Luv What You Do

Balancing a Busy Life with a Healthy Lifestyle

Comfort Stew April 16, 2013

Filed under: Clean Eating,Soup,Vegan — Luv What You Do @ 7:37 am
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After a rainy week and a mostly gray weekend, I felt like some soup was in order.

 

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Monday was a busy day in the kitchen…possibly more so since I was gone the week before and was looking forward to planning meals this week.  For week day lunches, I decided on Curried Lentil, Squash, and Apple Stew from Chloe’s Kitchen.

 

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It was quite an arm workout to cut the squash.

 

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I wasn’t much in the mood to take photos along the way, but I had to share the finished product!

 

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Almost on cue as I added the curry, the BOY appeared.  I had to laugh at his predictability!  I poured a bowl to take to work and saved the rest for later in the week.

 

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Dinners this week are going to be simple.  We have plenty of leftovers to get us though the week!

 

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This morning I am still trying to wrap my brain around yesterday’s tragedy.  What is there to say when I have so many questions?  Although I am building my skills as a ‘writer’, I can’t think of the words that will convey my grief and disbelief while capturing the significance of what happened.  In my opinion, runners (and triathletes) are the friendliest and most welcoming group of people.  They are supportive and empathetic…I can’t imagine anyone choosing to target such a group.  And maybe it’s because I know the elated feeling that you are supposed to have when you cross the finish line after running 26.2 miles that I feel even more sad for the runners, volunteers and spectators who will never look at the sport the same.

 

I know that this stew won’t bring with it real comfort, but there is no doubt in my mind that the blogging community (many of whom are runners) will ban together like it always does to offer support, encouragement, and love to those in Boston and beyond…and that is comforting to know!

 

 

 

Curried Lentil, Squash and Apple Stew

From Chloe’s Kitchen

Makes 6 Servigs

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups peeled butternut squash (1/2-inch cubes)
1 large unpeeled apple, diced
5 ounces baby spinach

 

Directions

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, and sauté onion and carrot until almost soft. Add garlic, ginger, curry and salt, and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant.

Stir in lentils, broth and tomato paste. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add squash and apple, cover and simmer for another 25 minutes (because my squash cubes were so big, this was 50 minutes for me), or until vegetables and lentils are tender. Remove lid and stir in spinach until wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.

 

Indian-Spiced Chicken Burgers March 18, 2013

Filed under: Chicken,Clean Eating,Dinner,Soup — Luv What You Do @ 8:56 pm
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The BOY and I came back from our grocery shopping trip today with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, lean meat, and healthy snacks.  As always, Monday is prep day for the week ahead.  For this week’s meal plan, I had to simplify things a bit.  Last week was way too busy and crazy for me to be making dinner each night, so I made things a little easier with some store bought stuff.  And I know that I can always eat leftovers for lunch.

 

Monday: Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers (recipe below)

 

Tuesday: Orange Ginger Salmon

 

Wednesday: Almond Butter Stirfry

 

Thursday: Store Bought Chicken Sausages with Roasted Mushrooms

 

Lunch: Leftovers and Carrot, Chickpea, and Barley Soup*

Snacks: Coconut Balls

 

*Do you ever make soup and it tastes great but doesn’t picture well???  Well that’s what happened with this orange creation.  I was planning on dedicating an entire post to this soup, but since my photos didn’t turn out, I scrapped that idea.

 

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But you can find the recipe for this wonderful soup at Shape Magazine.  This is an old recipe that I have been making for years, and I just discovered that you can find fresh carrot juice at Mariano’s.  Enjoy!

 

Moving on to tonight’s dinner…

The Indian-Spiced Chicken Burgers were the BOY’s suggestion.

 

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He found them in the Martha Stewart’s Great Food Fast cookbook.

 

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I modified the recipe a bit to make it easier and quicker, and it turned out just as good!

