Strange But Good Vegan Bacon Bits

April 26, 2013 By Laura

Bacon is good.

And a huge part of why I didn’t make it as a vegetarian.

Long ago Heather hipped me to the fact that Bacon Bits are vegan… but I have never cared for them. They taste like what I imagine dog food to be.

When Kat posted a recipe for vegan TVP Bacon Bits, I couldn’t WAIT to try my own recipe. Since I can’t have bacon this close to my competition (too much fat and sodium), this was the perfect time to make my own bits! I took Kat’s idea to use nutritional yeast and cumin, but I cut the sodium, sugar, and the oil. That does NOT mean I cut the taste though!

These smokey, spicy little bites are crunchy and packed with flavor. For the longest time I had only regular paprika in my cabinet… let me be the first to admit that was WRONG. Smoked paprika is the way to go. It makes a massive difference; I was shocked at the amount of smoke it lends to dishes.

I used stevia for a hint of sweetness and I added maple extract because… who doesn’t like maple bacon? I also like my bacon peppered, so that went into this mix as well.

In case none of this is strange to you, I created a #strangebutgood breakfast salad using these Smoked TVP Bacon Bits. It’s a simple mix of heirloom tomato, pear, cilantro…. and raspberries. Don’t be scared – tomatoes pair really well with fruit! The coolness of the fruit and the smokey, slightly spicy Bits are a fantastic contrast party in your mouth.

Eaten with cinnamon oatmeal and turkey “sausages” (that recipe is coming next week).

Smoked TVP Bacon Bits

1/4 C Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP)
1/4 C hot water
1 T nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp maple extract
5-6 drops liquid smoke
3-4 drops liquid Stevia

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Stir the TVP into the water and allow to soak. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.

Once TVP has (mostly) absorbed the water, stir in the dry ingredients and add extract, smoke, and sweetener.

Squeeze out excess moisture and spread mixture across a lined baking sheet. This is important – you need to really spread it out so that moisture doesn’t gather.

Place in oven and bake for 20 mins, stirring half way through. When crispy and golden, remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week?

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!

Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

This time next week I’ll be with my trainer on the road to my 2nd figure competition to check in and get spray tanned!!!

Do you like bacon bits?

What one thing would you find most difficult to cut out of your diet? Healthy fats are the hardest for me right now!

Travel Meals, Roasted Wins, + Jillian Michaels

April 22, 2013 By Laura

Traveling to pretty locations is fabulous.

And then you come home…

Last week I was in Arizona at the Camel Back Inn with my mom. You guys saw part of my travel meals Wednesday. I made it – and I ate pretty well! In fact, often I was more happy to be eating my food than the resort food! That, the fact that I didn’t give in to the temptation of a tasty margarita in the desert sun… the overall sense of accomplishment… is carrying over today to make my Monday Marvelous.

Breakfast was easy – oatmeal all doctored up with my delicious Growing Naturals protein and berries and cinnamon from the hotel. I also asked for lots of lemon.

Best eaten with beautiful patio view!

Some of my other meals are below: I took lots of fresh veggies, sweet potatoes, bison burgers, no-salt deli turkey, and baked chicken. And my delicious greek yogurt dessert creations.

I was able to get plain salmon and brown rice from the hotel, which helped a lot. I brought my own nutritional yeast, but remember you can always ask for seasonings – lemon, vinegar, red pepper flakes are my standard requests.

Two favorites: the cucumber-mint “mocktail” on the bottom right above was a fantastic refresher at the spa restaurant (See my mom in the background? She was Instagramming her carrot-apple juice!). My last meal (on the bottom right above) was on the airplane. Sweet potato, turkey, and a fresh salad purchased at Wendy’s (surprisingly fresh and tasty!) in the airport before take off.

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Despite all the fun, it was nice to be home in my kitchen. Saturday I got up and went to posing practice, followed by a killer leg day (seriously – SO SORE today). After all my travels there was NO food at my house so I had a great time reloading at the farmer’s market. Sea Bass must be in season because this was some of the best I’ve ever had. Buttery, moist (sorry), and not at all fishy.

