Exercise and veggie-eating

[asterroc]

Just thought I'd update my continuing summer projects / resolutions. I've been quite good about the exercise.

Since I don't have classes Tues/Thurs, I exercise on those days (provided I'm not at work all day for meetings), and also on at least one weekend day, so at most I do 4 days/week, at least 1, and on average 2-3. Up till recently my routine was an hour-long bike ride down the rail trail. Now that the weather's getting nasty I'm borrowing a stationary bike stand and I instead spend a half hour stationary biking, doing calisthenics, and free weights. It's even more boring than biking outdoors, that I can spice up by listening to audio books, but I also need something to engage my eyes when indoors, so I'm still working on how to sufficiently entertain myself indoors. I've been trying things like watching a movie, reading a comic book, or watching T$ play video games. None quite satisfy me, but I think by alternating I can tolerate it well enough to keep doing it, and that's what matters.

The veggie thing's been slacking off. I'm finding it hard to come up with interesting vegetarian meals that I do not make in excessive quantities. Got any good vegetarian recipies for me?

Comments

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

I do not have much experience with regular stationary bikes. I *think* it's a little louder than regular, and I *think* it's a little less comfortable (but that depends upon the adjustments/shape of your own bike and the regular one). It's *very* different from regular biking, the resistance is a function of speed of pedaling in the bike-on-stand, while the resistance is more-or-less constant on a normal moving bike.

I'm a reforming meatatarian - I prefer a meat-heavy diet by choice, T$ insists upon veggies in every meal, and primarily due to my environmentalism I'm trying to do a vegetarian dinner every-other-week. I'm still picky about my veggies, many I don't like due to texture, and I desperately crave umami (savory flavor) so that many vegetarian meals just don't taste satisfying to me. I'd be interested in that table if you can find it. I'm going to have to look up Indian spices - I love Indian, but I can't tolerate hot/spicy, so that always makes it challenging. There's a seasonal farmer's market (and farm shares, but I'm not ready for that yet), and a local co-op grocery store that buys locally. (I use their organic section for Kappa's veggies.)

[marquiswildbill.livejournal.com]

Where do you draw the line with hot/spicy foods? Most dishes can be cut back to taste without becoming too bland, but some spice is still required.
My Rahki sister makes awesome chickpeas and rice, I'll ask her for her recipe. I know that rice and chickpeas or beans is one of the combos that covers all your bases (and acids and neutral zwitterions) amino acid wise. I can't find that table at the moment but I may have a copy in my biochem book, if I don't I'll ask the prof if he can send it to me.
Mexican style chili is really good for a vegetarian or veggie heavy meal. You can also make very flavorful salsas without them being to spicy. I love hummus and veggies as a snack food too. Stuffed peppers (either sweet or spicy depending on taste) are awesome. Roasted peppers are a personal favorite. Vegetable fritters are also a great food, I'll email you my mom's zuchini fritter recipe later. They're really good and you can modify the recipe based on what is on hand. Stir fry is a good way to make veggies as well. Foods that are traditionally peasant foods are usually very good and loaded with veggies (kind of a must when you can't afford meat).
I have a friend who is a clown and part of a group called Clowns Without Borders and performs in Africa a lot. She's a vegetarian when she's in America but eats meat when she's working in Africa because it would be insulting to refuse food unless you're allergic or some other health reason. And they get served some kind of meat almost everywhere they go because the people try to be as hospitable as possible. I just find it ironic that they're trying to be the best hosts they can and she would be happier with the regular food.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between hot and flavorful. I like flavorful foods - this is why I love Indian food. However, I experience hot as pain and I do NOT like pain. I have recently graduated from "very mild" to "mild", or a 1 on a scale of 0-10. I'm pretty sure this is not because I tolerate pain better than I used to, but because as you age the flavor sensing cells in your mouth slowly die.

I used to experience peppers (like even green peppers) as hot (and therefore painful), but that seems to have changed with greater exposure, though I'm not sure why. Too large a quantity of black pepper though I still experience as pain (such as goat's cheese rolled in black pepper, or steaks coated with black pepper).

I also subjectively experience wasabi/horseradish as pain, though more of a shriveling pain than the piercing pain of hot foods. Have I mentioned I'm a pain wimp? I *really* hate pain. This is why I hate hot foods and wasabi.

[marquiswildbill.livejournal.com]

I didn't think that sweet peppers even hit a 1 scoville heat rating. But I do agree there is a big difference between hot and flavorful. I dislike heat for heat's sake dishes. But there are many that I find heat does add to the dish (like most of my favorite Asian foods), but it should never overpower it. I like my mouth feeling a little tingly though. If I want to make something hot I usually add heat to it at the table because my mom has about the same tolerance for heat as you. But if you have spices you like turning down the heat is not a problem with pretty much anything.
Here is my mom's zucchini fritter recipe:
Grate one small to medium sized zucchini, place on a paper towel to dry out for a few hours (you want to get 75-80% of the water out).
Saute some roaster red peppers and onions with a little salt and pepper to taste in olive oil. Allow this to cool.
In a mixing bowl mix 1 egg, bread crumbs (1/3c-1/2c per zucchini) and parmesan cheese (to taste), mix, add in the zucchini, peppers and onions while mixing. After mixing everything thoroughly form patties (like hamburgers or crab cakes), coat lightly with flour, cook on medium heat in olive oil on both sides until golden brown.