Tex-Mex Obsession

I hope that everyone in the Mid-Atlantic enjoyed the gorgeous weather we had all week! I am lucky enough to have the flexibility to work from home a few times a week so I made sure to take advantage of it; especially on Tuesday when it was 80 degrees! Unfortunately the weather isn’t sticking around, but I’m okay with it – I don’t think I’m ready for summer temperatures just yet. So even though I’ve been grilling and enjoying beers outside, I’m still doing a fair amount of indoor cooking… I’ll resort to grill-only foods come July, I’m sure.

The majority of recipes you’ll find on the blog are Tex-Mex, so it never comes as a surprise to someone when I proclaim “I love Tex-Mex food!” More specifically I love Mexican food, and Tex-Mex is a byproduct of living in the USA. Thankfully I don’t live too far from New Brunswick, where 49.93% of the population is Hispanic or Latino (2010 Census results) and as a result has a lot of really delicious and authentic Mexican restaurants (my favorite is Costa Chica on Handy St., for the locals!). So when I was thinking about more ways to incorporate some of my favorite flavors into a dish, I immediately thought of macaroni and cheese.

After completing Abby’s Kick Ass 5k, I got to work in the kitchen. But before we get into the recipe, I have to give a little plug for Abby. Even though the 5k is over, you can still head to her Team Challenge page and donate. Long story short, Abby is an incredibly strong woman who has ulcerative colitis and is running a half marathon in June with Team Challenge (in conjunction with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation) to help raise money for the foundation. As a fellow IBD sufferer, of course I had to donate to the cause, and I hope you’ll consider it, too!

The recipe uses veggie sausage, but you can either leave it out completely or use real sausage, ground beef, or ground turkey. And the recipe can be turned vegan if you use non-dairy cream cheese, shredded cheese, and milk. Since I’m slightly sensitive to dairy, this definitely isn’t a meal I would eat often… but it’s fun to indulge every once in awhile (though suffering the consequences isn’t fun)!

Tex-Mex Pasta Bake
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. pasta (I used rotini, but small shells, elbow, etc. will work)
4 oz. veggie sausage or ground beef substitute (or ground turkey or beef if you aren’t vegetarian)
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp chipotle taco seasoning
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp adobo
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese blend
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil and add the diced onion and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Then set aside.
4. Add your meat of choice to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until it begins to brown.
5. Add black beans followed by spices, and allow to cook 2-3 minutes. Add in cooked pasta.
6. Once well combined, add in the cream cheese, shredded cheese blend, and milk, stirring to combine until all the cheese is melted. Stir in the Panko bread crumbs.
7. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray and spread the pasta mixture evenly. Feel free to sprinkle a little extra shredded cheese on top for good measure.
8. Bake for 15 minutes until top begins to brown.

Vegetarian Cravings: Buffalo Sauce

Over the weekend, I made black bean and sweet potato Chilaquiles, which called for taco-sized corn tortillas. For some reason the package always comes with a ton of them, so I was left trying to figure out what to make with what remained. Last time I had leftover corn tortillas I made flautas, so I decided to make them again… this time with a twist.

In conversations I’ve had with other vegetarians, I’ve found that the majority of us do in fact miss some meat related things from time to time. One food that seems to always come up is the buffalo wing. I was never a huge chicken fan myself (probably because we had it so much growing up), so I know it isn’t the meat I miss. Instead, I think it’s that crispy and crunchy texture, and the flavorful sauce it’s coated in. There have been quite a few vegetarian-friendly things coming out of my kitchen within the last few months smothered in buffalo sauce (lasagna, stuffed shells, grilled cheese, dip), so I figured Veggie Buffalo Taquitos would be my next adventure.

The great thing about these taquitos, I think, is that you don’t miss the meat. My carnivorous dining partner enjoyed them sans-meat, and I think you will too. But, if you just can’t get behind the idea of a buffalo sauced dish without chicken, you can definitely add shredded chicken into the mix! And it could easily be made vegan by using dairy-free cream cheese, or a tofu and nutritional yeast combo. The dish also winds up being gluten-free thanks to the corn tortillas, so almost anyone can enjoy it. The filling for the taquitos comes together in a matter of minutes, so this is perfect for a busy weeknight (served with veggies, of course!), a quick snack, or a party dish. I paired mine with a giant salad and roasted veggies, but you really can have it with almost anything.

