Yesterday I was up at the crack of 4:50 to get my booty to the gym and log 7 miles before work.  I popped an Aleve and grabbed two Clif Peanut Butter Shot [...]]]> Looks like you guys really want to win some nut butter! Keep the entries coming; you have until tomorrow

Yesterday I was up at the crack of 4:50 to get my booty to the gym and log 7 miles before work.  I popped an Aleve and grabbed two Clif Peanut Butter Shot Roks (the company sent these a while back) on the way out the door… I liked them! Not two “protein-y” and just hearty enough to satiate me at 5 AM.

Luckily I was so worried about hurting my knee that I didn’t find myself getting too bored on the treadmill.

Warm-up: 5.8 mph

Mile 2-5.5: 6.4 mph

Mile 5.5-6: 7.5 mph

Mile 6-7: 6.2, 5.8., 5.0, 4.5, 4.0, 3.5

Total time: 1:07:55

I dropped my iPod twice while I was running, and the first time after I had to stop and retrieve it and then start up again it really hurt.  It was pretty sore on the walk home, too, so while I ate breakfast, I iced.

Breakfast was the first breakfast cookie I’ve had in months!

This was a particularly good one.

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
• splash of skim milk
• 1 tsp Maranatha No Stir Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• toppings: goji berries, cinnamon, Greek yogurt, pumpkin, dried fig, agave

As soon as I got to work, I go an ice pack out of the freezer and kept it on my knee for most of the day.

Despite my long run, breakfast held me over really well!  I only needed an orange to hold me until lunch (I ate the apple later in the afternoon).

For lunch I had leftover Chopped Coconut Miso Salad and Everything Pretzel Crisps.

One of our coworkers thought Danielle and I were sisters… I don’t really see the resemblance, do you?

In addition to the apple, I also had a Caramel Chocolate Forze Bar in the afternoon.

After work I went to a networking happy hour (hello, $4 Absolut cocktails!) then came home to a delicious meal grace à Daddy-O: sautéed broccoli rabe, roasted tomatoes, octopus braised in red wine, and brown rice.

I also had a small bowl of mushroom and wild rice soup.

For dessert I had a bowl of Ciao Bella’s Blackberry Cabernet sorbet with chocolate sauce… somehow it was a little camera shy   Before I got into bed, I took one of my coworker’s suggestions (she’s run three half-marathons) and took a warm bath, then rolled out both IT Bands and glute muscles.  My calves are pretty sore today and I have a feeling my knee isn’t going to be much better.  I’m instating a “no running until Sunday” rule.

Off to go walk the pooch and get ready for the day.  Have a great weekend!

This morning was take number two of 7 miles on the treadmill.  And… I did it!  I was a little groggy [...]]]> Evening and happy weekend!  Even though it was technically a short week, it feels like last Friday was ages ago.  Today was a pretty good day: busy–>productive–> relaxing.  Couldn’t really ask for more!

This morning was take number two of 7 miles on the treadmill.  And… I did it!  I was a little groggy when I woke up at 5:30, but I got myself up and dressed.  On the way out the door, I grabbed a chocolate Clif Shot Rock (sent from the company) to get me through my workout.

It was pretty good! Initially it had a little of that “protein-y” taste, but after a couple chews it started to taste more like a brownie bite or a Milk Dud.  I like that they’re not sticky; they’d be great for stuffing into the tiny pocket of my shorts for a quick energy boost during a long run.  Click here for more info.

The run itself went much better than I’d thought, and I owe that all to my choice of entertainment!  The Upwelling has been listening to Graphic Audio on the road (basically a graphic novel with sound effects), and Ari gave me chapter 1 (about 70 minutes) of Batman.  Although I read comic books and graphic novels, I expected to find this version of it kind of hokey.  I actually got really into it! My heart rate monitor wasn’t working the whole time, but my splits looked like this:

Mile 1 (warm-up): 5.8 mph@ 1% incline

Miles 2-6: 1600@6.9 mph, 800@ 6.2 mph (repeated) @ 1% incline

Mile 6-6.5: 5.8 mph@ 1% incline

Mile 6.5-7.0: 5.2-3.5 mp @ 1% incline

Total time: about 65 minutes

I made sure to get a good stretch in, and even now I don’t feel sore at all and my knees haven’t given me any trouble.  Big success!