 

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The BOY tucked his burgers into a toasted pita with sour cream cumin sauce (sour cream, cumin, lemon juice, salt, and pepper).  As always, he rapidly began assembling his sandwich, so I had to snap my photos quickly to keep up with him.

 

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One bite into dinner and a big smile spread across his lips.  For those who know him, the BOY has a VERY picky palate, so his rave reviews of this dinner were great to hear!

 

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Instead of a sandwich, I decided to eat my burgers with a huge salad and a side of roasted broccoli.

 

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I couldn’t agree with the BOY more!  These chicken burgers are full of flavor, and I can’t wait until this summer when we can cook them up on the grill!  Warning: you might see these at our next BBQ!

 

And with that…I’ve gotta run and catch the second half of the Biggest Loser Finale!

 

 

Indian-Spiced Chicken Burgers

From Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger (or ground ginger)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cardamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

 

For Sandwich:
4 pitas (6 inch)
1 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, place the chicken, scallions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, cardamon, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper; mix well with your hands to combine. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.

Gently form the mixture into sixteen 3/4 inch patties (about 3 tablespoons each).  Season the patties with salt and pepper (if desired) and place on a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for ~15 minutes, turning once mid way until chicken is fully cooked.

For sandwiches…halve the pitas crosswise (toast on the grill, if you like). Into each pocket, place 2 chicken patties, cucumber slices, and cilantro sprigs. Serve with cumin yogurt sauce (1/2 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 tsp cumin).

 

Note: I made some changes to the original recipe for ease and time.  Read the Recipe as Written

 

Dealing with Dreary March 11, 2013

The weather might be dark and dreary, but that didn’t keep the BOY and I indoors.  Sunday Funday was SUPER fun yesterday because we went into the city to hang with my family!

 

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And had lunch at Revolution Brewery, where the BOY and I have never been, and my Mom has now declared her favorite place to go.

 

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Historically, spring day light savings can be rough, but not this year.  This could be because after losing 3 hours coming home from Las Vegas last year, one hour doesn’t seem so bad.  The good food, brew, and company didn’t hurt either.

 

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We had an awesome day and I was in bed early Sunday night with my book after an eventful weekend.  I had no difficulty falling asleep and only woke up this morning when my alarm started beeping 10 hours later.  This morning’s breakfast was a variation of this recipe smothered in almond butter before CrossFit.  I wasn’t sure what to expect from this morning’s workout, but the Harlem shake picture definitely had me laughing.  And I was excited to wear the new headband that I picked up at Athleta yesterday!

 

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This morning’s workout was 7 reps max weight of snatches with rest in between.  We started off by breaking down the motion and then practicing on some light bars.  I wasn’t sure what to expect or what I would be able to do, but I ended up in a group of three girls lifting weight, giving feedback on form, and working together to safely add more weight. I was able to lift 55-65-75-75-75-75-75.  Not to shabby for my first attempt at snatches.

 

After CrossFit, I picked up the BOY for this week’s grocery store run and meal planning.  I was starving and actually craving some protein with lunch on the brain.  Let me tell you…if you are ever shopping at Mariano’s and hungry for lunch, swing by the meat counter and have them grill you up a chicken breast.  I finished my shopping and on the way to check out, scooped up my lunch.  The BOY did the same with a white arugula pizza.

 

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On the way home, I remembered that I had leftover salad from Saturday night (that my friend made and sent home with me).  You can’t see it in the picture, but this salad also has goat cheese, cranberries, pine nuts, and I added chopped chicken and avocado.

 

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The BOY was right when he said that this is a restaurant quality lunch.  I totally agree!  Thanks to Mariano’s and Dana this is one of the best salads I’ve had in awhile!  I only had a short amount of time to eat lunch before it was time to leave again.  Although I didn’t know when I made the appointment that today would be rainy, a massage really is the BEST thing to do on a day like today.  I had a $20 off coupon to use before the end of the month, and I basked in the 60 minutes of relaxation while hands firmly worked out the tension and knots in my back and neck.  It was pure bliss and only afterwards did I return home to camp out indoors for the rest of the day.  With such a busy weekend, I had a lot to do.

