryan Voltaggio (remember Bryan and his brother, Micheal, from Top Chef?).  they have a restaurant in Maryland called Volt.  If I’m ever in the ‘hood, I will be sure to stop by this place.  Dude made a funked-up version of strawberry short-cake.  He MICROWAVED the cake (I thought only bloggers did that?!).  Then he made a granola with strawberry puree and a mini ice cream-coconut doughnut with dry ice… but the coolest part…

He made noodles from coconut and agar agar using syringe and a piece of piping!  Check out the noodle-pushing-through-a-syringe shot in the top right pic below.

It’s things like this that warrant the glowing praise our fest received from Josh Ozersky of TIME and Every Day with Rachel Ray:

“There are a lot of food festivals these days. There is a very classy one in Aspen; there is a rocking one in South Beach… having just got back from Atlanta, I am ready to say that there is only one indispensable event, and that is it. The reason is obvious: the south is the new capital of gastronomy in America.”

4. I have an addiction.  

I wasn’t home long enough to warrant a full grocery store trip (I’m actually writing this from the Sky Club right now), but I HAD to stop to buy this mid-week: 

 

Green smoothies are my crack.  And that’s not whack.

5. Stand up and WALK!

Lastly, this is the article I will use to convince my boss I need a walking desk.

Source: Treatment Online

Gretchen Reynolds, the New York Times Phys Ed columnist recently published a book, The First 20 Minutes, about the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

The previously recommend 30 minutes of exercise per day may not be enough to ward off the dangers of sitting on your arse at a desk all day.

Reynolds says “Sitting for long periods of time… tends to cause changes physiologically within your muscles.  You stop breaking up fat in your bloodstream, you start getting accumulations of fat.”

She suggests that you make it a goal to stand for two minutes every 20 minutes that you’re chained to a desk.  Studies have shown that merely standing can have an impact on how your body responds physiologically, even decreasing your chances of getting diabetes!

***

I’m excited for sleeping in, a hike date, and 2 softball games this weekend!

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Do you have a sedentary job?  How do you combat the effects?

Italian Baked Broccoli Slaw

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Procrastination is a vice.

 

Unfortunately, it’s a vice that I possess.  I procrastinate at work (I am the queen of working until 2am), with cleaning (my BFF finally told me I had to clean my shower because “that’s disgusting”), and with certain type of shopping (I’ve gone through every moisturizer sample in the house – it’s time to hit up Sephora).

 

 

If you look at my recipes marked “to try,” you know I procrastinate at that too.  I get distracted by other ideas, go out to eat too much, or just straight-up give in to $10 Whole Foods hot bar cravings.

This vice is the only excuse I have for not trying Kristin’s Broccoli Slaw.  I’m ashamed it took so long ’cause this easy dish was AWESOME.

 

I hate to dub it a recipe since I literally just cleaned out my veggie drawer into a Pyrex.  In the break down below I barely include measurements.  Adjust everything to your liking!

My version was loaded with flavorful items like roasted artichokes, capers, and lemon-pepper tempeh.  I topped it off with a garlic marinara sauce, extra basil, and red pepper flakes.  Talk about a meal… I am calling it 2 servings, but I could have sat there and demolished the whole thing.

 

 

There are a million possibilities for variations.  Kristin makes a BBQ version.  Next up for me will be a Mexican riff.

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Italian Baked Broccoli Slaw

  • 1/2 package broccoli slaw
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
  • Sliced mushrooms (I used a mix of cremini and shiitake)
  • Lemon-Pepper Tempeh
  • Roasted artichokes
  • Capers
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Basil
  • 1 C marinara sauce

 

Pre-heat oven to 375.

Toss everything into a 8×8 pyrex dish and top with sauce.

Bake for 20-25 mins.

Serves 2.

***

After all the Food & Wine festivities, meals like this vegan dish and a lot of green smoothies have been in my life this week!

What have you been procrastinating on lately?

Have you tried broccoli slaw before? (You can find it at any major grocery store!)

 

Blueberry-Green Tea Bulgur Antioxidant Bowl

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Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day…

 

I bring you an antioxidant-rich breakfast bowl!  This RAW Blueberry-Green Tea Bulgur Bowl will help you start the day out right.

Seriously – this thing kept me energized and full until lunch.

 

 

Curious for the recipe?  Click here to check out my guest post today over on A Dash of Meg!

