Vegetarian Quinoa Chili with Honey Cornbread Muffins

This is hands down my favorite chili recipe and I’ve tried a lot!  It’s vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.  You can add ground beef to the recipe, but because of the quinoa it’s already very hearty.  With the Fall weather, this chili is the perfect recipe to warm and fill your belly!

Start by making your quinoa.  Make sure to rinse it first.

I like to cook mine in vegetable broth for extra flavor, but water works, too.

Cook over medium heat until liquid is absorbed…about 15 minutes and set aside.

In a large pot, heat olive oil on high heat and add the onion.  Cook around 5 minutes until tender.

Then add the garlic, jalapeno, carrot, celery, peppers, and zucchini.  Cook for 10 minutes until veggies are tender.

While they’re cooking, get your beans and tomatoes ready.

Rinse and drain your beans.

Then add the beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce to your pot.

Stir in the cooked quinoa.

Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.

Let simmer on low for at least 30 minutes and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (optional)
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3-4 Tablespoons chili powder, depending on your taste (I used 4)
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Optional toppings: green onions, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream, Greek yogurt, chips, crackers, etc.

Instructions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine the quinoa and vegetable broth. Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, carrot, celery, peppers, and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer chili on low for at least 30 minutes. I try to let mine simmer for an hour.  Serve warm.

Note-garnish the chili with green onions, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream/Greek yogurt, chips, crackers, if desired. This chili freezes well.

Honey Cornbread 

This isn’t really a recipe.  It uses a mix, but it’s a great mix and I doctor it up so it tastes homemade.  Here’s the cast of characters…

Ingredients:

Krusteaz Honey Cornbread and Muffin Mix

2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)

1 egg

1 cup creamed corn

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Optional: 2 Tablespoons diced jalapeno

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare one package Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix as directed, adding 1 cup (8 3/4 oz can) creamed corn, 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons diced jalapeños.

8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch pan: 22-26 minutes.

12 standard muffins: 14-16 minutes.

#choosejoy

Recipe adapted from two peas & their pod.

Chewy Maple Granola

On my last visit to DC, I discovered Hippie Crack from Baked and Wired and fell in love.  Their granola stayed chunky, a little chewy, but still had some crunch.  I’ve been trying to make a similar version. The maple syrup, honey, and molasses in this recipe help the oats stick together in chunky, chewy clusters.  The cinnamon and nutmeg taste and smell like fall without being overpowering. Oh…and don’t forget the brown sugar that almost caramelizes!  This is the kind of granola that if you pinch it, it sticks together and I LOVE it!

This recipe is very versatile.  Use the dried fruits and nuts of your choosing.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add the maple syrup, honey, coconut oil…

brown sugar…

cinnamon, molasses, vanilla, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. (The salt forgot to show up for the picture…oops.)

Whisk together.  Then, add the oats, almonds, cashews

and coconut.

Toss to evenly coat.

Pour the mixture onto your lined baking sheet.  Smooth with a spatula, but don’t press too firmly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  It’s done when the edges start to caramelize.

Take the dried fruits of your choosing…

and measure 2 cups.

Sprinkle over the baked granola while it’s warm; just out of the oven.  DO NOT STIR.  Add the optional chocolate chips now if you want.

Allow to cool for at least 1 hour.  The longer it’s exposed to air, the crunchier it will become.  I put mine into tupperware after 1 hour so it would stay chewy.  Just look at that granola cluster!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup honey/agave/brown rice syrup (I used honey)

1/4 cup liquid-state coconut oil (canola or vegetable oil may be substituted)

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons cinnamon (reduce to 1 tablespoon if sensitive to cinnamon, or to taste)

1 tablespoon molasses (not blackstrap, too pungent)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch salt, optional and to taste

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole-rolled oats (not quick-cook or instant; use certified GF if necessary)

1/2 cup almonds (I used sliced)

1/2 cup unsalted cashews (use any combination of nuts equal to 1 cup)

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

2 cups dried fruit (I used dried apricots (cut into strips), pineapple, and cranberries; use your favorite dried fruit)

Optional: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or line with parchment paper. This granola is messy, sticky, and I recommend either a Silpat or parchment rather than just spraying a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together first 9 ingredients, through optional salt.

Add oats, nuts, and coconut and toss to coat evenly.

