Pad Thai Salad

Pad Thai Salad

Today started out with a bang, ended out on a whimper... and then a bang again with this amazing salad!
It's not enough that it was a Monday, but I got yelled at in the parking garage. Worst thing is, I didn't even deserve it! Some jerk cut off a car, and almost hit them while they were backing up. I stopped and waited until they backed in, passed them, and parked. When I got out of the car, they started yelling at me. Mistaken identity. Oh well.

Then, I was supposed to do double workouts today, but I was so tired when I was driving back home. So I went home and wound up taking an hour and a half nap. Guess I needed the rest! I think it's a good thing to take an unplanned day off, once and awhile. Especially when you're feeling run down.
This pepped me right back up, though!

Pad Thai Salad (serves 4, but I just made two big salads)
-8 cups of romaine lettuce
-1 thin sliced red onion
-1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
-1 peeled and grated carrot
-4 cups sprouts
-1/4 cups roasted peanuts
-Peanut lime dragon dressing

-Fill a bowl with Romaine lettuce and thinly sliced red onion.

-Add grated carrot

-Add sprouts, peanuts and cilantro.

-Mix completely

Add dressing:
Mix in a blender or food processor
-2 Tbsp peanuts (blend first, a couple pulses)
-Add 1/2 cup water
-2 Tbsp (or 1 small) shallot
-1/4 cup lime juice
-2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
-2 Tbsp Soy
-1 tsp Sriracha (garlic chili sauce)
-Mix completely until smooth. Add 2 Tbsp peanuts, pulse one more time.
-Pour in salad and completely mix it up.

It's a little sweet and hot. Really good. The only thing I might do differently is to not add so many red onions. I thought the dressing might be too hot, but it's the onions that were getting to me!

I also thought that so many sprouts might be a little too.. sprouty? But they were great at soaking up the delicious dressing!

If I were you, I'd make this for dinner, instead of lunch. That way, you have access to a toothbrush. :)

Chipotle Chili w/ Sweet Potatoes and a Secret Ingredient!

Hooray for rest days!

Today was a good day. Traffic wasn't too bad. Work wasn't too hard. Nick changed the oil. (Finally!)

So I thought I'd take a little extra trouble with dinner tonight. That's right, I'm actually making cornbread along with the chili. I don't do side dishes often. Heck, as a vegetarian, side dishes ARE my main entree! So it always feels a little luxurious when I do it.

Chipotle Chili w/ Sweet Potatoes (w/ a secret ingredient)

 -1 tsp olive oil
-1 red onion diced
-4 garlic cloves minced
-1 Tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
-2 tsps dried oregano
-3 chipotles in adobo, chopped
-2 average sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
-12 oz Brussel sprouts, quartered lengthwise
-2 tsps ground cumin
-1 Tbsp chili powder
-1 (28oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
-1 cup water
-1 16oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-Fresh squeezed lime juice

-First, chop onions, and sautee in 1 tsp of olive oil for 5-7 minutes in a big saucepan.

-Add in minced garlic, coriander and oregano. Stir around and cook for about a minute.

-Add the rest of the ingredients. Chopped tomatoes, water, beans, chopped sweet potatoes, and chopped chipotle.

-Stir in. Drain and rinse beans. Add beans, salt, chili powder and cumin.

-Here's what we've got so far. Ready for the secret ingredient?

-Brussel Sprouts! Chop them up lengthwise. It didn't say to use fresh or frozen. But I couldn't find fresh. So I used the frozen ones. They're a little tricky to slice frozen, so be careful! Use a big knife you can lean on.

-Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about a half hour.

-Turn the heat off. Squeeze 1/2 the lime into the pot and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy with cornbread if you've got the time and inclination.(Yes, the cornbread is vegan, too!)

I really like this chili. It's got the smoky chipotle flavors, with the lime citrus kick and I like the brussels sprouts in it. It gives it a certain something. Of course, I love brussel sprouts on their own. So I asked Nick if he liked the chili and he said 'Yeah, it's really good!'. He doesn't not like brussel sprouts, but he won't eat a whole pan of them roasted or anything. This may have something to do with the fact that I'm the one removing the roasted brussel sprouts from the oven, though. (I beat him to them!) :)

Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie and the Big Bang

Whew, I've been working my butt off! Yesterday, I ran 2 miles, then did a 1 hr. weights workout. Then, today, I went to kickboxing class! I'm going to enjoy my rest day tomorrow. :)

So this week, I haven't really posted. I've done some repeats. That Big Taco Salad is just so quick and easy!

