Current Routine

Health / Fitness

Health

So, you guys know I've been a vegetarian for like, 4-5 years now. I do my best to stick to that, there are times when I have my moments, and honestly, if I lived near the ocean, I'd probably be a pescatarian. Don't prosecute me! I much prefer the vegetarian life over meat. It just a generally lighter feeling. I don't feel over stuffed or gross after I eat. Recently, I've been doing clean-eating (or ya know, mostly). 

If you don't know what clean eating is, it's simply eating non-processed foods. My grocery cart is typically at least 50% fresh fruits and vegetables. No white bread or white rice. Typically, if you don't know what the ingredients in something are, it's not clean. It's really not that hard. But I love my sweets, let's be honest. So, through the week, I eat as clean as possible, and on the weekends, I'll allow small treats here and there. Not too bad. But let's be real here. I'm not giving up my morning grande caramel soy iced coffee. Nope, I can't do it. 

If you're interested in getting started in clean eating, check out Fit Girl's Guide. I found them while perusing through fitness things on Instagram, and guys. There is no body shaming in this community. Every single person in that community is just ridiculously motivating and positive. It's really great. (:

Fitness

In the last three to four weeks, I've changed up my workout routine. I was following a 12-week guide from Fit Affinity, and while I really liked all the weight-lifting, I wanted to start seeing slimming results faster. I'm impatient, ok? So, now, I've been doing 30 minutes of cardio 4 days a week, as well as 45-ish minutes of abs and arms/legs. This has been really working for me. Within these 3 weeks, I've already noticed my work pants fitting more loosely, which is just so motivating. So, I'm going to keep that motivation and momentum up. Keep in mind that everyone's body is different and finding what works for you is what's important.

Here's a sample of my typical leg day:

• Cardio. I  typically do 30 minutes on the elliptical with the setting on interval hill. During the lower resistance time, I keep my speed around 6-7mph. During the higher resistance time, I speed up to stay in the 10-11mph range. Seriously gets your heart rate up, and the intervals kick up the amount of calories you're burning.
• Stretch. I do a few minutes of stretching my legs and arms out after cardio.
• Abs. I alternate daily between abs and obliques (sides). On the days when I do abs, I'll typically do weighted sit ups (with a 10 lb. plate), leg lifts, and reverse crunches.
• Legs. If you guys don't know, I love leg day. It's just my favorite thing to work on. Lately, I've been doing pyramid reps of squats. So, 10 times at one weight, add some weight and do 8, add more and do 6, add more and do 4, then back to 6, 8, and 10.  I'll also do hip abductors/adductors, and weighted lunges.

Typically, my workouts last 1-1.25 hours, and I don't find this to be unreasonable.  Each week, I'll typically workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 2 days of arms and 2 days of legs. Abs and cardio happen on every day. Which, can I just say, I loathe abs. I don't even want them, but I do want a smaller waist, so...

I'm surely not claiming to be a health expert (I'm definitely not). These are just the things that seem to be working for me lately!

What's Cookin' Wednesday!

Stir Fry!

Good evening! I hope everyone's week is going well! Mine is going surprisingly fast, and I'm a-ok with that. But it's mid-week and, while I'm here blogging away, boyfriend is making dinner. I don't know about all of you, but once it hits Wednesday, dinner better be easy. I am in no mood to stand in the kitchen for a good hour or so. If you share my feels, save this recipe for a day you feel like putting a little effort in, and chopping veggies for a good amount of time. If you're looking for something easy, check out this easy tomato basil soup.

However, this is delicious and healthy and packed full of veggies and protein. I'm all about trying new meat substitutes. So, when I found Trader Joe's "Chicken-Less Strips" I was really excited. Tossed these babies in with all the veggies and fooled two meat eaters. Take that!