***

I’m headed to the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival this weekend.  Can’t wait to recap for you next week!

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Does Food & wine hold a festival where you live?  I would love to attend the one in Aspen!

 

Mexican Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl + Giveaway Winner

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Rice has never been appealing to me.

It’s always been sort of boring to me.  Like a waste of plate space.  I’d rather have more veggies or a big piece of crusty bread.  I even order my burrito bowl from Willy’s without rice.

When I started seeing cauliflower rice recipes floating around Pinterest, I had to check it out for myself.  Finally, was way to re-create rice-based meals without having to waste space on actual rice.  Other benefits: it doesn’t take an hour to cook, it’s loaded with fiber, and one cup is only 28 calories!

I’d like to say that Cinco de Mayo was the inspiration for making this bowl Mexican… but really it’s just because I eat something Mexican-ish nearly every day.

This is the simplest recipe – you simply put the cauliflower in a blender or food processor and pulse until it resembles rice.  I added some red pepper to mine to make it more flavorful and festive-looking.

Topped with carrots, black beans, avocado, pineapple, and cilantro and then smothered in a spicy salsa verde, this bowl looked like a fiesta!  It made for a filling lunch that didn’t weigh me down and make me yearn for a siesta.

I really loved how the cauliflower really did resemble rice, and the way it took on the other flavors in my Mexican bowl.  If I hadn’t made it myself, I would have had no idea I was eating cauliflower!

Before we get to the recipe… I guess you want to know if you won the Nature Box giveaway. 🙂

The lucky winner is….

Carrie @ Fueled by Plants

Email me your address and I’ll get it to Nature Box in time for the May box delivery!

Mexican Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1/2 red pepper
  • 1/2 C black beans
  • 1/2 C pineapple, cubed
  • 1/4 C red onion
  • 1/2 avocado, cubed
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • Cilantro
  • Salsa
  • Cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, S+P, to taste

Cut cauliflower and red pepper into pieces and place in a food processor or blender.  Pulse the pieces until they are the size and consistency of rice.

Transfer the “rice” to a medium bowl.  Top with remaining ingredients.  Sprinkle with cumin, a pinch of cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and S&P, to taste.

Enjoy!

***

I procrastinated packing last night… so I better get to it before my afternoon flight.  I can’t believe the Blend weekend is FINALLY here!!!

How will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo?

Are you a fan of rice?  Have you ever made a rice alternative?

Cilantro Hummus Salsa

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I have ants in my pants.

 There is so much to look forward to over the next month-ish!  Tomorrow I leave for the Blend Retreat (I cannot wait  to meet so many of my favorites!!!), next weekend is the Food & Wine Festival in Atlanta, then I’m getting may hair cut/colored at Lava (it’s a big event in my life), then a massage and facial… and THEN I’m headed to Argentina.  Whew!

This weekend is also amateur weekend Cinco de Mayo.  In honor of that shenanigans, I bring you a hummus and a salsa in one.

Don’t be alarmed my it’s green-ish hue.  I didn’t put spinach in it!  This salsa-hummus is packed with cilantro (my apologies to cilantro-sensitive readers), garlic, and a serrano pepper.  A few tablespoons of salsa sets off the Mexican flavors.

How did it take me this long to combine my favorite condiments?

This would be good in just about anything: with chips, used in a layered dip, on tacos, as a schmer on a bagel with avocado slices… in a train, on a plane… 🙂

For WIAW yesterday I used it in a collard green wrap.

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Cilantro Hummus Salsa

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 T tahini
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 giant handful cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 serrano (or jalapeno) pepper
  • 2 T salsa (I used a hot salsa verde)
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • S+P, to taste

Open the chickpeas and drain about half of the liquid out of the can.  Pour the peas and the remaining juice into a high-speed blender or food processor.  

Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, adjusting spices as necessary.

Yield: 1 cup

***

I could eat Mexican-ish food every day for the rest of my life.

Do you have vacation plans this summer?  Where are you traveling?

What is your favorite condiment?

Cocoa Krispies Protein Pudding + WIAW

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This is what I came home to:

 

 

Apparently my hot water heater went bad while I was at work and leaked all over my floor and down the wall of the unit below mine.  Lovely.

Soooo… I was going to have a recipe for you today, but that will have to wait for tomorrow.

 

Jenn @ Peas and Crayons is making me smile through my check-writing sadness with her What I Ate Wednesday.