Vegetarian Buffalo Taquitos
– makes 10 taquitos –

Ingredients:
10 taco-sized corn tortillas
1 15oz can white beans
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or a blend works)
1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot (or other buffalo styled sauce)
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
2. Combine the white beans, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and Frank’s in a medium sized bowl. The beans don’t need to be smashed, but some will get smashed from the combining of the ingredients, which is fine.
3. Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 40 seconds. This helps prevent them from cracking when you roll everything together.
4. Take two tablespoons of the buffalo mixture and spread it down the middle of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla to completely cover the mixture (just like you would a burrito, except you don’t tuck in the ends). Secure with a toothpick.
5. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, and line it with the taquitos.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. There will be some oozing of cheese, which just means it’s extra delicious!

Diet-to-Go: Delicious At Your Doorstep

Even though I absolutely love cooking and spending time in the kitchen, sometimes it’s nice to have your meals prepared for you. A lot of nights after a full day of work and running, the last thing I want to do is spend 30+ minutes in the kitchen making myself dinner. Unfortunately, the “quick and easy” options don’t always translate to the healthiest options. I’m not a stickler for healthy foods and do my fair share of indulging, but at the end of the day, I like to make sure I’ve eaten enough of the right foods to keep my body fueled for not only running, but life in general. So, when I was given the opportunity to try out Diet-to-Go as a Fitfluential Ambassador, I jumped at the offer.*

One of the first things that caught my eye about Diet-to-Go was their accessibility – it isn’t just a one size fits all approach to diet meals. In fact, they have three different choices; traditional (which is low fat), vegetarian (lacto-ovo), or low carb with 1200 or 1600 calorie options. And, within those base selections, you have the ability to even further customize your meal choices; you can make substitutions, change your meal plan type, and even pause your plan! They also offer 5 or 7 day plans, and you can have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or just lunch and dinner. Talk about options! And the best part? The meals that are delivered to your door are fresh, which I learned isn’t something that all mail order diet meal plans do.

Now for the good stuff – the food! My meals arrived on Tuesday and I started with dinner. Obviously being a vegetarian I chose the vegetarian meal plan, and my meals came from the 1600 calorie per-day group. I decided on my first meal, tomato pie and couscous with some crackers and a Laughing Cow Swiss cheese wedge. I am a Giant Sports fan and follow a strict diet and I’m pretty sure this was the first time trying Laughing Cow, and I can’t believe it’s taken me so long – it is absolutely delicious! I had the cheese and crackers first while I waited for the entrée to cook, and once it was ready I dug in. Not only was the dish flavorful, but it was filling! I would be lying if I didn’t say I was skeptical that I’d be full after this diet meal (especially having run 5.5 miles earlier), but I was. I added a salad to the mix as well (I make sure to have one pretty much every night – nothing special, just spring mix with some dressing) in order to round out the day’s fruit and veggie intake. I definitely picked the right meal to start of my experience; I couldn’t wait for the next one.

My first meal - Tomato pie & couscous! — My first meal – Tomato pie & couscous!

The rest of my meals did not disappoint. Whether it was eggs florentine with soy sausage patties and asparagus for breakfast, bean burritos for lunch, or a lentil loaf for dinner, I was always pleasantly surprised by the taste and texture of the options, and was satiated. I kept saying “wow, I can’t believe this actually tastes good!”

