Vegetarian Black Bean Chili with Bulgur

My sister and I first made this recipe over the summer.  It is honestly awesome!  So wholesome and delicious.  And now that it is freezing outside…somehow this chili tastes just that much better  definitely give this recipe a try…you won’t be disappointed!

• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 T chili powder
• 2 t oregano
• 2 t paprika
• 1 t cumin
• 1 28oz can whole tomatoes
• 2 15 oz cans black beans
• 1 jalapeño
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/8 t salt, plus more

FOR THE BULGUR

In a medium saucepan, bring one cup of water and one-eighth teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the bulgur and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for fifteen minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Stir, then remove form heat and set aside.

FOR THE CHILI

In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic, and season with salt. Sauté, stirring frequently until onion is soft, being mindful not to burn the garlic.

Add the chili powder, oregano, paprika and cumin and stir to combine. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the beans, cooked bulgur, and simmer, covered forty-five minutes to one hour.

Garnish with chopped red onion, fresh cilantro and of sour cream if desired.

Serves 4 to 6

optional*: top the chili with smashed avocado with lime and cilantro*****

I also serve this chili with Guiltless Gourmet Black Bean Chips (soo goodddd).  You can get these chips at places like whole foods, wegmans….etc.

p.s. Thank you for all of your comments/suggestions about the walk/5k/10 that my sisters and I are planning!  We will keep you up to date on the planning

sticking to our word.

As many of you know, my Grandmom passed away back in October.  Before she passed away, my sisters and I decided that we wanted to organize a 5k/10k in remembrance of her…as well as to benefit Bladder Cancer.  We thought that having a race for her would be a perfect idea…she was very active throughout her life…always involved with sports, etc (she was even a water aerobics instructor for the old ladies in her village!).  We told her about our plans and she was very excited about it.  We planned on having the race start in Margate, NJ (a shore town where she lived for most of her life, where my mom grew up, and where we currently have a house in).   She was very involved in the town ….she served as a Sergeant in the Detective Division of the Atlantic Country Prosecutors Office and was a member of the PBA.

I know that if we planned this race, it would be very successful.  And as excited as we were to do it…we just never got around to planning it.  Now I know that it is only February…but its time to get a move on (races take a LONG time to plan!).  Of course we are busy.  My oldest sister (Danielle) is in her third year of Med School, my middle sister , Mary, is in graduate school for teaching/reading specialist…and I am in my second semester of my junior year of college.  but the thing is…no matter what- we will always be busy/have stress…it’s a part of life. so instead of waiting for the right time to do something…waiting for things to settle down…I have decided to get it done…to learn how to deal with things in midst of a busy life/stress.  Afterall– planning this race is something that is super important to me.  I will not be satisfied unless it is done….I will not be happy unless we pull it off.

anyway…enough babling… I contacted the City Clerk office of Margate and they told me to email the Chief of Police. …..which is perfect becuase (a) I work for him in the summer and (b) my grandmom knew him very well.  The lady at the city clerk told me to include exact information about the race (the date, distance, roads that need to be closed, events before/after, amount of people expected, what the race is for, etc.).

distance: 5k/10k

benefit: in rembrance of our grandmom, Yvonne Stewart and to benefit bladder cancer research

expected number of runners: 500??

more info: I would like to have some sort of ceremony with the police (since she was an officer) before the race, music (live?) after the race with post-race food, t-shirts, and awards.

This is going to be a lot of hard work…we will need to get a company for timing, sponsors, t-shirts, awards, food, advertising…etc….but I am very very excited to get to work

Question: Have any of you ever organized a race?  If so, do you have any suggestions?  Anything will help! thanks

love and miss you, Grandmom <3 9.15.09.

Up Up and Away

Another spinning playlist/class profile for your perusal …. as always song suggestions are appreciated!