I thought I'd give you a great smoothie recipe, though. I've been eating this one for breakfast. Surprisingly, it's kept me full until lunch.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie

-1 cup almond or soy milk
-1/4 cup rolled oats
-1 Tbsp chia seeds
-1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
-1 Tbsp molasses
-1 small frozen banana
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp ginger
-pinch nutmeg
-ice, if wanted.

-Soak the oats, milk and chia seeds for at least an hour or overnight. (I soak mine overnight. Obviously, less to do in the morning)

-Place the rest of the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

Delicious!

In other news, I'd like you to meet my new favorite particle physicist, Dr. Brian Cox. (You'll always be my favorite theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku!)

He's British, and a professor at the University of Manchester. He does the series Wonders of the Universe and Wonders of the Solar System on the BBC. They are really good! He got me really thinking about the Big Bang.

I know this sounds stupid, but I thought the Big Bang created our solar system. You know, our galaxy. Seems legit. BUT NO! It created the entire UNIVERSE! Everything we've ever seen, billions of miles away, billions of light years away, and we were all created together? But if it created everything, then what was there before? Nothing? How could nothing make a bang? How massive it must have been! The beginning of time, literally. (or is it? Can time begin?)

Needless to say, it really blew my mind. I've been picking Nick's brain and he lent me Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time so I can figure out the universe.

You! Yes, you Miss Scarlet! Scarlet Rice!

This has been a long long week. Long. It's not even over, yet! We've still got Friday. Ugh.

Did a weights workout tonight. Short, but intense!

I was a little skeptical of this dish. I've had beets before, but not really as a main dish type thing.  But it looked so easy to make. I had all the ingredients, I just needed a beet! Could someone give me a beet?

Scarlet Rice
-1 tsp olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 bay leaf
-1 cup pearl barley
-2 1/2 cups veggie broth
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 beet, grated (I couldn't find a fresh beet, so I minced the hell out of about 3/4 a can of whole beets)
-juice of 1/2 lemon

-Preheat a pot over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the olive oil for about 30 seconds.

-Add several pinches of pepper and the bay leaf. Add the barley, broth and salt. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 20 min, stirring occasionally.

-Mix in the grated (or minced) beet. Cook for about 20 more minutes.

-Add lemon juice and taste for salt. Cover and let sit for about 10 more minutes.

I had roasted cauliflower and a salad with chickpeas with it!

The Scarlet barley was delicious! Lemony with a chewy texture. I heard that beets might make your urine red, though. So if you eat this dish and you pee red, you probably aren't bleeding internally. In all other cases, go to the hospital!

Caribbean Curried BEP with Plantains gives you a kick!

It was rainy and cold today, and I had a headache for most of it. I really think it was the sudden weather change that was responsible. Regardless, I went to kickboxing anyway. Surprisingly, I felt better after!

Well, I'm being brave tonight. Trying a couple things that I've never done before. You'll see what I mean. I made:

Caribbean Curried Black-Eyed Peas with Plaintains (from Appetite for Reduction)

-1 tsp olive oil
-1/4 cup chopped shallot
-1 red bell pepper
-1 habanero pepper (YES, AN HABANERO PEPPER!)
-3 cloves garlic
-2 tsps minced fresh ginger
-2 bay leaves
-1 star anise (I couldn't find this, so I used 1 tsp of ground anise)
-2 tsps mild curry powder
-pinch cinnamon
-3 sprigs of thyme
-1/2 tsp salt
-3/4 cup light coconut milk
-3/4 cup water
-1 can drained and rinsed Black Eyed Peas
-1 tsp light agave nectar (oops, I forgot to add)
-juice from 1/2 lime (forgot to add this, too!)
-2 ripe plaintains, cut into 1" chunks (I only used 1)
-Cooked brown rice

-First, I put the rice on. Because I didn't have any leftover rice. I use Texmati Brown rice, which is a type of basmati.

-Then I sliced the plaintain, and put it in the steamer basket. Steam for 5 min.

-Chop up shallots, red bell pepper and habanero pepper, and Sautee in 1 tsp of olive oil for 5 minutes.

-Add minced garlic, ginger, bay leaves and anise. Sautee for two minutes.

-Add a splash of water, curry powder, cinnamon, and thyme sprigs. Stir for about 30 seconds.

-Add salt, coconut milk, water, and beans. Cover and heat for 5 minutes.

-Add agave and lime, and turn off the heat. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

-Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves, and star anise if you could find it. I'd have a hell of a time removing the anise powder. haha.

-Serve Beans over brown rice and top with the plantains.

That's right, you guys! I tried habanero pepper for the first time in my cooking. We're still alive! It was actually a nice heat, combined with the rice and sweet plantains, it was a great flavor. It definitely put a kick in my blah day!