Of course since I’m not a registered dietitian I can’t speak to the overall nutritional value of these meals, but I think that it’s important for anyone (on a “diet” or not), to do research and ensure they’re getting the right nutrients. Some of these meals were on the saltier side for me, while others seemed to be higher in fat, or overall calories. Because high blood pressure and heart issues run in my family, I try to be cognizant of my sodium levels, while also understanding that as a runner, salt is important. In terms of higher-than-I’d-like sodium, for example, a suggested day is the eggs florentine with soy patties and asparagus (delicious) which give 830mg of sodium at breakfast, followed up with a grilled veggie burrito with polenta at lunch for 650mg, and then a lentil loaf with sweet potatoes and green beans for dinner with 1030mg. That brings my sodium totals to 2510mg in one day (if I don’t eat anything else). The Institute of Medicine recommends 1500mg of sodium per day as an adequate amount, and to try and stay under 2300mg (source). This is just one day, and not all of the meals are high in sodium, but because of those levels I don’t know that I myself would use Diet-to-Go for 3 meals a day, but rather as a supplement to add in quick and easy healthy options throughout the week.

Stuffed shells w. pesto sauce, carrots, and a roll.

Trying out these meals really opened up my eyes to the way I eat throughout the day, the food choices that I make, and what different calorie amounts really look like. For me, I tend to eat smaller or lower calorie foods in the morning and afternoon, but then find myself ravenous by the time I get home from work and wind up not only matching my calories from the first half of the day, but I usually have more. For the most part I’m not concerned with the weight aspect of eating since I am running 25-30+ miles a week, but I am concerned with the nutritional value and making sure my body is getting the right foods. Lesson learned: I need to eat more in the morning!

Super easy and delicious lunch at work - soy nuggets and creole veggies over rice! — Super easy and delicious lunch at work – soy nuggets and creole veggies over rice!

Mail ordered meals may not be for everyone, but for people that just don’t have time to cook or don’t like to cook, I think this is a great option. As I said earlier, I think it’s really important for people to understand their nutritional needs based on their age, sex, activity level, and overall lifestyle before they decide on a meal plan that’s right for them (whether they’re making it themselves, or having it made for them). Diet-to-Go has a lot of great options and flexibility, is delicious, and if nothing else can help people newer to the world of eating right form good habits. Not to mention it did win Epicurious’ #1 voted meal plan based on a national blind taste test! So for those of you that are interested in giving it a try, you can get 20% off by using the code “fitfluential” when ordering.

So tell me…
Do you track your eating throughout the day?
How do you make sure you’re getting enough of the right foods?

*Disclosure: Fitfluential LLC compensated me for this Campaign. All opinions are my own.

Perfect Tofu

Of course on the same day I blogged about not having any good recipe ideas, I came up with what I’d like to think is a pretty decent tofu marinade. I know a lot of people aren’t tofu fans, but as a vegetarian, the big ‘ole block of soy is a really versatile way for me to get some extra protein. As long as you have a good marinade and cook it properly, I think it can be really delicious. Up until this point, my favorite was this Spicy Peanut Baked Tofu, which is easy, but not extremely versatile. I’ve never really used tofu outside of stir-fry styled dishes or egg replacements, but I’ve seen plenty of seasoned and marinated tofu “steaks” in stores, so I figured I would try my own.

One thing I’ve noticed in most vegetarian recipes that attempt to be meat replacements, is the use of soy sauce. So, I went to my pantry, grabbed a whole bunch of spices that I thought would go well together and soy sauce, and got mixing. This can be thrown together in a matter of minutes, and the beauty of a marinade is that the longer it sits, the better it winds up tasting. I served these tofu “steaks” with some brown rice, black beans, and salsa. I think it would probably be equally as delicious on a baguette with sautéed onions and peppers… I’ll definitely be trying that next!

Baked Tofu Steaks
– Serves 2 –

Ingredients:
1 package extra firm tofu
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Press the excess water out of the tofu (for at least 10 minutes). If you don’t have a tofu press, a big cookbook with the tofu between two plates will work – just make sure you have a towel under it!
3. In a bowl, mix together all of the marinade ingredients (soy sauce, liquid smoke, and spices) and pour into a shallow baking dish or tupperware container.
4. Slice the tofu in half long-ways, and then in half again so you have 4 rectangular pieces.
5. Place the tofu in a single layer in the baking dish with the marinade, and let sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes flip to the other side, and allow it to sit for an additional 15 minutes.
6. Place the tofu on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.
7. Serve with rice and beans for a Southwestern flare, enjoy on a baguette, or by itself!

