Strange But Good: Roasted Grape & Kabocha Kale Salad

January 3, 2014 By Laura

Luck and wealth are good things to start 2014 with.

We certainly ate like lucky wealthy people on New Years Eve.

This salad would be good at any time, but it’s ingredients make it especially good for NYE. Grapes for luck and greens for wealth. We also had the black-eyed pea hummus. This year should be extra lucky!

The part that may be strange is that I roasted the grapes in this salad. You know how blueberries warmed from oatmeal burst in your mouth? How decadent and sweet and juicy they are? Roasted grapes are like that, but better because they’re bigger. (Insert dirty joke here.)

When roasted, grapes become even more delicious. Their sugars caramelize a bit, the skin softens, and the native sweetness shines. The thick, savory balsamic and rosemary balances the sweetness perfectly. Make this once and you’ll never be satisfied with dried fruit on a salad again.

The thick, jammy juice that forms during roasting is the perfect thing to use as a dressing. Combined with olive oil, vinegar, and garlic, it makes a fabulous warm coat for the kale.

Salads are so easy to make larger or smaller, so below is hardly a recipe. There are no measurements for anything besides the dressing. Even that is just equal parts oil and vinegar, so you can adjust that up or down to suit your needs.

You don’t even have to bother with the salad if you aren’t feeling it. Just pop some grapes in the oven and you’ll have a simple, decadent snack in 15 mins or less.

Roasted Grape and Kabocha Kale Salad

Grapes
Fresh rosemary
Aged balsamic vinegar
Kabocha squash (or other winter squash)
Shallot, diced
Olive oil
Kale
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C champagne vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
Reserved juices from roasted grapes
Salt & pepper, to toast
Grated Parmesan (optional)

Preheat oven to 450.

Toss grapes on a foil lined pan with vinegar and rosemary. On a second pan, toss kabocha with shallots and a bit of olive oil. Roast each for 15 mins, stirring occasionally. The skin of the grapes should be slightly crisp but the inside still soft. Note: the kabocha may take longer.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Strain excess grape juice into a small bowl to reserve for dressing.

Add oil to small skillet and allow to warm over med heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 min). Stir in grape juices and champagne vinegar, cooking 2-3 mins longer to allow dressing to thicken a bit.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Taste, adding salt and pepper to preference.

Place kale in large salad bowl. Pour warm dressing over the kale and massage the greens to soften. Add grapes, kabocha, and fresh parmesan (if using).

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.

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

***

I’m thinking I need to do these for breakfast on a biscuit or coffee cake thing…

What is your favorite salad topping?

Have you ever had roasted grapes?

Black-Eyed Pea & Roasted Garlic Hummus

December 31, 2013 By Laura

Black-eyed peas supposedly bring luck on New Year’s.

Don’t we all want to get lucky?

This year I could use a little extra luck, so I made sure to concoct a black-eyed pea dish to share with friends at our New Year’s Eve pairing dinner. I used traditional hummus ingredients, but replaced chickpeas with canned black-eyed peas. What resulted was a fantastic, black-eyed pea hummus.

…

Portland is Delicious

December 9, 2013 By Laura

Portland, it’s a good think you’re tasty.

And sunny. Yes, I said sunny.

A belly full of warm food and a sunny, blue sky is the only way I survived this arctic weekend. My little sister, Alli, moved to Portland a few years ago and I hadn’t had the occasion to visit. Apparently they hit record lows the couple of days I finally decided to pop in. It was so cold my teeth hurt.

This was my view coming in:

The snow did melt, and the sun came out to stay! The first order of business was to eat. Alli collected me from the airport and we went right to Tasty ‘n Sons where we ordered everything #yolkporn we could find….

Thanks for Bacon + Easy Cranberry Kale Salad

December 1, 2013 By Laura

I spoke too soon.

I’ve often said I need a 5 second delay on my mouth.

This Thanksgiving I ate turkey, and I liked it. My uncle brought the most deliciously moist (yeah, I said it) smoked turkey. So partially I take back what I said about not liking Thanksgiving food. I still passed on the green bean casserole and the stuffing.

First let’s back up. I headed to my mom’s house on Thanksgiving morning to drive the family to my grandparents house in north GA for the festivities. They said they were ready to go, but when I got there only the dog, Honey, was ready.