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil

1/2 a bunch of broccoli, cut into florets

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 orange pepper, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1 can water chestnuts

1/4 cup cashews

1 package Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Strips (or chicken)

2 cups quinoa, cooked

Sauce

2 T soy sauce or tamari

3 T teriyaki

1 t. rice vinegar

1 1/2 t. brown sugar

How To:

In a large skillet, or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and whites of the green onions until fragrant. Toss in the package of Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Strips, and sauté with the onions and garlic for a couple minutes. Add in the carrots and celery, and sauté for another 5-7 minutes. Add in the peppers and broccoli, sauté for about 3 minutes, then cover the pan. Allow this to sit for about 10 minutes. Add in any extra olive oil as needed while sautéing. While you're letting that sit, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. I alway recommend tasting sauces as you go. Keep in mind that although the sauce is a bit salty, when it's combined with the other ingredients, it won't taste as salty. Add the water chestnuts, cashews, and sauce to your veggies. Stir to combine well, and allow the mixture to heat through. This also let's the flavors combine. I typically let mine sit for around 10-15 more minutes. Usually, I'm finishing up the quinoa. Put the quinoa in your serving bowls and top with a generous amount of stir fry! 

I'd just like to inform you all that this tasted just like Chinese take-out for me, and it was so good. You know when your Chinese is almost better the next day? Yep, just like that.

What's your favorite healthy take-out!? I'd love to know in the comments below! (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Vegetarian Tikka Masala

I may have mentioned before that we love Indian food. I love that they have soooo many vegetarian options, no matter where you go. It's common to eat vegetarian there. Plus, anything that isn't typically vegetarian is super easy to make it veggie. Just toss in some cauliflower, potatoes, and chickpeas in place of chicken. Boyfriend loves Chicken Tikka Masala, so I made this veggie recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 can chickpeas
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 (28oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. garam masala
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
Basmati rice, cooked

How To:

In a large pot, heat up the olive oil. Toss in the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger, and sauté these until the onions are translucent. At this point, add in the crushed tomatoes, spices, and sugar. Bring this to a low boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Now add in the cauliflower and chickpeas. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream, and stir this up to combine well. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, and allow this to simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
Serve this up over warm basmati rice with a nice piece of garlic naan on the side!

What's your favorite ethnic food!? Tell me about it in the comments below. (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Roasted Beer & Lime Cauliflower Tacos w/ Cilantro Coleslaw

Isn't that a mouthful? I got this recipe out of one of my recent Women's Health magazines. Holy yum. It has this spicy, yummy, smokey taste. Along with the vinegar from the coleslaw. So good.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower

3/4 cup beer

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

1 1/2 Tbsp. hot sauce

1-2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Corn tortillas

Coleslaw

2 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp. olive oil

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

How To:

Preheat the oven to 400. In a medium saucepan, combine the beer, vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce or tamari, hot sauce, and garlic. Bring this to a light simmer and toss in the cauliflower. Mix this around, and let it soak up the flavors for about 5 minutes. Dump this mixture in a collander, and transfer the cauliflower to a greased baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the seasonings, olive oil, and cauliflower, making sure to coat the cauliflower well. Pop the cauliflower in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

While that's going, make the coleslaw. I made mine in the same large bowl that I coated the cauliflower in for flavor cohesion. Yeah, real fancy. To do this, just combine all the ingredients listed under coleslaw, mixing well to coat everything! I tossed my corn tortilla shells in the oven for a bit to get a little cripiness. Once everything is done, toss some coleslaw in a shell with some cauliflower. Top with avocado, salsa, or whatever your favorite toppings are!

 

 

Who else has a magazine subscription with recipes!? What's your favorite you've tried?

What's Cookin' Wednesday

 Smokey Cauliflower, Chickpea, & Dumpling Soup

As stated, the boyfriend and I love soups. Love, love, love. I'm always looking for new, interesting soups. The smokiness of this one definitely drew me towards it. I've recently acquired an abnormal amount of paprika, and I've never used that before. So, I've been trying a ton of recipes with paprika. This soup was just so smokey and warm that it was perfect for a fall night. It has veggies and proteins and carbs. It's perfect and hearty.
We're actually eating this again tonight, since I froze half of it. I'm quite excited about it.