Enough For Me & You

Whenever I make a recipe that provides enough for leftovers, my appreciation for the recipe doubles. Why, you may ask? Because it gives me either a delicious option for lunch the next day, or even better, a night off in the kitchen! A lot of recipes I make suggest that they are at least 4 servings, but I rarely find myself with leftovers (between the two of us in the house). So, whenever there’s a huge casserole or Dutch oven meal on the week’s menu, I can count on that providing me some type of leftover; whether it’s enough for one or two people is another story.

As always, I try to make sure that my meals are as balanced as possible; vegetables, protein, healthy fats… you know the drill. Since I take medication daily, my gastroenterologist likes for me to have blood work every so often just to make sure the medicine isn’t affecting anything negatively. I actually just had some routine blood work last week, and they mailed me a copy of the results. I’m happy to report that pretty much everything was within the “normal” range! I’ve got plenty of blood protein, calcium, and all the other goodies that people often swear vegetarians don’t get enough of. So even though my gut doesn’t work properly, my blood is in good shape! At least I know I’m doing something right.

But now that we’ve talked about my blood, let’s get back to food… I’m currently trying to ramp up my mileage (only a little) and intensity (a little more) for a half marathon in April. I’m actually running two half marathons in April – the RU Unite Half Marathon that I’ve run the last 3 years (and was my first!), and then a week later the Nike Women’s Half. I’m hoping to PR at the first, and then enjoy the second. I would love to run a 1:45 (or faster, of course), and I think it’s possible since I had to walk a few minutes due to a side cramp last year and finished in 1:47. As always, running has seriously increased my appetite, which is huge to begin with. So, when I found a big ‘ole strata recipe on Martha Stewart’s website, I knew I had to make it.

I had to make some changes to the recipe, most notably because one of the main ingredients was sausage. I’ve been completely obsessed with soy chorizo the past few months, so I knew that would be a perfect replacement. I’ve had the soy chorizo from both Trader Joe’s and Stop & Shop, and they are both equally delicious, and easy to use in anything from a burrito to an omelet. This particular recipe includes things I love; spicy chorizo, eggs, bread (yay carbs!), cheese, and a solid dose of leafy greens. It’s perfect to whip together before work and then cook when you get home, make the night before having brunch, or do all at once (since it really doesn’t take that long). I love the versatility of stratas, and this recipe is no different!

Vegetarian Chorizo & Chard Strata adapted from Martha Stewart
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
1 package of Soy Chorizo (or 1lb. of regular chorizo)
1 tbsp olive oil*
1 small onion, diced (can be yellow, white, Spanish)
1 bunch of Chard (Swiss or red), roughly chopped
1 baguette (day old is best), sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of smoked Gruyere or Gouda cheese
7 eggs
2 1/2 cups of milk (any dairy or non-flavored and unsweetened non-dairy kind will do)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium sauté pan, cook the chorizo and set aside.
3. In the same pan, add the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. *If you are using real chorizo, you do not need to add the oil – you can use the fat from the meat.
4. Next add in the chard, salt, and pepper, and cook until just beginning to wilt, about 5 minutes.
5. In a 9×11 greased baking dish, layer half the chorizo, followed by the chard and onion mixture, then sliced baguette. Follow with another layer of chorizo and then chard.
6. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and milk. Pour over the casserole dish, doing your best to distribute evenly. Top with cheese. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, but can go up to overnight.
7. Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving!

Do you have any favorite dishes you make that always give you leftovers?

Veggie-tastic

This past Friday (February 8th) marked my 6th month as an official vegetarian!

Becoming a vegetarian is something that I had been interested in for a long time, but never committed to for one reason or another. So after months of generally eating meat-free, I decided to finally take the plunge in August, and I haven’t looked back. Sure, I’ve made a few mistakes here and there (dipping a chip into an unassuming dip at a party only to find out there’s shredded chicken in it), and I haven’t inquired in great detail while out at restaurants (is the meat-free pasta dish truly vegetarian?), but I’d say that overall the last 6 months have been a success.

