vacationing

Back from a wonderful week of vacation in Colorado. Loved running outside to this view. Michigan has fantastic beaches, but there's also something quite amazing about seeing the mountains when you step outside. 

Dave made homemade bread during our vacation, which was delicious with homemade black bean vegan chili (recipe to come). Homemade bread puts the bagged stuff to shame, seriously. 

We drove around Rocky Mountain National Park, and I was able to snap this shot with my iphone-the picture doesn't really do it justice...so incredibly beautiful. I'm definitely jealous of all the sunshine and lack of humidity in CO. I can definitely understand why exercise is more popular on the west side of the country.

We also got to do some hiking, which was a lot of fun and again provided some amazing views. Dave's brother assured us that we were better off going as early as possible, and he was right. As we were coming back down the trail, tons of hikers were just starting the upward trek.

We took a trail to Lake Haiyaha and might have had a contest to see how long we could put our hands in the lake...which was quickly abandoned when we realized the water's degree of coldness. Let's just say noone went swimming. 

Vacation was wonderful, but it's back to the grind on Monday. I think I realized how much I appreciate being out of routine for a bit, although I'm generally most comfortable when I'm settled into one. Being away made me long for a little more adventure and spontaneity. We'll see how that shakes out...

I started making a grocery list on the plane ride back in anticipation of a crazy (and hot) week in Grand Rapids. After a quick trip to the grocery store, I made this lentil salad (recipe here), which I prefer in wraps vs on its own. The key is stopping the cooking process before the lentils become mushy. This is my second time making this salad, and I still didn't get it quite right. The flavor is also much better if you mix and chill in the fridge before eating.

The rest of the weekend will be busy: a quinceañera and Andrew Bird concert!

What are you doing this weekend? When was the last time you took a vacation?

summer snapshots

This rainbow shot through a humid evening downtown recently...it was pretty amazing. The warm weather is officially here to stay. Fortunately, I now have window air conditioner after coming to the conclusion that 97 degrees + no sleep is pretty awful. How did people survive pre-air conditioning?

I haven't done any races since the frustratingly hot St. Louis Half, but two weekends ago I ran a breezy 15k along the lakeshore, and Dave completed his first triathlon. Races always seem to inspire my running a little. There's just something about running with a bunch of people who know what it's like to get up for a training run at 5:30 am or sweat through 88 degrees at the end of a stressful work day; it's like instant camaraderie. I don't know if you've ever watched a triathlon before, but holy craziness...these people are hard core.

Still on the no-cooking food rule (and therefore eating a lot of smoothies and salads). If you're looking for heat-free ideas check here. Or maybe you should just eat this. The Chocolate Moose in Bloomington, IN makes an amazing grasshopper ice cream that I will replicate before the summer is over. What kind of ice cream are you eating this summer?

Dave made this wheat berry salad, which was delicious. Wheat berries are the whole wheat kernel pre-processing, containing both bran and germ. They contain fiber, protein, iron, and B vitamins and have a slightly nutty taste and chewy texture.

And my next project involves these. Any guesses?

seriously, summer?!

Alrighty, friends. It is straight up 97 degrees in the city. Craziness, and I'm craving breezy summers by the lakeshore. What the heck does a girl do when the temps climb...and there's no air conditioning? Eat popsicles? Take showers (hourly)? Run around in minimal clothing? Create a person windstorm with fans? 

I'm seriously considering wimping out and just buying a window air conditioning unit. 

In the meantime, it's smoothies and showers and fans for me.

And cold food. Only cold food is allowed this week. Lately, the simple Mediterranean combo has been appealing. Cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, avocado, and a splash of red wine vinaigrette. It's great by itself but even better on top of a giant pile of lettuce. 

Beverages in ball jars: classy summer. This is how I'm drinking everything from now on. I think this recipe or this one would be pretty amazing. And I'm still drinking gazpacho...

Another fantastic use for ball jars...soap containers. Use a hammer and screwdriver to punch a hole through the lid of a jar until wide enough to fit an old pump from a soap container or lotion bottle. It makes washing your hands so much more exciting; I promise. 

In case you still need chocolate, here's a no-bake recipe for you (based on this recipe). This is probably the easiest recipe ever. Beware that they will not set if your apartment is 86 degrees; that's what freezers are for. Not the prettiest cookies ever, but they make great pre-run fuel. 

no-bake {vegan} cookies

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup peanut butter or mixture of PB and tahini

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1/4 cup almond milk

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions

1. In a small sauce pan combine the first four ingredients and heat over medium-low heat until the peanut butter/coconut oil is melted and the mixture is hot (4-5 minutes.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

1. In a separate bowl combine the rolled oats, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Pour the hot peanut butter mixture over the oats and stir until every piece of oat is covered and chocolate is well incorporated. Use a spoon and drop cookies onto a surface covered in parchment paper and flatten them out slightly. Let cool.

p.s. I'll be here this weekend, among other activities. What are you doing this weekend? 

weekend to-do list

• make a delicious pasta salad (green pepper, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, red onion, artichokes, and a smattering of red pepper flakes + sundried tomato dressing).

