Hodge, Podge Dinner
Last night I was starving and convinced there was nothing to eat in the house and husband wasn’t home, so it seemed like the just the right opportunity to go to New Season’s salad/ hot. However, I seem to find that very same opportunity on way too many nights. It is becoming a wee bit of a problem. Instead of caving into my New Season’s longing I put my cooking pants and wrangled up some random ingredients and it turned out dang good, better than New Season’s hot bar good. I wish I could take full credit for random creation, but it is heavily based on a meal my husband makes often. In lieu of our different eating habits, the man and moi cook separate dishes for dinner, so I had not had the true pleasure of experiencing his creation until last night. I made a few tweaks to his masterpiece and here is what my version looked like…. Oh, one more thing this “recipe” does not really need to follow any specific measurements because I literally just through everything together last night. I swear I don’t mean that in a I-am-just-that-good-in-the-kitchen-that-I-can-just-toss-together-whatever-I-have-on-a-hand-and-it-tastes-divine kinda way, it is more like this recipe is incredibly difficult to screw up kinda way. Got it? Good. Now back to the “recipe”
The Goods:
- 2-3c brussel sprouts (halved)
- 2-3c broccoli (chopped)- I used the pre cut one from Trader Joe’s. Super simple.
- 1c broccoli slaw- can omit this one and just use more of the broc or b.sprouts
- 1/2 red onion (chopped)
- 1/2 zucchini (chopped)
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1/2 can of chickpeas
- 1/2 jar of pasta sauce
- dash of hot sauce- to taste (optional)
- 1 can of wild salmon
- 2t cumin
- 1/4t sea salt
- dash of fresh ground black pepper
- 1.5T olive oil
How To:
- Heat oil on low to med heat in large sauce pan or medium size dutch oven
- Add onions and sauté until translucent
- Add garlic, spices, sea salt and hot sauce- stir
- Add all veggies and 2T water, stir and put lid on and steam veggies for 2min on low-medium heat
- Add pasta sauce & chicpeas, stir, put lid on and let simmer for 10-15min
- At the very end stir in canned salmon
- Pat yourself on the back, because you just cleaned out the fridge, ate healthy and did not spend money on takeout. Word.
I put this medley over some coked quinoa and mixed it all together, but it definitely does not need the quinoa, so that step could be omitted.
I also enjoyed with this adult beverage:
1shot of organic, local gin + 2T lime juice + 3/4c sparkling water = a cocktail that made me feel good in the moment and not like garbage in the morning. #nailedit.
And with that, I leave you this….
#random
Happy Friday!!
Gluten-Free, Hormone Balancing, Energy Giving Peanut Butter Protein Bars & a Treadmill HIIT Workout
A tragic thing happened yesterday: I went to the Grocery store and they were completely out of my beloved Perfect Foods Bars. The horror. How was I to survive? I stood there and stared at the empty display case where my besties once lived for a good 30 seconds.
I pulled myself together and decided that I would try my hand at making a homemade version of PFB. Honestly, I love the Perfect Foods Bar and compared to a lot of bars out there they really are full of goodness, but there are two ingredients that kinda bug me: 1. The non fat milk powder is not organic and I would prefer a dairy-free bar. 3. The egg white powder is also not organic. However, they taste amazing and I have tried to recreate this amazing-ness a few times and failed, so I was a little skeptical on the possibility of recreating my beloved. Well, I gotta say I have come pretty darn close. My bars are not as tasty, but Lawd they will do.
Without Further adieu I bring you: Gluten-Free, Hormone Balancing Energy Giving Peanut Butter Protein Bars.
I basically used The Blonde Pony Tail’s recipe for No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars as my jumping off point then merged it with my balls recipe.