 

Check out my eats below; then click here to see what everyone else enjoyed for WIAW.

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Breakfast:

I made a smoothie.  It was green…

The flavor was Strawberry-Basil.  I wouldn’t recommend it.  In fact, I didn’t even take a pic.  Last week’s Banana-Maple-Ginger was much better:

 

 

Lunch:

Clearly I’m addicted to collard green wraps… but this week’s was different!  I used a Mexican-inspired hummus in it!  That hummus is the recipe that was coming today but will instead come tomorrow.  The flood took away my picture-taking light.

 

 

My co-workers and I took out lunch outside.  They appeared skeptical of my “wrap,” but I offered a bite and it was met with a reasonable amount of approval. 🙂

 

Snacks:

I have discovered I like to eat constantly throughout the day.  I snacked it up all afternoon.  Unpictured are some cashews, pineapple, and my daily kombucha.

Pictures below is cottage cheese with nuts, apple, lavar, and some rice cakes.

 

Dinner:

I had a fancier plan, but the flood changed it… however, this lentil salad wasn’t bad for a late dinner in a hurry!

 

 

In the mix was French green lentils, pepper jack Daiya cheese, broccoli sprouts, beets, shallots, celery, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and S&P.  Translation: I scavenged my fridge.

 

Dessert:

This was seriously the highlight of my day.  The picture doesn’t look like much, but let me assure you… this was hard-core deliciousness.  It tasted like one of my favorite childhood cereals – Cocoa Krispies.

 

Cocoa Krispies Protein Pudding

  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • 1 T carob powder
  • 1/4 C cereal
  • 3/4 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 6-7 drops vanilla stevia
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

 

Mix together all ingredients in a bowl, pressing down slightly to break up cereal a bit.  Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes to allow liquid to soak in.

Remove from fridge, stir, and devour.

***

Thank you all so much for the comments about my tattoo yesterday.  It is a really special piece to me. 🙂

Who do you call when things break at your house?  I had a moment of panic wondering what my next move should be!

What was your favorite childhood cereal? 

***

Don’t forget – click here to enter to win May’s healthy snack box in the NatureBox giveaway!

Friday, For the Win

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Friday in general is a win, but there were so many this week…

There are the NuNaturals giveaway winners to announce… at the end of this post. 🙂  (Yes, I realize you can simply scroll down.)

1. Grain-Free, Sugar-Free Cookie for 1

This brilliance was found here on Avi’s blog.  I made it Thursday night and thought I’d gone to heaven.  Of course, I added sugar with the dark chocolate M&Ms. 🙂

My modifications:

  • Reduced coconut oil to 1 tsp
  • Added 2 T unsweetened almond milk
  • Replaced the banana with 5 drops of vanilla liquid Stevia
  • Dark chocolate M&Ms 

2. Raw Thai Pineapple Parsnip “Rice”

This was a huge win!  This unusual (yet easy) recipe can be found here on Janet’s blog.  My only modifications were to add cilantro and a bit of sriracha.

3. Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Cottage Cheese

You know when you feel snacky, but you’re not sure if you want something sweet or salty?  I found the perfect solution yesterday. 

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Cottage Cheese

I am told this sounds like a weird combo.  It’s not – this is a delicious combo.  Not unlike the combo below…

4. Stuft Mama’s Protein Pumpkin Cookie Dough

How did it take me soooo long to make this?!  It’s amazing.  Doh.

Do not – I repeat – DO NOT skip the PB on top.  It’s sends the whole thing over the edge.

5. NUNATURALS WINNERS!!!

The following 4 ladies won NuNaturals Orange and Lemon Liquid Stevias.  Please send me an email with your info so we can get those out to you ASAP!

  1. Heather @ Better with Veggies
  2. Carah
  3. Lena @ Lena on the Beach
  4. Anuradha @ Baker Street

***

This is the weekend… I’m getting a tattoo tomorrow!!!

Do you have tattoos? What/where?

What’s the best blogger recipe you’ve tried lately?

Mexican Pineapple and Beet Salad

By

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

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

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

The colors were nice too – pretty food tastes better!

Mexican Pineapple and Beet Salad

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

Then I found a fool-proof method.

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

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

Pineapple and Beet Salad

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

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

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Mexican Pineapple & Beet Salad

Mexican Pineapple and Beet Salad

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

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

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

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

***

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

Are you going to Blend?

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

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