Dine Dish Delish

Happy Thanksgiving! Top 10 Tips to Eat Right

2009-11-26T07:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful holiday with loved ones and have time to relax. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays as it brings everyone together over a delicious meal. This year I'm bringing Sweet Potato Biscuits and Dried Plum and Maple Brussels Sprouts to my Aunt's house, and Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding to Funk's family (recipe to come if it is a hit!). The dietitian in me has to offer some healthy eating tips for the holidays, no? It's in my genetic dietitian makeup.

Fellow dietitian Jenna Bell Wilson wrote a piece on Top 10 Tips to Eat Right on Thanksgiving and gathered dietitians' healthiest holiday tips. Want to know mine?

Make it worth it! Janel Ovrut MS RD LDN, Corporate Wellness Consultant in Boston, MA says, "Only eat the treats!" She notes that the holidays are a fun time to enjoy holiday-specific foods, like pumpkin pie and stuffing, so avoid foods that you can have any time of year, like bread with butter, cheese and crackers, high calorie cocktails, and box-mix brownies or cookies. Pam Beamer, RD, CDE from Buffalo, NY, agrees, "skip the rolls and butter and enjoy the sweet potato pie!" Ovrut adds that "this is a great way to avoid unnecessary calories and leave room for those holiday treats you get to enjoy once or twice a year."

Check out Top 10 Tips to Eat Right on Thanksgiving for more great tips and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Adopt a Family this Holiday Season with the Salvation Army

2009-11-25T07:16:00.001-05:00

This holiday season, Funk and I decided we wouldn't give gifts to each other. There is really nothing we want or need. Also, this time last year I was feeling the effects of the economic downturn and vowed that when things perked up for me, I'd help make it better for someone else. So this year we chose to Adopt a Family through the Salvation Army to help make others' holiday season a bit brighter. The Adopt-A-Family program matches families in need with individual or group sponsors who provide them with holiday and/or winter needs for Christmas. Without the benefit of an adoption, these families would be looking forward to a very grim holiday.

The process couldn't have been easier. I got in touch with Boston's Salvation Army and within a few hours and a quick application, we got the names, ages, and wish list of a family of three: A mom with a 13 year old daughter who loves clothes and Bath and Body Works and 11 year old son who loves clothes and the Red Sox (Funk was pleased with that). You can choose a family size of small, medium or large and we chose small.

The Salvation Army asks that you purchase a gift of up to $50/gift for the children (but you can choose to spend less), a small token for the parent, and a gift certificate to their preferred grocery store so they can enjoy a holiday meal. I could not wait to get shopping! I spent a few hours in Downtown Boston looking for cool Red Sox gear for the boy and sweet smelling Bath & Body Works goodies for the teenage girl. I treated the mom to a fuzzy pair of slippers and a holiday hot cocoa mix. Everyone got clothing and grocery gift cards.

While Christmas is still one month away, I wanted to get this post out ASAP because if you are interested in adopting a family this holiday season, there is still time! The Boston Salvation Army asks that all unwrapped gifts be dropped off by December 7th. I know there are many organizations all over the country that are similar and a quick google search will help guide you in your area. So maybe while you're out shopping this year, you'd consider getting gifts for others as well. Spread the love and holiday cheer!

Chef Funk Takes Over

2009-11-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Last week was one of those weeks when I was booked up with a meeting, appointment or event every night of the week and was majorly multi-tasking just to fit everything in. Brushing my teeth while packing lunch? Did it. De-stress yoga DVD while checking my email between poses? Ashamed to admit I did that too, while noting the irony. Fortunately Chef Funk swooped in and made sure I was at least well nourished and fixed me a delicious, huge dinner with a side of fresh cut flowers and a glass of vino. Ahh true love (I mean Funk, and the wine too I guess).

Usually Funk is a pro at prepared foods: He knows the exact crispiness oven temperature for soy nuggets, and is a master of making couscous in the microwave. But the other night he wowed me with a multi-dish dinner, including one fabulous side of Mushroom Rice Pilaf with Peas and Pomegranate Arils. He even photographed the meal like a food blogging pro!

I loved the sweet-savory combo of the rice pilaf and arils, and the peas added a punch of protein and color. Without having to measure ingredients or follow a recipe, Funk was able to whip up a stellar side dish. It could have also been the main dish, as it had a complete mix of grains, protein and fruit, and the leftovers actually turned into lunch for me the next day.

This goes to show that you don't need to be a chef or kitchen master to make a nutritious and delicious meal. Just pull some ingredients out of your freezer and cupboard and get to work. Wine and flowers optional (but they do win major bonus points).

Go Bananas for Equal Exchange

2009-11-23T07:27:00.001-05:00

The other day I popped into Stop and Shop on my way home from work to pick up some essentials. When I headed to the fruit section I saw something I hadn’t seen in the past: The option of regular bananas (Chiquita, Dole) or Equal Exchange Organic bananas. I had seen the Equal Exchange (EE) stamp on coffee, tea and chocolate before, but never bananas. So after picking up a bunch, I headed home to do some research. Low and behold Stop and Shop is a grocer that has newly introduced EE bananas to their bunch! This is exciting news.

Recently I’ve started to pay more attention to where my food is coming from. That’s not to say I require all of my food to be local or even organic, but I like to know a bit more about it’s origin. My interest in this was heightened even more when I was on the POM Blogger Harvest Tour. As we drove by eggplant, artichoke, and garlic farms, and saw cotton bushes (I had never seen cotton growing before!) and orange trees, I realized that while I try to purchase mainly whole foods, I still don’t think about all of the work that went into growing those foods. When we were at the POM plant and watched farmers drive truckloads of pomegranates to the plant that they picked that morning, I was struck by how much work goes into just one bottle of juice and that someone actually hand picked every single piece of fruit. Sure this is obvious info but how often do you actually stop and think about it?

That’s exactly what I did when I got my Equal Exchange bananas. Equal Exchange partners with co-operatives of farmers who provide high quality, organic coffee, chocolate, teas and snacks from all over the world. This system supports small farmer co-ops and uses sustainable farming practices. All along I knew that paying a higher price for these goods meant a little extra cash was going to the farmers who were supplying it, but I didn’t think much further than that.

While peeling through some EE banana websites (Ha! Get it? Oh banana humor), I learned that banana farmers are treated unfairly and have horrible working conditions. Typically, bananas are grown on large plantations where workers earn low wages and experience poor living and working conditions. This production system pushes the price of bananas down to a point at which small farmers cannot compete. In addition, heavy chemical use causes health problems in communities surrounding the plantations. Many of us may think about how organic eating can benefit us without thinking about how those same chemicals can significantly harm the health of the growers.