Served with sautéed shiitake mushrooms, spinach, eggplant, and edamame.

I also roasted a kabocha squash with cocoa powder, cinnamon, and cayenne. It sounds strange, but it is GOOD!

No real measurements… I just sprayed my squash with some coconut oil and tossed it together. I roasted it at 350 until tender.

Sunday was softball day. We won the game… I slid into 2nd base at one point. Maybe not the best decision 2 weeks before a competition because my knee got a little scraped up.

BUT I was safe. And then I scored.

That didn’t hurt nearly as bad as the split I did off 1st base to catch a ball. Note to self: splits are not a good idea the day after heavy leg day.

I missed the second game because I had to shower off in order to meet a friend to see Jillian Michaels!!! I still had to run my sprints, so I just ran them on the way to the show (about 2 miles away) instead of driving. Haha.

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Jillian was good… but a lot of what she said I already knew. Don’t eat crap. If you want to lose weight, burn more calories than you eat. It was refreshing to hear someone talk about the basics though. No “special” diets.

The secret to being in shape is that there is NO SECRET! Eat good, clean food. Eat it in moderation. Exercise. Why can’t I get paid millions to tell people this?!

My favorite part was when she talked about exercise. She called people out of their half-assed elliptical-while-reading-a-magazine workouts.

Raise your heart rate. If it’s not high enough, move your ass faster.

I also loved that she wore flip flops.

What really got me was what happened in the audience in front of us. These two (obviously drunk) girls were there… which was funny at first that they were drunk at a fitness event. It became un-funny when one of the girls PUKED. I can’t even make this ~~shit~~ up.

They were clearly old enough to know better. They even looked pretty fit. I was embarrassed for them. Cheers to not being that girl. Not that I ever puked in a nice theatre (or anywhere in public), but I have had my moments. What I am grateful for – what is marvelous – is that I’ve gotten past that in my journey and am in a happy, healthy place. one where I know I’ll wake up tomorrow without a headache and sore only from my workouts.

***

Before you think I didn’t rest at all, I did stay home Saturday night at watch Life of Pi. It was ok… I liked Argo better.

Does anyone have a magic trick for healing a knee scrape quickly?

What is your favorite part about where you are right now in your journey?

Griddled Chicken & Grapefruit Pizza

April 19, 2013 By Laura

This will be shocking: the recipe was inspired by a recent meal at an Indian restaurant.

One day I’ll get over this Indian obsession.

In my defense, this #strangebutgood creation doesn’t actually involve Indian flavors (for a change). Unless you count cinnamon and ginger, but I put those on basically everything. Several weeks ago I enjoyed a meal at a new Indian restaurant, Chai Pani. New to Atlanta, I should say. They have a location in Asheville, NC. It’s an Indian street food concept, but it actually is a sit-down restaurant. And it’s good!

The inspiration for my pizza creation came from the Tandoori Fish Wrap I ordered. It consisted of “Tilapia seared with tandoori spices in a griddled wrap (brushed w/ egg) with onions, cilantro, rice, roasted lentils & chutneys.”

Tandoori Fish Wrap at Chai Pani

My non-Indian pizza version was a simple baked chicken breast. The sweet and tangy grapefruit against the plain chicken was refreshing.

The bit of basil on top was a nice green addition, both in terms of taste and looks. Of course I topped it with a little more cinnamon. The warm spice always reminds me of dessert!

This could so easily be made vegetarian with tofu. I absolutely love the way it puffs up when it bakes… that will for sure be my next version! I think you could even use a flax egg in place of my “real” egg whites for a vegan version. Someone let me know if that works.

Griddled bread. Coolest idea ever. It’s like French toast from the ‘hood. (Get it? Wrap? Rap? Blessed are those who amuse themselves…) See the crispy, egg-y goodness peeling back from the tortilla? That’s #strangebutgood heaven, friends.