Ingredients:

Soup

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 can chick peas

6 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

5 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1/4 tsp. hot curry powder

6 cups vegetable broth

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

Salt & pepper to taste

Dumplings

1 1/2 c. flour (I used whole wheat)

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 scallions, green and white parts, sliced thinly

1/2 - 3/4 c. water

How To:

Preheat the oven to 400. Toss the cauliflower florets in 3 tablespoons of oil and some salt. Spread the florets out evenly across a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. While those are baking, heat the remaining oil in a large stock pan. Add in the onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Once translucent, add in the bay leaves, spices, broth, paste, and soy sauce/tamari. Stir to combine the ingredients well! Turn the heat up and bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. After ten minutes, add the cauliflower and chickpeas.

While that is simmering, begin your dumplings. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and scallions. Slowly add in the water, until you get a thick, sticky dough. Drop tablespoon-sized globs into the soup and continue to simmer. Make sure the dumplings are completely submerged in the soup. After about 15-20 minutes, check a dumpling with a toothpick. You want the toothpick to come up clean.

Let the soup cool for about 5 minutes, then laddle into bowls and marvel in the smokey goodness.

This was probably one of the most wonderful soups I've ever made. It was smokey and hearty and just warm. It may be absolutely perfect for fall. Plus, it just looks pretty.

This recipe makes a ton, but you can freeze it! Freeze half of it and save it for a lazy, cold day!



I'd love to hear what your favorite soup is! Let me know in the comments below!

What's Cookin' Wednesday!

Tater Tot Casserole

Alright guys. It's been over a week, but I'm slowly getting better! I've been a super slacker blogging, but I was more worried about getting healthy again! Sorry! (:

It's come to my attention that many people have no idea what tater tot casserole is. This is heartbreaking to me. It's something my mom used to make quite a bit, and I love it. It also only requires 3 main ingredients. You can't beat that... While I was sick, boyfriend was the one cooking and taking care of me. It was a wonderful change. (; Even though I was sick. So, this was a super easy recipe that I could give him directions to make while I died on the couch. I still got up to take the pictures, but he did all the grunt work. While he was making it, he said it smelled like beef stroganoff. If that tickles your fancy, then go for it!

Ingredients:

1 bag Morningstar crumbles

(or 1 lb ground beef)

1 can cream of mushroom

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp garlic salt

Pepper to taste

1 c. shredded cheese (I used colby jack)

Bag o' tots

That's more ingredients, but you can leave out the spices and cheese. My mom used to... I just wanted to add some stuff.

How To:

Preheat oven to 400. In a large pan, start heating up the crumbles. If you're using ground beef, brown completely and drain. Add in the cream of mushroom and spices. Stir this until combined well. Spread evenly over a greased pan. I believe mine was an 8x11 pan. It's an odd size. On top of the meat mixture, sprinkle half of the cheese. Line the tots up on the cheese, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cook according to tot package. I think mine said 20-25 minutes.

Serve immediately!

This is just an old recipe that my mom used to make for me. Tommy had never heard of it, and I was just so confused. Then I realized that not many people had heard of it... O.O

Have you had tater tot casserole? What's a family recipe you love? (:

Beginner Vegetarian?

Vegetarian Quick & Easy - Under 15 Minutes Ebook

As a vegetarian, sometimes it's really hard to find recipes I can use. I'm totally in to veggie recipe books. You can find some cool things! I was given this recipe e-book (is that how that should be worded?) to try out and review. I have to say, if you're a just starting out being a veggie, this will be good for you. It basically goes over a bunch of simple recipes that maybe you wouldn't have thought of. I know it's really tough starting off as a veggie on your own. I struggled to think of things that I could eat without meat, yet still get the nutrients I needed.
I do have to warn that some measurements are missing from the ebook. I'm not sure how the editor missed that, but... So, for instance, the recipe will say: eggs, beaten. Well, how many eggs? Of course, I'm sure you can come to a reasonable amount, but it's still inconvenient. I didn't look through every single recipe, but I saw a couple of measurements missing.
So really, I'm 50/50 on this recipe book. Half of me thinks this could be pretty useful for beginners, the other half of me thinks it should have been edited better. Obviously. But, for ideas (and the cheap price) I guess, whatever.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Tomato Basil Soup