When I got back I was pretty thirsty, so I combined a mixture of Clif Shot Electrolyte & Ester-C.

As I’ve mentioned before, I have suffered from pretty low energy for the past 6 years or so, and one of the ways that helps me manage it is to take iron supplements.  Ester-C helps absorb the iron.  It does come in a capsule form, but I bought the powder by mistake… and it tastes awful.  I usually  mix it with orange or POM juice, which are both sweet enough to mask the taste.  (I have about 1/3 of a serving every morning).  Unfortunately I must not have used enough Shot powder this morning, because it still tasted awful.  Better luck next time!

After I showered and got ready for work, I climbed back in bed with a big bowl of oatmeal and relaxed for a few minutes.

In the mix:

• 1/2 cup oats cooked in 1/2 cup water
• 1 banana
• pumpkin
• 1 dried peach half
• 1 dried prune
• 1 scoop Maranatha creamy almond butter
• cinnamon
• stevia

It held me over pretty well for a while, but I started to really feel the effects of those 7 miles at work!  I had an apple and a mini Chocolate Chip Clif bar.

For lunch, I had a big salad with leftover buffalo salmon, tomatoes, and goddess dressing.  It was actually too big for me to finish!  (A rare sentence from LVP.)  I did eat the vanilla yogurt, but I waited until I got back to my desk.

And last but not least… an orange.  The people who work next to me must think I do nothing but snack, but no one’s said anything yet!

I was really looking forward to laying low tonight, which is just what I did.

I watched The Hurt Locker and Milk while eating dinner and sipping wine… I found a fabulous batch of pasta in the fridge that my parents had made earlier this week:  pesto with potatoes, green beens, and sundried tomatoes.

Aren’t their new dishes pretty?

I added grated Manchego and a can of Trader Joe’s crab meat.  Definitely didn’t need to take my Omega-3 supplement today! (I usually take two capsules, or one if I know I’ll be eating fish or seafood.)

For dessert, I had Vanilla Swiss Almond ice cream with hot fudge and coconut.  There was a second container in the freezer, so I went back for a little more, too!

Before I get into bed, I thought I would answer some of your Ask Me Anything (or “As,” as I miss-typed) questions!  I’m going to keep the form open indefinitely and will answer questions as time permits. So feel free to ask away!

have you always been slender? i’m just wondering because i used to tip the scale at 150lbs but lost 40lbs and have been maintaining for 9 years (i’m 23 now).

Luckily I was graced with a pretty fast metabolism while I was growing up, and got away with eating whatever I wanted without really doing much exercise.  It’s slowed down significantly in the past few years, so to maintain my weight and keep eating the foods I like, I do have to put some effort into it.

hi! I’ve been reading your blog a long time:) I am a huge fan of your foodie and blog I have random question..I am living in NY too. and I don’t know where to get haircut??? (i know its totally random…sorryyy) but I always thought your hair looks so good! could you give me suggestion? that salon that you are going??

Not a silly question at all!  I went to Hoshi Coupe for years; it’s a Japanese salon that’s relatively inexpensive, and you can get a pretty stylish cut for a good price.  My favorite stylist moved back to Tokyo a few years ago so I was floundering around for a while, then got a life-changing cut in May at 526, a salon that houses Bumble and Bumble.  I get it cut there every time I go back to Minnesota!  A friend recommended Bumble and Bumble in New York, and since I was so pleased with the experience in St. Paul that I tried it out here and loved it.  It’s affordable, the stylist listened to what I wanted… and you get free lattes while you get groomed!   If you’re interested, send me an e-mail and I’ll give you more details.

do you estimate/count calories in your head at all? do you know about how many you eat everyday?

