Where's the Beach?

If you follow me on Instagram , you might notice that I have been posting protein waffle pictures on the weekends. It's kind of funny because up until about a month ago, I had never actually made waffles. The only reason we have a waffle iron is because I bought it for Jason several years ago because he was always talking about wanting to make waffles for breakfast. I'm actually not a big breakfast foods kind of person. I never wanted toast and eggs, pancakes or waffles. Bacon and sausage never appealed to me, especially not now as a vegetarian. The only time I really wanted waffles was when my dad took my sister and I to this diner as children. It was called Mrs. T's. The waffles were as big as the plate, and my sister and I could easily inhale 2 waffles! Of course every crevice had to be perfectly filled with the correct blend of melty butter and oozing syrup. Maybe it was seeing so many waffles on Instagram or recipes on Pinterest, but I suddenly decided I wanted s...

Do you ever make dishes that sound like they're meant for one season, but actually can be good in another season? Last week I did just that. I had a butternut squash that needed to be used, but I really wasn't sure how I wanted to use it. I also had some red quinoa stashed in the freezer, so I started to think about ways to incorporate the quinoa with the squash. I decided that a salad sounded good. I know that it's spring, but it sure isn't feeling much like spring around here. So the comforting flavors of fall actually sounded appealing. I love the sweetness of butternut squash pared with the tartness of dried cranberries. But I also really like some spice to my food. I ended up trying out a new marinade/dressing for tofu using maple syrup, something I almost never use unless a specific recipe calls for it. But maple syrup, butternut squash and cranberries sounded more like a desert. This is where the chipotle peppers come into play. The smoky heat helps offset ...

Do you try to eat the so-called super foods regularly? Do you think they're over-hyped or hold true to their nutritional claims? Sometimes I do think certain food trends end up overly hyped, but probably with cause. I don't think anyone will argue that lentils or kale are bad for us. Well, actually, if you have blood clotting issues, then excessive amounts of kale could be an issue because it is high in vitamin K, a natural coagulant. But, that aside, super foods are nutrient-dense foods. They are often cleansing as well as offering healthy doses of minerals and nutrients our bodies need. For example, lentils are a fantastic source of iron, folate, thiamin, and manganese. Quinoa is also a great source for manganese as well as magnesium and even protein. So, why not combine some of these ingredients for a nutritionally dense salad? I had on hand some cooked lentils so I thought I would try pairing those with a massaged kale salad. I wanted to "beef" up the protei...

Are there any veggies or ingredients that sort of scare you off? For me, kale is one of those. It took me a very long time to try it out. One of the only reasons I did was because our neighbors gave me a bunch. I had it in my head that it would be bitter, that it had to be cooked to be palatable. So, my first recipe with kale was a soup. I quickly realized that I loved the texture. It stood up very well in a soup, so my next stab at cooking kale was to saute it. I started combining it with apples, butternut squash or sweet potato, and of course kabocha. I loved how it paired with sweeter ingredients. Roasting kale was my next step, and not just kale chips, but roasting it so that it's mostly tender with a few airy, crispy edges. But I kept seeing recipes for massaged kale that looked and sounded fantastic. All the right flavor combos. But, I was still leery that it'd be bitter somehow. But a couple of weeks ago, I finally broke down and gave massaged kale a try. The verdic...

We do stir fry fairly frequently. I try to press several packages of tofu on the weekend and start to marinade at least one for a stir fry dish. I tend to make a similar sauce each time (orange juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut flour). I know there is so much more to stir fry than what I tend to do though. I decided I wanted to do something a little different, something with more flavor. We had a few oranges on hand and a large knob of ginger. You see orange and ginger used fairly frequently in Asian cooking - or I've noticed it on menus at least. So, here's my take on a Ginger Orange Tofu Stir Fry . Ginger Orange Tofu Stir Fry Ingredients: 1 package tofu, pressed Soy sauce, to taste and consistency (can also use Bragg's Amino Acids or a combo of the two) Orange juice, to taste and consistency (I probably used about 3/8 cup) 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2-3 tbsp agave nectar (could also use honey or brown sugar) Crushed pepper flakes, to taste 1/4 tsp s...

