Guest Post: A Very Vegan Christmas {Part Two}

We’re back for another day of delicious vegan recipes from my friend, Kellie.  I tend to eat anything and everything, so when Kellie was telling me all about her diet and the food she creates, it sparked my interest.  Kellie was nice enough to share a vegan meal that is perfect for the holidays, starting with a green salad and stuffed portobello mushrooms.  You can find these recipes here.  Today she has two delectable desserts that the whole family will love. 

Here’s Kellie:

For a sweet treat, our kids absolutely love Vegan Cookie Dough Truffles, once again a gift from Chef Chloe. After one bite, you’ll find adults and children furiously licking their lips and fingers. And why not? These little beauties are love at first sight, with crackling chocolate coating over a delicious cookie dough center! What’s more, they are very easy to make.

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Vegan Cookie Dough Truffles

½ cup vegan margarine

¾ cup packed light brown sugar (I used Coconut Palm Sugar)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Stone-Ground Whole Wheat)
1/3 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips (dairy-free)

12 ounces semisweet chocolate (dairy-free)

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat margarine, brown sugar, salt, vanilla and water until combined. Add flour and beat until incorporated. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls with the palms of your hands. Place on prepared baking sheets.

Freeze for 15 minutes.

Melt the remaining 12 ounces chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Let cool to room temperature.

Remove one tray of cookie dough balls from the freezer. Dip each ball into the melted chocolate and remove using two forks. Place the coated balls back onto the baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator. Repeat with the second tray of cookie dough balls.

Chill until the chocolate is set, about 20 minutes. Store in refrigerator until serving.

Lastly, every Christmas needs cookies! Snickerdoodles are such a favorite in our home that the holiday simply wouldn’t be complete without them (from  Oh She Glows). 

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Snickerdoodles

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp white sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

Pinch of cinnamon

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 flax egg (1/2 Tbsp ground flax + 1.5 Tbsp warm water)

1/4 cup Earth Balance

Cinnamon sugar: 1 Tbsp sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon, mixed together

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the 1/2 flax egg. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl cream the sugar, Earth Balance and vanilla until incorporated. Add in the flax egg and beat for about 60 seconds. In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together (cream of tartar, baking soda, flour and pinch of cinnamon). Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir well. Use your hands to knead together the dough. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for one hour.

After one hour, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and take about 1.5 tablespoon of dough and shape into a ball. Roll in cinnamon sugar and then press the ball with a fork to flatten slightly. Repeat 9 more times to make 10 cookies.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. (If you want chewy cookies, bake for 10 minutes. If you prefer crispy, bake for 12 minutes.) Cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 10 cookies.

Thanks, Kellie!  Those truffles are now on my to-do list.  I hope you enjoyed these two posts that were “all vegan!”  I’m curious, do any of you have vegan recipes to share?  Enjoy your day!

Guest Post: A Very Vegan Christmas {Part One}

Yesterday I hinted that I would be featuring a guest on the blog today and I am so excited to introduce my friend, Kellie.  In July 2010, Kellie adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet in phases after reading Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food."  She also accredits "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell for making her go "full throttle" and the movie "Forks Over Knives" for validating her decision.  Kellie and her husband, Matt run and train together and she says that running has re-energized their marriage in many ways.  They are running their 6th half marathon in May at the Jersey Shore and their first full marathon in September...the Via, which they are targeting a sub-four hour time.  Kellie recently launched a personal blog to share her journey as she trains for it.  Check it out: Breaking Four.  Kellie lives in Forks Township with her husband Matt and her three children Dylan, Ryan and Sienna.

When Kellie told me last month that she was planning to prepare some scrumptious vegan recipes for her Thanksgiving table, I was intrigued.  From there, I decided to ask her to share some plant-based food ideas for holidays and I must say, these look amazing.  She sent over four recipes, so I thought I would share two today and two more later in the week.  So without further ado...here's Kellie:   

When Tracy asked me to share a blog post on vegan holiday dishes, my wheels started turning immediately. For my husband and me, Christmas is a grab bag of sorts. Unlike Thanksgiving and Easter, neither of us growing up had “traditional” Christmas dinners. By that I mean, a particular dish or dishes that were staples year after year. On Thanksgiving, for example, a turkey always graced the center of our tables. For Easter, it was ham for my family and pierogis for his. But Christmas dinners always seemed to vary between different meats, pasta dishes and small appetizers.