I thought I would share with you what has helped me in the journey, in case some of you are toying with the idea of becoming vegetarian, but feel like they don’t have enough resources to be successful in your attempt. Or, if you’re just looking for more ways to incorporate a meat-free diet into your life (even if not all the time)! I’d be lying to you if I said it’s easy; sometimes I just want a hamburger, and I often get questioned and teased by friends and family, but at the end of the day, I know that I’m making the right decision for myself. And at the end of the day, that’s what is most important! So here are a few different things that have really helped me.

Vegetarian/Vegan blogs, with tons of delicious recipes (just to name a few):

Oh She Glows
The Post Punk Kitchen
Cate’s World Kitchen
Daily Garnish
Namely Marly
No Meat Athlete (running AND vegetarianism!)

Vegetarian/Vegan Cookbooks:

Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen
Vegan Fire & Spice by Robin Robertson
The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook by Kim O’Donnel
Student’s Vegetarian Cookbook by Carole Raymond

All of the above blogs and cookbooks have either vegetarian or vegan recipes (some a mix, some just one). I’ve made plenty of vegan meals despite being a vegetarian. But I’ve also made plenty of vegan recipes and easily turned them into vegetarian (usually just by adding cheese). Most of them are also easily adaptable to other dietary restrictions (gluten free, etc.).

Pantry Staples:

Grains: quinoa, cous cous, farro, brown rice, lentils
Meat substitutes: Tempeh, tofu, soy chorizo, TVP (textured vegetable soy protein)
Beans and protein: pretty much any and all bean types, eggs, Greek yogurt
Condiments/extras: almond butter, peanut butter, nutritional yeast, lots of spices
Vegetables! Fruits! Milk and cheese!

Quick Fixes:

LightLife refrigerated and frozen meals
Amy’s Kitchen frozen meals and soups
Frozen veggie burgers (what can I say, I’m a sucker for them. Though I do love homemade!)

Obviously the above isn’t an extensive list, but just the basic things that have really helped me over the last 6 months. There are tons of resources for vegetarians and vegans (tons of blogs, websites, magazines, etc.), and while nothing will completely replace the taste of meat, there are plenty of foods and recipes that will help you not miss it so much. And I know for a lot of people, the above information is not new. But I can’t tell you how many people don’t truly know what vegetarians eat (yes, we eat more than lettuce!).

Do you have any other suggestions for resources I should check out (food brands, recipes, blogs)?
Are you a vegetarian? Ever gave it a try, or thinking about it?

Cheesy Bake

I hope that everyone survived winter storm Nemo! I celebrated my mom’s birthday AND 6 month vegetarian anniversary on Friday by sitting inside anxiously awaiting the skies to open and dump snow on us. It was a welcomed day on the couch (working, of course) after taking an evening Bikram yoga class the night before. It was my first class, and since I bought a 30 class card, I will definitely be writing about it in the future! Despite the not-s0-great weather, I did make a mean mac ‘n cheese that I wanted to share.

[source]

For anyone that knows me, they know that menu planning is something I really enjoy doing; you can find me scouring the internet (mostly blogs and Pinterest) and cookbooks most days of the week looking for inspiration for meals weeks in advance. I’m usually thinking about my next meal before I’ve finished the one in front of me! I make the recipes as instructed a decent amount of time, but I often tweak a few things based on what I have in the house, or my personal taste preference. It usually isn’t enough of a change to warrant a blog post about it, but every once in awhile I do take a recipe and really make it my own, using the original more as a loose guide and inspiration. So, when I found Budget Byte’s Jalapeno Popper Mac ‘n Cheese, I knew immediately I was going to make it. I just didn’t know until about half way through that I was going to change a lot of it.

Baking macaroni and cheese is awesome. Who knew that adding a little bit of breadcrumbs and throwing it in the oven for a few minutes would add so much texture and flavor to such a simple kitchen classic! Using three different kinds of cheeses may seem like overkill to some, but to a cheese lover like myself, there’s no such thing as too much! The cream cheese definitely kicks this over the top (I need to cook with it more). This version isn’t spicy (to me), so if you want to kick it up a notch feel free to add more jalapeños or some other kinds of peppers. It’s a perfect recipe for a cold winter night (which we’ve been having a lot of recently), or to bring to a potluck. You won’t see this on any “skinny” or “diet friendly” lists, but it’s definitely something you should make and enjoy (in moderation of course).

