Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Gift Guide for the Men 2019.

by Filed Under: Gift ideas, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guides, Pasta, Vegan

These Tommy John underwear are Bill’s favorite. A bit pricey but well worth the money.

Bill and I both have these Saucony sneakers and they are so comfortable!!!

Everywhere we travel hubs is carrying a backpack. Water bottles, whatever we buy, snacks, sweatshirt, jackets – whatever you need – its a stylish way to carry your goods. This is Lululemon’s latest style and we love it. Bill’s is similar but his is no longer available. It’s a bit pricey but if you have a hard-to-buy for guy in your life… you may love this gift idea.

During the Nordstrom anniversary sale I bought Bill this sweatshirt in a sage green. He has worn it once a week since it arrived. It’s so cozy and beautiful. We’re new to the men’s line at Madewell but count him in as a big fan! It did run a bit larger for a roomy fit so keep that in mind when ordering.

This RFID vegan wallet is Bill’s favorite. Seriously. When we stop using leather and his Louis Vuitton wallet bit the dust I got him this wallet. Super fashionable, durable and safe! Great price point for a teen or adult.

Bill bought a bracelet in Italy and has since develop a love for jewelry. I’ve been looking at different ones to add to his collection and this one by far is standing out. Rubber/sterling. Super masculine and a special gift for a special guy.

Tuesday’s gift guide will be for the hard-to-buy for people on your list.

— Knead to Cook

Self Care Sunday Holiday Gift Guide 2019. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Health & wellness, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guides

I had to do a self care Sunday holiday gift list. In 2019 I was committed to taking the time to pamper myself a bit more. Everyone needs to do this for our mental well-being. I’m sharing my absolute favorites which can serve as a hostess gift, stocking stuffer or a treat for you!

This Vitruvi diffuser is stunning! No weird lights. No bubbling sounds. Just beautiful, stylish perfection for your home. Comes in a variety of colored stones. It’s truly perfection. Worth every penny!

You all know I’m a huge Cocokind fan. A female-owned company with the cleanest ingredients…. in fact I’ve brewed this mask up as a tea! It does wonders for the skin leaving you refreshed and healthy. “It’s an excellent source of vitamins A,C, E, and K — these can act to replenish the skin and keep it firm, increase collagen production, and help reduce free radical damage.” 

Drunk Elephant, if you haven’t tried it, is insanely awesome. In fact, it has a cult following. I’ve used so many of their products and always gravitate to these sets so I can sample everything. This would be a great for a girlfriend, teacher or again, for you! I mean perfect skin overnight… who wouldn’t want that during the holiday season 🙂

I bought this meditation pillow for his birthday last year and he uses it every single day. It’s really lovely quality, super comfortable and durable. For someone committing to bettering themselves, this may be a wonderful gift that they wouldn’t buy for themselves.

This essential oil fragrance by Vitruvi combination is truly one of my go-to’s and favorites. It pairs perfectly with the diffuser listed above. If your recipient already has a diffuser… get this oil! They will adore you. The combination of Frankensense, lavender and eucalyptus is perfect for nighttime, daytime or even when you’re feeling under the weather. Obsessed.

I started using a eye mask when my hours at work changed and my bedtime every other week was 5p. I found this eye mask after the first eye mask I bought started coming apart. I’m all about weighted blankets but an eye mask… oh hell yes! It creates a lovely pressure on your face that is so relaxing… I cannot explain it. Regardless of what my schedule looks like at work, I’m all about this eye mask to block out all the light. I also feel that most don’t own a mask like this so you don’t have to worry.

In the pursuit of using non toxic products on my body – I found Ella and Mila nail. I bought a few colors and loved them and then found the holy grail to keep my nails strong all year round. This clear nail strengthener really truly does what it says! I typically put this on 2-3 times a week. I’ve been using since February and have noticed a huge difference. Great little gift or stocking stuffer. Great price point as well!

