Chickpea Croquettes with Greek Salad Topping

Whole chickpeas give these sautéed croquettes a hearty texture.

ingredient list

Serves 4

Topping

• 1 cucumber, quartered and sliced (1 cup)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled low-fat vegan feta cheese, optional

Croquettes

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

Directions

To make Topping:

Toss together cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice, and oil in bowl. Gently stir in feta crumbles. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and set aside.

To make Croquettes:

1. Whisk together chickpea flour, cumin, chili powder, and salt in bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup hot water. Stir in remaining ingredients, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

2. Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Scoop 4 ı/4-cup dollops of chickpea mixture into skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden.

3. Flip with spatula, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Repeat with remaining chickpea mixture. Serve each Croquette topped with 1/4 cup Topping.

Nutritional Information

Per :

Calories	314
Protein	12g
Total Fat	11g
Saturated Fat	1g
Carbs	45g
Choelsterol	0mg
Sodium	534mg
Fiber	9g
Sugar	6g

Creating a Work/Life Balance

When life starts to spin out of control, it is time to take a step back to get our work/life balance in check. These useful tips inspired from this month's Body + Soul magazine will help you achieve peace and harmony in your life.

1. Find simple pleasures
Whether it is stocking up on produce at the farmer's market and creating a unique meal with a seasonal vegetable, wearing your pajamas all weekend long and busting out your paint set to create a beautiful masterpeice, or cuddling on the couch with a good book, it is important to find simple pleasures among your hectic life.

2. Steal Weekends
Instead of taking one week long vacation during the year, take mini-vacations throughout the year. This will allow you to spend quality time with significant others, family and friends more than once a year. Also, this helps you stay on top of your work and not have to dig through a week's worth of emails after you return from a vacation.

3. Schedule Spontaneity
Put personal time on your calendar by scheduling a Zumba workout, a lunch date with your best friend, boyfriend, or husband downtown during your lunch break, or plan to cook a spontaneous breakfast for your family midweek. Marking your calendar during this time as BUSY will allow you the freedom to be spontaneous.

4. Join a Group
Whether you join Team in Training to train for a marathon or triathlon, a professional/social organization to sharpen your professional skills, or a Meetup.com group to unite you with others who share your passion in ________, joining a group will allow you to make new friends and work with a team to reach a goal.

5. Create a "balance sheet"
Create a "balance sheet" of what is important in your life and refer to it at the end of the week. What do you need to tweak next week to insure your are balanced? Some things that you could include are:
- exercise & nutrition
- husband
- extended family
- friends
- community
- career
- dreams & goals
- home organization
- learning
- exploration

6. Just say no
When you are invited to an event, you don't always have to say yes. Before you accept an invitation ask yourself, "is this something I really want to do?" and "is this something I really need to do?"

7. Free your mind
45 minutes on the treadmill or swimming laps in the pool will clear your mind from the stress of the day. Treat yourself to this. You will thank yourself afterwards.

Baba Ganoush

From VegNews Recipe Club

Ooof! After all the super-sugary sweets of the holidays, something savory is just the thing to start off 2010. This simple, delicious baba ganoush makes the perfect post-workout snack, so it's especially good for all those newly minted gym rats. Served with fresh cut veggies or traditional pita, this dip will keep you happily munching all year. (OK, you'll have to make it more than once.)

Serves 4

What You Need:

2 large eggplants
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke several holes all over the eggplants and bake on a cookie sheet or shallow pan for 30 minutes, or until the skin is shriveled.
2. Remove eggplants from the oven and place in a large bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut off the stem tips and slice each eggplant in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh and transfer to another bowl. Discard the skin.
3. With a sharp knife, cut the eggplant into small pieces. It should be soft enough to become mushy as you cut it. Add the garlic, tahini, and lemon juice, and mix with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

~*~*~ 2 0 1 0 ~*~*~

It was last year that I made my first set of 'manifestations' that I looked forward to at the start of 2009. I blogged about my goals in this post. After much dedication and determination I was able to meet every goal months before the end of the year. The secret is to make realistic goals, have a strong game plan, and give yourself enough time to reach all you set out to do. Also, I am not afraid to revise my goals and game plan to align with my life.

