Runs on (Mostly) Plants

Bountiful Beets

2010-07-12T20:13:00.007-04:00

It's been a while since I have enjoyed a meal this simple and this delicious. All thanks to a beautiful bunch of beets from my trip to the farmer's market this past weekend! Beets are in season right now, and I hadn't used them in a while, so I decided to pick up a bunch yesterday. These beets were on the small size, all smaller than a baseball, and the greens on the bunch were plentiful and vibrant. You have to love a vegetable that gives you two totally different things to eat.

So after my initial beet excitement, I sort of got stuck on what to do with them. I really didn't want to heat up the whole house with the oven to roast them, and I didn't wait to boil them and watch all the color and vitamins (especially folate) leach out into the water. Luckily for me, the New York Times ran a section that was more than appropriate - Recipes for Health: Beets. Lo and behold, there I found a raw beet recipe. So tonight, I went ahead and tried out the Grated Raw Beet Salad. Let me just say this first. I had never eaten beets raw before, so I was a little nervous about how they would taste. I am nervous no more. After eating these beets, I'm not sure I ever want to cook them again. The one thing I changed in the recipe was the lettuce; instead, I put the beets over spinach. Other than that, this was beet perfection. The citrus complimented the fresh beet flavor without overpowering it. The fresh herbs (I used parsley) added more color and bite. So simple, but so perfect. Here's the bowl of beets and citrus juice (notice the stained cutting board; wear your apron!). I could have just eaten this for dinner, but I figured I ought to control myself and finish the recipe.

I couldn't let the beet greens go to waste, and I needed a little protein in this meal. To make that happen, I cooked up some quinoa. When it was about half done, I added the washed and chopped beet greens with some orange and lemon juice, and let the greens wilt. After finishing with some salt and pepper, I served this alongside the beet salad. What a plate! Cooked and raw, red and green. This was delicious and satisfying. I'm really looking forward to returning to the farmer's market this coming weekend to tell the farmer how great the beets were and to buy another bunch!

Thanks Twitter, for Pointing Me Towards a Sustainable Dinner

2010-07-07T20:50:00.009-04:00

The whole eastern seaboard is currently in the midst of a pretty epic heatwave, and as a result, I simply do NOT feel like cooking, let alone eating. So, salads it has been, for both lunch and dinner. But today I jazzed up my salad with just a teeny bit cooking! After yet another plain salad for lunch, I checked my Twitter account. I follow my local Whole Foods on Twitter, and one of their recent tweets advertised Alaskan sockeye salmon on sale for $12.99, $4.00 off. That piqued my interest, and since I needed to hit the grocery store after work, I figured I would check it out. By the time I got there, there wasn't too much of the salmon left, so I presume I'm not the only one following Whole Foods on Twitter. I ordered a nice sized fillet, about 5 ounces. Besides looking beautiful and being on sale, I was excited to see that this particular salmon was certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. On top of that, the fish was not previously frozen, ensuring great texture. Before I left the store I picked up some New Jersey produce to add to my salad. I grabbed a few cucumbers from Maugeri Farms and a bunch of radishes from Twin Pond Farm. It's so great that a big store like Whole Foods has these kinds of relationships with local farms. I'm happy to be able to feel good about the produce I buy, even when I can't get to the farmer's market and buy it directly.

I decided to use orange to tie the whole salad together by using orange segments on top and orange juice in the salmon marinade and dressing. Now keep in mind, you can really use any vegetables you like in a salad like this. I used the cucumbers and radishes I mentioned above over romaine lettuce, but you could just as easily substitute carrots, red onions, spinach, or whatever else you like with orange flavor. While I prepped the veggies, I let the salmon sit with olive oil, orange juice (about half the juice from the orange I segmented), lemon juice, and salt and pepper. It was just about 10 minutes or so of marinating. Once the veggies and orange segments were ready to go, I heated up a nonstick pan to medium and added the salmon, skin side down, along with some of the extra marinade. I let it cook for about 4 minutes, then I added the rest of the leftover marinade, lowered the heat to medium low, and put a lid on the pan. After about 8 minutes, the salmon was done to flaky perfection. I removed the meat from the skin and used a fork to break the fillet into chunks. After topping the salad with the cooked salmon, I mixed up a quick vinaigrette. I used the rest of the juice from the orange, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, parsley, mustard, and salt and pepper. It had a nice citrus flavor and added a bit of needed acidity to the salad.
Overall, this salad was a great success. The salmon was just great simply prepared and added substance and protein to the salad. The radish gave a nice spicy kick and the cucumbers and romaine were cooling on this hot day. The vinaigrette brought everything together with more citrus and acid. I could feel good about the fish and produce I bought today. This salad is definitely a must try, and to think I have Twitter to thank for it!

One of My Favorite Healthy Fats and Races!

2010-06-23T21:27:00.005-04:00

I have never done more than one race in a single week, until now. Last Thursday I attended the first of six 5k races in the Jersey Shore Running Club Summer Series, and the Saturday after that I ran the George Sheehan Classic 5 mile race. Summer Series was really fun. About 100 people came out. I finished a few seconds under 25 minutes, which was not a PR or anything, but I did come in first in my (minimally represented) age group. I'm looking forward to the next race tomorrow, even though it's supposed to be 94 degrees out. The Sheehan Classic is one of my favorite races. It's right in my town, so I don't even need to worry about leaving early or parking or anything. I had a bit of an upset stomach that morning, but I was able to get over it in time to race, and ran a PR! I finished in 42:31, which I was thrilled about since this course is pretty hilly compared to the course I ran my previous best time on. I don't have any more big races scheduled for a few weeks, so it will be nice to use the weekends to get some longer runs in.

In case you were wondering if I feel guilty eating fat, well, I can assure you that I do not. Fat gets such a bad name, when in reality, it's a really important part of everyone's diet. Of course, some fats are better than others, and coconut is one of my go-to healthy fats. I find that coconut is great in both sweet and savory dishes. Last night, I used coconut milk to make a hearty curry dish. This is a great meal to make on a weeknight when time is an issue. My favorite part of this meal was the delicious snow peas that I picked up at the farmer's market this past weekend. They were so crunchy and sweet, so much more delicious than what you get at the grocery store. I served the curry over brown rice, which soaked up the coconut milk. Yum. This makes about 4 servings, and the leftovers are great. In fact, Mark took them to work for dinner tonight.

Tofu and Veggie Curry over Rice
-1 cup brown rice
-2 tbsp canola oil
-1 lb. package extra firm tofu, diced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
-4 red skinned potatoes, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 cup snow peas, ends trimmed
-2 tbsp curry paste (I used green, but you could use red)
-1 15 oz. can coconut milk (don't buy light!)

-Get going on preparing the rice first, whether on the stove or in the microwave.
-Heat a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add the canola oil, then add the tofu. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until golden, then flip and cook another side until golden. Remove the tofu and drain on a paper towel.
-Add the potatoes, peppers, and peas to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
-Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Then add the curry paste, and stir to incorporate.
-Add the coconut milk to the pan. Bring everything to a simmer, then cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Add the tofu and toss to coat with the curry sauce.
-Serve the curry over the cooked brown rice immediately, or refrigerate for a few days.

Taking a Little Help for a Quick Dinner

2010-06-16T08:54:00.015-04:00

Before I get into last night's tasty dinner, let me quickly recap my race this past Saturday, the Pre-Father's Day 5k. It was another really nice morning for a race; fairly cool and a little overcast. I was planning on running the race with just my dad, but at the last minute, my husband Mark decided to run too. My not-so-secret goal is to one day have my whole family participate in a race, whether doing the run or the walk that often happens concurrently. Anyway, the course was nice and flat with lots of shade, but regardless of that, I still felt pretty rough the whole time. I guess it was because I was running at a fast pace for me. I finished in 23:16, a new PR! Mark and my dad both finished in under 27 minutes for their first ever 5k, which is better than I can say about my first race. I have heard rumors that the course is about .1 miles short, but I really don't know. I guess I will get a gauge of that when I run my next 5k. Another bonus about this race was the abundance of raffle prizes that were given away. There must have been at least 30 gift cards. Now I never win anything, but somehow I won a gift card to Spellbinders, a local surf shop. Mark and my dad won too, a Dunkin Donuts gift card and a free oil change. Speaking of running, the Jersey Shore Running Club Summer Series begins tomorrow. It's a series of six 5k races on Thursday evenings throughout June and July. The cost is minimal, and it will be a great way to meet club members, since I finally went ahead and joined JSRC. And last but not least, I am running the George Sheehan Classic 5 mile race on Saturday. I have a bone to pick with this hilly course since I ran it so slow last year.

On to the food! Now normally, I am not one to buy pre-made stuff. In fact, the only things typically in my freezer are frozen fruits, out of season frozen veggies, coconut milk ice cream, and ice packs. But, on my last shopping trip to Whole Foods, the prepared raviolis caught my eye. There were multiple varieties, all of which sounded tasty, and each box had 2 servings, which was perfect. Best of all, there were no funky ingredients that I couldn't pronounce. I settled on a package of broccoli rabe mozzarella raviolis. They were a tad pricey, but certainly not prohibitively, and I figured they would come in handy on a night where I was short on ideas but still wanted a filling meal. Last night turned out to be that night. While the pasta water came to a boil and the raviolis cooked, I put together a quick, rustic marinara sauce. Just some olive oil, onion, garlic, red pepper flake, and canned crushed tomatoes brought to a boil and simmered for a few minutes. I added seasoning and some of the oregano that is growing like crazy in my garden for extra fresh flavor. I also threw together a salad of romaine, carrot, and radish with a simple shallot vinaigrette. When the raviolis were done, I divided them between two plates and topped them generously with the marinara sauce. The verdict? Good and convenient. Not the best ravioli I've ever had, but for being frozen, they were pretty tasty. I wish there was more pronounced broccoli rabe flavor; perhaps the sauce was a little too much for it to come through. Would I buy these raviolis again? Probably. I'd like to try another flavor. Like I said, these are good in a pinch, and you can get creative with sauces to top them. Marinara, something red pepper based, maybe a creamy garlic sauce. I wouldn't call myself a frozen food convert, but it is nice to know there are products out there that I can feel good about keeping around for convenience's sake.

Grilled Portobello Sliders

2010-06-10T21:56:00.008-04:00

On a balmy early summer evening, you have almost no excuse to get outside and use the grill. When my mom called me yesterday and told me she had picked up a package of slider-sized portobello mushrooms, I said I would be over the next night to grill them up. The catch? My mother had convinced herself that she didn't like mushrooms. Now, I get that mushrooms are kind of weird. They have a unique texture that you don't find anywhere else, they taste really earthy, and are more or less freaky looking. But they are so great in terms of versatility of use and how well they take flavor. Regardless, I had a tall order ahead of me - make my mom a mushroom convert.

For tonight's meal, we decided to marinate and grill the portobellos. Mushrooms are like little sponges, so marinating them is always a good idea. After a trip through my parents' cabinets, I found plenty of ingredients to use. In a bowl, I combined olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a bit of herbed basting oil, lemon juice and zest, a touch of mustard to bring it all together, and salt and pepper. Then I laid the mushrooms gill/stem side up, and poured the marinade in each one. I let them sit while I went for a quick 4 mile run, then we popped them on the grill. They cooked maybe 4 minutes on each side, until they had nice grill marks and were hot all the way through. I also brushed some of the basting oil on the top of the mushrooms while they were grilling. Right before they were done, I put slices of maple smoked cheddar from Grafton Village Cheese Company on top and let it melt. This cheese is out of control delicious. I served the cheesy portobellos open faced style on a slider bun, and topped them with sliced avocado and pickled red peppers. On the side, my mom made a quick potato hash with sweet potatoes, waxy yellow potatoes, and onions. This meal was so hearty and delicious, and guess what? My mom liked the mushroom! She even said it could stand in for a burger - exactly! Tonight's meal was a big success in terms of both flavor and finding new foods to enjoy.

Spring Lake 5 and Stir Fry

2010-06-09T11:43:00.011-04:00

In my last post I talked about my most recent race, The Spring Lake 5. I am happy to report that I set a new PR! It was a perfect day for racing, despite the heat that had plagued us during the week or so leading up to it. It was overcast, a little sprinkly, and not hot at all. This race was huge; about 7,500 people finished it. This also provided me with a good lesson learned - I am faster than I give myself credit for, and I should not start THAT far back in the pack. I got pretty stuck during the first mile due to crowds, and ended up running it in 9:20. Luckily the pack started to spread out, and I was able to pick up the pace for the rest of the race. I finished in 42:55, which was 492nd out of 3512 women racers. I am psyched! I felt really good and strong the whole time, and was really happy to come in under 43 minutes. Now onto the next race. This Saturday I am running the Pre-Father's Day 5k with my Dad. I am excited that we get to do the race together, even though I intend to beat him handily! Ha. I set a new 5k PR back in April, so we will see what I can do this time around.

Last night, after a hard workout at the track (400m repeats, ouch), I made a huge pan of stir fry. I eat stir fry a lot, probably once a week, since it is so versatile and never gets old to me. You can find my base recipe for the stir fry sauce here. I used tofu as my protein and for vegetables I used onion, red bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and boy choy stems and leaves. The boy choy was so delicious. It almost takes on a little sweetness as it cooks, and it's nice to have two totally different textural elements (crunchy stems, wilted leaves) in one vegetable. For my sauce, I left out the ginger and garlic that the base recipe calls for and instead added some fermented black bean garlic paste. YUM. This stuff is super flavorful and gave the sauce a whole new spin. I served all this over brown rice. If you still haven't experimented with stir fry, now is the time! With all the tasty spring and early summer vegetables we have available now, you will have all kinds of creative options to make it yours.

A Salad and Another Race

2010-05-26T16:37:00.008-04:00

Summer is definitely knocking on the door here! Today it topped out in the low nineties, although it felt hotter in the sun. On days like these, I typically want a salad (surprise, surprise!). Tonight, I made my salad a hearty meal by adding half a roasted sweet potato and about half a can of pan-fried chickpeas. For the potatoes, I simply cubed them, tossed them in a couple teaspoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasted them for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. For the chickpeas, I heated about a teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet, then added the chickpeas and cooked them for about 5 minutes, until they were popping. I topped this colorful creation with some freshly made Tomato Tahini Dressing, care of Gena at Choosing Raw. She has lots of great salad dressing ideas on her blog, so check it out. Anyway, this dressing called for one ingredient that isn't usually in my pantry (but should be): nutritional yeast. So, yesterday I bit the bullet and bought some from the bulk bin at my local Whole Foods. I was happy to find out that besides adding good flavor and a creamy texture to food, it is also a really good source of B vitamins and is a complete protein. Bonus. The only thing I changed in the dressing recipe was the nama shoyu; I subbed in soy sauce and it was no problem. This dressing added a lot of body to the salad without being heavy. The flavor was tomato-y, with a hint of tahini, but a little mild. Next time I might throw a clove or two of garlic in. But overall, it was a nice change of pace from the vinaigrettes I usually make. I have plenty leftover, and I think it would also serve well as a sandwich spread.