To sore to cook.. Big Taco Salad time!

Oh god. I can't feel my legs. Haha, that's not true. They're actually wicked sore.

On Saturday, I did some heavy weights. Back of my legs are sore from squats and step ups.
Then today, I went to the Body Pump class at the gym. But that was at 6, I had an hour to kill. So I walked for about 30  min, and ran for 15 min.  After all that, it's hard to even lift my arms.

Therefore, we need a quick easy dinner. I'm going with the Big Taco Salad from Appetite for Reduction.

Big Taco Salad

It starts with a salsa dressing:

-Chop 3 big tomatoes
-1/4 cup chopped cilantro
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
-2 tsp cayenne hot sauce (I didn't have, so I just added 1 tsp cayenne powder)
-pinch of salt
-few shakes of pepper

-Mix it up and let the flavors meld for about 10 minutes.

This was perfect timing while I put together the guacamole
Guac
-2 med avocadoes
-1 Tbsp lemon juice
-Pinch salt
-pinch garlic powder

-Mash Mash Mash Mash Mash. I usually use two forks to kind of cut, rake and smoosh them.

Actual Taco Salad!
-Romaine lettuce
-1/2 cup cilantro
-1 can black beans rinsed and drained
-Vegan corn chips

-First, put Romaine Salad in two big bowls.. or however much you feel like eating. I felt like eating a lot after double workouts! Also add the cilantro and kind of mix it in with your fingers.

-Divide beans up into the salad bowls.

-Top with the fresh Salsa dressing (Not all of it. Just however much you want to use)
-Top that  with a scoop of guacamole.

-Okay, now we're going to break out our special Vegan Corn chips.

Surprised? People usually are, when I tell them Fritos are vegan. Always remember! Vegan does not always equal healthy!

-I just use a few to give the salad a good crunch.

Nom nom nom!

Today was definitely a good day for doing things right! I successfully avoided the coffee cake and cookies left in our break room at work! Also, I was SO CLOSE to talking myself out of going to the gym today. I was all *whine* my head kind of hurts! It's raining! My legs are still sore!

But right when I got to the exit, I remembered that I'm going out for lunch tomorrow with some coworkers. Middle Eastern. Damn. No skipping workouts this week.

Pasta e Fagioli with Spinach

New year! New beginnings! I'm having a lot of fun cooking out of my Appetite for Reduction book. Lots of great, low fat, vegan recipes.

The one I made tonight is Pasta E Fagioli with Spinach. There was also a Caesar Chavez Salad, but we'll go with the pasta recipe tonight.

-1 tsp olive oil
-6 garlic cloves, minced
-2 lbs plum tomatoes, chopped
-1/4 cup dry white wine
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1 tsp thyme
-1 tsp salt
-1 can Navy beans, drained
-8oz whole wheat shells
-1 lb baby spinach

-First, put on a pot of water to boil, for the shells. Cook according to box.

-In the pan, sautee garlic in oil for about 1 min. Add chopped tomatoes, wine, oregano and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the beans and lower the heat to medium. Cook for about 15 minutes.

-In a separate bowl, alternate adding batches of pasta, bean mixture and spinach to the sauce.

-Wait for about 5 minutes for the spinach to wilt. I killed this time washing my dishes.

Mix it all up. I added a little black pepper, and it was awesome!

Birthday and New Year's Eve.. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

The last few days, for me, have been amazing! I decided to truly go all-out for my birthday. It wasn't very vegan, though.

On Friday, Dec. 30th.. my actual birthday, I came up with my perfect day! It went like this:

8:30-9:30 - Work out. Nike Fit club (boot camp class)
10:05 - 12:30 - See movie. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
1:00 - 1:30 - Lunch at Spiral Diner (Too crowded. Had to eat lunch elsewhere.)
2:00 - 3:00 - Aromatherapy Massage at the Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa
3:30 - 4:00 - Call parents
4:15 - 4:30 - Free birthday drink at Starbucks!
5:00 - ?? - Meet Jessica for Happy Hour, Dinner at RJ's Mexican (portobello fajitas!), and Horse Drawn Carriage ride in Dallas.

It was fantastic! And then the next day, Nick took me out to lunch at the Spiral Diner (since it was too crowded last time). We went to Whole Foods after, and picked up some Champagne, cheese and crackers, hummus, and a birthday cake. Then we watched movies for New Year's Eve. Captain America and the Sherlock series. I think Sherlock and Nick have a lot in common.

At midnight we lit the birthday candles and had a champagne toast.

Now I'm awake and trying to think of goals for the New Year. Nothing too nuts! :)