When I first thought about taking the plunge into a vegetarian lifestyle, I reasoned with myself that I couldn’t do it because of all the things I’d be missing. Of course if you approach anything with the mindset of what you’re losing and not what you’re gaining, struggles are bound to happen. Thankfully when I finally decided to officially make the vegetarian plunge (almost 3 months strong now!), I approached it much differently. While I still have a pang for a cheeseburger once in a blue moon, I’ve discovered so much more in the food world, and have been able to make some pretty simple substitutions.
I abide by the rule that almost anything can be turned vegetarian. Obviously a steak can’t, but there are ways to approach meals and make them just as flavorful, if not more. So, when this week’s Fresh Box included radicchio, I went on the hunt for recipe inspiration and like most recipes I find, there was a meat component. I found a recipe from Saveur that included pancetta, and immediately decided I could easily swap that out.
For the recipe, I went with Morningstar Farm’s vegetarian styled bacon. This could easily work well with smoked tempeh, and of course, bacon or pancetta. I went with the suggested pappardelle, but if you don’t have any on hand, a fettuccine or other egg styled pasta would work well.
Smoky Pappardelle with Radicchio inspired by Sauver – Serves 4 –
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion, sliced 1 tsp sage 4 slices veggie styled bacon or tempeh* 1 lb. pappardelle or other egg styled flat pasta 1 head radicchio, sliced 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions: 1. Heat oil in a skillet and add onion, sage, salt and pepper over medium heat. Constantly stir for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown (it’s a pain, but I promise worth it!). Add in the veggie bacon and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add the radicchio to the pan and cook until wilted, about 5 more minutes. 2. Meanwhile, boil 3-4 quarts of salted water, add the pasta and cook for about 8 minutes, drain (save about 1/4 cup of water). 3. Combine the pasta with the veggie bacon, onion, and radicchio with the 1/4 cup of pasta water; mix well. 4. Finish off with the balsamic vinegar and top with grated or shredded parmesan cheese.
*Note: You can buy “fakin’ bacon” that is already flavored tempeh, or you can buy regular tempeh and mix it with some liquid smoke for the same effect.
Thanks again for all the congratulations on the Chicago Marathon – it was so much fun and is definitely a race I hope to do again in the future!
You may remember that after registering for the Chicago Marathon, I also put my name into the New York City Marathon lottery, figuring I wouldn’t get accepted. Well, of course with that mentality I made the cut, and was all ready to run NYC on November 4th. As I was going through the motions of my “training” for Chicago, I started to question whether or not I could really run NYC a mere 4 weeks later. For me, it was more than just if I could physically do it – a big part of it was mental, too.
I realized that NYC had a deferral option, which a lot of races do not offer. After looking into it more, I knew I could run Chicago, assess how I felt, and still have some cushion time to decide whether or not I’d toe the line (well, bridge) on November 4th. By the time training had finished for Chicago, I knew there was a very small chance I was going to be running New York; I was just mentally tired and wanted to have my weekends back. I wanted to be able to go for a run because I wanted to – not because I had to. So, I went and ran Chicago, had an amazing time, and was surprisingly not very sore considering my lack of efficient training. All signs were pointing to me being able to successfully complete the marathon. But for the first time in a long time, I sat down and thought to myself: “is this really the best idea right now?”
After a few days of contemplation and seriously battling the all too familiar runner’s high, I decided to defer my entry to the NYC 2012 Marathon to next year. The real nail in the coffin so to speak was my start time – 11:30am! That means I’d be hanging out for a solid 4.5 hours before starting to run… for likely another 4.5 hours. Thinking about that just made me tired, and I realized it just wouldn’t make sense for me mentally and physically to put myself through another 26.2 just 4 weeks later, with less than solid training behind me.
So now that I’m out for NYC, what does that mean? Well, I’m still doing the Goofy Challenge in Disney the second week in January – that’s right, 13.1 miles on Saturday and 26.2 on Sunday! From now until then I’ll be running some shorter local races, and enjoying cross training. Of course I need to ramp up training again within the next two weeks or so to make sure I can tackle the 39.3, but that race is done more for “fun” so I’m not concerned with time, just mileage. I’m thinking about maybe running a marathon in the Spring/early Summer, but have no definite plans yet. I’m going to just enjoy running, and if I feel like I’m ready for another marathon in the future, I’ll address it then – no more of this signing up for races months and months and months in advance!