 

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Some of which included getting my food prepared for the week ahead.  Nothing says rainy days like chili.  One of the things that I love about this new slow cooker book is that it has separate chapters on soup, stew, and chili.  They are plenty of recipes to choose from!

 

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I used the Mushroom Chili recipe but added in some eggplant since the beautiful purple veggies was on sale.  I ended up with a thick batch of chili, so I decided to stir in a cup of vegetable broth before cooking.

 

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I’m looking forward to digging into this thick and hearty chili soon!

 

 

This Week’s Meal Plan…

 

Monday: Breakfast for Dinner (the BOY’s request)

Featuring Challah French Toast, Eggs, and Potatoes

 

Tuesday: BBQ Turkey Meatballs

 

Wednesday: Chicken or Salmon with Veggies

 

Thursday: Leftovers

 

Friday: Trip to St. Louis!!!

 

Lunch: Portobello and Eggplant Chili (recipe below)

 

 

 

Portobello and Eggplant Chili

Adapted from The Big Book of Slow Cooker Recipes

 

Ingredients

3 Portobello mushrooms, cleaned well and cubed

1 small eggplant, cubed

1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 28 ounce and 1 15 ounce canned tomatoes, drained lightly (or you can use chopped fresh tomatoes)

1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined, and minced

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth

 

Directions

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray.

Stir well and cook on low for 8 hours.

 

 

How do you deal with dreary?

Me? I dream of SPRING!

 

 

This Week in Meal Planning February 20, 2013

Filed under: Chicken,Crock Pot,Soup — Luv What You Do @ 9:55 pm
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Well, it’s only taken me to February 18th to get back into the swing of Meal Planning.  And it’s taken me until Wednesday to get this post out to you (mostly because yesterday’s post was all about marathon registration stress).  But, better late than never…right?!  The BOY has jumped on board the 2013 get healthy bandwagon.  He has always been a big help with meal planning, but we have some noticeable differences in our taste preferences.  To help me out and give me some suggestions for meals, he went through a few of my favorite cookbooks and ear marked some recipes to try.

 

Which is exactly where I started.  Although the BOY and I eat a variety of cuisines, I don’t always know how to cook ethnic foods at home. 

But this week, I spiced things up a bit…

 

Monday: Curried Veggie Burgers from Pinch of Yum

 

Tuesday: Veggie Rich Asian Chicken Stew (recipe below)

 

Wednesday: Chicken Tacos (made by the BOY)

 

Thursday: Sleeping at Mom and Dad’s

 

 

The Game Plan…

Make Tuesday’s dinner Monday in the crockpot. 

Then whip up the veggie burgers for Monday’s dinner hoping for leftovers for lunch this week (which I got).

 

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Isn’t this a colorful looking stew???

 

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The veggies, seasoning, and broth go into the crockpot first.

 

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With a half our to go, you add the chicken (or tofu if you prefer).  Could this be any easier?!

 

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The BOY was upset with how watery our dinner was.  Once I explained that it was a soup, he seemed a little more on board…ha ha!

 

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Per the title, this soup is definitely veggie rich and I LOVED the flavor and texture of the cabbage.

 

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Although it doesn’t have a super strong flavor, so you could possibly add some soy sauce to taste.  I really enjoyed the mild flavored soup with a touch of sea salt.  It is the perfect heart warming dinner for these frozen nights!

 

 

Veggie Rich Asian Chicken Stew

From The 150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes on Earth

 

Ingredients

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on a diagonal

2 ribs celery, sliced on the diagonal

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned

1 1/2 ups thinly sliced Napa cabbage

1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

1 can (8 ounces) bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained

6 cups chicken broth

2 tbsp minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp low sodium tamari

1 tbsp mirin

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

scallions and black sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

 

Directions

Combine the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, broth, ginger, garlic, tamari, and mirin in the slow cooker. 

