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Taking on Tuesday with Cardio & Soup

Early Morning Workout
Today I managed to get my lazy rear out of bed at 5:10 to get my cardio workout done and over with. I did Step Blast plus abs from Step Jump and Pump. It was a good, sweaty workout. Although much more difficult at that early hour. Also didn't help that my legs are sore from yesterday and my arms don't want to straighten all the way. Excuses aside, I am simply not a morning person at all. I won't ever pretend to be either. However, I do wish I could get up and get my workouts in early every day. I feel like I have so much more free time in the evenings. Much less rushed trying to squeeze in workouts, chores, dinner, relaxing (whatever that is).

What's your favorite time to workout?

Another Soup
With my workout done for the day, I decided to try another yoga workout from On Demand. It was a nice stretch. Would have been slightly more calming had I not had one maniac (AKA Cocker Spaniel named Maddie) barking like a maniac. After my yoga session, I got down to dinner. We had a lot of bok choy that needed to be used up quickly. So, I opted for an Udon Noodle Bowl from The 30-Minute Vegan by Mark Reinfield and Jennifer Murray. I was missing a few ingredients, so I adapted and just used the recipe as a general guide. I also tried out something new, to me anyway. I used the bok choy to make spring rolls.

Udon Noodle Bowl
(Adapted from The 30-Minute Vegan)
Ingredients:
4 oz. udon noodles
Water for cooking udon noodles
4 - 5 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
2 baby portabellas finely sliced
1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 cup white onion, diced
2 cups bok choy, cleaned with white ends removed and chopped (use for wraps)
1 package extra-firm tofu (frozen and thawed), cubed 
1/4 cup arame
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp dried parsely
Green onion, thinly sliced for garnish

Directions:
Cook udon noodles until al dente, approximately 5 minutes. Strain and set aside.
In large soup pot, add broth and turn on heat. While broth heats, chop veggies and add to pot, including spices up to parsley. 
Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer until veggies are cooked through.

Place udon noodles in bottom of bowl and ladle soup over top, then garnish with green onions.

Bok Choy Spring Rolls
Ingredients:
Large bok choy leaves, white ends removed (also use white from soup)
2 small carrots or 1 large, rough chopped
1/4 yellow onion, rough chop
2-3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp hot and sour paste (vegan Tom Yum)
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
Sea salt to taste

Directions:
Using a food processor, shred whites of bok choy, carrots, and onion.

Using a non-stick skillet, saute veggies, ginger and garlic in rice wine vinegar and Tom Yum until vegetables are tender. Add in quinoa and cook until warmed through and add salt to taste.

Meanwhile, steam bok choy leaves until just tender. To assemble, place vegetable mixture in center of leaves and roll up.
The soup was mild in flavor, but filling and warming. The wraps were a nice, light alternative to a fried spring roll and perfect for dipping in the broth. 

Comments

  1. Mmmmm...I love noodle bowls! And those bok choy spring rolls look amazing-- great idea!

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  2. Your dinner sounds great tonight. I love your use of bok choy leaves as spring roll wrappers.

    My favorite time to workout is any time I get it in. Ideally though it should be morning so that I have the rest of the day to do other things.

    Alicia

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  3. YES!!! These spring rolls look amazing and so easy to make! I must get some of the ingredients so I can put these puppies together. I love leafed wraps!

    Thanks!

    XXOO

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  4. Go you, Heather, for the early AM wake-up call. It definitely takes adjusting to but it's totally doable if you can work your body into that early morning routine. I almost always work out first thing in the morning, for the very reason you mention - so the night is mine to do with it what I want (though lately that means Kick all the time!), and there are no excuses not to work out once you get your butt out of bed, way more excuses after a long day at the office, just sayin ;)

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  5. Good for you for waking up early. I am a AM workout girl. I am up at about 4:20 and in the gym by 5 - 5:15. I love the feeling after a great workout and a nice shower... it just makes you feel like you can do anything :)

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  6. I am so not a morning person either! I was trying to wake up early for my workouts but I end up snoozing! haha.
    Your bok choy spring rolls look great!

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  7. Totally cracking up at the dog barking while trying to do Yoga. I love Yoga but it is nearly impossible to get that Zen workout at home as all the cats intertwine themselves around me. Kind of hard to concentrate in Downward Dog when a cat is tickling your face. LOL

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  8. Oh, and I am definitely a morning workout person. Note -- not a MORNING person. My routine is to get up @ 6:30a (ugh!!!) and out the door with both kids by 7:45a, drop off Ash at school then head to the YMCA. I like to do classes and they usually start at 8:30a. I do this 3-4x per week.

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  9. My favorite time to workout is definitely in the morning. I will dread a workout if it's in the afternoon (like today).

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  10. Yum, your dinner looks so good!

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  11. Hi Jasmine @ Eat Move Write ! Are you typically a morning person or did you learn to like morning workouts? Just curious.

    Hey Steph I guess the not a morning person runs in the family huh ;-) I know all about animals in the face. I actually get at least one dog in my face doing Downward Dog!

    Kristen @ Swankyrd I just don't ever feel like I'm fully-functionaly first thing in the morning. I feel more likely to hurt myself especially jumping around over a step for step aerobics. And weights? 12# may as well be 20!

    Hi Gelareh @ NutritiousFoodie You do have a point about feeling so accomplished after a morning workout! I should focus on that feeling perhaps rather than the, "ugh, gotta get up" feeling. I must have missed that you changed your blog over - are you still posting to Orange Truffle? I loved that name!

    Jessica @ eatdrinkbreathesweat I know that if I worked harder at it, it'd probably come easier. I could also readjust when I go into work and go in later so I wouldn't have to get up quite so early.

    Thanks Kris | iheartwellness ! I can't wait to hear how your wraps turn out. I really enjoyed them. Didn't feel guilty about having a second helping!!

    Alicia I agree about just being happy to be able to get it done. I think if I could workout at like 9 or 10 am, that would be the ideal time, or around 1pm. If only I were independently wealthy...

    Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg this was really the first time I made a noodle bowl. The only issue? Messy to eat!! Do you use a fork, a spoon, slurp it up???? LOL. I did all 3!

    Thanks Suzie !

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