• thrift a crockpot for $10 and make the best (and creamiest) homemade hummus ever.

• explore the outdoors with a squirrel-chasing poodle who never catches squirrels [be thankful for that].

• be outside as much as possible because it’s the weekend, and you don’t have to be attached to a phone or computer.

• run 7 miles and make a stop by the beach just because it’s there.

• start to adjust to a new OS…see ya later, dell [I think this will be a good switch]. :)

What are you doing this weekend? I’m so thankful for the chance to relax!

Happy easter everyone!

february so far

Well, hello February.

January was a busy month as evidenced by my lack of blogging. This warm winter has been fantastic, though, especially because I walk to work. A couple of weekends ago we did finally get some snow, but it’s completely gone now.

I don’t know if you’ve tried lentil hummus yet, but I’ve been a bit obsessed with it lately. It’s also really inexpensive to make, probably even less expensive than homemade bean hummus ($0.12/oz). The last time I did a comparison this = 3x cheaper than storebought hummus.  

With the new month, I’ve noticed a change in breakfast patterns. I have been on 3 different breakfast kicks since starting this blog during grad school in 2009.

• [2007-2010] oatmeal in every way imaginable
• [2010-2011] egg + toast
• [2012] green smoothies are making a comeback

I have to admit that this latest kick has been inspired by convenience and trying to streamline my morning routine.

Overnight, I refrigerate directly in the blender container:

• 1/2 cup oats,
• ~1 cup almond milk
• 1 cup of raw kale
• 1 T peanut butter
• 1 banana
• cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract

In the morning, I just turn the blender on, and breakfast is served in 2.5 seconds.  

Do you eat the same thing every day for breakfast?  

And I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about food and the standard American diet (SAD), how nutrition is a simple yet seemingly impossible solution to a wealth of diseases, how we have the power to take control of our health yet continually choose quick fixes, and how we have to make decisions about whether or not what we buy at the grocery store is real food. Nutrition isn’t simple stuff anymore.

The ready availability of energy dense, nutrient poor junk food and fast food doesn’t help anything. I know a lot of these thoughts are coming from frustration after reviewing a lot of diet records filled with processed products, but it just makes me sad that so many people truly don’t know what it looks like to eat things that don’t come out of packages and boxes…and for that matter, why the American Dietetic Association even promotes some of these products. Personally, I find that incredibly shameful, and it’s part of the reason I’m no longer a part of that organization (still a registered dietitian, just not a formal member of the ADA).

But enough on that…in other [good] news, my ankle is nearly healed; thanks for all the well wishes. Running is such a huge outlet for me, and I’m glad that it can be part of life again. And I’ll try to be more careful this time. ;)

a good start to 2012…

Are you used to writing that on everything yet? It takes me a while to correctly date everything. Lately, I’ve been getting the year right but the month wrong. Clearly, I want it to still be December.

The holidays flew by but were an enjoyable time of eating good food and spending time with family and friends, including my favorite twin sister.

And someone super awesome knows my organizational obsession pretty well and got me these fantastic highlighters and post-it notes to make work more fun. Best gift ever.

Our family makes Swedish cardamom bread every year, and it’s wonderful with my favorite coffee. Such a good Asian Swede.

NY Eve was spent waiting for the ball to drop and playing legos with some good friends. Love them. Photo courtesy of Misty’s iphone.

As a dietitian, I’m very aware that this time of year comes with resolutions to be healthier, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing…but the motivation often doesn’t last. Rather than go crazy, I believe in baby steps toward better health; start where you are and grow toward something more. If that means walking during your lunch break or eating vegetables 2x a week, that’s good. If it means making dinner from scratch one night a week and giving up diet pop and Splenda, that’s good, too. And if it means giving yourself a break to eat ice cream, that is also good. ;)

My favorite thing right now is roasting a ton of vegetables (sweet and red potatoes, brussels sprouts (?! i know, i know), onions, beets, squash, etc) with garlic and olive oil (and a ton of black pepper) and eating over lettuce with tahini or on top of quinoa. So good. It also is a quick meal to throw together at the end of the day when my energy level takes a dive.

We got our first snowstorm in Michigan last weekend, but the snow has melted, and it’s back to running in 40 degree temps. It’s been perfect running season for a while, and I hope it stays that way. Wishful thinking? Perhaps…

And…I don’t particularly like making NY resolutions, but I think it’s always good to keep moving in a forward direction, and if anything, I hope that this year I’ll keep growing and pursuing good things, being creative, and seeking adventure [while avoiding becoming a boring, working adult without any imagination].

