Today was my day off and I did have plans to head up to see my parents, but those changed at the last-minute, hopefully I’ll get up there next week! So, I pretty much spent the day at home and in the kitchen, which is my favorite place anyways. It definitely has become the place where I can just put all things aside and create (or attempt) to create goodness – kind of like a therapy session.  So, I spent the day cleaning it a bit, organizing my spices and spice cabinet and even tried my hand a couple of recipes today.

Today’s key ingredient was SPELT FLOUR!

Here’s a little more info on spelt, which I’m using more and more these days, especially since I think the hubby might have a sensitivity to wheat.  It’s certainly scoring some major points with me with the recipes I’ve tried this week.

Breakfast: I had 2 carrot ginger chia spelt muffins - so yummy!! – There’s spelt in these!

muffin

First fun project on tap today was to make Spelt Tortillas which I have been drooling over at Oh She Glows….this is the 2nd recipe I’ve tried this week…Angela  sure makes some tasty treats.  I really need to do more research when it comes to making breads.  That is one of the things I struggle with the most…my doughs tend not to rise enough or my dough is too sticky, etc.  But Angela made these look so easy and I’ve been buying spelt flour lately, so I thought I’d give it a try.  Sure, I could purchase these in the store and save me lots of time, but who doesn’t love that sense of accomplishment knowing that what you’re consuming was made by you and it’s always great to know exactly what is going into your food/body.  I think that might be one of my top reasons for trying to recreate things at home – just so I can control what goes in.  I might be  somewhat of a control freak – but let’s keep that between us.

A little "Rustic" looking - eh?

Ingredients: Spelt Flour, olive oil, salt, baking soda and water – love the simple ingredient list.

So, I followed her recipe and my dough was actually pretty sticky after mixing everything in the beginning, but I let it sit for 20 mins like she said and then I added a little more flour because I couldn’t tear the dough into separate pieces without it clinging all over my hands.

Spelt Flour, salt and soda added

Olive Oil Added

Water added

See how sticky it looks?  Hmm, not sure why, but I covered it and put it on the stove where it was a little warm for 20 mins.

After mixing - now let sit for 20 mins

After 20 mins, I pinched the dough (after adding a little more flour) into 8 dough balls, which I then covered and let sit for another 20 mins

Pinched into 8 dough balls

Then it was time to roll out and again I had to add a little more flour because it was super sticky and would stick to the rolling pin I used.  I also don’t think that I got these as thin as they should be

Trying to Roll out into circles

I placed the rolled out tortilla on a piece of parchment paper

All rolled out and ready to cook!

Cooking up - over med heat in a dry skillet

Once browned, I flipped over and cooked for just a little loner

Cooking in the skillet

My “Rustic” attempt at Homemade Spelt Tortillas

Ta-Da!!

So in the end I might have added anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of extra flour, but I need to test that next time.  And trust me, I’ll be making these again…probably this week – they taste awesome.

Mine really look nothing like Angela’s and I need practice rolling them out, but they still tasted great which is most important!

I also did some “housekeeping” things around the kitchen and straightened things up, I HATE a messy kitchen – it throws things off balance.  Anyway, I decided to finally put to use all of the glass jars I’ve been saving.  I’ve been seeing so many cute spice displays out in the blog world lately that I felt the need to do something to mine. Although I really relish at the thought of having nice, uniform glass containers for all of my spices, I’m simply not at that stage yet.  So, I recycled my jars and took out the spices that were in plastic bags and plastic containers and placed them in the jars.  Most of the jars and kind of large, but they look better now that they’re in a new home

New Home for my spices

And then I felt the need to re-arrange the spice cabinet, mainly because I have to put all of these in there somewhere, which I didn’t think about until I was almost done putting everything in the jars, but luckily there was enough room!

Newly Organized

I also oiled my wooden rolling pin and 2 mini cutting boards that get so much use.  I used this Wood and Bamboo Oil I  got at Crate and Barrel – pure and environmentally friendly ingredients are used, got a love that.

Cutting Boards + Rolling pin

I even managed to get in 2 workouts today – one early this morning since I thought I’d be heading out to see my parents for the day and then one later this afternoon, I felt the need to run some more after sampling today’s spelt tortilla’s.