And before I forget, here’s a video of me finishing Chicago – I’m in the blue shirt with the 4:25 pace bib on my back doing what I thought at the time was “blowing by people in the final meters,” but was really a light jog, ha! Thanks to the hubs for rushing over to the stands to catch me!
You didn’t think I was going to give you a Chicago Marathon recap without talking about food, did you?! I wish that I had a glowing food post for you like I did last time I was in Chicago, but unfortunately this trip was more about the race than it was the food, and I didn’t get to visit everywhere I wanted. At least that just means it’s an excuse to go back!
As I mentioned in my race recap, we were up early and off to the expo on Saturday morning, so breakfast was a stop at Starbucks next to our hotel. After the expo, though, we headed to Native Foods Café for lunch, which happened to be just around the corner from our hotel. It’s actually a chain, but only has a few locations; mostly in Chicago, California, and Colorado (guess they like C states!). I had searched for vegetarian restaurants prior to the trip, and since this was around the corner and had good reviews, I knew we had to check it out. After quickly browsing the menu, Andy ordered their Portobello “Sausage” burger with a side of seasoned fries, while I opted for the Twister Wrap [salad greens, fresh avocado and cucumber salsa, creamy chipotle sauce and your choice of crispy, blackened, or grilled Native “chicken” in an organic whole wheat wrap] with a side of kale, and we split their lavender lemonade.
The food was awesome. The Native “chicken” looked, felt, and tasted like chicken (I opted for it blackened), and they didn’t skimp on the avocado which I always appreciate. And Andy, not a vegetarian (but woefully eats as one most of the time) really enjoyed his burger, too. I would have loved to try everything on their menu, but unfortunately our trip only allowed us to visit once. I would love to have a vegetarian restaurant like that around me!
After a trip to Target and relaxing our legs for a bit, we headed off to dinner at Rosebud Theater District. Our main goal for dinner on Saturday night was very simple: pasta. So, the obvious choice was to search for a nearby Italian restaurant. Despite staying in the financial district of the city, we had a lot of options that were open on Saturday night (though there were equally as many that were closed). The restaurant had the best reviews out of every walkable place I researched, so we made a reservation prior to our trip in order to secure a spot. We started off sharing a house salad and bruschetta, which was delicious. They topped their bruschetta with fresh mozzarella, which I really enjoyed. Of course I had my fair share of the table’s bread, which they served with olive oil and parmesan cheese. I’ve never thought to mix parmesan cheese into olive oil for dipping, but you better believe I’m going to do it now! By the time we were finishing up our appetizers, dinner arrived and we dug in. I ordered the penne alla vodka and while it may not have been the safest option, it was vegetarian and I had a pretty good feeling it wouldn’t upset my stomach (thankfully I was right). I would love to go back on an evening where I could enjoy some wine!
Our final meal in the city was at Giordano’s for deep dish Chicago style pizza. I know there are a lot of different restaurants that offer deep dish pizza in the city, but we actually visited this restaurant four years ago on my first trip to Chicago. As we were being walked to our seat, we both looked at each other and at the same time echoed; “seriously? This is exactly where we sat four years ago!” I mean, what are the chances of that?! Since the pizza is made to order and we were finally gaining our hunger back post-marathon, we ordered some parmesan fries to share while waiting for our pizza. We ordered our pizza with onions, peppers, and jalapenos, and it was awesome. We even made sure to get a pizza big enough to bring some back to the hotel, since we both knew our hunger would rage late into the night; and it did. I’m a New York style pizza girl all the way, but sometimes it’s nice to change it up and do what I like to call ‘knife and forking it.’
Now, I wouldn’t typically make note of airport food. I purposely didn’t mention the food we ate at Newark Airport because it was awful. I do, however, feel the need to mention the food I had at Chicago O’Hare. Since we were flying United, we were stationed in Terminal B right next to the most delicious airport food I’ve ever experienced – Rick Bayless’ Tortas Frontera. If you are even remotely into food, and more specifically Mexican and Southwestern food, then you know the name Rick Bayless. As you all know I am obsessed with both food, and more specifically, Mexican/Southwestern food. So as soon as I saw that name attached to a sign hanging next to our gate, I insisted on getting something. I double checked Yelp an FourSquare reviews, and it was no surprise to see phenomenal reviews. After quickly doing a once-over of the menu, I ordered the rosted garlic mushroom torta which had crimini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms, chipotle garlic mojo, goat cheese, black beans, and arugula. It was heaven between two pieces of crusty bread.