Equal Exchange only works with small farmers that have formed democratic co-operatives in order to reach the global market. The farmers own their land and have control of their business. The EE bananas are organically grown – so no harmful chemicals are used and the farmers are working in healthier, cleaner environments. By buying Equal Exchange bananas, you are using your purchasing power to make the world a better place. Yes they carry a higher price tag than say Dole regular bananas, but the mark up money is well spent. Last year approximately 1.8 million dollars went from EE bananas to the banana farmers in Ecuador to be used for things like schools and health centers.

This really struck a chord with me as a food Blogger and dietitian. I write and work to help improve the health of others, which of course includes encouraging nutritious foods, such as bananas. Bananas are one of the most commonly consumed fruits. Many families buy bunches each week and kids tend to favor them over all fruits. But by making a choice in our food system with a fruit we already eat and enjoy, and choosing EE products, we can not only improve our own health, but also the health and wellbeing of its farmers. It feels empowering to know that the foods we choose to buy can have a positive influence on others’ lives.

Please join me in supporting these hard working farmers and choose Equal Exchange. If you live in Massachusetts, check to see if your local Stop and Shop has the EE bananas and if not, encourage the store to carry them!

Check out some of these great resources for more information:

A blog about one woman’s experience in Ecuador learning about Fair Trade

The Equal Exchange website

The Equal Exchange Bananas website

A fellow Registered Dietitian I know works at Equal Exchange, and I was able to get a lot of inside scoop about EE from her. She has a fun prize for a Dine Dish Delish reader but you have to click on my reviews site (Dine Dish Delish Reviews) to find out what you need to do to win (and what the prize is)!

Disclaimer: I am not being paid by Equal Exchange to promote their banans. I just support their fantastic cause!

Yoga in a Toga with Stonyfield Farm Oikos Yogurt

2009-11-22T20:55:00.006-05:00

I recently saw a contest sponsored by Stonyfield Farm Oikos Yogurt. Although dairy doesn't love me, I do love Stonyfield Farm and always promote that brand of yogurt to my clients. I also love yoga and for the past few years have been dreaming of one day going to the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Lenox, MA. I have heard it is a phenomenal, life changing experience. Wow! Low and behold, Stonyfield Farm Oikos Yogurt is having a contest to win an all expense paid trip for two to Kripalu. Count me in! My friend Nicole and I have actually promised each other that one day (when we have an extra three thousand dollars to spend on a weekend of yoga), we'd buy each other a trip to Kripalu. Winning this trip would be an even better way to get us there!

It's easy to enter. You can:

A) Share a brief story about why you need to relax and say “Ohm.”

B) Share a recipe you create or tip using Oikos yogurt.

C) Post a photo of you doing yoga in a toga (Oikos is Greek yogurt after all!).

All entries (your post is your entry) must include a link to the Facebook fan page , and be emailed to oikos@360publicrelations.com by November 30, 2009 – and you’ll be entered to win! The winner will be selected at random and notified by 12/15/09.

I decided to go with the Yoga in a Toga entry. Man, how did those Greeks do it? I could hardly do a downward dog without a toga mishap! Thanks Stonyfield for this fantastic contest. Kripalu...hope to see you soon! (But I'm leaving my toga at home.)

Homemade Pumpkin Sage Ravioli

2009-11-20T06:30:00.002-05:00

I love pumpkin ravioli. So much that I decided to make my own. You may remember when Toni and I made Mushroom Ravioli that was unbelievably good and not outrageously hard to make. (Hi Tones!) This time around I created my own recipe that wound up being a perfect batch of homemade pumpkin ravioli.

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
Grapeseed or canola oil
Fresh sage (about 10 leaves, chopped)
1/3 cup soy cheese
Salt to taste
Dash of cinnamon
15 ounces canned pumpkin
1 package Nasoya won ton wraps

For the sauce:
1 cup vegetable broth

1. Dice and sauté the onion and fresh sage in a pan until the onion is browned and beginning to caramelize. Add the can of pumpkin, salt to taste, and a dash of cinnamon and cook until mixture is heated thoroughly. Put mixture in a bowl and mix in cheese, which will melt into the pumpkin.

2. On a flat surface, place one won ton wrap. Drop about a teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture onto the wrapper.

3. Brush all four sides of the wrapper with water using your fingertip. Place second won ton wrap on top and press down all four sides with a fork. Repeat with all won ton wraps.

You can either make 48 small ravioli (by folding the won ton in half) or 24 large ravioli, which is what I did.

Heat water to a rapid boil and gently drop in the ravioli. Boil 5-10 minutes until the wrap is cooked through and slightly translucent. Place in a strainer to drain off water.

You should have about a cup of pumpkin mixture left that didn’t fit in the won tons. I pureed this with my immersion blender with 1 cup of vegetable broth and poured it over the ravioli.

Since this is my blog, I’m going to brag. These were so good. They weren’t like your typical ravioli that are stuffed with gobs of cheese. They were light and melted in my mouth. Funk gave them rave reviews (he is my biggest – and only – critic so his reviews are critical!). The sauce is thin like the texture of tomato soup, and tasted great drizzled over the ravioli adding even more pumpkin flavor. If you’re looking for a thicker sauce, I’d recommend using about ½ cup of vegetable broth or adding more pumpkin, or even pureeing in a can of white beans for a thicker, heartier sauce. I had a Twitter follower ask if these ravioli are vegan and I said Yes! Until I remembered No! The won ton wraps contain egg whites. If anyone knows of vegan won tons, please let me know!

I made these on Sunday night when I had a bit more time than on a typical weeknight. But they were worth all of the effort that went into them. It was like a craft project for our bellies. Some meals are just meant to be labored over, and this was one of them.

What’s the most labor intensive meal you’ve ever made? Was it for a holiday, a loved one, or just because you wanted to enjoy a good meal all to yourself?

DIY Edible Gifts:Holiday Food Fest

2009-11-19T09:42:00.004-05:00

I'm back with another Holiday Food Fest Post! This week's theme is Edible Gifts, and perfect timing because I just lead a seminar this week on healthy holiday gifts! I really like making gifts for others. It brings out my crafty side and they're always a bit more meaningful than something picked up at Target. Here are some Do It Yourself Gift Basket ideas to make this holiday season.

For the Coffee Connoisseur, fill a basket with:
•Gourmet coffee
•Hand-held milk frother
•Flavored syrup
•Travel mug
•French Press Coffee Maker
•Chocolate covered coffee beans

For the New Chef, fill a basket with:
•Measuring cups
•Mixing spoons
•Mixing bowl
•Kitchen timer
•Apron and pot holder
•Cook book

For the Dessert Maker, fill a basket with:
•Non-stick cupcake cups
•Cake decorations (frosting, candles)
•Decorative frosting tips
•Cupcake cookbook
•Cake stand

For the Mexican Cuisine Sampler, fill a basket with:
•Gourmet salsa varieties
•Mixed dry beans
•Chili peppers
•Mexican spices
•Tortilla press
•Brightly colored kitchen towels or plates
•Mexican cuisine cookbook

For the Green Thumb, fill a basket with:
•Decorative planter
•Seed starter kits
•Herb plants
•Herb growing guide/cookbook
•AeroGrow Garden (hint hint...this is #1 on my wish list!)