This Saturday I have my first race since the half marathon - The Spring Lake 5. This is a 5 mile race on a nice, flat course. It really serves as the kickoff to the summer racing season. This is one of the largest 5 mile races in the country, and is run by almost ten thousand people each year. It's also notoriously hard to get an entry into this race, but thanks to a very early morning wake up I managed to secure a bib. My Achilles is feeling pretty decent these days, thanks to Kinesio tape and heel lifts. I'm just happy to be healthy enough to be running! Ideally, I'd like to beat my 5 mile PR, which is 47:05. We'll see how it goes!

Green Symphony NYC

2010-05-12T13:20:00.010-04:00

Yesterday my mom, my sister, and I ventured into New York City to see the traveling King Tut exhibit. For as close as I am to the city, and with a train station just a few blocks from my house, I really don't go too often. That being said, I am not super familiar with quick, healthy places to grab a bite to eat in New York. Cue my iPhone and the free Yelp! application. The three of us oriented ourselves to the exhibit, and then I went ahead and searched the surrounding two blocks for an inexpensive restaurant. Just a few items down on my list was Green Symphony, listed as a vegetarian eatery with hot and cold food bars and smoothies. And it was only one block away. So, we headed over. What a great find this place turned out to be! A quick once-over yielded a huge juice menu, a fridge full of freshly prepared sandwiches and wraps, a well stocked hot and cold food bar, and loads of homemade goodies for dessert. I was craving a green juice, so I ordered the Green Monster - green apples, spinach, ginger, and spirulina. This did not disappoint! It was super ginger-y and tart, and was priced low, in my opinion. My sister got a smoothie with fresh apple juice and three kinds of berries. I had a sip of that, and it too was very tasty. My mom and I split an avocado sandwich on a flatbread, complete with hummus, sprouts, and mixed greens. This was really fresh and clean tasting, and it hit the spot; just enough to feel satisfied but not stuffed. I rounded out the meal with a homemade chocolate tangerine cookie. If you like the combination of orange and chocolate, you will love this cookie! I gobbled it up, but controlled myself enough to share with my mom.

This place was so chock-full of stuff I couldn't possibly sample everything in one trip. Both the hot and cold food bars looked amazing (there were samosas the size of softballs calling my name), and I could have chosen any of the juices and smoothies and enjoyed them. Also, the store was very clean and bright, and smelled like fresh juice and vegetables. Finally, the prices were so good I that forgot I was in Manhattan. I will definitely come here again next time I am in the midtown/theater district area. I highly recommend Green Symphony (255 West 43rd Street, between 7th and 8th Aves).

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-05T22:12:00.003-04:00

Ah, Cinco de Mayo. A celebration that typically ends with a bad hangover and a bloated gut. Mark and I celebrated a little differently today (not that I'm even totally sure why we celebrated this holiday, but it's fun, so I guess that's reason enough). After a run at a local cross country course in this gorgeous weather, Mark and I picked up a few items at the grocery store for a Mexican-inspired dinner. I was really craving yet another salad. I know, I know, you don't make friends with salad. Oh well, I love them, and this warm weather makes me want cool, light food. A single serving of a little homemade margarita (thank you limeade concentrate, what a time saving trick!) was the perfect accompaniment to this salad. The recipe below serves two really hungry people.

Mexican Chopped Salad with Lime Dressing
-2 servings of mixed greens (I used romaine and mesclun mix)
-1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 8 oz can whole corn kernels, rinsed and drained
-1 large tomato, seeded and diced
-half a cucumber, seeded and diced
-1 avocado, diced
-juice of 3 limes
-juice of 1 lemon
-3 tbsp olive oil
-1 clove garlic, grated
-1 tbsp agave syrup
-1 tbsp chili powder
-salt and pepper

-Divide the greens between two dinner plates and set aside.
-Combine the beans, corn, tomato, and cucumber in a bowl. Toss to combine, and then divide the mixture evenly over the two plates of greens.
-Sprinkle the diced avocado evenly over the two salads.
-In a small bowl, combine the citrus juice, oil, garlic, agave, chili powder, and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Divide in two and drizzle evenly over the salads. Serve immediately.

Changes, a Race Recap, and a Salad

2010-05-03T15:23:00.017-04:00

I am writing while sitting down and resting a pair of tired, but recovering legs, thanks to Sunday's Long Branch Half Marathon! But we'll get to that in a minute. First, this may come as a surprise to some, but I am changing my eating habits once again. After a lot of thought and rather stressful consideration, I am not going to call myself vegan any longer. Lately I have been finding the label to be very restrictive, and I've been uncomfortable with it. I'm sure I could ramble on about my reasoning for paragraph after paragraph, but I will save it, and just say that I feel that this decision is the best thing for me personally right now. Going forward, I don't plan on hitting up a burger joint 5 nights a week, don't worry. I will thoughtfully consider any animal based products I put in my body, and make my decisions in a fluid, day-to-day way rather than by a strict set of rules (which works great for some people, I'm just finding it doesn't for me). My house, however, will most likely remain vegan (at this point I can't think of any meat or dairy products I need to have at home) and I will of course continue to focus on eating a healthy diet, so rest assured that many of the recipes I post will be vegan-friendly (and of course, delicious). I hope you all, regardless of your dietary choices, will continue to follow Runs on (Mostly) Plants.

On to the half marathon! My mom and I arrived to the start and finish area hour well ahead of the start time, at which point the weather was still reasonable. By the time the race started at 9am, it was HOT. The lovely ocean breeze faded as we headed inland on the loop course right around mile 3 and it didn't make an appearance again until almost mile 12. In between it was hot and humid, but everything else about the race was great. Through every street there was great crowd support. People with signs, bells, hoses and sprinklers, and even some with homemade water stops and snacks were out. There were even a few bands playing along the course! Before I hit a few road blocks in my training, I was shooting to finish in under 2 hours. But after my fall on my knee and some Achilles tendon trouble just a week and a half before the race, I eased up on that and decided to just enjoy the race and see what happens. I'm happy to say I finished in 2 hours 6 minutes 18 seconds (from the unofficial results posted today), and ended up in the top fifth of both my gender and age group. Not bad at all considering the unseasonably hot weather and a couple setbacks during training. And most importantly, I had a really good time doing the race. My friend John (who did the marathon) and his parents hosted a party after the race, and it was nice to kick back with friends old and new and a few beers and snacks. Overall, this was a great race! Mom was awesome taking pictures and cheering me on, a number of my friends completed the race, and everything was really organized, from pre-race packet pick up to the post-race massage. I hope to be back next year.
Last night I was craving a salad for dinner, but a salad with a bit of substance. A few months ago I made this Avocado Wasabi Salad from VeganYumYum. It was amazingly delicious. It's a bit of a process to put this whole thing together, so for a fast meal I decided to just make the chickpea part of the recipe and work it into a simple salad. The chickpeas are super easy to do, all you need are canned chickpeas, soy sauce, and wasabi in some form. The recipe called for powder, but I used paste and it worked great. Anyway, I made these chickpeas and tossed them with some mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, and a orange sesame dressing that I whipped up (this is obviously my favorite dressing of the moment, I can't get enough of it). Easy, quick, and light, but still substantial.

Asparagus Season

2010-04-26T21:11:00.006-04:00

Unless you haven't been to the grocery store in the past few weeks or you live under a rock, you must have noticed the abundance of fresh and inexpensive asparagus available lately. It's just in season now, being an early spring crop. I used to really hate asparagus. Maybe I didn't like the distinctive flavor, maybe I was weirded out by the way it made my pee smell. I don't know. But I am happy to report in the past few years I have come around to asparagus, weird pee smell and all. It's worth it when you get a bunch of really tender shoots and cook them simply. This dish served as a vehicle for basic roasted asparagus. The vehicle itself, polenta and mushrooms, wasn't too shabby either. This is a fast and easy meal if you use quick cooking polenta. It will work fine with regular, though, it will just take a little longer.

Soft Polenta with Mushroom Sauce and Roasted Asparagus
-1 1/3 cups quick cooking polenta
-olive oil
-1 small onion, diced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
-1 heaping tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
-1/2 cup white wine
-1/2 cup vegetable stock
-1 tbsp Earth Balance
-1 tsp cornstarch
-1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
-salt and pepper
-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-In a large pan, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 4-5 minutes until softened.
-Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
-Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook, stirring often, for 7-8 minutes until the mushrooms are softened.
-Add the wine and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the liquid reduces a bit.
-Meanwhile, arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until fork tender.
-Once the asparagus goes in, prepare the quick cooking polenta according to package directions. It should only take 5-10 minutes. Keep warm until you're ready to eat.
-Add the Earth Balance and cornstarch to the mushroom sauce and stir to thicken. Test the seasoning and adjust as needed.
-On your plate, scoop a serving of polenta. Top with the mushroom sauce, and arrange the roasted asparagus on top. Top with fresh parsley and serve.

Waffles and (One of) My Favorite Recovery Smoothies

2010-04-25T11:48:00.007-04:00

First of all, I apologize for my silence this week! It has been a little crazy with lots going on. But here I am, and I promise to try to not neglect Runs on Plants going forward! Anyway, things finally slowed down this weekend. I took the opportunity to make a tasty Saturday morning breakfast for Mark and I. Since I'm still cooking out of Veganomicon like crazy, I decided to make the Banana-Nut Waffles. Bananas and walnuts are delicious paired in muffins and breads, so why not waffles? As you could probably guess, these did not disappoint. They were so tasty, it was like eating crispy, fluffy banana nut bread. If you don't have a Belgian waffle iron, I suggest getting married so you can put it on your registry. I would never have bought one for myself, but I can't tell you how nice it is to have one. I don't use it all that often, maybe every month or two, but it is so great to be able to enjoy a restaurant quality waffle at home in sweats. I served these delicious waffles with some sliced strawberries and real Vermont maple syrup. I also had two leftover waffles, so I halved them and froze them. These are perfect for throwing in the toaster for a quick weekday breakfast. If this waffle recipe was this good, I can only imagine how awesome the Chocolate Chip Brownie Waffle recipe in the book is...
This morning I went to the gym to get in a strength workout. After any kind of workout, it's really important to recover with the right kinds of foods and nutrients. To put it really simply, you need carbohydrates to replenish your energy stores, and you need protein to help your muscles heal. In all my recovery smoothies, these two elements are the stars. This morning, I made one of my favorites, a green protein smoothie.

Green Protein Smoothie
-8 oz almond milk
-1 serving vanilla protein powder of your choice (today I used Spiru-Tein, which is a rice, pea, and soy protein blend)
-1 tsp maca powder
-1 tsp spirulina
-1/2 ripe banana
-1/4 cup frozen blueberries
-5-6 frozen strawberries

-Combine all ingredients in a blender.
-Blend until all ingredients are smooth. If needed for easier blending, add additional almond milk by the tablespoon.
-Serve immediately.

Veganomicon Mania

2010-04-18T19:25:00.007-04:00

I hope everyone has had an enjoyable and relaxing weekend. I was definitely happy to have some good stuff going on and good food to eat after this past Thursday. When I was out for a run, just half a mile from my house, I tripped on I don't know what and fell flat on the ground. I managed to get a pretty nasty series of cuts on my knee and my hand. So needless to say, thanks to the bruising/stiffness/healing cuts, my half marathon training has been kind of disrupted. The good news is, the bulk of my training is done, and I got myself on the bike, elliptical, and treadmill this morning at the gym. I think I will be back in action early next week, and I don't think this little setback will have much negative effect on the half marathon in 2 weeks.

On to the food! Since my mom got me a copy of Veganomicon, I have been busy picking out which dishes to make first. This weekend, I made two. My parents hosted visitors from out of state yesterday, my dad's best friend from college and his wife. My mom made a chicken stew for dinner, so I brought along a dish to eat and share - BBQ Black-Eyed Pea Collard Rolls. This was a simple recipe that was easy to put together and that looked really pretty on the plate. They also tasted great! Everyone who tried them enjoyed them. I can tell I will be making the BBQ sauce recipe many times this summer, so yummy. Another great thing about this recipe is that I got to eat it twice. There were a couple rolls and a bit of sauce leftover, so I repurposed them tonight for dinner. I cooked up a serving of brown rice, and added the filling from the leftover rolls (the collard leaves had gotten a little slimy so I tossed them) to a skillet with the extra sauce. The filling was chopped collards, mushrooms, black-eyed peas, and BBQ sauce. Once heated through, I served it with the rice for a delicious meal the second time around.
I tried another recipe from the book today, the Carrot Pineapple Sunshine Muffins. I figured these would make a great snack for Mark and I to take along to work this week. The muffins are chock full of delicious ingredients - pineapple, raisins, orange zest, carrots. It smelled like a tropical paradise in my kitchen while these baked. These came out wonderfully. They are nice and moist, thanks to soy yogurt and the fruit in the recipe, and they are fluffy like a classic muffin. I can't wait to enjoy these at work this week, it will certainly be a bright spot in the day! I think I will store them in the refrigerator though, even though they are so tasty fresh. I don't want them to get soggy. Any advice on storing muffins?
Anyway, have a great week everyone! Hopefully I will have a few new recipes for you this week.

Enchiladas Even a Carnivore Can Love

2010-04-14T21:34:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite kinds of Mexican food, or any food for that matter, is a big plate of enchiladas. There is just something about warm, filling goodness wrapped in a chewy tortilla and smothered in a delicious sauce. What's not to love? In the past, I've always filled these up with rice, beans, and a mix of vegetables. But this past week, I had a coupon for any Lightlife product, so I picked up a package of veggie protein crumbles. I decided to use them in these enchiladas. It really gave the meal some filling "meatiness", and added great texture and flavor. Besides the sauce, I topped these with a simple guacamole to give them some creaminess. I fed these enchiladas to Mark and my dad, who both really enjoyed them. My dad was, however, pretty bummed that there were no leftovers!

Enchiladas
-canola oil
-1 12 oz package veggie protein crumbles
-1 packet taco seasoning
-1 onion, diced
-5 cloves garlic, minced, with 1 cloves worth set aside
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-1 4 oz can diced green chilies
-1 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
-1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
-2 tbsp chili powder
-2 tbsp cumin
-hot sauce to taste
-3 tbsp prepared salsa
-1 bunch cilantro, chopped, with 1 tbsp set aside
-salt and pepper
-6 flour tortillas
-1 15 oz can enchilada sauce
-2 avocados
-juice of 1 lime

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the veggie crumbles and break up with a spoon.
-Prepare about 3/4 of the taco seasoning packet as directed (usually you just add water). Add the seasoning mixture to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the crumbles from the pan and set aside.
-In the same pan, add the onion, 4 cloves worth of the garlic, and bell pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until vegetables are tender and fragrant.
-Add the green chilies, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, and salsa. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and cook for another 7-8 minutes until everything is heated through and combined.
-Turn off the heat and add the cilantro, leaving 1 tbsp of it aside. Stir to combine.
-Grease one or two baking dishes, depending on their size. Heat the tortillas in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up.
-Lay a tortilla flat on a cutting board. Spread veggie crumbles in a line in the middle of the tortilla. Spread some bean and veggie mixture on top of that. Roll the tortilla closed, and place in the baking dish. Repeat until you've filled all the tortillas.
-Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over all the enchiladas. Put them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
-While the enchiladas bake, prepare the guacamole. Remove the flesh from the avocados and mash with a fork. Add one clove of minced garlic, a tbsp of chopped cilantro, and the juice of one lime. Stir to combine.
-Serve the enchiladas topped with the guacamole.

