Garam Masala Daal + Banana Cashew Chia Pudding

March 2, 2011 By Laura

Today marks the THIRD day in a row I’ve woken up early and worked out.

This is nothing short of a miracle.

This morning I did my favorite bike-elliptical-treadmill intervals while watching GMA recap Charlie Sheen’s craziness.

Yes, I do have the app to help wake me in the right sleep cycle… this morning I also had a little added motivation.

Breakfast.

I made an overnight cashew-vanilla banana pudding. I swear to you, it tastes like banana pudding.

Overnight Banana Cashew Pudding

1 banana, mashed
1 T cashew butter
1/4 C coconut milk (So Delicious unsweetened)
1 T chia seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mash and mix together and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the fridge in the morning and enter breakfast heaven.

Last night I scored a huge win in the kitchen. With lentils, no less. After the cleanse, I swore them off. These are an exception – I’d eat this every day. Black Beluga Lentils. Yep – like the caviar. While they do resemble beluga caviar, but don’t be scared. Their flavor is more bean-nutty than fish-salty.

Unlike “regular” lentils, Black Belugas hold their shape and a bit more structure when cooked. They’re smaller, and therefore cook more quickly. Watch out – easy to over-cook/dry out!

I wasn’t kidding about this being Indian Week.

I haven’t found a good explanation of what exactly allows one to call Indian-spiced lentils “Daal.” So I’m taking liberties with it. Bwhahaha! Pictures, notsogood. Daal, incredible.

If I were you, I would make this. TONIGHT. Full of flavor, fun to experiment with, and plenty filling. Due to my love of spice, I added red pepper flakes. It really wasn’t too spicy, but you always leave it out. Definitely don’t leave out the bay leaf. It adds a great depth of flavor.

Garam Masala Daal

(Inspired by this from Angela @ Oh She Glows)

1 cup uncooked black beluga lentils
2-3 cups water
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 chopped medium red onion (~3/4 C)
1/2 garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 cup tomatoes, diced
S + P, to taste
2 T fresh parsley, chopped

Rinse the lentils and place them in a medium pot with 2 cups of water. Bring them to a boil, add a few pinches of salt, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Add more water as need to avoid burning – I added 1/2 C with ~10 mins to go.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until just translucent, ~5 mins. Now add in the spices (garam masala, turmeric, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf), stirring and cooking ~2-3 mins to combine flavors.

Add in the minced ginger, garlic, and lemon juice and stir. Cook over low heat for another 2-3 mins. Add in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook until slightly reduced, 8-10 mins. Stir in the cooked lentils. Allow to cook for another min or two.

Place in bowls, drizzling with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil and flaky salt (I use basil-infused olive oil and lemon salt – v. good).

***

Did you watch Charlie Sheen’s interview last night? What was your favorite Charlie quote?

In case you need help understanding Sheen, check out the Charlie Sheen Dictionary.

Indian Week

March 1, 2011 By Laura

PSA: Sleep Cycle is the best app ever.

Wild ass claim…

From their website, Sleep Cycle is a “bio-alarm clock that analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you when you are in the lightest sleep phase.” Since using it, I have woken up on time (or early!) and not pressed snooze the first time.

By far, the most useful app I’ve downloaded to-date. I’d give it an Oscar. For the second morning in a row… I had time to go to the gym!!!

And make a tasty breakfast:

Roasted grapefruit with fresh nutmeg, cinnamon, and coriander. Side of Greek yogurt + chia seeds. Coffee.

If you’ve never tried a roasted grapefruit, I highly recommend it. It is an easy and grapefruit is in season right now.

For a “how-to,” check out this post.

____________________________________________________________________________________

This week has inadvertently become Indian cuisine week… (more after the jump) …

The Best Chocolate Around

February 1, 2011 By Laura

The Atlanta Rollergirls 2011 Season is about to begin!!!

Who’s coming to the opener on Feb 26th?! The Sake Tuyas will most certainly defeat the Denim Demons in the 730p home opener. (Can you guess which team I’m on? 🙂 )

Get your tickets now – we will sell out.