I am very much looking forward to 2010. This year brings about much change in my life. For starters I am getting married. I am the luckiest woman in the world to get to marry my best friend - a guy who shares the same goals, outlooks and world views as myself. Dave, my fiance, is a selfless giver and a hard worker. He will make an excellent husband and father. I'm so fortunate for him in my life and to grow young by his side.

Second, I will be moving from from Sarasota to Tampa. I am very sad to leave Sarasota and anxious about moving to a new town where I have to start fresh. I worry about creating my individuality in a place where I know no one but my fiance. I know I am safe there with my best friend by my side. I am hoping one day Dave and I will be able to come back to Sarasota. This town is everything I ever wished for in a city to live in, and both Dave and I love it here. The only problem is the job market, and since Dave works in Tampa it makes more sense to live there.

So 2010 is going to be a great year. Change, even while I try to resist it, is always very refreshing. With out any further ado....

Here are my 2010 goals:

1. Have an amazing first year of marriage
2. Be happy and healthy

2. Make new friends

4. Keep off the weight I lost in the past year
5. Further myself professionally

To achieve my goals, I will:
1. Be patient, a better listener, never go to bed upset, and work at expressing my feelings when they are hard to articulate.
I hope to be the best wife I can be and to do this I need to work on some of my faults. I need to be a better listener, be more patient, and express myself fully so I never go to bed upset.

2. Run a 5k
This will be my third IronGirl Clearwater event on April 10. Even though I have run the 10k the past two years, I'm looking forward to moving more towards sprint running since I feel long distances are too hard on my body. I look forward to starting to train for this race after my wedding on February 6th.
3. Compete in a triathlon
I am hoping to race in the Trek Women's Tri Series at Disney in September; however, the last time I check the date was TBD. I did this race last year, and you can read about the journey here.

4. Work out 5-6 times per week.
This really goes with out being said since I currently work out this often and have consistently for quite some time. I go in phases with my workout routine. Last two years I was into running (one marathon, two half-marathons, 10 mile races, 10ks, etc.). An injury took me off running for what has been nearly 8 months now. I then moved on to swimming to heal my foot of plantar fasciitis. I began working out with a trainer one time a week and starting swimming heavily again. Slowly I began working in spin classes and that is where I have been comfortable for the past few months with pool session in there 1-2X per week.
5. Eat healthy
I'd like to think this goes with out saying as I am a high raw-vegan eater, but there are times I get on peanut butter kicks or dark chocolate covered almonds kick or chocolate soy milk kicks that aren't healthy. I'm going to try to keep those at bay while I tranistion over to living with Dave and adjusting to our joining diets.
6. Join a Professional and/or Social Oganization
I will be joining the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Tampa Chapter. This will allow me to network with local people in my field and gain some professional development through seminars. I also will be joining with a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Group in Tampa. Dave and I actually met through one, but now I will just be looking to meet new friends with similar interests where we can share stories about our times abroad. I also will be joining various Vegetarian/Vegan/Raw Food groups in the Tampa area. Both meetup.com and the VegTampaBay, have great groups available. This will allow me to meet new friends that share similar culinary options as I do.
7. Recipe of the Month Club
I'm not really sure what goal this falls under, but I might say "have an amazing first year of marriage." I like to cook, and it brings me great pride when Dave says to the dog, "do you know your mom is a great cook?" Furthermore, I have stacks of recipes from Vegetarian Times, blogs and emails that I need to try but never have time to. I really eat very simply - fresh salads, wraps, homemade soups, smoothies, and fresh fruit make up my diet. So making a "big" meal is reserved for Dave's birthday (he asks for Thai 'pad me' noodles, spring rolls, my amazing butternut squash-garlic-apple soup, and vegan chocolate mousse for dessert) or guests (we normally just grill because it is easier to satisfy meat eaters and me - the lone vegan!)
8. Weekly Weights
I have been working out with Michele Rose from SRQ Athletics, a personal trainer, each week for the past year. I have really seen improvements in my strength and muscle tone. I love our session every week and will sincerely miss her when I move to Tampa. I hope I can find an affordable personal trainer in Tampa or a group of women who I can train with. I want to continue to get buff.
9. Join a Master's Swim Team **
I'm hesitant to put this goal on here as I'm not sure it is something I am willing to achieve in 2010. Joining a Master's Swim Team has been in my head for quite some time. I briefly swam for University of Texas' Masters Swim Team in college, but I couldn't hang with the early workout times. The New Tampa YMCA's Masters Swim Team - Tampa Metro Masters Swimming - practices M-Th from 630-8. I need to see how the move goes and if I can commit to those times with a 20 minute commute on each end. Maybe I will find a team closer to our home or a group of people willing to practice at 6am at the Campo YMCA. *** I think this will be on a Maybe list and I will reassess when I move to Tampa next month.