We finally did get on the road and made it the party without incident (I did have to swerve to miss a kitten in the middle of the road).

The good thing about being late everywhere is that everything is ready when you arrive. We had quite the spread! The turkey didn’t fit on the counter so it’s off to the side, along with a table this size filled with desserts. I’m lucky my whole family likes food as much as I do!

After pre-gaming with cheese crackers, I stacked round 1 with my kale salad, turkey, mac ‘n cheese, sweet potato souffle, pumpkin beer bread (recipe coming!), and had a side of my grandmother’s turnips and ham and a glass of rosé wine I brought back from Napa.

Round 2 looked about the same, but with a deviled egg someone had forgotten in the fridge. 😉

There was PLENTY of dessert too… I brought 4 different desserts, so I’m going to be sharing some fun sweet recipes just in time for Christmas. Yes, I use Thanksgiving to test desserts for Christmas parties.

Today’s sweet treat is from Gabby’s recipe for a gluten-free Apple-Bacon Crisp. I followed her recipe, but added a twist… where she sautes the apples in the bacon pan, I also added 2 tablespoons of whiskey.

The whiskey I used, Balcones Baby Blue, was a smooth addition. The blue corn whiskey from Texas is one of my favorites with its slightly sweet vanilla-caramel taste and notes of candied citrus and baking spices. My other modification was to use hazelnuts in the topping. The rich taste played well with the coconut flour.

It. Was. Awesome. I am thankful for Gabby and her #strangebutgood bacon idea. I scooped it on to my dessert plate with glee.

The leftover whiskey was great to have on hand for the weekend, too. I went to the Tech–UGA game with my cousin and friends Kathleen and Matt. We were all smiles at the tailgate and the first half of the game.

Then the second half happened, and we realized Tech is as bad at football as we feared. ~~It’s a good thing they’re smart.~~

Kathleen and I, pre-loss

Whiskey is a good wound heal-er. 😉

If you’re like me, you need a ~~very short~~ break from the heavy food, so today I’m also sharing the easiest kale salad you’ll ever have. It’s simply dressed, and you can make it the night before. It’s pretty marvelous.

This was my healthy contribution to Thanksgiving, but kale salads are also one of my favorite things to make during my weekly food prep. Their hearty leaves only get more delicious as they soften in the dressing and the flavor soaks in.

This dressing is light, but doesn’t lack in flavor. It is zesty and garlicky with a little heat on the end. If you really like it hot, add red pepper flakes to the top. I did.

Cranberry Kale Salad

2 medium bunches destemmed kale, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves
Juice from 1 lemon
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1-2 handfuls dried sweetened cranberries, for garnish
Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste (omit if dairy-free)

In a mini food processor, process the garlic, lemon, oil, marjoram, pepper, and cayenne until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors, if needed.

Pour the dressing onto the kale and massage it into the kale with your hands. Allow to soften in fridge at least 30 mins, or overnight.

Just before serving, top with cranberries and cheese.

***

I’ve been craving greens after the brown fest that is Thanksgiving!

What was the best dish from your weekend?

Are you punctual, or are you the last to arrive? I’m trying to get better… but it hasn’t taken yet.

Strange But Good: Tofu Jalapeño Poppers

November 8, 2013 By Laura

You could stuff jalapeños with the typical mixture of cheeses.

But you know I need my protein.

In a strange twist, I found the solution in the form of a vegan protein source. Tofu.

Tofu is the chicken of the vegetarian world. It is a neutral protein that can take on any flavor. I’ve use it in the past to as a cheese replacement in Eggplant Rollatini, as an egg replacement in an Indian-Inspired Scramble, a chicken replacement in baked Chili-Nutty Tofu, as a thickener in Carrot Cake Batter Protein Shake, and even a protein add in this Tofu Grilled PB&J.

I use tofu here with a delicious mix of garlic and onions cooked with Mexican-inspired herbs and spices. You can experiment with any type of filling in these poppers! It makes for a fantastically creamy, low-fat, high protein stuffing!

Tofu Jalapeño Poppers

12 fresh jalapeños
9 oz extra firm tofu, squeezed of excess water and crumbled
Juice of 1 small lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T nutritional yeast
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the jalapeños and remove ribbing and seeds. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients using a fork to smash together.

Stuff each pepper half with tofu mixture.

Set each pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place in oven and bake for ~20 mins, until the peppers have softened.

