Lisa gave me a fabulous birthday present when I saw her in Victoria; Mama Pea’s Cookbook!

I’ve already made two recipes from it: Thai Veggie Burgers and Pea Daddy’s Jambalaya. Both were smashing hits!

I think my favourite thing about this cookbook so far is how ridiculously easy the recipes are (at least the two I’ve made). Vegan and vegetarian recipes can often involve a lot of complicated steps and take a long time to make. Mama Pea’s recipes are really simple and straightforward and both these recipes took less than 30 minutes and involved just a few dishes.

I am trying to cook bulk meals on the weekends to get us through the weeks lately as last week we relied on eating out way too much. Next I have my eyes on her tempeh chili and cowgirl cornbread I highly recommend this cookbook, I can already tell it’s going to be one I turn to often. I was not asked to do this review, I just REALLY like this cookbook and wanted to sing it’s praises

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On a similar, foodie, note. I’ve started a Tumblr Blog: Girl with the Red Hair Eats. Weight has been a topic on my mind for the last few months and with heavy training being put on the back burner until December/January I think now is the time to get my eating in check. I’ve been indulging in far too many glasses of red wine and bowls of ice cream after work – I just finished eating ice cream and was drinking red wine while I wrote this post last night!

Even though it’s been on my mind the idea of counting calories repelled me. Then I thought about how conscious I am of what I’m eating on days when I record it on the blog and thought, why not do that regularly for awhile so I can get back in the habit of THINKING about what I eat instead of just mindlessly stuffing food in my mouth.

Except I don’t want to take over my precious blog with gazillion’s of boring old food photo’s that would result in multiple posts a day so I started a tumblr, downloaded the app for my iPhone and as of today I will be posting photos of everything I eat on there. My goal is to become more aware of what I’m putting in my mouth and to get back a bit of the balance I’m craving! Not sure how long it will last, maybe just until I start marathon training, maybe longer. We’ll see!

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Questions of the day: What is your favourite cookbook? Do you track your calories or your food intake in any way?

Remember that girl who baked scones on Saturday mornings, spent all day Sunday in the kitchen and even made a creamy, gourmet risotto on a weeknight?

Ya, I’m not sure what happened to her either.

Well, I kind of do, she moved, ate takeout every single night for 10 days had her mother-in-law and mother visiting over the last month (aka doing all the cooking) and in the process lost all motivation to cook. *I will officially stop referring to myself in the third person now*

Last night I actually had time to make a meal for the first night in a long time and I made a quickie taco salad because it was easy and it would taste good (with fake meat of course!)

I just had zero motivation to make anything else. It was weird because usually I really enjoy cooking and it relaxes me. But I just haven’t felt like it lately.

I see blog posts like this and it really encourages me to get my act together and do some serious meal planning but then I just don’t do it. I really think pre-planning and making things in bulk on Sunday’s are key for me to eat well and not get in meal funks during the week. I need to get back on the meal planning and spending time in the kitchen wagon.

So here’s where you come in! What is the best recipe you’ve made lately (preferably vegetarian or something that can be made vegetarian!)?? Leave me a link to it and I will use the recipes to compile my meal plan that I AM DOING next week!

Breakfast, lunches and dinners welcome!

All last week it was warm and sunny in Kamloops. The snow has been melting and the days have been longer. The sun and warmth literally put an extra spring in my step and a smile on my face as I felt myself come out of the blah state that winter had brought on.

I literally went to bed last night smiling as I thought about getting up to run in the beautiful weather this morning.

Then I woke up to this:

Ya.

I kind of hate getting worked up about the weather because it’s not in anyones control. I think that’s whats so friggin’ frustrating about it, though. No-one did this to me, I have no-one to blame. But it just plain SUCKS that winter/snow/cold won’t just stay away.

So this morning I’m eating waffles and wallowing.

Oatmeal-Cinnamon Waffles

Adapted from this recipe and this recipe. Makes about 5-6 servings.

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 1 cup oats
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 tsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix eggs and milk then add oats and mix well. Stir in molasses and oil. Combine all dry ingredients and add them to the mixture.

Pour batter onto greased, preheated waffle iron and bake for 3-5 minutes (depending on waffle iron.)

Topping

• 1 apple chopped
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch cinnamon (about 1/2 tsp)
• 1/2 tbsp butter or Earth Balance

Mix all ingredients together and place in pre-heated frying pan or on the grill. Cook until apple is tender (make sure you stir regularly). Makes topping for one serving of waffles.

Add real maple syrup if you wish.

Devour.

I’ll admit, the decadent waffles did make me feel *a little* bit better about the crappy weather.

But I still hope winter goes away. SOON!

What’s the weather like where you are?