Heating up on the color tv

I couldn't resist and had to catch up on my Gossip Girl tonight (sorry, Sarah)! Things are getting spicy!


I had a Pure Protein bar around 3:30, but I guess I must have thrown out the wrapper because I couldn't find it in my bag.

I decided to try again with tempeh tonight, so I whipped up a rice and beans based dish. I don't have to worry about getting enough protein tonight! This was sort of an "everything but the kitchen sink" dinner, but I liked it.

Here's what ended up going into it:

1 cup brown rice

2-3 tbsp olive oil

generous handful raisins

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

1-2 bay leaves

4 oz tempeh, cut into inch-long pieces

coriander, crushed

15 oz can black beans

medium tomato, diced

1/3 large onion

2 cloves garlic

salt, pepper, crushed red pepper to taste


Sauté rice and raisins in half the oil, 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups water, cinnamon, bay leaf star anise, and cover. Bring to rapid boil, then turn heat down when steam starts to escape from the pot. Simmer about 40 minutes or until tender. Remove bay leaf, cinnamon and anise.

When rice is almost done, sauté onion and garlic in 1-2 tbsp oil. Add tempeh, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and sauté over medium until tempeh is golden brown on both sides.

Meanwhile, heat black beans in a sauce pan with salt and crushed coriander (just a pinch), until heated through.

Combine everything, top with tomato, and serve.

Note: I topped it with a little salsa, which I think made the perfect addition.

Here's what I ate:


... just kidding! Look how big this bowl is!!!



On the real, I had two servings about this size.



While I was cooking, I had a cup of carrots with about 1 tbsp of hummus.



I had a small glass of Shiraz to go with, for my heart. Always in the name of the ticker!



I was pretty full, but remembered my pumpkin loaf, so I had a thin slice.



I'm going to have a serious workout tomorrow that actually feels like it's worth it to get up so early and go to the gym. I don't know what it'll be, but (keeping my body in check) it'll be different than it's been. I'm meeting Katey at Brewberry's at 11 for our weekly "Katey date" so I've got to get a lot of work done before. I just heard my laundry go off... I feel so domestic tonight!