No, I really don’t.  There was about a month in high school when I joined SELF magazine’s online diet club (in a moment of adolescent insecurity) and tried to track my daily intake, but it was too time consuming and I didn’t feel like making the effort for something that was just causing me more anxiety.  I’ve gotten to the point where I understand what my body needs, and although sometimes I have a hard time differentiating between boredom noshing and genuine hunger, I don’t worry about it too much.  I do know that it takes a lot of food to keep me full, which is why I like to eat some foods according to their volume (big salads) and staying power (oatmeal).

favorite show?

This is a tough one! I rarely have time to watch things in real-time, so I often stream shows online or order them from Netflix.  My favorite shows growing up were My So-Called Life and 7th Heaven; now I love Californication, Dexter, Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, Glee, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Big Love, Mad Men… the list goes on, but I’m not caught up with any of them!

do you know how many oz are in a cup of yogurt?

It depends on the container, but 6 oz is pretty standard.

More to come! In the mean time, Averie is giving away coconut peanut butter! Does that sound good or does that sound good?

Do you count calories? Have you ever? Why or why not?

This morning I got up at 5:30 to go to the gym and finish some work for the day.  I had a two mile “easy run” scheduled, which I carried out as [...]]]> Evening, Chickadees! Is there snow where you are? I woke up to flurries but came home to slush.  Funny how that happens!

This morning I got up at 5:30 to go to the gym and finish some work for the day.  I had a two mile “easy run” scheduled, which I carried out as follows:

Mile .00-.25: 5.8, incline 1%

Mile .25-.75: 6.5, incline 1%

Mile .75-1.00: 7.5, incline 1%

Mile 1.00-1.75: 6.5, incline 1%

Mile 1.75-2.0: 6.0-3.5, incline 1%

Total distance: 2.0 miles

Total time: 18:46 minutes

Maximum heart rate: 195 (98%)

Average heart rate: 184 (93%)

Calories burned: 238

When I got back home I did some quick ab work before making a breakfast inspired by Julie.

I could have sworn I saw her make a breakfast sandwich with whole wheat bread, laughing cow light cheese, nut butter and a banana.  When I went to check the exact recipe, I couldn’t find it anywhere!  You did make this, right Julie? Am I going crazy?! In any event, it was delicious toasted.  Definitely going to be repeated! I added some cinnamon for good measure.

My bank account was happy when I remembered my lunch today.  I brought a salad (mixed greens, 1/2 avocado, tofu, tomato, dulse, Annie’s lite Raspberry Vinaigrette), orange, apple, Strawnana Chobani Greek yogurt, and the last (:-() of my One Lucky Duck Rosemary Quackers.

I was hungry (and mindlessly eating) all day; I ate all of the fruit before lunch and snacked on a Chocolate Peanut Butter Forze bar in the afternoon.

Tonight was Act III of our Family Dinner series (read parts I & II), and I’m pleased to report it was another success!  We’ve had our dinners on weekends before, so we were all quite impressed we pulled this off on a weeknight.  Christine made salad (arugula, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots) and asparagus and I made Spicy Thai Tofu with Red Bell Peppers and Peanuts with brown rice. (The tofu was good, but could have used a little more flavor.  I found myself adding salt shake after salt shake.)

For dessert, Ilana made banana splits! Mine had fresh strawberries, bananas, chocolate chip cookie dough & vanilla bean ice cream, hot fudge, salted peanuts and sprinkles, served in a waffle bowl.

It was so good, but OOF!  I have quite the ice cream baby tonight

I’ve gotten several questions about the book I’m reading, Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project.

While I’m usually a die-hard fiction kind of gal and would never think of reading anything even remotely resembling a self-help book, this caught my eye.  Gretchen Rubin, a full-time writer, mom and New Yorker, had an Aha! moment when she realized that while she wasn’t unhappy- and was certainly not depressed- she thought she could be happier.  So she mapped out a year-long plan, with overarching goals (or “Resolutions”) for each month, such as Boost Energy, Lighten Up, Make Time for Friends, Remember Love, etc., and sub-categories to help her reach them.