The Goods:
- 2c organic, crunchy natural peanut butter (this ended up being the entire jar)
- 3/4c raw honey
- 1/2c maple syrup
- 2c chocolate protein powder- I used Thorne’s Vegilite
- 1/4c chia seeds
- 1/4c maca
- 1/4c unsweetened almond milk
How To:
- Heat peanut butter, honey and maple syrup in an a small sauce pan on low for 2-5 min
- mix the dry ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl
- add peanut butter, honey & maple syrup to dry goods and stir while adding bits of the almond milk at a time
- after the ingredients are fully combined, spread evenly in a 3qt baking dish
- allow to harden in refrigerator overnight then cut and serve
*serving will vary on how big you want the bars to be. I sliced them into 16 different bars.
*store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Good Lord these are good.
I enjoyed one with a green smoothie after a run and sweaty yoga sculpt class today. They definitely hit da spot. #nomnom
Yesterday, Burt got the left over peanut butter jar:
Dog loves peanut butter.
And for giggles here is the treadmill HIIT I did on Saturday that got me good and schweaty.
Time Speed
And with that I am off. happy Monday!!
Banana, Peanut Butter Protein Muffins
Howdy and Happy Monday!
In lieu of my Operation Muscle Excavation mission, I decided to make a protein packed treat that will appease my sweet tooth and appetite. I had a ripe banana staring at me, so I decided to sleuth the ‘net for a protein packed banana bread recipe. I found this Banana Bread Protein Muffins from Dashing Dish and made a few tweaks.
Here is what my recipe looked like:
Banana, Peanut Butter Protein Muffins
*makes 12
The Goods:
- 1.5 very ripe bananas (medium in size)
- 2 eggs
- 6oz of Siggi’s 0% Vanilla yogurt (you could also use any plain Greek yogurt)
- 1/2 c oat flour
- 1/4 almond meal
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder ( I used plant fusion- my fave to bake with)
- 2T maple syrup (grade B is best for nutrient content)
- 1/4c peanut butter chips (could also use chocolate chips, but this would take the peanut butter out of this recipe)
- 1T unsweetened almond milk
- 1t baking soda
- 1t baking powder
- 1/2t cinnamon
- 1t vanilla extract
How To:
- Pre heat oven to 350
- Mash banana in a medium size bowl with a fork
- Place the rest of the ingredients (except peanut butter chips) in a bowl and stir until smooth (a few banana lumps is fine)
- Fold in peanut butter chips
- Line muffin tin with paper liners or grease with coconut oil
- Divide mixture evenly between 12 regular size muffin tin.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes- or until toothpick comes out clean
Hormone Balancing, Energy Giving Protein Balls
Oh boy these balls are good.
Get your mind out of the gutter.
So what makes these balls hormone balancing and energy giving? Well the protein powder, sunflower butter, organic honey and cacao nibs are major contributors to the magical power these balls possess, but what makes these balls extra magical is sir maca. I am on a bit of maca kick. If you have not met Mr. Maca he is a superfood that boosts many redeeming qualities, a few of which include increased energy, endurance and libido. This crafty superfood also balances the endocrine system to help combat stress, so he really his quite super and he kind of tastes like malt powder, which is also super. No?.
The Goods:
- 1big scoop (approx 1/4c) chocolate protein powder- I used Vegilite
- 6T unsweetened sunflower butter
- 3T maca
- 3T almond meal
- 2T honey
- 2T unsweetened almond milk
- 2T Cacao nibs- could also use chocolate chips
- 1/4t sea salt
- 1/2t cinnamon
How To:
- Add all of the above goods to a medium size mixing bowl and stir until combined. If mixture is too dry add a wee bit more almond milk. Your goal is to get the mixture to cookie dough like consistency.
- Roll “dough” into balls. My balls were the size of golf balls and made 12.
- Put in refrigerator for minimum of one hour, but overnight works best
- Store in sealed glass container in refrigerator for up to two weeks- if they last that long.
These make for great post workout fuel or a snack for when you are seconds away from chewing your arm in lieu of incredible hunger.
And with that I am off to pack for Maui. Yes, Maui.
Have a superb week! I will be checking in on instagram (@skinspot) if any body need a dose of sun via social media this week.
Everything But the Kitchen Sink Soup
Howdy and Happy Monday!
Yesterday I made another batch of soup for Souper Sunday. This might be my favorite yet.
