Where's the Beach?

Sunday, we decided to walk over to one of the local farmers' markets a few blocks over from our house. We actually have several farmers' markets around town. I'll admit that we don't frequent them as often as we used to though. But this past Sunday, the Bernice Gardens Farmers' Market was having a tomato festival, so we decided to stop by and check it out. It's not a large space. Most definitely local vendors, but a unique little variety none the less. We quickly spotted some Purple Cherokee Heirloom Tomatoes that we snagged up. I should back up and admit that I'm not really a tomato fan. What? Why go to a tomato festival you ask? While I don't just love and crave tomatoes, I have found that I can enjoy a really goooood tomato. I like the smaller tomatoes, almost always cooked, but that's progress (trust me). Last year, I randomly bought some Purple Cherokee Heirloom Tomato plants and discovered that, while larger, I still really enjoyed the f...

The premise for this dish was inspired by Jason's mint plant. We have it, but I rarely cook with mint. I always think of it as something that will be too over-powering for a dish. But, I was wanting to try something different and use up at least a small portion of the copious amounts of mint we have taking over a particular spot in my flower beds. I decided to pair the mint with lemon for a bright freshness. It just sounded summery, bright and cheery. I had some leftover grilled veggies on hand and decided to go with an Israeli couscous, again, mostly just trying to do something a little different. I love the texture of the Israeli couscous, and it can really take on so many flavor variations. Part of me was torn between the idea of going more towards the Indian spices, but I wasn't sure the Indian flavors would pair well with the lemon and mint I had planned out for the tofu. Because I felt like the tofu was going to have stronger flavors, I wanted a hint of sweetness w...

Lindsay (AKA The Lean Green Bean ) is hosting another Pin it Party. Here’s what you do: Round up 5 blog posts you’ve written that you would like to see on  Pinterest . Make sure there is a nice, pinable image or photo included in each post. Write a short post featuring the posts you chose - Put 5 nice images & links to the posts all in one place, along with a short description of each post. On first Thursday of each month, publish your post, then visit The  Lindsay’s Lean Green Bean  and add your post to the linkup! The linkup is open for about a week! 1. Vacation Workout - Full-Body Resistance Band & Cardio Workout Typically when I'm on vacation, I don't have access to weights. Resistance bands are fantastic for travel and allowing you to get in a good resistance workout even when you don't have dumbbells, barbells or machines. Plus, sometimes it's just fun to mix it up with something new. 2. Don't Apologize for Living This post is ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

After yesterday's way-to-deep-for-a-Monday post, I thought I'd make today's post much lighter and simpler, kind of light this recipe. I'm rather liking Tasty Tuesdays actually. Kind of keeps me inspired to be creative in the kitchen again. We haven't been to the grocery store in a little over a week now. That means fresh veggies are pretty low and the pantry is starting to get a little more bare than usual too. Jason has this thing for casseroles and baked dishes. I decided to just work with that as a starting point for dinner. I had rotini, frozen spinach, some tomato sauce and silken tofu. I thought I'd make a fast, creamy pasta sauce with the tofu. Love using silken tofu to make a "cream" style sauce. It works so well plus it's an added boost of protein. Now, if you can't do soy, you can always use a cashew cream, coconut or almond milk instead. It'll just make for a slightly looser sauce, but shouldn't affect flavors much. Fe...

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...

Spicy Sometimes I think it's interesting how people (I) end up coming up with the meal for the evening or a new recipe for that matter. Sometimes I do sit around thinking of new flavor combos, textures, and such. Other times, the recipe and/or meal happens because I have something else that needs to be used. Last night I had some homemade ciabatta that I wanted to go ahead and use before it ended up being wasted. That would just be a travesty right? Soup sounded like the appropriate fit for the bread - you know, so you could sop up something yummy with it. I have a pretty decent stash of pumpkin right now, so I decided on a pumpkin soup. But I didn't want a mild soup. I've actually been craving super spicy foods recently. I always like spice, but it's been way out of control all of the sudden. I had some chipotles in adobo sauce, so I decided to go with the smoky flavor profiles. Pumpkin can be really mild, almost sweet, so it can pair well with heat (in my opin...