Turn mixture out onto prepared baking sheet, keeping mixture lightly piled. Smoothing lightly with a spatula is okay, but don’t pack down too much. You want air to be able to flow without it being tightly packed.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce that pools slightly at the edge of the baking sheet begins to barely caramelize. Watch your granola closely to make sure it’s not burning since ingredients and ovens vary. Remove baking sheet from oven and don’t stir.

Evenly sprinkle with dried fruit and chocolate chips.

Do not stir granola and allow it to cool, for at least 1 hour. The longer it’s exposed to air, the crispier and crunchier it becomes.

Break granola apart and store in airtight containers with lids or in Ziplocks. Granola will keep airtight for at least 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

I packaged mine up for some host gifts:)

10 Track Tips and I’m Official

First…I’m officially an RRCA Coach…woo hoo!!

Monday night prep for Tuesday Track because my brain doesn’t work in the wee morning hours.

I made a big plate of veggies for dinner.  The Caramelized Brussels Sprouts recipe is HERE!

I woke up to this radar.

So I put everything into plastic bags.

It’s the week of the Chicago Marathon, so this track workout was more of a sanity workout. I wasn’t trying to gain fitness…it just felt good to get my legs moving and see my friends.

4 miles warm-up and drills

6 x 400 (w/400 recovery jog)

1 mile cool down

The rain held off until the very end of our workout!!!

Like a good runner, I am doing my best to follow my Chicago taper schedule.  So, I went to see Gone Girl this afternoon.  I loved the book and I give the movie two thumbs up!

I had some extra pumpkin puree leftover after baking these White Chocolate Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.

I used it to make a pumpkin cream sauce for these oh-so-good raviolis.

Delish!

I’ve only been running track for a year and half.  I was so intimidated to give it a try, but it has really improved my running.

So…here’s a list of 10 Track Tips to get you started!

1.  Stretch outside of the track.

2.  Unless stated otherwise, runners should run counter clockwise.

3.  The fastest lanes are to the left and the slower lanes are to the right (just like when you’re driving).  I run on the outside lanes for my warm-up and then do my workout on the inside two lanes.

4.  When a faster runner is approaching a slower runner from behind, yell “track” so that the slower runner has plenty of time to move to the right.  This artwork from Cait Chock was just too perfect for this post.  She is a super talented runner, writer, and artist.  I LOVE her t-shirts!!!

5.  If you are running with friends, make sure not to block the track.

6.  Gear.  You don’t need special track spikes.  Your regular running shoes will work.  It’s also nice to bring bottled water or sports drink, a towel for hot workouts, and I like to write down my workout and bring it with me.

7.  Leave your headphones at home or at least leave the volume low enough to hear others.

8.  For most tracks, one lap is 400 meters in lane 1.  Running in the outside lane can add up to 50 meters per lap.

9.  If you’re using a school track, be courtious and plan your workout around the school’s activity schedule.

10.  Recover.  When you finish your track workout, make sure to walk or jog (in an outside lane) to gradually slow your heart rate.

 

Do you run track?  Have you always or are you new to it?

What are some of your track tips?

Have you seen Gone Girl yet?

#choosejoy

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

This brussels sprouts recipe is a super simple addition to any meal.  The caramelized brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness without being overpowering.  The toasted pine nuts give it a salty crunch.  Even non-brussels sprouts lovers will love this recipe!

Let’s cook!

Start by cleaning your brussels sprouts and slicing them into ribbons.  Mine never make perfect ribbons…that’s ok.  They taste great!

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the garlic for 30 seconds.

Add the sliced brussels sprouts to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes…

Until tender and green.  Their color is so pretty.

Add the brown sugar,

toasted pine nuts, and salt and pepper.

Toss and serve.  It’s such an easy side!

Ingredients:

12-14 large brussels sprouts

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic; minced

coarse sea salt and pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon brown sugar; add more if you prefer

1/3 cup toasted pine nuts**

Instructions:

Slice brussels sprouts very thin until you have a mound of feathery sprout ribbons.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and saute the garlic for 30 seconds.

Add the sprouts and continue to saute for 4-5 minutes, until bright green and tender.

Add the salt, pepper, brown sugar, and toasted pine nuts.

Toss together and serve.

**To toast pine nuts, use a dry (no oil) pan.  Add the pine nuts to the pan and turn heat to medium.  Toss every 30-60 seconds until the pine nuts start to brown.  Remove from heat.

