Savory Grilled Polenta Muffins (Vegan & Gluten Free!)

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Sarah S.

Guys, this is my first original recipe that I’m posting for you all! *Cheers*

I took inspiration from a recipe in Roberto Martin’s book, Vegan Cooking for Carnivores, which is one of my personal favorite vegan cookbooks. Roberto shares recipes that are easy to make and easy to understand, and in the case of this recipe, easy to modify and make your own.

Savory Grilled Polenta Muffins

Vegan and gluten free!

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Wait Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups gluten free polenta or corn grits

1 green bell pepper, minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt to taste

black pepper to taste

Directions:

Spray a muffin tin with the cooking spray and set aside.

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and add the polenta. Stir the polenta constantly until it begins to get thick (about 1-2 minutes). Add the minced pepper, olive oil, salt, and pepper and continue to stir until the polenta becomes very thick (about 3 minutes longer).

Scoop the polenta mixture into the muffin tin and smooth the tops of each muffin with a spoon. Set the muffins aside for at least 30 minutes to reset.

Gently pop the muffins out of the tin with a spoon and brush them lightly with olive oil.

Preheat a grill, grill pan, or, in my case, a non-stick skillet on hight heat.

Add the polenta muffins and grill for a couple minutes on each side, or until the muffins begin to brown.

Serve warm or refrigerate and enjoy as a cool summer afternoon snack.

Serves 8.

Let me know what you think of my first original recipe!

Cheers!

Sarah

Taper Time (& What I’m Eating)

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Sarah S.

It’s finally taper week for my marathon training! Woohoo! I love tapering (contrary to many endurance athletes who find it hard to cut back the miles) because I get to spend time really focusing on preparing mentally with yoga, meditation, and all around relaxation. Yesterday, I practiced yoga for an hour coupled with a half hour of mindfulness meditation, and I wen to bed feeling relaxed and in the present.

Food is also really important for this final week. Per my coach’s suggestion, I’m sticking to higher protein dishes earlier in the week and adding on carbs, but not lots of calories, as the week goes on. Being vegan, I have to take extra care in ensuring my meals are high in protein. Yesterday, I created a delicious fried tofu, broccoli, and kale stir fry served over brown rice. This was my first time frying tofu, and I was thrilled with the outcome of the dish! Just perfect with a crispy outside and soft, flavorful middle. Learn some good techniques here.

Then, of course, I had to make vegan, sugar-free brownies for dessert. My own recipe! So, I’ll be sharing soon. 🙂

What’s your favorite high protein meal?

Cheers!

Sarah

Pirates, Sparkle, & 16 Miles

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Sarah S.

Being away from family can be hard enough, but when holidays roll around it becomes that much harder. Thankfully, for Easter this year, my little sister was able to take a break from being a genius med student at RIT to spend the weekend with me here in Pittsburgh. The weather was perfect! And compared to Rochester, NY, it probably felt like heaven.

Before Michelle made it down here on Saturday afternoon, I snuck in a 16 mile marathon taper run. Why am I tell you this? Because sometimes, when you’ve run over 20 miles in one go, you start to forget that even 16 miles is impressive. This is my attempt at reminding myself that running 16 miles (or any amount for that matter!) is an accomplishment–one of which I should always be proud!

Sparkle was a key component of our Easter weekend attire.

I took Michelle to her first professional baseball game. The Pirates lost, but it was an exciting game no less, complete with the classic Pittsburgh Pirates fireworks show. (By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a professional baseball game that didn’t involve the Brewers. Seriously. I saw the Cubs play them in Chicago…then again in Milwaukee…and now they played the Pirates in my new city. It’s like my Wisconsin ancestors are trying to speak to me…)

Instead of the traditional Easter ham dinner, we opted for homemade squash pizzas, complete with kale, Brussels sprouts, and vegan cheese. Recipe (Michelle’s original) soon to follow!

My Easter outfit of choice: Madewell fruit dress, Lands’ End Canvas Merino sweater, vintage Salvatore Ferragamo heels, statement necklace (a great find from a Chicago second hand shop), and a gorgeous sparkly clutch (a gift from an old roommate). Michelle looked gorgeous in an Loft eyelet tee, J.crew cardigan, Ann Taylor pencil skirt, and sparkly J.crew flats.

Hope you all had a fabulous Easter weekend as well! Here’s to more sunny days filled with Pirates, sparkle, and lots and lots of miles.

