Even Better Tomorrow - Lentil Soup

Winter is officially here in Chicago! As I write the snow is falling outside my window, and I'm craving all the comforts of warm hearty treats that my kitchen yields. Soup is the ultimate winter food, but all I can really think about as I watch this week's episode of Glee in my pajamas is - how is that 30 years have passed since Dirty Dancing and all of sudden everyone is doing "Had the Time of My Life?" This exhibits my lack of meaningful thoughts for the morning, which explains why I needed inspiration from a fav blogger, Carrots N' Cake. I'll be back later this weekend with more coherent ideas for you all. In the meantime, enjoy some soup and stay warm!

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
3 yellow onions
1 purple onion
1 sweet potato
1 tomato
4 c. veggie broth
1/2 c. lentils
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Chop all veggies, and keep in separate piles.

2. In a large pot, saute onions in olive oil until translucent.

3. Over medium heat, add sweet potato and saute for about 3 minutes.

4. Add diced tomato, seasoning and veggie broth simmer for 3 minutes.

5. Combine dried lentils into pot and bring to a boil.

6. Cover soup and turn down to a simmer for 30 minutes.

**inspired in part by Carrots N' Cake's post.

Workout Fearin'

Think about why you workout as often or as little as you do. My top reasons for hitting the gym are:

1. Fear
2. Guilt
3. Self-love
4. Habit

Oh yes, I'm going to just throw that out there. One of the top reasons that motivates me to get to the gym on days when I just feel like watching some Grey's Anatomy and munching on air-popped popcorn is FEAR. In the last year I have aimed to rule my body with love, as Machiavelli would suggest, but most days fear and guilt win. Fear of the relaxed-eating-habits-5lbs, or the happy-and-in-love-10lbs, or the sneaky that-time-of-the-month-3lbs. With a lifetime dedicated to dieting and 5 years of serious hard work and self-educating, I am afraid to gain back that stubborn double digit number over 50 and regain that especially unhappy version of myself.

In an unscientific analysis from studying myself for twenty something years, I would suggest that I have a slightly obsessive (er, addictive) personality. A problem with food and self-esteem turned into an exercise addiction, to the point where I felt guilty if I didn't make it to the gym at least six days a week. I pushed my body into a rut for a number of reasons.

I was:

1. overtired
2. overworked & overworked-out
3. lacking sufficient caloric energy

 I should mention during this same point in my life I kept my caloric intake below 1200 calories, and on some days, below 1000. Now, I'm nearly 5'8" and there's absolutely no reason, no instance, no case where my calorie limit should be THAT low, especially when physically active. I stress this point for all you ladies that read diet and health magazines with glossy success stories. Rarely do they point out height in relation to weight and nutrition. There is a range of numbers when it comes to healthy weight, calorie intake, and exercise recommendations. For instance, a person my height has a recommended healthy weight of somewhere in the 120s all the way up to the 160s. That's a 40 pound margin! I bring up this point, because there is a large margin for what is considered healthy for each individual body.

I admit that I am in a phase of learning to trust my body. To listen. When does my body really need to go to sleep instead of a late night work out. And, when is my lazy, couch potato side trying to set my workout schedule. This week I have been particularly busy in the evening. In an average week, by Thursday I would have completed 4 workouts. This week I've only racked up 2. My old self would feel terrible about missing workouts. New self, positive self, knows the reasons why:

1. Those 2 workouts were tough, combining weights and cardio.
2. I'm still active - walking the long route to the train, using stairs, etc.
3. The days where I didn't make it to the gym had me up at 6 am and home after 9 pm, my body said SLEEP - and I listened.
4. I have made healthy nutritious meal and snack choices, listening to my body when it says no more.

So in this season of holiday cheer and special visits with friends and families, I encourage you to tune into your body and enjoy everyday. Prioritize fitness by giving yourself a weekly goal that is a range of a number (or minutes) of workouts. My goal for this week, considering my schedule and sleep habits, is 4 to 6 workouts. As long as I hit 4 workouts, I can keep fear at bay and feel satisfied that I am working towards a healthy and fit self.

PLEDGE TO RESPECT YOUR BODY BY LEAVING A COMMENT ABOUT YOUR WEEKLY GOALS! 

