bkr: Portable Glass Water Bottles

Check these babies out! 

Don't these bottles look gorgeous?!?

I am not a fan of storing food or water in plastic (leaching chemicals and all, not to mention the "plastic taste") - therefore, I always opt for glass whenever I can.  So, when I came across these glass, portable water bottles from bkr, I was intrigued!

I know what you're thinking, glass will break.  Not really, I have been toting around re-purposed Snapple bottles to and from work for years and haven't broken one yet.  However, to ease your fears, these bottles are wrapped in silicone in an array of eye candy colors!

At $28 a piece, get two - one for you and one for a friend!

Just Say No to Chemicals!

Hoff Hit: Cooking Lentils

Add a Bay Leaf when cooking Lentils to add flavor and aid in digestion of the protein and fat of the beans.  Just be sure to remove it before eating as they are very difficult to digest.

Hoff's Pumpkin Pie

This is a super quick recipe with minimum clean-up, gotta love that!




Hoff's Pumpkin Pie
Yields: 1 pie
dairy-free, egg-free


Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can 100% Pure Puree Pumpkin
• 12 oz. Firm Tofu
• 4 oz. Apple Sauce (that's one of those snack packs)
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 - 9" unbaked Pie Crust

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine all ingredients (except the Pie Crust) into a Blender (I use a Vitamix)
3. Blend until smooth and ingredients are combined (this won't take long)
4. Pour into Pie Crust and level with spatula or spoon
5. Bake for 20 minutest at 400 degrees, reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes or until inserted knife/toothpick comes out of pie clean

Hoff Thoughts: Every year, I forget and buy the graham cracker crusts, which are not intended for the oven.  Yes, the crust gets a little burnt around the edges, but the end result is not bad.  So don't fret if you pull a Hoff, your pie will not be ruined.

Everyday Happy Herbivore’s: Quick Pumpkin-Sage Pasta

Just in time for Thanksgiving!

Check out this tasty recipe, courtesy of vegan chef Lindsay S. Nixon, as a sneak preview to her new cookbook, “Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes,” to be released early December 6, 2011.  

The dishes in this book are simple enough for everyday eating, but they are also festive enough to rock any holiday table!

Everyday Happy Herbivore’s
Quick Pumpkin-Sage Pasta

Yield: 2 servings

This is a great way to use up leftover pumpkin. It whips up as quickly as you can boil pasta and really captures the taste of autumn.

4 ounces whole-wheat pasta
3/4 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegan Parmesan for garnish (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until thoroughly warm, about 5 minutes.
3. Taste, adding more sage if desired, plus salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cover and let sauce rest for 5 to 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to merge and sauce to thicken slightly.
5. Toss cooked pasta with pumpkin sauce and taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with vegan Parmesan if desired.

Chef’s note: For a one-pot meal, prepare sauce in the same pot used to cook pasta, setting the pasta aside as you make the sauce.

Nutritional information per serving: 262 calories; 2.4 grams fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 8.2 grams fiber; 5.3 grams sugars; 10 grams protein.

Check out more Thanksgiving vegetarian recipes!

Gobble, Gobble!

The Hoff

Exercise App: MapMyFITNESS

Like to walk, run, hike or bike?  Why not track your stats using your smartphone!

"Check out MapMyFITNESS, a fitness tracking application that enables you to use the built-in GPS of your mobile device to track all of your fitness activities. Record your workout details, including duration, distance, pace, speed, elevation, calories burned, and route traveled on an interactive map. You can even effortlessly save and upload your workout data to any of the MapMyFITNESS websites where you can view your route workout data, and comprehensive workout history."

Aside from being Free, what I like best about this app is it's "Live Tracking" feature.  With this feature, your friends or family can track where you are in case you're going it alone.  Can't be too careful these days!

This app is available for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.

Trek On!
The Hoff

Sign this Petition to Stop GMO's

Stop Monsanto's unlabeled, potentially dangerous, GMO sweet corn from reaching grocery store aisles near you.

Sign this petition telling major grocery stores around the country that we don't want to be served genetically modified foods!

This only takes a few moments, for your voice to be heard.

Not familiar with Monsanto?  You need to acquaint yourself:

Food, Inc.
Deconstructing Dinner
The Future of Food

Take a Stand!
The Hoff
 

"Right now, Monsanto, the corporation responsible for producing roughly 90% of genetically modified seeds around the globe, is working to bring their new, GMO sweet corn to a grocery store aisle or farmer's market near you.

Unlike Monsanto's other GMO crops -- which are primarily fed to animals -- this sweet corn is intended for direct human consumption.

This is the first time Monsanto has engineered a vegetable that could be served straight to your dinner table. And if this unlabeled, and potentially toxic crop succeeds, Monsanto is sure to bring us even more.

As an activist and consumer, you are in a powerful position to pressure leading U.S. grocery stores to reject Monsanto's new GMO corn."

Last Day to Register for Cooking with Chef Robin!

Last Day to Register for Cooking with Chef Robin!
Cooking Class is this Saturday - November 5th!

Payment must be received by Wednesday, November 2.  

Payment can be made via PayPal or credit card.

Click Here To Register & Pay 

(scroll to bottom of the Cooking with C.A.R.E. page and look for "Buy a Cooking Lesson")

Join The Healthy Hoff for a fun, fall afternoon of learning to cook a healthy and nutritious Vegan meal with Chef Robin, owner of Cooking with C.A.R.E

This will be a hands on cooking class in which you will leave with the skills to make:

• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Black Bean Burgers w/Corn Salsa
• Confetti Quinoa
• Caramel Pears

All food will be non-GMO and organic as available.

What: Vegan Cooking Class conducted by Chef Robin + Healthy Hoff Limited Edition T-shirt
When: Saturday, 11.5.2011
Where: St. Paul's Community Church: 4427 Franklin Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44113
Time: 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Cost: $45 per person

Deadline: You must register by Wednesday, 11.2.2011

Register & Pay (scroll to bottom of page and look for "Buy a Cooking Lesson")

In an effort to keep costs low, please bring a cutting board, apron and your favorite chopping knife.

Did I mention we get to eat our creations?!?!

But I'm not Vegan.

Who cares!  You don't need to be Vegan to enjoy this class.  Take this opportunity to learn something new, broaden your culinary skills and increase your weekly menu options.  Remember, going meatless just once a week may reduce your risk of chronic, preventable conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Meatless Monday!

Check this out to see how going meatless just once a week can be beneficial!



Want to learn more about Cooking with C.A.R.E?

Sign-up for the Cooking with C.A.R.E newsletter or check out Chef Robin's Blog!

Questions?  Contact me at thehoff@healthyhoff.com