Veggie Staples

dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free, plant based recipes

Archives for October 2014

Expo Review & Crossfit Update

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What did you all do this weekend? I had a very busy one! Family in town, Gluten Free Expo, a Halloween 5K!

The expo was GREAT! If you have one in your area you should definitely go (see where the expo is being held here)! I got so much swag and tried lots of new products(and nibbled on some of my favorites)! I am really excited to cook and bake with some of the new products I found!

I got up super early on Saturday to head down to the expo (alone)! Jake and my Mom watched Z so that I could go down to the expo. It was very weird being in the car all by myself. I had a great time and connected with other New England bloggers too! The Expo crew definitely hooked us up with some awesome swag and it is really appreciated!

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Enjoy Life foods had this really cute set up with conversation bubbles & a back drop! I had to get in on the fun! I also didn’t realize how much stuff I had when I got home! I can’t wait to use some of these products in my recipes on the blog!

Zuma Madhouse Foods - awesome flour, muffin, brownie mixes, etc. Made sweet potato pancakes this morning and they were sooo good!

Metropolitan Gourmet - Breadcrumbs, stuffing and croutons!

Go Picnic - Ready to Go Meals & Snacks! “Never Go hangry again”!

Way Better Snacks - LOVE LOVE LOVE these chips! They have Pumpkin Cranberry Out right now but they are so hard to find!

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I also ran a 5K with my Mom and sister - kuddos to my Mom for making it the whole way without stopping! She never runs and didn’t bat an eye lash to keep up with my sister and I!

And last but not least, after 4 weeks of Crossfit and IIFYM I’ve only lost 2 pounds but I have made huge progress measurement wise. You can really see the difference in these photos, there’s a good reason to take them on a weekly or monthly basis! I definitely let the scale discourage me sometimes, but the pictures are a great testimony that it’s working. Now I’m just hoping the weight comes off a little faster, I go back to work soon, so it may be easier (I’m hoping)?

Mediterranean Paleo Cooking Giveaway

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Have you ever heard of Diane Sanfilippo or Caitlin Weeks? If you haven’t, you should go google them right now (or just click here and here)! They are the amazing chefs and certified nutritionists! Their book comes out October 28th, and they gave me a free copy to give away to one of my lucky readers! (a $40 value).

Even though I’m not a meat eater, this book gives you a little of everything - and I made the Chicken Tajine for my husband last night, and he is such a picky eater - he loved it! (bonus: it can be made in the crock pot) I also whipped up this Paleo Falafel… I love me some falafel, and this was an ‘am I really not eating beans?!!’ moment. This will be on heavy rotation for me because I can put it in a salad, eat it plain as a snack (with the equally as awesome tzatziki sauce), etc.

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You can join me in Framingham at their book signing in November, or visit them at one of their other stops around the US! (And don’t forget to pick up their book - order it on Amazon here)! Enter below for your chance to win!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Butternut Squash Kale Soup

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Soup season is definitely upon us! It was 75 degrees on Saturday, and yesterday it was only 47! Talk about temperature change! Soup is on the menu multiple times this week! I made this one last week, and I’m really kind of regretting not making a lot more of this at the same time to freeze for later! A friend gave me an abundance of butternut squash that probably would have cost me a small fortune at the store, I really need to get on that garden thing next summer!! Squash is one of my favorite fall foods, and I love that with any variety you always have those awesome seeds to roast!

This is soup is really awesome because after boiling the squash, you throw everything in a blender and heat it back up in a pot, easy peasy! It has a lot of cilantro, which helps remove heavy metals in the body, and of course all those awesome greens from the kale! And maybe you could talk your kids into eating it by telling them the color is for Halloween? Either way, make a big batch of this, you’ll end up regretting it if you don’t!!

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Butternut Squash Cilantro Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash, washed, peeled and chopped
  • 1 bunch of kale (or an entire box of prewashed, boxed kale)
  • 1 whole bunch of cilantro, washed
  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
  • 2-3 tablespoons curry powder (to taste)
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash, peel and chop butternut squash
  2. Place squash in large pot and fill pot with enough water to just barely cover the squash, heat on medium/high heat until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork
  3. Once the squash is cooked until it is soft, drain squash and place the squash in a blender
  4. Place all other ingredients in the blender with the squash
  5. Blend soup ingredients until smooth
  6. Add the blended soup back in the pot the squash was cooked in
  7. Heat soup until the desired temperature is reached
  8. Enjoy!
http://veggiestaples.com/butternut-squash-kale-soup/

 

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Gluten & Allergen Free Expo Giveaway!

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There is an amazing expo going on in Springfield, MA if you live in the New England area! The Gluten and Allergen Free Expo is October 25th and 26th from 9AM to 3PM! I’m so excited to be a part of this event! Where else can you find so many amazing Gluten Free/Allergen Free vendors giving away tons of free goodies to sample and learn about??!