With my busy reading schedule I’m only able to read for pleasure during my commute to and from work, so I’m only about a third of the way through the book.   Thus far, I’ve gotten some interesting ideas.  While much of Rubin’s findings are pretty general (there are many sentences beginning with “Studies find…”), she holds herself accountable for her goals by tracking them with a daily log and monitoring her progress month-to-month.

Two suggestions most appealing to me are:

• Get more sleep
• De-clutter the living space

On her blog, she has a list of Twenty Very Easy Tips For Lowering Your Daily Stress Level. I’ve tailored this a little for my own needs, and come up with:

• Go to bed 30 minutes earlier.  I’ve been going to bed between 11 and 12, but I’m going to try to be in bed at 10 with the lights and computer off at 10:30.
• Before sleep, prepare for the morning.  Pack lunch, lay out work clothes and gym clothes.
• Make a list. Making it now!
• Exercise. I’ve been better about this lately; I’ve been more consistent these past few weeks when I get up early to go in the morning.
• Put a Bandaid in your wallet.  I have a pack in my purse and a box in my desk, and lordy knows I need them when I wear heels!
• Make your bed. This is key.  Coming home to a made bed (or making it even if I’ll be home during the day) makes things so much neater and just gives the day a more positive, organized feel.  I’m grateful to Ari who makes it every morning after he wakes up (he sleeps several hours later than I do) so I’m greeted with a tidy living area when I get home.

I’ve been procrastinating about cleaning the closet; even though it’s not a big deal, it seems like an insurmountable task! But I made a promise to Ari that it’ll be taken care of when he comes home on Saturday, and I intend to keep it.

What are your tips for making day-to-day life less stressful?

Well, I’m off to go make my first point a reality! Night

On Friday night after work my dad, Ari and I drove out to Southampton for a relaxing weekend away from the city.

Before we got to the house, we stopped at La Parmigiana, which some of us argue is one of the best Italian regions in [...]]]> Happy President’s Day!  Isn’t this extra weekend day glorious?

On Friday night after work my dad, Ari and I drove out to Southampton for a relaxing weekend away from the city.

Before we got to the house, we stopped at La Parmigiana, which some of us argue is one of the best Italian regions in New York.

Our comforting dinner set the tone for what would be the cozy, stress-free weekend we all needed.

Could there be a better reading spot?

We gave ourselves nutritious breakfasts (steel-cut oats with banana, prunes, brown sugar & MaraNatha almond butter)…

… to ready us for Tate’s (formerly known as Kathleen’s), the best bakery in town.

Showing off the goods:

We cooked together…

… and dined together.

We had Israeli salad (olives, cucumbers, tomatoes & onions) and shrimp bisque…

…Coconut Barley Pilaf w/ Shrimp…

… Alsatian Pinot Gris (one of my favorites!)…

… and raspberry peach crumb pie, from Tate’s!

My dad also made Bob’s Red Mill Irish Soda Bread…

… which is delicious, and highly addicting! We did a number on this guy… but it was great fuel for the long run I took!

Ari and I ran together for about 3 miles.  It was so beautiful out!

I love finding new running routes.  The time just flies by!

I haven’t really figured out my Garmin yet; the satellites didn’t kick in, so I just have the time.  I ran about 7 miles in 1:11:26… could have been a little more or a little less.

I recovered with Clif Shot Electrolyte, a powder you mix into water to “replace carbohydrates and electrolytes.” The Company sent me a huge tub a while back, but I’m only just getting back to the kind of mileage that requires such a thing!  I liked the flavor; not too strong, and just sweet enough.

Another great recovery snack: hot chocolate and cookies!

There’s also the best sandwich in town from The Village Cheese Shop, the California: avocado, veggie burger, cheddar and horse radish on 12 grain bread.

It was a gorgeous weekend…

… we were all quite content.

There couldn’t have been a better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with my two gentlemen (and one fur baby)- or any weekend, for that matter.  I came home to a Super card from my fellow tofu lover (who has been pretty sick in India)… thanks, Miss GC!

Was there a highlight of your weekend?