Somehow, overnight, my body decided to be sick. I literally could not tell you the last time I was sick. So, of course, I act like I'm dying. Because I don't get sick, and boyfriend will now bend to my will. (; That's a joke... kinda. This wasn't my planned post, but I had forced myself to the gym and just wanted a shower and to lay down. Anything that needed me to be involved was just not happening. And what does anyone crave when they're sick? Soup!

Either way, winter is coming (someone please get that). I may try to live off of soup throughout the fall and winter! It's just so warm and cozy...

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

4 Roma tomatoes

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

3/4 c. half & half or heavy cream

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

3/4 c. veggie broth

1 oz. fresh basil (mine was packaged)

2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

How to:

Heat the oil in a large stock pot. Sauté the garlic, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper until the garlic is slightly browned. While that's going, toss your Roma tomatoes and basil in a blender and pulse. Ours was a little chunky. If you don't like that, blend away! Once the garlic has browned, dump the tomato/basil mixture in. Also dump in the can of crushed tomatoes. Bring that to a low boil, and add in the cream and brown sugar. I was about to omit this because I though it was weird, but don't. I promise. Mix all this together and let simmer for about 8-10 minutes. You could totally stick an immersion blender in now, if you have one and you want it creamy. I don't have one. *hint hint mom!* Add in the broth, salt & pepper, and seasoning. Continue to heat for another 3-5 minutes, until warm throughout.

Serve hot and steamy with some grilled cheese on the side!

I totally suggest tasting it throughout the process! I used a couple of recipes and kinda just made my own. When I walked away, boyfriend added in the Italian seasoning, and it was just right. He also made the grilled cheese while I whined about being sick. (: I have to give him that! If you're wondering, we use an Italian seasoning from Penzey's! That place is like a tiny spice heaven.

What is your favorite soup to make when you're sick? (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Taco Pizzadillas

Sometimes, ideas start like this:

Tori: What do you want for dinner this week?

Boyfriend: Pizzadillas sound good!

Tori: Oh my god, I want taco pizza. OOOH! What about taco pizzadillas!?

In case you don't know, a pizzadilla is a quesadilla stuffed with pizza stuff. Ours are typically green peppers, black olives, and red onions with pizza cheese. Then you dip it in pizza sauce! We love that hear. He loves pizza, and I like to make it healthier! So why not switch it up!? This is definitely a meal that vegetarians and carnivores can enjoy, alike! You can substitute the crumbles for ground beef, if you aren't a fan! (: Either way, it's freaking delicious, and we loved it.

Ingredients:

8 tortilla shells (I used whole wheat)

Butter to grease tortillas

1 can refried beans

1/2 lb. Morningstar crumbles

3/8 c. water

1/2 taco seasoning packet

1 small can sliced black olives

1 1/2 c. Mexican cheese

1/2 c. salsa

Shredded lettuce

How to:

In a small pan, start "browning" the crumbles. Once this is heated through, add the 3/8 cup of water and the taco seasoning. Let this heat for a bit to absorb the flavors and thicken. Set this aside. Butter one side of all of the tortillas. Place one in a large skillet and slather on as much refried beans as your little heart desires. Top that with some of the crumbles. I used about 1/4 cup, spread evenly. Then, add the sliced black olives and Mexican cheese. I'm not giving you any measurements, because I believe in you. Also, you and I have different taste buds. Alright, now top that with another tortilla, butter side up. Turn the heat on! Approximately a medium heat. Cook until golden brown, then flip. Cook that side until golden brown, too. Place it onto a plate and top with salsa and shredded lettuce!!

