My alarm has been set for 5:45a every single day for the past two weeks or so, but I haven’t gotten out of bed once when it’s gone off. I’ve been well intentioned to get up and go for a quick run before work, but I’ve been having an extremely difficult time actually getting up and completing the run. For whatever reason, my running mojo hasn’t been the same since the Disney Half. I think the chronic injuries I’ve sustained have put me on the defensive side when it comes to running, afraid and waiting for that next twinge of pain I’m going to feel. To put it bluntly, I think I’m a bit scared of running. However, I’ve turned over a new leaf and have decided to face the fear of a sport I know deep down inside I love, and to just go with it. This Philadelphia Marathon isn’t going to run itself in November!
I’ve also been in a bit of a rut when it comes to cooking; I’ve been making a lot of the same things over and over again (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing), but I haven’t really ventured to make anything new. So, I decided to really start tackling both running and cooking new things this week. It’s time to get the old Danielle back!
I’ve only made a few things from the Vegan Fire & Spice book I bought myself a few months ago, so I decided to make something else from it this week. I love that it has recipes from all over the world, so I can expand my ethnic palate at home. After making my fiancé pick a region to focus on for the recipe, we then narrowed it down to the Chilean Stuffed Peppers. The recipe only had one pepper in terms of it’s spice level (the book goes from one to three), so I of course had to add a jalapeno to kick up the heat. I also didn’t have any soy milk on hand, so my version wasn’t truly vegan. I also used freshly diced tomatoes instead of canned.
Because this recipe was a bit longer, I was able to prep the stuffing, put them in the oven, and then go out for a three mile run. It was nice to know that something delicious was waiting at home for me. I should try that method more often!
Chilean Stuffed Peppers adapted from Vegan Fire & Spice
– Serves 2 –
Ingredients:
2 large bell peppers
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (I added for extra heat)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
14.5 oz. of diced tomatoes (either canned, or fresh)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup soy milk (I used regular and it was fine)
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp bread crumbs
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and guts. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a skillet, and add onion and jalapeno, cooking for about five minutes until slightly soft. Add the nutmeg, cumin, and cayenne, cooking for about another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Add the corn and mix well. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs (1/2 cup), milk, sugar, and salt, and mix well. Add the bread crumb mixture to the skillet and mix until combined.
3. Fill the peppers with the corn bread crumb mixture and arrange them in a baking dish filled with 1 cup of water. Sprinkle the rest of the bread crumbs (2 Tbsp) and oil (1 Tbsp) over the peppers. Bake for 45 minutes (took me closer to 50) or until the peppers are tender, and the stuffing is browned but still moist.
Foodosaurus Rex 