An After the Holiday's Meal - Vegan Protein Spaghetti

You know that after the holiday's feeling - the feeling of being bloated from eating too much of what you don't normally eat?  The feeling of will I ever get back to normal again?  The first full week of January should be called "Reset Week."  It's the week of reflecting, getting back to work (both training and actual work), getting back to those healthy foods!  So after my 45 minute strength training session yesterday, I hit Whole Foods.  I mean who doesn't walk out of Whole Foods feeling super-uber healthy, like you just lost 5 lbs and you have this massive glow and giddiness, or it could be from the feeling that you just spent $150 on 3 bags and you have NO CLUE what you just bought cause it looked so good....

I picked up some organic kale that was on sale for $1.99 a bunch.  I am really trying to stay with organic fruits/veggies while being pregnant.  I got some fancy mushrooms from a local place in Jersey and some zucchini.  I have also had massive cravings for veggies while pregnant (I guess very good).  I remembered I had a bag of black bean spaghetti.  This stuff has 20 grams of protein in it and is vegan and gluten-free.

Vegan Protein Spaghetti (print recipe here)

Ingredients

2 zucchini/yellow squash
2 cups mushrooms
1/2 large red onion
1 cup chopped kale
1 tsp Earth Balance (or butter)
1 package of black bean spaghetti (or mung bean pasta)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Sauce
1 Tbsp Earth Balance
3 chopped garlic cloves
1/4 cup mellow white miso
1 Tbsp tahini
1 cup pasta water

Directions

Boil water for pasta and cook pasta for approximately 5-6 minutes (noodles cook quickly - similar to soba noodles).
Heat saute pan to medium heat, melt Earth Balance and saute chopped onions for about 3-5 minutes, add mushrooms, zucchini and kale and cook until soft. 
To make sauce use a separate pan, saute garlic in Earth Balance for about 2 minutes, add miso and tahini.  Slowly add 1/4 cup of pasta water and mix until smooth consistency.  Continue adding pasta water until 1 cup.
Add chopped parsley.
Mix veggies sauce and pasta and serve.

What To Do With Your Farmer's Market Finds!

Farmer's markets have been in full swing - I have experienced some new things this year like garlic scapes and tropea onions which I have fallen in love with....

so I thought I would share some easy quick recipes using these gems you may have found at the market.  Some I use my Vitamix but a food processor works just as well.

Cucumber Salad

 (print recipe)

Ingredients
2 cucumbers

2 radishes

1 red onion
1 tspn of chopped dill
1 tspn chopped mint
1 Tbspn of maple syrup
1 Tbspn of brown rice vinegar
1 Tbspn of olive oil

Directions
Skin and slice cucumbers, radishes and chop onions.  Place cucumbers, onions, dill and mint in a bowl. Mix dressing of maple syrup, brown rice vinegar, olive oil.  Toss and Enjoy!

 

Gazpacho

(print recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 pint heirloom or regular cherry tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 tropea onion (or red onion)
• 1 jalepeno (I use seeded but you can unseed for less spice)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• cilantro for garnish

Directions
Put first 7 ingredients in the Vitamix or Food Processor.  If using the Vitamix, use in this order (better mixing).  If using Vitamix, put on variable low for a couple seconds then move to high. 
Serve with cilantro and avocado.

 

Edamame/Garlic Scape Hummus

(print recipe)

from Daily Garnish - this is a must read blog btw

I can't take any credit, I was just on a hunt to use my garlic scapes other than sauteing with olive oil and kale.

Ingredients

• 1 container of edamame (I use TJ's already shelled fresh)
• 2 garlic scapes chopped
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• sea salt

Directions
Place all the ingredients in the Vitamix or food processor. On the Vitamix, I did low variable and move to high.  I had to use a spatula and push it down a lot.  I also had to add a little extra oil (I used olive oil as the extra).  Daily Garnish put hers in the food processor for 8-10 minutes, I realized why.  It is important that it goes for a while since it is so thick.  I served this with rice chips - it was so yummy!!

 

Roasted Peppers

(print recipe)

Ingredients
Peppers
Olive Oil
Garlic minced

Directions
Heat Grill till it reaches temperature of 400 degrees.  Cut peppers in half.  Place on grill and flip once charred - about 5 minutes on each side. 