If the 2 hour endurance practice we had last night is any indicator, this season will be a fast-paced, action-packed show!

___________________________________________________________________________________________

I am willing to bet we can agree on at least two things:

Rollergirls are awesome
Chocolate is delicious

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the combo is the Best of Atlanta.

ARG’s most bad-ass skater, Demi Gore, also happens to make the most bad-ass chocolate in Atlanta at Chocolate F/X.

If you are a meat-eater, eat the bacon toffee. Your mouth can thank me (errr… Demi) later.

Source: Chocolate F/X

The ganache-centered deliciousness will melt in your mouth. Cayenne FTW.

Source: Chocolate F/X

You can order online!!!

***

Your action-items for the day:

1. Order some Chocolate F/X for yourself on Valentine’s Day your Valentine.

2. Buy tickets to the ARG season opener. Watch Demi and the rest of the all-stars on the Dirty South Derby Girls team @ the 5p bout and the Sake Tuyas take on the Denim Demons at the 730p.

Its BYOB, people!

Souper Saturday

January 22, 2011 By Laura

Getting out of bed is the hardest part of going to Saturday morning practice.

I got out of bed at 7am. I don’t get up that early for work.

At 8am this morning we began a 3 hour derby practice. SO glad I woke up.

A couple of amazing guest skaters – Rice Rocket and Varla Vendetta – were in town to lead a workshop. I’m not gonna lie – I was derby crushing. We learned some new drills and were able to do a quick scrimmage with our teams.

Then – because I am extra crazy – I came home and ran 3 miles. In 26 minutes!!! This is pretty fast for me. It is freezing outside and I think my body was just trying to get warm. 🙂

I love a souper-motivated Saturday. I also love Souper Jenny. Jenny makes creative, tasty soups fresh daily, along with salads and a couple of sandwiches. I have been known to:

Drive 30 miles from my old office to eat there for lunch
Save her daily email menus to remember a particularly interesting flavor combo
Completely change my plans to eat dinner there on Thursdays for Grilled Cheese Night

All this to say that I finally attempted my own soup.

(I did make the Butternut Squash Apple, but I’d read like 40 recipes first. This one I just went into the kitchen and threw stuff together. 🙂 )

It isn’t half bad. In fact, it is pretty damn good!

Perfect for lunch after a frigid run.

White Bean, Butternut Squash, and Kale Soup

EVOO
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C (1 can) vegetable broth
3 C chopped tomatoes (I used Pomi)
1 C (1 can) cannellini beans
3 celery stalks
1 sweet potato
1/2 medium butternut squash
4 C kale
3 stalks fresh rosemary (~3 T)
1 T fresh lime juice
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp roasted cinnamon
S & P to taste

Chop all veggies into bite-sized pieces. In a large pot, heat EVOO over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeños. Saute 6-7 mins until onions are translucent and soft. Add in garlic and cook for another 1-2 mins.

Add in sweet potato, butternut squash, and celery. Stir to combine with the saute mixture and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes.

Pour in the vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil. Add beans and kale to the soup. Stir to combine, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover pot with the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Salt & pepper to taste. If you like a thinner soup, add water or more stock and adjust spices.

Makes 5 servings (1 cup each).

My creation has approximately: 250 calories, 6 g fat, 42 g carbohydrates, 12.5 g fiber, and 10 g protein. It is also rich in Vitamins A and C.

***

My favorite thing about soup? It is souper (I know I know… I’ll stop) filling and can easily be made nutrient-rich and low-cal.

What is your favorite soup creation?

My Top 5

January 19, 2011 By Laura

I have an announcement: My skinny pants are too big.

OMGOMGOMGOMG.

When I started this blog, I had a gained a pretty significant amount of weight. I had been out of grad school for a year, and had gotten accustomed to sitting at a desk all day and still eating anything I wanted. My body revolted.