Look at me go, back again with another Tasty Tuesday recipe. I love making homemade veggie burgers to freeze and have on hand for an easy mid-week dinner. While I love bean burgers, sometimes they can be hard to get the texture right. I also like to try to "beef" up the protein whenever possible. Enter: Tempeh. Tempeh is high in protein and fiber, contains vitamins and minerals, is a mild anti-inflammatory, and works as a great binder as well. Also, fermented foods have been found to have many health benefits So, the last time I made up a batch of veggie burgers, I went with a combo of chickpeas and tempeh. I also decided to add in a few additional ingredients, like mustard, that I don't normally use. But, whole grain mustards are so full of flavor, I thought it might be a great addition, and it was. Chickpea Tempeh Burgers Ingredients: 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 package tempeh 2 carrots, peeled, large chop Whole grain mustard, to taste To taste: s...

Last week I spent a little extra time in the kitchen with the goal of putting together a few new dishes to try out. We've definitely been in a major rut with cooking. I thought it would be fun to try out a few new ideas. First up was to use up some cauliflower. I love roasting cauliflower and using that for lunches throughout the week. I decided to kick it up a notch though. Usually I just toss with salt and olive oil. This time I broke out some other spices. I have been using more and more turmeric in my cooking because it has some pretty fantastic health benefits to include acting as a liver detoxifier and as an anti-inflammatory. Spicy Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower Olive oil To taste: salt, powdered red pepper, garlic powder, turmeric Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, oil and seasonings. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake approximatel...

You're probably shocked to see a Tasty Tuesday post. I admit that it's been a while. I do have one other recipe that I need to re-make and share, hopefully sooner than later. It's getting close to time to hit up the grocery store. What's funny is that I've noticed I tend to get more creative when I have fewer ingredients. We're getting low mostly on the fresh veggies. I knew I had a few things that needed to be used, like an opened can of pumpkin puree. I decided to attempt creativity with a Pumpkin Alfredo sauce to go with spaghetti squash and some homemade ciabatta I had on hand. I didn't have any coconut milk, but knew that almond milk would work perfectly. Since I was out of vegetable stock, I decided to infuse additional flavor with white wine. Pumpkin Alfredo Ingredients: 1 large can pumpkin puree 1/8 cup minced red onion (emphasizing minced) 1 tbsp minced garlic 1 cup (approximate, may need to add more) unsweetened almond milk or lite c...

It's been a while since I've shared any new recipes here. Actually, it's been a while since I've made anything new. Sometimes it's just easier to stick with the tried and true. But, I finally ordered in some TVP ( texturized vegetable protein ) and was wanting to try to use it in a new way. I used to make TVP burgers ages ago binding them with egg. But they always seemed to crumble apart. I believe it was Kristina at Spabettie who did this - blended the TVP. Of course, when I saw the mention of blending the TVP it was one of those knocks own forehead with palm moments. And of course that makes much more sense. How did I never think of that one? Vegan TVP Veggie Burgers Ingredients: 2 cups TVP 2 cups water 1-2 carrots, diced 1/4 cup red onion, diced 3 tbsp minced garlic To taste: salt, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin powder, liquid smoke 3 oz tomato paste 2/3 cup rolled oats, ground into oat flour 2/3 cup rolled oats, whole 2 tbsp g...

Last week Jason had picked up some heirloom tomatoes. I had grabbed kale. I really had no specific plans for the kale, and Jason had just been using the tomatoes on sandwiches. But when it came time to come up with something for dinner, I thought the kale and tomatoes would go really well together along with some Greek flavor profiles like olives, feta, sundried tomatoes. Initially, I thought I might just go with quinoa, but realized I had some Israeli couscous in the cabinet. So, I decided to go with that instead. I knew it would have a lot more texture and bite to it. And if you don't have the Israeli couscous, you can use any grain of choice. I think orzo pasta would also be fantastic.  Greek Style Kale Couscous Salad Ingredients: 1 cup Israeli couscous 1 1/4 cup water 1 large bunch kale, de-stemmed, chopped  1/2 small red onion, chopped 1 tbsp minced garlic 1/2 cup white wine or vegetable broth 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, reconstituted and diced 1/8 cup kalama...