Let cool slightly and enjoy!

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

***

I’m on the road to KY for my competition this weekend! Thank you all SO MUCH for the well-wishes. I’ll be over-sharing (as usual) on Instagram. 😉

What is your favorite way to use tofu?

Have you made anything strange but good lately?

Here’s to Kids Who Are Different

October 16, 2013 By Laura

Why are we so judge-y?

Seems to be a theme lately.

Anytime you go against what people view as “normal” you’re going to get remarks. I have no problem with that. I actually welcome them because it opens the door for a conversation. And I’ve always been a little different. #strangebutgood

Story number one.

I ran into a friend this weekend who wouldn’t quit when I explained that I couldn’t join them for burgers and drinks 3 weeks out from a competition. (Granted, she ad been drinking and we all know that when you’ve been drinking you can’t understand why everyone doesn’t want to join that party. I’m sure I’ve been guilty of this.)

She kept on and said something along the lines of “How long are you going to do this? It can’t be fun. I’d be miserable.” Something clicked in me and I told her I choose NOT to go eat burger because I am in a good place. I am focused and happy. In fact, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. She paused and said ‘I can’t argue with that!” And let it go.

Story number two.

I was in the gym locker room in my office building yesterday and a lady complimented me on my workout. She called me a beast AND said she liked my hair. I was totally flattered and thanked her… but then she said something that really struck me.

She said “No homo.” I asked her to repeat herself and she explained “I’m not gay or anything.” Okay…

I went to Pride this weekend in Atlanta. I had a blast. I have no problem with who you want to screw/marry/raise kids with. If you compliment me, I’m going to be appreciative and feel good about it. I’m not going to assume you’re trying to get in my pants (although it’s been a while, so if you are trying let me know 😉 ).

I appreciate the compliment, but I’m sad that women feel the need to qualify compliment – giving and receiving. I’m guilty too!

Lately it seems there have been more unnecessary remarks than usual. Lindsay wrote a great post last week asking why it’s so hard to compliment women. I replied to her, realizing I am guilty. It dawned on me that I have an easier time accepting compliments from men than from women too. My chiro said I had good arm muscle and I said “I know.” A lady in the elevator complimented my hair and I said “Oh no! I need a cut! It’s bushy. But thank you so much for being kind!” WTF?!

My point is… I think there’s a lot of judging lately. People bitching about the pregnant bodybuilder lifting weights. The article about a super fit mom I posted last night. The stories I relayed today. I believe it comes from insecurity about ourselves. Lacking confidence.

No matter who you are and what you do, there’s going to be someone with an opinion. Their opinion doesn’t matter. Know what matters to YOU, who YOU are, and why you live your passion. Be confident in those things.

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This is WIAW I am 3 weeks from my next competition! No big diet changes yet… but next week… well, let’s just say food prep will get easier with limited options. Hello, stinky asparagus pee.

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

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Breakfast:

Typical start to the day I had my Aminos and ACV morning cocktail.

My breakfast was one that I never wanted to end. I scrambled egg whites with turkey, pre-roasted kabocha, and blackberries mashed into pico de gallo. Then I threw it into an almost empty no salt cottage cheese container for my ride to work.

Mid-Morning Snack:

I discovered the gym in my office building. It’s made my life 100x better. As such, I’ve begun bringing my post workout smoothie to work. Today I had a Strawberry-Lime-Jalapeno Smoothie.*

*I had a killer workout and was too hungry to bother with a pic. Pretend this is it. It all looks the same after I add the spinach.

Lunch:

Turbot with cucumber and a delicious new recipe. I made Janet’s Tamarind Roasted Eggplant and Chickpeas. Just a few tweaks, but it was absolutely delicious!

My modifications:

Replaced the coconut oil with 1/2 T of olive oil
Added ~ 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Reduced tamarind paste to 1T (the flavor is too strong to me)
To save time, I cubed the eggplant before roasting (only took ~15 mins; I prepped the rest of this dish while I was waiting)
Added chickpeas directly to the post without pre-heating or mashing

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

I have a little yellowtail sashimi (SO good) and a little turbot… so this became a “I only have bits of things left” meal. With sweet potato, snow peas, and chipotle hummus.

Does anyone else snack on raw snow peas? They are so sweet it’s almost like dessert. Not really – dessert is scared. But they are really good and make a refreshing end to a meal.

