Vegan Sprout Pad Thai

Since moving to California, I’ve seen different varieties of veggies available. We definitely had bean sprouts available in the South, but they are in every grocery store here–which means I was inspired to use them! The key to bean sprouts (in my opinion) is to lightly cook them so they retain their crunchy texture. I came up with this dish one evening when I didn’t want to use the oven and heat up my apartment.

Ingredients:

1 bag Miracle Noodles

1.5 cups bean sprouts

1.5 cups chopped broccoli

3 tbsp Better Body Foods PB Fit (can sub with 1 tbsp peanut butter)

3 tbsp liquid aminos

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1) Prepare @miraclenoodles according to directions on bag.

2) Combine broccoli and bean sprouts in a large bowl.

3) Top bean sprouts and broccoli with hot @miraclenoodles.

4) In a separate bowl, combine PB fit, liquid aminos, garlic, and ginger.

5) Pour mixture evenly over Noodle/veggie mix and toss well.

6) Enjoy hot or cold! I enjoyed mine by wrapping the mixture in sesame seed soy wrappers.

Use code HANNAHAUGUST for a discount when you order from Miracle Noodle.

***

What’s your favorite no-oven recipe?

Ted Talk Friday: A Better Way to Talk about Love

Mandy Len Catron does such an amazing job explaining the relationship between madness and love. For anyone who has ever been head over heels in love, so much of this talk make complete irrational sense. I love how she intertwines the importance of language and word choice into how we experience love. I hope you enjoy this talk!

***

Do you see love as passive? Do you agree with Catron?

Some Bay Area Eats (Part 1)

I moved to the Bay Area about a month ago and time has absolutely flown by! It’s been a hectic, fun experience and I’ve had the chance to try out quite a few different restaurants! I’ve found a few gems, and a few I wouldn’t recommend…

1. I’ll start with the not so good. While this isn’t a picture of the actual food, the food from The Third Eye Restaurant and Bar was not photogenic OR tasty. I think my sister enjoyed her Momo, but the other dishes, including tandoori chicken and an eggplant dish, were awful. We were surprised because the restaurant had fairly good reviews.

2. Maverick Jack’s caught my eye immediately; the building is right on the train tracks, has yellow trim, and looks like an old train station (which it is!). Luckily the food lived up to the cute look. The menu includes an assortment of interesting drinks and milkshakes–the strawberry lemonade was delicious and was made with plenty of freshly mashed strawberries. I ordered the southwestern salad, shown below, but everything was delicious.

3. We arrived in San Francisco with about 20 minutes to eat before our play started so this pick was based mostly on convenience, but it was delicious! After Osha was tasty and quick. I enjoyed my sweet and sour mushroom soup and we split fresh, tasty spring rolls.

4. I went out to eat with my cousins and they picked a great place in Burlingame–Steelhead Brewing Company. I am obsessed with jicama so I had to go with the southwestern salad, and it was a good choice! So fresh and so much food. Also, if you’re a fan of shoe string French fries–this is the place for you!

6. This Greek place Souvla was AMAZING. My friend and I spent like an hour deciding where to eat, and this meal made every minute worth it. I ordered the warm roasted chicken salad with fennel and she got the lamb gyro. Check out those pickled veggies!

Expect more good eats to come!

Ted Talk Friday: Healing through diet

Dr. Ornish takes such a practical approach to living a healthy lifestyle and his dry humor and informative delivery makes this a great Ted Talk. We can all use how we eat to prevent disease, and it also possible to reverse disease through diet–even if it is much more difficult than prevention. I think he adds a helpful voice to the chaos of the diet gurus; he brings a balanced approach to living well, eating well, and feeling well.

***

Did you learn anything new from this talk? What’s your take on eating well to live well?

Southwestern Superfood Tuna Burgers

I’m just starting my first full time job so it’s time for full on adulting. I’ve always been a fan of meal prep to decrease stress during a busy week so I’ve been trying to come up with new, budget friendly lunch ideas. Our office goes out to eat together once I week, so I definitely want to keep it thrifty when I pack.

Protein is usually the most expensive ingredient for a meal so I usually keep it to tuna, eggs, and plant based options. Tuna by itself is not the most appealing so I decided to try an experiment: flavor packed tuna burgers! I can see endless options, but this flavor combo has been my favorite so far.

Ingredients:
-1 can tuna
-1/2 scoop Designer Protein green superfoods (Use code HANNAH20 for a discount!)
-1 tsp paprika
-1 tsp cumin
-2 tbsp egg whites

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.
2. Heat a non-stick or well greased griddle to 400.
3. Divide tuna mixture into two patties on the heated griddle.
4. Let sizzle for 2-3 minutes.

5. Carefully flip burgers over with a large spatula and let sizzle for 1-2 minutes.
6. Remove burgers from griddle.
7. Enjoy on top of a salad or on a bun!

***
What flavor combinations would you try?

Ted Talk Friday: Cracking the Grace Code

I used to associate the word “grace” with a specific religion, but in the past few years I have realized that this is not aways true. Grace is about gratitude, spirituality, and feelings of connection and wholeness, in my opinion, and none of these have to be religious in nature. Living with grace is about gratitude and self-compassion; Anne Barry Jolles’ does an amazing job of explaining how to use grace as a tool and way of being in the world. I hope you enjoy her talk.

 

***

What do you think when you hear “grace”?