In keeping with that spirit, it’s how we’re rolling “veganizing” our holidays. For Easter, we always enjoy potato pierogis. For Thanksgiving, we make delicious vegan stuffings (yes, more than one) paired with plant-empowered dishes of root vegetables, Field Roast “Sausages” and sweet potatoes. Christmas remains our holiday of unpredictability (why not shake things up at least one holiday a year!)

This year we’re making Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, courtesy of Chef Chloe Coscarelli. Portobellos have the texture and consistency of meat. They are also known for their earthy taste, which adds a distinct flavor to a wide range of foods. This makes them a perfect choice for vegans and omnivores alike.

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Every delicious dinner needs a healthful greens salad as an accompaniment.  Nava Atlas's Mixed Greens with Apples, Beets and Pistachios is a gorgeous looking salad that’s chock-full of nutrients and literally bursts with flavor.  The beets and apples are a nice balance of sweet and tart.  The addition of the pistachio nuts adds a wonderful crunch to every bite, bringing a bit of WOW to this salad and making it pop!  It’s a can’t-miss side that will be a hit with your dinner guests.  

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Part two of A Very Vegan Christmas will be posted featuring two more began recipes, courtesy of Kellie.  Enjoy!  

Running, Drinks & Elf4Health Challenge Round 2

Weekends go too fast.  From working a football game, Christmas shopping, running to household chores, somehow the two days off got away from me and I forgot to slow down and rest.  After all, that's what they're for...right?  

I was so excited to see my good friend, Lauretta.  She's the one who recently wrote a guest post about her experience with the Foodie Penpal Program a few weeks ago.  Lauretta was in town to see her family and we planned to meet bright and early on Saturday morning for a run.  We ran for an hour, so I'd say we covered about 8 miles in that time.  The hour together flew by because we had a ton of things to talk about and share.  Here we are...looking a little tired before heading out in the drizzle.  

After fighting the crowds at the mall on Saturday afternoon, I met my friend Jeannine for a drink at one of my favorite restaurants in Bethlehem, Blue.  They have a great bar complete with a cozy fireplace.  Although we couldn't snag a seat next to the fire, we had a great time catching up.   
 

Sunday morning brought us more rain and drizzle, but Jesse was nice enough to meet me for another long run on the canal tow path.  We covered 8 miles in approximately 8:00 pace, and my legs were quite tired towards the end.  However, once I was done...I was glad I went and didn't regret a single step.    
 

Today begins round two for the Elf4Health challenge and my new elf buddy is Shauna Strand.  I can't wait to meet Shauna and learn all about her health and fitness goals.  I do need to give a shout out to Mary, my elf partner from round one.  She is an incredible person with an amazing story and I enjoyed getting to know her through this program.  Keep up the great work, Mary!   

  
Tomorrow I will be having a special guest post and I can't wait to share it with you.  I'll give you a hint...it revolves around vegan recipes for the holidays...

Have a great day!

Loving Lately

Hello!  I found this unique wooden tree the other day and was drawn to it immediately.  Even though I didn’t need to purchase yet another holiday  decoration, I had to bring this little guy home with me.  It looked rustic set on the side table in my dining room, but color was missing.  Taking inspiration from my friend {Katie}, I created this flower garland made from printed paper.

My Dunkin Donuts pumpkin coffee is now tucked away for another year, but their new peppermint mocha is a nice change for the season.  Even though I  highly recommended the pumpkin, this cup of joy is worth the money, even for decaf.  

I honestly find gift-wrapping to be a relaxing experience, especially when I have pretty ribbon, fun gift tags, and silk flowers to complete the packages.  The other day I found this string in an assortment of colors and I think it will make a nice finishing touch to food or candy items that I package up to hand out to friends and family. 

Combinations of fresh greens and holly placed in a planter come together nicely for the holiday season.  A few lit faux branches add the perfect finishing touch on any front porch or entryway.       

This past weekend we all headed to the open air mall for our annual Santa visit.  I particularly love this place because I can take my own pictures of the girls with Santa, along with some pretty family photos with their decorations in the background.  It has become an early December tradition every year.

And every year while there, we have coffee and Toll House Cookies from the cafe...

What are you loving lately?

Neen's Chex Mix Recipe & Hibachi Birthday Dinner

Every year, my husband makes his grandmother's "Party Mix" for the holidays.  Fred is very particular with this specific tradition, so much, that he looked at me like I was crazy when I wanted to make it for the summer weekend at the cabin.  Tradition is very big in Fred's family.  For example, when he added the ingredients needed for the mix onto my grocery list, he was very specific.  This picture was on Twitter, but it related to this post so I thought I would put it on the blog.  Apparently, I was not allowed to deviate from his list.  No alterations were accepted.