Jalapeño Popped Baked Mac ‘n Cheese adapted from Budget Bytes
– Serves 4-6 –

Ingredients:
1 lb. pasta (elbow, spiral, etc.)
1 Tbsp oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/3 cup milk
5 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2-3 jalapeños, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (any variety will work)
1/2 & 1/4 cups of Panko style bread crumbs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package.
3. As the pasta cooks, make your cheesy roux by combining the oil and garlic first in a sauce pan over medium-high heat, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
4. Next, add in the milk, parmesan cheese, and cream cheese. Cooking until the cream cheese is melted and everything is combined. Add the Greek yogurt and jalapeños.
5. Drain the pasta, and add it back to the original pot. Pour the cheesy jalapeño mix and 1/2 cup of the Panko bread crumbs over the pasta and stir to combine.
6. Fill a greased 9×9 baking dish with the macaroni and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and shredded cheese.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the top is starting to brown. Let it sit for 3-5 minutes before digging in!

Culinary Chic

There’s nothing quite like a homemade lunch, but sometimes I’m just too lazy to prepare lunch in advance. Even though I like to take the easy way out more often than not, it’s important for me to have easily accessible lunches that aren’t too expensive. Sure, I would love to go out to eat every single day, but it just isn’t realistic for my wallet or my waistline. I tend to gravitate towards the frozen food section for the obvious reasons – cost and convenience. Unfortunately in most cases this means some type of sacrifice on taste. Recently Lean Cuisine launched a Culinary Collection line of frozen meals, so when DailyBuzz Food offered the opportunity for me to try them out, I immediately signed up.

One thing I appreciate is vegetarian options, which are harder to come by than you’d think; it seems as though the majority of frozen meals available have chicken in them. One thing that always blows my mind is soup – they have so many veggie friendly options (lentil, black bean, pasta and veggies), but so many of them aren’t actually vegetarian! Of course being only 6 months in I sometimes forget to check the label since I assume things that don’t include meat on the initial package mean it won’t include animal products on the ingredient’s list. Thankfully I’m getting better at it. So I was initially nervous that there wouldn’t be many options for me to choose from within the Culinary Collection, but I was pleasantly surprised! After much debate, I decided on their Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli entree, and couldn’t wait to dig in at lunch.

It’s always a pat on the back when you’re heating something up in the work kitchen and someone makes a comment that it smells good… which is exactly what happened when I was heating up my lunch! You never want to be the person that stinks up the entire room (cough, fish re-heaters, cough). So with the smell already getting a thumbs up from me and my co-workers, it was time to eat. Verdict? YUM! As with all frozen meals, though, I found myself wanting more when I was done. Of course that’s a good thing because it means I enjoyed it, but it was just shy of being enough for this runner girl.

While the picture doesn’t do it justice, this dish has a lot of flavor. It’s half-mooned ravioli filled with portabello and button mushrooms, romano and ricotta cheeses, in a creamy marsala wine sauce with spinach and red peppers. I definitely tasted all of those ingredients, which was impressive. It’s nutritional values are pretty solid, too, with 14g of protein 3g of fiber, and a total of 290 calories. Paired with some fruit, yogurt, or other healthy options makes for a well-rounded, quick, and easy lunch. I’m definitely looking forward to trying their other varieties!

Have you tried any of the Lean Cuisine “Culinary Chic” dinners?
What do you usually have for lunch?

Disclaimer: I have partnered with Lean Cuisine through DailyBuzz Food to help promote their new line of Chef’s Pick products. I have been compensated for my time commitment to work with this product. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments. Thank you Lean Cuisine!

Sweet on Brunch

I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that brunch is a fabulous thing. I could wax poetic about how anything goes, it’s a great excuse to sleep in and still enjoy breakfast foods, etc., but you already know all this. So instead, I’ll give you a recipe for a super easy brunch dish that would be perfect for New Year’s Day… or any day for that matter.

