Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Food Exploration

So now that I'm trying to eat more veggies and less gluten/dairy products, I need to be proactive about learning new foods and recipes. Or maybe even just new ways to cook things I already eat. For example, last night, I had this eggplant and didn't feel like grilling it like I usually do. I got out a cookbook I have and looked up eggplant. It said I could just saute it in butter in a pan. So that's what I did. And it was friggin' delicious. Even my husband said so and he hates eggplant.

I am obviously not gifted in food photography. but in my defense, I didn't even try because I'm lazy


I also decided to get veggies from the farmer's market so that gave me a way different group of veggies than what I normally eat. I got squash, eggplant and green beans.


As I was perusing the veggie section in Whole Foods, I was just looking at all of the different veggie varieties and thinking, I don't know anything about any of these vegetables. Like, wtf is this:




and what do I do with it?



or this...


what do I do with this? don't tell me salad because no...




um...



There is an ENTIRE section of things like this that I just do not know what to do with. In the fall, I am always on a mission to try new things so last year I tried almost every type of squash and realized that I love squash. This is my fav...






I am kind of proud of myself because what I've realized is that I haven't really made that big of a change in my diet because I'm not really feeling much of a change physically. It hasn't been too hard. Now I did have a hershey's bar with almonds yesteday but it's that time of the month and that's what happens. And I would've had dark chocolate but couldn't find any at the BP gas station. Guess they're not as focused on health.


This morning was the only time when I felt really tired but as soon as I started running, I felt better. I took it a little easier this morning but still felt like I got in a good workout. Here is my training for the week so far:

Monday: 6 miles in the morning, 3 miles at night for a total of 9
Tuesday: 40 minutes of swimming: 100 m warm up, 4 x 50 (kick with fins), 4 x 50 m (swim), 4 x 50 m (pull), 10 x 25 m sprints and then I was ready to get out of the pool
Wednesday: 1 mile warm up, 5 x 4 minutes intervals with a 4 minute rest


I still have 2 more swims, a yoga class, a strength training session, a bike ride, a speed workout and a 12 mile run so....


Do you know any recipes with the stuff above?









3 comments:

  1. A favorite book of mine is Field Guide to Produce: How to Identify, Select, and Prepare Virtually Every Fruit and Vegetable at the Market.

    In order of mystery food: red beet, radish and rhubarb.
    Red beets are delicious roasted at 350 for 45 min, peeled (wear gloves or you will have that "I helped the kids fingerpaint today" look), sliced and drizzled with a little evoo and sprinkled with orange salt or salt and basil.

    My favorite radish recipe is for roasted radishes, brown butter and lemon.
    Uses 2 bunches medium radishes (such as red, pink, and purple; about 20), 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, Coarse kosher salt, 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired. medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.
    Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.
    (thank you bon appetite!)

    And rhubarb... it's great sauteed with red cabbage (coriander, mustard seeds, vinegar, orange zest and orange juice are all necessary to make it happy), but I personally use it to add a bit of fiber to a strawberry pie. :)

    Enjoy! Kirkland

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  2. Butternut squash soup yummy :) A good cook book Everyday Paleo.

    Also I need to show you how to make a really good Spaghetti squash... to replace traditional spaghetti noodles... with a lot of meat sauce is mouth watering.

    Keep it up :) Your tummy will love you.

    ~Al

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  3. Yummy!! Thanks to both of you!!!!!

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