Cheers!

Sarah

I Hosted a Party! And It Was Vegan!

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Sarah S.

And, I think, a success! I had a great time hosting (I usually do!), and I hope my guests left full (of plenty of wine and homemade vegan appetizers) and happy.

Mango Red Pepper Salsa/Bruschetta (my own recipe!)/

Cucumber Tofu Rolls/Chocolate Chip Magic Bars/

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Miracle Cookies

I’ve hosted a few parties with my sister and friends before, but never have I tried to 1) make all the food myself 2) cook and bake completely vegan for a party. Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult! I just used some of my personal favorite recipes, which besides being delicious, are also pretty easy too. It felt good to offer my friends delicious, healthy food that they didn’t have to second-guess. Because who wants to go to a party only to stare guiltily at a plate of mozzarella sticks (from which you’ve already taken at least three…)?

But let’s be real. The part was also a chance to show off my (nearly) finished living room. I’m quite proud of the color and vibrance that I brought into the space. And how open and comfortable it feels. My only complaint: this horrible futon. I’m sitting on it right now and it’s literally sinking slowly beneath my weight. Here’s to hoping my guests didn’t notice because they were too busy eating my vegan chocolate chip magic bars…

Cheers!

Sarah

Vegan Snacking: 10 Snacks That Will Make You Forget Potato Chips

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Sarah S.

I run a lot (like, a whole lot), so I’M ALWAYS HUNGRY. That said, when I first transitioned to a plant-based diet, I struggled with staying full between meals. I had no problem creating delicious vegan breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, but I would often forget about the snacks that fall between. Not having vegan snacks readily available made it so much easier to resort back to my old ways: i.e. binge eating pretzels with Nutella. For those who are considering switching to a plant-based diet (or who just need to switch up their vegan snacking routine!), here are my suggestions for super easy, super filling, and super delicious snacks.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Crisp Balls

Kale Chips

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bites

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars

Cinnamon Kettle Corn

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Chubby Hubby Protein Bars

High Protein Banana Peanut Butter Snack

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Miracle Cookies

Chocolate Covered Banana Almond Bites

What are your favorite vegan snacks?

Cheers!

Sarah

p.s These snacks are so easy and delicious that they are an easy way to start incorporating healthy vegan food to your diet if you haven’t already!

Adventures in Plant-Based Nutrition

The FAQs of a New Vegan

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Big Dog Coffee and the Kindest of Strangers

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Sarah S.

When I lived in Europe, it was not uncommon to share a table with strangers. That’s how I met an Australian woman who’s daughter had just ended a engagement with an Italian man. And the kindest pair of old Sicilian men who insisted my sister and I partake in their homemade Easter meal. And those Canadian students traveling around the world. Maybe it was because many of us were foreigners and travelers. Traveling makes one so adventurous. You’re willing to strike up a conversation with anyone who can point you in the right direction or offer up their recommendation for the perfect restaurant. But how often do we keep that adventurous spirit when we get home?

Not often. Which is why I swore to explore a new place in Pittsburgh every weekend; hence this “Adventures in Pittsburgh” series. My adventurous spirit comes out in a myriad of ways, from asking the bar tender to pour me his favorite draft, to venturing to a local brewery alone and meeting a group of young Midwesterners willing to share a counter and their choice beers, to what happened today at Big Dog Coffee: offering a couple to share a table with me because all other seats were taken. It seemed like the right thing to do. An Australian in an Italian cafe would do it. A couple of Canadian girls would do it at Dublin hostel breakfast table. So of course I would too.

What touched me was how unexpected the couple felt the gesture was. How pleasantly unexpected. And intriguing. And adventuresome! Pretty soon we were chatting about our jobs, our education, how we found ourselves settling in Pittsburgh. And as soon as the topic turned to sports (are you surprised?), we had the whole coffee shop chatting.

Surely it’s the small things in life that make each day feel new. And surely we can all create a little adventure and camaraderie, whether we’re are exploring cathedrals in Palermo, climbing bunks in dirty Parisian hostels, or kicking back with a great cup of coffee in our own town. I’m pretty sure everyone at Big Dog had a morning they won’t forget for a long time; a small reminder that we’re all living our own adventures in the same big, awesome world.

Oh, and the coffee here is excellent. I dare you to try it. And maybe you’ll ask to share a table with strangers while you’re at it.