I used Sarah Bitton’s recipe Garlicky White Bean Stew as my Inspiration. However, my version of this this soup ended up being more of a cleaning out the fridge experiment that actually turned out pretty dang well. I was a little skeptical in lieu of the randomness of the ingredients, but the ingredients worked together. This souper is filling, flavorful and simple. Woot!
The Goods:
- 1T coconut oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1.5t smoked paprika
- dash of sea salt
- 5bay leaves
- pinch of chili flakes
- 1can kidney beans, rinsed
- 1can cannelini beans, rinsed
- 1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes – no/low sodium
- 2 cups brussel sprouts, halved
- 1c up broccoli, chopped
- 1c spinach
- 1 medium Japanese sweet potato, chopped (could also use a yam or regular sweet potato)
- 4c cups vegetable broth
- avocado & hot sauce for garnish- optional
- Heat coconut oil in a large stockpot.
- Add onions to the pot with a couple pinches sea salt, chili flakes, bay leaves and paprika.
- Cook for a few minutes until the onions have softened, then add sliced garlic.
- Add the potatoes and stir for 3 minutes
- Add brussel sprouts and broccoli and stir for 3 minutes- if getting too dry add a little vegetable stock
- Add other ingredients, bring to a boil,
- Simmer for 20 minutes
- A few minutes before serving add spinach & season to taste, and
- serve with a avocado & a dash of hot sauce
I am off to Trader Joe’s to see if they finally have more broccoli in stock. Why is there a broccoli and kale shortage at Joe’s lately?! The horror.
Toodles!
Holy Yum Granola
Lately I have been feigning for a good granola. I had it at a coffee shop for breakfast a few weekends ago and I am still trying to recreate the experience. While I am still missing the swanky ambience the coffee shop provided I do think I recreated the effect the granola had on my tastebuds. This granola is so textured and it is perfectly sweet (in my opinion). I love the hint of coconut too. Obsessed. Without further adieu, I bring you Holy Yum Granola….
The Goods:
- 1/4c flaxseeds ( I left them whole)
- 1/4c Chia seeds
- 1/3c Quinoa (rinsed or use truroots sprouted quinoa like I did)
- 1/2c Millet (rinsed)
- 1c Oats (I used Gluten-Free oats, but regular will work well too)
- 1/4c shredded coconut
- 1/3c cranberries or raisins
- 3T mini chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/4c pecans (chopped)
- 1/4c sunflower butter
- 1/4c raw honey (could also use maple syrup or agave)
- 2T coconut oil
- 1t vanilla
- Pre-heat oven to 300
- Rinse Quinoa and Millet, pat dry with towel or paper towel
- Combine Sunflower Butter, Coconut Oil, & Vanillla in a small saucepan and heat on low-med for 3-5minutes
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well
- Pour saucepan of goodness over the dry ingredients and stir until fully coated
- spread mixture on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Bake for 30 minutes- stirring every 10 minutes
Sometimes You Just Gotta Cook
It is Wednesday and you know what that means…. another WIAW. Woot! Jenn thank you for hosting! If you want to see more eats, pop over to Peas & Crayons.
And for this What I ate Wednesday- here are my Tuesday eats.
I have this funky relationship with Tuesdays. I don’t like them. I don’t see clients on Tuesdays and as a result I save all of the not-so-fun paper work and other catch up activities for Tuesdays and my motivation mojo is always super low on these days, so I basically want to throw a temper tantrum all day long. I realize I am ridiculous. Yesterday instead of throwing a temper tantrum, I decided to stay in my PJ’s, light some candles, plug in the Chirstmas tree throw on the Michael Buble holiday station on Pandora and cook my heart out.
Burt was thrilled about this:
On the menu:
crockpot, vegan apple crisp:
Honestly, I did not love this, so I am not going to post the recipe. It needs tweaking.
I ended up using it as a little topping on some Greek Yogurt.
Next up was Sir Tempeh. I love tempeh from the restaurants, but I can never nail it at home. I think I nailed it yesterday.
I cubed an 8oz packet of organic tempeh, put in a bowl with the marinade below and let sit for 20 minutes.
