Fitness. Archives - Page 6 of 7

How to prepare tempeh.

August 20, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Brunch, Fitness., Gluten Free, Running/Races, Vegan, Vegan proteins, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 4 Comments

How to prepare tempeh by Knead to Cook.

It’s been one of those foods that I love when I go out to vegan restaurants but just couldn’t get as tasty at home. Tempeh is made from soybeans. Quite popular throughout the world but gaining more popularity in the U.S. Tempeh is packed with manganese, protein, fiber, phosphorous, B2 and magnesium – so a nutritional powerhouse of sorts for vegans and vegetarians alike. It’s a firm texture and is so versatile – absorbing spices and marinades alike. But don’t let it scare you… it’s easier to cook than you may think.

So over the last year I’ve asked friends how they cook it. I’ve gotten a wide variety of answers and suggestions, all of which I tried but never loved. Trial and error. Soybeans to me have a bitter bite that I just don’t favor. But it bothered me how much tastier it was in restaurants and I started on my mission to make it palatable, if not wonderful at home. My husband and I both love tempeh… and were both thrilled with this recipe. I hope you give it a try.
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— Knead to Cook

Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies. Vegan. Gluten Free.

July 21, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Cookies, Desserts, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Holiday Baking Ideas, Nuts, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Peanut Butter Coconut Cookies. Vegan. Gluten Free. By Knead to Cook.

Peanut butter coconut cookies that are vegan AND gluten free – not to mention oil-free. These cookies turned out perfecty. Protein packed and so delish! These will not last long in my house. So it’s a brand new week. Actually it’s the last week for us of summer sports/training. Then we celebrate summer! I am really looking forward to some quiet, down time with the family. So this recipe is super easy… even the kids could make it if they are looking for something to do when they’re “bored”. You can use whatever peanut butter you have on hand. I used a chunky organic but creamy would work well too.

It’s hard to believe the end of the month is creeping up. Time just flies after the 4th of July! This weekend we finally got back out on the bikes because last weekend we were away seeing Katy Perry in NJ. This weekend concert series continued… Fall Out Boy and Paramore but thankfully it was local. This concert left my husband a bit groggy Sunday morning so we got out late for our bike ride. I have to admit, I’m not a fan of the Sunday rush-to-church traffic but I just got through it. I’m really trying hard to embrace road cycling. This weekend I was really excited, for some reason, to get back out there. We rode 26.5 miles! I was thrilled. I clipped in and didn’t even fall. Very proud – it was my furthest and fastest so far. So enough chit chat… onto this awesome recipe.
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— Knead to Cook

Strawberry Salsa. Vegan. Gluten Free.

July 16, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Breakfast, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Mexican, Raw, Running/Races, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

Strawberry Salsa by Knead to Cook. Vegan. Gluten Free.

Strawberry salsa is vegan, gluten free and screams of summer! I could eat salsa day and night. I eat it right out of the bowl, with taco chips or on my favorite spoon – displayed here. Ha! We had our last regular season swim meet last night during a lovely thunderstorm and that ended (due to the weather) just before 9 so we missed Taco Tuesday. I make it a point to indulge my girl’s request for tacos each week. I know they will eat everything on their plate and that makes this Italian mama a happy girl.

This salsa is super easy to whip up and you can easily control the spice level. It’s colorful and eye-catching. Filled with vitamins and healthy carbs – providing lots of energy for the pool or the beach! Totally easy make-ahead recipe too!
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— Knead to Cook

Peach and Cucumber Salsa.

June 27, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: 4th of July/Patriotic, Appetizers, Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Dips, Fitness., Gluten Free, Mexican, No bake/cooking required!, Party Foods, Raw, Salsas & Guacamole, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 6 Comments

I love LOVE love salsa. Even better… summer fruit salsa! I don’t even need chips for this salsa and admittedly, I can down the entire bowl of it on my own. The mix of sweet, crunchy, spicy… and mix that with balsamic vinegar ~ a slice of summery heaven.

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— Knead to Cook

Almond chocolate cookies. {vegan} {gluten free}

June 18, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Breakfast, Cookies, Desserts, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, Holiday, Holiday Baking Ideas, Nuts, Party Foods, Running/Races, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free 1 Comment

Today, altho quite sunny and hot, has been a lovely productive day for me indoors. We had a swim meet last night which left us getting home quite late. I gave myself an extra 30 minutes to sleep and then hit the gym to test out my new Mizunos. I got in a lovely 8 mile run on the treadmill (5 more to go for my 25 weekly mile mark) and then came home to taxi to swim practice. I walked while practice went on and then came home to start cleaning and whipped up this batch of cookies. I’ll admit, I just started throwing things in a bowl and prayed it worked. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t! Thankfully… this one was a winner. These are NOT overly sweet. Honestly, they don’t need to be. The almond butter and maple syrup are the perfect amount of sweetness with no added refined sugars necessary. Perfect, vegan and gluten free cookie. You can actually see the goodness and ingredients right in each cookie. I’m smitten.
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— Knead to Cook

Sweet Kale Almond Smoothie.