Cheers!
Sarah

The FAQs of a New Vegan

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Sarah S.

I’ve been following a plant-based diet (think: vegan + limited refined sugar and processed foods) for a couple weeks now, and there are a few things I’ve learned. First of all, I feel a whole lot better already. My energy is up. I don’t rely on caffeine like I used to. Netflix marathons do not have to simultaneously accompany a candy binge after which I feel like total crap but for some reason still want to lie on my couch, drinking beer, and thinking sad guilty thoughts about my body/heath/exercise habits.

Second of all, friends and family have a lot of questions. That’s fair! They are concerned about my health and well-being. I’m not (yet?) a jaded vegan who thinks everyone is judging their nutritional habits. That said, I want to shed some light on the answers to some of those common questions. Maybe I can just start referring inquirers to this blog post. 😉

The FAQs of a New Vegan. on miaprimacasa.com

Why? As in, why would you do that?

Because I am young and by today’s standards healthy. That is to say, I don’t have a disease, I’m not overweight, and I have no broken bones. But I do have anxiety, allergies (to, like, every plant ever), trouble sleeping, adult acne, neck problems, fatigue, and a strong urge to binge eat candy the moment I get home from work and set eyes on my couch (why does candy taste best when you eat ten servings of it!? I have a feeling there is a vey logical scientific answer to that one…).

In other words, I don’t feel healthy.

I exercise regularly (see: Pittsburgh Marathon, Here I Come!) and don’t smoke, so I figured a factor to my feelings of crappiness probably had to do a large part to what I was eating (and also to stress, but that is hurdle to discuss at another time).

So there you have it. It’s really quite simple. I’m eating plant-based because I am trying to feel, and be, the best version of myself.

Make sure you are getting enough protein!

Very good advice. But good advice for anyone. Before I became vegetarian (about six months ago), I would eat on average three turkey sandwiches a week. I didn’t really care for red meat, and I didn’t really know how to cook meat at home either. I also wasn’t consuming plant protein like nuts or beans or using protein powder.

Today, I am more careful than ever about ensuring I eat enough protein. In fact, I am sure I eat more now than I did before I was vegetarian! My energy level has gone up, and I feel like I’m getting more from workouts.

Bottom line is: just because you aren’t a vegetarian, doesn’t mean you are getting enough protein. And just because you are, doesn’t mean you’re not!

Cookie Dough Brownies from Desertswithbenefits.com. Yes, these are vegan. And yes, they are delicious.

But what about ice cream? And cheese?!

There may be nothing better than fresh Wisconsin cheese curds. But truth be told, I stopped craving cheese after I stopped eating it for about a week. All I did was avoid it. Seriously, I just didn’t buy any cheese at the grocery store, and I didn’t order dishes with cheese in it

when I went out. What kept my self-control strong was the disappearance of that fuzzy feeling I got in my head after a cheesy pizza or the bloated stomach after a grilled panini that I scarfed down at my cubicle.

And as for ice cream, I switched to coconut ice cream. Which is as good as is sounds! Yum!

Why are refined sugars so bad for you?

First of all, sugar doesn’t contain: nutrients, protein, healthy fats, or enzymes. So, from my perspective (as in, not a scientist), sugar sounds like empty calories. Which actually doesn’t sound that bad. I mean, sugar is clearly not good for you…but does that mean it’s bad for you?

The cincher for me is that sugar is addictive. I have sugar. Then I want more sugar. And more sugar. And eventually nothing else (honey, maple syrup, fruit) tastes all that great because it’s, well, not as sweet and delicious as sugar (and now I’m going to get all fancy and give you a scientific source for what seems to be an obvious observation).

Other research suggests that refined sugar can cause also weight gain and poor sleep. Bummer.

What are you going to eat when you travel abroad?

For me, eating is a huge part of exploring another culture. I tried gelato in every major Italian city I visited. I ate margherita pizza in Naples. Tasted octopus in Southern Italy. Enjoyed cheese filled sausages in Bavaria. And fish and chips in London. Eating is part of the adventure. Since I don’t travel often, I’ve decided not to follow a strict plan-based diet while, say, visiting my expatriate twin sister in Amsterdam. I’m going to try my best (she already has some great vegetarian restaurants in mind!), but let myself experience the food of that culture. I’ll just try to stick to one stroopwafel…instead of ten.

THE BEST HOMEMADE BURRITOS EVER. Recipe from thekindlife.com

Eating out is going to suck.

