Tofu & Sun Dried Tomato Qunioa/Brown Rice

As I cruised through the grocery store last week I noticed tofu was on sale, "oh that's nice I thought" as I walked on by and then something hit me. I realized I had been depriving all my readers out there...vegetarian or not...of good tofu recipes. Yes, you heard me correct, GOOD TOFU recipes.

I had to put an end to this....I went over, gave each type a good squeeze...squishy, squishier... perfect...extra firm.


I was reminded of a recipe I recieved from Erin Penticoff (former track teammate at ISU). She said I HAD to make.

Don't even knock it before you try it....if you ever have been hesitant to try tofu this recipe will change your opinion FOR GOOD! It is just ridiculous how good it is....remember all my recipes are taste tested approved my J.

Tofu& Sun Dried Tomato Quinoa
with Pesto Sauce
Ingredients:
splash of extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
1 shallot, minced OR 1/4 onion diced
3 C cooked quinoa, brown rice, or other grain (remember to rinse your quinoa before cooking...see labels: quinoa for how to prepare)
1 C corn, fresh or frozen (I used peas since I did not have corn on hand...I had tofu but no corn imagine that)
2 C spinach, kale, other other hearty green, finely chopped (be generous on your greens...always love adding extra veggies)
2 C extra-firm niagri tofu, browned in a skillet a bit
1/3 C pesto (mine was store bought but feel free to make you own!)
1/3 C pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/4 C roasted cherry tomatoes OR chopped sun-dried tomatoes


Instructions:
To roast cherry tomatoes: heat oven to 350F. Cut each tomato in half and place in large oven proof baking dish. Mix together splash of olive oil, spoonful of brown sugar, and pinch or two of sea salt. Pour over tomatoes and toss gently making sure all tomatoes get covered. Make sure each tomato is face side up before placing pan in oven. Bake for 45min. Tomatoes will be shrunken and sweet when finished. These are sooooo good. Top salads, sandwiches, or pop em' like chips!

For the salad:
First, slice and brown tofu in medium-high heated pan greased with olive oil.


In big skillet or pot heat olive oil and salt over medium-high heat. Stir in the shallot/onion and cook for a minute or two. Stir in the grain (quinoa, rice..etc) and corn and cook through.

Stir in greens and tofu, cooking until tofu is heated through.

Remove the skillet from heat and stir in pesto and pumpkin seeds. Mix well so the pesto in spread throughout. Place mix in a serving dish and top with sun dried cherry tomatoes.

Beautiful and delicious! Tastes like chicken :) ha...I crack myself up, seriously though...amazing.

I hope you enjoy it as much as J and I did. Let me know when you serve it up to your family and friends OR if you have any other tofu recipes I must try! Thanks again Erin for sharing!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Fresh Fish from Seattle's Pike Place-Scallops and Halibut

J was off in Seattle last week for his new job. While there he had the opportunity to stop by the famous Pike Place Market.

He said I would have been in heaven! So many colors and flavors! So fresh and so local!

After sending pictures and desperately trying to share the experience with me back in Iowa...he decided to bring it home....

packed fresh with dry ice....
1 whole halibut, 2 wild salmon fillets, and scallops

he also brought some homemade flavored pastas....lemon parsley, lemon pepper, lime cilantro....

and dark chocolate linguine....can't wait to try this one

just one of the many colorful varieties of apples at the market

Let the seafood feast begin! ps...this would make a GREAT date night at home.

For appetizers:

Seared Scallops

with herbs and grapefruit

Ingredients:

1 T coconut oil or olive oil

1 pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented

2 T agave nectar

juice of one half lemon

1 clove garlic, passed through a garlic press or 1/2tsp jarred garlic

1 T chopped fresh parsley or 1/2T dried parsley

1 T fresh basil or 1/2T dried basil

6 large scallops

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 T extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Melt coconut oil in frying pan in medium heat. Add grapefruit and agave nectar and warm segments on each side for several seconds. Add lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. Cook a few minutes longer until heated through.