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until all of the the vegetables are tender. 

Add the chicken (and tofu if using) for the last half hour of cooking time.  Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

 

Waiting for the Storm January 27, 2013

Filed under: Clean Eating,Soup,Vegetables,Vegetarian — Luv What You Do @ 4:42 pm
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There has been talk since yesterday of a big, dangerous ice storm heading our way.  Yuck!  When I spoke with my parents last night, they both said that we should plan on laying low today.  When I woke up around 8am, the weather still looked fine, so I decided to head out to the grocery store for some staples before the expected 10am winter mix.

 

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I don’t think I have ever been to the grocery store before 9am. The store was quiet, which was nice, but the pharmacy didn’t open until 10am (which stinks before I needed some allergy meds).

 

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I was home before the BOY even emerged from the bedroom.  The weather outside was gray, but warm.  If a storm wasn’t heading our way, I might have bundled up for a run. Instead, I put some errands on hold to stay in my warm, comfortable home.   I made us some eggs for breakfast and sat down to watch last week’s Biggest Loser.  Meanwhile, I got started on moving some files form old computer to my new computer.  2 hours later, there was no wintery mix insight, and I was beginning to feel guilty about sitting on the couch in my jammies all day.  My mom called around noon and mentioned that some rain had started by their house.  She invited us over to brave the storm with some television and chili.  However, I had the same idea here!

 

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The BOY turned on the Indiana basketball game, and I started chopping up veggies for Lentil Chili.

 

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This is a vegetarian recipe from one of my new cookbooks.

 

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I was super excited to try this chili.  It has a complex flavor profile, and I even picked up cayenne at the grocery store this morning.

 

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This chili is jam packed with vegetables!

 

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Before you even add in your lentils, beans, tomatoes, and veggie broth.  I used only 4 cups of broth due to space limitations in my pot.

 

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If I was going to spend the day, hiding from the rain, I decided to make the most of it.  I kept plugging away at my computer getting to know Windows 8 and started a few loads of laundry.  I also sat with the BOY cheering on Indiana during a stressful conference game.  By the time Indiana secured a victory against Michigan State, my chili was ready for consumption.

 

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And OMG…it is GOOD!

 

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So simple and rich, the chili tasted amazing covered in sweet avocado.

 

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I recommend saving this recipe for your next rainy Sunday (or even Superbowl Sunday)! 

 

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The rain never came down as hard as I expected, but a few minutes ago, the BOY looked out the window.

And my car…is covered…in a sheet of ice.  Yikes!  I will definitely have to thaw it out in order to get to CrossFit tomorrow.

 

 

Did you get hit with a winter storm today?

How did you spend your Sunday?

 

Mine was much lazier than expected, but I am happy to be moved into my new computer!

 

If you are having a quiet day in (like me), here are three more veggie chili recipes that I love!

Crockpot Vegetarian Chili

Crockpot Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup

Ultimate Vegan Chili

 

And…dinner is already in the crockpot, which means that I will have another easy recipe coming your way.  Clue…this one involves homemade peanut butter!

 

 

Lentil Chili

From the Forks Over Knives Cookbook

Ingredients

3 yellow onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 green), chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups 4 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground chipotle powder or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
zest and juice of 1 lime

 

Directions

In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté onion, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic in 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Stir occasionally and cook until vegetables soften, approximately 5-7 minutes.

Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, ground chipotle powder, and cayenne pepper and cook for an additional minute, stirring well.

Add lentils, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, and remaining vegetable broth into the soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft, approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

*Note: this recipe made 12 cups of chili, which is more than enough to eat, share, and try freezing.

 

Slow Cooker Turkey and Bean Chili January 20, 2013

We haven’t made chili in a few weeks, so it was time to grease up the crockpot and chop up some veggies.