If you asked boyfriend, he would tell you that every meal I make starts with garlic. It's probably really close to the truth. Garlic is my absolute favorite, but one thing I hate about using garlic is having to peel it to press it. Although I love the smell of garlic, it's not cute when that's what my hands smell like every day. I've recently received this garlic press, and it's absolutely amazing! Two reasons. 1. You don't have to peel the garlic. 2. You get more minced garlic out of each clove! Definitely check it out if you love being in the kitchen, but you don't want to smell like what you cook after! (:

Anyway, these were so good!! I just can't.
On a side note, I think I should rename my blog "How to Eat Mexican Food Every Meal."
I promise next week won't be a Mexican dish! But who's going to try this!? What other ingredients do you love on taco pizza!?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Black Bean Tacos

Don't mind the huge camera shadow.

Well, good afternoon! Can I tell you all that my week, thus far, has been sooo busy? I started my new job at the state, and it's just.... The building is a maze straight out of J.K. Rowling's brain. It might just be that everything looks the exact same, but still. With a new job came new hours! I now start at 7:45am! Woo! So that means I can either get my ass up at 5am to go work out, or I can work out after work and not get home until like, 7pm. Yeah, no thanks. Boyfriend can't fend for himself, and there's no way I'd want to cook. Remember when I said I'd rather get up early to workout? I got my wish.

Anyway, I think in every food post, I talk about how I love Mexican food. Whatever, it's delicious. A lot of people don't like the meat crumble substitute. That's fine, I get it. The texture is a bit different than ground beef. Boyfriend and I personally don't mind it, but sometimes I wanna switch it up! As mentioned several times, boyfriend loves black beans. I love refried beans. So, I made a healthy combination of the two! I used this in place of my taco meat, and it was soooo good! It makes a pretty good amount, which I'm ok with. I like using the leftovers in my egg wraps in the morning. Protein on protein.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilis)

2 cans black beans

2 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Sprinkle of cayenne (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

How to:

In a large skillet, heat up the olive oil and toss the onion and garlic in. Sauté until fragrant and slightly brown. Pour in the rotel and simmer for about 5-6 minutes. Mix in the black beans and allow them to heat up for about 3 minutes. Using a potato masher, begin to smash the mixture up. As the mixture heats through, it will become easier to mash. Mash until the bean mixture is at a consistency you like. I like to leave it a little chunky. Add in the seasonings and stir to combine. Let that simmer to reduce the amount of liquids.

Done! Now pile the bean mixture on some tortillas (I used soft, whole wheat), add some corn, lettuce, cheese, and greek yogurt! Or, ya know, whatever you like on your tacos. (:

Om nom nom nom.

How do you switch up your Mexican dishes!? I'd love to know in the comments below!

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

Think a veggie can't grill out with burgers and stuff? Wrong!! And, I hate to break it to you, but our burgers are better. (Total opinion, but... whatever.) 

Boyfriend will eat anything and everything with black beans in it. He'd probably eat them every day if I'd let him. He's obsessed with trying black bean burgers at restaurants. Because they're just so damn good. I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but we're giant Mexican fans. I, personally, would eat Mexican all the time. I think being born on the border (San Diego), and my first meal being Mexican really had an effect on my little taste buds. I'm perfectly ok with it. So, these burgers definitely have a bit of a Mexican flare!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. quinoa

1 can black beans

1 egg

1/2 c. panko crumbs

3/4 c. corn

1/8 tsp. hot sauce (I use Tapatio)

2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Sprinkle of cayenne if you like it spicy.

How to:

Bring water and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the water is all absorbed. While that's going on, rinse beans and dump into a large bowl. Use a potato masher and mash the beans! I like to leave the beans a little chunky. Smash in the egg, using a spoon to combine well. Stir in the panko, corn, hot sauce, and spices. Once the quinoa is cooked, fold that into your bean mixture. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, then form into patties. I usually get 5 patties out of this recipe. 

For the grill: Cover grate with foil and poke holes throughout it. Cook the patties for about 10 minutes on each side.