Basically, my fat pants became my skinny pants.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC0Nsba1fWQ&feature=related

***Disclaimer: I love my job – I just love this video. And I don’t like sitting all day.***

Last week my trainer made me get on a scale for the first time in a couple of months. Post-grad school sitting-on-my-butt weight is officially GONE!!!

Fat pants, be damned!!!

I still sit at a desk all day, but I adjusted my eating habits and made exercise a part of my daily routine. Just like brushing my teeth.

How did I do it?

There were many, many habits I changed, new behaviors I learned, and – last but not least – an amazing amount of self-control. I could write pages, but here are my Top 5 Factors (after the jump).

…

Read More »

Spice Up Your Dessert

January 13, 2011 By Laura

I don’t want to run.

At all.

This frigid, icy weather has taken a toll on my workout motivation. Yet I did.

Want to know the secret steps to success when you’re held captive by the weather?

Make a plan – mine was a incline interval run
Write it on a piece of paper
Get dressed in workout gear (it helps you commit to going!)
Get on the “dreadmill” WITH the written plan in front of you
Promise yourself that if you go 10 mins and still feel terrible, you can stop
Promise yourself a giant spaghetti squash dinner and a glass of wine
Wait for about the 8 min mark
Motivation/resolve sets in. At this point you realize you will go the full time and survive.

I have no idea how I got through that one, but I did.

Then I ate this:

Thank god for the cleanse and my discovery of Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti.

My derby teammates, the Sake Tuyas, are having a sleepover this weekend. Everyone is bring a dish and the theme is Mexican. Because I am crazy, as I was laying in bed last night I was contemplating the possibilities (doesn’t everyone lull their self to sleep thinking about food?). Then it hit me.

When I made these Black Bean Brownies, I thought I had hit the jackpot. But… no. There’s something better out there.

Black beans are in (I think) every taco at Moe’s (clearly an authentic Mexican specimen).

This alone qualifies them for the potluck. But why stop there?

Amp it up and add some spicy-goodness! The addition of cinnamon and spice and everything nice adds a depth of flavor that is not to be missed.

Protein-rich, fudgy brownie with ~150 calories per serving (less than the original since I reduced the sugar and egg). Does it get any better?

Mexican Black Bean Fudgy Brownies

3/4 C cocoa powder
1/2 C salted butter, melted
1/2 C applesauce (unsweetened)
15 oz canned black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 C walnuts (chopped)
2 tsp vanilla
1 T instant coffee
1 1/4 tsp roasted ground cinnamon
1 tsp ancho chili powder
3/4 tsp cayenne powder
Shake of kosher salt
3 eggs
1 C light agave nectar

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Prepare an 11 x 7 in pyrex dish by lining with parchment paper or lightly oiling with Baker’s Joy/Pam/butter/etc.

In large bowl, mix together melted butter, applesauce, and cocoa powder until combined.

Place the beans, 1/2 C of walnuts, vanilla extract, and 3-4 spoonfuls of the cocoa mixture into a food processor. Blend until smooth (~ 1 min). It will be very thick. Set aside.

Add to the cocoa mixture the remaining 1/2 C walnuts, instant coffee, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne, and salt and mix well. Add bean mixture to cocoa mixture, manually stirring until well blended.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with a mixer until light and creamy (~ 1-2 min). Add agave nectar and beat well. Fold the egg mixture (reserving 1/8 C to drizzle over top if desired) into the bean and cocoa mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into prepared pan.

Bake for ~45 mins, until the brownies are set. Cool completely in the pan before cutting. You may need to refrigerate first – these are extremely soft.

Optional: Sprinkle top with a mixture of cinnamon, chili powder, and powdered sugar.

***

Now to do a quick core workout before bed. If I can just get started…

What are your secrets to motivation for a bad-weather workout?

Snowmygawd!

January 12, 2011 By Laura

We’ve moved on from the snow to ice. This city is shut down. Even derby practice has been canceled all week! In case you were wondering, ice is significantly less fun than snow.