 

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I found a wonderful looking chili recipe in Clean Eating Magazine.  I picked up all my ingredients at the store last week, so that I could get right to work Saturday morning.

 

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Unfortunately, I didn’t have white beans (kind of a big deal since it is in the title of the original recipe), but I knew that black beans would be a fair substitution.  I was able to find tomato puree (I’ve never used that in chili before), and decided to use sweet potato instead of white potatoes for taste and nutritional value.

 

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I like to slow cook on low heat.  I don’t know much about slow cookers of the past but I think that my crockpot is super strong and therefore I can cook something on low (8-10 hours) for only 6 hours and have a thick bowl of chili.

 

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After a few hours, my chili was smelling good but not as thick as I would have expected.  I added in the roasted corn.  Yes, it appears that microwaving a premade bag of roasted corn could be considered cheating, but when I saw this in the frozen section, I knew it would make life this recipe MUCH easier.

 

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A few more hours back in the crockpot with some additional seasonings, and I had a THICK and smoky chili!

 

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I was even more surprised to see how much thicker my chili was when I poured myself a bowl for lunch today.  Although I shouldn’t be too surprised as soups and chilies usually taste even better the second day.  I think some of my substitutions changed the flavor of the recipe as written, but I am totally digging this colorful chili.  The sweet potatoes add the right amount of sweetness that compliment the smoky corn.  Covered in avocado, this was a filling lunch after this morning’s challenging Hot Yoga class.

 

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Meanwhile, the BOY grilled up some burgers for our Dad’s who came over to watch the Indiana v Northwestern basketball game today.  It took a little convincing but the BOY braved the cold (it was in the 30’s) to make juicy burgers for the guys’ lunch.  He even took the time to make roasted mushrooms and caramelized onions to go with the burgers.

 

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We had a wonderful afternoon relaxing in the living room, devouring our lunches, chatting about sports, and telling stories.  This was the first time that just our Dads came over and it was an awesome way to spend the afternoon.  The boys were more than happy to save room for dessert, Peanut Butter Bon Bons.

 

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And the Dad’s even took a few to go home.  FYI, the BOY has decided that the vanilla coated bonbons taste even better than the chocolate ones in case you are already making your Valentine treat list!

 

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I know it sounds crazy, but I could totally go for another bowl of chili for dinner.  Maybe that’s because we are watching the football playoffs and chili just seems appropriate : )

 

Have you made any new recipes in your crockpot?

 

 

 

Turkey and Bean Chili with Roasted Corn

Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey breast

4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (can sub in min red skin potatoes halved per original recipe)

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 cups low sodium chicken or veggie broth

1 can black beans, rinsed (original recipe calls for navy beans but any white bean will work)

1 cup tomato puree

3 tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

salt to taste

3 medium cobs of corn or 2 cups frozen and thawed corn kernels

 

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil or cooking spray over medium heat.  Add turkey and cook, stirring frequently until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and onion, stir and cook for 5 minutes until soft and well cooked.

Transfer turkey mixture to slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray.  Add potato, pepper, broth, beans, tomato puree, and all seasonings.  Stir and cook on low (6-8 hour setting) or high for closer to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, if using corn cobs, char on grill or over grill pan.  When cool, shave kernels from cob.  About 1 hour before finished, stir in fresh or microwaved corn and cook until potatoes are soft and chili has thickened.

Store in airtight container in refrigerator or freezer.

 

Second Workout of the Year January 7, 2013

Filed under: Breakfast,Crock Pot,Lunch,Running,Soup — Luv What You Do @ 6:52 pm
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I slept 12 hours last night!

 

I’m not exactly sure what that means or why that happened, but my eyelids were heavy around 9:30pm last night and when I opened them this morning it was almost 10am.  Crazy!

 

First thing I did this morning was check on my STEW.  Then, I whipped up some breakfast (so I could take this morning’s round of antibiotics) and for the sake of my stomach threw back a GoodBelly shot.