Every single year in the fall Bill buys me this candle. It is by far my favorite. It is reasonably priced and it has a long burn. It’s a blend of oatmeal, vetiver and vanilla. Plus the apothecary vibe to the jar is my favorite. Can totally be reused as a vase or a candy jar etc.

Ahhhh my latest purchase. The Billie razor. This is on both of my girl’s lists. I bought one and after a long delay in shipping for some reason it came. I’ve been using it for about 1 month and I have to say that I honestly don’t need to shave every day with this one. Plus I haven’t cut or nicked myself. It has a magnetic holder for the shower. New blades are delivered however often you wish. Fun little gift that is practical but everyone will love.

Hope you’re getting some good gift ideas! Tomorrow’s gift guide will be for all the guys in your life.

— Knead to Cook

2019 Holiday Gift Guide for the Fitness Lover.

by Filed Under: Health & wellness, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guides, Vegan

If you follow me on Instagram you know that 2 weeks ago our Peloton bike was delivered and we are truly obsessed with not on the cycling classes, the trainers, the bootcamp, yoga, HIIT, running etc. classes. They are currently running a 30 day trial period that you can try it out the bike for 30 days. If you aren’t happy you simply call them and they will pick it up no questions asked! On top of that they are running 0% financing for the the life of the loan if you chose to go that way. When you sign up at Peloton and use me as a referral (user id is: runner4) you and I get $100 each to use with Peloton on accessories or apparel.

Apple watch – I’ve long been a fan and love the new 5th series. In fact one of my girls is getting this exact watch for Christmas! The styles and bands are incredible and can go from dressy to sporty! I love the new Nike bands!

Adidas Ultra Boost sneakers – if you have a gym-goer, runner or someone who stands a lot during the day… they will love these! These sneakers are like wearing bedroom slippers I cannot lie! Perfect sneakers for men or women.

These leggings from Lululemon are by far my most favorite ever! I have several pairs and love them for both working out or living life. They are literally the most comfortable leggings I own. I’m a huge fan of the camo and the camo deep coal. I wear these pants several times a week!

I’m a bit obsessed about my next post and they are on my list! Noise cancelling air pods from Apple. I’m not a fan of big headphones especially because I use these on planes, trains and automobiles! I use them working out. They fit nicely in your pocket, wallet or purse. Huge fan and these noise cancelling newer version… yep must have! Plus they are engraveable if ordered from their site.

Finally, sharing a yoga mat I got for Bill recently. After researching the best yoga mat out there this was the winner! London-based company. This mat is all you need… no towel required for all those hot yoga classes. It’s durable, highly rated, eco-friendly & fabulous. We are big fans of Liforme!

Stay tuned for the next gift guide which will tackle Sunday Self Care 🙂

— Knead to Cook

My thoughts on the Peloton bike. Product review.

by Filed Under: Fitness., Health & wellness, Holiday, Holiday Gift Guides

As of the last year or so my training at the gym has felt quite lackluster. I didn’t want to shell out a ton of cash for a trainer. I know how and what to do there. Running is off the table and I had added yoga back in. I wouldn’t say I hated it but I would say I’ve become quite complacent.

The last few months I mentioned to Bill that I may want the Mirror or something that would allow me to workout from home. Now, with that being said, we do have a full gym in our home. Elliptical, TRX, weights, Bowflex, Bosu etc. I just wasn’t engaged. What was I missing?

So a few weeks ago my iPhone died. I was off on the weekend and we headed to King of Prussia for lunch and decided to stop at Apple and pick up a new phone. While traipsing through the mall, we found ourselves in the Peloton store talking to a lovely woman. We got all the info and left. We would think about it. They are running a 30 day trial. If you love it- you keep it. If you hate it- they come and get it no questions asked.