#choosejoy

Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

October 1st is World Vegetarian Day!  This recipe seemed fitting 🙂 I make it with tofu.  I know tofu gets a bad rap, but when it’s seasoned well it’s really good!  You can also sub chicken or just do veggies if you prefer. Start with your extra firm tofu. Drain the tofu and place it on some paper towels to dry it.  I bought tofu that was already cubed, but whole tofu works just as well. Press to dry it as much as possible. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.  Add the tofu and cook until golden. Add the corn, mushrooms, and carrots. Combine and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the chili powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil.  A little sesame oil goes a long way.  Start with a splash and add more as you wish. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Pile the tofu mixture into the romaine lettuce hearts. And top with avocado. Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 package (12-14 oz) extra firm tofu 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots 8 oz mushrooms; roughly chopped 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 cup soy sauce drizzle of sesame oil romaine lettuce hearts 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar avocado (optional) Instructions: 1.  Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Dry tofu block and add to skillet, then break it up into very small pieces.  Cook tofu for 5-10 minutes until liquid cooks off and tofu starts to turn golden. 2.  Add corn in with the tofu.  Then add mushrooms and carrots.  Cook for a 2-3 minutes. 3.  Add the chili powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil.  Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. 4.  Turn off the heat and stir in balsamic vinegar.  Adjust your seasonings to taste. 5.  Pile mixture into romaine hearts and top with sliced avocado. ENJOY! #choosejoy Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

This recipe is a great tortilla soup base.  You can add a meat or other veggies.  Use your imagination!  However you prepare it, it’s a perfect fall recipe.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot and start to saute your onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

Add the spice mixture of chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin.

Stir to combine.

Add your broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, and water.

Rinse and drain your black beans and add them to the pot.

Bring to a boil and then simmer (covered) for 45 minutes.

While it’s simmering, make your cornmeal paste…

by adding a little bit of water to the cornmeal and stir.  I know it’s a weird ingredient, but it gives a nice little corn flavor and adds some texture to the soup.  Just trust me:)

Add the paste to the soup and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Season to taste, add the frozen corn, and let sit for 15-20 minutes.

Garnish and serve!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

3 cloves garlic; minced

1 (10 oz.) can Rotel with green chiles

32 oz. (or 4 cups) vegetable broth (you can sub chicken broth if you prefer)

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

4 cups hot water

2 (15 0z.) cans black beans; rinsed and drained

1/2 cup frozen corn

3 Tablespoons cornmeal

(optional toppings: tortilla chips, avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, etc…)

 

Instructions:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions, red bell pepper, and minced garlic.  Sitr and begin cooking, then add the spice mix.  Stir to combine.

2.  Pour in tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, water, and black beans.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 45 minutes; covered.

3.  Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water to make a paste.

4.  Pour the paste into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

5.  Check seasonings and add more salt, paste, etc…to taste.  Add the frozen corn.  Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes.

6.  Garnish as desired.  Enjoy!

#choosejoy

Steady State

Coffee date to start the day.

Oiselle flystyle.

I broke in my new Saucony Kinvara 5’s. I have loved this shoe so much.  Today’s workout called for a 10 mile Steady State Run with my goal pace being between 8:00-8:10 pace.

The hot wind felt like Mother Nature turned on her hairdryer.  2 more sleeps until the cold front reaches TN!!!!!!!!!!!! (Can you feel my excitement?!)

From Runner’s World on Steady State Running…

After warming up for 20-30 minutes, run the workout at a continuous marathon effort. This intensity is somewhere between an easy run and a tempo run. Most runners run the steady state run too hard. It’s designed to be an aerobic workout, not a heavy breathing workout, and to fatigue you with the duration of the run, not the speed. Cool down for 20-30 minutes to make the total run last 90 minutes to 2 hours. Start with 3-4 miles at steady state pace and build to 8-10 miles by adding 2 miles to the steady state run each week. Psychologically, the steady state run develops the mental toughness to stay engaged in the half marathon as you reach the later miles.

Post run juice…yummo!

I did a quick change and headed to Orange Theory for some cross training.

I even biked (thanks to some inspiration from The Hungry Runner Girl)!  Excuse my craptastic action shot.

For lunch, I picked up a giant green smoothie and vegan raw protein bar from The Juice Bar.

My t-shirt du jour…thank you Fleet Feet Nashville!

And, I ended the day with a 5 mile 2nd run with the hubs:)

Both of these found me today.

It’s like the universe is trying to tell me something;)

Style Blueprint sent out a blog today about 10 Tips To Help You Kick Procrastination.

The 2 tips that work best for me are:

1) Use a planner

2) Reward yourself! (Although, I’m learning that my rewards shouldn’t always be food.)