Just like I can’t wait to run my next marathon, I can’t wait to head back to Chicago to enjoy the city more. Hopefully, I won’t be waiting another four years to make my return!
Well, if only it had been that easy. Leading up to Sunday’s 26.2, I was nervous. I hadn’t run more than 14.5 miles in any single training run, topping off at 19 on a day I wound up doing a double (which I did a lot of), and with all of my GI issues, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it through the race without needing at least one pit-stop. So, all things were pointing to me struggling through the race and just being happy to finish. But as I said in my post last week, I know that I’m a much stronger runner than I was last year when I ran my first marathon, so I still had high hopes for a PR of some sort.
We arrived in Chicago on Friday night and headed right to the hotel to get a good night’s sleep. On Saturday, we were up early and off to the Expo. We had met a couple on the flight there who ran last year, and said we should get to the expo early if possible. I’m really glad we did, because on the way back the lines for the shuttle were really long! I didn’t buy anything (though I wanted all of the Nike gear), but I did score a sweet picture with Mike Ditka (boo to the blurry picture)!
Da Bears!
There were plans to do touristy things on Saturday, but after roaming around the Expo for awhile, we realized it was probably best to save our legs for what we were about to put them through. So we stopped off at Target to get some throwaway gloves and long sleeve shirts, then headed back to the hotel to watch some TV and relax before dinner. Of course dinner was pasta, and we were back to the hotel and in bed by 8:30p.
Thankfully I had a great night’s sleep, and my 5am alarm wasn’t too jarring. We brought bread and peanut butter with us, so I was able to have my usual pre-race breakfast, and started our trek to the start line. Unfortunately Andy and I were in separate corrals (he was in the 7:30a start wave and I was in the 8a wave), so we said goodbye rather early, and I headed off on my own. I had enough time to stop at a port-a-pottie and stretch before making my way to corral J. I had plans to run with the 4:25 pace group, and I spent a solid 5 minutes trying to find them in a sea of people. Soon after I found the group, we were off!
As soon as the race started, I realized I needed to use the bathroom. The pacers took off (WAY faster than the pre-determined 10:06 pace average), and so I stayed behind. I read way too many blog posts about how energetic the first few miles of the race are, and how so many people get overwhelmed by the spectators and start too fast. Knowing all to well how awful a race can be if you go out too fast, I kept it as slow as possible (but still under goal pace). I knew I wasn’t going to make it much further without a bathroom break, so I veered off at the first stop. From that point on, I was good to go; the first half flew by. I kept my pace nice and comfortable, and was loving all of the crowd support. I stopped at every water station, and had a Clif shot at miles 5, 10, 15, and 20.
By the time I got to mile 16, I knew that friends were likely done. I took out my phone to check the runner tracking, and was thrilled with what I found. Andy was trying to qualify for Boston, and while he just missed it, his 3:08 was a 15 minute PR! And, even more thrilling was to see my friend’s 2:52. That’s right; she finished 10th in our age group and was the 29th woman OVERALL! Talk about inspiration for the last 10 miles! At that point I was feeling good, and decided to pick it up a little. I decided to run just under a 10 minute/mile pace, and was able to keep that for the next 5 or so miles. Unfortunately, my hips were tight almost the entire race, and by the time I hit mile 22, my IT band had enough.
As we turned into Chinatown, my left knee had a searing pain, to the point where I had trouble picking up my leg. It’s a pain I remember all too well from the end of the Philly marathon, and a pain I’d experienced when I first started running. Instead of walking, though, I slowed my pace down and tried to keep my legs as straight as possible. The pain seemed to go in and out (eventually both knees were hurting), and my plans to pick it up at mile 22 were dead in the water. Instead, miles 22-24 were my slowest. My per mile pace never hit 11, but there were definitely points where I felt like I was crawling. I started to slowly pick it up at mile 24, and by the time I hit 25, I knew that it was time to dig deep and just go – I knew the pain wasn’t going to get worse, and as long as I could keep one leg in front of the other, I’d be okay.