Cupcakes, Tea, and a Gift

2010-04-11T21:06:00.007-04:00

What an eventful weekend! I have lots of fun and delicious things to share with you all on this lazy Sunday evening. Earlier this past week, my good friend Greg told me about a new vegan bakery a few towns away from me. Needless to say, I got right to work figuring out the details on this place. Turns out it's called Papa Ganache (you can find them on Facebook here), and I took a trip there yesterday. Their treats are all vegan, mostly organic, and they have gluten-free items too. The goodies include cupcakes (regular and mini sized!), cookies, cinnamon buns, muffins, and breads. They have coffee and tea, too. The storefront is small but very cute, with a little seating area that looks out through huge windows to the nearby bay. I decided to get a few different items to try, mostly because everything looked so good I was having a hard time with decisions. For me, I brought home a mini strawberries n' cream cupcake, a mini chocolate peanut butter cupcake, and a regular size "Mostess", a twist on the classic cream filled Hostess cake (how cute is the play on the white curlicue icing?). I apologize for eating the mini chocolate peanut butter cupcake prior to the photo, I was so excited I just kind of inhaled it in the parking lot. I also got a chocolate chip cookie for Mark. Let me just say, all of the cupcakes were ridiculously good. Like, really, really delicious. It is a good thing this place is a bit of a ride from my house or I'd be in trouble. I had a nibble of Mark's cookie, and that was very tasty too. The texture was a bit of a surprise, kind of crispy on the outside and chewy inside, but overall it was very good. I give this place a big A+. Delicious treats, cute little storefront, friendly people working. I'll be back!

Another place I visited on Saturday was a new tea house in town. It's called NovelTeas. My mom had seen the place a few weeks ago and suggested we check it out. Upon walking in, it was like you were transported. Beautifully decorated, plenty of cozy seating, and a gorgeous backyard garden with more seating greeted us. Off to the side was the register and a wall of loose leaf teas available for purchase. Since we didn't have a lot of time, I just picked up some lemon herbal loose tea to bring home, but I can assure you I will be back to laze about for a few hours with some tea and a book. What a wonderful find in town!
Finally, my wonderful mom got a me gift today! She picked up a copy of Veganomicon for me. I was so excited; I've wanted this cookbook for a long time! I've used it at friends' houses and heard many a person rave about it, so I am really glad to finally have my own copy. I can't wait to get cooking!That's it for my busy weekend. The half marathon is 3 weeks from today! I'm getting really deep into my training, and I'm starting to get excited. Almost there.

Wild Rice Salad and Ice Cream!

2010-04-08T20:58:00.005-04:00

I have been craving rice for a few days now, but I didn't feel like making a risotto. I decided on making a wild rice salad. When I started looking for recipes online, I quickly became overwhelmed. So many variations, so many complicated recipes. After a little while of this, I said forget it! I decided to just kind of wing it, using orange as the main flavor since I saw so many recipes incorporating it. This recipe is nice and simple, and was really comforting without being heavy.

Orange Infused Wild Rice Salad
-2 cups wild rice or wild/brown rice blend
-4 cups cooking liquid (I used the juice of one orange and water; vegetable stock works too)
-zest of 2 oranges
-3 scallions, chopped
-1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
-3/4 cup dried cranberries
-juice of 1 orange
-1 shallot, minced
-1 tsp mustard
-1 tsp agave nectar
-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
-3 tbsp olive oil
-salt and pepper

-Cook the rice per the package directions. Add the zest of 1 orange to the cooking liquid. Mine took about 50 minutes on the stove. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before proceeding.
-Combine the scallions, pecans, and dried cranberries. Set aside.
-Combine the juice of the orange, zest of 1 orange, shallot, mustard, agave, vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper.
-In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, scallion mixture, and orange dressing. Stir to combine. Serve, or chill in the refrigerator for a few hours if you want a cold dish.
On a dessert-y note, I have been loving the So Delicious Banana Split Minis. They are made with coconut milk ice cream and they are just delicious. They're the perfect little sweet treat, and at only 100 calories, they are practically guilt-free. Nothing like an ice cream sandwich on these 80 degree days we've been having the past couple days!

Race Recap and a Delicious Dessert

2010-04-05T15:54:00.006-04:00

Hi all! First off, I hope everyone had a happy Easter/Passover/spring weekend. I had a busy and fun weekend for sure. Saturday morning was my first race of the spring season, the Sgt. Pat's 5k in Long Branch. This is a great race that is run in remembrance of a Long Branch police officer that was killed in the line of duty. It also supports a scholarship fund and a non-profit that assists those with mental illness, both in Sgt. Pat King's name. It's nice to know your entry fee is going to such good causes. Anyway, it was a little foggy and chilly in the morning, but by 11:00am when the race started it had warmed up a little bit. It was a big field, over 600 people in total, and the race went out and back on the promenade along the beach. I'm happy to report that I set a new PR! I ran the 3.1 miles in 24 minutes and 26 seconds, good enough for 3rd place in my age group. I felt good the whole way through and was really pleasantly surprised at my time; I'm really psyched on acheiving a sub-8 minute mile pace. It was definitely a confidence booster for the half marathon, now less than 4 weeks away. Here's me (#338) just before the final turn around.
For a little Easter and post-run treat, I made a batch of Lemon Bars. The folks at No Meat Athlete posted the recipe, care of Veganomicon. This is a cookbook I really need to get myself next time I get a Borders coupon in my email. Anyway, these came out awesome. I love lemony desserts, and sadly, vegan lemon curd or custard is pretty much non-existant. Using a few alternative ingredients (agar flakes, arrowroot), these came together perfectly. A must try dessert recipe in my opinion, especially for lemon lovers!

Pizza Fusion

2010-04-02T21:19:00.005-04:00

Just last week, a Pizza Fusion franchise opened in my town. When I saw the "coming soon" signs, I googled the place to see what it was all about. Happily, I learned that Pizza Fusion is vegan friendly and gluten-free friendly, which opens up pizza to a few pizza-challenged groups. They are also big on the eco-friendly thing; counters made of recycled soda bottles, tables made of reclaimed wood, lots of organic ingredients. All good stuff. To put the food to the test, Mark and I ate there tonight.

There is more than pizza at Pizza Fusion. They offer salads, sandwiches, and desserts too. For the purpose of my review, I'll stick to what I ate; pizza and dessert. In terms of vegan pizza options, you can do one of two things; go with the "Very Vegan" pizza (mushrooms, roasted garlic, tomato sauce, soy cheese) or do a "Build Your Own". You also get to choose your crust, either traditional white or multigrain. I went with the Very Vegan on multigrain, in the personal size (you can also do large and extra large if you have a few people eating the same thing). Overall, this was a tasty pizza. The crust was thinner than I expected, which is a good thing since I like crispy pizza. The sauce was very good and well seasoned and the soy cheese (they use Follow Your Heart) melted well and tasted good. My main gripe is that they were pretty skimpy on the toppings. I could have definitely used a little more roasted garlic, since I only tasted it in maybe 2 or 3 bites of the whole pizza. Another quibble is the price. My personal pizza was $9. That seemed a bit steep for a pizza this size. Overall though, the pizza was tasty and satisfying. When it comes to dessert, the menu is limited, and the only vegan option (which also happens to be gluten-free) is a brownie. I felt like having dessert, so I ordered one to go. I have to say I was pretty disappointed. The brownie looked and smelled really appetizing, but it just fell short in the flavor and texture departments. The brownie was too cakey and almost fluffy, which was weird. It also had a sort of chalky aftertaste/texture which wasn't too pleasant. Too round it out, it just didn't taste that good.

The verdict? Pretty good pizza, not so great dessert. This is a place I probably wouldn't have another sit down meal in, but I can see myself getting takeout once in a while for a treat. In any case, it's really nice to have a vegan option just a short walk from my house.

Spinach Salad with Blood Oranges

2010-03-30T19:53:00.006-04:00

After getting home from the gym tonight and drinking a chocolate banana shake made with Sunwarrior protein, I decided I wanted a light, simple dinner. Luckily, I picked up salad ingredients when I grocery shopped at Whole Foods this past weekend. Blood oranges were on sale, so I bought a couple of them to segment into a salad. Blood oranges are sweeter than regular oranges, and have a great "blood" red colored flesh. This is thanks to the presence of anthocyanin, a type of antioxidant. Besides the antioxidants, blood oranges are full of vitamin C and fiber, just like regular oranges. I used spinach for my salad greens; perfect since the iron in the spinach is absorbed better when eaten with vitamin C rich foods. I also used avocado and sliced almonds to round out the salad, and I made a blood orange sesame vinaigrette to dress it. This was so good, I could have eaten a whole additional plate. The recipe below serves two; double as needed.

Spinach and Blood Orange Salad with Blood Orange Sesame Vinaigrette
-2 servings of fresh spinach
-2 blood oranges
-1 avocado, diced
-4 tbsp sliced almonds
-2 tsp red wine vinegar
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-1 tbsp canola oil
-1 tsp agave nectar
-1/2 tsp sriracha
-1 clove garlic, minced
-juice of half a lemon
-1 tbsp sesame seeds
-salt and pepper

-Divide the spinach between two dinner plates and set aside.
-Using a paring knife, slice the ends off of each blood orange. Then slice the rind and outer pith off the sides of the orange. Finally, slice out each segment of the orange between the membranes. Do this over a bowl and save the juice; you can also squeeze the remaining juice out of the membrane once you've removed your segments. Separate the juice and the segments.
-Make your salad dressing. You should have about 3 tbsp of blood orange juice. To this juice, add the vinegar, oils, agave, sriracha, garlic, lemon juice, sesame seeds, and salt and pepper. Whisk until combined.
-Top each plate of spinach with segments of one orange, half the diced avocado, and 2 tbsp of almonds. Divide the dressing between the plates and serve immediately.

Foam Rollers and Colorful Food

2010-03-29T21:44:00.007-04:00

Happy Monday! Again, it is raining here. I'm really glad I managed to get in a 9 mile run on Sunday right before the rain (which will continue until Wednesday) started. On that note, today I ordered a foam roller. I had noticed a tiny twinge in my knee, and I think it might be a tight IT band. I have heard some bad stories about IT band trouble, so to nip this in the bud I ordered the foam roller. It works like a massage for your muscles and tendons, loosening tight spots and relaxing them. From what I hear, foam rolling hurts a bit, but in a good way, and the feeling in your muscles when you're done is supposed to be great. I also did a little research and found some stretches and strengthening exercises to do. So, here's to hoping nothing problematic is at hand. I have a 5k this Saturday and the half marathon in just over a month!

Onto the food. Tonight I made the recipe I posted in my first real post in this blog; Roasted Tomato Soup. I also toasted up a whole wheat dinner roll, sliced, with garlic and oregano on top. Of course, I made a salad to go alongside dinner with romaine, cucumber, carrot, dried cranberries, and pine nuts, with a walnut vinaigrette. For dessert I recreated one of my favorite smoothies from the local health food store. I blended up apple juice, ripe banana, maca, spirulina, and frozen blueberries. Great deep color on this one thanks to the berries and spirulina! I also treated myself to one of the cookies I made yesterday. I'm still making my way through Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, and have yet to make a bad recipe. Last night I made the almond pignoli nut cookies. These are divine. I am a HUGE almond fan; regular almonds, almond extract, almond paste. Needless to say, I love this recipe. It's a challenge to not eat more than one of two of these at a time!
I'm happy to say I actually planned a bunch of meals and snacks before I grocery shopped yesterday. Expect some new recipes this week!

Risotto and a Smoothie

2010-03-24T20:28:00.007-04:00

As I've mentioned before, risotto is one of my favorite comfort foods. I really wanted to make something with mushrooms tonight, but was a little stuck when I started to try to figure out a recipe. Mark suggested risotto, and I am glad he did. After what seemed like a pretty long day, I just wanted to eat something savory and creamy. This mushroom risotto hit the spot. For something crunchy and fresh, I made a salad of romaine, carrots, celery, cucumber, toasted pecans, and dried cherries. I topped it with a lemony garlic vinaigrette. This meal was filling and tasty.
Mixed Mushroom Risotto with Peas
-olive oil
-1 onion, minced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 lb. mixed mushrooms, chopped (I used button, cremini, and shiitake, but you can use whatever kinds you prefer)
-1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
-1 1/2 cups arborio rice
-3/4 cup white wine
-4 cups mushroom stock
-1 cup water
-1 cup frozen peas
-salt and pepper
-1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

-In a small saucepan, heat the mushroom stock and water over low heat.
-In a large pot, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and the onion. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the onions start to look translucent.
-Add the garlic, mushrooms, and thyme. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the mushrooms are tender.
-Add the rice and cook for a minute, stirring, until it starts to crackle. Add the wine and stir until the wine is absorbed.
-Add a ladle of the mushroom stock and water combination and cook, stirring very often, until the stock is absorbed. Continue this process, one ladle at a time, for about 15 minutes, you are almost out of mushroom stock, and the rice is just shy of tender.
-Add the peas and your last ladle of stock to the pot. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Ensure the rice is fully cooked; if it isn't, add a bit more liquid and cook for another few minutes. Add parsley to the risotto, stir, and serve.For an easy and healthy dessert, I made a green smoothie. I simply blended orange juice, vanilla soy milk, maca, spirulina, frozen peaches, and frozen mango in the blender until smooth. Yum! This was really satisfying. Even Nitro (one of our three cats) seemed interested!

Peanut Noodles

2010-03-23T15:23:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite comfort foods on a rainy, windy day is noodles. I like noodles any which way, and I use them often. Sometimes I'll make vegetable lo mein with udon noodles, other times a spicy Asian soup with cellophane noodles. Last night (which was appropriately drab weather-wise), I chose to use soba, or buckwheat, noodles to make dinner. Besides tasting really good, these noodles are a source of multiple amino acids and are easily digestible since they are wheat free. My favorite way to use this kind of noodle is with a peanut based sauce; for whatever reason, a peanut sauce coats soba perfectly. After trying more sauce recipes than I can count on two hands, I figured out my own version of peanut sauce that I really love. You can simply boil the soba, dress in peanut sauce, and enjoy for a simple and fast meal. But I added a few tasty extras to mine - tofu and a mixture of veggies. A big bonus of this recipe is that it is equally delicious hot, room temperature, or cold. It makes for great leftovers.
Soba with Peanut Sauce, Tofu, and Vegetables
-8-10 oz. soba noodles, cooked, drained, and rinsed
-canola oil
-1 14 oz. package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes
-2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
-1 bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
-1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
-2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
-1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-1 clove garlic, grated
-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-1 tbsp agave nectar
-1 tbsp sriracha
-2 scallions, chopped
-2 tbsp sesame seeds

-Coat the bottom of a large pan with canola oil and put over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and cook for 7-8 minutes. Once golden, flip the tofu and cook for another 7-8 minutes so you have two golden sides. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel.
-Leave the heat on the pan. Add the carrots, peppers, and edamame. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring. Add 1 tbsp of grated ginger and cook for 1 more minute. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
-While the tofu and vegetables cook, prepare the peanut sauce. Combine the peanut butter (softened in the microwave if needed), soy sauce, 1 tbsp of the grated ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, agave nectar, and sriracha. Whisk well to combine. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of warm water to get the sauce nice and smooth.
-Toss the soba noodles with the prepared peanut sauce in a large bowl. Top with the cooked tofu and vegetables, and sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds over the top. Serve.