Are you a procrastinator? Which tips work best for you?
Do you do juice cleanses? Are you able to run on those days?

#choosejoy

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries

This is a great recipe for converting non-brussels sprout lovers.  And of course, for those of us that love them!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Clean, trim, and halve your brussels sprouts.  Place on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until brown.

While they’re baking, make your balsamic glaze by mixing balsamic vinegar and sugar.  I tend to use a little less than the 1/4 cup called for.  Adjust for your own tastes.  The sugar isn’t actually necessary for the balsamic to thicken.

Bring to a boil and then let simmer for around 15-20 minutes.

While the balsamic is simmering, toast your pine nuts.

Now it’s time for assembly!  Add the brussels sprouts, pine nuts, and dried cranberries to the balsamic glaze and mix well.

This dish is pretty enough for a holiday meal or in my case a regular Monday night dinner!

 

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 pounds brussels sprouts

1/4 cup olive oil

sea salt and cracked pepper

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup sugar (I use a little less)

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup roasted pine nuts

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Trim/ clean brussels sprouts, then cut them in half.  Arrange on a baking sheet.  Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes or until brown.

Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a large saucepan.  Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low until sauce thickens; about 15-20 minutes.

Place pine nuts into a small pan over meium heat until lightly toasted, stirring often (around 5 minutes).  Set aside.

Add brussels sprouts, pine nuts, and cranberries to the balsamic reduction.  Toss and serve.

**Notes: this recipe easily doubles if you’re serving a crowd.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Track Tuesday

Dark, foggy, and 100% humidity at the start of today’s track workout.

3.5 mile warm-up

drills

4 mile repeats with 1 minute rest between

2 mile cool down

When the sun finally rose, I glowed like my shoes!

I can’t wait for the cooler weather that is arriving later this week!

So excited to wear this sweatshirt

and I have a crush on these Oiselle pants from today’s fashion show!

Haircut day.  Color and trim.

Goodbye roots…and grays

Salon guilty pleasure

Free weights at home

For dinner, I decided to experiment with this new-to-me black bean pasta.

I made a tex-mex spin on dinner with beans, peppers, tomatoes, corn, cumin…

And, topped it off with some cheese and avocado…tasty!

What are your guilty pleasures? I love all of the Real Housewife shows!
Has the weather cooled off where you live?
What is your speed work this week?

#choosejoy

Peak Mileage Weeks

I always get a little nervous when I look at my training calendar before my high mileage weeks. I know my body can do it, but my mind isn’t always sure.  If this week goes as planned, I will run in the 80’s.  Prayers are welcomed and encouraged!

It feels so good to be back home and back in my routine.  I’ve travelled a lot in the past few weeks.

One of my favorite daily healthy habits is drinking warm lemon water when I wake up and before bed.  I’ve been doing it for years and I believe in it’s benefits.

Here’s a great list of 20 Reasons You Should Be Drinking Lemon Water Every Morning.

My favorite discovery from my trip were these bars.  They sell them at Starbucks and this one only has 2 ingredients….1 apple and 1 mango.  That’s It!

My sweet girls got their hair did while I was gone.  This is their hurry up and take the picture so we can have a treat face!

I did a nice recovery pace run this a.m.

and took an OrangeTheory Fitness class for some cross-training.  My Cocogo bottle glows!

Use code JENCHOOSESJOY (all caps) for 10% off your order at cocogo.com!

The Bosu Ball has been making me unacceptably sore in OT, so I bought my own.  I do a nightly core routine before bed, but obviously it needs some tweeking.  Time to add the BOSU!

I made a much needed afternoon coffee with my Nespresso.  Just look at that pretty soy froth!!!

Sometimes you just need a plate full of veggies for dinner…eat the rainbow!  Fresh corn off the cob, garlic mushrooms, coconut oil roasted sweet potatoes, and brussels sprouts.  I’ll be posting the brussels sprouts recipe later this week.  It’s SO GOOD!!!

You know you use a lot of coconut oil when you start buying this size!

And, of course I ended the night with some more lemon water.

Broken toe update (words I never thought I’d type): I keep having to remind myself that I doesn’t heal in 2 weeks.  It is no longer painful, but it’s still sore.  The bruising has moved from the toe to the top of my foot.  Hopefully that’s a sign of healing!

Do you drink lemon water?
What is your favorite healthy habit?
How do you manage peak mileage weeks?

#choosejoy