Half Guilt Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach artichoke dip is everywhere - and with good warm creamy reason. I find myself trepidatiously singing the praises of this traditional appetizer. Many restaurants load up the full fat cheeses, oils and additives in this dish. As a life long dieter, there is almost no place I would order spinach artichoke dip without feeling guilty. So I wanted to share a version of the dish with you all that you can feel good about eating at about 220 calories per half a cup serving - that's compared to popular restaurants such as Applebees with over 1500 calories per serving!

Since you know I love recipes that can do double duty - this one is no exception. I use this as an alternative to mayonnaise on a sandwich or as a filling in a baked sweet potato for a quick dinner.

Ingredients:

10 oz. frozen spinach (1 block)

1 can artichoke hearts (in water)

6 oz. fat free cream cheese or tofutti

¼ c. reduced fat sour cream (or vegan sour cream)

1 c. shredded cheese (preferably gruyere or swiss, can sub vegan)

¼ c. (vegan) parmesan

4-6 cloves of roasted garlic

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.

2.       Wrap garlic in foil and heat for 30 minutes.

3.       Chop garlic and artichoke hearts.

4.       Defrost spinach in microwave and press through a strainer to eliminate excess water.

5.       Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

6.       Grease a dish and bake dip for 40 minutes until brown and bubbly on top.

7.       Enjoy with pita, veggies, or on a sandwich instead of mayo.

***inspiration provided by Annie Eats http://annies-eats.com/

Pumpkin Hangover

Although Thanksgiving has passed, my obsession with pumpkin is alive and well. I have big plans to stock up with a cabinets-worth in the near future. Pumpkin works in everything: from savory dishes like lasagna to sweet dishes like pumpkin pie bread, and these spicy pumpkin delights are no exception. I find these cookies to have seasonal flare from fall through early spring. Something about my spicy addition to the frosting lightens the sweetness and tops off the cake-y cookie like no other. I must give credit to an old friend who introduced her pumpkin cookies to me years ago, which served as one of the inspirations for this recipe. As always, I booty-fied and kicked up some of the ingredients to create a moderately healthy cookie. Good luck keeping these babies in the house!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Spicy Creamy Frosting 

Cookie Ingredients:

½ c. apple sauce

¼ c. earth balance OR butter

1 c. pumpkin

½ c. agave nectar (or honey)

½ c. splenda OR sugar

1 c. all purpose flour

1 ½ c. whole wheat flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

** 3/4 c. dark chocolate chips (can omit frosting and add cc for another twist)

Spiced Frosting Ingredients:

6 oz. fat free cream cheese OR tofutti

¼ c. earth balance OR butter

1 ½ c. confectioners sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.       In a large bowl, cream together all wet cookie ingredients.

3.       In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients.

4.       Add 1/3 of dry mixture at a time to wet mixture until combined.

5.       Use a cookie scooper or two spoons to drop dough onto greased cookie sheet.

6.       Wet the back of a spoon and flatten the center of each cookie.

7.       Bake about 12 minutes, or until cookies feel firm.

8.       Let cool before applying frosting.

9.       Whisk room temperature cream cheese and butter.

10.   Add in other frosting ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.

11.   Using a spoon add about at teaspoon of frosting to each cookie and spread with the back of the spoon.

12.   Allow to set for an hour.

Sweet Redemption

Sweet Cornbread - we'll get to this later...

First, I have a kitchen confession: in honor of Vegan MoFo, a month where bloggers showcase vegan recipes to show the world just how un-scary it is to be vegan, I attempted vegan marshmallows. And here's what a butt-load of corn syrup and sugar turns into:

I followed directions to a T and whipped that puppy for 15 minutes. And still, it looked like something that comes out of the body, not something that should go in it. Never fear, I didn't let that stop me from making the all important marshmallow fluff that is one of the (not so) secret ingredients in my mother's famous sweet potatoes. However, I turned to a vegetarian recipe that incorporated eggs. Out of respect for Vegan MoFo, I'll be posting that recipe in December.

Now onto my successes in the kitchen in keeping with my pre T-giving schedule! Using a down home cornbread recipe passed around the family from a legendary nanny, I altered the recipe to give it a healthier - and vegan, if you like - outcome. Now I preface this recipe with a few details: number one, if you like a crumbly cornbread, you will love this one, number two, this is the PERFECT cornbread for cornbread stuffing (more of that to come tomorrow!).