While mile 25 to 26 felt like forever (I even heard a woman exclaim, “this is the longest mile of my life!”), the crowd support was unbelievable, and I don’t know how anyone could have slowed down. As we closed in on mile 26, I was slowly lengthening my stride, and using my arms as much as possible. We turned the corner for the final stretch (uphill of course), and I gave it everything I had, passing as many people as I could powering through the slight incline. The entire course was flat, so even though the hill wasn’t much of anything, it felt like a mountain in those final meters. I crossed the finish with an official time of 4:26:10, a solid 11 minutes faster than my Philly marathon time.
My first order of business was to grab a mylar blanket, my medal, some water, and FREE BEER! I’ve always seen races that have beer at the finish, but this was the first race I’ve been to that had the luxury. While it may not have been the best idea, my very first post-marathon sip was some Goose Island 312. As I made my way through the finishing area, I met up with my husband and headed right for the massage tent; another first for me. After the massage, I realized that while the thought of hanging out at a “post race party” sounded fun, the barely 50 degree weather was enough to send me right back to the hotel. After a quick (relative to post-marathon moving abilities) shower, we headed right for deep dish pizza at Giordano’s.
This race was without a doubt the best race I’ve experienced. Not only was the course phenomenal and the spectators great throughout the entire city, but the race was so well organized, and all of the volunteers were amazing. Seeing everyone so excited to pass out water and gatorade was great – a little smile and a “you got this!” goes a long way when someone is out running a marathon. Even the people at the finish were great – the girls giving out water waved me down and shouted “hey! come and get your water – you deserve it! congratulations!!!”
I suppose I did!
I don’t know why, but I found myself tearing up at multiple points throughout the race, for no other reason than the fact that I was running a marathon; my third marathon. I know for a lot of people that isn’t much, while for others it sounds absolutely insane. For me, being able to run a marathon was something I always dreamed about, but never thought I would actually do. Even in those moments where my knees felt like they were going to explode, I realized why I run. Its for all of those seemingly insignificant moments that make up a marathon experience; seeing strangers on the course give you a thumbs up, hearing strangers cheer your name that you meticulously ironed onto your shirt, having that brief conversation with a fellow runner, and to feel that rush as you close in on those final meters of the race. I wouldn’t trade the way I felt on Sunday for anything – even the hobbling I’ve been doing since.
It’s hard to believe that this coming Sunday, I’ll be running my third marathon (within less than a year)! I wish that I could say I’m going into this race super confident for a big ‘ole PR, but I don’t want to jinx myself. Training was lackluster (per the usual), so I’m hoping just to come in under my 4:37 PR. I think it’s totally doable based on two very important facts (in my eyes): I know I can complete a marathon, and I’m a much stronger runner than I was last time.
Checkout the sweet App you can download for the race!
Even though my training wasn’t any better than it was for the Philly Marathon despite trying to convince myself “this time would be different,” I know that over the course of the last year I’ve become so much stronger as a runner in general. Sure, I may not be strong enough to shave off 30 minutes like I was originally hoping (though my half marathon time will tell you otherwise), but I know that I can beat 4:37 (as long as something doesn’t go horribly wrong).
My plan is to run with a pace group. I’ve never run with a pacer before, but in most races where they are available, I try to keep my eyes on them if possible (this was especially helpful for my half marathon PR). The problem I had running Philly is one that novice marathoners know all too well – I went out too fast, despite feeling great and still being on the “slower side,” and by mile 16 I wanted to be done, and by mile 21 I wanted to cry. This time, I’m hoping that if I’m forced to run slower (they make you wear an extra bib on your back to be a part of the group in this race), I can at least keep it at a more-than-comfortable pace for the first three quarters, and then, if I’m still feeling like it’s easy (as a relative term, of course) I can pick it up and finish strong. Even if I run with the pace group I’m planning to run with the entire time (the reach pace is 4:10 and the hopefully easy option is 4:25), I’ll still tackle a 12 minute PR, which is pretty respectable if you ask me.
Can you tell I’m trying to talk myself into this being a good race? Whatever it takes!
