Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Spicy Apple & Chickpea Salad

By

There is a distinct crispness in the air.

Before the sun comes up… after that… hey, we are in the South.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons.   The colors, the refreshing coolness… and the food!  Everyone goes pumpkin crazy, but one of the best things out of Georgia in the fall is apples.

We make the requisite pies, doughnuts, compotes, cider, and various other treats, but I like to use them in savory dishes.  They add a great texture and a strange (but good) shot of sweetness to dinner salads.  I’ve been known to make them just for snacks.

Spicy Apple & Chickpea Salad 2… 

Read More »

Dips, Dessert, and a Drink

By

Happy 4th of July!

aka National Sunburn Day.

I have a tradition of running the Peachtree Roadrace (the world’s largest 10K) and enjoying the sweltering heat sunshine.  Since I’m off doing that, today’s #strangebutgood is a round of of things you might like to enjoy during your weekend festivities.

Some are stranger than others, but I assure you they’re all good.  And they’re relatively quick and easy – especially the oh-so-addicting S’Mores Brownies!

Chipotle Corn Hummus

Chipotle Corn Hummus

Cilantro Hummus Salsa

Hummus Salsa

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats (Lightened Up)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

S’mores Brownies

Smore Brownies

Piña Mezcalita

Piña Mezcalita

 

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. 🙂



***

I may have to cool off at the mall.  There are sales… all the things… this won’t end well.

What are your plans for the 4th?

What is your favorite poolside treat?

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

By

It’s not my birthday yet…

But pass me the sombrero!

I brought my sweet and salty tooth beyond just breakfast and dessert this week.  Fruit and salsa are one of the best combos.  Tomatoes are technically a fruit.  Strangely enough, they are legally a vegetable.

If you haven’t tried fruity salsa, I especially recommend experimenting with mango, strawberry, and pineapple.  It’s easy enough to make yourself (make salsa, add fruit), but I fell victim once again to Whole Paycheck Foods.  Sunday I trotted home with a jar of the good stuff and an idea for the fresh corn tortillas I bought at the farmer’s market.

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

Originally these were going to be enchiladas, but I broke the tortillas.  Instead, I decided to layer the pieces and call it pie!  Pie always wins.

The tortillas I used were small (~8-inch) corn tortillas made fresh at the farmer’s market.  This mean they were gluten-free, for those that care.  You can use anything you like; sprouted tortillas would be great in this too!

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

The strangest part to some of you may not be the fruity salsa, but the cod.  If you think that’s too weird (it really is good!), you could add any protein here.  Try chicken, shrimp, ground beef… or even tempeh to make it vegan!

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

  • 2 pieces of cod (~12 ounces)
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 C peach salsa
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • 1 C kale, chopped
  • 1/2 C mushrooms, chopped
  • 1/2 C red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, diced (optional – I love heat)
  • Avocado, to top

Preheat oven to 375.  Place cod on a pan, top with lemon juice, and cook until barely done (~7-8 mis).  Remove from oven and allow to cool before breaking into smaller pieces.

Place 2 tortillas in the bottom of a pyrex (I lined mine with foil for easier clean up).  Layer with 1/4 C salsa, 1 onion, 1/2 C kale, 1/4 C mushrooms, 1/4 C bell pepper, and 1/2 the jalapeño (if using).  Repeat layer, and top with remaining tortillas (2).  Top with additional salsa.

Cover and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, then remove cover and bake an additional 5-10 mins to crisp the top.  You could also top with cheese here.  Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly to solidify.  Cut into wedges, top with avocado slices, and enjoy!

Makes 6 servings.

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. 🙂



***

With all these peach recipes, I’m going to have to quit getting annoyed by the Georgia Peach nickname.

Have you ever had a fruit-laced salsa?  What is your favorite fruit to add?

What kind of tortillas do you prefer? I love the weight that corn tortillas have.

A New York State of Mind

By

I made it almost 31 years never having been to New York.

