Rave Run

It's been rainy the last two days. I don't love running in the rain, but I don't hate it either. I deal. My recovery from the half marathon (recap tomorrow) has been slow. I've run an easy 3 and now 4, but don't plan on pushing daily mileage higher than that until next week.

Our neighborhood is residential with a mix of some smaller city-ish streets toward downtown. The city is trying to finish final repairs before the weather gets chilly, so a lot of the scenery looks like this right now.

Sometimes, though, I like to pretend that I live where there are tons of parks and trails. I head to this cemetery about a mile from our house. The loop is around a mile with a mix of pavement, dirt, and cinders. I sometimes do the loop a few times if I need a break from traffic and ugly buildings.

I'm not one to take photos during races or workouts, but today, I just had to. The leaves are falling like crazy, and I know they'll be gone before I have time to fully appreciate them. I did my first loop and then jogged home to get my phone.

I guess this is my rave run.


For dinner, we had stuffed peppers and brown ale. These four are just my portion -- and we still have leftover filling! I always make way too much. Hopefully Ada will enjoy it for lunch tomorrow.

Also, I need to start using my DSLR again. The iPhone is appealing, but these photos are awful. Sorry!


In accordance with my new less-is-better internet goal, I'm going to sign off and spend some quality time with Stephen. And maybe eat some more leftover Spelt Cornbread!

'Night, all!

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Ashley's Cooking Again: Stuffed Peppers

Stephen was my househusband this summer while he was off from teaching. So, it's been a while since I've cooked dinner for the two of us. Since I've prepared a meal. OK. In reality, it's even more basic than that:

It's been a while since I've chopped vegetables . . .

Roasted peppers . . .


Splashed in secret (well, not-so secret) ingredients . . .


I'M-COOKING-AGAIN STUFFED PEPPERS

What you'll need . . .

• 2 large green peppers, sliced in half and de-seeded
• 1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, skinned and chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 very small onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed well
• Black pepper -- to taste
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Method . . .

1. Set your oven to broil. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place your green pepper halves on it -- cut side down. Broil for 10 to 15 minutes, until browned on tops and softened.
2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, toss in your olive oil and sweet potato chunks. Cook for a few minutes and then stir in the apple cider, black pepper, garlic, and onions. Cover and lower heat just a bit -- 5 minutes. You want them to get slightly blackened on the bottoms.
3. Add more oil to the pan if it's dry, but then add black beans. Cook for another 5 (or so) minutes until everything is softened. Test the sweet potatoes especially.
4. Your green peppers should be cooled by now, flip them over so the cut side is up. Then fill each with a generous scoop of the sweet potato mixture. Top with cheddar cheese if you wish. Then place in oven -- which should still be on broil -- and cook until cheese is brown and bubbly.
5. Let cool to warm before serving. I've burned the roof of my mouth before stuffing these down my throat.

We've made many different types of stuffed peppers before, but this recipe was -- for whatever reason -- the most satisfying and filling. We even used onions (the tiny ones in the photo above) from our own garden. Score!

NOTE #1: If you don't have apple cider, water would work as a good substitute. The sugars in the cider, though, help blacken and flavor everything. I love hiding cider in all my fall foods. If you haven't checked out the Hidden Cider Cookies yet, I recommend you do!

NOTE #2: Top peppers with hot, hot, hot sauce for best results.

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Dinner in a FLASH: Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Wow. Coming home from work and having to exercise AND clean AND do laundry AND cook dinner . . . well, it's difficult to do. Those of you with kids -- I seriously have no idea where you find time for it all. That's why we like super fast, super simple, super easy-to-prepare AND healthy recipes. We have several in our arsenal reserved specifically for when the laundry piles are high and the daylight hours are dwindling.

Hey! That sounds a lot like . . . tonight!

We've done veggie stuffed peppers before. You'll remember them from yet another Dinner in a Flash Post (you know, the posts where we cook something great and then insult it by taking god-awful flash photos . . . food porn at its worst!). So, what's different about this recipe?


It's vegan. So stop reading and start gathering your ingredients! The sun is already setting, can you see it there -- so low in the sky? And I imagine your stomachs are growling -- mine is -- THANKFULLY this recipe will make up a big dinner for two.

VEGAN VEGGIE-STUFFED PEPPERS

What you'll need . . .

• 2 hefty green peppers, sliced in half and de-seeded
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup TVP, depending on how "meaty" you like it
• 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes (diced and drained)
• A splash of your favorite white wine
• Pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Hot sauce
• Nutritional yeast
• 1 healthy avocado, sliced
• Red quinoa, for on the side

Method . . .

1. Set your oven to the broil setting and place a sheet of aluminum foil on a cookie pan. Cut the green peppers in half and take the seeds out of them. Be careful to keep them as bowl-like as possible.
2. Place peppers skin-side up (you'll flip them later when you cook everything) under the broiler for about 10 minutes. Until the skins begin to display brown spots to show they're roasted.
3. While those are in the oven, in a medium saucepan, toss in some olive oil. Cook the chopped zucchini for a few minutes. Then combine it with the beans, tomatoes, and TVP. Season with the wine (I was drinking some while we were making this, so I just threw in like 2 tablespoons worth), pepper, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Cook until bubbling.
4. Take the peppers out of the oven and flip over carefully. Scoop large scoops of the bean mixture into each pepper until piled high. Top with nutritional yeast.
5. Sprinkle on some more nutritional yeast, pile on the avocado, and serve with the quinoa!

All you work-outside-the-home people (and the rest of you, too!!!): What are your favorite fast and easy dinners? Do you cook when you come home . . . or before work? We'd love to plan ahead, but unless it's a slow-cooker meal, don't seem to ever make time in the AM. Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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