Griddled Chicken & Grapefruit Pizza

2 T egg whites
1 tsp flax seed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 corn tortilla
1/2 grapefruit, sectioned
2 oz chicken, cubed
Basil

In a small bowl, combine egg whites, flax, and spices.

Place tortilla in a small pan over medium-high heat. Pour egg mixture on top.

Cook 1-2 mins, until egg starts to firm. Flip the tortilla, cooking 1-2 mins more.

Remove from heat and place on a baking sheet or pizza stone (or keep on pan if oven-proof). Top with grapefruit sections, chicken, and basil. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Place in oven under broil for 15 mins, until slightly browned. Watch closely so as not to burn.

Remove from oven, plate, and enjoy!

Who else has enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family (or the occasional restaurant worker) stare with strange but good creations this week?

Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

I’m headed back home today. I packed all that food, but now I have NO idea what I’ll eat until I get to the grocery store Saturday afternoon! Whoops!

Have you ever had a griddled wrap?

What’s been #strangebutgood in your life lately?

Yes, I Got Through Security + WIAW

April 17, 2013 By Laura

Traveling doesn’t have to be hard.

Step 1: Choose your companions wisely.

I’m 3 weeks out from my next competition. And I’m in Arizona this week. Trying to get in 7 lean meals a day is NOT an easy thing to do on the road. As I’ve described (in greater detail) before, I simply bring my own.

My diet changes this week mean no fat, no sodium, and a more limited list of fruits and veggies (to avoid bloating). I packed enough food to eat 6 meals per day, and I carried it ALL on. No checked bags. The unplanned meal is one I can get at the spa restaurant where we’re staying (I called ahead).

And yes, you can make it through security with a lot of unmarked powders. 😉

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We left after Meal 2 today, so 5 of my 7 WIAW meals were all eaten on the road. It was actually fun! This trip I rocked the desserts. Hard core.

Check out my 7 low fast, low-sodium, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!

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Meal 1:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos). This is the one thing I haven’t figured out on the road since ACV is a liquid and that won’t fly. I savored my last one for the week.

Then I rocked a workout in one of my favorite race t-shirts in honor of Boston. I was a sweaty mess for breakfast, which was a cherry PB & Jeggs… on top of a corn tortilla. Not gonna lie, it would have been better on an english muffin.

Meal 2:

My last meal at home. This was straight up awesome – the best sea bass I’ve ever made. I don’t think it was my preparation so much as it was the freshness of the fish. I guess they’re in season?!

For my side I had a quick salad of cherry tomatoes, raw zucchini, basil, red pepper flakes, and rice vinegar.

Meal 3:

Lunch on a plane. I packed up my version of a chopped salad – chicken baked in Ethiopian spices, cauliflower, celery, celery leaves, and cubed sweet potato.

Meal 4:

Bison on a plane! With cauliflower and snow peas by the light of my laptop.

My mom was staring at me in disbelief. She even said “I can’t believe you were the kid who wouldn’t eat anything but bologna every day.” My, how times have changed… and she was jealous because all she’d had time for that day was a shake and a bar. Bwhahaha!

Meal 5:

We were both famished when we reached the hotel. Our room wasn’t ready, so we enjoyed dinner on the patio looking out at the mountains.

I ordered a simple salad (that dressing wasn’t used) and then added my own no-salt turkey and a side of sweet potato. I wanted to leave the ‘tater on the foil… I thought it was funny… but Mom got embarrassed and told me to put it on the plate. LOL!

Meal 6:

We went for a long walk and checked out the spa (where I’ll be all day – OMG their gym is NICE). On the way back we swung by one of the restaurants at the property where I obtained a plate and silverware. Eating out of a baggie isn’t the end of the world, but if you can have a real plate… well, that’s just better.

Mexican baked chicken with cauliflower and snow peas. I had cauliflower to use, can you tell? 😉

Meal 7:

This is part of my dessert creation success. I took individual containers of non-fat Greek yogurt and mixed them with oats, a fruit, and various flavors. Then I cover them in foil and place them in the freezer. This way, when I pack them, they also act as an ice pack for my other food.