For the Grill Master, fill a basket with:
•Grill tongs
•Meat/veggie marinades
•BBQ/grill cedar chips
•Grilling cook book
•Metal grilling skewers
•Vegetable grill pan

For the French Cuisine Sampler, fill a basket with:
•Variety of cheese
•Cheese cutting board and slicer
•French wine
•Gourmet Dijon mustard
•Gourmet jam
•Mastering the Art of French Cooking cookbook

For the Japanese Cuisine Sampler, fill a basket with:
•Decorative chopsticks
•Sushi rolling mats
•Wasabi powder
•Tea set
•Sushi making cookbook

Are you making anything to give this holiday season? I'd love to hear about it!

EA Sports Active Wii Interactive Fitness Test Drive

2009-11-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend Sarah (remember her from my diet.com videos?) invited me to test drive EA, the Wii interactive fitness game system at the EA Fitness Lounge in Boston. I'm not a big video game player (zero attention span, and cartoons make my eyes glaze over) but was interested in trying EA to see if it was worth the workout. I have had clients use Wii Fit and seem to love it, so I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype and qualified as an actual workout.

I met Tina, Jessica, Elizabeth, and Sarah at the Fitness Lounge at 156 Newbury Street in Boston for an hour-long session. We learned all about the EA Sports Active and More Workouts and got to try them. The Fitness Lounge is open through the holidays and locals are invited to stop in at any time for a free workout! Boston bloggers are especially encouraged to bring a group in for a trial session.

I teamed up with Elizabeth for some friendly competition. We put on the EA leg strap, grabbed our controllers (numb chucks?) and got moving. We did a workout that included dancing, tennis, volleyball, and even inline skating. The inline skating required some seriously deep squats and high jumps - I was definitely getting a good workout there. I loved tennis, and it made me want to get outside on the courts! Playing volleyball reminded me how terrible of a volleyball player I was in high school! I didn't do any better at EA v.ball either, for the record.

Some pros of EA:

We definitely got our heart rates going and worked up a sweat.
We had a blast!
EA would make a great workout for those days you just don't want to go outside or get to the gym.

Some cons of EA:

There was a lot of standing around trying to pick our workout from the menu. I expect once you get used to the system, this is a breeze but I wanted to get going!
There was a calorie counter that I can't imagine is accurate. The system didn't even ask for my height/weight (I think I could enter it somewhere if I wanted it to) so there is no way it was 100% on target, but it was a good reference.
It is easy to slack off while playing. You could choose to move your feet and bounce around to keep your heart rate up, or you could lazily swing your "tennis racquet" or bump your volleyball arms without exerting much effort, therefore getting a weak workout.
However, I fully support anything that is active and if this system gets people off the couch and into a workout routine, I'm all for it. For me, though, I prefer the real deal, whether it's on a tennis court, shooting at a real basketball hoop, or running a race.

Have you ever tried Wii EA? Or is it on this year's holiday wish list? I'd love to hear what you think about it!

Delicious (Healthy) Chocolate Coconut PB Truffles and Guest Post

2009-11-17T07:34:00.001-05:00

Today as part of my nutrition seminar I’m presenting to Tufts Health Plan, I’m doing a holiday treat cooking demo. I just started getting into presenting more cooking demos for my corporate wellness gigs and love them. Instead of telling people how to eat well, I show them how to eat well.

With the holidays coming up, I decided to show the group how to whip up a no-cook, nutritionally satisfying, sweet treat that they can make for holiday parties or food-gifts. One of my Twitter followers suggested this recipe for Delicious Healthy Truffles a while back when I was looking for a no-bake recipe and I’m glad she did. I made it a month ago at another cooking demo and they were a huge hit. Looking at the ingredient list, you may be surprised…prunes?!?!

Prunes are chock full of antioxidants, fiber, and flavor! They’re the softest, juiciest dried fruit and they’re so satisfying. Let’s call them “dried plums,” shall we? Prunes sound so…old. One of my last cooking demo participants stated she hates dried plums, but loved this recipe and even took extras home for her family to try. Maybe you can become a dried plum convert too.

Even Funk, who doesn’t love coconut and doesn’t like peanut butter in his desserts (weirdo) liked these truffles. They’re sweet and soft and taste like dark chocolate. With only 60 calories per truffle and heart-healthy unsaturated fats, you can feel good about enjoying these sweet treats during the holidays.

Ingredients
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup pitted dates
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Directions
Chop dates and prunes into small pieces, then squish together with a fork (use a sturdy, large bowl). Add peanut butter and maple syrup and mix together. Add cocoa and mix thoroughly. Roll mixture into bite-size pieces and roll in coconut to cover. Refrigerate and eat!

___

Also, today I guest posted on Silly Tater Tot. Katy (a Syracuse Grad and Triathlete - woo hoo!) is going vegan for a week and is documenting it on her blog. Click here to see what vegan tips and advice I gave, and follow her for the week (and beyond of course) to see how she's doing!

Red Lentil Restaurant in Watertown, MA

2009-11-16T08:14:00.005-05:00

A few months ago, after Funk and I returned from a vegetarian eating frenzy on our trip to San Francisco and Napa Valley, I lamented that there just aren’t enough vegetarian restaurants in Boston. We’re in a happenin’ city, yet at best, most restaurants will only offer a cheesy veggie burger or hummus wrap – both of which I can make much better at home for a fraction of the price. Then just at the right time I received an email from the Boston Vegetarian Society that Red Lentil, a new vegetarian and vegan restaurant was open in Watertown, MA, just a few miles outside of Boston and the menu looked incredible.

This past Friday night I was so excited to check out Red Lentil with some fellow nutrition ladies and food bloggers. Lindsey, Jess, Elizabeth, Corrine and I made a dinner reservation which was very smart, since Red Lentil probably seats only 35 guests at a time. We started with some Pan Seared Breaded Portobella Strips, which were tender and lightly crispy with a zesty mango chutney and red pepper coulis. They looked just like chicken fingers! We also shared a hummus and pita platter and every time I have homemade hummus, I remember how much better it is than the packaged variety!

I ordered the vegan Butternut Squash Polenta, which jumped right off the menu page at me since I love butternut squash and polenta and figured combined, they’d taste even better. I was right! But I did have a hard time deciding what to order as every single menu option looked like one I’d enjoy. I can say that happens for me just about never in a restaurant. My dish included grilled polenta, oyster mushroom ragout, and warmed sesame asparagus drizzled with cilantro sunflower seed pesto. Heavenly.