While I may be one of the few and far between not doing a wrap-up of 2012 post or a pre-2013 post, I’ll share with you a few things that in just the last few days, I’ve decided will be my “to-do’s” of the new year. They’re quite simple: run more, cook more (recipe creation, really), complain less, learn to take better pictures, and practice yoga more… all while striving to be happy and healthy. I guess you could say there’s a trend of “more” for 2013, which I’m okay with. Since 2012 was far from what I expected, I have high hopes for 2013. Of course, the aforementioned to-do’s won’t happen without action from me, so we can say that I’m planning on making 2013 the year of doing. I’m pumped.

I’ll be kicking off my year of doing with a 5k on Tuesday, aptly named the Hangover 5k. I somehow hurt my foot on Wednesday last week, ran on it anyway on Thursday, and could barely walk by Friday. So, I haven’t run since then, making my goals for this 5k to just finish without foot pain. Goofy is just under 2 weeks away, and I have to make sure I can finish those 39.3 miles! The 5k will be my first race as an Oiselle Team member, and I can’t wait to rock the racing singlet, rundelicious top, and lesley knickers! And then after the 5k, I’ll probably make this fabulous brunch dish, again.

So next time you’re looking for something brunch-y to eat, you can give this a try. It isn’t really a frittata, or a strata, or a crustless quiche. I suppose it’s more of a Sweet Potato Egg Pie… so that’s what we’ll call it. Cheers to a happy and healthy 2013!

Sweet Potato Egg Pie
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup of shredded cheese
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat a cake pan or pie dish (I used a cake pan) with non-stick cooking spray. Layer the sliced sweet potatoes along the bottom, covering as much of the pan/dish as you can. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until combined. Add the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
4. Once the potatoes have cooked for 15 minutes, remove from the oven. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the potatoes, and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the eggs are set.

Buffalo Bill

Well would you look at that, TWO references to It’s A Wonderful Life within two posts this month (you know, when Mary and George are on their way home and they’re singing?). Must just be the time of the year! For those of you that were thinking about Silence of the Lambs and got freaked out, don’t worry, we aren’t talking about lotion or anything. Instead, we’re talking about Buffalo Stuffed Shells!

There hasn’t been much going on in my neck of the woods aside from working, running, and enjoying the Holiday season… which is more than okay by me! It’s definitely been interesting to navigate the Holidays as an “official” vegetarian, which I have been for almost 5 months now. I get asked the typical questions such as “why?” and “do you eat chicken? at least fish?,” and sometimes odd questions like, “you mean you don’t eat bacon?!” The easiest way I’ve found to combat the weird looks is to make delicious food that everyone can eat – then I don’t have to worry about eating just chips for dinner, or inconveniencing anyone with my dietary needs. Plus, it’s making me cook more which is something I want to do in the coming year. I’ve cooked a lot, but most of it has been things from Pinterest or things I’m comfortable making. I decided to start early with this recipe and hopefully I can keep it up!

Despite being on the vegetarian train, I still have cravings for things like cheeseburgers and buffalo wings, with my favorite substitute for wings to date being this buffalo cauliflower. I’ve also made buffalo lasagna and figured I’d try my hand at buffalo stuffed shells. I love stuffed shells (especially the Mexican variety), so I hoped the shells would work with a buffalo flavor – and they did. While I used ricotta cheese, this could easily be made vegan with tofu and a dairy-free shredded cheese. And if you aren’t vegetarian, you could definitely add some shredded chicken to the mix.

Vegetarian Buffalo Stuffed Shells
– Serves 4 –

Ingredients:
14 jumbo pasta shells
8 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot buffalo sauce (or other “wing” sauce)
1/2 cup smoked cheese, shredded (I used applewood smoked gruyere)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or a cheddar mix works)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta shells according to the package. I like to throw in a few extras in case some fall apart/break while cooking.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup of the Frank’s, and smoked cheese.
3. Once the shells have cooked and cooled enough so you can touch them, fill each shell with 2-3 tablespoons of the cheese and Frank’s mixture. Put the shells into a greased 8×8 dish.
4. Top the shells the remaining 1/4 cup of Frank’s and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.