On top of learning about new products, they also have classes and presentations going on. On Saturday At 10AM,
Dr. Jus Crea Giammarino will be presenting “Healing the Gut from Food Allergies and Sensitivities” with Dr. Giammarino will differentiate celiac disease, food allergies and sensitivities and teach how to diagnose each condition. She will discuss Naturopathic treatment options including digestive, nutritive, herbal, and dietary support. She will discuss probiotics, enzymes, and herbal treatment options. At 11:30AM, Stephen Wangen, N.D. will be presenting “Understanding Gluten Sensitivity“.

And maybe the one I’m most looking forward to as a food blogger, on Sunday at 1PM Robert Landolphi will be presenting “So Many Flours, So Little Time”. Chef Rob will discuss the variety of gluten free flours available on the market, how to blend them correctly, and the nutritional value of each one. This class will equip you with the knowledge to make your gluten free culinary experiences simple, easy, and very delicious.

The folks running the expo have given me TWO pairs of tickets to giveaway (a $40 value for each pair)! Enter below but you must be able to attend to win! (Enter Below) (CONTEST IS OVER)

Purchase Tickets & Find More Information about the Expo here!

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Crossfit Newbie & Pregnancy Weight Loss

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Although this is a recipe blog, I do get emails and questions from readers about meal plans (meal plans and an ebook are being worked on!), weight loss, and various other nutrition questions. I’m not quite sure if I’m ready to share all of this (i.e. transformation pictures), but I’d like to have it as a way to look back on yet another weight loss journey AND to hold myself accountable.d13b4d1fd1cc38fa485ef4032a9f85b4

Well I finally got the go ahead from my doctors, Zoey is now almost 9 weeks, so I started CrossFit a few weeks ago. It’s actually called MomFit! Our Instructor/Coach/Babysitter, Jen, let’s all of us bring our kiddos and they run around while we get our work out too! She is fantastic and I love the friends I’ve made - and I finally get all the hype about CrossFit. It really does challenge you to do your best and push yourself. And it’s not about who looks the prettiest in their workout clothes or anything else, it’s just about doing what you can do and being supported while doing it. If you are in the Southern NH area, find Jen & MomFit on Facebook or the website, you will not be disappointed!

Anyways, I’ve started my postpartum weight loss journey. I gained a total of 65 pounds when I was pregnant… I’m not sure if that had something to do with the fact that I used to be heavy or what (see my before and after pictures on my About Me page). Or, below, you can see what I looked like 1 week after I had Zoey (I seriously don’t even look like this same person):

But either way, this is going to be a lot of work. I have been doing CrossFit for 3 weeks, and I have had no weight loss thus far. Not even a pound. But I have pulled in my belt another notch, which is a start (don’t forget about those non scale victories!). It also just makes me feel better to get up and get moving every morning, with a bunch of other awesome, bada** women!! They truly are inspiring!

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I am only going into my 3rd week of CrossFit. And I can definitely see a difference in these photos! Sometimes if you don’t take photos, you don’t see the progress. The mirror is so much more telling than the scale.

BEFORE CrossFit

before 2 weeks of CrossFit

after

You can follow my journey here, on Instagram or see all of my inspiration for fitness on Pinterest!

And another great article on post baby bodies: http://www.scarymommy.com/post-baby-bodies/

Vegan Stuffed Squash

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I’ve done quite a few dessert posts, something I should probably stay away from for a while, given I’m trying to lose a little bit of weight. So I decided to try my hand at some stuffed squash, a dish my friend Lynne suggested. I’m not sure why I’ve never made this before - so good, you can put just about anything in it, and it makes your house smell like Thanksgiving dinner!! Who doesn’t like Thanksgiving dinner?

The great thing about stuffed squash (even though mine is vegan) is that you can put almost anything in it. You could add grains like quinoa or rice, meat like sausage or beef. You can definitely please the whole family with an entree like this one! I added mushrooms, butternut squash, kale and brussel sprouts in mine, just because that’s what I had for veggies in the refrigerator. You can easily add anything else you might have - peppers, onions, even apples! And one of the best things, you have left over seeds to roast for a snack (try my perfect pumpkin seed recipe, good for any squash seed)!

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Vegan Stuffed Squash

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup mushrooms, washed and chopped
  • 1 cup butternut squash, washed and chopped
  • 1 cup kale, washed and chopped
  • 1 cup brussel sprouts, washed and chopped
  • 1 squash (delicate or acorn)
  • 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Instructions

  1. Cut squash in half, emptying flesh and seeds
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  3. Place squash on a Silpat or aluminum foil in the oven for 20 minutes (hollow side down)
  4. Wash and chop all veggies
  5. Saute chopped veggies in a pan on medium heat
  6. Add garlic, sage, thyme and rosemary to pan
  7. Once squash is done (you should be able to pierce it with a fork) fill emptied space with sauteed veggies
  8. Place squash back in the oven for 10 minutes (at 400 degrees)
  9. Serve immediately & enjoy!
http://veggiestaples.com/vegan-stuffed-squash/

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