 

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Breakfast was an egg with spinach on a sprouted wrap covered in salsa.

 

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The perfect pre workout fuel which I devoured while watching last night’s Biggest Loser episode.  After breakfast, I bundled up (check out my adorable new headband) and hit the path for a run.

 

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I had a few things working against me on this run.  The main one being the war waging in my gut between my antibiotic and probiotic.  I wanted my antibiotic to win the battle in my sinuses and was hoping the probiotic could pull out victory in the gut.  Since it was my first run in over 2 weeks, I had little expectation.  I set out on a 4.6 mile out and back route knowing that I could walk at any time and even cut the route by 1/2 mile if needed.  By the time I made it to the path, I was happy that I had worn my trail shoes.  Despite the almost fully melted snow in our neighborhood, the concrete path was about 50% snow with intermittent patches.  But the sun was shining bright and the forest preserve peaceful…it was easy to put one foot in front of the other and enjoy my first run of the year.  I was slow and tired when I rounded the corner back onto our street and my runner’s high was slightly lessened by the dull ache in my sinuses.  My watch read just under 47 minutes making this morning’s run a slow and steady second workout of the year.

 

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I was definitely ready for a late lunch.  I poured Chickpea, Butternut Squash, and Red Lentil Stew onto a mix of couscous and quinoa for a satisfying post run meal.

 

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The entire time I was eating my lunch, I kept exclaiming how amazing this stew tastes!

 

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This is seriously one of the best meals that has ever come out of my crockpot!

 

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And my crockpot works hard so that is definitely saying something!  I ate lunch with some cucumber water (I have been getting really tired of plain water, so if you have suggestions on how to spice it up, please let me know) and a grapefruit that I split with the BOY (who was not interested in trying my stew).

 

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After lunch, the BOY and I went out to run a few errands.  It was such a warm and sunny day!  Check out what we discovered while out and about 4 minutes from our house.  A Yogurtland!!!!

 

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A few hours later, we came home to drop of our groceries and shopping bags.  Then, decided on an early dinner at Mediterranean.

 

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There was some talk while we were out about planning meals for the weak, but we really didn’t hammer anything out.  Although I’d like to get back to meal planning this year, I was okay winging it this week because we have tons of homemade leftovers crowding the fridge.  For dinner, I ordered a salad with juicy and flavorful chicken.

 

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It was a healthy way to end an entire day of clean eating and exercise!  I’ve got a few dark chocolate squares for dessert and I know the BOY will be eager to find a few of these hiding in the freezer.

 

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As of now, I am resting my tired legs (man, it feels SO good to be sore) while watching the Indiana v Penn State Basketball game.  After the long weekend, I feel like I am still on vacation (did I already forget those 3 days of work last year).  I have a full week back in the swing of things coming up, and I have a feeling I will be in bed early again tonight (although I don’t think I can get another 12 hours of sleep).

 

Hope you had a Marvelous Monday!

 

First Workout of the Year

Filed under: Clean Eating,Crock Pot,Soup,Vegetarian,Yoga — Luv What You Do @ 11:38 am
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Finally!

I made it to Hot Yoga yesterday morning with my Mom!

 

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recycled picture but we were just as bundled up!

 

I really haven’t done much activity the past few weeks, so I had to remind myself a few times during the intense class that it is okay to hold back and rest.  But I LOVED getting back into my weekly workout routine, and it was even more special to have my Mom yoga-ing right next to me.  After class, I tried to convince her to come to Whole Foods with me, but she was headed another direction in search of veggies for her own Healthy New Year Soup.

 

I love shopping at Whole Foods!

 

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I picked up some fresh fruits and veggies to make one of Jenna’s hearty stews.

 

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And then came home to chop veggies and warm up the crockpot.  Right on cue, the BOY started to smell the Indian flavors from upstairs and hollered down ‘Honey, what are you making? Smells Good!’

 

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I’m hoping that he will dig right into the stew and won’t even notice the butternut squash.