Dinner:

Dinner was an experiment gone right. I baked tempeh with my Thai Peanut Sauce. It was delicious with red pepper and kale chips.

Dessert:

Giant bowl of Zucchini Bread Protein Batter made with Greek yogurt as the base. Topped with balls of Quest. These balls were made from the new double chocolate chunk bar, rolled up and baked (I still like the cookie dough best). Also topped with blackberries, popcorn, and almonds

Rock out with your carbs out.

***

“Wearing a mask wears you out. Faking it is fatiguing. The most exhausting activity is pretending to be what you know you aren’t.” ~Rick Warren

Do you struggle with compliments? Does it differ depending on who is delivering the compliment?

Have you seen more judging lately? How do you handle pressure from others?

Strange But Good: Beefy Oatmeal with Blackberry Salsa

October 11, 2013 By Laura

Where’s the Beef?

It’s a legit breakfast food.

This sounds strange… but it isn’t SO odd. Many people have eaten savory oats. Oats are just another carb. We make lots of savory carb-y things. Why not add beef? And while we’re at it, eat it for breakfast! This is what happens when you’re out of eggs.

Side note: This recipe could VERY easily be made vegan by using TVP in place of the beef.

The salsa is the most awesome, lazy recipe ever. Mash up blackberries and stir in jarred salsa (extra hot). Done.*

*That’s not totally true. I added a drop of lemon stevia because my berries sucked and weren’t sweet at all.

So hear me out. Yummy beef. Chewy oats laced with rich flavors of cumin and smoky paprika. A little sweet ‘n spicy to top it off. That sounds more good than strange!

Warning: It will look like you slayed something when you stir it up to eat.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Beefy Oatmeal with Blackberry Salsa

1/2 oatmeal, cooked
3 oz lean ground beef, cooked
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of smoked paprika
1/4 C blackberries (or other berries)
2 T salsa

Cook oatmeal, stirring in precooked ground beef* and spices just before done.

Meanwhile, mash up berries in a small bowl and stir in salsa.

Pour oats into a bowl and top with salsa. Be amazed.

*My beef was pre-cooked with a Mexican spice blend. If yours is plain, you may want to add more spices on this recipe.

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

***

I’m posting a cookie recipe next week… my co-worker who isn’t a healthy food person said “these are actually good!” I’m calling it a win.

Have you had savory oats? Do you like them? ~~Do you think I’m nuts?~~

What is your favorite oatmeal add-in? Don’t say nut butter. We all know that’s good. 😉

You’re Off to Great Places + Growing Naturals Giveaway

October 3, 2013 By Laura

I’m addicted to the powder.

Not that powder. Where are your minds?! Shame!

Protein powder, bro. I have high standards:

NOT grainy or chalky
Not full of sugar or loaded with a billion carbs
Must actually taste like the flavor on the label
Ingredient lists need to be recognizable and short
Must contain at least 20g of protein

I have tried them all. Today, I am SO excited that my #1 favorite protein powder of all time, Growing Naturals, has agreed to join in the Blogiversary week celebration. They meet my high standards and then some… they are even soy-free and vegan!

The chocolate rice powder really does impart a chocolate taste. It’s perfect in my Mocha Beet Frapp. The vanilla was just the right amount of flavor to make my Plantain Ginger Bread taste like a warm treat.

I’m getting wordy. It’s Kat’s turn to blog today. Just click here for more on why they rock. Or, for proof, know that ~~beg~~ seek them out to sponsor me at Blend and do giveaways… I want everyone to try it! 😉

Sooooo… here’s the schwag one of you will WIN (giveaway entry at the bottom – US only, along with winners for Monday and Tuesday’s giveaways!):

Speaking of protein… my girl Kat is going to need plenty to fuel the race she’s running this weekend. Check her out and wish her luck below!!!

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You’re off to great places!

(by: Kat)

I’m leaving for my 100 mile race in Pennsylvania today. Yes, 100 miles, 32 hour time limit. I’m trying not to try to figure out how fast I have to run each mile to finish in under 30 hours, under 28 hours, etc. I really just want to finish. (Editor’s note: You are officially my hero.)

I’m scared, and I even emailed the race director to see if I could defer my entry ‘til next year. He said no, so I’m going. Eeeeeeek!