Before I left I had a slice of [...]]]> This morning when I woke up, I was not feeling my 7 mile run.  I checked the weather: 15 degrees.  It seemed like a much better idea to just lie in bed… but I knew I’d feel better about my training plan if I did it.

Before I left I had a slice of whole wheat toast with coconut butter and raspberry jam.

It was really cold.  I finally got to the point where the wind didn’t hurt anymore, but when, after 5 miles, I popped back into the apartment for a quick pit stop to answer nature, I found that my legs were completely numb! So… it was quitting time.  I may not have gotten 7 miles in, but I made do with 5.

Breakfast was a quick bowl of savory oats; that cute lil’ egg shape is the result by whisking an egg and than microwaving it for 45 seconds.

• 1/2 cup oats cooked in 1/2 cup water
• cottage cheese
• 1 whole egg
• Frank’s Red Hot sauce
• black pepper

I also had an orange to help get me through my reading and laundry-folding…

Er… woke up two hours later. So much for that burst of energy!  I made a big salad for a quick lunch…

In the mix:

• spinach
• dulse
• tofu (1/3 block)
• tempeh bacon (2 slices)
• mushrooms
• steamed broccoli stems
• Rosemary Quackers (from One Lucky Duck)
• rice wine/olive oil/mustard vinaigrette

After lunch I made took my grocery list and went to my new favorite supermarket to stock up for the week.   I really could have spent hours in there! Unfortunately there was no time for that… when I got back home and put everything away, I plunked back down to work, snacking on a Granny Smith apple with cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne.  I like this combination! The extra zing! kept me awake this time.

It was Family Dinner night at our house tonight! (Read about our first Family Dinner here.) My contribution was a big salad with Boston lettuce, radicchio, Fuji apple slices, shaved parmesan, dried figs and parsley.

I also made plantains (sliced and sautéed in marjarine until lightly crispy)… they were so good that we all just ate them out of the pan with our fingers! (Forgot to take a photo of these, sorry.)

Ilana made fettuccine with wild mushrooms and parsley…

… and Chrsitine made a delicious strawberry and blueberry pie!  She topped our slices with dollops of Vanilla Chobani.

I’m so impressed with our Family Dinner endeavors… we already have our next date booked.   I’m on entrée duty next time… what is your favorite weeknight crowd-pleasing dinner?

Back to the grind.  Hope your week is off to a great start!

I watch a lot of movies, so keep those suggestions coming!

Whew, this day has been long! Still going strong, though [...]]]> Thanks for all of your movie suggestions! Here’s what’s on the running list:

• Lars and the Real Girl
• Up In The Air
• The Soloist
• Away We Go (I just saw this… loved it!)
• The September Issue
• In The Loop
• Inglourious Basterds

I watch a lot of movies, so keep those suggestions coming!

Whew, this day has been long! Still going strong, though

I knew I was going to have to work from home after leaving the office at the end of the day, so I woke up at 5:45 to get my 6 mile training run in.  Somehow, even though I’d laid out all of my clothes the night before, I didn’t end up leaving the house until 6:15! This was partly because my heart rate monitor wasn’t working and I was waiting for it to kick in… I think this weekend I will cave and finally pick up a Garmin.  Coincidentally, my former boss just e-mailed me to tell me he’s fallen in love with the Garmin he got for the holidays!

Before I headed out, I fueled up with a mini Clif bar.

I haven’t wanted to run early in the morning because I was concerned about safety; it’s dark when I wake up and my route takes me through the park.  This morning I stayed in populated areas, wore my neon reflective running jacket, and strapped on my RoadID.  By the time I was halfway through my run the sun had risen and it was starting to snow!  There is something immensely satisfying and calming in being out and about while people are just waking up and starting their day.

During the last few blocks I started getting pain in my right knee (what I think I can now safely refer to as “Runner’s Knee”… probably no meniscus damage) so I had to take a few walking breaks.  I ended up running through most of the pain, though, so I wouldn’t be late to work!  It felt great to have 6 miles under my belt before the day even started, and not have to crank it out on the treadmill later on.