Place peppers immediately in bag (take the air out) and place in fridge overnight or for a few hours.

Once cooled the skin comes off much easier.  Take off skin and marinate with olive oil and garlic. 

Seafood Chard Spaghetti Squash

(print recipe)

Ingredients

1 spaghetti squash
Olive oil
Seasoning

Olive oil
1 garlic scape chopped
1 red onion chopped
Seasoning
2 Tomatoes chopped
1 bunch swiss chard chopped
1 pint mushrooms

TJ frozen seafood mix (calamari, scallops, shrimp)
1 can clams in juice
1/2 cup white wine


Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise and scoop out insides.  Rub olive oil and seasoning on squash, place face down on casserole dish.  Fill to about 1/2 inch of water in dish.  Bake for 40 minutes or untill soft.  Use a fork to make into "spaghetti."

Saute olive oil, garlic scape, red onion and seasoning for about 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, mushrooms and chard and saute for about 10 minutes.

In a separate pan, heat oil to medium heat, add frozen seafood and clams.  After about 5 minutes add white wine and saute for another 5 minutes.  Then add to vegetable mix.  Once spaghetti squash is down add to the mixture and let cook for another 5 minutes so flavors soak in.

Recovery, and then what?

A couple first times....
1.  I did an early June HIM with no plans after....
2.  I didn't go straight to vacationing just to drink and eat myself into a coma for a week or two...
3.  I actually did recovery workouts and did walking around farmer's markets instead of a workout that considered walking in vineyards or walking to a bar in Sweden (all of which sounds awesome right?)


Last week consisted of:

Monday - Drive 7 hours home...
Tuesday - EASY spin for an hour while watching bad TV
Wednesday - OFF
Thursday - EASY 3 mile run and stretching
Friday - OFF
Saturday - 40 mile ride with Yasi
Sunday - Outdoor yoga at Lululemon

Things have been very stressful with our family and lots of trips to the hospital back and forth.  My coping mechanism with stress is to make sure everyone is okay and to make sure everyone is properly fed with good food.  I stocked up with some great farmer's market finds on Wednesday and Thursday.

Okay, okay, I did still indulge a couple times in my basement with Weyerbacher Heresy and Dogfish Head Burton Baton

in case you are wondering that is a kangaroos scrotum bottle opener...a present from a dear friend...

Oh yeah, I also did a bit of shopping....(you know by myself a present or more for my race)

Top Left: Nordstroms including Paige feather shorts; Top Right: Lululemon

Bottom Left:  VS;  Bottom Right: Saucony Mesh Bullets and Sanuk

I decided to do a second week with some yoga, cycling, swimming and light running before I start another training block.  I need to figure out what I want to focus on, my brain is very scattered (my undiagnosed ADD).

Yoga followed by Froyo

I know I want to focus on speed, getting faster, since I feel the endurance is already there.  I signed up for NJ State Olympic in July and am deciding on another sprint, century and possibly another half-iron type of race possibly in September...I am working another week on my training schedule to figure all that out.  I have my sights on Poconos 70.3 since it fits into the schedule and has a nice mix of rolling hills and it's not too far away.  Part of this is that my Mooseman didn't go as planned, but I also feel like I have built a great base this year and feel really refreshed.  I thought I would be burnt out like I usually am when I do a later race in Sept. It's definitely a different feeling doing a bigger race earlier in the season, almost like you are not ending it in a bang!

When asked what my goal was by a family member, I finally came to the realization that triathlons are really a lifestyle and I just enjoy training!  So whether I do another half-ironman in September or not, I will be still be training, and giving Yasi a training partner as she takes on Ironman NYC (er...NJ I mean...)!!

Training Fuel Recipes

Been posting a lot of "food porn" on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter (who doesn't have 18 accounts of social media now?), or at least what I consider food porn.

I have been promising some recipes so during my taper week where I actually have the extra hour and maybe a couple more because there is nothing else on TV....I decided to put together a post with my 8 go-to recipes especially in and around heavy training/race time.  I like to go mostly gluten-free (sometimes I have to throw in a non-GF) during this time.  I can't quite give up dairy and I know it doesn't agree with me so I just down-size and give myself a little cheese when needed...

Vegetable Mung Bean Pasta with Miso Tahini Sauce
(recipe by the Daily Garnish) except I add Mung Bean Pasta...

