Author: Lindsay Ingalls

A little break

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Don’t worry I won’t be gone for long but I have a huge test this week so I will be hitting the books until I take my first huge test on the 30th.  I will blog if I have the time but unfortunately this week is going to be at crazy at work and I really have to focus on school.  I will be taking a break to relax for our first dinner party at our new place.  It is going to be Asian inspired and will include:

  • Cucumber Salad with Peanuts & Chili
  • Thai Summer Rolls
  • Tempeh Lettuce Wraps with Mango Ginger Sauce
  • Pad Thai

All of these recipes are from:

School Update:
My program at IIN is going really well and soon we will receive our Certificate to See Clients, which is really exciting. This certificate signifies that I have been approved by the school to start seeing clients. Now until that time I am practicing health histories which is the first step in the starting the process of working together. The health history is always free and if you are interested in having one or would like to learn more please contact me at lindsay@cookingforaveganlover.com

Coconut Water and C25K

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This morning the Hubz and I were up and raring to go so we packed up our laundry and headed to the laundromat to get some washing done since we have yet to purchase a washer and dryer for our new condo.  I worked on some school work and snacked on a bagel with hummus (that I brought from home) and sipped on a horrible iced coffee which I unfortunately did not take a photo of and threw out after about half was gone. When we got back to the condo it was down to business for me and I set up a work station near the windows for me.

About and hour in I got antsy and decided that I would try out the new Couch to 5K iPhone App that I had purchased last night.  The Hubz decided he would go swimming and we headed out to the bike path which is conveniently behind our place and right on the lake *swoon*.

So I successfully completed day 1 of C25K and I LOVE IT!  I think that this is one of the best app’s that I have ever purchased never mind that it’s the only app I have ever purchased. Three things that I love about it are:

  • You can add play list right to the music section of the app and they start when you start the workout.
  • Before each interval starts there are 3 beeps and then it tells you to run/walk so you never have to look at the screen to see what you need to do next.
  • When you reach the half way point it lets you know so that you can either turn around like I had to or just so you have a reference point to how long you have been going.

This program is really great for me because I was running and then for various reasons you can go back to read about I just drifted away from running.  I signed up for a run in September and I am so excited to do it and use this app for my training.  The Hubz has even decided that he would like to try it after he met up with me after swimming and saw/heard how enthusiastic I was about it.

All the running and extra speed walking I did worked up an appetite and so we came home and made yummy wraps and had coconut water and Brad’s Raw Chips-sweet potato.  The wraps had sauteed portobello, avocado, spinach, green onions and a little hot sauce in them, and some cilantro in mine.

Hubby scrapped out the insides of the coconut and I will use it later to make some “chicken” burgers from Ani Phyo’s new recipe book.  Now it’s back to the work station to get down to business.  Then we are off to  run errands and to the movies with my GF to see Inception!

A Day of Posts

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It’s 9:00 pm and I am finally blogging! This day has been crazy with work, studies, and just trying to enjoy the fact that it is friday. I started my morning off right with a bowl of cereal a mix of my [Me]&Goji (goji oats, goji bears, golden berries, pistachios, coconut, cacao nibs, and chia seeds)and Uncle Sam’s with hemp milk and mug of sencha tea.

I also tried out some new products before I headed to work that Auromere sent me to sample.  I have been on the look for a new natural toothpaste and was delighted to find a tube and a few sample sizes in my package.  The toothpaste is licorice and although the flavor wasn’t my favorite for toothpaste I felt that it did a good job cleaning.

After a crazy day at work and staying 2 hours later than I had intended I came out and cooked- the only thing that chills me out after a busy day. I decided to make some skinny pizzas on these new flatbreads that I found at the market yesterday. I topped them with a tablespoon of spicy peanut hummus, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed napa cabbage, sauteed zucchini and onions and a little thai basil. After baking if for a 10 minutes I topped it with a spicy hoisin drizzle and a mix of chopped green onions, cilantro and thai basil.

See that pretty beverage next to my skinny pizza it’s a wonderful skinny mojito- now when you read the recipe you might say mojito? right but where is the rum!?! Rum is just too sugary and besides we didn’t have any only a really nice bottle of vodka from our anniversary trip to Maine.

Skinny Mojito (makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

  • 12 mint leaves
  • 1/2 lime, quartered
  • 1T agave nectar
  • 1.5oz vodka
  • ice
  • club soda

Directions:

Place mint and lime in the bottom of a cup and muddle together.  Top with the agave and then fill the cup to the top with us.  Pour over the vodka and then top with club soda.  Gently stir together and enjoy!

Hubz and I are now going to relax and catch up on NCIS: LA and enjoy a snack of grapes for me and crackers and hummus for hubby.

Bad Hair Year

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I didn’t make have time to blog this morning since for some reason my ‘To Do’ list just keeps getting longer and longer.  When will it ever end! I have a school and unpacking and planning to do OH MY!   Yes planning – my girlfriends and I are headed to Lexington MA for a girls weekend in just 2 weeks and I being the borderline obsessive planner that I am, am feeling anxious because I haven’t done much research! Now I don’t need a detailed itinerary or anything but rather ideas of what we can do – I basically want to know everything before I get there so I can just relax and do things while we are there- logical right?  Anyways all that being said I also am attempting to do some planning for or DC trip this fall as well.  So if you have any Lexington MA or DC suggestions tell me!