June 13, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beverages, Breakfast, Brunch, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Fitness., Gluten Free, No bake/cooking required!, Raw, Running/Races, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free 6 Comments

His & Hers. Yours & Mine.

Do you see that bright green color??? OHHHHHH I love it! You can see the nutrients! The fact: I drink a lot of smoothies… in fact most of family does too. It basically comes down to this… they’re fast, nutrient dense and I can throw pretty much anything in them and they taste so good. Fast food my style! Perfect for on-the-go lifestyles. My kids drink them for breakfast or before practice. We have them for breakfast or quick lunches while running out the door. Plus my garden is brimming with fresh spinach and kale and I promise you… if you add it your kids won’t taste it! Other flavors dominate it and it is virtually undetectable. Plus getting extra nutrients from dark, leafy greens is essential. I added cinnamon to this recipe which is a great anti-inflammatory. Great post workout! Also, it’s been shown to lower cholesterol and lower blood sugar.

This recipe, like most of my recipes as of late, are vegan. You can always use whatever milk you prefer. I make all of my smoothies in my Vitamix Pro 750. Regular blenders may be used but may require a bit more liquid to thin it out the consistency. One last note on smoothies, for now, they are great post workout to allow your body to focus on healing your muscles you tore up during your workout v. digesting a big breakfast post workout. Turnover and recovery so you can get back out working out sooner is my focus.
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— Knead to Cook

Hummus with dry chickpeas. {vegan} {gluten free}

June 4, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beans, Brunch, Condiments, Dips, Fitness., Gluten Free, Party Foods, Side dish, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free 3 Comments

Happy National Runner’s Day! Today wasn’t a planned running day for me after running yesterday but instead of hitting up the elliptical this morning I ran in honor of the day. Did you run? Hope so.

I was so excited about sharing this recipe with you all. I love making hummus. It’s such a great protein source for me being vegan and it is so versatile – make the base and add your favorite add-ins. I will share the base recipe that I make and provide some suggestions on different flavor combinations that work well. This is such a great staple dip for bbq’s, outdoor parties, cocktail hours or to have in your fridge as a dip or spread for sandwiches.
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— Knead to Cook

Chocolate Cashew Protein Smoothie.

May 23, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Beverages, Breakfast, Desserts, Fitness., Gluten Free, Nuts, Running/Races, Smoothies, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free 2 Comments

Want a sip?

It’s Friday! It’s a long weekend and I’m so excited because today we head out to my favorite city, New York, to visit my best friend in the whole world and her family who are going to be there this weekend touring the awesomeness that the city has to offer. Since getting our puppy in December my trips to New York haven’t happened. I love NYC in the spring. I’m also so excited to be surrounded by vegan restaurants to try! I’m so happy I could burst.

Today I got up at 5 am and headed out for a run knowing I was going to be in the car for a bit today not moving around (I hate that). I haven’t been feeling my runs lately mostly because the heat and humidity have arrived and I’m so not a fan. But happily when I stepped outside, I found the weather cool and crisp. I was thrilled. I wanted to do 8-10 miles and at a slower pace around 8:30 mm. I just ran and loved it. I was faster than I wanted to be but I felt great. It went pretty fast and I arrived home and couldn’t wait to whip up a smoothie to speed along my recovery and energize me for a long day ahead.

This recipe is super delicious and totally kid-friendly. It’s packed with protein for muscle recovery and tastes so decadent that it feels like dessert – which it should feel like on a Friday of a long weekend when you’re husband takes Friday off too! [Read more…]

— Knead to Cook

Philadelphia & the Broad Street Ten Miler.

May 5, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Fitness., Running/Races, Vegan, Vegetarian 6 Comments

Spring racing continued for me this weekend. The Broad Street Run has been the only race that I will consistently do year after year without fail (with the luck of the lottery of course). I’m not a fan of doing the same races year in and year out. This race, to me, is the perfect distance. Great running conditions, typically and the support of the community is second to none. This year I set up a team so other friends could get in on the lottery with us. Thankfully, another successful year and we were accepted. My friends Jessica and Cindy joined us along with another friend and elite runner Kelly. A friend from Instagram was supposed to meet up with us but unfortunately got strep throat and couldn’t run.

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— Knead to Cook

Easter. Training. Running & the what?

April 23, 2014 by Knead to Cook Filed Under: Fitness., My story., Running/Races Leave a Comment

Hi everyone! I hope everyone had a great Passover and Easter holiday. Before we headed back home to celebrate Easter with family and friends, hubby and I got in two (separate) 8 milers. My friend/running coach Lottie wanted it to be slower than my 13 miler the week prior. She wanted 8:45 – I came in a bit faster than that because although I was able to wear shorts my hands were freezing and I wanted to get home. The run felt good and I got out early enough to get home, packed and ready to head out.

This was my last long run before my race this Sunday. This week would be a lot of shorter tapering runs to keep my legs loose and rested.

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— Knead to Cook