So onward I went, buying the proper ingredients needed.  No substitutions. Period.

The recipe is quite simple, but certainly not healthy.  Check it out...

Neen's Party Mix

1 box of box of Rice Chex
1 box of Wheat Chex
1 box of Cheerios
1 pound {16 ounces} bag of pretzel sticks
1 pound of butter
2 tablespoons onion salt
2 tablespoons Accent salt
1 pound cashews, salted and roasted

Preheat oven to 225 - 250 degrees.  Melt butter in a large roaster in the oven.  Add all other ingredients and bake for two hours.  Stir every 15 minutes and let cool.  Store in an airtight container.  

Note:  This is the original recipe but next time I think that we could use less of the seasonings to reduce the sodium level.  Also...we use less pretzels too, since they are usually left at the end.  

On another note, my stepdaughter's 11th birthday is this coming Saturday, so we decided to celebrate a little early at our local hibachi restaurant...her choice!  We joined her mom, stepdad and stepsister for a night of fried rice, noodles, veggies and meat...cooked hibachi style, onion volcano and all!

Afterwards we took a short detour to drive by one of the most decorated houses in Bethlehem.  Move over, Clark Griswold...you can't hold a candle to this one! 

Crazy, right?

Enjoy your day!

Blog Giveaway Winner & Some Good Chocolate

Hello Friends!

I have a winner from Monday's Winter Blog Giveaway contest.  This was my first giveaway ever and I wanted to start small...which I did.  I am so proud to say that Lisa from Yo Momma Runs is the lucky winner!  Congrats, Lisa!  Please send me your address and I will send you your prize.  

I also want to do a little shout out for Lisa.  She is holding her own giveaway right now, so if you want a chance to win Due North Traction Aids, check out her site here.  Her contest ends Thursday, December 13th...so enter now!

Last night our friend {Jim} stopped by for a visit and when he comes, he always brings treats.  The goodies revolved around my favorite...chocolate.  If you ever have the chance to try these Newman's Own organic chocolate cups, do it.  You won't be disappointed.  I think my favorite is the caramel, or quite possibly peanut butter.  It's a tough choice...

On the running scene, I was able to get in some good ones over the weekend...

Friday - 5 miles

Saturday - 5 miles

Sunday - 8 miles

Monday - off

 
Ok...time to get to school!  Enjoy your day!

First Blog Giveaway: Winter Running Hat

Hi Guys!

The other day I was having trouble getting out the door to run in the cold, so I tweeted asking for words of motivation.  My classroom was freezing all day, so the last thing that I wanted to do was be outside. 

The original tweet said this:

And here’s how some of my friends on Twitter responded…

As you can see, different people have certainly different ideas!!  I did end up running about 5 miles that day, and when I was done...I sure was glad I went.  

You see, I'm a year-round runner.  Despite Steve’s idea of the treadmill, I almost always brave the elements.  In my opinion, proper clothing and mental preparation play key roles in making it through the seasons, particularly winter.  Earlier in the year, I did two posts that revolved around winter, the latter being about surviving cold weather running.  

Winter Blues Go Away: Part One 

Winter Blues Take Two: 10 Ways to Stay Motivated to Run in the Cold 

So in honor of "brrrr-cold" running, I thought I would do my first-ever mini blog giveaway.  I have a hat that will go home to one lucky winner.  This Champion running hat is made of high performance, venture warm fabric which provides warmth without the weight.  It is moisture-wicking and stretches for a perfect fit. 

My favorite part?  The hole in the back allows a ponytail to peak out.  No more uncomfortable, bunched up hair under a hat.  Here's mine... 

Willsey had to get in the picture too....

To enter:

There are a few ways to be the new owner of this cutie.  The more ways you enter, the better chance you have at winning.  Make sure you comment once for each of the following things you do...

1.  Follow me on Twitter: @runnerspalate
2.  Tweet about this giveaway: Tell all of your followers that you want to win @runnerspalate's winter running giveaway at http://therunnerspalate.blogspot.com/2012/12/first-blog-giveaway-winter-running-hat.html 
3.  Follow me on my newly developed boards at Pinterest.
4. Leave a comment:  Tell me your favorite winter running tip{s}. 

One entry per follow or tweet!

Contest ends at 8PM tomorrow night.  The lucky winner will be announced on Wednesday's blog post!  

In addition, as part of the #elf4health campaign, let’s motivate each other to run outside!  Tweet your motivating winter running tips at #elf4health.  {These tweets are not a part of the contest}

Good luck and stay warm on the roads!!