This dish is creamy (almost dairy-like) and when adding the mung bean pasta it adds another 20 grams of protein and its Gluten Free.  Check out the link for the recipe but I have been making it at least once a week to have left overs, I found it is a great recovery food after a run/bike!

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Parsely Orzo Salad
(print recipe)

Ingredients
1 lb of chicken breasts
2 tspn olive oil
Various Seasonings (I use TJ's 21 seasoning salute)
Sea Salt

Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 handful of fresh parsely chopped
2 tbspn romano cheese

1 bag Orzo
1 red onion
1 bell pepper
Lettuce (assorted)


Directions
1.  Let chicken marinate in various seasoning and olive oil in bag or container and grill.
2.  Combine dressing ingredients and put to side
3.  Boil orzo to al dente
4.  Chop/dice red onion, bell pepper.

Done - wasn't that easy!!



Chicken Sausage Butternut Squash Chili
(print recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 package of TJ's jalepeno chicken sausage sliced
• 1 lb of butternut squash chopped small
• 1 tbsn olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can cannelloni beans
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Cilantro
• 1 jalepeno chopped
• 1 avocado chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lime squirted at end

Directions
Saute with olive oil, garlic onions and butternut squash for about 10 min. 
Add sausage, spices, tomatoes, beans, chicken broth and bring to boil. 
Let simmer until squash is soft.
Serve with cilantro, chopped jalepenos, lime juice and sliced avocado.

Asian Quinoa 
(print recipe)

Ingredients
10 sugar snap peas
1/2 cucumber diced
2 scallions diced
1 red onion diced
1 bell pepper (any color) diced
1 handful of cilantro chopped
1 avocado diced
1 cup of edamame

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water

Dressing
Brown rice vinegar
Tamari
Sesame oil
TJ Sesame Ginger Vinagrette

Directions
Rinse quinoa, add to water in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer covered until no liquid.  I like mine crunchy versus soft so I don't let it go the full time.
Add to all veggie ingredients.
For dressing I add equal parts of all but not really measured so a dash of each and then if it needs to be wetter I add more vinegar.
And, lastly, this little gem that I did last night when Yasi came over for our Mooseman planning!!

Mexican Quinoa
(print recipe)

I can't make this NOT upside down...

  The only addition to the old recipe was that I added green salsa and cumin to the dressing  and put it over my dad's lettuce he is growing in the yard!  I also worked in some ground turkey breast to give me a little extra protein.

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa (I used a red/white mix)
3/4 can black beans
1 bell pepper (any color)
1/2 cucumber
1 jalepeno
1/2 red onion
2 limes
1 tbspn olive oil
cumin
salt/pepper

Directions

Rinse quinoa, and add to water in small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Simmer and cover until quinoa is done.

Make a salad with spinach, chopped veggies (cucumber, pepper, jalepeno, red onion), and juice of 2 limes and olive oil and toss.

Add in quinoa and salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Make a salad with spinach, chopped veggies (cucumber, pepper, jalepeno, red onion), and juice of 2 limes and olive oil and toss.

Add in quinoa and salt and pepper.  Enjoy!  Add in some green salsa if you need more "dressing" for the salad.

Best part of the Mexican Quinoa is you can add eggs and put in sprouted corn tortillas for breakfast!

And lastly, we started a new batch of our Nightstalker Stout...(recipe will be coming...)

Cheers as I get ready to finish up the work day and pack for New Hampshire!!

Willpower

By definition willpower means self-control.  So during Lent, I usually give up something, versus doing something.  I feel that I should be "doing something" all the time...like being nice, not gossiping, giving to the poor.  No worries, I am not turning this into some kind of religious post.

One year it was meat, which ended up being too easy....so I contemplated what indulgences/loves I have...

Triathlons - can't this actually helps my well-being and physical health
Wine/Beer - ah, I can do a detox at any point in time for a couple weeks to a month

 SHOPPING - I did this two years ago and it was the hardest 6 weeks.

The feeling I get when I go shopping is something very similar to an exert of Sophia Kinsella's Confession of a Shopaholic. I probably could write my own book.

