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Vegetarian Thanksgiving, Running, Decorating

Vegetarian Thanksgiving 
So I finally got around to making our vegetarian-friendly Thanksgiving meal last night. I was so looking forward to the menu. We had talked about it all week and finally agreed upon something we both were excited to try:

Apple and Kabocha Kale 
Quorn Turk'y Roast with homemade Chipotle Cranberry Relish
Honey Mustard Roasted New Potatoes
Homemade wheat rolls

Apple and Kabocha Kale
Ingredients:
1/4 cup red quinoa
3/4 cup water
1 small bunch kale, cleaned, rough chop
1/2 honeycrisp apple
1/2 small white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 kabocha squash, cubed and roasted*
OJ
To taste: salt, pepper, agave nectar

Directions:
In saucepan, bring water and quinoa to boil then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes.

In large skillet, saute onions for approximately 3 minutes. Add in kale and orange juice and allow the kale to begin to cook down. Add in apples, quinoa, and seasonings and continue to cook until kale is soft (or to desired texture).

Chipotle Cranberry Relish
Ingredients:
1/2 bag fresh cranberries
1 large chipotle pepper in adobo, finely diced
1 tsp adobo saue
1/8 cup (or less) red onion, minced
Agave nectar to taste
Orange juice (approximately 1/2 cup)
Water (approximately 1/4 cup)
Salt (to taste)

Directions:
In medium sauce pan, add all ingredients and allow to simmer on low until thickened, approximately 1 hour. 

Honey Mustard Roasted New Potatoes
Ingredients:
Approximately 15 new potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tbsp honey mustard
To taste: sea salt, dried parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a baking dish and bake approximately 25 minutes then flip and bake another 20 minutes or until crisp

*I roasted the kabocha at the same time I cooked the potatoes and the Quorn Turk'y Roast.
 
 
 

Jason could not stop raving about the Chipotle Cranberry Relish. I will warn you that if you don't like spicy, then you should only use the adobo sauce or use a very small chipotle pepper. For us, the heat was spot on and pared very well with the sweet and tart from the cranberries and orange juice. The potatoes had a subtle mustard flavor, but it was a nice change from a typical rosemary, thyme roasted potato dish.

Running...
Today got off to a super lazy start and it felt great. I actually slept until 8 am and didn't rush down and immediately eat breakfast for a change. I stayed in PJs until 11 am and I am not ashamed one bit. It was another gorgeous day out today, a bit windier, but still wonderful. We have a good friend who has gotten into running and has been trying to work up to what he deemed an adequate point to where he could go for a Sunday run with us at the river trails. This past week he mentioned that he wanted to go this Sunday if we were going. Of course I told him yes! This was also before my injury on Friday.

Well, I hate to admit it, but I did go run today. I got new shoes yesterday after Jason just happened to look at the tread on mine, which was completely gone on the right side after only 3 months of running. What we have determined is that all of my neighborhood runs, in the street, are the likely cause of the injury - IT band. The camber of the road has been causing me to roll my knee inward and totally throwing off my form. I was absolutely shocked when I looked at my shoes. I had no idea it was THAT bad. I mean, I felt the tilt and knew it was causing me to run a bit crooked, but I did not have any idea of how bad it was affecting me physically and it all came to a head on Friday.

Anyway, back to today...no scolding please. I already know that I should not have gone. But it was such an incredible day, I had new shoes, and our friend was going with us. I did promise Jason that if it started hurting I would stop and walk. I even brought my iPod if I had to stop. Did it hurt, sort of, but not like Friday. Should I have stopped? Of course. I should have stayed home. But sometimes I'm a stubborn ass. So I have been icing today. As long as I don't go down the stairs, it doesn't hurt.

But, I must brag on my friend. Today he went the farthest he's ever gone - 4.5 miles and it was under 45 minutes. He thought he was so much slower so this was a great day for him. So proud!

Christmas Decorating
After we got home, I stretched and iced and then we decided to indulge in some Vino's pizza and brews before tackling Christmas decorations. We managed to get the tree done, pretty much the pool room. Jason got the lights on the banister, now we have to get the garland up though. The kitchen was started as well, but not completely done.

I pretty much do a gold and burgundy throughout, but our kitchen is blue so I'm going with blue and silver in there. This is the first year to decorate the kitchen actually. I do need to go back and get one package of silver balls and that should do it as I already have blue chargers and white plates - maybe silver napkins would be a nice finish.

I hope to get the banister done tomorrow and I feel like the foyer is missing something exciting so I may dig through all the decorations left and see what I can come up without having to buy something new. Jason's task is to get the outside lights up next weekend.


Do you decorate all in one day or does it take a week (or 2)?

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