I didn’t have a whole lot of time to eat breakfast, but I managed to have a nice, filling bowl of oatmeal.

• 1/2 cup oats cooked with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• Gala apple, microwaved with cinnamon for 90 seconds
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• stevia

The snow was really coming down while I walked to work.

Snacked on an orange at work…

My mom met me for lunch at the Atrium, a Greek cafe in the Onassis Towers in Midtown.

I was ravenous when we sat down, and ordered just what I was craving: spanikopita (spinach and phylo pie) with Greek salad.

No scrap was left behind!

I was still hungry when I got back to the office… must have been that run!  I tore into the Forze bars I won from a contest Melissa hosted…

My sweet tooth demanded Chocolate Decadence.

I really liked this!  It tastes just like candy… must be a new trend in energy bars!  The texture reminded me of a delicious European cookie, crunchy and sweet.  It had an almost Nutella-like taste… must be the roasted almonds used in the bar!  Can’t wait to try the other flavors.

I stayed at work a little late to maximize what I did in the office so I would have less to do at home.  An apple held me over until I got home, although honestly, I was still really hungry after that bar! I don’t know what’s going on with my appetite…

I was excited to use my new toy to make dinner.

Finally got a spiralizer!  I’ve actually had this for a couple weeks, but haven’t had time to give it a test run.  I had a little trouble with it at first (which may or may not have resulted in a slew of profane mutterings), but finally my zucchini was given new life.

I should have just made a really simple sauce for this, but since I’ll be out for dinner tomorrow I wanted to use up the leftovers in the fridge.  And when I say “leftovers,” I mean all of the leftovers.  Oh lordy.

Yep, that would be grape tomatoes, broccoli, teriyaki-glazed tofu, mushrooms and broccoli pesto.  And if that wasn’t enough?

I dipped it in crab soup!  This was a definite “What was she thinking?!” moment.  It’s never a good sign when you already have a fiber belly from nibbling on veggies before you even begin your dinner.  Oofdah.  But, after I gave myself some time to spend some horizontal time on the couch, I was ready to devour a homemade peanut butter cup.  It was so good that I almost made another one, but I was all out of the dark chocolate I like so I just had an orange.

Back to work I go… it’s going to be a late night, and an early morning.  I’m very behind in the Reader… I guess I’ll just have to catch up with ya over the weekend.

Have a great night! Bonne nuit

I did not, as planned, practice yoga last night.  Instead I caught up with my [...]]]> Happy almost weekend! Thursday just kind of snuck up on us, yeah? And, from your responses about stress, it seems like we could all use a little weekend rejuvenation.  How do you plan to relax on your days off?

I did not, as planned, practice yoga last night.  Instead I caught up with my little red-headed, snuggling in bed with the phone.  It felt just like high school again!  Some friendships will always stay strong.  I set my alarm for 6:30 and got up to do a 20 minute hip opening flow on Yoga Download.  I was still pretty tired so I kept my eyes shut the whole time; it felt amazing! My hips have been really tight from sitting in a chair all day.

Breakfast was a big bowl of oatmeal, eaten in bed while watching Grey’s Anatomy.

• 1/2 cup oats made with 1/2 cup water
• warmed frozen berries
• 1 banana
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 scoop almond butter
• stevia
• cinnamon

After I finished eating, I peeled back the covers and “slept” for another 10 minutes.  It probably didn’t do anything to take away my drowsiness, but it was too comfy to resist.

I acted as courier and dropped a package off for my boss for someone in my neighborhood; I’d anticipated getting to work late as a result, but I arrived only 20 minutes later than usual!  I love when the subways run on schedule.  Running around seemed to stimulate my metabolism, so I snacked on an orange to soothe my hunger.

It worked… for about 30 minutes.  Then to the snack drawer I went!  I had a mini Chocolate Brownie Clif Bar.

Luckily lunch was filling.