1. Slide- Goo Goo Dolls (3:33) Warm up; low resistance…the goal here is to get the legs moving, heart rate slightly elevated, and to start sweating just a bit.  Switch it up.  go from seated flat, to standing in position 2, to climbing in position three…maybe even some jumps
2. Up Up and Away- Kid Cudi (3:47)- Climb in three- this is a fast pace, relatively low resistance climb.  gradually increase the resistance throughout the song while keeping the same cadence.
3. Dont Slow Down- Matt and Kim (3:06) flat road, high cadence (remember- just because its a flat road doesnt mean you should be sitting back and taking it easy…keep those legs quick)
4. Perfect Time of Day- Howie Day (4:21): easy climb in position three…dont touch the resistance knob at the end of the song!!! The climb continues into song number 5
5. Till I Collapse- Eminem (5:00): at the very beginning of the song you should still be on a nice sized hill.  Transition between a seated climb and a climb in position three– increase the resistance every minute
6. Tik Tok- Kesha (3:20)- 4 count jumps
7. heaven- DJ Sammy & Yanou featuring Do (3:55) sprints (15 s, 20s, 25s, 30s)
8. Kryptonite- 3 doors down (3:55)- climbing (first 90s in seated position, then climb in position 3)
9. Telephone- Lady Gaga (3:41)- flat- through a few sprints in (20-25s)
10. Bad Romance- Lady Gaga (4:55): easy climb- last minute or so run it out in position 2
11. December- Collective Soul (4:45): climb- transitioning between seated and climbing in position three (gradually add resistance of course )
12. Radio- Beyonce (3:39): seated flat plus sprints
13. God is a DJ – Pink (3:44)- climb- high cadence- medium resistance plus jumps
14. Walk Away – Kelly Clarkson (3:09): first half seated, second half easyyyyy climb (using this song as a sort of cooldown)

Im moving on (4:05)- Rascal Flatts: stretching

Total workout time (not including stretching): 54.6 minutes

ENJOY!!!

new favorite workout song (and track 2 on my playlist!)

p.s. Check out Mary’s CSN cookware giveaway!!

eat better america

Has anyone ever heard of the site EatBetterAmerica?

eatbetteramerica.com, created by General Mills, is a site designed for people who are increasingly interested in the impact food has on their health and crave simple, easy-to-understand health and nutritional information.We have created a site where people can learn from experts, as well as folks just like them, about how healthy eating habits and easy-to-follow exercise tips can help enrich life.

Here is a place that inspires all of us to eat, and live, better.

I receive email newsletters from them with lots of great recipes… the other day I stumbled upon a recipe for “healthified winter veggie pasta”. I decided to give it a shot…and I absolutely loved it!!  My camera took a bunch of horrible/fuzzy shots of this beast of a meal so I have to use the image from the site ….anyway- this dish was awesome and I will be making this again.  I sorta kinda ate way to much of it plus way too much bread but hey… nothing wrong with indulging is there? haha enjoy

I did not measure anything out- just used my judgment- but if you want exact measures…go here

	whole grain penne
	broccoli and spinach
	no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
	cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
	no-salt-added tomato paste
	garlic, minced
	salt
	ground black pepper
	parsley
	Pecorino Romano cheese red pepper flakes (optional) Cook pasta according to package directions and add broccoli and spinach to the pasta for the last few minutes of cooking. Drain and return to the pot.  Add the tomatoes, pasta, garlic, salt, pepper, and heat through. stir in the parsley and top with the cheese

cooking with shrimp!

Today was the first time I ever cooked with shrimp!! mark it down in your calendars haha….I never used to like shrimp very much but recently I have found a love for it….anyway… I was perusing around the blog world and saw Matt’s Recipe for Shrimp, Broccoli Rabe, and Feta….and so I decided to make my own version of this dish

Ingredients

• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• shrimp (I used frozen- I purchased it in bulk from whole foods)
• broccoli
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar (didnt have red in the apartment so I used white instead)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes (dont use too much! a little goes a long way!)
• crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

1. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, which will only be a minute or two. Transfer the shimp and any juices to a plate; cover to keep warm.
2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Add chopped garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not brown, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and cook, stirring often, until bright green and just wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are beginning to break down, 2 to 4 minutes. Return the shrimp and juices to the pan, add feta cheese and stir to combine. Cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

I really enjoyed this dish!! I thought the the red pepper flakes were a nice a touch.  and I liked how the feta melted into the juices….gave it a great flavor.  I will definitely be making this again!  Matt make garlic bread to go along with this meal…I think next time I will try that out

‘Shrooms

• Mushrooms are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. One medium portabella mushroom has even more potassium than a banana or a glass of orange juice.
• Mushrooms are a rich source of riboflavin, niacin, and selenium. Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Male health professionals who consumed twice the recommended daily intake of selenium cut their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent.
• Good for cardiovascular health
• Strengthens immunity: Mushrooms are capable of strengthening the immune system. In traditional Japanese and Chinese medicines, Shiitake mushrooms are used for curing flu and cold. Lentinan, a form of beta-glucan, present in Shiitake mushrooms strengthens the immune system. Mushrooms, especially Crimini mushrooms, are a rich source of zinc. Zinc is mostly needed to build the body’s immune system.
• Anti-aging property: Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant necessary for healthy eyes, kidney, bone marrow, liver and skin. Mushrooms are also rich in riboflavin and selenium. These chemicals by strengthening the immune system, prevents the action of free radicals in the body, consequently reducing the aging process.
• ONLY item in the produce section with a natural source of vitamin D!

