Where's the Beach?

Lately I've been cooking with quinoa quite a bit. What I like about it, other than the fact that it's a complete protein source, is that it cooks up fast. It's also super versatile and can be used in many different ways, such as a base for a veggie burger. I try to keep veggie burgers in the freezer for a quick meal. I'll admit that I used to buy them out of convenience. But they can be quite pricey. Plus, if you make your own, you can control the ingredients and choose whatever flavor combos you fancy most. Did I mention it's a lot cheaper too? Since I make veggie burgers often, I try to get creative with ingredients and flavor profiles. I had an eggplant on hand that needed to be used quickly, so for this veggie burger recipe, I decided to go with more of a Mediterranean flair. While I used chickpeas, you could use another bean of your choice, but I like the texture of chickpeas for veggie burgers. Other beans can often be too soft I find. But, it's abso...

Do you have that one kitchen appliance that you never seem to use? The one you either bought or asked for as a gift certain it'd make your life easier? For me it was a slow cooker. We had an old one given as a gift that pretty much had two temperatures settings: hot and hotter. So for Christmas a few years back, I asked for a fancy upgrade. One that had timers and various temperature settings. It even locks the lid into place, how's that for fancy? I tried using it a few times for some soups or chili. Each time I either overcooked the vegetables until they were basically mush, or it was so undercooked I ended up transferring to a regular pot and finishing the meal on the stove. Not exactly simplifying life. One of my problems is that I can't seem to follow a recipe. I pin them, write them out, email them to myself, print them even. But when it comes to following them step-by-step, I don't. I decide to add my own spin on things. Sometimes it works out really well, ...

I tend to make a lot of veggie burgers. For one thing, homemade veggie burgers are a lot cheaper. Also, you know exactly what's going into them. Plus, you can flavor them however you prefer. I think once you have a general technique down, you can really play around with so many different flavor combinations. One flavor that I've been enjoying is a smokiness from chipotle peppers combined with chickpeas. For this recipe, I use tempeh to boost the protein, but it could easily be omitted, just use a second can of chickpeas. Chipotle Chickpea Tempeh Burgers Ingredients: 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 package tempeh 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (depending on heat preference) 2 tbsp tomato paste Liquid smoke, to taste 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (may need more if too thick) 1 roasted red bell pepper To taste: salt, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, ground red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder (note: it's ok to be heavy handed with spices other than...

Happy Friday! Dare I ask who's ready for the weekend? This week has felt longer than usual and I know that is in a large part due to some rogue dogs causing mayhem at night. But, it's Friday so let's have some fun! Here are my Move.Eat.Live. moments from the week. Move I had some pretty good training runs this week. Tuesday I got in 6 400s then knocked out my leg workout at lunch. Hello tired legs. I got in my upper body splits on Monday and Thursday but will admit that I am being negligent of chest workouts. Wednesday I took it slower and easier as recovery and also because I knew Thursday would entail a speedier run with my crazy running buddy. We enjoyed 8-miles meandering through the 'hood s witching up from our usual route. Eat Because we enjoyed the Tempeh "Fish" Tacos from last week so much, I made them again this week. I have a feeling they'll appear on the menu quite frequently. I didn't have any cherries to make the Cherry S...

Fish tacos seem to be all the rage. Being that I don't eat meat, I have never experienced a fish taco. I will admit that I always like how fresh the tacos look with vibrant purple cabbage, tomatoes and greens. I have wanted to attempt to replicate a fish taco. I have tried with tofu, and that wasn't bad, but I wasn't totally sold. I decided to give it another shot and try using tempeh, mostly because I didn't have any tofu pressed and ready to go. I have seen blog posts over the years for recipes using dulse and kelp powder or flakes as a way to impart more of seafood-ish type of flavoring. Dulse and kelp are types of seaweeds and are known to be rich in nutrients and minerals as well as being flavorful. So I decided to just play around with some flavors and see what happened. As you'll see in the recipe, I don't have specific measurements. It was mostly done by taste and the liquid amounts were measure visually just making sure I had enough marinade for t...

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...

Do you have a comfort dish that takes you bake to your childhood? For me, a creamy potato soup reminds me of my mom. She would always make it for me when I was sick. And I was sick often with asthma, well, the medications tended to almost make me more sick than the actual asthma. Mom's was very thick, almost like extra creamy, super thin mashed potatoes. I remember pretending that it was Malt O-Meal. I was a little obsessed with the commercials, but we never had Malt O-Meal. It was often one of the very few things I could keep on my stomach. The asthma medication always made me very nauseated. So for me, it was a true comfort dish. Jason has memories of a potato soup that his mother made for him as well. For ages he's been wanting to make potato soup. I just haven't been able to hop on board a bowl of potatoes though. But I finally gave up the fight and let him make his soup. This is a vegan version using tempeh bacon. To get another level of smoky flavor, he used...

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...

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...

I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but it certainly got cold here fast. Last week I was still running in shorts. By the weekend, it was all about the layers. On top of it being cold, we had gray skies and rain/freezing rain/sleet to contend with. Not exactly an ideal way to kick of the week. That kind of weather absolutely screams, no it demands soup for dinner. I had several veggies on hand that needed to be used up pretty quickly. So I came up with a Tempeh Vegetable Soup . The great thing is that it's souper (teehee) simple to put together, and you can use up any veggies you have on hand. I also like that it's high in protein thanks to the tempeh. Of course, you could use beans, tofu, TVP or meat if you're not vegetarian or vegan. Tempeh Vegetable Soup Ingredients: 1/2 yellow onion, diced 2 tbsp minced garlice 3-4 carrots (depending on size), diced 1 cup no salt vegetable broth 4 cups water 1 not-beef bouillon cube 1 can no salt added...

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...

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...

Lindsay over at the Lean Green Bean is at it again with another  Pin It Party ! I didn't participate last time, but really enjoyed all fo the Pin It Party posts, so I decided to join in this round. 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! I usually don't pin something FROM my blog unless it's a recipe or workout. I rather like the idea of pinning TO my blog though (if that makes sense). So pinning to a post not just a recipe or workout. 1.  HIIT Full Body Bike Workout I've really enjoyed playing...

I haven't done a Tasty Tuesday in a while, but I have made a few new recipes actually. I'll admit to not always taking pictures though. Well, I have taken some pictures with my phone to share on instagram, but it really looks like a sloppy mess, though it tasted fantastic. Maybe I should do a roundup of sloppy, ugly, messy but amazingly tasty recipes? This one isn't ugly, it might be a little messy, but it was really tasty. Even better, not only is it Tasty Tuesday , but it works for Taco Tuesday as well. I have finally figured out the art of cooking tempeh - poach it. I use a lot of garlic with no-salt vegetable stock to poach the tempeh. I can then add in seasonings of my choosing and later bake it or grill it. This time, I decided to try poaching crumbled tempeh for tacos. I love cumin and chili powder. They are both very earthy, smoky, rich flavors, but they aren't hot spicy, just flavor spicy. If that makes sense. Lime & Cumin Tempeh Tacos Ingredients...

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...