 

The city.  I’ve been to Syracuse and Schenectady.  Doesn’t count.

Last week I finally got there!  I had a work conference at Columbia University.  It didn’t leave a ton of time to explore, but I was thrilled.  Especially when the hotel looked eerily like a scene from one of my favorite movies, The Shining.

Hotel Belleclaire

REDRUM

… 

Read More »

Cinco de Strange But Good

By

I’m stranging-up Mayo!

(That’s May, not mayonnaise.)

It occurred to me that many of my Mexican-inspired creations are a bit strange.  Mexican is one of my favorite cuisines, and I’m always looking for a good way to shake it up!

No matter what time of day you celebrate, I have an appropriately themed dish!

Breakfast

Cocoa-Cayenne Sweet Potato Oatmeal

Sweet Potato CCC Oatmeal

Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack

Mexi-fast Tortilla

Small Plates

Tofu Jalapeño Poppers

Tofu Stuffed Jalapenos

Avocado-Mango Soup

Avocado-Mango Soup

Mexican Pineapple and Beet Salad

Pineapple Beet Salad

Mexican Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl

Mexican cauliflower rice bowl

Entrees

Mexican Socca Pizza

Mexican Socca Pizza

Seitan Chorizo

chorizo

Tequila-Lime Tilapia

Tequila Lime Tilapia

Sweet Potato Mexican Pie

Sweet Potato Mexican Pie

Libations

Piña Mezcalita

Piña Mezcalita

Dessert

Mexican Chocolate Cake

Mexican Chocolate Cake

Mexican Black Bean Fudgy Brownies

Mexican Black Bean Brownies

 

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. 🙂



***

Check out the FitFluential Cinco de Mayo Round Up for more ideas!

What’s your favorite cuisine to add a #strangebutgood twist to?

Do you have Cino de Mayo plans?  Any special meals?

(Mostly) Raw Vegan Taco Salad

By

Have you ever met a raw foodist?

I don’t get it… 

I do get that it can be fun sometimes though!  Like veganism.  It forces creativity, which I love.  Also, I love bacon.

A raw vegan taco seems strange, but this was so good it even surprised me.  You could go all raw if you took the time to marinate the mushrooms and omitted the lentils.  I’m not that patient.

Raw Vegan Taco Salad

While it didn’t include bacon, I barely missed the meat in this vegan taco salad creation.  Sautéing the mushrooms with aminos gave it a delicious saltiness the was reminiscent of meat.  Plus, anything you top with guac is a win.

I also love having a texture contrast with the crunchy raw bell peppers.  A bite of that with the creamy guacamole and juicy tomatoes was a fiesta in my mouth.  #twss

Vegan Taco Salad

On the side I had some dehydrated kale chips, courtesy of Whole foods.  Gotta have chips with my guac!

(Mostly) Raw Vegan Taco Salad

(Mostly) Raw Vegan Taco Salad

Taco “Meat”

  • 1 portobello mushroom, diced
  • 1/4 C cooked lentils
  • Juice of 1/2 orange
  • 1 garlic clove, minded
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 2-3 sprays Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (~1/8 tsp)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • Sprinkle of cinnamon

Guacamole

  • 1/2 ripe avocado
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 jalapeño, diced
  • 1 T onion, diced

Toppers

  • Bell pepper
  • Tomato
  • Mango
  • Cilantro
  • Freshly ground pepper

Cauliflower “Rice”

  • 1 C cauliflower florets, pulsed in food processor to a rice-like state

Sauté taco “meat” ingredients until tender.

Meanwhile, mash together guacamole ingredients.  Prep desired toppings and cauliflower rice.

Plate rice and stack remaining components on top.

Take a picture (because it’s pretty) and enjoy!

 

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 just realize I should have saved this recipe for Cino de Drinko Mayo! 

Do you like raw food?

Will you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Strange But Good: Coconut Jicama Porridge

By

There’s more than one way to make a bowl of oats.

Breakfast without carbs is just wrong!