my sister’s boyfriend, Todd, works for To-Jo Mushrooms

For 4 generations the D’Amico family has grown mushrooms in Southeastern, Pennsylvania. The family business began with a small mushroom farm that was capable of producing 50,000 pounds of fresh mushrooms annually. 77 years later To-Jo remains family-owned and operated and produces approximately 40 million pounds annually; offering both fresh and prepared products.

become a fan of  To-Jo mushrooms on Facebook to share mushroom recipes, take part in contests, and learn more about mushrooms!!!

help needed!

I am trying to come up with a new spinning playlist for my classes this week…but I cannot seem to find good songs!!  I need your help….

what are your favorite workout tunes?  I am looking for fast pace (for sprints) as well as slower songs (for endurance/hills)

back to business

hey everyone!  sorry I havent been posting in awhile— the spring semester just started up and I have been trying to get myself back into the swing of things….not an easy thing to do.  All I want to do is blog, spend time with my family and friends, run, workout, eat christmas cookies, eat other food, and sleep in.  But all good things must come to an end.  I am actually looking forward to this semester.  Should be a good one…I hope at least!

anyway… Spinning is starting up tonight!!!  So I decided to share my playlist and class profile with all of you!!!

Run this Town

1. United State of Pop 2009- DJ Earworm (4:45): warm up song.  Low resistance. Start on a flat road (seated position), run in out  in position 2, drop down and climb in position 3.  Keep switching from running in 2 and climbing in 3.  Back to seated flat road, end the song jogging in 2.  goal of this song is to get the heart pumping, start sweating just a little….getting ready to start the class.
2. Run This Town- Jay-Z (5:08)- Climb (increasing the resistance 4 times throughout the song)- the first two turns of the resistance knob is seated position and the second two are climbing in position 3
3. B.O.B.- OutKast (5:04)- sprints (bursts of random times- no more than 30-40 seconds)
4. Let Go- Frou Frou (4:14)- flat road (last 45 seconds stand up and run in position 2)
5. The Saga Continues-  Black Rob, G. Dep, Loon & P. Diddy (3:51)- climb- lots of resistance.  stop a couple of times and work your leg muscles by using only your lower body- keeping your upper body completely still- hovering over the seat)
6. 4 Minutes Workout Remix- Power Music workout (5:00)- pyramid sprints… 20 seconds-25s-30s-25s-20s
7. dollhouse- Pricilla Renea (3:42)- seated flat road– when song picks up do jumps- then back to seated flat road
8. Forever- Drake- Kanye West (5:57)- seated climb…last minute stand up and climb in position 3
9. Explosive- Bond (3:11)- sprints- random times (no more than 30-40s)
10. Till I collapse- Eminem (4:58)- climb in position three- last 90 seconds climb in seated position
11. Russian Privjet- Basshunter (4:08) sprints
12. Obsessed- Mariah Carey (3:44) climb (seated)
13. Lovers in Japan. Reign of love (6;51) easy climb standing in three, with three minutes left start the cooldown

total workout time= 1 hour

Im moving on- Rascal Flatts (4:05)- cooldown

Well there you have it!  What I like to do is download the playlist to my ipod and write down the workout on a 3×5 note card.  When I  go to the gym…I ask to be let into the spinning room so I can have do my own “private” spinning class.  Having a set class profile to follow really helps the time to fly by- and its alot of fun- I really get into all of the songs….  Try it out for yourself!

have a nice wednesday!!!

Guest Post: Pasta e Ceci

Hello Mindful Living readers!  This is Mary from Food, Fit, & Fun.  I was very happy when Christina asked me to write a guest post.  Christina is in her first week of the spring semester so I know things are probably very busy for her right now.  I contemplated the topic that I wanted to write about.  Christina suggested that I write a post about a recipe that I have made a few times that she has wanted to try.  So I went with that!