• Salad with kale, spinach, goji berries (soaked to plump!), carrots, grape tomatoes, feta, blush champagne vinaigrette
• Moroccan Gazpacho
• Fuji apple (saved to eat as an afternoon snack)

I was scheduled to do speedwork at the gym today, and I’ll be honest: I really didn’t think I was going to make it.  As I’ve mentioned, it’s incredibly difficult for me to stay focused and motivated while on the treadmill, and even if I cover the screen with a towel, I keep peeking to see how much time has gone by.  Tedius!  But, I made it through the session and logged my miles.  Speedwork is great because it forces you to keep changing things up!

Mile 1: warm-up at 5.8 mph, 0.5% incline

Miles 1.1-4.0: intervals: 1600 (.25 mile) @ 6.9 mph, 800 (.125 mile) @ 6.2 mph. Continuous repetition. 0.5% incline

Mile 4.0-4.75: 5.8 mph + two 7.2 mph sprints @ 0.5% incline

Mile 4.75-5.0: 3.5-4.5 mph

Total time: 48 minutes

Celebrate the tiny victories!

When I got home, I went straight to the kitchen to start making dinner.  The upside of your boyfriend being gone a lot of the time?  No one cares if you’re a sweaty mess!  Unfortunately, no one was here to eat this dinner with me.

I’ve gotten several e-mails asking me about tempeh! How to eat it, does it need to be cooked, my favorite recipes, etc.  Tempeh is one of my favorite proteins, but I didn’t even really start eating it until about a year ago!  Now, I eat it all the time: in salads…

In sandwiches…

Or just plain grilled!

But what is tempeh, exactly?

• Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and is often produced with other grains.

• It has a firm texture and a slightly bitter taste; if the taste bothers you (I don’t mind it), you can always boil it in water for a few minutes.  Boiling it allows it to more easily absorb the flavors of whatever sauce you choose to marinate or top it with, if any.
• It’s a protein powerhouse! One serving of tempeh can have as much as 18g of protein (not to mention it’s free of cholesterol).

How I eat tempeh

• Like tofu, I often just dice it up and eat it as is on top of a salad.   I realize this isn’t for everyone and I didn’t love it at first, but now it’s one of my favorite proteins! It technically is already “cooked”, so you don’t have to “do” anything to it.  Again, the taste can be a little strong, but I find a good salad dressing with a good mix of sweet and spicy components really compliments this bitterness.
• Grill it! Simmer the tempeh for about 10 minutes, then marinate in your sauce of choice (Gliding Calm’s tofu rub works wonderfully) for anywhere from 20 minute to 1 hour, depending how much time you have.  Then plop your tempeh on the grill (or Geoge Foreman, if you’re an apartment dweller like me) and cook until grill marks form. Switch sides.
• Toss it in a stir fry or curry!

Coconut Tempeh Curry

Inspired by this recipe.

• 1 small sweet potato
• 2 small yukon gold potatoes, or other potato of choice, peeled and diced
• 1-1/2 t salt
• 2 T coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 8 oz tempeh, diced
• 1/4 t turmeric
• 1 t allspice
• 1/2 t garam masala
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t cayenne
• 1-15 oz can crushed tomatoes in thick purée
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 2 T plain nonfat yogurt
• optional garnishes: cilantro, mint, or parsley (whatever you have on hand), shredded coconut, agave nectar

Bring a pot of water to boil.  Place potatoes in steamer basket and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt; steam until they are tender, 20-30 minutes.  The sweet potatoes may take a shorter length of time; if this happens, remove them from the basket when they are done and continue to cook the yellow potatoes.

Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a large skillet until it shimmers.  Add onion and sauté over low 5 minutes, or until tender.  Add spices.  Stir.  Add tomatoes and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.  Stir in yogurt until mixed well.  Add tempeh and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add spinach and cover about 5 minutes or until leaves begin to wilt.  Once potatoes finish cooking, add them to the skillet and remove from heat, stirring to combine.

Serve, garnishing with agave nectar, cilantro (or other fresh herb), and shredded coconut.

Serves 4.

I enjoyed my curry with Turkish rice.  It was fabulous! I definitely recommend a light drizzle of agave or maple syrup… it really brings out the flavor.

