Monthly Archives: May 2012

Cheesy Tofu Pasta Bake

17 Thursday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on May 17, 2012

 

A few times a year I clean out my freezer, this recipe is the result of what I found hiding in my freezer. This dish would be great using fresh vegetables and I think almost any combination of vegetables would work.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 6 oz frozen asparagus spears (break the spears in half)
  • 4 oz frozen tri-colored bell peppers (sliced)
  • ¼ fresh onion (chopped)
  • 4 oz Rotelle Pasta (I used quinoa pasta but any type could be used)
  • 1 block of soft tofu (drained)
  • ½ cup tomatillo salsa
  • 4 oz Daiya jalapeno garlic havarti (crumbled) *

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In large baking pan, add olive oil, asparagus, bell peppers and onion. Half way thought baking remove and toss veggies then return to oven. Bake for about 30 minutes until the onion is translucent. Remove from oven and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to instructions. Drain pasta and set aside.
  4. In a non-stick skillet, on med-low heat, add tofu, salsa and baked vegetables. Combine until tofu is smooth. Remove from heat.
  5. In an 8×8 baking dish, added cooked pasta to bottom of pan, add tofu mixture and top with cheese.
  6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted.
  7. Serve and enjoy.
  •  Most any cheese would be good in this dish. I was using what I had on hand.
  • About 4 servings. This recipe could easily be doubled.

♥ ♥

My 5th WIAW

15 Tuesday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on May 15, 2012

 Hello Everyone! Happy “What I Ate Wednesday”! WIAW has become something I look forward to each week. I enjoy sharing and seeing everyone’s posts. Already I have been inspired and found many new recipes. Now that I am on summer break I plan to try all these recipes I have discovered. Thank you to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting.

This is what I ate:

Pre-Breakfast (6:30am)

An un-pictured coffee from Starbucks I picked up on my morning walk.

Breakfast (7:30am)

My old reliable smoothie made with bananas, blueberries and peaches.

AM Snack (9:00am)

I am so sad I found these waffles at La Pain Quotidien because I like them too much. These waffles are packaged to go by the register and I never paid much attention to them. Until one day, we grabbed a couple to go and now I am hooked. 🙂

 

Lunch (11:30am)

While I was out running errands, I stopped for lunch at my new favorite place Paninoteca Maggio in Santa Ana. I had a roasted vegetable sandwich with a latte. I am in love with this sandwich it is so tasty!

 PM Snack (2:30pm)

Raspberries – soooo sweet!

Dinner (5:30pm)

Fred’s Lemon & Ginger Kale with Sesame Tofu Steak. This is the recipe I submitted for the Virtual Vegan Potluck last Saturday. We are enjoying this recipe so much; I think we will be making this all summer.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope your day is full of healthy meals!

♥ ♥

Exercise Alleviates Depression

15 Tuesday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the RD) on May 15, 2012

Over the past few weeks, I have been extremely busy.  I was working double shifts at my first job on some nights but would still have to go to job # 2 on other nights.  It was grueling.  I had little sleep on some days, but knew that I still had to get my exercise in, because without exercise, I always seem to feel a little “off.”  So, I got on the treadmill and continued with my routine, no matter how late I got home.  However, my poor best friend Kasper (above) was not so lucky.  I had to have my mom and dad pick him up and take care of him since I was gone for so many hours.  He also missed out on his walks, which I am sure he was not happy about.  I noticed that the poor guy just wasn’t as happy as he usually is, as you can see in the picture above.  It was interesting to see that lack of exercise seemed to have affected my dog the same way it affects me.  So, the moral of the story is that exercise is a very important “mood booster.”  Actually, it is now a recognized form of therapy for depression.  So, keep on exercising because it not only makes your heart happy, but it is also important for our mental health!

 ♥ ♥

May 13th – Exercise Log

13 Sunday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on May 13, 2012
 

Source: getfitordie.tumblr.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

5/13/12            Off √

5/14/12            Yoga 1 hr class, Walk/Jog 1 ½ miles,

Weight Train  15 min √

5/15/12            Piyo 1 hr class, Walk/Jog 1 ½ miles √

5/16/12            Yoga 1 hr class, Walk/Jog 1 ½ miles, Weight Train 15 min √

5/17/12            Yoga 1 hr class, Walk/Jog 1 ½ miles √

5/18/12            Body Pump 1 hr class, Walk/Jog 1 ½ miles X

5/19/12            Tennis 1 1/2 hr X

♥ ♥

FRED’S LEMON AND GINGER KALE WITH SESAME TOFU STEAK

12 Saturday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on May 12, 2012

Welcome to the Virtual Vegan Potluck! Thank you to Annie at An Unrefined Vegan for organizing this event! 🙂

A refreshing, quick and easy meal. Serves four:

