Posts Tagged ‘food’
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Hey, all! I’m more sporadic (the week has FLOWN) but I’m still here! The good thing about my work is the days go by so fast. The bad thing about my work is the days go by so fast! I’ve really learned to appreciate life with all that’s gone on.
Anyway–there are three hundred trillion recipes for “single-ingredient ‘ice cream'” and “banana soft-serve” out there. A few months ago, I decided to try it, myself. Used to be that when I had a banana that was… overly mature, I’d make banana bread. Not only was that more time-consuming than what you’ll see here, but more sugar- and fat-filled as well!
Here’s the quick “recipe” for
Banana “Soft Serve”
1. Peel, slice, and freeze a slightly overripe banana. It should be ready within a day of freezing. I actually like using multiple bananas, since I have a bigger food processor and the blade has more food to work with.
2. Put the banana chunks in your food processor, and whirl away! You may have to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally, but the texture ends up almost… creamy.
**I like adding cinnamon to this. Oops, that’s two ingredients!
Now, as for making it a sundae, I recently made homemade Magic Shell. I remember when this came out (sigh, dating myself)… you know what I’m talking about? The chocolatey sauce that turns hard when you put it on something cold, like ice cream? (I admit, when I was younger, to putting it on spoons, freezing the spoons, and eating it straight….)
Homemade Magic Shell is easy. You’ll need coconut oil, which you can get at Trader Joe’s these days, or any Whole Foods type store. Coconut oil has just the right melting point for our desired effect.
To Make Magic Shell
Over low heat or in a double boiler, melt
2 parts chocolate of choice (dark, milk, white, a combination….)
1 part coconut oil (refined or unrefined, doesn’t matter. Unrefined has a very slight coconut flavor)
Any flavorings, optional (mint extract, cinnamon, chipotle powder, orange extract, be creative….. I’d love to hear what you do!)
Stir until combined. You now have Magic Shell in liquid form. Pour into your desired storage vessel and, depending on your air temperature, it will either be solid or liquid as you store it. No worries if it solidifies, just melt a bit before you use it.
And now, the fun part: pour Magic Shell on your banana soft-serve….. oh, YEAH!
For additional chocolate, put cocoa powder in the soft-serve (and maybe some maple syrup or agave to keep it sweet, to taste). Come up with your own combinations, and let me know!
- In: exercise | fitness | food | recipes
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Hi!
Good busy news from me! I’m running about 12-15 miles per week, I have one more class to go to make 9 fitness classes taught this week, and… while I’m a bit exhausted, everything seems to be in working order! Go, me!
So, I’ve been trying to find recipes that aren’t too challenging (yeah, I really don’t feel like standing up in the kitchen for hours this week, nor do I feel like cleaning a ton of stuff) but provide a lot of nutrition. A quick web search led me to this veggie-filled recipe, which I tweaked in several places.
This is one of those recipes where it’s tough to figure out a name, since it’s full of so much stuff! It also contains spinach, onions, garlic, a few seasonings…. wait, don’t run away! There isn’t a long ingredient list, don’t worry.
I cut back on the amount of liquid in the soup (this was based on the comments at the end) and it ends up giving you more of a stew, not much broth. If you want more broth, increase the amount that you add. THe original recipe calls for 5 cups of broth, and I probably wouldn’t go quite that high.
White Bean, Fennel, and Tomato Soup
based on an All Recipes recipe
1 large onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 c veggie broth (more if desired)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
4 c shredded fresh spinach
1. Saute onion, garlic, and fennel in oil over medium-low heat about 5 minutes, until starting to soften.
2. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, thyme, pepper, salt, red pepper, and bay leaf and bring to boil, Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and let simmer another 30 minutes or until fennel is tender. Remove bay leaf.
3. Add spinach and cook another ~3 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Adjust seasonings and serve!
The weather is wonderfully sunny outside, so I’m going to take advantage with a longer run in a few minutes! (I did see one of the news stations predict a low of 17 degrees today, though–hopefully that’s passed! Brrrr!!!) Go and make it a great weekend, whatever it is you’re doing!
- In: food | nutrition | recipes
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Last chance for a Recipe Friday this year! So… here it is! I made this yesterday, and it’s wonderfully warm comfort food. Healthy, too: lots of good-for you fiber, anti-inflammatory turmeric in the curry, and the peas are a great vegetarian protein source.