What about you?? Pro NY resolutions or not??

happy christmakuhwali

So the space between Thanksgiving and Christmas has been pretty busy. Lots of thrifting and scouring etsy for unique gifts and making [and eating] delicious food. And lots of running to temper those things because the weather has been snowless, and no one wants to turn into a human donut in a single month.

Eating at holiday parties is always interesting. I usually get away with my food selections because people a) assume that I have weird dietitian food preferences or b) I bring a vegetarian dish. Otherwise, ethical eating can be a great conversation starter or surefire way to become uninvited to someone’s next dinner party.

For one such xmas gathering, Dave and I made flatbread pizza using this dough recipe and adding goat cheese, onions, sundried tomatoes, and basil for toppings. It was so popular that I didn’t get any.

And although Christmas is definitely not about the gifts for me (in fact, I would be ok without; the commercialization of this particular holiday is kind of obnoxious), I kind of love artsy gift tags and craft paper {or paper grocery bags, courtesy of Meijer). And it’s super fun to pick out gifts for others that are not necessarily expensive but still thoughtful.

And I finally experienced homemade ice cream, thanks to a collaborative effort from the Friday night culinary club. 

I made peanut butter cups to slice into mix, and they were pretty great, not to mention super easy to make. It literally takes 10 minutes.

The result? So much richer than store-bought ice cream. And I’m super excited about the wealth of recipes that exists…and that I’ll actually recognize all the ingredients in each batch.

The Christmas eve craziness at my house is about to begin…but hope that you enjoy the festivities, wherever you might be. :)

adventures in pasta making

Making food with other people is one of my favorite things ever. There’s just something fantastic about taking time to cook good food in a culture which thrives on fast-paced everything.

 

The fact that this from-scratch dinner was created on a Friday night post an exhausting work week was especially significant. I guess that would explain {in part} why I made and then forgot a pan of garlic bread in the oven…until the next morning. Croutons, anyone?

Other people kept themselves entertained by riding my bike around the living room and rearranging furniture. So helpful.

Homemade pasta is tricky. We used whole wheat flour, which made the noodles more dense, but they were still delicious. We also didn’t end up using the extruder attachment because the dough was pretty sticky. Any tips from seasoned pasta experts?

vegetarian pasta sauce [dave made this, and it was deeelish]

2 T. olive oil, divided

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1 T. flour

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 T. nutritional yeast

1/2 t. sea salt, plus more to taste

creative additions: goat cheese and parmesan cheese

Grind cashews in food processor. Sauté onion, garlic, and basil in olive oil. Create roux from 1 T olive oil, 1 T flour, and 2 cups milk. Add nutritional yeast, salt, and goat cheese if you want. Add sauté mix to roux and cashews and process in blender until smooth.

We capped the meal with amazing tiramisu, thanks to my friend Jenn’s handy work with egg yolks, ladyfingers, and an abundance of mascarpone cheese. It was so good and so food-coma inducing.

 

Making food with excellent company is wonderful, as are good friends who help you do the dishes when all you really want to do is turn off the lights and pretend a mountain of dirty pans will not be sitting in your sink the next morning.

In other news, the warm weather this weekend brought a return to running. I took a week off, and it definitely helped, although I was completely antsy and ready to run by the time Saturday rolled around. However, I have decided that the extra yoga was definitely beneficial and a pretty great endoftheday destresser. 

Until next time, friends…

btubs :: when was the last time you made dinner with someone else?

quick dinners and dumb ankles

Quick weeknight dinners are even more essential now that it’s darker and colder, and I have an overpowering desire to take a nap as soon as I get home from work. I’ve been living on soup for the past few weeks, but that does start to get old after a while. Especially since I end up eating the same soup for a week straight.

A new favorite…whole wheat tortillas with goat cheese, spinach, sundried tomatoes, and caramelized onions.

Another quick dinner idea: sautéed, spiralized zucchini with onions, garlic, a shake of parmesan cheese, and lots of black pepper. and organic polenta.

And…sad day for bad gymnastics ankle and running. I’ve had bad ankles since my days as a flippy mcflipperson and an injury that included simultaneous ankle sprains. I heard a pop during my windy run on Sunday that does not bode well for running this week [which is frustrating]. Looks like a whole lotta yoga (and icing) is on tap…

In other news, I have decided that it would be super fantastic to learn Copland’s Clarinet Concerto this year [not so sure my neighbors agree]. I worked a little on this piece my senior year of college…and it’s funny how listening to it brings back a ton of memories, kind of reminiscent of how certain smells immediately remind me of particular places and people.

Amazing dinner of epicness planned for Friday night…and it will not involve soup.

 

btdubs :: fave quick weeknight meal?