Sesame Tofu Steak Ingredients:

  • 1 medium firm block of tofu (Drained)
  • 1 Tbsp. of sesame seeds
  • 1Tbsp. sesame oil for earthy taste (canola or olive oil may be substituted)
  • ¼ cup of Mitsukan – Ajipon (Citrus Seasoned Soy Sauce or low-sodium with some citrus juice may be substituted)

Lemon/Ginger Kale Ingredients:

  • 2 large bunches of fresh kale (stems removed and chopped into bite size pieces)
  • 1 fresh lemon
  • 1 Tbsp. of fresh ginger (finely chopped)
  • 1 small clove of garlic (diced)
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium size white onion (chopped into bite size pieces)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation and Cooking Instructions:

Sesame Tofu Steak:

  • slice the tofu block length wise into 4 slices
  • marinate with citrus seasoned soy sauce for 30 t0 60 minutes before cooking (save the soy sauce for later)
  • heat sesame oil in large pan on medium heat and add tofu slices and brown on both sides while cooking the lemon/ginger kale, (see cooking instructions below)

Lemon/Ginger Kale

  • in a wok or large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and then add garlic and ginger.
  • sauté for few minutes and add onion, followed by the kale: add the juice of the lemon and toss as you sauté the ingredients until the kale and the onion are soft; salt and pepper to taste.
  • place the lemon/ginger kale on a plate; place a tofu steak on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds
  • deglaze the sesame tofu pan with the saved soy sauce and pour over the top of tofu steaks.

Enjoy!

 

Explore other blogs in the Virtual Vegan Potluck.

  ♥ ♥  

Book Review – Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy

11 Friday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on May 11, 2012

Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy by J.J. Virgin is basically a diet book with an exercise program. I really do not like diet books because I do not believe they work long term. I believe you need to make lifestyle changes to keep weight off not temporary changes.  That being said, I did enjoy this book. I like the nutrition plan because it was basic common sense and easy to follow.
 

J.J.Virgin is a nutrition and fitness coach. This book has a strength training plan that that is straightforward and easy to follow. In addition, she stress aerobic exercise and good sleeping habits.  I think this book would be good for anyone who wanted a good levelheaded plan with lots encouragement.

♥ ♥

My Recipe for a Great Salad

09 Wednesday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the RD) on May 9, 2012

When I make salads for the family, I like to make a salad bar type of scenario so everyone can be happy.  Here’s what I prepared for an early Mother’s Day celebration:

Mixed greens and spinach

Chopped boiled eggs

Sautéed vegetables (I used zucchini, red, yellow, and green bell peppers, green onions, and sliced mushrooms)

Edamame

Chopped tomatoes

Green peas

Corn

Chopped carrots

Tortilla strips

Chicken breast strips

Tofu (recipe from the tofu sandwiches a couple of weeks ago)

2 types of salad dressings (I used one homemade salad dressing and one balsamic vinegar spray dressing from the store)

 

Directions:  prepare the ingredients above and let everyone serve themselves! 🙂

 ♥ ♥

My 4th WIAW – Finals Week Edition!

08 Tuesday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on May 8, 2012

Hello, everyone. Happy Wednesday! This is my forth WIAW and I am having so much fun joining in. Finals week is finally here and I am happy I was able to get this post together. Thank you to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting the party!

This is what I ate:

 

Breakfast (6:45 am)

I had my usual coffee with hazelnut milk and stevia (and I actually had 2 cups, it is finals week after all), with a few slices of yummy homemade banana bread and blueberries. I received the banana bread from my friend Rosanne as part of a finals week care package.  Thank you Rosanne 🙂

Mid-Morning Snack (9:30 am)

A NuGo Dark –chocolate Chip Protein bar. I really like these bars for a quick snack.

Lunch (12:30 pm)

Miso Ramen Soup, while I was out running a few errands.

Mid-Afternoon Snack (3:00 pm)

Roasted Golden Beets. I love these from the farmers market.

Dinner (5:45 pm)

Homemade Potato Enchiladas with Beans. Super tasty and also part of my finals care package from Rosanne.

Dessert (7:00 pm)

My homemade “almost” ice cream. It is just blended bananas, peanut butter and cocoa powder put in the freezer for about an hour.

Thank you for joining me! I hope your day is full of healthy meals! 🙂

♥ ♥

May 6th – Exercise Log

07 Monday May 2012

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Posted by Jennifer (the student) on May 6, 2012

 

5/6/12            Off √

5/7/12            Off √

5/8/12            Walk 2 miles, Weight-Training 30 min √

5/9/12            Off √

5/10/12            Walk 2 miles, Weight-Training 30 min √

5/11/12            Off √

5/12/12            Tennis 1 ½ hr class √

♥ ♥