Recapping This weekend was pretty good. I was able to get out of the house for a bit on Saturday. Jason and I walked close to 4 miles before getting ready. I actually put on real clothes, did my makeup AND hair. I felt human again. The weather was fantastic - about 70 degrees and sunny. The first stop was my piece of hell on earth - Toys R Us. I needed to get a doll for my niece and had a Groupon that could only be used in stores. Of course. I would have gone earlier, but the whole blood clot ordeal has cramped my style. I walked in and the lines were all the way into the aisles. Carts piled high with toys, and screaming, crying, cranky kids abound. Fun. I found the doll quickly and was so lucky to have ended up in line behind a very kind lady. I think she saw the terror in my eyes as I clutched that darn doll tightly. She let me go in front of her as I only had the one item. I guess some people are still kind after all. We had a few more stops to make for other gifts that I had...

Running & Lifting  Yesterday started off with a dark, but really great 4.5 mile run with my running buddy. I was afraid my legs were going to be heavy from the runs Tuesday and Wednesday, but they felt great. We just chatted away and boogied on down the road. I didn't pay any attention to pace until I stopped my Garmin while stretching and was really surprised to see an average of 8:43. And the best part was that I never felt like I was struggling. It was just a great run with fun conversation (which I actually missed this morning since it's a rest day). Don't you just love it when running is almost easy like that? I mean, you're working, but everything is just sort of clicking into place nicely. Now if we could figure out how to make all runs like that... During lunch I did managed to get in shoulders, back, chest and some more legs. I feel like I've been neglecting legs since I don't have access to a squat rack to lift heavy. So perhaps working them...

Morning Run & Midday Lift This morning I opted to do an easier run with Jason rather than push myself with 800's with my running buddy. My foot feels a little less achy, but I didn't want to chance it any more than I already was with a run period. The plan was 3 miles. This meant we could "sleep in" until 5:15-ish. Hey, I'll take what I can get ;-) Of course, this was the one morning this week when I was sound asleep and the alarm very rudely interrupted that deep sleep. It was another hot, muggy morning. But at least it wasn't a long run...that's what I reminded myself of anyway. It was a pretty good run for the most part. We kept it basic. As flat as possible. The overall average for 4 (yes I did 1 extra mile) ended up being a 9:08 pace. Considering how the heat/humidity has been affecting my breathing and perceived exertion level, I'll take it. We actually had negative splits. The first mile was a super slow one (the wake-up mile) at 9:37...

Running, Relaxing, Relishing This weekend as another fairly low-key one for us. Saturday I got up for my 6 mile run. The temps were just under 70 degrees. The humidity was still in play, but man at least it wasn't 80+ degrees. Made such a difference. It ended up being a really good run. I tried to just run by feel rather than paying attention to my pace. I only checked the speed at each lap/mile. Overall average ended up being 9:04. After scrubbing the master bath, I spent some time on the patio reading before we went to a late lunch. We were actually able to sit outside on the patio and enjoy outdoor dining for the first time in months! The temperatures were hovering around 90, but there was a nice breeze. And face it, 90 feels like 70 when it's been 110. We had just finished our lunch when I got a message from our friends. They wanted to meet us exactly where we already were. I told her we were there and done with lunch but would gladly stick around and wait on them. S...

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday because of a crazy wild storm that ended up knocking out our power. It wasn't an exciting day exactly, well, maybe the storm part. Here's how it went down: I decided it would be safer to stay home again (and I'm sure my co-workers would agree). So more work from home. Which is mostly fine. I would love to work from home to be honest. However, I am just not properly set up to access everything I would normally need. I did get up for a morning run. It was about 74 degrees and the humidity seemed to be a little lower. Or maybe I'm just beyond noticing any longer. It was still dark when I set out for my run with the exception of the stars and lightening off in the distance. No rain of course. I wanted to just do an easy 4 miles. Not really pushing it. I did get negative splits, but kept the run fairly slow and taking a slightly easier route, meaning fewer hills. That's my version of being lazy ;-) It was a really pleasan...