“That moment. That instant when your fingers curl round the handles of a shiny, uncreased bag—and all the gorgeous new things inside it become yours. What’s it like? It’s like going hungry for days, then cramming your mouth full of warm buttered toast. It’s like waking up and realizing it’s the weekend. It’s like the better moments of sex. Everything else is blocked out of your mind. It’s pure, selfish pleasure.”-  Sophie Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic


So I decided this would be very appropriate again, especially as I was reviewing the latest Nordstroms book that came in the mail, putting sticky notes in my latest Lucky magazine and closed two windows on my computer with full carts at Shopbop and TeamEstrogen.  This was all by 7:30am.

In light of all this, I decided I should post some of my recent tri-purchases (things I ABSOLUTELY needed)....I'm actually serious on that note.

Biking:
Betty Designs Pink Cycling Jersey and Bib Shorts.  My purple one was destroyed in the bike accident.  I wasn't sure about the bib shorts, I never had a pair but I love the color too much to discriminate!

Running:
Brooks Pure Cadence - needed another pair, treads were low...check out the review on these shoes here

Swimming:
This suit is great, I bought this Betty Design suit a month ago and have been loving it, not only the style which is totally me, but the comfort of this suit is spot on.  Ran true to size.

So until April 10th....


And finally, I promised to post my fantastic recipe I whipped up last night!

Miso Tofu and Edamame Black Bean Quinoa

Print recipe here

Tofu and Marinade
2 tbspn mellow white miso
2 tbspn tamari (or soy)
2 tbspn brown rice vinegar
2 tbspn maple syrup or rice syrup
2 tspn garlic hummus
1 block of tofu chopped into small squares

Mix marinade together in small bowl and put tofu in bowl, let sit for 20 min.

Bake tofu on baking sheet for total 30 min at 400 degrees.  At 15 minutes, turn tofu over add more marinade, and put back in oven.

Edamame Black Bean Quinoa
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 yellow bell pepper diced
1/2 red onion diced
3 spring onions diced
1 handful of cilantro chopped
1 avocado chopped
1/2 cup edamame
1/2 cup black beans (rinsed)

Rinse quinoa, add to water, and bring to a boil.  Simmer until done (about 20 min).  Add the next 7 ingredients to cooked quinoa. 

I use Trader Joe's Sesame Ginger Vinagrette (it has no fat) or I use tamari, rice vinegar, little olive oil, and sesame seeds.  I also like using Sirachi on top.

Eat together!

Some New Staples

So the detox went really well, I carried it out for about 2 weeks with adding caffeine and some alcohol the second week....

With the detox diet I did always comes some good recipes.  Two soups and one warm salad in particular became a staple.  I pumped up my vegetarian chili with some chipoltle chilis in adobo sauce, I fell in love with miso soup and found a new way to do collard greens.

Smoky 3-Bean Chili

1 onion diced
1 stalk of celery chopped
10 baby carrots chopped (this was all I had)
5 cloves of garlic diced
2 green peppers chopped ( I had 1 green and 1 poblano)

Use some olive oil and saute this mixture with medium heat for about 5-7 min until softened.

Add this to a crockpot or just large pot on stove then add the following to the pot.

1 can black beans (or soak dry overnight)
1 can kidney beans
1 can chickpeas
2 chipotled peppers in adobo (add a smoky flavor - can find in Mexican section of most grocery stores) or just do 1 jalepeno chopped.
2 cans of whole tomatoes (break them up with wooden spoon before)
Maybe 1/2-3/4 cup of chicken broth.
Sprinkle in some cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper.

I let it go on high for an hour or 2 and then low for 4-6 hours in crockpot or just on low for 8 hours.  The longer the better, you can also just do it overnight.

When I serve I use sliced avocado for topping, crumpled rice or corn chips and maybe dollop of 0% greek yogurt and then of course hot sauce (cause nothing is hot enough for me)....I also added some quinoa to the chili.

 

Mellow Barley Veggie Miso Soup

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil.

Add in the following:
1 chopped leek
1 onion chopped
1 scallion chopped

1 stick kombu (sea vegetable) (about 4")
Let simmer for 10 minutes or so.

Add in the following:
1 baby bok choy (white part only for now)
1/2 cup to 1 cup of chopped green cabbage.

Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Use soup broth in a ramekin or small bowl and add 3 tspn of white mellow miso, 3 tspn of barley miso and stir until the paste loosens up.