I present you with Pasta e Ceci.  I originally saw this recipe in Jamie Oliver’s cookbook, Jamie’s Italy.  I love chickpeas and I love pasta so this recipe was one that I definitely wanted to try.  Here is a short excerpt from Jamie’s book:

It can be argued that this is both a soup and a pasta dish but I think it leans slightly more toward being a soup — so I’ve put it in this chapter! Its cousin, pasta e fagioli, is a thicker, redder bean soup, but I think that this simple, delicious dish, which uses chickpeas as its base, is what Italian food is all about…

After making this dish a few times, I absolutely understand the difficulty Jamie had categorizing this dish as either a soup or a pasta dish.  This recipe is NOT a brothy soup.  Rather, it is thick and will certainly fill you up!

Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas) Serves 4.

-      1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

-      1 stick celery, trimmed and finely chopped (I used 2)

-      1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped (I used 2)

-      Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-      A sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

-      2 14 oz. cans of chickpeas (my cans were 15.5 oz.)

-      2 1/4 cups of chicken stock

-      3 1/2 oz Ditalini (small pasta)

-      Salt and freshly ground black pepper

-      Optional: handful of fresh basil/parsley, leaves picked and torn (I used Basil)

- I also added some fresh lemon juice using 1/4 of a lemon.

1) Put the finely chopped onion, celery, and garlic into a saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil and the rosemary and cook as gently as possible, with the lid on, for about 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, without any color.

2)Drain your chickpeas well and rinse them in cold water, then add them to the pan and cover with the stock. Cook gently for half an hour and then, using a slotted spoon, remove half the chickpeas and put them to one side in a bowl.

3)Puree the soup in the pan using a handheld immersion blender. If you don’t have one, you can whiz it up in a food processor instead, then pour it back into the pan. Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently until the chickpeas are tender and the pasta is cooked.

4)At this point, if the soup is a little thick, pour in some boiling water from the kettle to thin it down, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Lovely sprinkled with some freshly torn basil or parsley. A real treat.

This soup is absolutely delicious, simple, and healthy.  This soup is loaded with fiber-filled Chickpeas.  Chickpeas are on the list of the World’s Healthiest Foods, click here to learn more about their health benefits.

If you are looking for a simple dinner recipe, this is it.  Please give it a shot and let me know what you think!  Enjoy J
Have a nice day and thank you again Christina!

what are your favorite soup recipes?

A Day Without Pasta is like a Day Without Sunshine…

Hello everyone!!  Well I am now back to school- I have a whole new set of roommates (minus my direct roommate) since my other roommates went abroad (to New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland).  So far it is working out great!!  I am having a lot of fun and I honestly kind of like being thrown into a unfamiliar, new, strange situation…. anyway… I STILL have to take my microbiology final tomorrow at 8 am (I couldnt take it due to the big snow storm we got back in december).  So I am kind of stressing about that- just excited for it to be OVER WITH!!!!!  and then I can enjoy the long Martin Luther King Jr. weekend

anyway….. onto the title of today’s post.

My Poppop says this phrase a lot (except in italian of course)- “a day without pasta is like a day without sunshine”- I am not sure how to say this in italian, though.  Mommom- if you are reading- do you know how to say this??

Anyway- I couldnt agree more with this statement. I LOVE PASTA (especially when it is fresh and homemade!)  and i loveeee tomato sauce.  I could eat it everyday and not get sick of it.  and so, I decided to share my family’s recipe for pasta sauce with all of you!!  Before I do this, however…make sure you use San Marzano Tomatoes (a variety of plum tomatoes that are considered by many chefs to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world— thanks wiki ).

large can of San Marzano Tomatoes (28 oz)

1 can of Tomato Paste (6 oz)

3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)- can use more if you want! i like to use a lot

1 large can of water (28 oz) or half of the can depending on how thick you want your sauce

basil (fresh or dry)

parsley (fresh or dry)

salt to taste

EVOO

Put the chopped garlic and EVOO in a large pot (enough EVOO to just cover the bottom of the pot so the garlic does not burn).  Saute the garlic and then add the can of tomatoes, water (use the empty can of tomatoes and fill with water), and tomato paste. Mush up the tomatoes with your hands!! I like my sauce chunky so I dont crush it too too much.  Add in basil and parsley to taste. bring to a boil then lower the heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes or so….stirring occasionally (you can simmer more or less depending on the amount of time you have!).  I transfer the sauce to small containers and freeze some!

how do you make your tomato sauce?  do you add anything different to it (sugar, honey, etc.)?  What is your favorite pasta combination??