We all ordered something different, and had bites of each other’s. Every dish was as good as the next. We wrapped up our meal with a slice of vegan carrot cake and vegan chocolate cake for the table. You could tell they had been sitting in the fridge before they were served to us - they had a slight refrigerator taste - but I still thought they were tasty, especially the carrot cake frosting! My three-course meal (with pretty big-sized portions) only came to $22 including tip.

If you’re in the Boston area, this restaurant is a must. Even if you’re intimidated by seitan, tempeh, and macrobiotics, there are some simple standards on the menu like nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and pizza.

I know this restaurant will become a go-to place, and already can’t wait to take Funk there. Another awesome perk? Once a month I consult at a location just steps away from Red Lentil. I can’t think of a better place to treat myself to lunch! As luck would have it, I’m consulting there tomorrow. It’d be a first for me that I hit up the same restaurant twice in one week, but hey, it’s just that good.

Holiday Food Fest, POM Contest, oh and a recipe

2009-11-12T09:46:00.009-05:00

Today's post is a loaded one. Not only do I have a yummy recipe for you, but it also ties in to Holiday Food Fest and National Pomegranate Month and a sweet giveaway. Shirley, who I met on the POM Blogger Tour, is the blogger behind Gluten Free Easily and boy does she know her gluten free stuff. She invited me to participate in a bloggers' Holiday Food Fest - to link one of my posts during a food-themed week to share with other bloggers and readers. Hop on over to Tasty Eats at Home to check out more Fall Dishes, which is this week's theme.

It's also National Pomegranate Month, the height of the pomegranate season! To celebrate, I cooked up a pomegranate-fall-themed-dish for dinner last night and the wonderful people at POM offered to send two of my readers some POM goodies. Click on over to my Dine Dish Delish Review site to enter to win!

Now on to the recipe. I'll call it Pomegranate Quinoa with Peas and Celery. That's not only the title, but also the ingredient list!

1 cup quinoa - rinsed and drained in cold water

2 cups POMx iced tea - I used the hibiscus green tea but you could use any flavor, or POM juice, or even plain old water or vegetable broth

1.5 cups frozen peas

5 celery stalks, diced
salt to taste

After rinsing the quinoa, bring quinoa and POMx tea to a boil. Once you're at a rapid boil, lower heat to a simmer, add the celery, peas and salt, and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut open your pomegranate verrrryyyy gently so the arils don't pop and splatter all over your white ocuntertops and white cabinets. I cut off a thin slice from the top, and make a shallow slice on one side then grip my pomegranate on either side and crack it open. Tip: I do this in a bowl of water so if those arils are going to pop, they're not going to pop all over me or my white kitchen! Then just poke and prod the arils out into the water, drain, and voila! Nearly two cups of gorgeous ruby red arils.

Once the quinoa is done cooking, stir in one cup of the pomegranate arils and your dish is done!

This meal is packed with protein from the quinoa and peas, fiber from the quinoa, veggies, and fruit, and an antioxidant overload from the POMx iced tea and arils. It was a sweet and savory dish that we enjoyed piping hot. And no, it didn't taste like iced tea! The POMx tea added a subtle flavor of hibiscus but nothing overpowering. I love adding sweet fruit into my savory dishes so this one hit the spot.

Happy Holiday Food Fest and National POMegranate Month - don't forget to head to Dine Dish Delish Reviews to enter to win!

Katie's Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness

2009-11-11T07:56:00.004-05:00

The other day, while spending way too long perusing the blog world, I came across Chocolate Covered Katie's blog, linked over from Heather Eats Almond Butter (remember her from my POM trip?). There I read Katie's post about Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness and her mission to raise money on her blog to give to charity. The best part about it is she makes it so EASY to give! All you have to do is click on her blog...multiple times! And if you're a blog junkie like me, you're already doing it anyway. No fundraising, no PayPal, just click over and read her blog.

Katie, like many well-read bloggers, makes some spare change writing her blog and every time she gets a page view: cha-ching! I love that she's decided to put this money to good use for her favorite charity, The Enough Project.

Here's more from Katie:

What can you do to help? Spread the word! If you have a blog, please help me get the word out by blogging about, or even just mentioning, the “Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness” page view charity drive on your blog. (Feel free to use the logo as well.)

Throughout the month, blog about, and link to, ANY chocolatecoveredkatie.com post (such as a Chocolate-Covered Recipe). Each time someone clicks on any link to my blog, more money will be earned for the cause. Good time to make Fudge Babies or Peanut Butter Babies, perhaps? Or Banana Butter… or Melted Banana Trick oats?

During the month, click on as many pages/links on my blog as you can. Each post you click on, and each link you follow, earns more money for the charity drive. Or, when you see my posts in Google Reader, simply click on the posts instead of reading them in Google Reader format (which doesn’t translate to any page views).

Browse the Chocolate-Covered Recipes, read up on processed foods or veganism for omnivores in the FAQ section, find every flavor oatmeal imaginable in All-things-Oatmeal, see “My Life in Cupcakes” in the About Me section, check out the Most Popular, or just peruse old posts.

So go ahead and click on over to Katie to assist her with this generous and thoughtful mission!

Announcing Dine Dish Delish's Reviews Site!

2009-11-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ok readers, it's been too long. A few weeks ago I was flown out to sunny California for the first ever POM Wonderful Blogger Harvest Tour and because of some blog-um-regulations, I wasn't able to post any reviews on the wonderful-ness of POM! So I started a Dine Dish Delish Review site where I can post reviews to my heart's content!

So please hop on over to Dine Dish Delish Reviews (http://dinedishdelishreviews.blogspot.com) to read about my amazing experience on the POM Tour in three different posts.

I'll be posting future reviews there as well and will always direct you that way when I do. And eventually when I get my act together, this entire blog site will be getting a makeover. Stay tuned!

Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars from Megan’s Munchies

2009-11-09T06:30:00.001-05:00

While I own a solid collection of cookbooks, I prefer to search for recipes online. It’s much easier to Google, “quick-easy-vegan-broccoli-containing-no-ginger-recipe” and see what the world wide web spits out in return. This is also why I love the many thousands of new food blogs that pop up online daily. It’s like having free cookbooks at my fingertips tried by good ol’ regular people like myself who might not have culinary expertise.

So I was happy to land on Megan’s Munchies food blog. She always has such great looking sweet treats and beautiful photography. And she seems to love pumpkin-anything, just like me. I saw – and drooled over – her post for Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars, and was sold when I saw they were also vegan (my kind of baking!).

Funk and I headed to NYC this past weekend to visit friends and see my Grandparents. I figured it’d be a perfect time to try out this recipe on them.

The recipe couldn’t be any easier, and with the whole wheat flour, entire can of pumpkin, oats and applesauce, it’s pretty nutritious too! The only problem I found was that my batter didn’t cover more than 2/3 of my 9x13” pan. That may or may not be because I ate half of the batter raw – whoops! Nice perk of vegan baking…no raw eggs! I also topped only half of the batter with shredded coconut since Funk isn’t a fan.