Remove from heat and set aside. Dry scallops with paper towel. Season with sea salt. In medium oven proof skillet, heat oil over high flame. Add scallops and sear on one side for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Flip scallops over and place them in the hot oven for a few minutes. Do NOT over cook. Scallops will be nice and golden and slice easily. Place grapefruit mixture on plate and display scallops on top. Enjoy this sweet and tangy start to your meal!

I had J be in charge of the halibut....he did a fabulous job!
Pan-Seared Halibut Steaks

with Lemon Zest

Ingredients:

4 halibut steaks, about 4-5 ounces each

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 1/2 Ts olive oil

1 tsp lemon zest

and a grind from Simply Organics citrus a'peel (sesame seeds, orange peel, lemon peel, garlic, onion. parsley, coriander, fennel seed)

Instructions: so easy

Preheat oven to 350F. Season halibut steak with salt, pepper, lemon zest, herbs, and olive oil.

Place large saute pan over medium-high heat, Add halibut and lower the heat to medium. Sear about 3 minutes per side and then place in hot oven to finish cooing for about 5-6 minutes depending of thickness. Should flake as salmon does when cooked.

Entree almost complete....

Lemon Parsley Malfaldine

with Super Simple Lemony Ricotta Sauce

from Pappardelle's

Ingredients:

1 lb Papperdelle's Lemon Parsley Pasta....you could use a whole wheat pasta instead

the noodles really tasted like lemon and parsley

1 cup ricotta

2 Ts olive oil

1 lemon, zested and juices

1 c of basil leaves, washed, dried and torn in small pieces...or use 1/4-1/2 c dried basil

sea salt
Instructions:

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until al dente (about 5-8 minutes). Drain, but reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

In large serving bowl mix ricotta, olive oil, lemon zest, and juice.

Add drained pasta and mix together well. Sprinkle basil leaves and sea salt over top and serve.

If pasta and sauce become too dry before serving add the reserved 1/4 c cooking liquid and stir.

The masterpiece! Served with oven roasted Italian veggies (veggies marinated in Italian dressing).

To come: coconut chicken

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good...

http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Chili- White Chicken Chili and Deer Meat Chili

It's not too late to make you last batch of chili for the season! If you've got it in you you must try these two yummy versions.
We served them up for a CrossFit get-together the other week.

White Chicken Chili
From J and I's good friend Robin, it's sooo tasty and has a nice kick to it. Thanks for sharing Robin!

Ingredients:
1 pound Northern beans (canned - rinse until foam is gone)
1 large onion chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper
dash cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
pinch ground cloves
5 cups of chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1/2 cup lime juice
3 cups cooked chicken, diced (I use HyVee Rotisserie chicken - usually makes 4 cups - but go ahead and add it all)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

holding my chicken hostage

Instructions:
Briefly saute onions and garlic on stove until fragrant and onions are translucent. Add to beans along with oregano, jalapeno pepper, cayenne, cumin, cloves and chicken broth. Add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add Rotel, lime juice and chicken. Cook 30 minutes, simmering. (Add more water if soup is too thick) Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh cilantro to serve.


Deer Meat Chili
thank you Jason (CFEpic coach) for the deer meat!
Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can chili beans

1 can corn
RINSE ALL THESE
1-2 cans stewed tomatoes Italian flavor
1 can Rotell's
1 half jug Vegetable juice to add liquid (I add the whole things and let it simmer down)
1 lb browned ground turkey breast
1 lb browned and seasoned lean ground deer meat or ground beef
(we seasoned the deer meat with spices before adding to pot...Italian, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder...whatever floats you boat)
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
SAUTE onion and pepper WITH THE MEAT and seasonings
Pour all into big pot, bring to boil, add a dash of chili powder and then simmer for half the day. I think it is best to make the day before you serve so the flavors can enhance!


To come: homemade hummus, fish from Seattle (scallops, salmon, halibut), and the recipe that will change your opinion forever of the white squared food known has tofu

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
http://www.sarabconsulting.com/

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Two of my favorite things...almonds and cookies so needless to say these cookie really hit the spot!