Meals, a Quick Review, and a Smoothie

2010-03-21T21:09:00.006-04:00

What a busy week, and weekend for that matter! I apologize for the lack of updates, but between busy nights at the gym, Mark's birthday on Friday, and lots of work on our house this weekend, I just haven't had the time. I have been cooking though. A few things I made this week are stir fry with bell pepper, broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, and edamame, pasta with artichokes, arugula, and white beans, and black bean tostadas (I'll have to post this recipe one of these days). I have some tasty meals in mind for this coming week so I'll be sure to have at least one new recipe for you all soon!

Earlier this month I posted about my new Nathan water bottle for running. Yesterday, on a positively gorgeous 65 degree morning, I got a chance to give it a test drive on a 6.5 mile run. Overall, this is a really good water bottle. First and foremost, it holds more than enough liquid (about 20 ounces) for really long runs. The sport top is easy to use, even while running. The fit around my hand was snug and comfortable, and the sweat wicking strap worked well. My only complaint was that the inside of my hand (around the bottle) got pretty sweaty. Over the course of the run I had to remove the bottle twice to wipe the sweat off my hand so the bottle wouldn't slide (sorry for the gross details). However, to be fair, I'm not sure how any water bottle would really deal with this issue. Overall, the bottle was comfortable, didn't negatively affect my running at all, and I was really happy to be able to have a swig of water every couple of miles.

I will leave you with a quick recipe tonight. After a strength training workout or a long run, it's really important to get a hit of protein and carbs to help your muscles recover. This smoothie hits the spot with just 3 ingredients. Feel free to add other supplements that you like to include in your diet. Flax oil or maca powder are my additions of choice.

Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie
-1 cup vanilla almond milk
-1 serving chocolate flavored protein powder (any kind will do; rice, soy, hemp, etc.)
-1 frozen banana

-Add the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until well combined and smooth. Add any supplements you like and blend to combine. Serve right away.

Vegan Muscles!

2010-03-15T15:38:00.008-04:00

Hi all! Mid-Atlantic folks, did it rain enough for you these past few days? Being stuck inside is never the best, but I got lots of quality running and working out in at the gym. I also had the time to check out a website that my husband showed me recently. Think you can't be strong and muscular on a vegan diet? Think again, and check out Mike Mahler. He's a sports conditioning trainer, a kettlebell expert, and a vegan. His website is full of useful (and often, free) information about working out and kettlebells, and also vegan nutrition. He freely admits that he eats mostly for fuel and not for flavor, but after reading through his basic food combinations, I thought up all kinds of tasty and healthy ways to make these base foods delicious! The homemade protein bar and smoothie recipes will also be really valuable to me, and they look so easy to make. I'll be sure to post the results of these experiments as I try them.

Mike's website also talks about his supplements of choice, and the one that kept popping up everywhere was Sunwarrior Protein. My friend Lauren uses this stuff in all her smoothies and loves it, so I figured now that I have multiple positive reviews I should order it. I went with the chocolate flavor, and I'm looking forward to trying it! Finally, visiting Mike's website really motivated me to work harder on my strength training days. I am a runner first and foremost, but the advantages of full body fitness and strength can't be ignored. Luckily my husband Mark is always there to push me farther than I think I can go, and I often surprise myself. If you feel like you're low on motivation, check out the website! There's no way you can read through it and not be inspired.

On a separate note, dinner tonight is going to be a stir fry. I'll use the base sauce from my earlier post, but tonight I am going to use broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, edamame, and red bell pepper. I'm also going to serve it over brown rice. Just one more variation on a dish that you can really get creative with!

Soup with a Little Bit of Everything

2010-03-10T20:52:00.006-05:00

I typically do a big grocery shop once every two weeks, and try to avoid hitting the grocery store in between. I make some exceptions, especially for certain kinds of produce that spoil quickly, but by and large the twice monthly grocery shop gets me through. That being said, I'm approaching the tail end of those two weeks between shops, and my pantry is getting pretty limited. In instances like this, I have a great soup recipe (if you can even call it that) that uses up items commonly in your refrigerator and pantry. You'll also have a few servings of leftovers, which works out well for tiding yourself over until shopping. It was inspired by this recipe, but I made a few tweaks. I served this soup with a salad made from my last head of romaine and some straggling carrots and celery that were in the crisper drawer.

Little Bit of Everything Soup
-olive oil
-half an onion, small diced
-3 carrots, small diced
-3 celery stalks, small diced
-6 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped (use 1 tbsp dried if you don't have fresh)
-2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (same as above)
-1 tbsp dried basil
-salt and pepper
-6 cups vegetable stock, water, or a combination
-1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
-2 15 oz. cans of beans, rinsed and drained (any kind will do, I used cannellini and red kidney)
-4-8 oz. small pasta (I had about a third of a box of small shells)

-Put a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot and put over medium heat.
-Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 8-10 minutes, until softened.
-Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and basil. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring. Season with salt and pepper.
-Add the vegetable stock/water and the tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
-Add the beans and pasta, and bring back to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is cooked. Serve.

Stuff in the Mail and Quinoa

2010-03-08T22:11:00.007-05:00

I don't know about everyone else, but I love getting stuff in the mail. A letter, a card, even something I ordered myself and I know is coming. Today, my new water bottle came! After my last round of half marathon training, I did a lot of reading and quickly realized that it is a really bad idea to run for 10 or 12 miles, in the summer, with no fluid intake. I'm obviously a moron for ever thinking that this was a wise idea. Anyway, I do not intend to make that mistake again. I was not psyched on the idea of water drops, since I would be paranoid of someone taking my water or messing with it, and the idea of wearing a fuel belt just did not seem appealing. So I went ahead and bought a handheld water bottle - the Nathan Quickdraw Plus. I had heard good things about Nathan products and the price was right, so I'm really hoping this works out. I'm sure it will take a bit of getting used to, but it will be invaluable on long runs, especially in the heat. The little zipper compartment will be great for a gel or Shot Bloks, too.
On a similar note, I got my first outdoor run in many weeks in today! The weather has been gorgeous these past few days, and I hadn't gotten outside too much. I knew I would be kicking myself if I didn't get out today, so I'm really glad I did. Come on springtime/daylight savings time!

In the interest of time tonight, I whipped up a quick salad. Quinoa is a superstar grain, packing loads of protein, folate, and important minerals like manganese and magnesium. I simply cooked the quinoa and tossed it with veggies that were languishing in my refrigerator and a homemade vinaigrette. This is another one of those salads where creativity is encouraged; almost any veggie will do!

Quick Quinoa Salad
-1 cup dry quinoa, cooked
-1 bell pepper, small diced
-1/4 onion, small diced
-half a cucumber, seeded and small diced
-1 large carrot, peeled and small diced
-3 tbsp parsley, chopped
-half a medium tomato, chopped
-1/2 tsp garlic powder
-1/2 tsp dried basil
-salt and pepper
-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
-4 tbsp olive oil

-Combine the veggies in a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, after it has cooled for 10 minutes or so.
-In a blender, combine the tomato, spices, vinegar, and oil. Blend until smooth.
-Add the vinaigrette to the quinoa and veggies, and toss to coat completely. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for a few days.

Something Soft for Dinner

2010-03-03T21:11:00.002-05:00

This evening after work I had an appointment for my twice yearly dentist appointment. I love the way my teeth feel after a good thorough cleaning, but wow, are my teeth sore when it's all done. With this in mind, I planned a soft, easy to chew dinner for tonight. Pasta was an easy choice. Using some mushrooms I bought last weekend and a few standard pantry items, I was able to whip up a fast, delicious, and most importantly, soft, dinner. I served this with a raw salad with stone ground mustard vinaigrette, but I really should have skipped the carrots.

Rotini with Mushrooms an Artichokes
-1 lb. rotini, cooked and drained
-olive oil
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-pinch crushed red pepper flake
-1/2 tsp dried basil
-10 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
-1 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered
-salt and pepper
-3/4 cup white wine
-1 tbsp Earth Balance
-juice from half a lemon
-3 tbsp parsley, chopped

-Coat the bottom of a large pan with olive oil and put over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.
-Add the red pepper flake and basil and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until garlic is just barely starting to brown.
-Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, until softened.
-Add the artichoke hearts and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
-Add the wine to the pan to deglaze. Cook for 7-8 minutes to let the flavors combine. Add a little pasta water if needed.
-Just before you are finished cooking, add the Earth Balance and stir until melted.
-Toss the cooked pasta with the mushroom and artichoke mixture, lemon juice, and parsley. Serve immediately.

Summer Rolls in the Winter

2010-03-01T21:17:00.006-05:00

Maybe it's because spring was in the air over the past couple of days (and by this I mean not freezing temps and some sun!), but I really have been craving light, summery food. I think I just needed a break from the heavier, richer winter dishes. In any case, I decided to try my hand at one of my favorite light dishes - summer rolls. I based my recipe loosely on this recipe on VeganYumYum. These rolls were definitely labor intensive; don't plan on making these unless you have at least a solid hour available. But if you have the time, these are well worth it! I'd recommend serving this with a Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping.

Tofu and Veggie Summer Rolls
-canola oil
-1 14 oz. package extra firm tofu, cut into wide matchsticks
-1 cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
-2 carrots, peeled and grated
-1 ripe avocado, sliced and tossed with juice from half a lime
-1 1/2 cups spinach, chopped finely
-1 small package cellophane noodles
-rice paper wrappers
-2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
-1/4 cup Vegannaise
-2 tsp sriracha
-juice of half a lime
-salt and pepper
-Heat a couple tablespoons of canola oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Pan fry the tofu until golden on two sides, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and set aside.
-Boil a pot of water, add the cellophane noodles, and turn off heat. Stir noodles until soft, 3-4 minutes. Drain, rinse, and drain again.
-In a small bowl, mix together the cilantro, Vegannaise, sriracha, lime juice, and salt and pepper. Add the noodles to the sauce and stir to combine. Set aside.
-In the pot, add about an inch of water and heat over low heat. The water should be warm, but not hot enough that you can't put your fingers in the water.
-Soften a rice paper wrapper in the warm water; this should take about 10 seconds. Lay the wrapper flat on a plate. Fill the center with noodles, tofu, cucumber, carrot, spinach, and avocado. Fold the rice paper around the pile like a burrito.
-Repeat the above process until your ingredients are gone. I got 8 rolls (and one mess up!) out of these ingredients.
-Serve with dipping sauce of your choice. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Black Bean Soup and a Training Update

2010-02-24T21:18:00.003-05:00

Everyone knows that beans are an athlete's best friend. Packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants, and iron, beans cover a lot of nutritional bases and make a great recovery food. Black beans are at the top of my favorite bean list, and I use them a lot. Tonight I made a simple soup that's quick to whip up and is super flavorful. I also had corn tortillas that needed to be used, so I sliced them up, fried them quickly in canola oil, and used them as dippers for the soup. Avocado slices or sliced scallions would also make tasty garnishes.

Simple Black Bean Soup
-olive oil
-half a large onion, diced
-half a red bell pepper, diced
-half a green bell pepper, diced
-1 jalapeno pepper, minced
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1 tbsp chili powder
-2 tbsp cumin
-1 tsp oregano
-1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
-1 25 oz. can black beans, with liquid
-2 cups vegetable stock
-salt and pepper
-1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
-juice of 1 lime

-Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the veggies start to get tender.
-Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
-Add the tomatoes with their juice, the beans with their liquid, and the vegetable stock to the pot. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, covered.
-Add the cilantro and lime juice and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve, garnished with cilantro leaves and tortilla strips.
Now for a quick training update. As you know, I am running the Long Branch Half Marathon on May 2nd. On Monday this week, I got an email; it was the first of ten emails (one for each week until the race) covering race details and updates. That really put those 10 weeks in perspective! I'm happy to say the first 2 weeks of training have gone really well. I've already started bumping up my paces since my body is used to this again, and the weekend long runs really start ramping up now. I still have a long way to go, but I know it's going to go fast. I don't think I will do any races in March, but I'm planning on doing three in April. It will be good for a change of pace in my workouts and for getting back into the racing mentality. I'll keep you posted!

Crust & Crumble

2010-02-21T21:00:00.005-05:00

It is the best when an unexpected food discovery is made. Today, a few friends and I went to a little place in Asbury Park called Crust & Crumble, at my good friend Jimbo's suggestion. Upon learning it was a pizza place, I had a quick "uh-oh" moment, but Jimbo told me that they have vegan options. So with curiosity piqued, we went.

Crust & Crumble is in an adorable shopping arcade, tucked in amongst funky stores and antique shops. The kitchen and bakery part are separate from the dining area, which was decorated simply and tastefully. We sat down and checked out the menu. This place offers a range of items beyond pizza, including salads, sandwiches, and pastries. But we all went for the pizza; we each got our own thanks to the personal (10 inch) pie option. You can either order from extensive menu of pizzas or create your own. I created my own; I got to choose my crust (whole wheat), sauce (marinara), meat (they had vegan meatballs and vegan sausage, but I skipped them), cheese (vegan cheese), and veggie toppings (artichokes, mushrooms). This pizza was SO good. Upon seeing it come out of the oven and right to the table, I assumed there was no way I could eat more than half of it since it was huge; but I managed to eat three quarters of it (yay leftovers)! The crust was crispy on the outside but had a good tear, the sauce was flavorful, the vegan cheese was melty and delicious, and the toppings were generous. I meant to ask what kind of vegan cheese they use, since I have to say, I really never use it at home. I'm not huge on using replacement meat or dairy products in general, but for a treat like pizza with friends once in a while, I'm really glad I have the option. Next time I go I will make it a point to get some details. Another awesome thing about Crust & Crumble? Huge personal pizzas for 4 people came out to less than $37. Delicious AND a bargain.

When I paid, I told our chef/waiter how psyched I was on the place and the vegan options, and he told me they are working on expanding their vegan items beyond the pizzas. Awesome! If you're in Asbury Park and looking for an inexpensive and really tasty lunch of dinner, check out Crust & Crumble.

A Weekly Stir Fry

2010-02-19T12:04:00.008-05:00

Not many meals are quicker and easier to put together than a traditional stir fry. Not many are as versatile either; you can put together nearly any combination of proteins and vegetables and create a tasty meal. Stir fry is a weekly staple in my house. This may come as a surprise since I typically don't post about them here; this is a direct result of me throwing these together quickly, usually without measuring much. But tonight, I measured, so now I can share with you! This recipe is very well rounded thanks to a range of ingredients - tofu, broccoli, peppers, ginger, soba (buckwheat) noodles, and more. But think of this recipe as a starting point. Like I said, the specifics are flexible. Maybe you would switch out peppers for mushrooms, or soba noodles for rice. Maybe you'd add some miso paste to the sauce. Be creative! You'll find that stir fries are a great meal to add to your weekly repertoire.

Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry
-1 8 oz. package soba noodles
-1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
-2 tbsp canola oil
-1/4 tsp salt
-2 large crowns broccoli, cut into bit size florets
-1 red bell pepper, sliced
-3 scallions, chopped
-1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tbsp sesame seeds
-5 tbsp soy sauce
-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-1 tbsp sriracha
-1 tsp agave nectar

-Cook the soba noodles according to the package. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.
-Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add cubed tofu and pan fry for 5-7 minutes, until browned. Flip the tofu cubes and repeat on another side. Remove tofu from the pan to a paper towel lined bowl and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.-In the meantime, blanch the broccoli florets for about 3 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
-In a small bowl, make the stir fry sauce. Whisk together the ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and agave nectar. Set aside.-Heat the same pan you fried to the tofu in over medium high heat again. Add the peppers and cook, tossing, for 4-5 minutes, until they start to get tender. Add the cooked broccoli and tofu and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to heat through.
-Add the scallions and prepared sauce to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 more minutes until everything is coated.
-Toss the stir fry with the cooked soba noodles to coat, and serve immediately.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T21:06:00.007-05:00

Of all days of the year, Valentine's Day ranks pretty far up on the list of days where a good meal is an important element. I started off the day with hearty bowls of oatmeal for Mark and I. I've been using McCann's steel-cut oats lately, and they are delicious. They cook up quickly on the stove and have a really pleasant porridge-like texture. I love oatmeal because once it's done, it is a blank canvas in terms of toppings. This time, I topped it with cinnamon, Vermont maple syrup, dried cranberries, and walnuts. This will fill you up and keep you going all morning.
For Valentine's dinner we actually went out on Saturday, since we figured we would dodge the crowds. We went to Bamboo Leaf, which is a Thai and Vietnamese restaurant. They have delicious food, and it is a cute little place with really friendly service. We started off the meal with vegetable spring rolls and a veggie and tofu spicy lemongrass soup. For dinner I had a Thai basil stir fry with tofu and veggies, and it was super tasty. I even had leftovers to eat the next day. This place is always a hit, and our Valentine's meal was no exception.

Finally, I made a Valentine's dessert. I have to give all the credit to No Meat Athlete for this one. I made three different kinds of filled chocolate cups - peanut butter, coconut cherry, and Kahlua cocoa. These were really fun to put together and came out great! It's so nice to have handmade candies for Valentine's Day instead of some mass produced, run of the mill chocolate. These also did perfect double duty for celebrating two great friends' engagement today (congrats Greg and Michelle)! You can find the details and recipe for these here.
All in all, it was a great Valentine's weekend. Besides all the tasty food, Mark and I went to Silverball Museum for a pinball date! If you're ever in the area, it is a must-see. I hope your Valentine's Day was a good one, with a few sweet treats involved too!

Snowed In

2010-02-10T22:15:00.007-05:00

Yet another snowstorm! I almost feel like I live in Vermont again. I did go into work this morning, but I left early when I saw the roads getting bad. So I came home and spent the rest of the day catching up on stuff around the house. First I made a big batch of wheatberry salad. I subbed in pecans and dried cranberries, and also added a chopped red bell pepper. This made a tasty afternoon snack and will be handy to have in the fridge for a light lunch or another snack.

I also put together an easy dinner. I cooked up two GardenVegan burgers in a skillet and put them on whole wheat hard rolls. I layered them with romaine leaves, dill pickles, ketchup, mustard, and caramelized onions. Alongside the burgers I made simple roasted potatoes. No recipe needed for these. I just washed a bag of yukon golds, chopped them uniformly, tossed them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika, and roasted them at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Yum. It might be a little lowbrow, but I love these dipped in ketchup! After dinner I brewed a big pot of coffee to enjoy. Nothing like a hot cup of coffee when the snow is falling outside.

Race Update!

2010-02-09T11:30:00.004-05:00

I just wanted to share a quick note with you all. I've officially signed up for the Long Branch Half Marathon! It is taking place on Sunday, May 2nd, and the course loops through Long Branch, Monmouth Beach, and Oceanport (my hometown). I am really excited for this race because it promises to be a totally different experience than my first half marathon last October. First of all, this is a really big race; it is held in conjunction with the New Jersey Marathon. Last year's half marathon had over 4,600 finishers. There is a huge expo that goes on all weekend, a great post race party, and a technical shirt and swag bag for all participants. Needless to say, I am really excited, and of course a little bit nervous. My tentative goal is to break 2 hours; I ran my first half marathon in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 5 seconds. So, wish me luck! My 12 week training starts today (with a tempo run, oof)!

Lots of Snow Means Lots of Cooking

2010-02-06T22:06:00.005-05:00

Hi all! In my neck of the woods we've received another decent snowstorm! Over the course of last night and this morning we got about a foot of snow. One way I tend to pass the time when it's snowy and I'm in the house for most of the day is by trying out new recipes. Today, I tried two - dinner and dessert.

For dinner I made a recipe I've had my eye on for a little while now. I found it over on one of my favorite blogs, No Meat Athlete. You can find the recipe in this post. Mac n' Chard made a really tasty and filling dinner tonight. Similar to the last pasta dish I made, this sauce includes ground nuts; it also incorporates cooked veggies and spices. Another plus is that this dish has a whole bunch of vitamin-rich chard in it. Obviously, this meal tasted nothing like your traditional mac n' cheese, but that's okay. It was really delicious in it's own right, and is a great new way to enjoy pasta. Especially on a cold snowy night, this really hits the comfort food spot.

Prior to making dinner, I put together some dessert. I made my first attempt at Rice Pudding. When I was looking through recipes for this, I couldn't find any that sounded "right" to me. They all seemed overly complicated. So I said to myself, why not just make a sweet risotto? And that's what I did. This came out really creamy and yummy, and according to Mark, it was pretty close to the real thing. I'm glad this recipe made 4 portions so I can enjoy it again tomorrow.

Rice Pudding
-3 cups plain rice milk
-3 cups vanilla almond milk
-1 tbsp Earth Balance
-1 cup arborio rice
-1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
-1/4 tsp cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
-1/2 tsp vanilla

-Combine the rice and almond milk in a small pot and warm over medium low heat.
-In a large pot, add the Earth Balance and put the heat on medium. Once it is melted, add the rice and stir to coat.
-Add a ladleful of milk to the rice in the large pot. The milk should just bubble, not too fast. Stir the rice and milk mixture very often. Once the milk is absorbed, add another ladleful. You will repeat this process until the rice is cooked and tender and you are out of milk. This should take around 30-40 minutes, but the important thing is that the rice is cooked; don't worry too much about sticking to a particular time.
-Approximately halfway through cooking, add the sugar and cinnamon and stir well.
-With your last ladleful of milk, add the vanilla and stir well.
-Once the rice pudding is done, spread it into a shallow dish to come to room temperature.
-Once cooled, scoop the rice pudding into individual dishes and top with a dash of cinnamon. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Walnut Mushroom Pasta

2010-02-02T21:10:00.004-05:00

I was never a fan of cream based sauces in the past, mostly because dairy and I were never the best of friends. But I also didn't like the heaviness that it lent to a sauce. However, I do like the smooth, rich texture of these kinds of sauces. When I was looking for inspiration on how to use mushrooms and pasta together, I came across a recipe that incorporated a walnut sauce. What better way to get a creamy, rich texture than with nuts? The walnuts have a mellow flavor that didn't overpower the delicious flavor of the cremini mushrooms in the dish; they added a really earthy element. Also, the fat in this dish is healthy and not full of cholesterol and saturated fat. Best of all, this is an easy and quick dinner to whip up on a weeknight, with plenty of time to chop up veggies for a salad.

Walnut Mushroom Pasta
-3/4 cup walnuts
-3/4 cup vegetable stock
-2 tbsp olive oil
-1 onion, sliced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tsp dried thyme
-10 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
-2 tbsp water
-1/4 cup parsley, chopped
-salt and pepper
-1 lb linguine

-In a blender, puree the walnuts and vegetable stock until smooth. Set aside.
-Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the onion slices. Cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
-Add the garlic, thyme, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the mushrooms start to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
-Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the water, stir, and cover. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
-In the meantime, cook and drain the pasta.
-Add the prepared walnut sauce and the parsley to the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for another 3 minutes.
-Toss the pasta with the walnut mushroom sauce to coat, and serve immediately.

Treadmills and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillows

2010-02-01T21:15:00.005-05:00

Sorry for the hiatus, all! The past week and weekend has been pretty busy. On Friday after I got out of work, Mark and I headed over to Retro Fitness. We've been thinking about getting gym memberships for a while now; we used to use the gym all the time when we were in college, and it was a great thing for both of us. I've been missing it a lot lately, especially in terms of the treadmill, but also in terms of strength training. So, we checked out the website, and when we saw there was no enrollment fee through January we decided to get over there and see the place. We were pleasantly surprised. It's big, new, clean, bright, and friendly. It has every machine and free weight we could want. And a major perk is the ability to go to any Retro Fitness location; we live 5 miles away from two different facilities, so we can go to either one. Needless to say, we signed up on the spot. It's a really good deal at only $20 a month, and I'm looking forward to my complimentary fitness evaluation on Thursday. Mark had his today and he had a really good experience. I'm hoping to use the gym in order to get my strength up, as well as build a really solid mileage base to go into the spring with. If all goes well, I'd really like to run the NJ Half Marathon in May.

To offset all the gym talk, let's talk about cookies. As you all know, my new favorite cookbook is Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar. With the recipe I tried out on Sunday night, I am now three for three. I made the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillows. The doughs are really easy to put together, but boy, is it time consuming to assemble these cookies. Luckily, I had a lot of time, and in the end, the time was well spent. These cookies are the best I've made yet. I love how it looks like you have a plain chocolate cookie, but then you bite in and find a peanut butter surprise. These cookies remind me of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I reiterate, if you don't own this cookbook, get it! Three for three doesn't lie! I'm going to try to be good and give it a couple weeks until I try another cookie recipe, but don't worry, I will be sure to fill you in when I do make it.

Slow Food Central NJ Farmer's Market and NJAHPERD 2 Mile Winter Warm Up Run, Reviewed!

2010-01-24T20:46:00.007-05:00

It has been a busy and eventful weekend, in a very good way. You might remember my earlier post about the Winter Farmer's Market sponsored by Slow Food Central NJ. Well, I took the ride out to Princeton on Saturday to check it out. What an awesome event! Everyone was really friendly, the vendors were plentiful, and there was even a live band. I picked up a few tasty goodies:I got cremini mushrooms from a farm in Pennsylvania, which I turned into a tasty soup for dinner tonight. I also got a half peck of cameo apples for juicing, salads, oatmeal, and snacking. I got a tin of spiced black tea that I couldn't turn down after I had a sample of it. Finally, I got lunch and dessert. Lunch was a kale salad from a local health food store, and dessert was a delicious carrot cake cupcake. It was maybe the most moist, texturally pleasing vegan cupcake I've ever had, so awesome! All in all, I'm really glad I took the ride to check this market out, and it seemed well attended. I hope it was a success for the sponsor.

As for today, I had the comeback race I decided to do last month, the NJAHPERD 2 Mile Winter Warm Up Fun Run. I was feeling pretty "eh" about it going in, since my training has felt just okay. Keep in mind, this training is pretty low key at this point, nothing more than 2 runs a week or so. But the good news is, I exceeded my expectations. I finished the race in 16:33, putting me at a pace of 8:16/mile, and in 21st place out of 66 runners. Much better than any of my training runs! My dad and my sister's friend Dave did the race too, so that was fun. Dad came in 27th and Dave came in 8th! Here's me doing my trademark "I'm super tired so I'm letting my head list to the side" at the end of the race:All in all, a good race for all of us. I'm still deciding on what race to do next; I'll be sure to post it here.

As for tonight, I'm just relaxing! I'm sipping some of that tasty black tea I bought at the market yesterday, and I just took a batch of banana walnut muffins out of the oven. I am set!

Wheatberries and More Cookies

2010-01-20T22:38:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite things to get from the salad bar at Whole Foods is wheatberry salad. I love the texture of wheatberries; chewy but still firm. Their flavor is earthy, and a bit nutty. This past weekend, instead of buying some premade salad, I picked up wheatberries from the bulk bin and decided to make my own. So what exactly is a wheatberry? It's the actual wheat kernel, without the hull. They are an awesome source of dietary fiber, and they are also a good source of protein and iron. To make wheatberry salad, you can combine the wheatberries with pretty much any veggies, seeds, nuts, and dressing. Here is my first cut at wheatberry salad.

Wheatberry Salad
-1 1/2 cups hard wheatberries
-4 stalks celery, chopped
-3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
-2 scallions, chopped
-1/3 cup parsley, chopped
-1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
-4 tbsp olive oil
-2 tbsp lemon juice
-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
-salt and pepper

-In a pot, cover wheatberries with 3 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Cook uncovered for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the wheatberries are tender. You may need to add more water as it cooks. When done, drain and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
-Toss the cooked wheatberries, celery, walnuts, scallions, parsley, and cherries in a bowl.
-Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper together. Pour over the wheatberry mixture and stir to combine. Serve, or store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Since this was a pretty easy thing to throw together tonight, I decided to make cookies when I was done eating. I used my awesome new cookbook, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, to make Chocolate Fudgy Oatmeal Cookies. I keep telling myself they're healthy since they have 2 cups of oats in them. I love the chocolate and cherry combination in these. Mark gobbled a few of these and reported that they were indeed tasty, and I went ahead and confirmed it myself. Yum!

Risotto, with Greens

2010-01-19T21:51:00.006-05:00

Besides soup, risotto is my favorite cold weather comfort food. Since we've been eating lots of soup in my house lately, I decided to switch it up and make risotto tonight. The possibilities are pretty much endless in terms of flavors, so I narrowed it down to something seasonal. I found this recipe from the New York Times column Recipes for Health. I liked that it used winter squash (I used my favorite, butternut) and incorporated a healthy serving of collard greens. I followed the recipe pretty closely, only adding a couple extra cloves of garlic and skipping the cheese. This recipe came out great. It was creamy, warm, and flavorful without being too heavy. I served it with my regular raw veggie salad and lemony herb vinaigrette. This made a delicious dinner, complete with a hefty serving of leftovers!
I also want to let everyone know about the AWESOME giveaway going on right now on my friend Lauren's blog. She is giving away an ice cream maker! Check it out!

Asian Feast and Race Prep

2010-01-18T21:11:00.007-05:00

Last night Mark and two of our good friends, Jimbo and Greg, made a veritable feast for dinner. Jimbo came by and we went up to the local Asian market to get supplies. We picked up lots of fresh produce and a bunch of other items we needed to make dinner, and I got a few basics that I was low on in my pantry. Then we came back and started cooking. We made a delicious vegetarian version of a Thai soup called tom yum. We put in tofu, shiitaki mushrooms, peppers, onions, napa cabbage, and extra lemongrass, and we topped it with fresh cilantro. This was super spicy, but so delicious you just wanted to keep on eating. We also had a stir fry. We used Chinese broccoli, long beans, peppers, onions, and baby corns, and cooked it in a sauce made with soy sauce, sriracha, sesame oil, and fermented black bean paste. We served it over thin rice noodles. This meal was awesome, satisfying, and yielded enough leftovers for everyone.

As you know, my comeback race is less than a week away. In preparation, I ran twice over this long weekend. I also signed up with a pretty awesome website, Daily Mile. This site allows you to track your training and races by letting you map your route and enter your time. It provides your pace, and gives you a space to say a few words about your workout. I think this will be a really good tool to use throughout the year, both for historical tracking and for staying motivated. I also like to think that in a year's time, I will be able to look back and see my all my effort totaled up.

Today was grocery day, so expect to see some tasty recipes posted this coming week!