Bill had mentioned to me earlier in that week that he spoke to a woman wearing a Peloton shirt at work. She raved about it! So after eating, walking, talking… we headed back to the store and bought one. The eariest delivery was on that Thursday, 5 days later. I was excited and fearful… I’m not a cyclist. In fact, I hated it.

The days leading up to the delivery were filled with the logistics. Where are we putting this thing? I didn’t want it in our basement where our gym is…. the guest room? Sure but if we wanted to take a yoga class or strength – there wasn’t enough floor space. Sydney’s room is huge and she isn’t there so that would work. That was our decision. Plus she has a tv in her room we could use to connect the app for bootcamp/yoga classes etc.

The delivery was fast and smooth. The bike is just under 200 lbs. We put a mat underneath that Bill already had from when he did his bike in the trainer. The mat merely protects the floor from the sweat and is very necessary. The only other must haves are cycling shoes to clip in with ($125 from Peloton) or Bill was using his road cycling shoes. The mat. And small hand weights. We bought ours at Target. They recommend 1, 2 or 3lbs. I know this seems too light but trust me, it is more than enough.

When signing up they ask if anyone referred you. Bill used the lady from work. When you do, the referring party and YOU both get $100 credit! Bonus. This can be used on equipment, apparel etc. My user is runner4 if you wish to use me as a referral. I used the $100 towards my shoes.

Q & A’s

I asked followers of my Instagram for questions that they have about the Peloton. Let’d dig in…

If I have a road bike/trainer, is it worth the digital membership? From what I understand its good but not the same without the bike itself. The app has so many workouts from running, cycling, yoga, HIIT, outdoor (audio run), strength, meditation, stretching, bootcamp, walking and cardio.

What types of workouts come with the bike/subscription and cost? The general categories are listed above. The cycling classes run from beginner, intermediate to advanced, metrics-based, cardio and strength… literally so many live and pre-recorded classes. Bike cost $2499 or you can do 0% financing for the life of the loan. The monthly $39.

Do you really feel that riding with heavy resistance doesn’t bulk up your legs? This was one of my fears. But after 2 weeks my legs have gotten stronger but smaller. I think lifting heavy at the gym bulked them up where now they’ve slimmed down in just 2 weeks. I’m sure if you do a lot of climbing it can add bulk but I haven’t had that issue.

What’s involved in getting started? Sign up. The bike arrives. You create a user with the delivery guys/they connect WiFi etc. Then you select your class and ride.

How much guidance do the instructors give? First they make recommendations on cadence and resistance (many classes show the range on the screen. These instructors are beyond motivating! I haven’t finished a class yet that I’m not soaked and completely fatigued.

Can people follow each other? My user is runner4 and you can follow people you know. You can see when they’re in a class you’re considering.

How do you do floor exercise classes? If you have a smart tv you can connect it through the app and use the tv to view the instructor etc. If you don’t, you can use the app on an iPhone, laptop or iPad. Some simple, short classes I use the bike tv and set my mat up right next to the bike so I can see it.

Its really remarkable to see my progress in such a short amount of time. My cadence and resistance has grown. I’ve exceeded 110 miles. The classes vary in time and work great with my crazy work schedule. From 5 min classes to 45 – I’ve loved stacking them. The strength classes alone are great and combined with cycling are exceptionally challenging.

You can pick a class by music genre, ability, cycling/weights, by instructor… so many choices.

I’m far from testing out all of the classes but I also know that holiday gift giving and delivery, if you choose to buy one, is quickly approaching. My honest review is that I’m leaving the gym and embracing this bike/classes and everything digital with Peloton. It has humbled and exhilarated me equally. It has been truly amazing.

And finally, some days you just wish to ride through Italy or France… yep, you can do that too! I am barely scratching the surface on what this bike (and they also have a treadmill) can do. If I missed any questions that you have… please leave me a comment and I’ll try to answer it as best as I can.

*This product review has not been sponsored. We purchased this bike outright.