Add to the pot and simmer (DO NOT BOIL OR IT WILL DESTROY THE ENZYMES IN THE MISO)

Add greens of bok chop until bright green.


This is really good for you after "fasting" while sleeping with your digestion, or lunch or dinner :)

So yummy.

Warm Collard Green Salad with Brown Rice Vinegar (adapted from the Jai Seed/Rich Roll cookbook)

1 yellow squash - sliced
char the squash over high heat (no oil) and flip, place in a boil.

Add 1tspn of olive oil and saute some mushrooms and garlic, place over squash.

Add 1 tspn of olive oil and saute some collard greens until translucent, place over mushrooms.

Add some brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, seas salt and pepper.

I ate it with some homemade gazpacho that you can find from one of my previous recipes here.  Easy and delicious.

Now Where Was I.....

Mentally and physically I am feeling so much better.  I went through a bit of a slump where I was lacking in endorphins which equated to a GRUMPY HEATHER....The fact that I couldn't exercise led me to the obvious decision to eat whatever I want and drink a lot, duh!  I do have to say it's been fun...

There was the spectating at my favorite Marlton Lakes Sprint Tri while watching four of my friends and two of which trained all summer and did their first tri - GO HGRC! 

My sister and I made signs

Theresa, Marissa (new triathlete), Christine, Nicole, Tiffany (new triathlete), myself and David

 ....followed by the beerathlon, where the HGRC may not have reclaimed their title but showed many boys that we are able to move from position 4 out of 8 teams to position 2 by the mere skill of out-drinking and flipping cups.

Erica (Queen of Jenga), Me (The Pong Master) and Christine (Ninja champion - yup an Asian stereotype)

Our Chant before the finals - Flip Cup (sporting our new HGRC shirts - Metal Chicks Tri Harder)

...celebrated my birthday weekend(s) with Mexican and beer at the Hulmeville Inn...

Celebrating my birthday with my friends: Firestone Walker, Russian River and Wyerbacher

 ...dinner with my family and friends...

Yes, I turned 36....

Happy Fucking Birthday....pretty much sums it up!

Hanging with my girls!

And my awesome family!

...and yes, more beer at the US NJ Battleship where we combined mixing history with being incredibly drunk and befriending every beer rep and local there.

USS NJ BATTLESHIP - GETTING IN SOME HISTORY

NICE GUNS....

My partners in crime for the day....

A handy necklace for holding your beer....those Oskar Blues peeps are so smart, I mean the cans you can even ummm... put candles in them...oops..

Drinking our favorite Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin - I think we drank a pitcher of it...we may have made a nuisance of ourselves

Enough said...

So enough of the montage of what I did while I recovered from my bike accident....

While there was a good amount of healthy eating, the quantity and lack of good decisions to eat healthy while drinking and extra empty calories (e.g. beer) far outweighed the amount of good healthy eating.  The lack of calories being burned didn't help...My bad eating is really not terribly bad it is more just comfort foods like lots of pasta, bread, pretzels pizza, etc.

So I found a workout in an old Muscle and Fitness for Hers about two weeks ago while cleaning, and vowed to include strength training 4 days a week and do some sort of cardio (spinning) 6 days a week while attempting to start running.  I'm in my second week of the workouts, started running again without hurting (little tightness in the chest) and got my bike back all fixed up!

Last week I started my detox - see here for my specs on the detox.  Mike decided to jump on the bandwagon and my birthday present arrived just in time...

MOVE OVER CUISINART I'M BIGGER AND BETTER, I GRIND UP BEETS LIKE IT'S MY JOB

 YES, he is the best husband in the world!


We have used it every day for yummy shakes and soups.


So as it is almost the close of a full week - A VERY PRODUCTIVE WEEK
   6 days of working out
+ 4 runs = 14.5 miles (I can run without complete pain)
+ 3 spinning rides on the trainer (my bike is fixed!)
+ 4 intense strength training including 1 day of plyometrics
+ 2 yoga classes (vinyasa and power)
+ 6 days of detox
+ 1 five-gallon robust porter in it's first fermentation (POST TO COME!!!)

5 lbs lighter!!

So as I continue this detox (I am adding back in some alcohol (LIMITED) and caffeine....

I leave you in good spirits and a HAPPY HEATHER!