Tonight’s selection was mashed blackberries, cinnamon, stevia, and cocoa powder.

Just as good as the creations I make at home, my friends!

***

Sitting on that patio at dinner in that dessert spa atmosphere I wanted a margarita so bad. I texted my trainer to beg. He said no and that I would appreciate it on competition day. He’s right… ~~but damn.~~

Did you #workitout for Boston yesterday?

Have you ever whipped out your own food at a restaurant? I’m shameless.

Cauliflower & Eggplant Curry

April 15, 2013 By Laura

Curry leaves have been a mystery to me.

This only means it’s a #strangebutgood creation WAITING to happen.

This actually isn’t so strange. It’s just outside of my culinary comfort zone (yes, I do have one). I’ve always loved using Indian spiced in my dishes. Ginger is a staple – I once made this Ginger Tempeh Stir-Fry every night for a week.

At restaurants, I love to order the curry; however, I’ve never tried my hand at making my own. Having seen curry leaves at my local farmer’s market, my curiosity finally got the best of me. Curry dinner = ON.

Curry leaves sort of look like bay leaves. This begs several questions: Do you eat them? Are they just for flavor? Do you decorate with them? Can you dry them?

It turns out, you can eat them. And they don’t have to be fried in oil first (a popular preparation in Indian restaurants). I also read that you can freeze them. I’ll have to report on that later.

Back to my dish. It was amazing. I know it’s wrong to brag… but seriously. I wish I had made 3 pots of this stuff. Actually, I kind of did. This is by far my most-tested recipe. ~~How come research wasn’t this much fun in college?~~

I worried about the flavors – there are a lot of spices in this! Too much of this, not enough of that… and finally… juuuuust right! I was amazed. The list is long, but it does come together quickly. Just line up your spices and dump ’em in the pot! The curry leaves add an awesome dimension, but if you can’t find it don’t worry. These spices are enough to stand alone.

I’ve made this several times now, with full-fat coconut milk and with the light stuff. It is still ok with light, but it’s 100x more flavorful with the real deal. You can also use different veggies and protein. I’m a huge cauliflower fan, so that’s been my favorite. The recipe below uses Swordfish, but I like it just as much with Escolar (fish) , chicken, and tempeh.

Like all good meals, this is best enjoyed with a good friend (who gave her stamp of approval) on a patio followed by a walk in the sunshine. Spring has sprung.

These leftovers are what’s making my Monday Marvelous.

That plus a hair cut and a clean house (a.k.a. best money I ever spent). 😉

Cauliflower & Eggplant Curry

1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp fenugreek
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/4 C red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 inch piece fresh ginger, minced
10 curry leaves
1/2 C tomato paste
1/2 large eggplant, diced (~1.25 cups)
8 oz Swordfish (or other protein)
1/2 C coconut milk
200 g cauliflower florets (~1 small head)

Place the dry spices in a medium-size pot and toast over medium heat until fragrant, ~2-3 mins or until they start to pop.

Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger. Stir to coat in spices and cook until the onion is soft. Stir in the curry leaves and tomato paste.

Add fish and eggplant to the sauce. Pour in the coconut milk and cook until the eggplant is soft and fish is cooked through (~7-8 mins).

Finally, add in the cauliflower florets. Season and cook for a few more minutes until tender.

Spoon into plates and enjoy!

Makes 2-3 servings.

Note: This could easily be made vegan by eliminating the fish, or using lentils or tempeh instead.

***

Last week is was Indian Bison Burger creations, this week curry… my sister’s in India and it apparently causes me to crave Indian food. LOL!

What recipe have you worked the hardest on to perfect?

Do you like Indian food? Have you ever had curry leaves?

Strange But Good: Indian Spiced Bison Burgers

April 12, 2013 By Laura

My sister is vacationing in India.