— Knead to Cook

Holiday Gift Guide for the Cook 2019.

by Filed Under: Gift ideas, Holiday, Vegan

I know, this may be early for some or you may be in the thick of things OR you may be done with your holiday shopping. I put out a poll on Instagram asking if you all wanted to see a few (thinking 4-5) gift guides and it was a resounding yes. So I’m kicking it off with my favorites… the cooking goodies. These range in pricing, can be a stocking stuffer, hostess gift or a main present for a loved one. Without further adieu, let’s get started!

First Mess Cookbook
Matcha whisk set
Milk frother
Philips Air Fryer
Double Mezzaluna Salad chopper
Alexa Echo Show
Truffle Hot Gourmet Sauce
Gourmet Salt Set
Mochiglory Nordic Wooden Mug

*Please note that there are affiliate links in this post which allow me to earn a tiny amount of revenue if items are purchased.

Next up with be my Gift Guide for the Fitness lover, which I’m hoping to have live by Sunday if not sooner.

Happy holidays dear friends!

— Knead to Cook

Dill pickle soup. Vegan. GF.

by Filed Under: Brunch, Gluten Free, Holiday, Soups, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vitamix, Wheat Free

When I saw my favorite Instagrammer, Erin Ireland, make this soup I knew I had to give it a whirl. It was so good I wanted to share with you all.

I know it may sound super weird… dill pickle soup!?! However it’s a potato base, very thick and creamy with a dill twang. Seriously, it’s everything. I made this soup on Sunday while Sydney was home on fall break. My girls are dill pickle fanatics! She, and her lovely boyfriend, really loved it as my taste testers. Everyone else followed suit. It was a warm and comforting dish all week for dinner. Perfect fall dinner idea.

Ingredients:

1 tbl of vegan butter or olive oil in a large stock pot (use a large pot, I had to change it out mid way through as I needed more space)
1 medium sized onion, diced
4 dill pickles, chopped
4 large white potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup of pickle juice
4 cups of vegetable broth (reserve 1/2 cup to blend with your sour cream)
1 container of Tofutti or vegan sour cream
Fresh dill for garnish
Salt and pepper

Method:

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add your butter or olive oil. Once hot, add your onions and cook for 4-6 minutes until translucent. Then add your remaining ingredients through broth (reserve 1/2 cup to blend in a separate bowl with the sour cream) and bring to a boil. Lower temp, cover and allow to cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. In a separate bowl mix sour cream with broth. Whisk to combine – then add to the soup. Stir. Using a stick immersion blender or an actual blender in batches, blend until creamy. Return to the pot. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with a sprig of fresh dill. Enjoy!

This soup will easily keep in the fridge for 5 days making it a great meal prep idea. Reheats beautifully as well as freezes nicely. I hope you enjoy and if you’re on Instagram check Erin out… she is simply incredible.

— Knead to Cook

Roasted tomato coconut soup. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Gluten Free, Soups, Vegan, Vitamix, Wheat Free

End of season soups are my favorites to make. You can buy so many second-hand veggies, like tomatoes, for relatively little money, and make a great lunch or dinner option for the entire week. I love seconds of tomatoes, they may be bumped and bruised but it doesn’t matter so don’t be afraid!

This recipe is incredibly easy to make and is a wonderful meal-prep dish for your week. Let’s get started…

Ingredients:

5-6 lbs of tomatoes, I used heirlooms and regular beefsteak type of tomatoes, washed and quartered
1 head of garlic, top cut off for roasting (see below)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 bell pepper, (orange or red) washed and sliced
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt
Pepper
Fresh basil (one good handful)
2 stems of fresh fresh thyme leaves – stem removed
1 can of full-fat coconut milk or cream

Method:
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Slice the top of your garlic off to expose the cloves
Cut a slice of foil and place your garlic head in the center.
Drizzle the opening (top) with a 1 tbl of olive oil.
Wrap your garlic bulb loosely. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Remove the foil. To extract the garlic cloves – simply squeeze the bulb from the bottom and the squeeze the cloves out. They will be a soft texture.