Winter Farmer's Market

2010-01-14T21:13:00.002-05:00

The folks over at Party of Two were awesome enough to post about some really neat winter farmer's markets that are happening in New Jersey this month and next (click the image for a larger view).These events are sponsored by Slow Food Central New Jersey. I am hoping to check out the upcoming market on the 23rd of this month. Besides the tasty winter veggies I'm hoping to find, I'm looking forward to checking out the offerings from Catherine's Vegan Treats and Davidson's Exotic Mushrooms. Hope to see you there!

Running, does it cancel out cookies?

2010-01-13T22:15:00.006-05:00

I really hope so.

I finally got back out on the road for a run this past weekend. Mark was nice enough to go with me and help get my lazy butt out the door. It was COLD. I think it was around 28 degrees or so, but it was sunny and not really windy. I just layered up and got moving quick. I wanted to not wear my watch, because I've been known to get neurotic about that sort of thing, but I wore it anyway. I didn't peek until we were done, though. We ran a little two mile loop in 20 minutes, which felt very slow, but it was good to ease back into it and not push it. The next day the inside of my quads hurt, and my obliques were a little sore, but other than that I was fine. My plan is to run this Friday when I get out of work a little early and then again at some point over the weekend. Then the Sunday after that is the NJAHPERD 2 Mile Winter Warm Up Fun Run. I'm hoping I have a respectable showing; not a PR performance I'm sure, but hopefully something to make me feel like I'm on my way back.

To switch gears just a bit, I received an awesome birthday present from my sister-in-law: Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!After a quick flip-through, it appears that virtually every recipe is awesome. Needless to say, I made some cookies tonight. I made a batch of Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles. If you've ever had Aztec hot chocolate, you'll understand the flavor profile of these cookies. I can't believe how spicy these came out! The initial flavor is chocolate and cinnamon, but then you get this cayenne kick at the end. YUM. And the best compliment came from Mark: "You wouldn't know these are vegan." Always a good thing to hear when it comes to baked goods! Nothing like a big glass of vanilla hemp milk and a cookie for dessert.

Breakfast and Dinner, Linked by Oranges

2010-01-09T21:28:00.008-05:00

This morning I was lucky enough to not have any real plans or reason to wake up early. So, I spent a few luxurious minutes waking up slowly in bed with the cats, with sun streaming in the windows and the radiators being nice and warm. I figured a nice way to continue the morning was to have a tasty breakfast. I toasted up a whole wheat english muffin and topped it with my favorite spread, almond butter. I also made up a perfect breakfast juice. I juiced two and a half oranges, half a lemon, an inch long piece of ginger, and 4 carrots. Like regular orange juice in the morning, but better!A few nights ago I felt like making something that had orange flavor in it, since I had just gotten a good deal on a bag of oranges and was craving citrus. I decided on making a salad dressing. This dressing had orange, sesame, and ginger flavors, and I served it with a simple curry. Just onions, peppers, and potatoes simmered in coconut milk and red curry paste, served with some jasmine rice. This was pretty spicy, so the salad was a perfect pairing to cool things down a bit. This is a light salad, not heavy on the oil. It was just the refreshing thing I was looking for.

Orange Sesame Spinach Salad
-5 oz spinach
-3 carrots, sliced
-5 radishes, sliced
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
-1/8 cup water
-1 tbsp onion, minced
-1 tsp freshly grated ginger
-1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
-1 tsp sesame oil
-1 tbsp soy sauce
-1/2 tsp agave nectar
-1/2 tsp sriracha
-1 tbsp sesame seeds

-Toss the spinach, carrots, and radishes together in a large salad bowl.
-Whisk together the rest of the ingredients.
-Dress the salad and serve right away.

Juice!

2010-01-06T21:32:00.005-05:00

You might remember how excited I was to receive a juicer from my parents for my birthday a little over a week ago. Well I've finally broken it in! After I returned from my trip to Vermont, I made it a point to pick up fruits and veggies just for juicing. I bought apples, lemons, ginger root, and kale to get started. I also have carrots on hand, a great vegetable to juice. And much to my surprise, when I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few items tonight, bulk bags of apples and oranges were on sale! I'm thinking of using the oranges with some carrots and ginger. I need some juice ideas! I have some recipes, but I am always up for trying something new. Anyway, here is the juicer in all it's pulpy glory.I can't wait for the March time frame, because by then I'm hoping to have the vegetable garden and cold frames up and running. The pulp will make excellent fertilizer since it's all natural, nutrient dense, and already somewhat broken down.My first juices have been simple, green, and delicious. For this one I juiced one lemon, an inch long piece of ginger, three stalks of kale, and 3 medium apples. This made about 18 ounces. I poured it over ice and had it for a healthy dessert. Sweet and tart, yum.

On a separate note, I finally started taking a daily vitamin. I was really ambivalent about this for a long time. But, B12 is an important vitamin that many vegetarians and vegans lack, and I'm borderline anemic, so I made sure I got a supplement with iron. I always hated vitamins because they made me feel a little sick, but by taking them before bed I have been doing fine. I figure it can't hurt. What do you think?

New Year's in Vermont

2010-01-04T21:49:00.007-05:00

Happy new year, all! Here's to a brand new year full of possibilities and potential. I rung in the new year up in Vermont. My good friend Chris and his wonderful parents were gracious enough to host Mark and I for the long weekend. Besides a great weekend with great friends, record snowfall, and heated mattress pads (!!!), I also enjoyed some seriously tasty eats and drinks.

I'll begin with The Vermont Pub and Brewery. We come here, without fail, every time we visit Burlington. This place brews some of the best beer I've ever had. Everything they serve is brewed on-site in small batches. I always get a glass of Forbidden Fruit, a raspberry beer, since it's my favorite. Mark and I decided to expand our horizons on this trip and also order some samples. We tried a seasonal ale, a sour red, a smoked stout, and a black IPA. All were delicious, but I think the black IPA was my favorite. Of course, we had to have a snack with our beer, so we ordered what we believe to be the best sweet potato fries anywhere. These are fried in vegetable oil perfectly and are SO good. They come with a honey mustard sauce, but I prefer them with ketchup. Not a shock, since I think most things are better with ketchup.
Another local favorite is Stone Soup. It's a home-style soup and sandwich place that is very vegan friendly. They always have at least one vegan soup on, tons of freshly baked bread, and a stocked hot and cold bar. They will also make any sandwich vegan if you ask; they have tempeh, seitan, and tofu options. On this trip, I enjoyed a huge bowl of curried yellow lentil soup and some hunks of french bread. The soups are always filling and hearty, and they really are a meal with the bread on the side. If I had the room, I would have splurged on an apple cranberry muffin or a chocolate chip coconut banana scone, the vegan baked goods of the day. If you find yourself in Burlington and looking for lunch, check out Stone Soup.

Finally, for our last meal in town, we went to Magnolia Bistro. This is hands down the best breakfast in Burlington, and it has something for everyone, including vegans. The menu is clearly demarcated with icons for vegan and gluten-free options, which is really helpful. Another really cool thing about Magnolia is the fact that it is a green certified restaurant. This is based on the food, trash practices, sustainability in construction and energy use, and pollution reduction. So that is a pretty cool added bonus. But first and foremost, the food is fantastic. I enjoyed a monster plate of Mexican tofu scram (topped with Vermont made hot sauce), home fries, and sourdough toast with homemade strawberry preserves. So delicious and filling. Magnolia Bistro is a must-eat!
So, the new year is off to a good start. Let's hope it continues to be as great as the first weekend was! Happy eating!

Birthday Meals!

2009-12-30T16:19:00.006-05:00

Happy belated birthday to me! My birthday was yesterday, and to celebrate, I decided last-minute to take the day off from work. That's because my wonderful husband Mark decided to take me to New York City for the day! We met up with two of our good friends and visited the Museum of Modern Art for a few hours. But before that, we went out to lunch. We went up to Candle Cafe. This place is the older, more casual sister of the famed Candle 79. The restaurant is relatively small and sparsely decorated, but the food more than made up for it. We started lunch off by sharing a bowl of chili and a green goddess. The chili was hearty and warming after being out the cold, and it was served with a generous hunk of tasty cornbread. A nice start to lunch indeed. The juice had apple, lemon, ginger and greens, and was good as well, although I would have liked it over ice. For lunch, we each ordered a sandwich. I got the BBQ tempeh and sweet potato sandwich. This sandwich was humongous. The sweet potato slices and flavorful tempeh strips were topped with steamed kale and caramelized onions, and the sandwich served on rustic bread with a tangy aioli on the side. And on top of that, a small salad with balsamic dressing was on the plate too. The sandwich was delicious and filling (obviously!), and had a really nice mix of flavors. I made it just about all the way through before I had to put down the last couple of bites. We skipped dessert because I was stuffed. I would absolutely come back here next time I end up in the area. The service was friendly, albeit a tad on the slow side, and the prices were typical (a little higher than a regular lunch place) for a vegan eatery. I highly recommend Candle Cafe for a healthy and satisfying lunch, and now I REALLY want to eat at Candle 79.

And that was only meal number one of the day. If you can believe it, by dinnertime, I was hungry again. My parents, my sister, my grandfather, my mother-in-law, Mark and I ate at Kaya's Kitchen in Belmar. This place has been around for a while, and is one of the few vegetarian/very vegan friendly eateries in my local area. I was a little nervous about taking the whole family there, but I am happy to report that everyone enjoyed their meals. Kaya's has an earthy vibe to it, and is very laid back and low key. This translates into service that is usually a little slow, but I have to say, last night the service was really good despite our large party. We started off with homemade chips, salsa and guacamole and tempeh hot wings for the table. The chips were freshly fried and the salsa was really delicious. The wings were SPICY, in a great way. They came with a tasty cucumber sauce that at least tried to cool them off a bit. For my meal, I ordered the jambalaya. Again, spicy spicy! This mixture of tempeh, tofu, carrots, peppers, and more was served in a spicy tomato base and over brown rice. I would not recommend this dish if you aren't pretty tolerate of spice, but if you are, go for it. The flavors were awesome and the heat was serious. I also helped myself to some samples of everyone's meals, which included Jamaican jerk tofu, potatoes and gravy, hummus, and seitan stroganoff. Every bite I had was good. To top off the meal, I enjoyed a home baked chocolate mint cupcake. Decadent! Kaya's Kitchen is always a hit, in my opinion, and the large menu has something for everyone.

As you can see, I ate like a queen on my birthday. On top of that, I received some really thoughtful gifts. My parents bought me a juicer! I am so excited. I'm sure there will be lots of pictures and juice recipes to come! My sister got me a book on all kinds of home preserving. A very cool topic that I have been meaning to get more into. Thank you so much to Mark and my family, you guys really made my day special!

Christmas Treats

2009-12-26T20:19:00.010-05:00

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! I know I did. As I mentioned a couple weeks earlier, I have been very busy with lots of Christmas treat making. This year I decided to do homemade gifts for my extended family. After many hours in the kitchen, I put together some tasty gift bags with a mix of goodies, and I even had enough extras to bring to Christmas festivities for sharing.
I started out with a delicious sugar cookie recipe from You Won't Believe It's Vegan. These were simple to make, and tasted surprisingly similar to a classic sugar cookie. I rolled them out, used some festive cookie cutters, and decorated them with assorted colored sugars.I also made 3 big batches of my granola. I used raisins and dried cranberries for a Christmas-y touch, and I packaged it up in mason jars for gifting.Finally, I made hand-dipped chocolate pretzels. For some reason, there is just no better combination that salty pretzels and sweet chocolate. I melted a bag of vegan chocolate chips using a double boiler, dipped the pretzels, and then topped them with sprinkles and peppermint pieces. I put a handful of pretzels in little bags and included them in the gift bag with tins of my sugar cookies and the jars of granola.Much to my very happy surprise, I got a wonderful chocolate treat in my Christmas stocking from my husband. He got me three Sweetriot treats. They are cacao nibs dipped in three different kinds of dark chocolate. I broke into these today, and they are HEAVENLY. I'm kind of concerned they might become an obsession.A sweet and delicious Christmas indeed! I hope you all had a wonderful day, and have a happy and healthy new year. I'm off to Vermont on new year's eve, but hopefully I'll be back here before then. If not, get ready for some reviews and pictures of my favorite places to eat in Vermont!

Winter Solstice Soup

2009-12-21T21:05:00.004-05:00

What does this picture of my house covered in snow make you want to eat? Soup!

This weekend we got a pretty intense snowstorm. We ended up with almost two feet of snow! I love snow and winter so needless to say I was thrilled. It's so nice to have snow on the ground, considering today is winter solstice! Luckily I had gone grocery shopping on Friday and missed most of the crowds (whenever it snows around here people seem to feel the need to stock up like the apocalypse is coming) and got plenty of stuff to cook and bake with. Tonight I was in the mood for a thick, creamy soup. You might remember the the soup recipe I posted a little while back that was going to be carrot soup but turned into carrot and butternut squash soup. Tonight, I went for the carrot soup that I originally intended. This soup is so thick and rich that you will never miss the cream. Serve it with a big slice of crusty bread for dipping.

Carrot Ginger Soup
-olive oil
-1 onion, diced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
-1 tbsp cumin
-1 tbsp coriander
-1 tbsp turmeric
-1 tbsp paprika
-salt and pepper
-2 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
-5 cups vegetable stock
-1 15 oz can coconut milk

-Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and heat on medium.
-Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, until translucent.
-Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
-Add all the spices and carrots and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
-Add the vegetable stock to the pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the carrots are fork tender.
-Remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender, taking care not to overfill or seal the lid while blending), puree the soup until very smooth. Add the coconut milk as you puree. If the soup is too thick, you can add a bit of water as needed.
-Put the soup back over low heat to warm back through, and serve.

Hearty Pasta from your Pantry

2009-12-16T20:32:00.008-05:00

Ever notice how it feels like there is just not enough time in the day during the holiday season? I know I do. I am happy to report that I am just about done with shopping, but I have grocery shopping to do, TONS of baking to do, a holiday party, and some family get-togethers from now through this weekend. Anyway, it's times like this when a stocked pantry comes in really handy. Pasta of a few different shapes and sizes is always in my house.
Combined with other pantry staples like canned tomatoes, dried herbs, and beans (and served with a crunchy salad, of course) you have a meal. It's important to be nourished when you are super busy, and there isn't a much more comforting thing than a big pot of marinara sauce on the stove.

Rigatoni with Marinara and Cannellini Beans
-1 lb rigatoni
-olive oil
-1 onion, small diced
-6 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tsp crushed red pepper
-1 tbsp tomato paste
-1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I'm loving the Jersey Fresh brand! These come from 6 New Jersey farms and are processed in NJ as well)
-1 8 oz can tomato sauce
-salt and pepper
-1 tsp dried thyme
-1 tbsp dried basil
-1/2 tsp dried oregano
-1 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
-2 tbsp parsley, chopped

-Put a large pot over medium heat and coat with olive oil. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it starts getting tender.
-Add the garlic and crushed red pepper to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
-Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and the tomato sauce and stir to combine.
-Season the sauce with salt and pepper and add the dried herbs.
-Cook over medium-low for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. About halfway through the cooking, add the beans to the sauce.
-While the sauce cooks, cook the pasta in well salted water until al dente.
-Drain the pasta and add to the sauce, along with the parsley. Stir gently to coat completely, then serve with a salad.