Actually, no, it really hasn’t. Combining appetizers with salads or soups makes for a good option when visiting a less vegan-friendly

restaurant, but if you live in a city, my bet is you can find some pretty decent vegetarian places as well. That said, I’ve come to an understanding that compromises will be made. Non-whole wheat pasta at an Italian restaurant, for example, or a bit of cream in some tomato soup.

And the truth is, eating a vegan, plant-based diet hasn’t diminished any joy I get from eating (out, in, or otherwise). In fact, I think I enjoy food a whole lot more. Imagine discovering food that tastes wonderful and that you can eat without abandon or guilt to your heart’s content (literally!).

Because nobody ever felt shitty after binge eating homemade sweet potato fries.

Thoughts? Recommendations? I know you got ’em, and I want to hear ’em!

Cheers!

Sarah

Resources:

Forks Over Knives by Gene Stone, T. Colin Campbell, and Caldwell B. Esselstyn

The Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition by Julieanna Hever

T.Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies

Thrive Fitness by Brendan Brazier

Related Posts:

Adventures in Plant-Based Nutrition

Running Hard, Getting Healthy, & Going (Almost) Vegan

Euro Brunch, Vegetarian Style

Vegetarian Pasta Dish in Just Ten Minutes

Adventures in Pittsburgh: The Strip District

Posted on March 17, 2014 by Sarah S.

To an outsider’s ear, the Strip District doesn’t exactly sound like a place you want to spend a lovely Sunday morning. Let alone a place you’d pick up a slew of produce at dirt cheap prices or stock up on bulk locally roasted coffee or admire beautiful art from local artists. But the Strip is just the place to go for that sort of adventure. For the first seven months of living in the city, I actively avoided going to the Strip. The traffic is awful. Parking is worse. And there are so. many. people.

But let me tell you, it’s worth every minute you spend stuck waiting for j-walking pedestrians or battling your fellow drivers for a just-barely-big-enough stretch of curb to park on.

Why exactly?

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

Firstly, because I bought a week’s worth of produce for $15. FIFTEEN DOLLARS! In the middle of the city! I even found daikon root. I still don’t really know what it is, but it was less than a dollar and tastes delicious in fried rice.

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

Secondly, because the Asian markets are numerous and well priced. I bought a jar of umeboshi plums for $6. The same sized jar costs about $9 at my local co-op. I did my shopping at the first place I found, which was a small Korean market with an extremely helpful owner who tolerated my request for lotus root. But I was told that Lotus is also a great Asian market (and presumably also has lotus root…).

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

Thirdly, because coffee. So much coffee! I even asked the guy behind the counter if I could buy one of their empty coffee sacks. Yes, yes I could. So I did. For $2, which means I now have the cheapest wall art ever.

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Vegan Groceries, Coffe, and Art in the Strip District miaprimacasa.com

And fourthly, because of the people. Ok, I know the vendors might be overly friendly because you have a wad of cash in your pocket, but trust me, I’ve seen vendors in northern Italy blatantly insult customers, so… I was satisfied. There was the bread guy who went into his (then closed) shop to find me olive oil. There was the Russian photographer who chatted with about being a Pittsburgh newcomer (“No matter what they say, you don’t have to be a Steelers fan.”), and whose beautiful photo of the city is now hanging in my living room.

With it’s fresh, affordable produce and Asian markets, the Strip District is a vegan’s dream. Toss in some quality coffee and some quality people, and you have a recipe for one of the best Sunday mornings you can find in this town.

Cheers!

Sarah

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Exploring Oakland

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Carnegie Museums

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Schenley Park

Adventures in Pittsburgh: The Cafe at the Frick

“My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconvenience, and I was frequently chided for my singularity, but, with this lighter repast, I made the greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quick comprehension.”

-Ben Franklin

Lemon Mango Cucumber Water- Yum!

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Sarah S.

The idea is so simple, I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner! Add cut up cucumbers, lemon, and frozen mango to a pitcher of water, and suddenly you have a refreshingly healthy drink that actually makes you excited to drink more water. Plus, every time I pour a glass I feel kind of fancy. 😉

Some other flavors I have in mind:

*Cucumber Mint

*Strawberry Lemon

*Blueberry Lemon Lime

*Honey Lemon with a hint of Green Tea

*Cucumber Watermelon

*Honey Lavender

What’s your favorite?

Cheers!

Sarah

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