Afternoon Delight

This afternoon I put something wondering in my mouth. 

My first ever homemade pumpkin scones.  I adapted another recipe online and despite baking it a little too long… i love the results.

Here’s a sneak peek… and the recipe will follow another day!

Also… a shot of a healthy dinner…

Happy weekend!

Easy Peasy, Extra Cheesy Lentil Loaf

I searched and searched the internet looking for a lentil loaf recipe that looked tasty but easy.  I went out on a limb one day and just decided to make my own.  I now make it weekly to take in my lunch. 

It’s not a vegan friendly recipe by any means… but it works for me.

Start by preheating the oven to 350F and boiling 2 cups of water

Add 1 cup of lentils.  Today I used red… but in all honesty, I prefer green.  I find red becomes more mushy once cooked.

Truth be told… I was also using up a bit of green lentils today too.

Throw it in the boiling water.  Let cook, uncovered and on low temperature for 25min (or so)

In a separate bowl combine:

• 1c quick oats
• 1/2c salsa (I use Penny’s Pico De Gallo of course!)
• 1 egg
• 3/4c shredded light cheese (I use old cheddar)
• 1/2c nutritional yeast (this is what makes it extra cheesy!)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• basil, oregano and black pepper to taste

Mix it all up

Once the lentils are cooked, mash them up and add them to this mixture.

Put it all in a greased loaf pan.

Add ketchup on top (for fun) if you want… if you love ketchup like I do (I use the PC blue menu ketchup actually).

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes.

 

Voila!

I entered all of the ingredients in to My Fitness Pal and 1/8 of the loaf is 125 calories, 3g of fat, 8g of protein, 3g of fibre and 18g of carbs.

I like to eat 1 or 2 servings a day on a bed of baby spinach, drizzled in

Technorati Tags: Lentil Loaf,easy,lentils,nutritional yeast. vegetarian

Mmmm sauce.  Delightful.

My favourite lunch

I have a new favourite lunch.  It’s a combination of a salad and a hearty meal… with a kick.

It’s simple.  A bed of baby spinach, some homemade lentil loaf… topped with Mmmm sauce.  Have you visited Mama Pea?  If not… I highly recommend her.  I do believe her cookbook will be added to my birthday/Christmas wish list.

There’s the spinach bed with lentil loaf.  It’s my own recipe for the lentil loaf.  I’m going to do a whole post on it another time.

Throw on some mmmm sauce and we have perfection.

You don’t understand my love affair with this sauce.  Last month, instead of sweets… I craved this stuff.  I ate it for lunch, came home from work… and ate it by the spoonful still.

Love

I have to go.  I need to make more of it.

In closing… just for fun… here’s a birthday cake I made a couple of weeks ago.  It’s supposed to be a dump truck.  Does it look like one?

Smooth Operator

The naturopath I went to this summer suggested I start each day with a smoothie.  I have managed to do just that (5 days a week) since July.  After only 2 weeks of doing this new routine I went for a follow up and found out I had gained 1lb of muscle.  More muscle = better able to burn fat.  Yay. 

My smoothies generally consist of:

• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/2c frozen fruit (cherries, strawberries, or mango)
• big spoonful of plain Greek Liberte
• Unsweetened Almond Breeze
• 1tbsp chia seeds
• Chocolate amazing grass
• Vanilla protein powder
• Stevia
• Spinach (sometimes)

Here’s the photo highlight…

Pumpkin

It’s no surprise to me that people use “pumpkin” as a term of endearment (although, we don’t use it in this house).  What’s not to love about pumpkin?  It’s one of the things we have to look forward to with the arrival of fall.

The other day I decided to make my first bowl of pumpkin oats.  I documented it.

 

Challenge:

I have decided to challenge myself.  Remember my food diary?  Yeah, I don’t always remember it either.  From here on out, I vow to track my food every day through until Christmas.  I won’t miss a day or meal.  If I miss a dinner (which is what I tend to do), I will go back the next day and still document it.

Fall. A Time for Change.

Welcome fall

The season is changing.  Beautiful scenery is imminent.

I don’t know where the time has gone.  I feel like the summer got away from me.  Wasn’t this only yesterday?

(A beautiful summer day at Navy Pier in Chicago)

Fall is a time for change.  Nights change from hot to cool, evenings change from bright to dark, breakfasts change from cool smoothies to hot oats, and leaves change from pretty green to a beautiful array of colours.

My life is not immune to change either.  I was fortunate enough to be offered a different job at my office.  It’s covering a mat leave (which is good.  I don’t know that I’m ready to leave my job permanently).  It’s going to be a challenge, but I think I’m ready for one.  It’s also going to mean flexible hours.  I fully intend on taking advantage of that flexibility and working out more.  I also plan on using my flexibility to blog more!  I hope you’ll join me