This has brought up serious insecurity. Why do my friends believe I can do this more than I believe in myself? My new mantra on my runs has inspired some confidence in me. I’ve been telling myself, “I am strong, I am injury-free, and I can do this!”

It really does help me re-frame and know my body is capable and my mind is yearning for the … what? (Editor’s note: This is so true. I do it in lifting. It’s amazing what positive self-talk can do to your physical abilities… and you know I’m not the touch-y feel-y type.) Maybe a break-through, maybe a break-down. Sometimes we need a little of both.

I plan on taking good care of myself, and Wednesday night was all about packing carefully, and preparing my food/necessities. With 100 miles on foot, you have to think: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and more calories. (Editor’s note: Meal time is my favorite!)

I also have to think about injury prevention, which means lights, batteries, keeping myself warm. I have to honor the body that allows me to even attempt this kind of challenge. I am so grateful to have a healthy body that allows me to push myself physically to achieve something mentally.

I also need to mention that waiting for my bar results has been a terrible waiting period, and I keep getting asked about the date for results which makes me a little batty. It’s October 28^th. Results October 28^th. (Editor’s note: We are going to celebrate hard core! I know you OWNED it!)

Right now, I’m wound up tight, and so are my finances. I’m so grateful for everything I have right now, including my Cold Life Organics deliveries, which save me money and allow me to experiment.

A few experiments lately include this parsnip-cauliflower puree and stuffed red bell peppers. They are both so easy I didn’t initially think of them as a blog post. But they are unique, delicious recipes that helped me to think outside the box.

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Parsnip-Cauliflower Puree

3 large parsnips, cut roughly into ¼ inch pieces
½ head cauliflower, cut roughly into ¼ inch pieces
½ Vidalia onion, diced
4 large cloves of garlic, chopped
Salt, to taste
1-2 T coconut oil
3 T butter
¼ C coconut milk

Saute onion, garlic, cauliflower, and parsnips in the coconut oil until it is generally soft-ish. You should easily be able to pierce the parsnips with a fork.

Add saute to a food processor and puree. Add coconut milk, butter, and salt to taste.

The parsnips give the cauliflower puree a floral taste that isn’t overwhelming. It’s a fun substitute for mashed potatoes that will leave your guests wondering. It’s gluten free, and can be made vegan by substituting the butter for your favorite butter substitute. It’s also lower carb and lower calorie, if you’re going for that! I served it with a little salad and chicken.

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

1/4 lb ground anti-biotic free chicken
1/4 C rice, uncooked.
2 red bell peppers
1 C marinara sauce
1/4 yellow onion
1 T coconut oil
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 green bell pepper
1/8 C nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut the tops off of bell peppers, and clean out seeds. Boil water and cook the bell peppers in the water for about 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.

Saute green pepper, onion, and garlic in the coconut oil, add the chicken and continue to saute until just cooked, but not dried out.

Stir in marinara and nutritional yeast.

Stuff peppers with the mixture and bake for 20-25 minutes.

I put cheese on top of one, and not on top of the other. Both were delicious. They’re gluten free and can easily been made vegan by eliminating/substituting the chicken for TVP. These were so easy and tasty, and they brought back childhood memories for my dinner partner. We love nostalgic food. We both also added additional nutritional yeast as a condiment while we ate.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check back at the NuNaturals and Muesli Fusion giveaways for the winners!

***

Good luck KAT!!!! P.S. You guys come back tomorrow. It’s a giveaway I put together myself of my favorite most-used items. 🙂

What easy recipes/meals do you forget to share because they are just so easy?

What challenges are scary to you lately, and how do you keep yourself going?

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Strange But Good: Roasted Grape & Kabocha Kale Salad

Roasted Grape and Kabocha Kale Salad

Black-Eyed Pea & Roasted Garlic Hummus

Portland is Delicious

Thanks for Bacon + Easy Cranberry Kale Salad

Cranberry Kale Salad

Strange But Good: Tofu Jalapeño Poppers

Tofu Jalapeño Poppers

Here’s to Kids Who Are Different

Breakfast:

Mid-Morning Snack:

Lunch:

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

Dinner:

Dessert:

Strange But Good: Beefy Oatmeal with Blackberry Salsa

Beefy Oatmeal with Blackberry Salsa

You’re Off to Great Places + Growing Naturals Giveaway

You’re off to great places!

Parsnip-Cauliflower Puree

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

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