Dumplings, Minus the Take-Out

2009-12-11T21:57:00.010-05:00

In the past whenever Chinese take-out was the dinner plan, I would always order vegetable dumplings. Fried. I know, so bad. But between that and vegetable spring rolls, they are my favorite. So the other night I was in the mood for dumplings, but I decided rather than take-out, why not make my own? I knew it would be a bit of a process, but I'd rather spend the extra time and know exactly what I was eating and be able to fry them myself. I used a recipe from You Won't Believe It's Vegan! and it came out great. Rather than go through the recipe, I'll review the process. Like I said, this is a bit time consuming, but it isn't hard. And it is totally worth it.

Start with your dumpling filling. I used a recipe, but really, you can put anything in you like. Put a small spoonful of filling in the center of a wonton wrapper.

Fold it closed and seal the edges closed with a little arrowroot and water mixture (see the white paste in the little bowl). You can crimp the edges really closed with a fork.

Look at all those dumplings. And I wasn't even done putting them all together yet. Yum.

Next, get some canola oil heated to medium high in a pan. Add a few dumplings at a time, not crowding the pan.

Cook them for about a minute, until browned. Keep your eye on them, because they cook fast. Flip the dumplings.

Cook for another minute until the other side is browned, then remove the dumplings and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the dumplings are cooked.

I served these wonderful dumplings with a peanut dipping sauce and sriracha. Crispy on the outside, warm and chewy on the inside, and even more flavorful than any take-out. You will not be interested in getting dumplings anywhere outside of your own kitchen once you make them yourself!

Hearty Soup and a Christmas Cookie Preview

2009-12-08T21:19:00.006-05:00

I know what you're thinking - another soup? Does she eat anything else? Well yes, of course I do, but in the wintertime by favorite dinner food is a big bowl of hot soup. Luckily for me, the options for tasty soup recipes are pretty much endless. Tonight I made a recipe out of The Candle Cafe Cookbook, Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup.
I had half a package of wild rice leftover from Thanksgiving that I'd been meaning to use, and the rest of the ingredients are pretty standard items on my grocery list. And who doesn't love a dish where mushroom and thyme are the main flavor profile? A match made in heaven, in my opinion. This soup was just what I wanted this evening, and it was complemented by some toasted bread and a salad of romaine, arugula, carrot, and green apple with some basil vinaigrette.

Another wonderful thing about this season is the prospect of delicious holiday treats. I will preface this with the fact that I am a far more confident cook than I am baker. That said, I don't shy away from baking, and I really want to get better at it. Tonight I tried out a cookie recipe to see if it was up to snuff for holiday sharing. Sure enough, these cookies turned out to be just divine. I'll save the recipe and pictures for closer to when I make a bigger batch for gifting and sharing, but I'll leave you with the main flavors: banana, oat, nut, chocolate. All in one place!

A Trip to the Market and a Tasty Re-Creation

2009-12-07T20:31:00.004-05:00

Ah, grocery shopping weekend! I might be a weirdo, but I genuinely look forward to going grocery shopping every 2 weeks. Since we were planning to be out of town on Sunday, I shopped on Saturday. I hit up Whole Foods as per usual, but before heading home, I made a stop at my local Asian market. If you haven't visited an Asian market in your area, you really should. It is a treasure trove of both unusual and tasty ingredients, as well as everyday ingredients at WAY cheaper prices than any grocery store. My good friend Jimbo introduced me to this particular market, and I can't thank him enough. Here are the goods from my trip this past weekend:

I got rice noodles, white miso paste, a couple tins of red curry paste, a green papaya, long beans, fresh lemongrass, wonton wrappers, and extraordinarily spicy chilies. I was so excited about these fun ingredients that I used a few of them Saturday night. I used the green papaya, a few long beans, and a couple chilies to make up a Thai salad. I also added carrot and tomato, along with a soy sauce based dressing with garlic, lime, peanuts, and lemongrass. My friend Jimbo whipped up a red curry with coconut milk, garlic, more long beans, potatoes, peppers, and onions, and we served it with jasmine rice. All in all, a great meal based around authentic ingredients you just won't find at your regular old grocery store.

And now to completely switch gears, I wanted to share this evening's dinner. In case you haven't heard about it (although you probably have), VeganYumYum is one of the best (and prettiest!) vegan blogs out there. There is even a VeganYumYum cookbook that can be yours with just a few clicks through Amazon, and would make a great holiday gift for any vegan in your life. Anyway, tonight I made my take on Asparagus and White Bean Pesto Tart. I was totally surprised to hear that Pepperidge Farm, of all brands, happens to make puff pastry that is vegan. Not something I would eat everyday, but it's nice to know it is there for me to use. I see it coming in especially handy in party situations; puff pastry is a great vehicle for all kinds of little hors d'ouvres. Anyway, this tart was absolutely delicious. It was simple to make and used basic, tasty ingredients. I loved the richness the cashews gave the white bean pesto, and despite the fact that I used dried basil in place of the suggested pesto paste, it came out great. Roasted asparagus is always yummy, and it was even better resting on the puff pastry and white bean tart. You can share this tart with another person and serve it alongside a raw salad for dinner (like I did), or cut it into smaller pieces for an appetizer or finger food. Either way, this recipe is a perfect way to use puff pastry and definitely worth trying in your own kitchen.

Spicy Soup to Warm Up With

2009-12-03T21:31:00.004-05:00

Last night I left work to find ridiculous wind gusts and a sprinkling of rain. All I wanted when I got home was to put on some sweats and eat something warm. I reached for an old standby: Moroccan chickpea soup. This is based on a recipe I found years ago on the Food Network website. I changed the spice profile a little bit, but other than that, I mostly follow the recipe. This recipe is great because besides being really flavorful (and quite spicy), it has only a few ingredients and keeps and reheats really well for leftovers. I served this soup with some oven toasted bread with olive oil, salt and pepper, along with a really tasty salad. I used romaine, carrots, green apples, and pecans, and made a lemon shallot dressing to top it with.

Moroccan Chickpea Soup
-olive oil
-1 yellow onion, diced
-6 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tsp cumin
-2 tsp coriander
-1 tsp turmeric
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp paprika
-1 tsp cayenne pepper
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp pepper
-1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
-3 15 oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed
-4 cups vegetable broth
-5 oz. spinach leaves

-Coat the bottom of a soup pot with olive oil, and heat to medium.
-Add onion to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
-Add all the spices and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. It will be smelling amazing in your kitchen at this point.
-Add the tomatoes and juice, chickpeas, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes so the chickpeas get tender and absorb the flavors.
-Add the spinach to the soup and stir to combine. Cook for just a minute or two until the spinach is wilted and vibrant green. Serve with toasty bread and salad.

Dinner, Dessert, and Fitness

2009-12-01T21:21:00.009-05:00

While Thanksgiving was great and full of tasty food, I have to say I'm pretty happy to be back to the regular routine. It's nice to come home from work and unwind by cooking a good weeknight meal. Good doesn't mean it takes loads of work and prep to make, though. Last night I made this recipe from the New York Times, with a few tweaks.
Nothing better than roasted sweet potatoes, in my opinion, and this is one of the best ways I've found to showcase them.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Beans and Chili Lime Dressing
-3 large sweet potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes
-1 red onion, diced
-3 tbsp olive oil
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
-1 bunch cilantro, chopped
-2/3 cup olive oil
-2 garlic cloves
-juice of 2 limes
-2 jalapenos, chopped
-salt and pepper

-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-Toss the sweet potatoes and onion with 3 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large baking pan. Roast for 30 minutes, until fork tender.
-In the meantime, combine the beans, bell pepper, and cilantro in a bowl.

-In your blender, combine the 2/3 cup olive oil, garlic, lime juice, jalapenos, and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
-When the sweet potatoes and onions are done in the oven, add them to the bean mixture. Toss everything with the dressing, and serve warm.

I served this with some Near East Spanish rice, always a staple in my pantry. This salad was super flavorful, and filling too. And just looking at the colors, you know you're getting a big dose of vitamins here.

Now, I love to eat healthy, but I also have a nearly insatiable sweet tooth. I don't fight it though, I just eat dessert that I love in small quantities. This way I can enjoy something sweet and delicious most nights without the guilt.
My friend Lauren recommended this to me a few weeks ago, and I am so happy I finally took her suggestion! Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss just might be my new dessert obsession. I got the Mint Galactica flavor, and it is so tasty and rich. Just a few spoonfuls is enough to satisfy even my crazy sweet tooth. Check out the company website if you have time, there is lots of really interesting information there about coconuts and nutrition.

Finally, I wanted to talk about fitness. Considering I planned this blog to not only cover healthy vegan food, but also things like running, hiking, and general fitness, I figured I was long overdue to address these things. This past year I really picked up my running. At my high point, I was running about 25 miles a week. Over the course of the summer, I ran a handful of 5 mile and 5k races, and I concluded my running season in October with my first half marathon (run in a nor'easter no less). Since then, I've been on a bit of a break. The week after the half marathon I went on a 9 mile trail run, and came home with a very sore foot. Since then, I've been running about once a week, but always having some serious pain afterwards. So, I've decided to take a bit of real time off. Not run for a couple of weeks. I decided to post about this today because I picked out my comeback race. It's a 2 miler in the dead of winter on the boardwalk. I can only hope it isn't 3 degrees out. I'm not sure where my fitness level will be by then, considering my time off and the fact that I only really run one or two days a week when it isn't daylight savings time. So, we'll see! I'm just excited to heal and get back to running and racing.

Thanksgiving Review!

2009-11-28T22:14:00.007-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving that was spent with family, friends, and delicious vegan meals and treats! As promised, I'm here with a review of my Thanksgiving eats.

I'll start with my favorite part of any meal: dessert. I prepared two desserts to bring to my two Thanksgiving meals. I made peanut butter and jam cookies and a pumpkin cheesecake. Both of these recipes are from You Won't Believe It's Vegan!.
The cookies came out awesome. I love how few ingredients are in the recipe, and even better, the fact that all the sweetness comes from maple syrup. These cookies were pretty hefty and very filling, thanks to all the peanuts in them. A winner of a recipe, for sure. A not as awesome dessert was the cheesecake. It looked really pretty when it came out of the springform pan, but I think I might have undercooked this a bit. It was a little mushy in the middle. On the positive side, the flavor of the cheesecake (the pecan and maple crust especially) was really good. I may give this another shot in the future, and add some additional cooking time. So, this was kind of a success.

Now for my entree, wild rice stuffed acorn squash. This started out a bit rough on Thanksgiving morning, thanks to one of my squashes being rotted! Thankfully, Whole Foods is all of 7 minutes away from my house, so I zipped over and got a new one while my lovely husband was helpful enough to tend to the rice while I was gone. Anyway, at the end of the day, this dish came out really well. The squash was nice and tender and the rice, with mushrooms, shallots, and parsley, tasted rich. It looked pretty out of the oven, too. Now, you might remember me mentioning a mushroom gravy to accompany this... well, it didn't exactly make it out of the kitchen. Too make a long story short, I ended up with seriously sandy gravy. I am not exactly sure where I went wrong, but I think I either didn't cook the roux long enough, or boil the roux and the liquid long enough. Either way, there was no way this gravy was edible (which is sad, because the flavor was good), so it ended up in the backyard somewhere. I suppose I will have to take another stab at mushroom gravy sometime when I have more time and no one but myself to feed. To finish off on a happy note, I also made cranberry citrus sauce, which was delicious! Cranberries, orange, lemon, and maple syrup were all this recipe needed to be sweet, tart, and delicious on pretty much everything.

So I attended two Thanksgiving dinners, but I ate so much at the first one at my sister-in-law's house that I only managed dessert later on at my parents house. I know my mom had some side dishes that were vegan, like smashed turnips and carrots and green beans with almonds, so I will have to enjoy them as leftovers.
My sister-in-law had some fantastic vegan fare that I enjoyed thoroughly. The photo of my plate was taken, sadly, after I had scarfed half of it down and only then remembered that I should really have something to post here. Along with the cranberries and stuffed squash that I brought, there were green beans, mashed potatoes, roasted shallots, and sweet potatoes with marshmallows! These sweet potatoes blew everything out of the water. They were ridiculously delicious. She used marshmallows from Sweet & Sara, and she even gave me the leftover marshmallows to take home (full disclosure, they are already gone). I will be stealing her recipe and making this for Christmas, that is for sure!

Overall, I had a great Thanksgiving, surrounded by tasty food and all sides of my family. I am so thankful for them, my wonderful husband, my friends, and really, everything in my life; my list is far too long to try to type out here. I hope your holiday was just as good.

Thanksgiving Preview

2009-11-22T22:22:00.003-05:00

The holiday season, the most potentially trying time of the year for those of us with different kinds of diets, is upon us. I say potentially for a reason; with a little planning and a bit of communication, the holidays can be totally stress-free and delicious for everyone. The number one rule in my book - cook for yourself, but make enough to share. This takes the stress off the host (unless, or course, that host is you) and ensures that you will be happy at the dinner table. Let the host know in advance what you plan to bring and share, and let them know that you eat vegan (or whatever your diet might be). You might be pleasantly surprised by your host offering to have Earth Balance or soy milk on hand. With nothing more than some time in your kitchen and a conversation, your Thanksgiving meal can be a wonderful event with your family and friends. I'm lucky enough to be sharing my Thanksgiving holiday with both my husband's and my sides of the family, all of whom are super accommodating. Besides the tasty vegan offerings they are being kind enough to provide, I plan on whipping up some dishes to share.

As promised in my previous cookbook post, I will be making some recipes from You Won't Believe It's Vegan! and The Candle Cafe Cookbook. Today I made a grocery store run and got everything I need for Thursday. I'm hoping I can get most of my cooking and baking done Wednesday, but we'll see what happens. For a side dish that goes well with just about everything, I'm making cranberry orange sauce. For my main dish, I'm making wild rice stuffed acorn squash with mushroom gravy. Sounds complicated, but after reading through the recipe, it sounds like it couldn't be easier. Plus, it's easy to prepare everything in advance and then do the final heat through once I get to my host's house. Now for the best part of the meal - dessert! I'll be making "peanut butter and jelly" cookies (sweetened only with maple syrup, extra bonus) and a pumpkin "cheesecake". Exciting! I'll be back this weekend with full reviews and photos. Until then, I wish you all a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Cookbooks New and Old

2009-11-19T22:11:00.005-05:00

Readers, I want to share a couple of cookbooks with you. For as much as it may not always be easy to find a vegan meal in a pinch, there certainly is no shortage of vegan cookbooks at your local bookstore. This is really encouraging for a few reasons. For the most part, it is both cheaper and healthier to cook at home rather than going out. You control the ingredients and their quality. It's also a nice gesture to cook for others, since you're using time, energy, and love to prepare nourishing meals to share.

You Won't Believe It's Vegan! is something of a local legend. It's written by Lacey Sher and Gail Doherty, former owners of the now closed Down to Earth restaurant.
This place had great vegan food, amazing juices and desserts, and has a special place in my heart since it's where my husband and I had our first real date way back when. As sad as I was when the restaurant closed, I'm happy to have a little piece of it with this cookbook. The recipes included were served at the restaurant. Besides the great recipes, this cookbook also includes some good reference points including a handy glossary (the different kinds of seaweed and natural thickeners were finally explained clearly!), ideas for home blended spice mixtures, and guidelines for cooking simple basics like grains and greens. This is a great addition to your cookbook collection that you will not get bored with any time soon.