 

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Without interesting (to me anyways) football today, I was a little bit lost with what to do with my Sunday.  After I got my stew into the crockpot, I baked up some Pumpkin Pear Bread.  Then did a little bit of cleaning and organizing before settling into some comfy clothes on my couch.  I was really excited to finish my book Eat & Run, and it did NOT disappoint!

 

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This recipe requires about 10 hours to get a thick and hearty stew.  Perfect for a Sunday!  The only problem…I was exhausted last night and not going to be able to stay awake until 10pm.

 

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So I put the BOY in charge of unplugging the crockpot and putting my stew into the fridge before he came up to bed.

 

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I was eager to see (and taste) the results this morning!

 

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These pictures don’t even do it justice!  Not only is this the ideal stew texture, but the flavors are incredible.  Everything blends together marvelously, so you know what I will be eating for lunch today.  I love having a house full of healthy food options and fingers crossed, I will be getting in workout number 2 today!

 

 

Crock Pot Chickpea, Butternut Squash

and Red Lentil Stew

From Eat, Live, Run

 

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive or canola oil

2 large carrot, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

2-3 tsp garam masala

1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs–average sized), peeled and chopped

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes in tomato juice

1 quart vegetable broth

1 cup red lentils

2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1-2 tsp sea salt (to taste)

 

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds, and then add the garam masala, stirring well to coat. Take off heat.

Place the chickpeas, butternut squash, canned diced tomatoes, red lentils, vegetable broth and onion mixture in your slow cooker. Turn the heat on LOW and cook for 8-10 hours…the longer you cook, the thicker your stew will be.

Season with sea salt to taste and serve with minced cilantro on top (I didn’t do this). This stew freezes extremely well and will keep in the fridge for up to five days.

 

Healthy New Year Soup January 2, 2013

Filed under: Breakfast,Clean Eating,Soup,Vegetables,Vegetarian — Luv What You Do @ 8:45 pm
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I am swapping the sugary sweet holiday baked goods in for some veggie packed recipes.  Well, at least one veggie packed recipe.  I woke up January 1st with a craving for breakfast.  I whipped up a batch of these Banana Flax Pancakes.

 

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I forget how easy and satisfying these guys are!

 

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The BOY and I spent my last day of winter vacation laying low, and watching some college football.  Despite finishing my antibiotic, I am still nowhere near 100%.  This definitely frustrates me (who wants to be sick for over a week?), and I just don’t have my usual energy levels.  So I took advantage of my last day home finishing my third book this break, Emily Giffin’s Where We Belong (which in my opinion is her best book to date!) and cooking up some food for the week ahead.

 

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We did make one trip out of the house to the grocery store to stock up on some fresh produce for the week.  Since my soup pot was out and clean after NYE dinner, I figured some veggie soup was in order.  I haven’t made a plain veggie soup in some time.  Mostly, because my Mom makes some wonderful soups and is always happy to supply me with her leftovers.

 

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I know that I have commented before on my huge soup pot.  It was a gift to me along with some lessons in soup making when my Mom and our friend Beth came to visit me in Memphis a little over 5 years ago.

 

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Beth makes some wonderful soups, and it was with her in mind that I picked up some cabbage along with all my other veggies for this Healthy New Year Soup.

 

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I think once you’ve made a few veggie soups, you get a feel for what veggies to add, when to add them, and what spices work best.  Needless to say, I ‘m not there yet!

 

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So I just sorta winged it, chopping up veggies and sprinkling in spices to create this veggie packed soup.  The outcome was a thick and hearty soup guaranteed to keep you warm in a winter chill and help you get started with your healthy new year.  However, this doesn’t make it easy to write out a recipe.  I’m not quite positive what I did, if it is typical of making soup, but I know the results worked.  I will do my best to share the recipe but feel free to add in any thoughts or suggestions (I mean you Beth!)

