4/11 - Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Tempeh Wrap
Tonight's dinner was a tomato-basil wrap filled with marinated tempeh, sauteed onions, and spinach and sun-dried tomato "pesto," with maple-roasted carrots on the side. The idea for a spinach and sun-dried tomato pesto-type spread has been kicking around in my mind for a few days. I suspected that it would be delicious; I was right.I basically took a bunch of fresh spinach (maybe 3 cups?) and whizzed it in a food processor with 6 sun-dried tomatoes, a lot of garlic (a little less than 1 Tbsp. minced), and a smidge of olive oil. I know pestos usually have pine nuts and a lot of oil in them, but I've never purchased a pine nut in my life and I have something of an aversion to using a lot of oil. Besides, rules are made to be broken and all that. These amounts didn't make a lot of pesto - enough for 4 wraps, probably. I didn't want to waste a whole bag of spinach on something that might've sucked, but now that I know it's good I'd definitely make larger quantities in the future. I can think of a lot of ways to use it, and anything that helps me eat more greens is definitely a keeper.
The maple-glazed carrots came from Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, and were pleasant but not particularly memorable. It was just a bag of baby carrots tossed with 2 Tbsp maple syrup, a little over 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (the recipe calls for a whole Tbsp), and a pinch of cinnamon and roasted. I love carrots however they're prepared, so coated them in fat and sugar was really just unnecessary for me. Not to mention it added a ton of calories, which I don't love. Meh. I probably won't make them again.
Operation: Shake That Ass Update: Week 2 started yesterday with an early run, and I did strength training today. I don't know where I stand weight-wise because I'm trying to divorce myself from the idea that success is dependent on a number, but I definitely feel better. I have a lot more energy. Things in this little compartment of my life are good.
Tomorrow: A very special post about my sweet new lunch container.
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damn!!! that looks totally yummm and awesome!!
everytime I bike and reach work I am on this perpetual high out of the adrenaline rush I get :-) .. I wonder if running is similar fun?
Posted by
Kuntal Joisher |
4:12 AM
That looks so delicious. And congratulations on the exercise progress. Other than walking rather than taking the bus, I don't do much that way. I really need to start incorporating more actual exercise into my life. I'm really impressed with your early morning runs :)
Posted by
sarchan |
12:12 PM
kunsjoi - Running definitely does give you that euphoric feeling, especially afterward. I think it's all exercise, though, because of those awesome endorphins. Love 'em.
sarchan - Thanks! Tempeh is my favorite "meat substitute." I'm pretty impressed with my early morning runs as well, because I? Am so very not a morning person. At least I never was before. It's crazy.
Posted by
Amanda |
12:38 PM
Ok, I really have to try that spinach and sun dried tomato pesto. What a great idea (I wrote in down so I won't forget).
Yeah, using the scale to measure your progress is a bad way to go since muscle weights more than fat. The best indicator of your progress, besides how you feel, is how your clothes fit.
Posted by
Grace |
1:29 PM
I heartily recommend the pesto. I hope you like it if you do give it a try! I know all the bad things about using a scale as an indicator of progress, but it's still so tempting. I'm going to try to limit it to weighing in every 2 weeks at the max.
Posted by
Amanda |
5:59 PM