easy cheesy peasy

Today was actually a pretty uneventful one, and I was happy to be able to drive straight home from work without any other pressing obligations to attend to.  I think this is the first time I’ve been able to do this since we moved!  This morning I decided to go to a spin class at 6 am to get my workout good and over with so I wouldn’t have to worry about it later.  Stats – Max HR 186 and 330 kcals burned.  The most I’ve burned in a spin class is 524 kcals and I was working my butt off.  I thought I worked a bit harder this time, but maybe I’m getting more efficient?  As an athlete it is actually better to have a lower VO2 max and burn less kcals than the person who has a high VO2 and is inefficient in their calorie expenditure, which can lead to fatigue.  Some of the best athletes have low VO2 values, but it can vary greatly individually.

For dinner I decided to use up some of the extra roasted veggies I made for the quinoa-crusted frittata and made falafel naan pizzas.  Usually I like to stuff everything into a pita, but I had some of TJ’s garlic naan on hand and thought it would be a great vehicle.  That naan is so good!  It gets toasty on the outside and doughy on the inside with a nice garlic flavor.  They have many flavors too and I’d like to try the curry flavor sometime.  I also stumbled upon this white bean and basil hummus and wanted to try it for something different.  It was actually really good and has a bit more tang than your average hummus, and the basil flavor wasn’t too strong.

On to the recipe . . . 

Falafel Naan Pizza

For the Falafel (this time around):

• 3 garlic cloves, whizzed in the food processor
• 1 slice stale bread, 2-3 tbsp quick oats whizzed too
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 3 tsp cumin
• garam masala, coriander, sumac, cayenne, salt and pepper
• handful of spinach
• 2 tbsp olive oil to bring it all together

Form into patties and sauté until golden on a large non-stick pan drizzled with a little olive oil.

To assemble the pizzas:

Start with your naan base, slather on a bit of hummus, top with various roasted veggies, then a couple falafels, tomatoes and a sprinkling of low-fat cheese.  Broil until golden and cheesy!  I like to dollop a bit of non-fat greek yogurt on top.  I had to eat this more like a falafel tower rather than a pizza, but it was really filling and was a flavor explosion in the mouth with all the seasonings. 

This recipe is very versatile of course . . . I’m thinking of trying a Mexican-style naan pizza next time with ground black beans, taco seasonings, lime, etc . . . mmm!

 

  Gotta love that Greek yogurt!

I am loving the fruit in season right now and I picked a good watermelon the other day.  Such a refreshing treat!  After dinner I had a ramekin full (plus a few more steals from the Tupperware) and then went for a nice 40 minute walk around the neighborhood.  I love going for walks!  It’s nice to just take deep breaths and clear my mind.  I myself prefer walking to running.  I don’t know what it is, but I am just not a runner.  I think I get bored, and being a dancer I’m used to taking class and doing multiple, different movements.  I tend to stick to the classes at the gym for my usual workouts.  I think it helps when I have someone yelling at me to push harder, ha!

Hope your week is going well!

Are you a runner?  What do you like most about your personal exercise routine?