I tasted these right out of the oven and they were delish. Funk commented that they didn’t really taste much like pumpkin, which is good news if you don’t like squash flavored desserts.

Our NYC hosts and my Grandparents loved what I baked up. The bars were a hit!

Pumpkin Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars from Megan’s Munchies

Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg or vegan egg substitute equivalent (I used 1T ground flax mixed with 3T warm water)
1 can pumpkin
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 – 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Directions

Mix sugar, applesauce, egg, and pumpkin until well blended.

Stir in flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and chocolate chips.

Pour into a prepared 13 x 9 inch pan. Spread it out evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle on the coconut.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan completely before cutting into bars. Enjoy!

Dried Plum and Maple Brussels Sprouts from Zesty Cook

2009-11-06T06:39:00.001-05:00

Lately you may have noticed there has been another man besides Funk in my kitchen. Scandal! Yep, last week I brought Zesty’s recipe into my kitchen and made his amazing apple crisp recipe. I loved every last bite of it (Funk is not a big dessert eater, so someone has to finish it off!)

This week I brought Zesty of Zesty Cook back to cook with me and tried his Figged and Maple Brussels Sprouts recipe. Did you know its BrusselS sprouts and not Brussel sprouts?! News to me! I wholeheartedly love Brussels sprouts and had never even tried them until just a few years ago. My favorite way to enjoy them is simply roasted with some oil, salt and pepper. Funk isn’t completely sold on them, finding brussles sprouts a bit too bitter. So I saw this sweetened b.sprout recipe as one that he might warm up to.

I naturally used vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock in this recipe. But one bigger swap I made was using dried plums in place of the dried figs. I didn’t have any figs on hand, but had a big container of antioxidant packed dried plums. You may be wondering why I’m calling them “dried plums” instead of their standard moniker: prunes. Because prunes sound gross and they have such a negative connotation in the food world – think staple snack in senior centers around the globe. But if you give them a taste, you’ll find they’re plump, moist, and delicious, and they’re so darn healthy for you it’s worth it to coin them “dried plums” just to get past the prune pessimism. I think my dried plums worked wonderfully in this recipe.

Here’s a note from Zesty:
As far as simplicity goes, this dish is very easy to make yet packs that powerful aroma when serving. You could serve this as a side dish for almost anything – fish, chicken, pork, beef – you name it. It could also be served as the star of the show if you so desired.

Ingredients
2 Cups Brussels Sprouts ( halved )
2 Figs ( Dried and chopped finely ) – I used 5 dried plums
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil – I used canola oil
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock – I used vegetable
1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
Salt and Pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees Celsius.

In a bowl, add halved Brussels sprouts and coat with olive oil (canola) and salt and pepper.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread Brussels sprouts out evenly to prepare for roasting.

Roast for 20-30 minutes until done.

In a small sauce pan, add chicken (vegetable) stock and figs (dried plums) and bring to a gentle boil. Then turn to simmer and let reduce. Add maple syrup and continue to let it reduce for 10-15 minutes.

Once the Brussels sprouts are fully roasted, remove the pan from the oven and pour the maple fig mixture on top. Toss to coat evenly and place back in the oven until ready to serve. Enjoy!

I believe this dish made 4 servings. I took care of at least 2 of those servings. They were DIVINE. Oh my goodness, I used absolutely no table manners when scarfing these veggies down. I love the combo of bitter-sweet-salty and they tasted almost candied. Brussels sprouts are no dinky veggie either – they’re hearty, filling, and don’t wilt or get pushed around the plate.

I couldn’t wait for Funk to come home to try them. Success! When I asked if he was now sold on Brussels sprouts he said, “If you make them like this!” Now I think he’s a fan of every veggie I’ve ever made. Be still my heart! See, it was well worth it to have another man in my kitchen (ok another man’s recipes) this week to woo with food the man in my heart. Awwww.

These photos are courtesy of Zesty, who took much better shots than I did!

Easy Creamy Pumpkin Soup

2009-11-05T07:14:00.002-05:00

I don't like to waste any food, which is why I turned Saturday's Halloween decoration into Sunday night's dinner. This cute little pumpkin made our apartment feel festive for Halloween, but once the calendar flipped to November 1st, I was ready to eat it!

Certain pumpkins are better than others for cooking and baking. The pumpkin we had was a sugar pumpkin, which is smaller and sweeter than the pumpkins you pick for Jack-o-lanterns. Actually, a few years ago, I didn't know this. I decided to take my mom's former Jack-o-lantern and turn it into some pumpkin stew. We baked the pumpkin for hours and then mom took an electric carving knife to it. It wasn't worth the work, and didn't even taste good! But after all that effort I did use every last bite of that pumpkin in soups and stews.

This year I went with the five pound or so sugar pumpkin. I cut it open (no electric knife required) and scraped out all of the seeds. I cut the pumpkin into wedges and baked it in a 400 degree oven for only about 20 minutes until the pieces were soft.

Meanwhile I rinsed off the seeds and sprinkled some salt on them and baked those for less than 10 minutes so we could snack .

Once the pumpkin pieces were baked, I let them cool then scraped off the skin, which came off very easily. I chopped up a shallot and sauteed it in a pot with a little bit of olive oil. Then I added the pumpkin and three cups of vegetable broth and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Meanwhile I opened and rinsed a can of white kidney beans and dumped them in the pot along with some salt, pepper, and ground sage to taste. The beans were to add a punch of protein, but also make the soup a creamy one, without adding high fat and calorie cream. After simmering the pot for 10 or so minutes, I turned off the heat and turned on my immersion blender. In a matter of seconds I was able to blend my soup into a creamy consistency.

Although this soup only had three main ingredients - broth, pumpkin and white beans - it was incredibly flavorful and rich. We topped the soup with some seeds for added crunch. Our bowls were just brimming with nutrients: fiber, powerful antioxidants, and protein from the pumpkin and beans. This recipe made 4 big servings of soup for dinner, but would make about six smaller bowls if served as an appetizer or side. If you're looking for a simple soup to add to your Thanksgiving menu, give this a go.

Baked Apple Crisp: Recipe from Zesty Cook

2009-11-04T06:45:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to make Apple Crisp all fall. Apples are one of my favorite foods, and of course, my favorite fruit. There are just so many varieties! There is only one I won't eat, and that's Red Delicious. Otherwise, I'm an apple-a-day gal.

I had a fridge full of extra apples from a recent cooking demo I did - it was a mix of Fuji, McIntosh and Gala. I know certain apple varieties are better baked than others but I can never tell the difference and don't discriminate in my apple baking. I recently saw an apple crisp recipe from Zesty on Zesty Cook's blog and decided to use it with (of course) some ingredient modifications.