Going without oatmeal or bread is not an easy task.  I refused to believe I had to do it for the cleanse.  Oats don’t have to be made with oatmeal!  I’ve made a paleo version before.  However, making oat-less oats without eggs made it a little harder… but it can be done with the help of a strange, but good ingredient: Jicama!

Coconut Jicama Porridge

Jicama can do anything.  Nachos, edamame salads… and oat-less oatmeal.  However, I prefer to call this porridge because a) I left it a little more moist that I would my oats and b) I think using words like porridge makes me sound sophisticated and British.

You can use protein powder or leave it out.  Simply increase the liquid if you add protein.  I really liked the additional creaminess it adds, making it even more oatmeal-like.  Toppings are the best part – I used strawberries and kabocha.  I’ve also done it with blood oranges (awesome with the coconut, btw).

Jicama Coconut Porridge

Trust me on this one.  Really.

Coconut Jicama Breakfast Porridge - filled with protein and fiber to leave you satisfied until lunch

Coconut Jicama Porridge

The Base:

  • 1 C raw jicama rice
  • 1/2 C unsweetened almond (or coconut) milk
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger

My Adds:

  • 1/2 scoop pea protein powder (mixed with ~1/4 C water to thin)
  • Strawberries
  • Kabocha squash (pre-roasted)
  • Ground flax

Peel jicama and chop into chunks.  Place jicama in a food processor or blender and pulse until a rice-like crumble forms.

Place all ingredients in the porridge “base” in a pan over medium high heat.  Cook until mixture starts to bubble.  If using protein, add it here.

Continue to cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and mixture becomes creamy (~5 mins).  Taste and adjust spices or add sweetener as desired (I didn’t need any).

Transfer to bowl and enjoy!

Makes 1 serving.

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. 🙂



***

It looks like I’ll be going without some food stuffs a little beyond than this cleanse… more on that later…

Have you ever had jicama?  How did you eat it?

What’s your favorite non-conventional breakfast?

Protein Lessons + WIAW

By

Learning lessons is a theme in my life lately. 

Some I’d rather not learn, but that’s another story.

Despite having done this cleanse 3 times before, I’m learning a whole new lesson with this one.  It’s about protein.  I had NO idea how much energy and strength I was getting from all the protein I took in!  The first 10 days of the cleanse are meat-free.  It also eliminates common allergens, so I can’t even replace that protein with soy, dairy or eggs.

I have a delicious, clean pea protein powder from Growing Naturals that accounts for most of my intake.  I also have some from quinoa, lentils, and seeds… but that’s really not much.  With the “rules” of the cleanse, I end up eating about half my normal amount of protein and twice the carbs.  Carbs give energy, right?  Notsomuch.  I’m tired.  I’m sleeping more and having to lift lighter.  Apparently carbs give energy when you have enough protein.

back/tri workout

I did get through my back and tri workout.  Fueled by dates and tahini, I took a moment to twerk in the empty squat rack for Arman and Lucie.  Refueled with a protein smoothie made with strawberries, raspberries, basil, coconut, and spinach.

Lesson two is hunger.  I’m a bottomless veggie pit.  I eat stacks of vegetables (and fruit), but they don’t have the same staying power that protein does.  Kudos to the vegan body builders out there… I have no idea how they do it!

Curious about protein?  Click here for a piece I wrote for Growing Naturals on the importance of protein before and after a workout.  And then check out these 30 High Protein Breakfasts from many of my FitFluential friends!

This WIAW is the end of my first week on the 21 day cleanse.  I’m definitely in a good groove, but anxious to add some lean protein in on Friday!

WIAWbutton

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

Read More »

Follow Me!

instagram_b facebook_b twitter_bpinterest_b
rss_a email_ayoutube_b googlep_b

Popular Posts

Home | About Me | Privacy Policy | Fitness | Recipes | Training & Nutrition

Affiliate Links: This site is monetized through the use of affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, Sprint 2 the Table would receive a small percentage of the sale price. Thanks for your support!