I don't know about you, but when it's hot out, I tend to crave more watery fruit like pineapple. We've also been grilling most days, especially while we were painting the kitchen cabinets. Since I just happened to have a pineapple on hand, I decided to come up with a way to grill it. At first I had thought about sandwiches, but I ended up going with a quinoa salad instead using tempeh and veggies. I wanted to try to infuse more of the pineapple flavor in the tempeh while it poached, so I also made a puree of the pineapple. Grilled Pineapple Tempeh Quinoa Salad Ingredients: 1 pineapple 1 package tempeh - cut in half then lengthwise for 4 pieces 1 not-beef bouillon cube 2 cups water (or broth and minus the bouillon) 2 tbsp minced garlic 1-2 jalapenos, seeded if you prefer less heat Small nub of fresh ginger 2 bell peppers (I used green and yellow) 1 large zucchini, cut into thick strips 1/2 cup quinoa (I used red) 2 cups water Directions: Turn on your grill...

Miles and Miles   Happy Tuesday! Don't know about you guys, but I'm super excited for a short week. I'm also super excited about a major cool down we have had here. Last week it was 100+ degrees. Then over the weekend we had a cold front move through. Usually a "cold" front at the end of June means 95 degrees instead of 105. But this time? For real cold front.  We actually have low temps again. As in 65 degrees low. A-mazing! Let's just say I've covered a lot of miles recently. Sunday Jason and I biked about 27.5 miles. Then yesterday another 20.4. Lots of miles being covered here. The only downfall of this cooler weather is crazy winds that are bringing it in. This morning I managed my first double digit run since mid-May. I got in 10 fantastic miles and it looked like I had run not swam. I got a little over 3 in then met up with Amy for 4 before finishing out the rest of the miles. Oh, another perk of the cooler temps? A speedier run that didn...

Just a little bit of recapping before heading into my Tasty Tuesday recipe for Grilled Peaches, Beets and Tofu Salad . Mostly running, biking, grilling, and lots of time with sister and friend. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I know I did. And it went by way too fast (of course). Saturday I got in a run, we ran several errands, then I spent some time in the pool being lazy. I should have been more productive, but I wasn't. And that's perfectly ok.  Sunday morning Jason and I went for a 20-mile bike ride. My sister came up and we helped my friend organize and hang pictures at her new apartment. Then we all went for a really late lunch.  The day ended with Amy stopping by for dinner - I grilled a huge tempeh and veggie salad for the girls. Luckily the temperatures weren't too miserable, so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the food and the evening…and of course the great conversation and laughs.  Monday I used as a rest day, sort of. My sister has b...

While I don't have a new recipe to share, I've been pinning plenty of them that have caught my eye or made me hungry. I thought I would share those with you. What recipes have you been checking out lately? Have you made any of these? Laura at Mommy Run Fast posted this fantastic looking Warm Lentil and Wheatberry Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apple recipe. I love wheatberries and the combination of the apples and sweet potatoes. So this one called out my name. Source: mommyrunfast.com via Heather on Pinterest Amanda at Run to The Finish shared this tasty sounding recipe for this Slow Cooker BBQ Tofu and Slaw . Might not be pretty, but sometimes the best tasting dishes are those that look the worst. Though, this one doesn't look all that bad to me! Source: runtothefinish.com via Heather on Pinterest Heather at Better With Veggies posted this fantastic recipe for Vegan Kale Sausage Balls . Being a huge fan of kale, this one caught my eye. ...

Last week I had posted pictures of a dinner Jason had made for me in a Thankful Thursday post. I know I am really lucky to have a husband who will cook, but even better, can cook really really well. He spent five years working in a French restaurant. Lucky me right? So, he definitely learned a lot. I typically do most of the cooking because he gets home later than I do, and I don't want to eat at 8 at night. Sometimes, however, I get really burned out on cooking, trying to be creative, just spending time in the kitchen period. Last week I had one of those days. I had asked him for ideas and he tossed out a list of the ingredients we had. That sort of sent me over the edge. Yes, I knew we had those things in the fridge...thankyouverymuch. Thankfully, he stepped up to the plate and took over. He was initially wanting a stroganoff. But ended up going a totally different direction with Shepherd's Pie. My only complaint is that he decides to get crazy creative when he gets ho...