Ingredients:
8 Cups sliced apples - I used 6 big apples and kept the skin on (more nutrients!)
1/4 Cup White Sugar
2 Tbsp. Flour
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Cup flour - I used 3/4 Cup whole wheat pastry flour (more fiber!)
3/4 Cup brown sugar - I cut this down to 1/2 cup
1/2 Cup soft butter - I used Earth Balance

I also added in a packet (1/2 cup) of instant maple brown sugar oatmeal to get some more good whole grains in there. This allowed me to cut back on some of the sugar and flour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking dish by rubbing butter (Earth Balance) all over it.

Combine apples, white sugar, 2 Tbsp. Flour and cinnamon in a large bowl and mix together.

Toss into baking dish and spread evenly.

For the topping combine the final 3 ingredients (4 if you're also adding oats) and spread evenly over the top of the apple mixture.

Bake for 45-60 minutes depending on your oven.

Remove and let rest. Serve warm or cool.

This was so good. I'd actually increase the oats and decrease the amount of sugar the next time I make this, but for the recipe I went with, it was perfectly crisped, sweet, and tart at the same time. Sure it makes a great dessert, but I think I liked it best when I mixed it into my morning bowl of oatmeal. Thanks for the great recipe, Zesty!

Turnip Lentil Bake

2009-11-03T06:31:00.000-05:00

The other day my mom got me one of those pre-packaged, peeled and diced packages of turnips. I love root veggies and hadn't enjoyed turnips yet this season so I was excited to find a new recipe for them. But if you do a recipe search for turnips, you'll mostly come up with something along the lines of roasted root veggies. Don't get me wrong, I love roasting root veggies, but I was looking for something with a little more culinary creativity. Coming up short on my favorite recipe websites, I decided to create my own dish.

I love turnips, Funk loves lentils, and with both of these ingredients in the fridge, they were destined to be the perfect pair.

In a large casserole dish, I combined the diced turnips with the pre-cooked and packaged lentils from Trader Joes. There might have been about 2-3 cups of cooked lentils in the package, so plan on that if you're going to make this using dry lentils.

I also mixed in the equivalent of two egg whites (I used Ener-g egg replacer), but I found this ingredient was unnecessary, so you can leave it out. I then added in about 1/2 cup of shredded soy cheese, and a big bunch of chopped fresh dill. I used dill because I happened to have it in my fridge, and it really added some nice flavor. But if you happen to have fresh sage lying around, try that. I think sage goes so well with root veggies and hearty lentils. Any fresh herbs will add a nice dose of healthy antioxidants.

I dashed in some salt and pepper to taste and baked it in the 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. For the first 30 minutes I baked it covered, and left the cover off for the last 10 minutes. The cheese held everything together well once baked and there was a nice crisp on the top.

This dish was so stick-to-your-ribs good thanks to the protein packed lentils and filling, fibrous turnips and lentils. I'm glad I branched away from the usual roasted root veggies to create this casserole.

Happy Halloween from Julia Child and Big Baby

2009-11-02T08:07:00.010-05:00

Good morning, readers! Did you have a happy Halloween weekend? What did you dress as?

Usually I know months in advance what my costume will be and I start sewing or creating it early on. This year Halloween snuck up on me and I was completely unprepared! Fortunately just days before the Halloween party we went to, I came up with my costume: Julia Child! It seemed fitting since I've read Julie & Julia and organized an event to watch the movie with other foodies over the summer. I'm also currently reading Julia Child's My Life in France for the Massachusetts Dietetic Association's Book Club meeting next week. I feel like I've been channeling Julia for the past few months!

Dressing myself in an apron, pumps, set of pearls, and an "I love cooking" button, and armed with a chicken (fake, of course) and mixing spoon, I felt I looked the part, and everyone at the party seemed to know who I was dressed as!

We were cutting it close for Funk's costume, and the night before Halloween it came to me: he'd go as the Celtics player nicknamed Big Baby (who is also a big jerk for punching his friend and breaking his thumb - but it was a nice addition to Funk's costume).

Funk dressed in some Celtics gear and bandaged his thumb. I wrapped a cloth diaper on him, which was a first, and off we went. Success! Everyone seemed to guess who he was dressed as, too.

Funk's old roommate Chris was the host of the Halloween party and we were entertained to see him also wearing an adult diaper dressed as a different kind of big baby. It got me wondering if these two old roomies used to walk around their apartment together wearing adult-sized diapers. They seemed to really enjoy it...

Some friends showed up in my favorite costume of the night: the Twitter search word #costume. Genius! But only really if you're a Twitter nerd. Most people at that party had no clue what they were.

Who were you for Halloween?

The Funk & Janel Duo do the Wrentham Halloween Duathlon

2009-10-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I caught the multi-sport bug when I completed my first triathlon. I loved the event, and even the training that went with it. Apparently Funk caught the bug watching me train and compete and we both decided we wanted to do an event like that together.

Since we both love cycling and running, we figured a duathlon would hit the spot so we signed up for the Wrentham Halloween Duathlon sometime in the summer. This event is a 3 mile run, followed by an 11 mile bike, and finished with a 2 mile run. I like that duathlons don't involve swimming, which is the hardest sport for me and of course October is too chilly to swim outside!

I wish I could say we trained hard, but a busy fall got in the way along with some hindering injuries and we went to the race with a fun, do-the-best-you-can-do attitude.

We couldn't have had more perfect weather on race day. The sky was blue, the sun was out and halfway through the race I was peeling off layers as the temperature got warmer. There were 300+ participants in this race, which seems tiny to me compared to the 3,000+ in my triathlon and 7,000+ in my recent 10k. You could tell there were some fierce competitors in the event as well as people in it just for a day of fun. It was entertaining too, to see some participants dressed in Halloween costumes. I considered wearing last year's Ketchup costume but thought it wasn't very aerodynamic. It was obviously a co-ed event which got my nerves up a little. I prefer all-female races that always feel so empowering. But let me tell you, running by men on the road and whizzing by guys on the bike was also pretty empowering too!

I also found myself running along side the Hoyts during some of the race. Know them? They're an inspirational father-son duo who have competed in over 1,000 races together including triathlons and Ironman.

Rick has been afflicted with cerebral palsy from birth. In running events, Dick pushes his son in front of him in a specially designed wheelchair. In cycling, Rick rides in a carriage attached to the handlebars. In swimming, Dick pulls Rick along on a raft strapped to his waist. Check out the Hoyt's website to learn more.

I've seen them run a few Boston Marathons, but it was amazing watching Dick bike with his son sitting on the bike as well (I could hardly bike myself up those hills let alone another person sitting on my bike!). One word: wow. Dick is nearing 70 years old and isn't ready to quit. As I ran next to the Hoyts I said to them, "You're an inspiration. Thanks!" and spent the rest of the race reminding myself how lucky I am to be able to run and bike and be active.