In all seriousness, as we get closer, I’m excited. Truthfully, I was dreading it a few weeks ago, really fearing I wouldn’t be able to do it. But I know better than that – I can do it. It may not be a stellar performance, but I’m running my THIRD marathon! That has to count for something, right? Plus, it’s in one of my favorite cities, and the thought of getting to go there (even if just for a long weekend) makes it all worth it. I can’t wait to devour some cupcakes at Molly’s and probably eat my weight in deep dish pizza.
Alright, who else is running Chicago? Any last minute tips/words of encouragement?!
It’s no secret that I am in love with burritos. So, whenever I have the opportunity to include some type of wrapped deliciousness into my meal, I’m game. While burritos are my number one love, I really enjoy wraps of all forms. When looking back on the past few weeks of meals I’ve created, I realized that there have been quite a few versions of wraps – some more traditional than others, but all of them take on that tuck and roll form.
First up was using collard greens as a replacement wrapper. I’ve only ever thought of collard greens in a slow cooked format to be served with black eyed peas, but I’m happy to report collards are in fact a perfect wrapping vehicle. For this particular version, I sauteed some typical “burrito” fillers, and steamed the big collard green leaves for about 20 seconds. It was so incredibly easy that I can’t wait to get my hands on some more collard greens to try a different filling.
I’ve made “egg rolls” before, but went with either a traditional Asian theme, or a Southwestern twist. This time I was trying to use up some falafel mix I had in the pantry, and figured I would give falafel egg rolls a try. I don’t know how I thought of it (I haven’t found a recipe for it yet), but am glad I followed through on this one. All I did was prepare the falfel according to the package, except instead of shaping them into balls I formed them more like logs so they’d fit in the wrappers. I filled each wrapper with a tablespoon of hummus (supremely spicy, of course), some diced red onion, and one of the falafel logs. Baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, and I had perfection. It was so easy I didn’t think it warranted a full written recipe, but you really should make these. I’m excited to have some leftover egg roll wrappers, and I can’t wait to use them!
I also made a more traditional wrap this past weekend after my last long run before the Chicago marathon – chimichangas! I had seen online the idea of making baked chimichangas, and decided to give them a try (because I LOVE the fried version). Again, you can really put whatever you want in them (I used onion, pepper, poblano, tomato, corn, and black beans), and roll that up in a burrito sized tortilla. Then, you just need to bake them at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, sprinkle on some cheese, and cook them another 3-5 until the cheese is melted and they’re crispy. So easy. So delicious.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned with all these wrapped up foods, though, is the importance of patience. I can’t tell you how many times I burnt my tongue or the roof of my mouth – to the point where it hurt for days. Matter of fact, I’m still nursing my post-chimichanga burn, which is almost a week old! But that’s okay – it was worth the deliciousness.
Anyone else obsessed with wraps? Have any fun wrap recipes I should try?
If you remember not too long ago the folks at Vega sent me some of their newly launched Vega Smoothies to try. I loved the individual packets and their convenience, so when they asked if I’d be interested in trying their new Vega One French Vanilla flavor, I couldn’t resist.
It’s true that nowadays I’m a bit of a nutrient powder fiend. Since getting a bunch to try from GNC (final thoughts coming soon!), I’ve been having some type of protein powder in one form or another almost every day. This isn’t to say I am getting most of my nutrients from powders (that would be weird, and I probably wouldn’t be very healthy), but I like the ability to add to my daily intake when necessary – especially during marathon training. Since all of the powders I have are protein based, I was excited to try something that was a little more well-rounded, even if the protein count is on the lower side. These powders have 50% of your daily intake of vitamins and minerals, 15 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, 1.5 grams of Omega-3, and a bunch of antioxidants, probiotics, and greens.
When it comes to shake and powder flavors, chocolate and vanilla are usually the most popular (and most people I know gravitate towards chocolate). I remember when I was younger stopping at a Friendly’s with my mom and getting milkshakes; she ordered chocolate and I ordered vanilla. I’m never going to forget her commenting about how boring it was that I ordered vanilla, and if I was going to have a shake I should have gotten chocolate (since it’s apparently much less of a boring flavor). While I love chocolate, I still to this day find myself gravitating towards vanilla flavored drinks, and so I was pumped to try Vega’s French Vanilla.