Now, I grew up with grandparents who loved their split pea soup… but that was back in the day when bean soups and split pea soups were merely a bacon or ham flavor delivery mechanism. I had a container of dried split peas, but not being a bacon fan (please don’t stop reading my blog, I promise I’m still cool) I wanted something different. I didn’t have to search far to find this yummy alternative.
Curried Split Pea Soup
based on Alton Brown’s recipe
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 c chopped onion
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 c split peas, rinsed and picked through
5 c vegetable or chicken broth
1 tbsp curry powder
1. Place the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and a large pinch of salt and saute for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and continue to saute another 1-2 minutes, making sure that neither onion nor garlic brown.
2. Add curry powder and saute for an additional minute to lightly toast the spices in the oil. Then add peas and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until peas are tender and no longer hold their shape.
3. Using either an immersion blender or blending in batches in a regular blender, process soup until smooth. Adjust seasoning as desired.
This is such yummy comfort food… trust me on this one! Some cultures ring in the new year with black eyed peas for good luck… why not try split peas?
Start thinking about goals for the coming year! I’ll be back in a few days to talk more on that!
I’m back!
Posted on: December 28, 2011
- In: exercise | fitness | food | goalsetting | Pilates | Uncategorized | vacation
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Hey, gang! I’ve returned from my holiday adventure, and I want to share it with you all! We went to Germany, Belgium, France, and Luxembourg to check out their Christmas markets. Though the weather could have cooperated a bit more (maybe 9 hours of sun on the whole trip), it was a really great adventure, and we ate a lot of good food. I did manage several Pilates sessions, and further explored exercises that I can accomplish all while not lying on a questionable hotel floor! (So–Pilates while standing, Pilates on a bed…)
I blogged about the trip, and there are many pictures, so take your time to peruse. You can check it all out at
http://mehrgluhwein.wordpress.com/
I’m getting back into my daily routine–even teaching two spin classes tonight–and glad to say that the knee strain from a few weeks before the trip disappeared shortly after we started… hooray! So, I’ll see what kind of running I’m able to do once I shake the rest of this respiratory infection.
Start thinking of your 2012 goals… I’ll be back with a recipe on Friday, and the new year is just around the corner!
- In: food
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It’s almost Halloween! Got any fun plans?
I’ll admit to not really having a whole lot going on (other than a whirlwind trip to a party in Vancouver, BC, tonight) but I have a goofy costume idea. No way, nuh uh, I’m not tellin’ yet! I’ll let it be a funny surprise next week. 🙂 Stay tuned for details!
We’re starting to feel a chill in the air here, though, which makes it great to chow down on comfort food such as these burritos! I first discovered them years ago when cooking for two friends–one a vegetarian, the other trying to eliminate eggs and dairy from her diet. At the time, I had no vegan recipes in my repertoire (my, how things change). I tried this one, and–we were pleasantly surprised! I’ve since made it for several gatherings (including this past weekend’s yoga retreat) with great feedback!
So, do try out these…
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
from Moosewood Restaurant Lowfat Favorites
5 c peeled cubed sweet potatoes (small 1/2 inch cubes–you don’t want to be boiling forever)
½ tsp salt
2 tsp canola oil
3 ½ c diced onions
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced jalapeno
4 t ground cumin
4 t ground coriander
3 15 oz cans black beans, drained
2/3 c lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
8 flour tortillas
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Place sweet potatoes in medium saucepan with salt and water to cover. Cover and bring to boil, then simmer ‘til tender. Drain and set aside.
3. While potatoes are cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet and add onions, garlic, and chile. Cook on low until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook 2-3 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In food processor, combine the black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cooked potatoes. Puree until smooth. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions and spices.
5. Lightly oil a large baking dish. Spoon about 2/3-3/4 c of filling in the center of each tortilla, roll it up and place, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake about 30 minutes until hot.
If you want, you can top these with fresh salsa and/or with sour cream (they wouldn’t be vegan anymore, but that’s up to you). Yum yum!!!
So, what’s your Halloween costume this year? Or… are you going to keep me in suspense, just like I’m doing with you–a taste of my own medicine???
Time for Tuesday’s Tidbits!
Posted on: October 25, 2011
OK. You caught me.