Do you like tempeh? What is your favorite way to eat it?

Dinner was enjoyed with a glass of “3 Buck Chuck” from Trader Joe’s.  It was delicious! I would have had no idea that it only cost three dollars.  I’m glad I know it’s good… I’ll have to stock the wine rack with it!

I had last of the Easy Chocolate Mousse for dessert.  It may have been even better today, three days after I made it! I sprinkled my bowl (AKA Tupperware container ) with cinnamon and chocolate chips.

While I ate, I watched Away We Go.  I loved it! It might make my top 10 list.

Now, it is far past my bedtime.  Have a great night! I’m going to be out tomorrow night, so if I don’t “see” you tomorrow, have a lovely weekend

I was up at 8:30 on my own and was anxious to get the day going.  Now that I don’t have as much free time as I used to, I don’t like to waste any of it!  I had a quick, scrumptious [...]]]> It’s been quite the productive day, if I do say so myself!

I was up at 8:30 on my own and was anxious to get the day going.  Now that I don’t have as much free time as I used to, I don’t like to waste any of it!  I had a quick, scrumptious pumpkin cake to start the day on a good note.

• canned pumpkin (last dregs of the last can… must restock ASAP before they leave stores!)
• egg whites
• 1 tsp TJ’s pumpkin butter
• 0% Fage Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp flaxy pb
• 1 tsp lemon curd
• agave nectar
• cinnamon
• nutmeg

After breakfast I made a meal plan for the week, then went out to shop for it.  Although I went to four stores, I got most of my groceries not at the expensive health food store, but in the ethnic aisle of my local supermarket!  Get a load of this hot ticket:

That would be Coconut Oil from Guyana.  If I had purchased a similar item at aforementioned health food store, it would have cost me $15.  This little guy was $2.49!  What’s the most interesting food item you’ve found where you were least expecting it?

I spent the rest of the morning making a few lunches for the week; I’m going to be out at least two nights so lunch will be one less thing I’ll have to worry about.  Despite a gloomy forecast, it was beautiful out  and still early in the day so I decided to go for a run.  It was great! I really needed to get outside and breathe fresh air, see living trees (we have a fake plant in our bedroom), and just go.  It was a success!

Total distance: 4.5 miles

Total time: 42:19 minutes

When I got back I did a quick ab series, then made lunch.  Hugh dropped by, too!

In the mix:

• curly-leaf kale
• spinach
• carrots
• celery
• tempeh bacon (finally found it!)
• grape tomatoes
• goji berries, soaked to plump
• dried cranberries
• pumpkin seeds
• Rosemary Quackers
• agave/rice vinegar/soy sauce/toasted sesame oil/sesame/salt/pepper vinaigrette

I made some of Mama Pea’s Vegan Energy Bars to put in my desk at work…

… which had to be sampled to make sure it was good, off course.  It was

I got into bed to read for work nap, and woke up hankering for a crisp Fuji apple. (Recycled photo alert!)

Ilana, Christine and I had the first of many Family Dinners tonight, served pot-luck style.

“I’m cooking!”

We sipped probiotic cocktails…

Ilana made delicious green beans, mushrooms, and broccolini using a family friend’s trusted recipe.

Christine made a refreshing veggie-full salad with mixed greens, green + red pepper, grape tomatoes an scallions.

She also made vegetarian chili + cornbread!

We certainly did not go hungry; we feasted like queens!  Everything was delicious, and I’ll be very happy to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

For desesrt, I made the same vegan chocolate mousse that Dynise (the Urban Vegan) made at the cooking demonstration on Saturday.  It’s so easy: 3 ingredients, and it only takes 5 minutes!

My food baby (Claude) is quite content tonight

I’ve been having trouble fitting my huge metal water bottle into my purse to bring to work every day; Christine found these genius collapsible, BPA-free and environmentally friendly water bottles.  Look how cool they are!

I’ll let you know how I like them.

Please excuse me while I take my time catching up on your e-mail questions… I’m a little behind. Off to do some reading for work… hope to be asleep by 12!

Have a great night