Coconut Marinade:
- 1/4c lite coconut milk
- 1/4c tamari
- 1t raw honey
- 1T brown rice vinegar
- 1T shredded coconut
- sprinkling of ginger powder (optional)
- squirt of Siracha (optional- could use red pepper flakes if you want a little heat, but don’t have Siracha on hand)
Kale & Avocado Salad:
And for dessert…. Gluten-Free, Vegan Sorta Sugar Cookies
I followed this recipe except I used two flax “eggs” instead of the Ener-G “eggs” and I used sucant instead of sugar. I also used part of Pamela’s GF pancake mix for some of the GF flour because I ran out of flour. oops. I did not frost these bad boys, instead I rolled them into balls then dipped them in a bowl of sugar crystals. I also baked for 9-11 minutes because they are more dense than the flat cookies the original recipe calls for.
These are pretty good, but they almost taste more like scones than sugar cookies.
And today the kitchen is closed. I have work to catch up on, but it was nice to spend an unexpected day in the kitchen.
Happy Wednesday!
Three Things
I just discovered Hilary’s veggie burgers and they are too good to not give a shout out to. They are GMO free, Dairy free, Gluten Free, Corn Free, Yeast Free and they are simply delish. Nailed it. They are sold throughout the U.S.of A, so check their website or your grocery store to see if you can get your mitts on these fellas.
Please forgive the photo. I wasn’t planning on blogging about these gems, but they are just that good.
The fella in this photo is the adzuki bean burger smothered in ketchup & dijion mustard
Another food I am loving is avocado toast. I don’t why it took me so long to try this duo, but I am so tickled that I did.
Ezekiel toast, 1/2 of an avocado, 2t hemp hearts, a bit of garlic salt & red pepper flakes. So. Dang. Good.
And my final thought for the day, is my love affair with Medicine Mama’s Sweet Bee Magic Bee Balm. I am fairly certain that I have mentioned this product before on my site, but it really deserves another shout out. I swear by this product. I use it to remove make-up, on cuts, it is my lip balm and my go to product for any sort of dry skin issue. It is also my secret weapon in getting my skin to look extra glow-y. After I have put on my tinted SPF and my under eye concealer I dab the balm around my orbital bone (the circular area around your eyes).
Exhibit A
Exibit B
good lord that is a photo.
This balm is safe for those battling blemishes as the olive oil in it matches your skin’s on sebum (oil) and the propolis and honey are anti-microbial. However, I wouldn’t slather your skin in this balm if you are not exfoliating appropriately and you are acne prone- this product could be too much oil if the right about of exfoliation is not occurring. This wonder balm can be purchased from their site and some Whole Foods carry it- it is generally near the bandaids.
It looks like this, but I think their packaging has changed a wee bit.
While we are on the topic of acne, if you are battling it, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am all too familiar with sir acne, as I wrestled with him a few times in my years, and I know a thing or two about ridding skin of him.
Here is a recent testimonial I got from one of my clients. I am not sharing this with you to toot my horn, but to offer a resource to any body out there struggling with not-so-clear-skin.
I cannot begin to describe how wonderful Kelli is at Skinspot. My acne was pretty bad when I first visited Kelli, but from my very first facial, I was able to see obvious results from each visit. I can’t reiterate enough, how methodical and progressive each visit is. Kelli is knowledgeable, honest, and gives great practical advice. Above that, though, she is so kind, personable, and understanding about having skin insecurities.
I used to wake up each morning and look in the mirror, desperately searching for any improvement in my acne. Those days seem far away now, as I don’t have to wear make-up constantly and deal with the pain and embarrassment that comes with acne. I was the person who tried every type of facial and every face wash known to mankind, but to no avail. I was never rid of my acne until I saw Kelli, and so to anyone who is looking to clear up their skin or who just wants to know how to take care of themselves, I highly recommend Kelli at Skinspot. She’s a fantastic esthetician , but also such a great gal in general. – Maia R.