Workout:

• First Session – 10 min warm-up, walking on treadmill, 4 miles – 41:00mins, 5 min cool-down and stretching + 10 min elliptical
• Second Session – 10 min warm-up, walking, 3 miles running – 30:00mins, 5 min walk uphill, 5 min cool-down, walking

After I came home, I decided to make me some dinner – I came across this post on making falafel the other day at The Edible Perspective and it looked so yummy.

Dinner: 2 Falafel patties atop spinach, tomato and Greek yogurt with a little salt and pepper

Falafel & Spinach Salad

Here’s what my mixture looked like before I formed them into patties.  The directions say to form 1/4 cup, but then I only got 5 patties, so I re-worked them because the recipe said it made 8 servings, so I ended up with forming 8 patties and then I baked on 350 degrees for about 15 mins or so, until the outside was a little crusty, but the inside was kind of soft. Yep, there’s spelt flour in here as well.

Chickpea goodness

As a side note, I didn’t have any tahini, so I toasted up all of the sesame seeds I had on hand and threw that in the food processor and ground it up before adding the other ingredients.  I also added a little bit of Greek yogurt since I didn’t have any tahini and only used a small amount of lemon zest and lemon juice  and taste it along and adjust to your liking.  Oh, and I added a little bit of red chili flakes for a slight kick.

I can’t wait to have these in a homemade spelt tortilla wrap for lunch tomorrow. I also wanted to make the Naan recipe because it looked amazing and seemed to turn out well.  I’ve tried to make it before with less than stellar results, so this recipe made me excited to try it again.  Unfortunately, I didn’t see any bread flour at the store today, so I’ll have to pick it up later this week or put it on the list for next week.

Before I peace out….here’s the Song of the Day.  King of Anything by Sara Bareilles.  I’ve been hearing this a lot at work and just love her lyrics and melodies.

Night y’all!

Here were the main eats over the last few days….I’m just trying to play catch-up today.

FRIDAY

Breakfast: Oats + banana slices + chia seeds…uh, I think I should’ve mixed the chia seeds into the pot before putting it into the serving dish,  they were kind of all over the place and I kept getting mouthfuls of the seeds…I can definitely tell these are high in omega’s – it kind of tasted fishy to me.  I think next time I try them out, I’ll put them in something…like muffins.

Oats

Lunch: Millet Salad from my savory millet experiment

Millet Salad

TJ’s mini dunkers – Blueberry Almond – these are so yummy!

mini dunkers

Dinner: Chicken Salad Sandwich on 1 piece of bread + tortilla chips

Chicken Salad

• Boiled chicken
• Dill Relish
• Minced onion
• Celery
• Walnuts
• Light Mayo
• Salt and pepper

Chicken Salad Sandwich

SATURDAY

Breakfast - fixed by my wonderful hubby, eventhough it was HIS bday! – Egg sandwich with cheese, avocado, and tomato + skillet potatoes and sliced bananas

Egg Sandwich, potatoes and banana slices

I love skillet potatoes!  These rival my moms!

Egg goodness

This was eaten on our balcony at our little bistro table for a party of two! Bentley was having is fun outside as well – silly kitty, you are too curious for your own good.

Checking it out

Dinner - Taqueria del Sol

1 Memphis Taco – Chopped smoked pork with a spicy jalapeños cole slaw and tequila BBQ sauce in a flour tortilla + 1 Fish Taco – Tilapia dipped in an egg wash rolled in corn masa and bread crumbs and deep-fried. Served with poblano tartar sauce and pickled jalapeños in a flour tortilla and some chips and guacamole and a yummy margarita

I also had a piece of the key lime pie for dessert and a glass of Chardonnay Wine

MONDAY

Dinner: Massaged Kale Salad

• Kale
• salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• green onions
• toasted walnuts
• goat cheese

Massaged Kale Salad

Dal

• 1.75 cups red lentils
• 6 cups of water (or broth)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• salt
• Mustard Seeds
• Cumin Seeds
• Cinnamon
• Garlic Powder
• Ginger Powder
• Olive oil

I heated the olive oil over medium heat and added the cumin seeds and mustard seeds until they began to pop.  Then I added the onion and sautéed until it was soft.  Then I added the spices, lentils and water.  I brought this to a boil and then lowered to a simmer and cooked for about 35 mins.

Dal - cooked to perfection

I just can’t get over how amazing this Dal tasted – I could eat it everyday and it seems like we have this past week.  So yum!!

And I’ll leave you with this song that I found a while back and have been loving again lately Friendly Fires – Paris (Aeroplan Remix ft Au Revoir Simone)

Night y’all….