A new addition to my bookshelf is The Candle Cafe Cookbook by Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza.
As you can guess from the title, this cookbook comes to us from the co-owners of the famed Candle Cafe in New York City. I haven't had much of a chance to really dig into this yet, but I am absolutely chomping at the bit based on the table of contents and the little bit of flipping through I've done so far. I'll be sure to include pictures and updates when I try some of these really elegant and delicious looking recipes. This is also motivation to finally get myself to the city and try this place! If the cookbook is this appealing, I can only imagine how great the food is when it's prepared by real chefs!

More Soup

2009-11-17T22:24:00.007-05:00

After making the Asian hot pot over the weekend, I started craving a thick, creamy, blended soup. So tonight, I planned on making carrot ginger soup. Then I remembered I not only had carrots on hand, but I had about half a butternut squash already chopped up (extra from another meal a few days ago). I figured I ought to use it, so I decided to add that to the soup too. I also had about a third of a loaf of (what was) fresh whole wheat bread. It was a little too far gone for slicing and toasting for dipping so instead I made some croutons. It added a nice crunch to the smooth soup.

Coconut Ginger Carrot Squash Soup
(If anyone can think of a shorter name for this, it would be appreciated!)

-olive oil
-1 medium onion, chopped
-4 garlic cloves, minced
-half a large butternut squash, cubed
-10 large carrots, chopped
-2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
-4 cups vegetable stock
-salt and pepper
-1 15 oz. can coconut milk

-Heat some olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until they are getting tender.
-Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, until fragrant.
-Add the squash, carrots, and ginger. Stir to combine and distribute the ginger, and season with salt and pepper.

-Add the vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender. Turn off the heat.
-Using an immersion blender*, blend the soup until smooth. As you blend, add the coconut milk.
-Put the soup back over the heat until it's hot. Serve topped with croutons.

*The immersion blender might be my favorite kitchen tool. It is a must-have if you make a lot of soups. If you don't have one of these wonderful devices, you can blend the soup in a blender. Just be sure to work in batches, don't fill the blender more than half full, and never form a tight seal with the lid over hot blender contents. It could explode, I am not kidding.

A Quick Hot Meal for a Rainy Night

2009-11-15T22:29:00.005-05:00

For the past few days we've had some rainy and cold weather here. Whenever it's like this outside I crave soup. But last night, I didn't have a ton of time, so I needed to make a soup that didn't require a long simmer. I ended up making an Asian hot pot. In reality, it really wasn't a true hot pot since I didn't cook the ingredients in the broth at the table. But hey, I was close enough since this whole cooking process happened pretty fast.
When I started making this recipe, I anticipated getting a rather brothy soup. But once I had everything in the pot, I was happy to find that this was heartier than I guessed it would be. Mark affirmed that this was great "cold, rainy night food". You don't need many ingredients here, and the leftovers are great too (I had them for lunch today). The recipe below is what I came up with after poking around various recipe sites and picking out my favorite Asian flavors. The only thing I felt that was missing here was heat. Next time I make this dish, I plan to stir some sriracha directly into the broth. This time, we just topped our bowls with it and stirred it in then.

Tofu and Vegetable Hot Pot
-4 cups vegetable broth
-1 1/2 cups water
-4 garlic cloves, smashed
-1 inch of peeled ginger, sliced
-canola or vegetable oil
-1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
-3 heads baby bok choy, stems and leaves separated, chopped
-3 oz. rice noodles (about half a package)
-1 package firm tofu, drained and cubed
-2 carrots, grated
-3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
-3 tbsp soy sauce
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-2 scallions, sliced

-Put the broth, water, garlic, and ginger in a large pot. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the garlic and ginger to infuse the liquid. Remove the garlic and ginger slices. *NOTE* It's a good idea to remember how many garlic cloves and ginger slices you put in, so you can ensure that you got them all out.
-While the broth is simmering, prepare the vegetables. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil, mushrooms, and bok choy stems. Saute for about 5 minutes, until tender.
-Add the mushrooms, bok choy stems, and rice noodles to the broth, and simmer for 2 minutes.
-Add the bok choy greens and tofu to the broth, simmer for 2 minutes.
-Add the carrots, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir to combine everything well, and serve topped with scallions.

Crunchy Hippie Food

2009-11-14T21:34:00.004-05:00

I am a granola lover. As cliche as it may sound, I started eating it when I was at college up in Vermont. Back then I would eat pretty much any granola put in front of me, but over time, I guess you could say I refined my granola tastes. One thing that drives me bonkers is when granola is too sweet. I find this to be the case with most store bought brands. There are a few places locally I can get granola made in house but typically it is pretty pricey. The solution to my granola conundrum? Make my own, of course! I mix this granola into soy yogurt, I eat it with soy or almond milk, and I even sprinkle it over fruity sorbets for dessert. It is versatile and delicious. There's also no reason you can't get creative with your flavors. Sometimes I stick with a classic recipe with cinnamon, raisins, and dried cranberries. But sometimes I go a little crazy in the bulk foods section at the grocery store and add things like dried pineapple, dried papaya, dried apricots, and ground ginger to make a tropically inspired granola (check out the picture below)!

Basic Crunchy Granola
-5 cups rolled oats
-1 cup sliced almonds
-3/4 cup sunflower seeds
-2 tsp ground cinnamon
-pinch nutmeg
-1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
-1/3 cup real maple syrup (I'm obviously biased, but Vermont syrup is the best)
-2 tbsp agave syrup or honey, depending on your personal leanings
-1 1/2 cups dried fruit of your choice, chopped

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
-Mix in the oil, maple syrup, and agave syrup or honey. Make sure everything is evenly coated with the liquids.
-Spread the oat mixture out on a foil lined baking sheet and smooth out so you have a nice even layer.
-Bake for 25 minutes. Be sure to thoroughly stir the oat mixture once in the middle of baking to prevent uneven cooking and sticking.
-Remove the granola from the oven and put on a wire rack. Stir in your dried fruit while the granola is still hot.
-While the granola cools for the next 20 minutes or so, give it a stir every few minutes to make sure it doesn't stick. This will also help it cool faster.
-Store the granola in an airtight container. It will keep for about 2 weeks, although it never lasts that long in my house.

Follow Up and a Tasty Side Dish

2009-11-12T22:15:00.005-05:00

As promised in my last post, I wanted to share my thoughts about Nutiva HempShake. I whipped up a smoothie using my sample packet of Berry Pomegranate yesterday around mid-morning. I used 4 ounces soy milk (I wanted to use almond milk, but it wasn't cold), 4 ounces water, 1 sample packet of HempShake, and about half a cup of frozen strawberries. The HempShake mix by itself looks kind of unappetizing; it's an ugly brown color. But once I blended everything up, the shake turned a nice mauvish-purple color. This blended up really nicely; there were no chunks of powder or anything. As for taste, this mix was very good. I could really taste the pomegranate flavor, which pared nicely with the frozen strawberries. I'm sure using mixed berries of pretty much any kind would work well. The one thing I saw as a negative was the thickness. Even though I used a full cup of liquid, half of which was just water, the shake came out a little thick and gummy. I think next time I would add another half cup of liquid. Final verdict? I would buy this again, and switch it up with my soy protein shakes occasionally.

Last night, I finally got around to making a side dish I've been meaning to make for a while - cauliflower puree. I don't know why I waited so long because this might be the most simple thing to ever be produced in my kitchen. This puree was light, fluffy, and tasted like cauliflower and only cauliflower (which is a wonderful thing if you ask me). I served this alongside a green risotto that I made with leeks, peas, zucchini and herbs. In the future, I'd save the puree for an entree that had a texture that was not soft and creamy. Don't get me wrong, I love soft creamy food; but maybe not an entire plate of it (full disclosure - I wanted to make risotto cakes, but for some reason they didn't so much stay cakes... I'm thinking it might had been that big glass of wine I had before dinner, oops). The recipe below was inspired by this one.

Simple Cauliflower Puree
-1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
-salt and pepper

-Set up a steamer basket in a pot above about half an inch of water. Heat the pot over medium high heat.
-Put the florets in the pot and steam them for about 8-10 minutes. Stir once or twice to ensure everything cooks evenly. The cauliflower is done when it is tender but not mushy.
-Put the steamed florets into your food processor and season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of the steaming liquid and puree. Repeat this process until you have a nice smooth consistency, making sure not to add too much water. You don't want a runny puree, you want a light fluffy one.
-Serve this puree right away so it's still hot, preferably with an entree with crunchy elements.

Hemp - Not Just for College Students

2009-11-10T22:11:00.007-05:00

I am an alum of the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. When people hear this, they often gravitate to one of a few topics; commonly, it's hemp. Obviously, a student or two was known to use a variety of the plant for its, shall we call them, recreational purposes. There was also a store stocked full of clothing and other goods made of hemp (The Hempest). This was new to me, coming from New Jersey where I'd never seen the plant used in its fiber form. I may be living 300 miles away from Burlington today, but my hemp discoveries have not ended. In the past week, I've come across a couple of interesting hemp products that I wanted to share.

First, we have Tempt Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert. I was really excited to find this at my local Whole Foods.
I've had a few different soy based non-dairy desserts and I've always been underwhelmed. They almost tasted icy, if not a little freezer burned. Anyway, when I saw this frozen hempmilk dessert, I decided to give it a try. I picked up the Coffee Biscotti flavor. I will say, this little pint of wonderfulness blew me away. It was so creamy; I attribute this to the good fat that hempseeds are a great source of. Hempmilk has more than double the Omega-3's and Omega-6's than soy milk. Besides the healthy fats, this product is a good source of both protein and essential amino acids. Go ahead and try to find me another dessert that has all this AND tastes delicious, smooth, and creamy!

Another hemp product I just stumbled upon today is Nutiva HempShake. I haven't had a chance to actually try this yet, but I was intrigued enough to pick up a sample packet to try tomorrow. We've all heard the saying "everything in moderation". I like to make sure I take this to heart, especially with my soy intake. I enjoy soy yogurt, soy milk, soy protein powders, and tofu as much as the next guy. However, I'm trying to branch out to include other kinds of products to add variety to my diet.
The HempShake mix seems like a good choice because it contains about the same amount of protein as my soy protein mix and it also has blueberries, acai, and goji berries, which are all jammed packed with antioxidants. In addition, this mix is a good source of fiber. I promise to report back with a review of the taste and texture; I'm planning on blending this mix up with some almond milk and frozen strawberries.

Hopefully this inspired you to venture in the world of (legal) hemp products! If you feel so inclined, it's worth the time to do some reading on the state of hemp farming today; despite the fact that the industrial hemp used to produce food and fiber products can't be used as a drug thanks to low THC levels, it's still illegal to farm here in the United States.

Rice and Beans with a Twist

2009-11-09T20:54:00.007-05:00

I can't take credit for tonight's dinner theme. One of my husband's (his name is Mark, by the way) favorite home cooked meals is black bean cakes and rice. He would eat rice and beans in any way, shape, or form, I'm pretty sure, but the cakes are a nice change of pace. Anyway, he suggested these pretty early on in the day and luckily I had just about all the ingredients on hand at home. Mark wasn't too upset about needing to run out to the store and grab a tomato and some cilantro, though! I served the cakes over chopped romaine for some crunchy freshness and I mixed up a quick pico de gallo with a tomato, half an onion, and some cilantro. I like to set out all the fixings for the bean cakes and rice and let everyone put their own plate together. Besides the salad and pico, I pulled out a few different kinds of salsas and hot sauces to top the meal with. This is a hearty meal that's full of protein and fiber. The recipe below serves two.

Black Bean Cakes and Spanish Rice
-1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
-half a red bell pepper, minced
-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-3 scallions, minced
-1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
-1/4 cup bread crumbs
-1 tbsp chili powder
-1 tbsp cumin
-salt and pepper
-2 tbsp of your favorite salsa
-2 tbsp vegetable oil
-3 tbsp cornmeal
-2 servings of cooked Spanish rice (I used the Near East brand, but if you feel so inclined and have a bit of extra time, go ahead and make your own!)

-Mash about 3/4 of the beans in a shallow bowl. Leave some beans whole for texture.
-Add the peppers, garlic, scallions, and cilantro to the mashed beans. Mix well.
-Add the bread crumbs, chili powder, cumin, and salsa. Mix to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
-Form the bean mixture into 6 cakes that are about 3/4" thick. Place the cakes on a tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This will allow them to firm up a bit and make them easier to handle.
-Remove the cakes from the refrigerator and heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Put the cornmeal in a shallow bowl. Dredge the cakes in the cornmeal, shaking off any excess, then place them in the hot skillet.
-Cook the cakes about 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy on the outside and heated through.
-Remove the cakes from the heat. Serve them with Spanish rice any fixings and toppings you like. A salad, pico de gallo, salsa, hot sauce, or guacamole would all be great options.

Tomato Soup... in November!

2009-11-08T22:55:00.004-05:00

I know that we all know and love our Jersey tomatoes. They are one of the finer points of summer and a staple at every farmer's market around. But once autumn rolls around, I usually find myself reaching for canned tomatoes. After a comment from my husband about the metallic taste of my last batch of tomato soup (which sadly, I had to agree with), I decided my next attempt would be made with fresh tomatoes. Happily, even in November, I'm still finding some! At my local grocery store I found some plump field tomatoes from New York state that I picked up. I supplemented these with a pint of cherry tomatoes; I figured these would be a good choice in case the field tomatoes weren't as sweet as they tend to be in summer. I don't think I had to worry. This soup came out delicious and silky! It's low on ingredients and easy on the wallet, and full of nutrients. Tomatoes are full of vitamin C and lycopene. I served this meal to my parents and my husband, and I had about half a serving of soup left over; if you're feeding a crowd, I would double this recipe. I served this soup with freshly baked sweet potato fries, a green salad, and sliced whole wheat bread.

Roasted Tomato Soup
-2 1/2 pounds of fresh tomatoes (a mix of whatever kind you like), quartered and cored
-1 large sweet onion, sliced
-4 cloves garlic, peeled
-4 springs thyme
-1/3 cup olive oil
-3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
-1/2 cup tightly backed basil leaves, torn
-salt and pepper

-Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
-Place the onions and garlic in the bottom of a large baking dish. Place the tomatoes on top of the onions and garlic, and place the thyme sprigs over the top of the tomatoes. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes.
-After removing and discarding the thyme sprigs, transfer the contents of the baking dish, along with all the juices, into a soup pot.
-Add the vegetable stock to the pot, and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the soup condenses and thickens a bit. Add the basil in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time.
-Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it's as smooth as you can get it.
-Prepare another soup pot with a fine-mesh strainer over the top of it. Ladle the pureed soup into the strainer and use the ladle to work the soup through. This will remove any bits of basil and tomato seeds or membranes that didn't puree well.
-Heat the soup back up over medium heat. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Welcome!

2009-11-08T21:59:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Runs on Plants! You may remember me from my recipe-based blog, The Hungry Pescetarian. I started this blog to accommodate changes I've made recently; I've adopted a vegan diet. My previous blog was mainly a place for me to share recipes. I plan to continue to do that here, and on top of that, include thoughts on food and fitness in general. If you were a reader of my old blog, I hope you'll continue to follow me here. And if you're a new reader, welcome! I'd love to hear your feedback on anything you feel like sharing, so please, leave comments! Happy eating and exercising!