After seeing this delicious looking picture in my latest Clean Eating Magazine I knew I had to make them.

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 C unsalted almond butter (I grind my own at New Pioneer Coop)

3/4 C sugar source (stevia, honey, agave nectar, brown sugar) I used honey and they turned out a little flat

1 large egg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

3 oz dark chocolate chips (or break apart a dark chocolate bar...70% or greater)

I found dark chips at the Coop bulk bins

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. In medium bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients until blended. Stir in chocolate.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on baking sheets. Remove to wire rack and cool. Enjoy!

Nutrients: 110 cals, fat 8g, carb 10g, suagrs 3g, protien 2g

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

www.sarabconsulting.com

Crock Pot Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

Crock Pot Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients:
pork tenderloin
sea salt and ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced or tsp of jarred minced garlic
4 T Dijon Mustard
3 T honey
1 T cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Instructions:
Wash, trim, and pat dry the tenderloin, salt and pepper. Place in crock pot. Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Whisk together and pour over tenderloin to coat. Cover pot and cook for about 7 hours on low. Check tenderloin with meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked through before serving.
Enjoy!

To come: Almond butter cookies, white chicken chili

Until next time...
look good, feel good, do good
www.sarabconsulting.com

Cha Cha Cha Chia

I don't' even know where to begin....I am just so excited about this topic I can't even organize my words for the blog...I feel like my thoughts looks like this...kijnfeuh odmeni!

Ok...deep breath....
It all starting with this book:

A wonderful, can't put in down, read about a tribe of ultra athletes in Mexico's Copper Canyon.
These guys and gals run hundreds of miles in sandals and swear by a drink called iskiate to keep them hydrated and fueled.

A quote from the book; gentleman speaking with one of the Tarahumara (tribesman):
"I peered inside. The cup was full of gooey slime that looked like rice pudding without the rice, lots of black-flecked bubbles I was pretty sure were frog eggs in midhatch..... Great I said....what is it." "Iskiate."(he said) ......"Months later, I'd learn that iskiate is otherwise known as chia fresca -"chilly chia." It's brewed by dissolving chia seeds in water with a little sugar and a squirt of lime. In terms of nutritional content, a tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach, and human growth hormone. As tiny as those seed are they're packed with omega 3's, omega 6's, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber, and antioxidants. If you had to pick just one desert-island food, you couldn't do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease; after months on the chia diet you could probably swim home."

You a believer yet?!? And yes...they are the seeds of the ever popular...
Cha Cha Cha

Dang, if you had only known you should have been eating your Chia pet rather than growing it.

You want to know more about their benefits...just Google it...I mean Bing it (my husband works for Microsoft now) and you'll find tons of info...just make sure it is from reputable sources.

J and I thought...what the heck lets give it a try so before a 17miler the other weekend I downed my iskiate drink and then pronounced "I am going to run like a Tarahumara!" Sure enough...I felt amazing....sure it was probably placebo affect... but whatever, I'm sold.

One among many benefits to running: Chia seeds are water loving. The seed can soak up ten times its weight in water. When inside your body, the seeds help you stay hydrated longer, and retain electrolytes in your bodily fluids.

If I didn't believe in it during that run, two weekends later I had an 18miler. It was a frigid morning....I mean so cold my water bottles on my fuel belt froze. Without water I was unable to hydrate or take my gus (needed something to wash them down). I should have bonked out at 13 but kept on trucking. I am positive it had to have been the iskiate I drank before I took off!

This is the brand J and I buy at HyVee (a little pricey so stoke up when it goes on sale) or check online prices. We now have a chia drink every day.

Chia seeds dry and Chia seeds wet

We like to change it up and sometimes mix them in our fresh squeezed orange/grapefruit juice.

Let me know if you give it a try and what you think!

Until next time...

look good, feel good, do good

http://www.sarabcobsulting.com/