 

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This soup freezes well, so I know that I am well stocked with healthy options for the next few weeks (unless you want some soup and in which case I am happy to share).  Sadly, I downed tonight’s dinner without getting a better photo of my colorful concoction.  What can I say…after my first day back at work, I was starving when I walked in the door. 

 

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So I overcompensated by taking plenty of pictures of tomorrow’s lunch!  I must say that it was tough to get up today.  When my alarm went off at 6am, I had NO idea what the noise was (I hadn’t heard it in 2 weeks).  Even my car seemed a little perturbed to be up and at ‘em before the sun.  But it was nice to be back at work catching up with my friends after the break.  This means that my posts might be a little less frequent as I adjust to the work/life balance and for right now I am done writing because I started book number four, Eat & Run (Thanks Brittany for the suggestion), and I am eager to get back to it.

 

 

Healthy New Year Soup

 

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

10 stalks of celery, chopped

1 package of mushrooms, chopped

1 head of cabbage, chopped

6 carrots, pealed and chopped

4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

6 cups of water

1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained

Sea Salt (to taste)

Seasonings (I used a mix of basil, garlic, and a veggie mix)

1 bag frozen green beans

1 bag frozen zucchini (fresh if you can find it, but it didn’t look good)

 

Optional: Add your favorite seasonal veggies and sub in frozen as needed!  Other ideas include okra, corn, peppers, beans, etc.

 

 

Directions

Spray the bottom of a large soup pot with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.  Add in onion and garlic.  Stir until soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes or so).  Add in celery, mushrooms, and cabbage.

Stir often as flavors begin to blend and veggies soften (another 7-8 minutes).

Add in veggie broth, water, spices, and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil (this takes time with a huge pot).

Add in frozen veggies (whatever you want, but I chose beans and zucchini…okra is good too!) and simmer for 2-3 hours.

Freeze in air tight containers and you’ll be set for the winter!

 

 

What healthy recipes are you staring the year with?

 

No Meal Planning But Plenty of Cookies December 14, 2012

Filed under: Soup,Turkey,Vegetables — Luv What You Do @ 8:30 pm
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I quickly interrupt your sugar coma for a much healthier chili recipe…

 

The BOY has decided that we wouldn’t meal plan this week and since I spent the weekend up to my elbows in chocolate, sugars, and candy, I was okay winging it for dinner.  But, I did want a healthy option for lunch this week.

 

I can’t figure out how this recipe hasn’t made the blog yet!  If I had to guess, I’d say that it is hiding somewhere on one of these pages because it is one of my all time favorite chilies, but somehow I missed it on my Recipe Page.  This is another classic…I’ve been making it for years.  But since the BOY is not a fan of eggplant or zucchini, I haven’t made it as often this past year.

 

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However, when I walked into the store with nothing planned and saw eggplant and zucchini on sale in the bins by the front door, I knew that I needed to have this chili.  It’s probably strange to see me using my stove instead of my favorite crockpot.  I have made this recipe in the crockpot before, but just didn’t have the time this week.

 

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I love how easily this recipe comes together…it is so low maintenance!

 

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And totally healthy and filling!

 

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I was thrilled to have it for lunch this week, and you’ll love having something healthy in your fridge to dine on in between cookies and sweets!

 

 

 

Turkey and Vegetable Chili

From Weight Watchers Cookbook Everyone Loves Chicken

 

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb Lean ground turkey breast

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic gloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I subbed in a can of mild green chilies)

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (low sodium if able)

1 small eggplant, diced

2 zucchini, diced

2 tsp chili Powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt (optional in my opinion)

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 cup water

 

Directions

Heat the oil in a nonstick Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the turkey ad cook, breaking it p with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, water, eggplant, zucchini, chili powder, cumin, salt, and oregano; bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are well softened and the flavors are blended, about 40 minutes.

Serve covered in your favorite toppings ie cheese, scallions, and sour cream

Freezes well!

 

 
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