Change the oven temp to 350 degrees. Place your tomatoes, onions and bell pepper on your baking sheet. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the tomatoes (2-3 tbl). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 1 hour or until softened and aromatic. Remove and allow to cool a bit so you can handle safely. Then add your tomatoes/juice and onions and peppers to your stock pot or Dutch oven. Add your basil, coconut cream (entire can) and fresh basil.

Bring your ingredients to a simmer over low/medium heat. Then using your blender or hand immersion blender, blend until creamy. If using a blender, work in small batches for safety. Then add your soup back to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve and enjoy! You can easily freeze this soup or refrigerate for 5 days.

— Knead to Cook

Plant based meal prepping.

by Filed Under: Air Fried, Breakfast, Brownies, Brunch, Chili, Desserts, Gluten Free, Lentils, Nuts, Pantry, Potatoes, Pressure Cooker, Salads, Snacks, Soups, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Since I’ve been working outside of our home for the past 15 months with a very demanding & crazy schedule – meal prepping has been a saving grace for me.

Meal prepping can be super easy & small or quite elaborate… its simply up to you. We keep ours very basic, but it allows us to throw lunches or dinners together in a snap – especially when you’re starving & can devour everything not nailed down while preparing dinner. Does this sound familiar? Yes, we’ve all done it.

So in this post I’m going to cover quick & easy ideas that will keep you afloat all week long without breaking the budget for time or money. Let’s get started…

The name of the game in our house lately is to use up all of our veggies from our garden that we’ve harvested. This week we’ve been inundated with plenty of tomatoes and green peppers. Being torn between salsa or homemade marinara… Bill voted for sauce. So I roasted all of my tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic to make a marinara that we could use for dinner one night. Click here for one of my roasted tomato sauce recipes. You can easily go this route as well with a tomato soup. Honestly roasting these veggies and blending them down… it’s such a versatile sauce to use for dipping, atop of a vegan meatball hoagie or over zucchini noodles.

I rarely use salt or oil when roasting. Maybe a slight spritz of olive or avocado oil and tons of fresh herbs from the garden are all you need. In the winter, tap into your spice cabinet and experiment.

While roasting that goodness, I will always roast up in my second oven or use your second rack in you oven, potatoes. ALL the potatoes every single week! I always do yams/sweet potatoes and Japanese sweet potatoes (always organic and unpeeled). If you roast other veggies with it, try to keep the baking sheet separated because veggies will cook at varying times. But feel free to roast as many veggies as you can! Here’s one of my favorite recipes. Cold, cooked potatoes are a wonderful prebiotic fiber source. I normally eat them in my salads cold but feel free to warm before serving if you wish. Also fabulous topped with your favorite nut butter as a snack.

So your oven is working away so let’s turn our attention to your stovetop. I’ve gone back to making my grains, mainly rice on the stove top as I cannot get the perfect texture in my instant pot for my long grain brown rice. So I will normally do one or two grains for the week. Quinoa and brown rice. We also use a ton for the dogs so double or triple the recipe if need be. Both serve as a wonderful base to curries, as a side dish, on a salad… whatever! Use the cooking instructions on the package.

Next up super simple overnight oats with chia. Ohhhhhh these are my favorite. They take NO TIME to prep and will stay perfectly in the fridge all week long. I use these jars and love the size/wide mouth opening.

It’s imperative that you buy organic rolled oats. Sadly the glyphosate aka Roundup contamination is a huge issue with grains.

My super simple recipe can be found here for this easy, healthy and delicious breakfast. Add your favorite nut butter, fresh or dried fruit in the morning.

Now for snacking… I always make a treat for the week. It’s healthy and I normally go for something portable like muffins, cookies, baked oatmeal squares etc. I have a ton of super easy recipes that can be found here. This week I was testing out a oat scone recipe I hope to be sharing in the future. Bill and my dad couldn’t get enough!