Yesterday, I finally got around to trying out the millet I bought a week or so ago at the farmer’s market – I saw this post and pretty much followed it for cooking the millet and then I experimented with it using it in a sweet dish and then a savory one.

Millet (source)

Although Millet is most often found in birdseed in the US, it is actually an ancient seed that is a staple in many Asian countries and is cultivated in drier climates like Northern China and Africa.  It has a mild sweet, nutty flavor and is often ground into flour and used for making flat bread and other delicious foods.

I started by toasting a cup of millet in a dry skillet over medium heat

Toasting on Med heat

I toasted it up until it was fragrant and I could hear it start popping – probably about 6-8 mins.  I constantly shook the pan to make sure it didn’t burn.  Toasting before cooking is should bring out the flavor more.

Close-up of it in the skillet

After toasting, I rinsed it in cold water.

Rinsing the Millet

Next, I brought 6 cups of water with a little salt added to a boil.  In my research yesterday, I learned that once grains are added to boiling water, they should not be stirred while they cook, as this can rupture the cells and create stickiness.

Bring water to a boil

Add the millet and once it boils, cook for 12 mins at a simmer

Cook for 12 mins

Millet coming to a boil

After cooking for 12 mins, I drained the millet and water into a colander – for about 10 mins or so.

Draining in a colander

Then it was time to experiment.  Firstly, I wanted to make a sweet breakfast so I fixed it like I would oats – I used millet, a tsp of homemade fig preserves, a little bit of maple syrup, unsweetened coconut flakes and some walnuts.  Yummy!

The sweet side

Then it was time to try my hand a savory dish.  For lunch, I decided to try to make a cold salad with fresh veggies and herbs.

I used millet, diced English cucumber, fresh cilantro, green olives, and then I made a dressing out of fresh lemon juice and olive oil.  I added salt and pepper to taste and wah-la!  A healthy side dish or meal!

The savory side

For more information on Millet and other recipes, I came across this post  on Apartment Therapy The Kitchn and will probably give some of these a try soon.  I think that my “sweet” dish would’ve been a little better if I had added either almond butter or peanut butter.  The millet reminded me of quinoa a bit.  I prefer quinoa, but am glad to have tried this out.  I can’t wait to experiment a little more and will probably try it as rice or maybe even by adding it to a soup this week.  We shall see.

Other eats from yesterday included:

Toast spread with cashew cheese and cucumbers – this was eaten along with my millet salad

Toast with cukes and cashew cheese

This was an awesome combo!

And for dinner, I tried out my new green curry paste and cooked up a Green Curry Chicken over Brown Basmati Rice for me and the hubby – spicy!  It was amazing – I got a little over zealous with the curry paste, but it was so yummy!  Can’t wait to make this again soon.

Green Chicken Curry + Rice

For this curry I used:

• 1 lb of chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 2 T of green curry paste
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 can + 1/3 cup of Coconut Milk
• 2 new potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 med onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 Roma tomato diced
• salt and pepper

I added 1 T of olive oil and added the onions, carrots and potatoes to start cooking and getting soft.  Then I added in the remaining items and stirred until the curry paste was mixed in with the coconut milk.  I brought everything up to a boil and then reduced to medium heat and cooked until chicken was done and veggies were soft.

Meanwhile, I cooked the Basmati Rice and once that was done, I fluffed it with a fork and then served us up a plate.  We loved it so much that we both had seconds.  It was so delicious.  Super spicy, but a tone of flavor.

Here’s the brand of green curry paste I used.

Bright Brand Green Curry Paste

Before fixing dinner, I did manage to make it to the gym.

Workout:

• 10 min warm-up walking on treadmill
• 5.5 miles – 56 mins!!!! (woo-hoo)
• 8 min cool-down walking on treadmill

Yesterday was super productive as well, I spent the day running errands to get things for the hubby’s b-day tomorrow – I’m super excited about the gifts I got him and for the sweet treats we’re going to be consuming!!  I love b-days!

Peace out y’all….

Protein seemed to be the theme for yesterday and man was it good!

Breakfast: Green Smoothie

Green Smoothie

• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 T Nutribiotic Brown Rice Protein Powder
• crushed ice
• 1 T flax meal

Snack: PB&J Larabar

PB&J Larabar

Lunch: Red Lentil Dal – Another recipe based off of one in my Cooking Light Magazines (October 2007 Issue) + a chargrilled chicken sandwich 

Soup and a Sandwich

Let’s explore the Dal a little more….