Funk and I both had a fantastic race. The run portion was flat and short, while the bike portion had some of the most extreme hills I've ever ridden on. I actually started to get more daring on the downhills instead of riding the breaks like I usually do! For me, I can kill the up-hills, but it's the downhill part I'm a wus at! Funk rocked the bike portion too, even though his chain came off the bike twice.

We both finished strong and feeling good. Funk came in at about 1:15 and me at 1:19 with our parents cheering on the sidelines. We've already been thinking about future races to do together, possibly as a relay team, or rather duathlon duo.

Random Ingredient Dinner for 1

2009-10-28T06:37:00.000-04:00

This week I had three glorious posts scheduled to go up on my blog detailing my amazing POM Wonderful Blogger Harvest Tour experience. But with some technical, er, glitches, I have to put them on hold for a bit. However you can check out the beautiful blogs of the following people to read up on all of the fun we had in Cali!

So to fill that suddenly blank blog space, I'll share with you the dinner experiment I whipped up the other night. Funk was out on the town, and I use those solo nights to whip up dinners made from random ingredients lying around the kitchen. Sometimes these meals are just...eh...and sometimes they wind up being meals I reproduce, even when Funk is home. Actually, the majority of the meals I create for the two of us are big culinary experiments, but with slightly more planning ahead, but I digress.

Last night I parused my fridge and found: a slice of homemade whole wheat beer bread my mom gave me, a bag of kale, a macintosh apple that never made it into the fruit drawer with the rest of them, and some shredded soy cheese. Minutes later - dinner was served!

I sauteed the cut kale in some grapeseed oil and a splash of red wine vinegar. I also diced up the apple and tossed that in and sauteed until the kale wilted. Meanwhile I toasted the beer bread slightly. When all was said and done, I topped the bread with the kale and apples and sprinkled on some soy cheese which melted on the spot. The only thing missing from this meal was Funk. But for a solo dinner on a busy weeknight, it sure hit the spot.

What are some culinary creations (or disasters) you've come up with using random ingredients?

ADA's FNCE 2009 Denver: My Highlights

2009-10-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

I recently attend the annual American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference (FNCE) in Denver, Colorado. This conference brings together thousands of dietitians from around the country to learn about the latest research in nutrition, network and schmooze with other like-minded professionals, and of course taste hundreds of new food products on the market from bars to gluten-free baked goods. This is my third time attending FNCE and I always leave the conference inspired, excited, jazzed up about my profession with a long list of “to-dos” and enough ideas to last me to the next conference.

This year I was invited to attend the conference to have a face-to-face meeting with ADA’s Member Value Committee. I am one of the new members of this passionate committee and Chair the New Member Sub-Committee with other fantastic dietitians.

My days in Denver were jam-packed with so many exciting events and happenings, but here are some of my personal highlights:

Reunion! The best part about these annual conferences is that it’s a built-in reunion with some of my best friends from my graduate program at Tufts University. It’s nice to see old classmates who are in different parts of the country in exciting nutrition jobs.

Our opening speaker was finance guru Suze Orman. I’ve read Suze’s books, watched her TV show and laughed at the SNL skit of her and her jackets (yes, she donned a snazzy leather jacket when she spoke). Suze was one of the most powerful, influential speakers I’ve ever heard. She made all of us think twice about our finances, from 401ks to paying off credit cards, buying houses, and how to feel financially secure. I loved that ADA chose a speaker who is not in the nutrition field, but whose information can apply to all dietitians.

I went to the Nutrition Entrepreneurs and Dietitians in Business and Communications networking event Saturday night. I get daily emails from the Nutrition Entrepreneurs group and am always encouraged and inspired by some of the nutrition big-wigs who contribute to the group. I was giddy as I found myself sharing a table with the Nutrition Twins Tammy and Lyssie who I’ve admired for years once I learned of them when I was in college. They were so upbeat and friendly and let me gush about their new book and Good Morning America appearances. They gave me some great tips about approaching the media, which is something I need to do more of.

I was star-struck when Ellie Krieger walked into the room. Remember my recent post about her recipe I made and the last time I met her at FNCE? I was even more excited this time and made my friends come with me for moral support so I could talk to her again! I let Ellie know that my blog post that day was about her and her recipe! It’s likely she thought I was a weirdo stalker, but she was so friendly and nice enough to ask me how I liked her recipe and what I thought of the mandolin-zucchini-slicing technique (I gave her some of my own tips!).

The expo was an exciting place to be and as soon as the doors opened, I headed to the POM Wonderful booth to meet some of the enthusiastic POM peeps. Why POM? I was recently brought on as a writer for the website (stay tuned for some of my articles!) and would be heading to California from Colorado for the first ever POM Blogger Harvest Tour (blog posts about that to come too) in just a few days. I met Martin from POM who I hope to collaborate with in the future on many POM endeavors.

The Member Value Committee met face-to-face for the first time and it was an active, proactive group. It was one of the most productive 2-hour meetings I’ve ever been in and I’m excited about all of the new projects we have on board to improve ADA’s membership and increase member satisfaction.

I attended the Speakers Sub-Group meeting Sunday evening and was so glad I did. Marilyn Jess, a dietitian and well known speaker lead the session and gave us great tips for landing speaking roles and coming up with (and following through with) a “big idea” related to speaking. I’ve been home for less than 12 hours and I’ve already contacted three local Toastmasters groups in the Boston area that I’m considering joining. I love public speaking and would like to do it for a living, so this is a great way for me to improve my speaking skills. I’ve considered Toastmasters before, but this meeting gave me the nudge I needed to take action. I was in a room full of well-known dietitians, including Eating Disorders guru Jessica Setnick , speaker/author/dietitian Cindy Heroux, Christine Palumbo who is frequently seen in the media and gave great presentations at the Mass Dietetic Association conference (where she also told me I had a great TV-worthy outfit…love her!) and Jean Caton, dietitian, career, business and life coach who speaks for a living and was kind enough to let me pick her brain after the session about going into the field of speaking and setting appropriate fees and rates. The energy in that session was encouraging and I can’t wait to put the tips into action.

I met up with friends at Rialto, a popular Denver restaurant, where I ordered a four-piece dish of vegetarian cuisine. It was delicious and a nice change from the bits and pieces we tasted at the expo! There are only so many nuts, yogurts, berries, bars, and wheat-free foods you can sample.

Monday’s session on Blogging and Beyond presented by a favorite RD of mine, Liz Weiss, as well as Janet Helm and others was the most-attended session I went to. Everyone is so curious about the trend of blogging and twitter! I was happy to see I was ahead of the curve as an avid twitterer (???) and growing blogger. But I got some great new networking ideas and blog improvements I want to look into and will hopefully upgrade my social media and networking involvement.

Overall, this FNCE was the best one I’ve attended. Aside from the chapped lips, dry skin, and huffing and puffing I experienced as I walked around from the thin, mile-high air, I had a fabulous, exciting and inspiring time at FNCE and will look forward to the 2010 conference in Boston! Until then, time to put all these great tips and ideas into action.