These were a lemon pistachio version.

Snack ideas are limitless. Here are some of my favorites… bites, muffin, or brownie.

Next up… savory proteins.

So if you’re looking for some meat-free protein options great for reheating or eating cold (like me) in a big bowl of greens – I’ve got some recipes for you. I always prep tofu. Bill and I go through a ton! Here is my favorite recipe which I’ve been cooking in my air fryer. More recipes you can prep ahead can be found here, here and here. My tofu scramble makes a great meal any time!

If you aren’t a tofu fan… here are some other great prep-ahead ideas. This tempeh recipe is one of my favorites. This salad recipe is great on sandwich bread or atop your favorite greens.

This bbq tempeh is so easy!

Soups or stews are another super easy, one pot meal that will serve you well all week. This one pot lentil stew is so good. I just made these lentil sloppy joe’s again and they are perfect on a bun or I add a big scoop to my salad. Or this double protein vegan chili made in your instant pot for the win!

And then finally, once a month I make my own nut butter combo deal. I’ve found it very hard to find organic nut butters that aren’t super spendy so I make my own. One batch lasts us at least a month and the recipe is super flexible.

This is a blend of cashews, almonds and walnuts.

Taking the time to food prep one or two dishes at a minimum helps to make your meals easier all week long. I hope this post helps you gain some helpful tips on meal prepping. Again, it can be a small or grand as you desire. Happy weekend friends!

— Knead to Cook

Super easy pickled red onions and jalapeños.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Condiments, Gluten Free, Salads, Vegan, Wheat Free

Hi friends and happy weekend – well almost! This week’s recipe is a super simple but one that will become a must have for sure. Pickled onions and jalapeños are perfect on your veggie burger, bagels with tofu, grain bowl or big ole salad. It add a punch of tangy flavor and crunch that is unmistakeable. Plus that lovely pink color is perfect! This recipe takes about 4 minutes to make and you can easily double or triple as needed. You can also do carrot chips, garlic cloves, radishes or whatever veg you want with this recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 large red onion, sliced very thin
3 jalapeños, seeded or not – sliced thin
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of vinegar, white
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
2 teaspoons of salt
Optional: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes

Method:

Into a saucepan, add your water through salt. Bring to a boil and whisk to combine. Then promptly remove from the heat. Into a large glass Ball or Weck jar – add your onions and jalapeño slices. Carefully, pour the hot brine over the onions to coat. With a spoon push the onions down firmly into the jar (being very careful) and seal. Place the fridge for at least 10-12 hours before eating.

— Knead to Cook

Avocado and Bean Salad. Vegan.

by Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Gluten Free, Salads, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Wheat Free

Oh kneadtocook.com has been under attack as of lately. Sadly, hacker attempts have been quite plentiful. Hopefully now it’s safe & secure. So on the Monday-est Monday ever – I’m sharing a delicious, and oh-so-easy, recipe that is great all week long for lunch or dinner. I made two batches of this and it lasted us a solid 4 days. Lunch, dinner, snacks… it was perfect! Bill enjoyed it on tortillas. I added it to salads. My dad ate it straight away. It was a great, fiber and protein packed dish!

Let’s get started…

Ingredients:
1 avocado, sliced in cubes
1 bunch of cilantro, leaves removed – washed and coarsely chopped
1 small or 1/2 of a large red onion, diced finely
1 can of beans (pinto, kidney, black… whatever you have on hand)- drained and rinsed well
1 medium to large tomato, chopped
The juice of one lime
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 tsp of smoked paprika
Pinch or two of coarse salt
Pepper

Method:

Combine all of your ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Adjust seasoning as needed. Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Can you believe we are at the end of July? Insane. Here’s to embracing the last days of summer.

~ox

— Knead to Cook