I was a bit absent last week. Mea culpa! But I orchestrated a big event, for me: I rented a neighbors’ cabin out at a lake, invited 6 friends (one of them being a yoga instructor), and we held our very own yoga and hiking retreat. I planned and cooked all of the food. I’d say it was a success–and everyone else has been saying the same! I was thoroughly swamped last week, and I’m still catching up, but I can cross the “host a yoga retreat” goal off of my “40 things before 40” list.
Or… maybe now, I could try to create retreats for strangers… hmmm… ???
Anyway, I’m back! I was inspired by a recent post at Carrots and Cake to start listing, in each of my posts, a few things that just make me feel happy. (The idea being… that you, as readers, do the same thing–whether it’s on paper or in your head!) So, here are a few things that make me happy today:
- My dwarf Japanese maple just starting to change color–he is gorgeous!
- Satsuma lotion from the Body Shop (it smells like summer)
- Fresh squeezed orange juice after a run
Think about the little things that make you happy… I’d love to hear about ’em!
And now, for a few more things to make you happy…
1. Cute teapot.
2. ‘Tis the season for pumpkin recipes! But what do you do if you’re left with only a tiny bit in the can? Ideas for that last bit of leftover pumpkin.
3. The artist’s/creative’s credo…
5. One last Halloween food idea to decorate your cheeseburgers (or garden burgers, or whatever burger you choose…)
Have a great rest of the week, and remember to think about the the little things that make you happy! Report back here! 🙂
Tuesday’s Tantalizing Thoughts!
Posted on: October 11, 2011
- In: challenge | dessert | food | funny | inspiration | recipes
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Howdy!
I’m finally resurfacing from reading the virtual piles of Steve Jobs articles, here to see you all again. As a business owner, I very much admired his keen sense of really knowing his clients, and especially knowing what his market wanted before they themselves knew. He truly changed the consumer electronics game especially in the past 15 years.
I read an anecdote on a site in the past week, where an author described having visited a big box electronics store in 1999, when the iMac came out (you know, the ones that came in different colors). The author overheard a customer expressing her disappointment that the store was out of the tangerine-colored iMacs, since they would best go with her drapes. Now… that’s design innovation.
Enough of the business chatter–but before I move on, I’ve used these events as motivation to expand my corporate fitness clientele. One seems like it’s going to be a sure bet (though lots of paperwork on my end) while the other may take some convincing. But–stay outrageous, my friends, in this one precious life that we have. What one step are you going to take today to change your life?
(It can be simple… eating one more vegetable serving than normal, exercising when you didn’t feel like doing so… trying a new exercise class and maybe making it a part of your ongoing routine… calling up an old friend that you haven’t talked to in ages…)
Here are some ideas to get you started, including some healthy and not-so-healthy recipes: (hey, you gotta just have fun sometimes)
1. Healthy crockpot recipes at Skinny Crockpot
2. And now, for something less healthy: cookie dough recipes that are safe to be eaten raw.
4. Ohhh, so many fun indoor Halloween decorations! (You didn’t think I was done with Halloween last week, huh?)
5. Recipes for homemade condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, chipotle sauce)
OK–now, it’s time to go and do something outrageous with your life! What’s it gonna be?
Tuesday (creepy) Tidbits!
Posted on: October 4, 2011
- In: fitness | food | fun projects | funny | healthy habits | recipes
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OK, peeps, it’s October. That means I can officially share some fun Halloween things and not feel like the retail industry… you know, where they start Easter right after they pack away the Happy New Year goodies? I figure if it’s the same month as the holiday, it’s fair game. And Halloween’s a fun one, so why not think of fun times? 🙂
But before we get there: it’s getting colder (at least here), so I’m bundling up more. Less motivation to show some skin, which for some of us means less motivation to work out. How do you keep yourself going as the weather starts cooling down? For me, it’s actually more comfortable to run in slightly (I said slightly) cooler temps, so until mid-November or so, it still feels great to be outside. And the weather inside the gym is the same, no matter what. As for the deeper motivation–my joints and orthopedic problems won’t stay happy unless I treat ’em well every day, and working out is their treat. If I slack off, they let me know. I do it for my joint and bone health!
Speaking of bones and skeletons (what a great segue!)…
1. Anyone out there expecting? Here’s a great pregnancy Halloween shirt.
2. Look out for skeletons climbing on the outside of your house! (They’d get washed away here, sadly)
3. Some ghoulish ways to do Halloween veggie platters
4. Is that a spiderweb in your soup?? 😮
5. What a great way to serve your guac at a party!
So, does that give you ideas for your Halloween party? Get those brains going now….. ’til then, stay safe and healthy!