Since I didn’t blog this morning I also neglected to photograph my breakfast of Me & Goji cereal with banana and coffee. However I did get a photo of lunch which was simple and yet healthy and delicious: spinach salad with mushrooms, chickpeas and balsamic and of course my Earthlust bottle filled with water.

So as my blog title says ….I am having a bad hair year and I finally made an appointment to get my hair cut- you are probably saying yeah so, what does this have to do with healthy living or veganism?  Well it has everything to do with healthy living! By taking care of ourselves and doing things that make us feel great and present ourselves well is all part of a healthy lifestyle.  Now apperance is something that has taken a back seat for me in the past few years, and no it is not everything and I am not trying to be vain but it does make a difference.  Since I started my IIN holistic health counselor program I have been reminded that things like taking care of yourself are important and since I will be starting to see clients in the near future I think I should look the part.  That all being said I am having a hair crisis- I have no idea what to do! My hair is long and a mess and needs to be fixed so do you have any suggestions on new looks?

Q: How often do you get your hair cut? or do other things for yourself?

So Busy!

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I am so busy this week that there is hardly anytime to just sit and relax, however I am making time for it because it’s important to take time for ourselves. Last night the Hubz and I enjoyed a yummy simple dinner of sauteed cabbage, chipotle chickpeas and Salba chips and salsa.  After that we watched Shutter Island which was a pretty crazy movie; I wasn’t sure what to think at first and was just really confused but it really came together at the end. However unfortunately I couldn’t just sit and relax and watch a movie I had a few other items on the agenda to get done like menu planning and updating my Vermont Dining section of the blog and answering a a lot of few emails.

I also did Day 2 of Wii EA Sport Active More Workouts 6 week challenge after work yesterday.  I am loving it so far and there are great features that the original EA Active did not have such as being able to pick your level of difficulty- beginner, intermediate or advanced.  I went with intermediate and it is kicking my butt!  I also love how there is a warm up and cool down that was not really part of the original.  Today is my “rest” day for the program however I am going to make time for a different workout possibly yoga?  We still haven’t located the plug for the elliptical so that is out until we do or maybe I will utilize the bike path that runs behind our place, oh the possibilities! What will you do to be active today?

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After a late night I still managed to get up at 5:40 only 10 minutes after my alarm and got right down to business.  I made coffee and got a box unpacked in the kitchen while I waited for it to brew.  Then it was time to finish my David Wolfe module for IIN….still not sure how I felt about it.  What are your feelings on David Wolfe? Have you ever heard/seen him speak? While I worked the Hubz got breakfast together yummy cantaloupe and cereal with goji berries and cranberries!

Now I am off to cross things off my list:

  • Coffee
  • Breakfast
  • David Wolfe Module
  • Blog Post
  • Work
  • Healthy Living
  • Hannafords
  • Asian Market
  • Workout
  • Dinner
  • Module 9
  • Bed with a Book and if I can fit it in another blog post.

What’s on your agenda today?


Recipe: Spicy Sloppy Split Peas

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Spicy Sloppy Split Peas

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2T oil
  • 2-3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup yellow split peas
  • 1/2t paprika
  • 1t cumin
  • 1t granulated garlic
  • 1t Italian seasoning
  • 1/2t chipotle chili powder or hot chili powder
  • dash of cayenne
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup mild salsa or crushed tomatoes
  • 2T nutritional yeast
  • 2T fine cornmeal (not polenta or grits)
  • 1T tomato paste or tomato ketchup

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat the oil and then add in the onions and peppers and sautee for 5-7 minutes until softened and getting a little color.  Add in the paprika, cumin, garlic, Italian seasoning, cayenne and chipotle chili powder and stir to coat.  Stir in the first two cups vegetable broth, tomatoes and split peas and bring to a boil; turn down and let simmer for 25-30 minutes until the split peas have started to soften some. Add additional broth if the split pea mixture begins to look dry.  Sprinkle over the nutritional yeast and cornmeal and stir in to thicken the dish; the split pea mixture should come together well if it still seems too wet to put on a bun you can add more cornmeal.  Serve on buns, bread, over rice or pasta!

Sloppy…Split Peas?

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This afternoon I got home from work and did the workout I didn’t do this morning. I decided to try the newest EA Active Wii game and will be doing the 6 week challenge.  Have you ever done the EA Active challenge?

I was craving sloppy joes tonight and thought I had lentils to make them with but I couldn’t find them (we still are unpacking) so I decided to try something new Spicy Sloppy Split Peas! I put the sloppy split peas on a bun with dijon mustard and baby spinach and had sauteed purple cabbage and baked sweet potatoes on the side.

Tonight I plan on getting some school work done as well as attempting to do a little more unpacking so we can get all settled in.  However first I will enjoy one of my new yummy raw cookies.

Raw Almond Super Food Cookies

Makes 12-15 cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup raw almond butter
  • 2T agave nectar
  • 1/2t cinnamon
  • 2T cacao nibs
  • 2T goji berries
  • 1/4 cup shredded dried coconut
  • 2T chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Mix the almond butter and agave nectar together.  Stir in remaining ingredients; the batter should hold together if it doesn’t add more coconut.  Scoop out tablespoon size cookies and place on a wax paper lined sheet pan.  Cover the cookies and place in the fridge.  These do well for 5-7 days in the fridge however you can freeze them and take them out shortly before you want to enjoy.