30-Day Yoga Challenge

2009-10-23T06:53:00.005-04:00

For the past 30 days, my friend Nicole and I have committed ourselves to a self-started 30-day Yoga Challenge. You may remember Nicole as my friend who is willing to take on new fitness challenges with me, like our first ½ marathon and first triathlon. After a summer of triathlon training, we were looking forward to getting back into our old yoga routine and decided a 30-day challenge was a good way to start! Nicole and I have also always wanted to visit Kripalu, the center for yoga and health. We've actually talked about "giving" a weekend of Kripalu to each other as gifts one day. I thought this challenge would be a good way to get me Kripalu ready, since that center is all yoga, all the time!

The only guidelines we set were that we had to commit to 20 minutes of yoga or meditation every day for 30 days. Now that our month challenge is up, I’ll share our thoughts on it.

I really enjoyed this challenge, but have to admit I’ll be glad to go back to doing yoga regularly when I want to, and not when I have to. I’m pretty committed to exercise and yoga, so this shouldn’t be a stretch for me. However, there were some days when 10pm rolled around and I realized that I had already gone to the gym, showered, and still had 20 minutes of yoga to do.

Did I really do 20 minutes every day?....well, no. But I have valid reasons! I didn’t do yoga during my 24 hour Yom Kippur fast, but figure my time at temple can count as meditation. Yoga during a fast wouldn’t be smart! And I didn’t do yoga the day of my 10k race, but certainly incorporated yoga stretches before and after my run!

Another slight negative was that I’ve been battling a hip injury for far too long (since spring triathlon training) and many hip poses hurt more than they helped. I tried to pay close attention to my body and back off where I needed to, but oftentimes I was frustrated that I was limited.

Also, in 30 days, I didn’t do one meditation session (outside of yoga class). I always opted to do 20 minutes of yoga instead, because I crave that stretch and strength you get from yoga. Meditation is something I want to work on more, and I think with some guided meditation from CDs or downloads, I’ll be able to incorporate it into my day.

If I skip even a week of yoga, I can feel it: my joints are stiff, my posture slumps. When I do make it back to yoga after some time off, my arms and legs quiver a bit more from lost strength. Doing daily downward dogs and balance poses really conditioned my muscles I use in some of the harder yoga poses making them easier to get into day after day.

I found there were many more positives to this challenge than negatives. For one, I love to challenge myself and this was a constant reminder that I committed to something, and I was going to do it. Also, I started to find new yoga workouts from borrowed friends’ DVDs to free 20 minute yoga sessions on http://www.yogadownload.com/ and new Comcast On-Demand free yoga workouts. That helped to keep things fresh. Occasionally I’d do yoga from memory without any guidance from a class or DVD, and sometimes even snuck away to the gym at work to get my 20 minutes in.

Probably the biggest benefit of this challenge was that I found if I did yoga first thing in the morning, not only did it help me wake up, but I knew I already checked my yoga challenge off the list for that day. It’s a new goal of mine to incorporate early-morning workouts into my routine to free up my evenings, and I was pleased that I managed to wake up before the sun many mornings to go to my gym’s yoga classes, or roll out the mat in my living room. This is something I hope to continue.

What did Nicole think of the challenge? Like me, she got some great benefits from daily yoga:

I didn't hate it, but I do find it hard to motivate myself to something EVERY day. Even things I love. The only things I do every day are eat, sleep, and brush my teeth. It adds to my stress level on busy days when I know I need to do 20 minutes of yoga and the one time period I have to do yoga, someone is using the rec room at work or Karl is really into a football game!

However, I am finding that I am reaching farther in certain poses and I'm flowing much better than I ever have before. My transitions are great (I can do that pop from upward facing dog into downward facing dog!). I did a hand stand for the first time too, something I have really been working on (I can do a variety of headstands, arm stands, and other balancing poses but for some reason, I could not do a handstand!).

My arms look amazing too. Really defined. I think that yoga can be an all around, great workout, especially if you're doing a flow class. But I like to run too. I will keep doing yoga 3+ times a week.

So there you have it. I’m excited to continue my yoga practice and grow with it. Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to visit Kripalu to continue to strengthen my practice and my mind. Or maybe I'll just get really lucky and win a weekend at Kripalu from the amazing Stonyfield Farm Na Moo Ste Sweepstakes (how cute is that name?). Visit http://www.facebook.com/oikos for more info. This challenge was a great way for me to reignite my practice and help me improve. Whether I can get to my mat once a week or once a day, I’m happy to reap the many benefits of yoga whenever I’m able. Namaste.

Soy Sausage Casserole from VegNews

2009-10-21T07:30:00.000-04:00

I received this recipe from Veg News over the summer, when I had no desire to heat up my oven and make a heavy meal. So I filed this recipe for Soy-Sausage Casserole away. Fast forward a few months to a rainy, cold day in Boston and this dish made it to our dinner table. It’s actually a breakfast recipe, since it mimics a sausage and egg sandwich, but who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?

Serves 4 (I think it could be stretched to serve 6+, but if you’re really hungry, serves 4)

What You Need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, diced
3 cups soy sausage, crumbled (I used a roll soy sausage from Trader Joe’s and crumbled it while it was cooking)
1 pound tofu, drained and crumbled
2 cups plain soymilk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seed – I didn’t have this and threw in some fresh parsley instead
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 slices whole wheat bread

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add soy sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the tofu, soymilk, thyme, fennel seed, salt, and pepper to taste and mix well. Blend in the sausage mixture and set aside.

3. Tear bread into bite-sized pieces and place in a lightly oiled shallow 9x13 baking dish. Pour sausage mixture evenly over bread and set aside until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

4. Bake casserole until puffy and lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm.

I honestly think this dish is as close as you could get to a real egg and sausage casserole, without the usual cholesterol and saturated fat. When the crumbled tofu bakes, it has a texture just like scrambled eggs.

Funk said because this is a breakfast meal, you could even put maple syrup on it. I think that might taste odd and would choose hot sauce instead, but because he was doped up on cold meds, I let it slide.

If you’re looking for a good vegetarian breakfast dish, give this a go, with or without maple syrup.

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Cherry Taste Test

2009-10-19T18:00:00.002-04:00

Right now, I'm flying somewhere between Denver, Colorado and Fresno, California. I'm leaving the Annual American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference (FNCE) for the second part of my trip to California. I'll be meeting some other wonderful food bloggers there for the first ever POM Harvest Tour. I'll write all about it when I'm back, but to get me warmed up for this fun trip, the people at POM sent me some samples. They arrived just as I was heading out the door to meet up with my friends, so I decided to bring a bottle along to do an impromptu taste test with them. Here's what they thought!

POM Taste Test from Janel Ovrut on Vimeo.

Note: I am not being paid by POM to promote this product.