Peachtree St. (the main drag through Atlanta) is literally a sheet of ice. No joke – this dude was ice skating down the street.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iudRPyX4934

This is 2 blocks from my condo.

Being trapped has done a lot for productivity – I have gotten 2 big deliverables done for work, changed my sheets, hand washed dishes (I always put off doing hand wash-only dishes), worked out everyday, done laundry, and some other random “to do” items.

I did get out on Monday night for some fun. Atlanta was in par-tay mode! 🙂

Picture taken by random guy on the street:

Told you I'm a red-head!

Last night I made some rockin’ roasted sweet potatoes. I couldn’t take a picture, but my sister requested that directions be posted. Here you go, Alli:

Lavender Roasted Sweet Potatoes

1 Giant Sweet potato
1/4-1/2 tsp Dried lavender blossoms
1/2 tsp Dried rosemary
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 T EVOO

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chop well-rinsed (I don’t peel mine) sweet potato into 1/2 in cubes and spread out on foil-lined baking sheet. Toss with herbs, salt, and EVOO.

Roast in oven for ~40 mins, tossing once at 25 min mark. Remove and enjoy!

***

I read an interesting article from my Active.com daily email. It discusses training for a race vs. weight loss.

Many people begin running for weight loss. One of the common stories I see is that of people signing up for a 5K as motivation to begin running and drop a few lbs. I don’t think this article is necessarily referring to those people – this seems more related to longer races or more competitive racers – but it is an interesting read and can provide some perspective.

Major take-aways:

Your body needs more calories when you’re seriously training. This is not the time to cutting to under 1,500/day .
Strength training shouldn’t be a focus while training. Muscle burns fat, but lifting seriously can exhaust you and add more muscle than is ideal for a race.
Endurance require some carbs. Losing weight does not. Eat more protein if you are trying to lose. Sub in some carb-cals for the protein when you are in training.
Many of the fitness magazines are highlighting the awesome weight-loss results you see from cardio intervals. True story. Just don’t make these the bulk of your workout if you are trying to run a marathon – they aren’t a substitute for a long run.
“Fasting” workouts are when you workout first thing without any food on your stomach. In theory, they burn straight fat rather than burning off carbs first. I’m not a fan of these in general (it can also mean muscle breakdown as you body struggles to fuel the workout), but you especially don’t want to do this for longer/endurance runs.

***

What are your thoughts? Can you focus on weight loss and training? Anyone a fan of the fasting workout?

Speaking of… I’m off to the gym! Gotta do what you can to warm up. 🙂

Snow Day

January 10, 2011 By Laura

Snow days are much more fun when you don’t have to work. This is the downside of technology.

No matter – I did get to go sledding in the park last night at 1 am!

Check out my crazy-dark-red hair!

In the daylight this afternoon, I went for a walk/run around my neighborhood.

3.5 verrrry careful miles took 50 mins!

I did have to stop for some people-watching. Lots of sledding (pool toys are the most popular sleds this year), snowboarding, and even spectating from the comfort of a couch. Yep – someone hauled a couch out to the park so they could watch the action with all the comforts of home.

Source: AJC.com

The neighborhood bar is open (and packed). A group was playing hockey in an icy parking lot. People who decided to drive and just spinning their wheels in place. Peachtree Street is a solid sheet of ice.

Source: AJC.com

I did my P90X – Ab Ripper X before lunch when I got home.

Apparently snow makes me eat random things. Lunch was a corn tortilla with hummus, sautéed asparagus, red pepper, onion, and garlic with sides of cucumber, carrots, and yellow raspberries. Followed by a Think Thin bar (6g of protein, 0g sugar, and reasonably tasty!).

This one is my fav - love the crunchy pieces of toffee!

Needles to say, I’m looking forward to a football-game-watching-worthy dinner. I never thought I’d say this, but I’ll do it for Baby Sis…

Go Tigers!!! 🙂

I’m trying (holy snow-induced ADD, Batman) to get my work done so I can go play, too!

I’m going to stop procrastinating now.