I Will Run For Food

My weekend in pictures:

1) Went to the farmers market. Planted flowers. The front yard is finally starting to look a little less hideous.

2) Apple Quinoa Pancakes with pecans and maple syrup!!!! So filling but so good.

3) Took a walk across the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis.

4) St Anthony Falls.

5) We discovered this on our walk. It is a replica of a Japanese bell mold. It’s called the friendship bell.

6) Someone was really enjoying the fresh air and his jaunty new hat.

7) N taking a break on Nicollet Island.

8) Off-roading with the jogging stroller.

9) The lock, dam and falls from the opposite side.

10) Grilled Beet Burgers on sprouted grain buns with sweet potato fries. Recipe to follow!

To recap: got my hands dirty in the garden, ate some delicious food, walked 3 miles with my family and enjoyed the sunshine between thunderstorms.

I made this again tonight. I forgot how amazingly good it really is. If you haven’t made it yet, what are you waiting for? It’s worth it. Trust me.

iwillrunforfood:

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

One 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup (or mushroom)

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, etc)

1/2 teaspoon Splenda/sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups COOKED quinoa (see note)

Feshly grated Parmesan cheese

To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear. In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible. Fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden. Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

Per Serving: Calories 199, Protein 10 g; Fat 9 g; NET Carbs 14 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 297 mg

www.eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com

I made twice baked butternut squash for dinner.

Squash, salt, pepper, chives, paprika, butter, and breadcrumbs.

All the noms!

Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Burritos

2 whole Sweet Potatoes, Peeled And Cubed Small
2 whole Jalapenos Diced
1 whole Red Pepper, Diced Small
1 whole Red Onion, Diced Small
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
1 pinch Salt And Pepper
1 can Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained (15 Ounce Can)
½ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
2 teaspoons Fresh Lime Juice
2 cups Shredded Cheddar
1 package Burrito-Sized Wheat Tortillas Or Wraps (6-10 Count)

In a bowl, toss your raw veggies in olive oil and season with spices. Place in a large baking dish and roast in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, tossing around halfway through.

Let cool. Add your roasted veggies to a can of rinsed black beans. Add cilantro and squirt of lime juice. Combine gently. At this point, mixture can be stored for later use.

Warm your wheat tortillas or wraps in microwave according to directions on package. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray or olive oil spray.

Add two heaping tablespoons of vegetable and bean mixture to center of wrap. Top with shredded cheese. Fold over, fold in sides, place in pan and continue to roll the others. Place into your baking dish, seam side down so that they stay together.

Bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Baking this way will make the tortilla wrap crisp. For a softer burrito, spray burrito with nonstick spray, then wrap in aluminum foil and bake for same amount of time.

Makes about 6 burritos.

Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

-2 teaspoons canola oil
-1 cup onion, chopped
-1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
-2 teaspoons chili powder
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1 4.5oz can diced green chiles
-2/3 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
-1/4 cup water
-1 15oz can black beans, drained
-1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
-1/2 cup frozen corn
-1 14oz can vegetable broth
-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
-1 lime, cut into wedges
-Tortilla chips
-Avocado salsa (recipe below)

Directions:

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and saute until tender. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, and green chiles. Saute 1 minutes. Stir in the barley, water, tomatoes, corn and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer. Cook about 20 minutes or until barley is tender. Stir in cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, chips, and avocado salsa.

Avocado Salsa

-1 avocado, cubed
-1/3 cup tomato, seeded and chopped
-1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
-1 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded and diced
-1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
-1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Toss together in a bowl and serve over the chili.

From Domestic Charm

Quinoa and black bean lettuce wraps with baked acorn squash on the side.

I love fall.

Back on the healthy, unprocessed, cook at home bandwagon post marathon.

Starting with a roasted sweet potato and black bean salad.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus wedges for garnish
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced orange or red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
4 cups baby arugula

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 375°. On a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, place potatoes in a layer; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bake until tender, 15 minutes; let cool. In a bowl, whisk juice, vinegar, garlic, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper. Add potatoes, beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, scallions and mint; toss; serve over arugula, and garnish with lime wedges.

The skinny

283 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated), 58 g carbs, 14 g fiber, 11 g protein

Recipe from self.com

I had a few requests for this recipe. It’s a bit of a sugar bomb, so feel free to use alternative sweeteners if you so choose.

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

1. Mix flour, brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl. Combine butter with the flour mixture using fingers or a fork until course crumbs form. Stir in walnuts. Set aside.

2. Whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Place the apples in a slow cooker, stir in the cornstarch mixture; toss with lemon juice. Sprinkle the walnut crumb topping on top. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, until apples are tender. Partially uncover the slow cooker to allow the topping to harden, about 1 hour.

Makes 6 servings.

From allrecipes.com

Tomorrow marks the start of one month of eating no processed foods. I eat pretty clean in general, but there are definitely ways that processed foods make their way into my diet.

So I am making the commitment to be more mindful, to read the label, and to cook more at home.

Are you up to the challenge as well? The guidelines are pretty simple:

“Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with whole-food ingredients.”

Click here to read more about the challenge.

Ginger Carrot Soup with toasted pita chips and green beans for dinner.

Followed by still warm apple crisp from the crock pot.

I love the days when I have time to cook.

So full, but so worth it.

Vegan Ginger Carrot Soup

Ingredients - serves 4:

12 carrots
2 Onions
3 garlic cloves
3-4 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
3 vegetable stock cubes
about 6 cups/50 oz water/vegetable stock if you don’t use cubes
2 tbsp oil

Prep steps:

Slice the carrots and onions into pieces and chop the garlic and the ginger.
Heat the oil in a pot, and sautee the carrots, onions and the garlic a couple of minutes before you add the ginger. Sautee for another couple of minutes.
Add the water and vegetable stock.
Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer for about 20 – 30 minutes (until the carrots are soft).

Puree the soup. If you have a hand blender, puree it directly in the pot, if not you can use a blender or a food processor.

When the soup is pureed, add salt and pepper to taste, and if you need more ginger you can still add some more and puree it!

Serve with bread or topped with cilantro.

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

One 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup (or mushroom)

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, etc)

1/2 teaspoon Splenda/sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups COOKED quinoa (see note)

Feshly grated Parmesan cheese

To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear. In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible. Fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole. Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden. Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

Per Serving: Calories 199, Protein 10 g; Fat 9 g; NET Carbs 14 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 297 mg

www.eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com

Nom nom nom!!!!!

Broccoli Quinoa Casserole and Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potatoes for dinner.

So. Freaking. Good.

I also made pumpkin bread with dark chocolate chips. Not pictured because we tore into while it was still hot!

So much amazing-ness happened in my kitchen today.

I decided to make chickpea tacos for dinner which of course required homemade guacamole and salsa. So delicious.

I also enjoy cooking so much more when I can rock out to a little metal while chopping veggies. Today was a medley of Pantera and A perfect Circle.

I finally had time to put together Dale’s prize for winning my LLS drawing. Woohoo, it will be in the mail tomorrow!

After dinner I had an LLS conference call to talk about logistics for the marathon weekend. Guess who is the number one fundraiser on the team?! I also got called out for being the token preggo… What’s truly amazing is that my TNT Flex team raised $169,000 for LLS, that’s all the really matters. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.