I know a lot of people try different kinds of vanilla powders and say things like “Wow! That tasted like cake batter!,” well I’m here to tell you that if you’re looking for a cake batter or super sweet flavor, this powder isn’t for you. It’s plant based and is derived from ingredients like pea protein, so it tastes much more earthy than your average instant smoothie. This isn’t to say it’s bad – I just think it is much more of an acquired taste than most would be prepared for. I’ve found that mixing it with some type of milk (regular milk, or almond/coconut/soy/hemp) is much better than just using water – the powder mixes much better with a thicker milk consistency, and the flavors meld together in a way that isn’t possible with water. Also be aware – since it’s derived from plants, when mixed it does have a greenish hue. For me, I’m not looking for a dessert flavored healthy shake – if I wanted a milkshake tasting drink, well, I’d have myself a milkshake!
That being said, I like how convenient it is; mixing some into some milk gives me way more nutrients than I would get from your average smoothie, and its filling! I prefer to have it in the early afternoon just when I’m about to hit the slump, or in the morning as a part of my breakfast.
It turns out they’re having a sale and offering 15% off until 9/30/12! So if you’re interested in giving it a try, head over to Vega.com and order yourself some!
Do you use any powders to enhance your daily nutrients?
Disclaimer: Vega sent me these protein powders to try at no cost to me, and all opinions are my own.
You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t posted a recipe including meat in quite some time. I did have some peach salsa about a month ago that I had with some salmon (which was delicious, by the way!), but other than that, I haven’t really been posting any meat recipes. Well, there’s a reason for that.
If you remember back in January I tried to go vegetarian for an entire month, and failed miserably. I was eating a mostly vegetarian diet as it is (lacto-ovo since I still eat eggs, milk, and cheese), but there was still the occasional piece of fish, a hamburger, or piece of chicken (you get the drift) – so meat was still clearly a part of my diet. As time progressed, I began realizing that I preferred a vegetarian diet, and in most cases when I wasn’t eating vegetarian, it was out of convenience. A poor excuse, maybe, but the reality nonetheless.
Not too long after I came up with that salsa recipe and paired it with salmon (about a month now), I decided that I really wanted to try being vegetarian. Everyone has their own definition of what a “vegetarian” is, and for me that means no animal flesh – whether you find it on land or in the sea. Growing up I was never a big fish fan, and never liked pork or lamb, leaving me just with chicken, turkey, and ground beef (I never really liked steak, either). So I guess you could say it hasn’t been too hard for me to switch to a vegetarian lifestyle.
I am still in the transition phase, meaning I’m not scouring every label – I had a phenomenal Chèvre cheese last week, but was sad when I read the label and saw it was made with rennet. This also brings to light the issue of gelatin which is found in marshmallows, and a lot of other products as well. Since it’s an on-going process, I’m starting with the big things (meat) and working my way to the smaller things and label reading more carefully (animal by-products).
By this point, you’re probably wondering “why?” I get that response from most people I tell, and my answer is simple: I love animals. I realize that most people do, and they chose to eat meat, which is absolutely fine – it’s a personal choice. But for me, I’ve come to a point in my life where I would just prefer not to eat meat. I’m more than okay with people eating meat – heck, I’ll even prepare it for you – I just don’t want to eat it myself. And don’t be confused – I still think meat is delicious. I just can’t bring myself to eat it anymore.
There are so many delicious meatless options out there, that I haven’t missed meat – yet. I’m looking forward to discovering more vegetarian foods, and embracing the lifestyle change.
Do you have any vegetarian resources to share? If you’re a vegetarian, what prompted you to go meat-free?
I always find myself with mixed emotions when summer comes to a close. It’s no secret that summer is my favorite season (it’s always been), but I don’t mind fall. In fact, there are a lot of things I do enjoy about fall, like cooler running temperatures, being able to wear boots and scarves, not working up a sweat while cooking, and Halloween!
I’m looking forward to this fall because it means I get to relax – at least a little. This summer has been packed with marathon training (even if it’s been half-hearted, it still takes up a lot of time!), and a LOT of weddings. Basically, I’m looking forward to not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to run because it’s too hot and I have a million things planned for the afternoon. Yes, I can’t wait to be lazy.