The inspiration for this dish came from a recipe I found on pinterest for Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Harissa from Familystyle Food. I had the cauliflower and chickpeas, but no harissa. This of course made me more determined to figure out how to try and replicate the recipe sans harissa. I decided to use Sriracha to give me the heat. Plus, it's hard to go wrong with Sriracha in my book. I had read some recipes for harissa included coriander, so I decided to use that as a seasoning along with garam masala to give the dish a slightly Indian flair. Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli, Chickpeas and Tofu Ingredients: 1 can no-salt diced tomatoes Very healthy amount of Sriracha chili sauce - to taste 2/3 cup orange juice To taste: garam masala, salt, coriander 1 package extra firm tofu, pressed 1/2 white onion, diced 3 tbsp minced garlic 1 small head of cauliflower, chopped 1 small bunch broccoli, chopped Olive oil salt 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained D...

Tomato Jason really likes tomato soup. He always mentions make it, but when I've tried in the past, it's been a less than stellar effort. I mean, it was definitely edible. But by no means a spectacular recipe to repeat over again. So when he brought it up again, I almost said, "no." But I gave it one more shot. And, I'm glad I did. This one turned out so much better than previous versions. Jason went back not only for seconds, but thirds. I call that a success. Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Ingredients: 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 can no-salt diced tomatoes 1/2 small yellow onion, diced 3 tbsp minced garlic 1 8 oz can tomato sauce To taste: salt, pepper, basil Directions: In a soup pot, saute onions and garlic for approximately 8-10 minutes. In a blender or food processor, combine tomatoes, beans, sauce, onions, garlic, seasonings. Blend until completely smooth adding in a bit of water if needed. Return to soup pot and simmer on low ...

I saw this recipe for Baked Italian Cauliflower at Daily Food Buzz and thought it sounded really tasty, and easy to make. Even better, Jason had just picked up cauliflower at the grocery store. Of course, I had to put my own spin on the dish. I decided to use my Tofu Ricotta in lieu of the meat, add in some red bell peppers and then top with Daiya for a vegan version. Italian-Style Baked Cauliflower Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower, chopped 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil To taste: parsley, basil, oregano, salt 1 jar of spaghetti sauce - use as much as you like (I used a homemade version) 1 recipe for Tofu Ricotta Daiya Vegan Mozzarella (optional) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the cauliflower with seasonings and olive oil and place in a glass baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just slightly browned. Remove cauliflower from oven and add on a layer of the bell peppers then the tofu ricotta. Top with spaghetti sau...

Surprise surprise, I have another new recipe just in time for Tasty Tuesday . As I mentioned yesterday, I spent a good deal of time in the kitchen on Sunday prepping food for the week. I made spaghetti sauce and tofu ricotta specifically for this dish - as well as more ciabatta bread. This dish is both vegan and gluten-free, but full of flavor and protein. In other words, it sounds light, but it's still hearty and filling.  Zucchini Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta Ingredients: 3-4 zucchini (depending on size) cut into thin lengthwise strips 1 recipe for tofu ricotta (see below) 1 jar spaghetti sauce of your choice (I used a homemade) Baby spinach Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add a small amount of sauce to the bottom of a glass baking dish. Add in a layer of the zucchini. Top with spinach, then add a sprinkle of the tofu ricotta. Top with sauce. Repeat finishing with Daiya Mozzarella. Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes then remove cover. In...

Sunday was rainy and cold for most of the day (cold all day, rainy half the day). I decided to take advantage of being holed up in the house and prepped my lunch for Monday and Tuesday. I also made some homemade ciabatta bread to have with soups for dinner. I love zucchini, and I love using them in lieu of pasta sheets. I thought I'd try something new, so I came up with a Zucchini, Tomato Tofu Bake . I just used half a block of tofu, so this made two portions. I probably should have just used the whole block for four lunches, but wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. Saving the other half for later. Zucchini, Tomato, Tofu Bake Ingredients: 1 large zucchini, cut in half then thin slices lengthwise 4-5 garlic cloves, minced Approximately 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, thin sliced 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes 3-4 artichoke hearts, small dice (not in oil) To taste: parsley, salt 1/2 block tofu (thin sliced for 4 slices), pressed then pan seared Directions: Prehea...