- In: challenge | food
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Hey, it’s the end of the week!
And seeing that October is fast on its way, I’ve been making a few soups (even though–Seattle, weird weather, here. Why were we sunny and 70 for a bit again yesterday? Not that I’m sending it back…). Conveniently, The Daring Cooks’ challenge for September involved making broth or stock from scratch (then, the more super-involved folks cleared the sludge from their broth to make a consomme. While it’s a great learning experience, I happen to like the flavor of the sludge… and I don’t make homemade broth often enough…)
Yes… this is the first challenge I’ve posted in months. It’s not that I haven’t participated: but I try to keep recipes here relatively healthy, for the most part, and the past several months have been super-rich (uh, cheese-based gnocchi with creamy tomato sauce being one example…) The end product of this challenge–onion soup with cheese-herb brioche–also wasn’t the healthiest, but I’ll share with you how I made the veggie stock to start it all.
While the stock took time, once I got the veggies rough-chopped and in the pot with water, I could just let it go, boiling for hours. And it made enough for 4-5 servings of soup plus another dish on top of that!
So, here’s my recipe, give or take:
Homemade Vegetable Broth
adapted from the internet
1/4 c vegetable oil
4 medium yellow onions, diced
6 medium carrots, rough sliced
4 large ribs celery, rough sliced
2 leeks, rough chopped and rinsed well
1 3/4 oz dried mushrooms (I used shiitake)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 large broccoli stalks, rough chopped
bouquet garni (I just tied together a bunch of fresh parsley, three sprigs of fresh thyme, and a bay leaf)
**Note that I haven’t added any salt. I prefer to add salt to the final dish rather than to my broth.
1. In a large (your largest possible!) stock pot, heat the vegetable oil on medium. Add all ingredients except for the bouquet garni, and let the veggies “sweat” until soft.
2. Cover the veggies with cold water… about 3 quarts. Bring to a low boil. Drop in your bouquet garni, and cover the pot.
3. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, and let your broth simmer for about 2 hours. Strain your broth, and discard the solids.
Your broth is now ready for use in such wonderful dishes as this onion soup that I made:
Or, use it in a risotto, or another grain dish, or your favorite veggie soup, or… the possibilities are endless!
And… you now see how easy it is! That’s my favorite thing about veggie broth: no bones or meat carcasses to deal with… yet it’s still so much tastier than something from a can!
So tell me: what are you guys going to do with your veggie broth? Come on, be creative! 🙂
- In: fitness | goalsetting | happiness | inspiration | recipes | Uncategorized
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Hey, gang!
Hope everything’s well! My theme of the day (week?) is gratefulness. My body has been through so much the past 18 months or so… including two major hip surgeries (the first one didn’t go so well). No one really knew how I was going to recover, but I was given the green light to do anything, as long as it didn’t hurt beyond the usual residual soreness.
Guess what–this former marathoner has been RUNNING for the past two weeks!
(OK, so right now, my definition of “run” is “walk 3 minutes, run 2 minutes, repeat to total 30 minutes”–and it’s really hard for me–but after so much time away from running, this is my way to build back up.)
I am so GRATEFUL that my body is able to do this! I had no idea if running was ever going to be an option again. I’m taking it slowly and not jumping ahead toward marathons yet–thinking of 5K’s in my future, in case my body isn’t up for distance–but I’m just happy to be moving the pavement under my feet.
Here are some interesting tidbits for this week!
1. Ah, how stalking has changed.
2. Oh boy. What our pets do while we’re away.
3. Fruit salsa with homemade cinnamon chips–great healthy recipe for a party (or…. to mosh the whole thing by yourself)! I’d love to try this with regular salty chips, too, since I love sweet/savory combos.
4. It’s getting to be that time of year–how about some homemade pumpkin butter?
5. Have you tried oven-roasted chickpeas? If not… you’re missing out. Cheap, easy, healthy snack! Here’s a recipe for an Indian-spiced variety of chickpeas.
Have a great rest of the week! I’d love to hear what all of you are grateful for! It’s so easy to get caught up in the minutiae of our day-to-day lives–let’s think of things to be thankful of in the grand scheme of things!
You Can Get Fit! 