Ingredients:

2 c. yellow cornmeal

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 ½ c. non-dairy milk OR buttermilk

¼ c. agave nectar OR honey OR sugar

½ c. apple sauce OR butter

3 eggs OR equivalent in egg substitute

1 Tbs baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit

2.       Combine all dry ingredients, sifting flour

3.       Create a well in dry ingredients and mix together milk, agave nectar, apple sauce, and egg.

4.       Grease a baking dish – if you like thinner cornbread use 9 X 13.

5.       Bake for 35 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Experiments with Tofu Part 1: Loaf

Although I have been a vegetarian for years. I only tried tofurkey for the first time last year. For some reason, I was intimidated enough by the idea of a tofu loaf that I did not include a homemade one on my Thanksgiving menu. So in the spirit of the holiday season, I ventured into loaf land with a guinea pig taste tester (bf, Grant Park) willing to swallow down my latest concoction.

Doesn't that kinda look good for a loaf of mashed tofu? That's essentially what any meat-like loaf is, and this tofu loaf is no exception. I kept the recipe seasonal with my use of herbs; next time I'm taking it down home. Grant Park and I waxed nostalgic about the meat loaf of our childhood - ketchup and breadcrumb laden. However, if you're looking for a vegan alternative for the holidays, this tofu loaf and accompanying mushroom gravy are a safe bet.

Also, feel free to note the new table upon which some of these photos were taken. Oh yes, finally a REAL table. Photos to come later. Safe to say the furniture collection has a French name, mon dieu!


Tofu Loaf

Ingredients:
1 package extra firm tofu
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. organic marinara sauce
1/4 c. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs. dried thyme
1/2 Tbs. dried parsley
1 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease loaf pan.

2. Drain and smoosh tofu with a fork.

3. Add in remaining ingredients and stir.

4. Place contents in loaf pan, with clean hands press mixture into pan.

5. Bake for 1 hour.

6. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before flipping loaf out onto a serving dish.



Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 tsp. celery salt
2 Tbs. butter of choice or olive oil
2 Tbs. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. vegetable stock
1/2 Tbs. thyme

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan and add mushrooms and onions.

2. Sprinkle celery salt into pan and sauté until mushrooms become tender and begin to release juices.

3. Place mushrooms in a bowl off to the side.

4. In the same pan melt butter.

5. Whisk flour into butter and add 1/2 c. vegetable stock stirring mixture until lumps are removed.

6. Add remaining veggie stock to the pan and allow mixture to simmer stirring frequently. (You may add more veggie stock to thin the mixture).

7. Once base of the gravy is desired consistency, add the mushroom mixture back to pan and stir.

Lists Are Friends

With Thanksgiving right around the bend, and a short workweek upon us, I find myself feeling hectic and a little stressed, with excitement, of course. Since one of my triggers to overeating is stress,  making lists and planning ahead is an important part of my holiday season. The most coveted lists for Thanksgiving are my daily T-giving prep and my activity plans. Check out my plans below, and I encourage you to put yours together too!

Thanksgiving Daily Prep:

Sunday

• Homemade Marshmallow Fluff (for sweet potatoes)

Monday

• Select serving dishes
• Decide on a center piece
• Purchase Specialty Grocery Items

Tuesday

• Honey Buttermilk Cornbread 
• Pumpkin Cookies
• Gravy 

Wednesday

• Chocolate Pumpkin Pecan Pie
• Spinach Artichoke Dip 
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Wash & Chop Veggies

T-Day

• Tofurkey
• Stuffing
• Roasted Asparagus
• Vegan Gravy
• Reheat and finish previously completed dishes

T-Giving Activity Schedule:

• Sunday: 25 minutes M.O.B. Pump, 25 minutes hill setting cardio
• Monday: 45 minutes cardio interval training, 5 minute abs
• Tuesday: spinning class
• Wednesday: 30 minutes M.O.B. Pump, 30 minutes cardio
• T-day: 30 minutes workout of choice*
• Friday: 30 minutes L.A.B. (Leg, Ab, Butt) routine, 30 minutes interval training cardio
• Saturday: Rest & A HAIRCUT! (Ok, that's not so much a physical activity, but I'm psyched!)

*On a holiday where I am cooking most of the meal, I say it's a win if I make physical activity a part of the preparation. My plan is to actually go to the gym and get in a high intensity cardio workout. If I feel crunched for time, I have a dvd at home that I can run through in a pinch. Give yourself options if you know your day will be full and filling, but I do recommend a quick sweat session to balance out all that yumminess on T-day.