Red Lentil Dal

• 1  tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1  medium onion, diced
• 1  teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8  teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• 1  tsp ground ginger
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 4  cups water
• 1  cup  dried small red lentils
• 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice

I kind of did my own thing here and didn’t really go by the recipe.  I sautéed the onions first and once they were soft, I added in the garlic and tomatoes and then all of the spices. After this, I added in the lentils and water and brought it up to a boil, then reduced to a simmer and cooked on the stove for about 30 mins.  You can serve over rice, but I just ate like a soup.

I can’t wait to make more of this!!

Dinner: I couldn’t decide what to make, so I settled on protein pancakes

Protein Pancakes + Nectarine Preserves

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 mashed ripe banana
• 1 T Nutribiotic Brown Rice Protein Powder
• 1 T flax meal

I topped with this with some homemade Nectarine preserves!

Here’s the song of the day.  This song always brightens up my mood – hope you enjoy – Have a Nice Day by Stereophonics – LOVE this band!!

See y’all later…

Here are some of today’s eats.

Breakfast: Breakfast was eaten on the run or really on my drive into work.  I ate the last of the sourdough bread this morning – boo/yay?!  So yummy and I felt like a kid eating my AB and J sandwich.  It was delicious though!! (not raw)

AB & J sammie

I love eating all types of food, which many of you know…I like eating vegetarian at times, I like eating vegan at times and more recently, I like eating raw at times.  I’m not sure what it is, but whenever I consume raw food – although it’s mainly salads for me, I just feel healthier all around.  I feel like my eating patterns can be sporadic and all or nothing – one minute this way and then the next minute a mixture of another.  I think it’s tough sometimes because people want to put you in a class and you can only be that  or eat that certain way.  I sometimes feel pressured to state myself as one or the other – carnivore or vegan.  But more and more these days, I don’t classify myself.  I do prefer eating less meat and rely on a vegetarian diet and some days relying on fish for protein – mainly salmon.  Sometimes, I want dairy and sometimes I prefer to be dairy free.  Actually, I usually do prefer to be dairy free with the exception of eating goat cheese lately. But I see this as a “gateway” food that leads me to other dairy products… Anyway, I guess what I’m really trying to say is that I am really liking the freedom to experiment and find my own path to a healthy lifestyle whether or not that includes one or more styles of eating….there is a ton of amazing food I can’t wait to try!!!  Enough rambling, let’s move on shall we?

Snack: Gingersnap Larabar – In recent years, I’ve really come to love the taste and zing that ginger has in food.  It’s very distinct but in a good way and one that enhances food. (raw)

Ginger Snap

Lunch: Today, I was very excited about my lunch…I finally got around to trying my hand at a using collard green leaves as wraps. Nice healthy raw meal – definitely was craving this today!  This was inspired by the ones Gena made over on her blog Choosing Raw

I found these small collard green leaves at the Dekalb Farmers Market yesterday and couldn’t wait to use them.  First, I washed and then cut out the stems because they are kind of tough

washed & de-stemmed

Then I spread a thin layer of raw vegan cashew cheese that I made yesterday.

RAW CASHEW CHEESE

• 1 cup of raw cashews – soaked for 2 hours or more
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 small clove of garlic, minced
• 3/4 T nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper

I drained the cashews that were soaking and placed them into the bullet (I don’t have a Vitamix and didn’t want out the food processor – this is the next best thing to me).  Then I added the remaining ingredients and pulsed until the desired consistency was achieved.  I also might have added a little more than 1/4 cup water to thin out the mixture a bit – just go by your preference.

Spread with raw vegan cashew cheese

Then I added the fillings – avocado, cucumber and tomatoes

Adding veggies to my wrap

Then I carefully folded and wrapped everything up in a nice little package.

All rolled up

I made 3 of these bad boys

Ready to travel

These were so yummy!  I don’t know what I waited so long to give them a try, but I definitely will have them again – probably next week.  And as you can tell, I need mad help in rolling these up and keeping them rolled up.

I also had a banana with this. (raw)

Banana

My photos are looking a little blurry…I must have not been that awake this morning…sorry y’all.

After work, I headed home and got ready for a date night with the hubby…here’s a hint:

How cute is this place – full report coming soon!

Night y’all!