Oven-Dried Sweet Potato Chips

ingredient list

Serves 4

• 1 tsp. fine-grained sea salt
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, scrubbed and peeled, if desired
• 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250F.
2. Combine salt and spices in mixing bowl.
3. Slice sweet potatoes paper-thin and toss lightly with oil. Toss potatoes with spice mixture until evenly coated. Arrange potatoes on wire grates sprayed with nonstick vegetable spray or on baking sheets fitted with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 2 hours, then turn off oven and let potatoes dry for 2 more hours or overnight. Alternately, dehydrate sweet potato slices in dehydrator according to manufacturer’s directions.

Nutritional Information

Per serving:

Calories	110
Protein	1g
Total Fat	3g
Saturated Fat	0g
Carbs	18g
Choelsterol	0mg
Sodium	590mg
Fiber	3g
Sugar	7g

Orange-Apricot Crisp

Vegetarian Times p 46
December 2009/January 2010

Serves 12- vegan- gluten free

8 oranges + 1 tsp zest grated
2 cups dried apricots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins (in the photo it looks like golden raisins were used)
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp vegan margarine, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan
2. cut ends from oranges. Stand one orange on cutting board and slice away peel and pith. Cut orange into quarters and cut quarters into 1/2" thick slices. Repeat with remaining oranges and transfer to bowl. Stir in apricots, raisins, and candided ginger. Spread mixture into prepared pan.
3. stir together flour, sugar, orange zest, and salt in a bowl. Rubs margarine and vanilla into mixture until combined and mixture forms into large crumbs. Spread crumb mixture over orange mixture.
4. bake 30-40 minutes, until top of crisp is golden. Cool 10 min and serve warm

Quick Romesco Sauce

This recipe takes 30 minutes or fewer.

Think of romesco as pesto’s lesser-known cousin—it’s also made with nuts, garlic and olive oil but uses tomatoes and peppers, not basil. Romesco sauce is used to jazz up traditional tortillas and roasted vegetables. It also makes a luscious dip for pita wedges.

ingredient list

Makes about 1 1/3 cups

1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, or 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 small tomato, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 7-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. sherry or red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Toast almonds and hazelnuts in skillet over medium-low heat 3 to 5 minutes or until browned and fragrant, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and cool.

2. Pulse toasted nuts, breadcrumbs, garlic and salt in food processor or blender until nuts are finely ground. Add tomato, red peppers, oil, vinegar, paprika, crushed red pepper and ground black pepper to taste. Purée until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl. Spoon over wedges of Potato and Asparagus Tortillas.

Nutritional Information

Per TABLESPOON:

Calories	31
Protein	1g
Total Fat	2g
Carbs	2g
Sodium	73mg