If you do not live in my neck of the woods, fear not, we can go through a strategy session to determine the best course of action to get you to clear skin. Honestly, home care is where the results are at, so if you are using the right products for your skin condition & type you will reach your clear skin goal.
To learn more about what I do go to skinspot’s website.
And with that, I am out. Happy Weekend!
Thanksgiving eats and a new salad dressing
Happy Monday. I hope everybody had a stellar weekend and is gearing up for feasting day. We are hosting the day of thanks at our abode this year and we are doing it potluck style, so everybody is bringing a dish to pass. Yesterday, I gathered my recipes and ingredients for my “dish to pass.”
Here are the dishes that I am going to attempt to recreate for T day:
1. Edible Perspective’s Whipped Sweet Potatoes - I have never made these before, but I have wanted to ever since she posted the recipe last year.
2. My New Roots Raw Cashew Dreamcake- I made this last year and was blown away by it. I honestly thought recipes of this caliber were reserved for peeps who really know their away around the kitchen. I am not one of those people, yet I still managed to recreate this appropriately named “Dreamcake.” This recipe take a little TLC, but it really is so easy and so tasty.
3. Kale & Squash Salad. This is going to be a hybrid of a salad I eat often with a new almond butter dressing I picked up from Crazy, Sexy KItchen. I gave a version of the dish a test run last night. The dressing is awesome. I will post the recipe below. The only adjustment I would make is to use less cardamom. I have never used cardamom before, I like the flavor it brings, but it is very distinct.
The dressing, shredded kale and broccoli slaw.
A version of the salad. I added salmon, roasted brussel sprouts, roasted delicata squash, and raisins. For T day, I am going to do kale, broccoli slaw, dried cranberries, roasted delicata squash, sunflower seeds, then topped with the almond butter CSK dressing.
CSK Almond Butter Dressing Recipe: (serves 4)
The Goods:
- 1/4c dates
- 1/4c almond butter
- 1/2 t lemon juice
- 1/2c purified water
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 1/2t sea salt
- 1t caedamom
- 1/4t black pepper
This is just one the amazing recipes in this cookbook. I can’t wait to try them all.
And with that I am off!
Happy Monday!
Crazy, Sexy, Kitchen
I did it! I recently purchased Crazy, Sexy Kitchen by Chris Karr. This book came across my radar way too many times for me to ignore it. Ma friend, Abby, over at Eat Drink and Be Aware has been singing the cookbook’s praises for a few weeks now and after see it landing on several other bloggers websites whom I respect, I decided I needed to see what all the buzz was about. I am so glad I did. This book is a a plant based cookbook with the most amazing recipes that I have seen in quite some time. I do believe this could turn any veggie hater into a lover. I also love that there are little nuggets of inspiration in choosing eats that truly bring out the best version of you. Furthermore, this cookbook actually enlightens one on the how to cook rather than just the what. Still not sold? Umm there is a recipe in there for kale chips that might actually be the golden ticket to making kale chips that taste as good as the really expensive gems sold at the g store. Tell me that is not one heckuva selling point?!!
Side note: I was also torn to buy another cookbook Practical Paleo. I have oodles of good things about that guy too. However, I have been feelin’ so good since eating less meat and dairy, so I refrained from the purchase.
I also found a tea towel section.
I am a sucker for tea towels and cookbooks. Weird? Maybe.
I have not made anything from Crazy, Sexy Kitchen yet, but that is on the To-Do list for this weekend and I am slightly pondering trying every recipe in there. It is that good.
On a completely unrelated note, I tried this locally made “sandwich” for dinner last night and holy son-of-a-gun was it good.
I can’t tell you how many times I have based by these at the grocery store. Big mistake. Huge Mistake.
Cutest dang sandwich I ever seen.
I enjoyed sammi with a little kale slaw on the side
Dessert, was a delight too. I had a Narin’s cookie/ biscuit with a little peppermint, hot chocolate. These cookies made me feel so English/ Irish and I liked it. I was so refined last night.
These picture are making me hungry and I need to get back to work, so with that I am off.
Happy Friday and go get Crazy, Sexy Kitchen. Now!!!
