Guest Post: Italian Vegetable Bowl

Hi to all of Max's readers. I'm Ashlei and I blog over at the Vegster. Max and I have very similar eating styles and he always has great ideas for meals with lots of variety. I love cooking but at the same time I love simple meals I can easily throw together. I love Italian food and tomato sauce which was my inspiration for this meal. It's basically a vegetable and protein bowl topped with tomato sauce and lots of dried herbs. Italian Tempeh Vegetable Bowl

• 1 block of tempeh, cut into slices or cubes
• zucchini, chopped
• onion, chopped
• eggplant, sliced
• garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (canned or homemade)
• coconut oil
• dried herbs
• optional: shredded cheese

Heat a medium sized pan over medium-low heat. Add about a teaspoon of coconut oil to the pan and add in the onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until they start to turn translucent. Add in the rest of the vegetables and the tempeh and cook about 10 minutes until browned. While the vegetables are cooking, heat the tomato sauce over medium low heat until heated through. When the tempeh and vegetables are done, place in a bowl and pour the heated tomato sauce over top. Top with dried herbs and shredded cheese, if desired. I like to use basil, thyme, oregano and black pepper, or alternatively herbs de provence. Feel free to use another protein source instead of the tempeh. Tofu, chicken, ground turkey or beef would work really well also. Enjoy!

Noodle Tutorial and New Japanese Favorites

It's time for a noodle tutorial. Salads, soups, and stir fry's...

Available at your local Whole Foods! 0 calories, shelf stable until opened, clear, noodl-y, a bit crunchy raw, soft when heated. Nutrients and fiber... (Ingredients=Kelp)

Rinse before use

Shirataki Noodles! Also mostly fiber, made of Mountain Yams (turned into a flour first). Not the sweet kind, more like a daikon or turnip and turned into noodles! More likely only at your Asian grocer, possibly just labeled yam noodles.

I like buying them in these little packages, and then untying the little bundles after rinsing... Soft and noodly from the start! (Ingredients=Yam Flour)

First in a salad, both kinds mixed with some fresh veggies

Tossed with delicious Ginger-Yuzu (Citron juice)-Garlic Dressing

And some Steamed Sesame Squash and Raw Sushi Salmon (Wild BC amazingness of course, couldn't not take a bite before the photo...)

Finally all tossed together with all my other favorite ingredients! They really make me feel like i'm eating wheat noodles/pasta. Quite amazing for the nutrition.

A little break from 'noodles', this is a Gluten Free Seasonal Fruit Bar from the Farmer's Market! Blueberries and Nectarines this time, with crunchy Quinoa Flakes and Apple Juice/Honey Sweetened.

Onto soup!

This 'Miso' was so much more.

It rivaled my favorite Ramen from Izakaya. That's a feat.

Topped with my favorite Kimchee available everywhere in Whistler!

Kale 'Ramen' Miso Soup

This is when they seriously start to act like noodles. Extra tender and full of the broth's flavor. This soup combo is now my go to version for miso!  I consider Enoki mushrooms in here just as good substitutes for noodles as well. 

• 2 Cups Water to 2T White Miso, 1T Ginger, 1T Garlic
• 1/2 Bunch Kale
• 1 Sheet Nori Sushi Seaweed
• Shirataki and Kelp Noodles
• Soft Boiled Egg+2 More Boiled Egg Whites
• Enoki Mushrooms
• 1 Package Plain Natto and 1 Block Tempeh (tempeh toasted first)
• Sushi Ginger, Kimchee to top

The flavors in this soup concoction are so good, and the contents bring them even higher. I am especially pleased with using Natto for the first time, it's almost like having slightly bitter not strong chewy miniature coffee beans in your soup! Soft Boiled Eggs and Nori Seaweed for the win of course...

My other new Japanese FAVORITE: Kabocha Squash. Yeah you guys eat your NORMAL fall pumpkins... I'll stick with Japanese. (and wait for Persimmons!)

 (Japanese Pumpkin)! Just slice to desired size, scoop the seeds, pop it in the oven w/ some cinnamon/cayenne/coconut oil if desired (at least do the coconut oil!), and enjoy, skin and all! Slightly less caloric then a sweet potato and more so than butternut squash.  40 min. to an hour at 400º. Dialed.

Remember when I said I was going to enjoy some Wild BC Salmon Burgers with a legit creamy dill dressing? Well I did it!

 Not fully accomplished yet, but the added dill dressing matched the taste of the salmon and the fresh dill in the herb salad mix! All mixed up, can't wait to use some tahini to make a more mixed up (Coconut Milk doesn't mix with oil so well) Creamy Dill Dressing (like Annie's Goddess gone dill...mmmm).

Mega Ashland: Grilla Bites, Standing Stone Brewery, Bungalow-To Go Munch

I love Ashland. As a healthy living foodie this comes naturally with all the available alternative and green markets (Market of Choice=Whole Foods times 4), coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants. Then add in the first taste of summer with some of the most epic trails, and a massive race around it all with a huge industry gathering and there's nothing better.

We ate two nights in a row at the Standing Stone Brewery. No this wouldn't be cheap bar food. First night I had the Tempeh Stir Fry!

Organic Tempeh, Cashews, Bok Choy, Napa Cabbage, Mung Bean Sprouts and Seasonal Veggies in a Pan Asian Black Bean Sauce over Lundberg Organic Rice

Tons of good stir fry vegetables and delicious tempeh and brown rice, all cooked perfectly and accompanied by as much or as little of a sweet Asian Ginger-Chile like sauce that has just a hint of spice. And crunchy cashews!

Chicken Marsala:
Free Range Natural Chicken Breast in Mushroom Marsala with Polenta
The next night I went with the chicken over polenta with mushrooms and some of the same vegetables. I love the texture of polenta. It was meant to be made with butter but the request for olive oil substitute was perfect! The vegetables did work a little bit better in an asian stir fry setting however.

I'm finding that my go to breakfast that's fast and easy for travel is Bungalow munch granola!
With both/or (based on availability):

• Almond milk or water
• Whey or plant fusion protein powder
• Dried / fresh blueberries

It's tasty, nutritionally balanced, and goes down easy. You can't go wrong!

Last but not least, my favorite spot in Ashland from last year: Grilla Bites!

At first my developed taste from then to now let me down eyeing the menu as nothing stood out to my new ways and standards...

They have many delicious sandwiches but I wasn't stoked on eating wheat and not so sure about rice bread as a gluten free bread. It sounded kind of lame.

Little did I know! Toasted it holds together nicely and tastes awesome. I even bought a loaf from the Market of Choice and have been enjoying it already.

I got the 'BLT' which has Soy Bacon which I've never had before. It fooled me and tasted good, and I don't even really like bacon. The guacamole, veggies, and turkey all went so well together and the hummus they include is AMAZING. Garlic and herbs for days and not too creamy.  I took the cheese out.

My other epic new discovery was Annie's Goddess Dressing! I asked for no Mayo and was confused why there was still a creamy delicious sauce.  Turns out it's a Tahini, Oil, and Lemon based salad dressing that TJ's offers as well! I've already bought and used it frequently.

Then there's the salad bar! First glance looks like a basic DIY salad bar but once you get into it there's so many surprises:

• Banana chips
• All kinds of beans
• Sprouts
• All kinds of seeds/nuts
• Dried fruit

 Then you get to the end and it get's better! Some mixed salad dressings, basic Olive oil and vinegars, but the stand outs are nutritional yeast, herb mixes, sesame seeds, and Braggs Liquid Aminos! No where else...
I pretty much hit up a bit of everything and it worked out great.  I also bought a Jungle Juice, dialed as well (Beet Ginger Apple Carrot). Can't wait for next year!

Back into Baking! Buckwheat. And another Race!

I luckily got to do plenty of baking in the past few days, the cooking that started my passion so many years ago! It really is therapeutic. and fun to mess with different combinations and creations. like chemistry but 100x better. and tastier. I also raced!

I will master the buckwheat bake. I made 3 so far, one on Sunday morning and two on Sunday night to eat today and yesterday at school.  They are truly awesome, so many customizable themes and so many convenient options to your liking.

Buckwheat Bake 3.0

I am using egg whites for these on the go buckwheat bakes instead of chia eggs because I need to up the protein content as I mostly sit at school. This one was Mixed Berry with some Stevia to sweeten and the Pumpkin option instead of Banana. Plenty of crunchy Pumpkin seeds for even more protein and healthy fat (the most protein packed seed)! 

• Buckwheat Bake Recipe
• 5 Drops Stevia
• 1/2c Blueberries/Raspberries + additional fresh Raspberries

I like the pumpkin instead of mashed banana because the flavor is subtle and contributes less sugar/carbs (good for school, not for pre-ride).  The berries and stevia made it totally sweet enough to be yummy topping free!

The Inside: Delicious Tart Cooked Berries!

Besides the normals, this is worth including to mention the grain combo. Just enough protein for a not hungry-Max from lots of greens, quinoa, and tahini.

Clean and Tasty

  I mixed a 1:1 ratio of Quinoa and Wheat Berries in my rice cooker and it made a fluffy, nutty, almost corny mix! Way better and more nutrient dense than either one on their own. Also settling into a dialed standard Tahini Sauce mix!

• Grilled B-Sprouts (Mustard Seed, Olive Oil, S & P)
• Steamed Broccoli
• 1/3c Quinoa, 1/3c Farro, 2c water
• 1/2 Baked Sweet Potato
• Hummus and My Tahini Sauce (Tahini, Ginger Juice, Lemon, Cider Vinegar)

My second try involved a cocoa/carob-banana theme!

 Buckwheat Bake On the Go 2.0 

  The banana option and included fresh raspberries, which brought an occasional touch of tart! Raspberries get so much more tasty when cooked. The bake had tons of chocolate/carob/banana flavors working together and the carob chips made delicious melted morsels scattered throughout. One healthy chocolate muffin wanna-be for sure! This was the perfect amount of food to hold me over until lunch! (8am to 12pm)

• This Buckwheat Buckwheat Bake Recipe
• 1t unsweetened Cocoa Powder (didn't have carob)
• Egg White instead of Flax Egg
• 2t Carob Chips
• 2T chopped Almonds/Pumpkin Seeds instead of Walnuts
• Some Raspberries

Sweet enough from the Carob Chips/Berries to not need any topping. 

My first was a tasty nutty blueberry muffin! Not as protein heavy and definitely more sugar but that is perfect for pre-ride.

Basic Blueberry Buckwheat Bake 1.0

For attempt #1 I used coconut milk instead of almond milk, the chia seed egg option, and blueberry as the central focus. It was a bit mushy so I think almond milk works better.  I topped with my favorite blueberry jam and some agave nectar because it wasn't sweet enough, so for the future bakes (like above) won't have toppings on the go I will bake in additional goodies/sweetness. Who doesn't love biting into some tender cooked blueberries that explode with sweetness and flavor?

• This Blueberry Buckwheat Bake
• Chia Egg Option
• 2T Almonds/Pumpkin Seeds/Sunflower Seeds (not walnuts)
• Coconut Milk

Eating bread gluten and wheat free! When I saw this recipe and recently invested in buckwheat I had to give it a go.

Tasty With Toppings

 Before Topping

 I haven't been eating any bread for a while since i've been enjoying a wheat/gluten free spell, and this REALLY hit the spot. It tastes almost liqorice-y from the delicious black pepper combo and is moist, nutty, and not crumbly. I followed the recipe except with amaranth flour instead of millet flour. I had the same meal for lunch at school except with Wasabi Dijon Mustard and Hummus and it was just as good.

• 1 Serving of Buckwheat Millet Amaranth Bread
• 1/2 Block of Tempeh in the Toaster
• Gai Lan Broccoli steamed with Sesame/Sesame Oil
• Cucumber, Tomato, Green Onion, Avocado
• Lemon/Tahini, Hummus, Nutritional Yeast, S & P

Nutritional yeast combined with Hummus or Tahini and Avo is officially awesome as an almost salty-cheezy sauce and I love it. 

 Post Race Delight

Enjoyed some Futomaki Sushi leftovers (Sushi Ran) as a treat when I got home from the race. Accompanied by some leftover vegetables, brown rice, and tahini. Totally splurging...

 Recovery Muscle Brownie Treat

Lenny and Larry treats don't let me down after a super hard effort! 20g of Protein for the win.

 Pre Race O'Oats

Same pre-race overnight oats, added vanilla, Bing Cherries, Raspberries, Cocoa Powder, and more Almonds instead of Almond Butter.

Pre Race Dinner Out?

I went to Lydia's Kitchen for pre-race dinner, and got this French-Mex Buckwheat Crepe Wrap and House Salad. A moist soft buckwheat crepe around avocado, black beans, salsa, greens all topped with a cashew sunflower seed chile sauce! The first time Mexican food will taste light.  It wasn't filling enough so I ate some more at home, and the race was low key and mainly for training so I didn't make a special dinner. I went super fast feeling great so it definitely still worked! It's comforting to know that a variety of things won't fail me.

Entering a Cycle, Garlic Dal, Ginger Sesame Sweet Potato and Tempeh

Check it out! Featured in the Sunday paper!  Great article, and made the blog get more than 100 views in less than 24 hours. Stoked. The more views = the more I try to make it worth while!

Now that racing season is upon us, I've learned my eating trends (thank you food blog). On weeks that I have a race I eat super clean and healthy to get race ready, mentally and physically, and on off weeks I 'splurge'. Basically more sugar, fruit, wheat, diary (just yogurt), and sodium. More Japanese and less Mediterranean. Add in Fro Yo and Cookies. Now onto the clean cycle: (Vegans get ready!)

Sesame Ginger Tempeh and Sweet Potato Salad

   Main motivation for this meal was use Ginger, Sweet Potato, and the Spring Mix Greens from the fridge. I tried sort of my own variation of the Orange Tempeh Glaze and it was partially super successful! Lesson 1: don't make a sauce that has tahini in it and then put it on a medium-high heat pan, it just gets stuck and isn't liquidy enough. #1 The good: Browning/toasting tempeh in a non stick pan first makes it extra good, ESPECIALLY with Sweet Potato, which also officially goes great with Sesame! I cut up the potato and mixed it into the salad and it was all a Sesame crunchy and slightly creamy but attitude packed (ginger/wasabi) dish! Still tasty and no meat/wheat/oil/dairy here (just vegetables/seeds)!