She won’t let any of us forget it. I’m not jealous. I don’t need a vaca…

I would say I made the burgers I’m sharing today in her honor… but really I was inspired after seeing Madelyn’s recipe. Before I start, a note: I realize this is a meat-centric post and many of you don’t eat meat… these flavors/ideas would also work well with tempeh, lentils, beans, or soy meat crumbles.

The burgers themselves aren’t so strange (other than the fact that I’m confident there are no bison in India), but I think what I did with them might qualify. I wanted pizza. Bison is sort of like sausage. Bison for breakfast… why not? Sometimes I feel like this in the morning:

He doesn’t look so nice, but I wanted a hit of sweetness (read: fruit) with this creation. I decided mango was a perfectly acceptable topping. It works really well with Indian spices and provided a little cooling effect against all the extra red pepper flakes I added.

A corn tortilla made for a delicious, crispy crust. And it’s fast – there is no way I’m making dough before noon!

Mango Bison Breakfast Pizza

1 corn tortilla
Tomato sauce*
Bison burger
Spinach, steamed
Cherry tomatoes
Mango
Basil

Spread the sauce across your tortilla and add toppings. Place under broil for 5-7 mins, watching closely.

Remove and enjoy!

*The sauce might be the strangest part to some of you. I mixed fire-roasted tomatoes with nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and cinnamon. Yes cinnamon. It’s awesome with tomatoes.

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Or how about crumbling a perfectly good, already cooked bison burger and using it to stuff a kabocha squash? With coconut milk. And curry leaves.

Curry leaves do not taste like curry powder. They are actually a little bitter and have a hint of lime to them. More on that when I post the curry recipe I promised on Instagram Tuesday. 😉

I roasted half a kabocha while I prepped my green stuffings. This was an important ~~distraction~~ step for me because I am normally way to impatient to wait for a squash to roast.

I had to add the coconut and some Indian spices to go with the burger. So glad I did because this won the prize for meal of the week!

Indian Bison Stuffed Squash

1/2 kabocha squash
1/4 in pieces fresh ginger, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green onion, chopped
1 C broccolini
3 Brussels sprouts
1/2 carrot
8 curry leaves (optional)
1 T coconut milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp garam masala
Red pepper flakes and pepper, to taste
1 bison burger (recipe below)

Place the kabocha in the oven to roast at 400 degrees for about 20 mins, or until tender.

Meanwhile, saute the veggies, adding the coconut milk, ACV, and spices at the end to preserve the moisture.

Crumble the burger and toss with the veggies. Remove squash from over and stuff with your mixture.

Place the stuffed squash back in the over to bake for 10 mins.

Devour.

At the end of the day… I wonder to myself why I make burgers if I’m just going to crumble them. It is a little strange. Then I remember and important lesson: don’t question a good thing.

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Indian Spiced Bison Burgers

1/2 lb ground bison (or sub in your protein of choice)
2 T cilantro, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard

Mix everything together and divide into patties.

Cook in a pan over medium heat for 3-4 mins on each side, or until desired temperature is reached.

Allow to cool slightly so the juices soak in before you dig in.

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Who else has enjoyed making co-workers, friend, or family stare with strange but good creations this week?

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.

In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

***

I got lazy this week and took all my pics with my iPhone. #sorryimnotsorry

Have you ever eaten bison? Do you like it or ground beef better?

Do you prefer using a smart phone or a "real" camera?

Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal + WIAW

April 10, 2013 By Laura

Can there be too much of a good thing?

I’m not sure I could tire of dark chocolate.

How about Nutella? Can you imagine having 5.5 tons of it? Thieves in Bad Hersfeld, Germany have made away with a trailer loaded up with just that much of the hazelnut-chocolate-y ~~crack~~ spread. According to this report, that’s about $20,700 of Nutella.

Seriously. What would you do with all that nutella? What are they going to do with it?! More importantly… will this cause a shortage? 😉

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On to healthier, less-alaming things. It’s WIAW time! This is probably the last day of normal (for me) eats pre-competition. Cheat days are gone and I’m back to being super-strict. How do people do this for 16+ weeks?!

Check out my 7 low-sodium, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!

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