Aside from cooler temperatures and new fashion, there are foods that evoke the feelings of different seasons, too. One food that makes me think of cooler weather is chili (and soups in general). Even though it’s still technically summer (I can’t handle people saying things like, “it’s officially fall!” because it in fact, is not until tomorrow), I decided to deviate a bit from my “hang on to summer for as long as possible” mantra and made a pot of chili. For me, this wasn’t just any old batch of chili, though, rather it was more of a transition from summer to fall because of the ingredients – they’re light and colorful, but still provide that quintessential big bowl of chili feeling.
Veggie Grain Chili – serves 4-6 –
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 1 poblano pepper, diced 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbsp cumin 1 tsp Adobo 1 tsp oregano 1 6 oz. can tomato paste 2 15 0z. cans of beans – I used black and pinto, but any combo will work! 4 oz. soy chorizo (or regular chorizo) 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (smaller pieces help it cook faster) 1 ear of corn (kernels removed) 18 oz. vegetable broth (about 1.5 cans) 1 cup dry cous cous or quinoa
Directions: 1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and poblano pepper for for 5-10 minutes, until they’re translucent. 2. Add in the spices (chili powder, cumin, Adobo, oregano), and tomato paste. Stir constantly, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. 3. Stir in beans, soy chorizo, sweet potato, corn, and vegetable broth. Turn heat down to medium, and cook for 5 minutes. 4. Add in the grain, and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. 5. Serve with avocado, cilantro, cheese, and/or sour cream!
When my husband saw that I had “Shepherd’s Pie” on our dinner calendar for the week, he asked me what it was. After I gave him a general description, he immediately replied with, “and WHY haven’t you made this before?!” Of course, I didn’t have a good response, but promised that the dinner would be good… with my fingers crossed behind my back.
Yes, you read that correctly – I have a “dinner calendar.” I use Google Calendars; I have a bunch of my own personal calendars, as well as a few that are shared. Included in the list of shared is a dinner calendar, which allows me to plan out what we’re going to eat for the week based on our schedules, prepare a grocery list, and have a reference so I know what’s coming during the week. In our old apartment, we had a cute little whiteboard that I used to write it down on like a menu, but when we moved two years ago, I never hung it back up – so I switched over to Google instead. It may seem a little over the top, but it works for me. I’m a huge planner and I enjoy seeing everything scheduled and written out, even if I shuffle things around all the time.
While a typical Shepherd’s pie is made with meat, I left it out in my version (though I’m sure some ground beef, chicken, or turkey would go well here). I also decided to put a Southwestern twist on it since I’m obsessed with the flavors. The reason why I even thought of making this was due to the string beans we got in our CSA box. At first I figured I could just serve them as a side, but I wanted to do more with them. After trying to think of dishes they were included in and trying really hard not to just make a giant batch of green bean casserole for dinner, I settled on the Shepherd’s pie. So yes, this “Southwestern” version has green beans in it. I wasn’t sure if it would work for or against me with everything else (corn, black beans, salsa, etc.), but I’m happy to report everything played nice in the casserole dish.
The beauty of a Shepherd’s pie is that you can really throw in it whatever you have on hand, top it with mashed potatoes, and call it a day. Since I used instant mashed potatoes, everything came together in a matter of about 20-30 minutes. This was definitely a winner in my book, and I hope you think so too!
Southwestern Shepherd’s Pie – Serves 4 –
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp oil 1 large onion, diced 2 jalapeños, diced (more or less depending on your heat preference) 1 1/2 cups corn (from about 2 ears) 1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 2 large tomatoes, diced 1-2 cups green beans/string beans (I used 2, and it was A LOT, so feel free to use less) 2 1/2 tsp chili powder 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp Adobo 1/2 cup chunky salsa 1/2 cup shredded cheese 1 package of instant masshed potatoes (or about 2 cups)
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once heated, add diced onion and jalapeño, and sauté for about 5-10 minutes, until onions begin to become translucent. Add the spices and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. 3. Once everything is well combined, add the corn, black beans, tomatoes, green beans, and salsa. Lower your heat to medium, and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring every so often. 4. Meanwhile, prepare your instant mashed potatoes per the package directions (i.e. add 2 cups of water to the flakes, microwave for 2-3 minutes). Once the potatoes are done, add 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese. Set aside. 5. Add the mixture to a greased 8×8 baking dish. Top with the other 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, then spoon the mashed potatoes on top of that. 6. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until mashed potatoes are set.
Foodosaurus Rex 