-Tempeh browned, then simmered in Ginger Glaze (use for dressing as well)

   -Lemon, Tahini, Ginger Juice, Minced Ginger, Wasabi

-Spring Mix, Purple Carrot, Tomato

-Green Onion and Toasted Sesame Seeds to top

-Baked Sweet Potato

Garlic Toor Dal Plate

It's kind of fun for a second when there's a lot in the fridge and I have to figure out what's going bad the soonest and makes sense to use. Thus, for today's clean lunch, I went with the leftover Dal, and chose some vegetables to cook with.  #2 Dal is a little bland/dry on it's own, but with a little bit of spices and sweetener or healthy fat added it's becomes delicious.  Today mine was like mashed potatoes except 300x tastier and healthier. Remixed everything together with plenty of Garlic, Parsley, Olives, and Sesame for a tasty bowl of only vegetables (yet still calorically and nutritionally sound)!
-Toor Dal Leftovers (w/ Garlic Tahini Sauce, Olives, Parsley, Garam Masala)
-Rainbow Chard Saute (usual Garlic, Thyme, Pepper)
-Tomato, Olives, Parsley
-Tahini Sauce (leftover Sol Food Garlic Lemon Dressing, Tahini)

Lydia's Lovin Cereal, Bento Box Lunch, Bobbilicious, Fish!

 Fish.

Almost a go-to order for me at Fish in Sausalito now. The White Bean and Tuna Salad which i've tried to recreate on numerous occasions. I don't think i'll ever have all the right ingredients or technique to do so! It's too good, especially with a side of delicious braised mixed wild mushrooms. So many ingredients of only the best quality. 

The Last of Bobbilicious!

Man this brownie was good! I would probably need to to do a side by side comparison with the hemp version, but I feel like this one really hones in the delicious dark chocolatey goodness more. maybe there's more of the delicious super high quality chocolate chips. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not too sweet or bitter by any means! The perfect fluff to density ratio as well.  Definitely impressive.

Bento Box Lunch!

    Finally used the Bento my sister got me for Xmas. Just a few months late... I mastered the Onigiri technique with this one, just need to make some epic fillings now! It was perfectly shaped, nori wrapped well, nice and moist/together.  It had a little Ponzu Tempeh filling, but I think I can do better (fish/turkey/chicken combos in the future for sure). Accompanied by a Cucumber Salad, which I also am much more pleased with than before (getting the dressing sweet/salty enough but not overdoing it is tough). I'm very pleased with my first time using the Eden Ponzu Sauce I bought (a citrus soy sauce mirin combo).

-Onigiri with Nori-Wrap and Ponzu Tempeh Filling (Short Grain Brown Rice, Tempeh, Ponzu, Sea Salt, Nori)

-Super thin sliced cucumber (use a peeler), Rice Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Ponzu, Toasted Sesame Seeds

Cinnamon Honey Lydia Sprouted Cereal (and new Arte Sempre sticker!)

    The perfect amount of sweetness is something that's hard to achieve in food, but its incredibly satisfying. It changes constantly based on how hungry/low on energy you are, which is why you crave different foods at different times (dessert vs salad).  An awesomely crunchy bunch of Cinnamon and Honey flavored goodness! So many healthy and yummy seeds, nuts and grains in this breakfast! All matched with my own Yogurt, a hint of Bee Pollen, and a bit o' Honey (no, not the candy, although I used to love that stuff!). Quinoa included!

-60g Lydia's Sprouted Cinnamon Cereal

-4-6oz Homemade Plain Nonfat Yogurt

-Some Honey and Bee Pollen

-Some Chia Seeds

   I've been trying out these cereals by Lydia's Organics, and finally decided to include one here.  They are a bit pricey, but I was totally drawn to them after looking at the nutrition and ingredients on a few. So healthy on their own, which is hard to do for most cereals. #3 You don't need to add any extra fat or protein to achieve the right balance like if you were eating granola or any other cereals. I'm mainly talking about the Sprouted Cinnamon and Vanilla Crunch versions (the others either have less protein or a bit too much fat), the Cinnamon not having any sweetener and plenty of protein, and the Vanilla Crunch having less protein but enough sweetener in it already.  I definitely like them both a lot and they are perfect easy breakfasts that are so good for you! They also led me to learn all about sprouted grains.  After some quick googling, basically a super healthy way to eat grains but i'm not about to spend the time making them myself, so will continue to buy these cereals. Totally worth the cost! 

Unmixed