For the oven: Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking sheet well. Bake patties for 20 minutes, flipping them over half way through.

For the stove top: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Fry the patties until crispy on each side, approximately 5 minutes each side. I usually pat the oil off when they're done.

Serve immediately with your choice of toppings!

We paired ours with some grilled cauliflower!!! So amazingly good. I would totally skip the burger and only eat cauliflower.

One side has pesto and a sprinkle of parmesan. The other side just has olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Amazing.

Have you tried black bean burgers!? Or do you have another favorite veggie burger? Let me know in the comments below! (:

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Veggie Pot Pies!

Hellooooo, there! I was working out last week, watching The Food Network (makes perfect sense, right?), and I they were making chicken pot pies. I miss those things... but I don't have to! Feeling inspired, I added it to this week's meal menu. I plan our dinners out weekly, because I'm slightly OCD and I just like to have a plan (and a grocery list).
So, anyway. This is something that turned out to be pretty easy, and you could totally add boiled, chopped chicken if you wanted that. By the way, I end up using only 3/4 a can of corn, because I eat it... I can't help it.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

3 red potatoes, cubed

3/4 can corn

3/4 can peas

3 Tbsp. butter

4 Tbsp. flour

2 c. milk

2 tsp. celery flakes

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Biscuit dough of choice

How to:
Preheat the oven to 350, and begin boiling the potatoes until tender. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Toss in the carrots and celery, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Set aside the carrots and celery in a bowl. In the same skillet, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour to make a roux, and let that cook for about 5 minutes (don't let it burn!). Slowly add the milk, whisking while you pour. Let that cook until it thickens, whisking occasionally. By this time, your potatoes should be done. Grease 4 or 5 ramekins, and place the potatoes in the bottom of them. Once the roux and milk has thickened, mix in the celery flakes, garlic powder, carrots, celery, corn, and peas. Let this mixture simmer for about 5 minutes. Time to assemble! Spoon the veggie mixture and liquid into the ramekins. Top with biscuit dough, and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the biscuit is golden brown.
Serve warm and enjoy!

I kind of just adore little ramekins.

Who's going to try this and what would you add!? It turned out wonderful. Both boyfriend and his mom loved it. 

I'd love to know if you try it!

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Peanut Quinoa Bowl

I love these. I have an obsession with peanut butter, so any chance I get to eat it, I'll take it. I mean, I'll still just use a spoon and the jar, but... 

Anyway, in my quest to force boyfriend away from noodle dishes, I've been throwing quinoa into meals. It's just a wonderful little thing. If you live in the Columbus area, you've probably been to Northstar Cafe. If you haven't, make a point of going. They use all fresh, organic ingredients, and everything tastes amazing. I fell in love with the Thai Burrito, when my mom and I went there one time. It's served with the most amazing peanut sauce. I just couldn't handle it. I even dipped my chips in it.

The peanut sauce in this recipe is really similar, and it just makes me happy when I eat this. We tried these bowls the first time with half the sauce, and boyfriend was just not having it. It was too bland for him, and he likes flavor. Well, I wasn't opposed to putting more sauce on it, so here's the outcome. Pure heaven.

 (this made me think of peanut butter cream cheese frosting *drool*... until I added tamari.)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets

3/8 cup (6 Tbsp) peanut butter

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons water

3 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce)

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

Salt & pepper to taste

Chopped peanuts and green onion stalks for garnish

How to:

Bring the water to a boil and add the quinoa. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While that's going, heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the onions. Sauté until fragrant. Toss in the red pepper, and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Set the sautéed veggies aside, and add about a 1/2 cup of water to the pan, and steam the broccoli for about 2-3 minutes. Tender, but still crisp. In a bowl, whisk the peanut butter, lime juice, water, tamari, brown sugar, and ginger. Combine the cooked quinoa, veggies, and peanut butter sauce in a large bowl!
Serve warm with chopped green onion stalks, peanuts, and an extra squeeze of lime juice!

Super yummy! Don't be afraid to add extra veggies!

Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!! (: