Monthly Archives: October 2014

Oct142014

Tofu Pad Thai Recipe

Who doesn’t love Pad Thai? Well, I’m sure plenty of people don’t, but I do. I invited my brother, Kai, and his girlfriend, Sophie, over to have dinner and hang out last night while Hungry was in San Diego with his brother. Sophie had the fun idea to cook Pad Thai for dinner. I had never made Pad Thai completely from scratch, so this was a fun project. There were certainly the ups and downs, like roasting the peanuts to perfection and then overcooking the noodles, but it’s all a part of the journey! Sophie came up with this recipe and it is really simple to do, even if the directions look lengthy. It’s basically cut, cook, and season! It’s an incredibly easy Pad Thai recipe that will make sure to load you up with your vegetables. You can add or take out whatever you’d like–make it your own and most importantly, have fun!

Chop it up

Sophie and Noke cooking

Easy Pad Thai

2014-10-13 22:33:05

Serves 6

A fun dinner to cook at home for the whole family

Write a review

Save Recipe

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic
3 carrots
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cabbage
1/2 a bunch of green onions
Olive oil
Soy sauce
1 block firm tofu
3 eggs
1 package of flat thin rice noodles
1 cup bean sprouts
Hoisin sauce
2 limes
1 cup peanuts
Red pepper flakes

Instructions

Cut up carrots and red bell peppers into strips. Slice up cabbage and loosely chop up green onions
Put water on to boil in a large pot
Put raw peanuts in a skillet with salt on a low heat
Square the tofu and put in oiled skillet, top with soy sauce. Cook tofu on medium-high heat with a lid on it
Heat up a wok and saute garlic in olive oil. Add carrots, green onions, and red bell peppers for 5 minutes and add soy sauce
Put in the cabbage and add soy sauce (only if low sodium)
Scoot the vegetables to the side in order to scramble the eggs on the other side. Once the eggs are cooked, mix in with the vegetables
Once the water in the pot is boiled, cook noodles as directed on your packet
Drain noodles and put in the with vegetables and olive oil. Add the tofu. Mix together with tongs
Chop the roasted peanuts
Serve with lime, bean sprouts, and chopped peanuts

By Hungry and Fit (and Sophie!)

hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

Pad Thai always fills me with warm good memories of eating it growing up with friends and family. This will be another great addition to the string of happy memories. Even if it may seem intimidating, I want you to try it! Go out and get the veggies you want and then dive in. This is a great meal for a group and even more fun to cook with people! The most important part of journeys, whether they be exploring a new recipe or diving into a new career path, is that you should never take yourself too seriously and always allow yourself to have fun. What’s the point otherwise? Anyhow, enjoy and use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Noke certifiably shredded up her bed yesterday

Oct132014

#18 Greatest Video Game of All Time

Here comes #18, slowly winding down our Top 25 Greatest Video Games of All Time! This is something we try to do every week or at least every other week. If you aren’t familiar with our video game trust, check them out here. Also if you missed any of the other posts in this series, feel free to check out each one: #25, #24, #23, #22, #21, #20, and #19! Alright, enough of me talking, let’s get into the games!

Kai- Day of Defeat – One of the most successful mods for Half-life, Day of Defeat was a World War II team-style multiplayer FPS. It came out before Call of Duty (which was also a World War II shooter at the time), but was similarly inspired by Saving Private Ryan. It didn’t have any single-player, but was a lot of fun (especially compared to the less forgiving Counter Strike). I spent many days playing with my family and friends, and it definitely got me hooked on multiplayer FPS games. A great illustration of the power of mods in PC Gaming and still a title worth playing every now and then.

Image source

Po – Mario Kart 64 – The classic racer. 4-player local multiplayer at its best. It’s potential as a drinking game is a dangerous reality.

Image source

Andrew- Jet Force Gemini (N64) – Juno, Vela, and Lupus…kinda seems like an odd ball entrant here (even to me) …it would just one of the really first games that I appreciated the upgrades and the passage of time in (both the in-game abilities and the aesthetic aspects). It’s not exactly a sandbox game but it kinda has a lot of fun sandbox gamey weapons in it. Loved it because me and Hungry could play co-op together (non-split screen…he would play the robot character that hovered next to you). In all honestly, I’ve never even beaten this game and after writing this, I may have to re-visit it. This game is regarded as one of the most original N64 titles, it was by Rare (which was almost always a plus), but often takes flak because in order to beat the game you have to save every Tribal from every planet (I’m one short…I’ve been one short for a very long time despite re-playing the level).

Image source

Fit – Sid Meier’s Pirates! – Being a long-time fan of Sid Meier’s games and also pirates in general, diving into this game was a no-brainer. Pirates! is based on a very old game, but has freshened itself up with gameplay that just keeps you coming. You start out as a lowly pirate with a small crew and a quest for revenge against the man who kidnapped your family. You pick out your difficulty, time period, starting nationality, and your best skill (swordfighting, romance, navigating, etc.). Then, the game is really up to you. You can ally with different nations or go totally rogue and totally pirate. You can be honorable, noble and win the Governor’s daughter’s heart, or you can sink every ship you come across.

Of course, there’s more substance to it than that. There are quests that you come across in rumors in the towns about your long-lost family. There are treasure maps, pirates like Blackbeard to take down, and so forth. I’ve come back to this game so many times I’ve lost count. My favorite way to play is getting a good-sized, but fast ship and stealing what I can. There are, of course, negatives to the game such as that it gets repetitive and land combat is somewhat elementary, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. If the smell of the sea draws you in and you’re looking for easy-going, fun game, Sid Meier’s Pirates! is the one for you.

Hungry – Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (PC-2003) – I will be the first one to put this on my list, but not the last. (I bet you this will crack a FEW Top 5s…) Nevertheless, this amazing Bioware RPG was an epic contribution not only to the Star Wars Universe, but also to the amount of choices that a player could make. This led the way for other series like it (two might appear higher on my list) and allowed players to use amazing force powers with customization options that were unparalleled in other Star Wars games. I definitely preferred being Darth Revan rather than “Jedi Exile” although KOTOR II would surely fall in my top 50 list. It’s one of those games every person has to play at some point, Star Wars fan or not. Part of me wants to put the game higher because it was just that good, really almost a perfect 40/40 for myself, but there was just something that didn’t connect the game for me. It could have been the open-ended nature of the ending, but that’s personal. So many good memories associated with this game. I wish it was twice the length, or three times. This was my worst written entry yet because there is just too much to say about this franchise. Yep, a loss of words.

Image source

That takes care of that for our #18 Greatest Video Game of All Time. I wonder what #17 will hold in store. These are always full of surprises for us and our audience. Keep doing what you love and, as always, stay hungry and fit!

Oct092014

Nutty Granola Bars

[Please welcome back our guest food blogger, Jamie, along with her wonderful recipe!]

**Jamie’s passion for food and cooking began as a young girl, while watching her mother in the kitchen. Her curiosity has pushed her to learn how to make a lot of her own products from scratch instead of buying it at the market like hummus, granola, yogurt, pickles, and much more. Jamie is currently studying to become an Occupational Therapist and would love to incorporate cooking into her practice one day.**

It can be hard to find the right granola or power bar; they are usually too expensive, high in calories, or just taste bad. These Nutty Granola Bars, loosely inspired by Kind bars, are high in protein and fiber, and super easy to make! They are a perfect afternoon snack to get you through the long workday, quick energy before a workout, or an easy breakfast.

In my making these, I played around with spices, coffee grounds, and fancy Hawaiian sea salt to create a more complex flavor, but feel free to use whatever flavors you love. Also, my friend dehydrates her own fruit so I was lucky enough to get to use a beautiful assortment of freshly dried fruits!

Ingredients:

¾ cup millet puff cereal (or rice puff cereal)
¾ cup quick cooking oats
1 ½ cups almonds, pecans, and pumpkin seeds (use whichever nuts and seeds you like or have on hand)
1 cup dried figs, apples, peaches, and strawberries, chopped
2 tablespoons Chia seeds
2 tablespoons coffee grounds
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup honey
¼ cup almond butter
½ teaspoon Hawaiian sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place nuts, seeds and oats onto a baking pan and toast in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then.

3. While nuts and oats are toasting, line an 8×8 baking pan with aluminum foil so that the edges hang over the side.

4. Chop your dried fruit.

5. Mix puff cereal, toasted nuts, seeds, oats, dried fruit, Chia seeds, coffee grounds, chili powder, and nutmeg in large bowl. Set aside.

6. Whisk honey, almond butter, and salt in a small saucepan for about 2 minutes or until smooth.

7. Pour hot mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir until dry ingredients are coated equally.

8. Transfer to lined pan and spread evenly. Using a spatula, or the bottom of a measuring cup, press mixture tightly.

9. Place in fridge for about 2 hours.

10. Pull block of granola out of pan using the overhanging foil and cut into bars.

11. Individually wrap bars in parchment and store in an airtight container.

So yum!

Yields 10 bars. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Oct082014

3-Minute Paleo Test

At Hungry and Fit, we have opinions. Wow, Alana, great sentence. I’m serious! You know from our talks, discussions, and rants, that we don’t always hold back. That we tell you guys what we really think. Like… the rental scam or not taking shortcuts or the right way to season your food. We are HONEST with you in the hopes to bring you knowledge so that you can form your own opinions.

We certainly have our opinions about the “Paleo” diet as well (which basically entails meat and dark vegetables). For one, we don’t agree that it should be called Paleo because you can bake things, and second of all, we don’t love fads. We believe that is what the Paleo diet is right now–a fad. Not to say it doesn’t work for some people (my brother does it almost accidentally), but that we aren’t huge fans of fads in the fitness industry. However, we believe that nobody should be prescribing something for everyone, but that something can work for someone and not for another. While the Paleo diet doesn’t work for me, it does for those I know. Not everyone does it because it’s cool some people do it because it really syncs up with their bodies. And that’s great!

Why am I talking about all of this? Well, somebody showed me this really interesting test to see if the Paleo diet is good for you. Finally! Someone who isn’t shoving the Paleo diet down my throat and instead letting me answer 31 me-related questions to figure out whether the Paleo diet would even work for me. Spoiler–it didn’t work for me because I don’t eat meat, surprise surprise. However, I really think it’s a neat, fun test that isn’t harmful. Instead, it’s honest! And you know we like that. We are all about doing something because it is good for you, not because others tell you to do it or it’s the newest cool thing. Try it out by clicking the link below:

http://www.paleotest.com/

These were my results…

NOPE! OFF LIMITS!

You have no business thinking about Paleo, my friend.

YOUR PALEO DIET SUCCESS RATE:

-151%

SOME TIPS FOR YOUR SUCCESS:

You’re a leaf-eater, right? Paleo requires MEAT and is not a good fit for you. I made you do the other 30 questions for fun. Mwu ha ha ha ha ha.
You must learn to like meat. This diet is all about getting your meat consumption on. You’re going to need to get more comfortable with eating more meat or your success will suffer. Get good with spices and consider soups and stews.
Bread and pasta are yummy! Ahhh I feel you, I really do, but you’re going to have to seriously cut back on all things bread and pasta. Don’t tease yourself, just go cold turkey and quit the stuff. Expect a few weeks of sadness – fret not, it will subside.

It’s a fun test that can tell you whether or not you are paleo-fit, so why not try it out? If you were ever wondering whether you should actually “go paleo,” here’s your perfect opportunity! I’m a sucker for quizzes and tests that tell more about myself, so this was simply fun for me. Take it and let us know what you get! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

Oct072014

Having Gastrointestinal Issues? Try Pickle Juice

First disclaimer, I might be applying to and enrolling in school for a degree in Dietetics but I am not a doctor, so take this all with a barrel of salt. Second disclaimer, I do firmly believe that everyone’s body works uniquely to a certain degree; therefore, what works for me most certainly may not work for you.

Nevertheless, when I am having a pain in my throat, chest, or midsection (top or bottom), and I can’t figure out what it is, it is usually related to digestion. Something is upset in my gastrointestinal tract. If you’re reading this far, you’ve had those countless sleepless nights where no position is comfortable. You’ve went to every specialist, the emergency room, and there are still tons of unanswered questions. You’ve tried western medicine and homeopathic options. Heck, you’ve even tried not eating… but nothing works.

Personally, I went to the emergency room last year and was told that I only had gastritis. It was pain for days, and I have a high pain tolerance. But getting to the point, I had a similar pain a few months ago and used the “gastric cocktail” they made me at the hospital. It didn’t work. This must have been worse. What did work? Pickle juice. That’s right. Someone recommended using pickle juice and I was in so much pain (and nothing professional had worked) that I said, might as well.

How hilarious are these

So, I ended up chugging the whole jar of pickle juice. It was from Claussen’s Whole Kosher Dills, which is a higher quality pickle, in my opinion. Third disclaimer, I love pickles and pickle juice. I enjoyed drinking it. Fourth disclaimer, we are not sponsored by Claussen’s! Within fifteen minutes of drinking it I started to feel pressure alleviating from my chest. Burning dissipated from my throat and my stomach settled. After about 90 minutes, I felt completely fine.

So, it might be a long-shot, but it might work. It’s not expensive. I keep three jars of pickles in my fridge, and if you’ve had mysterious GI issues like myself for as long as you can remember, it might work for you. It might help you stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Nymeria being silly

Oct032014

Who Inspires You?

We are all here for a reason. When I mean “here,” I mean on this path and journey to achieve good health and fitness. No matter what your goals are, you are here for a reason. I’m here to give you a short post today, and ask you WHO inspires YOU to keep going on this journey. We all have someone in mind when we strive for health or look for motivation, even if we don’t know it. Someone special to us, someone we care for, someone who depends on us–it could be ANYONE! We all need motivation each and every day, and what easier place to pull it from than someone who means so much to us?

People who inspire us…

Maybe we will do that extra rep or that extra minute or that extra mile because that person is in mind. Because you want to be healthy enough to see them get married. Because you want to look good for them and see their face light up. Because, maybe, while they inspire you, you want to inspire them. Not all of us have a person in mind when we workout, but if you dig deep, you may find it there. It could even be you.

So as you go through your motions today, think about who you inspires you to push past that level of comfort and keep going through and beyond your routine each and every day. It’s important to draw motivation from wherever we can. This method can bring motivation that comes from a deeper place, a deeper meaning that will inspire us for days to come. When you step into the gym, into your run, or whatever you do, think about WHO inspires YOU. And as always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: Who inspires you?

BONUS KITTY PIC

Oct022014

Homemade Almond Milk

[Please welcome back our guest blogger, Jamie, with another one of her delicious recipes!]

KITCHEN EXPERIMENTS WITH JAMIE

Today, one can find milk made from almost anything—soy, rice, different kinds of nuts, etc. They can be a little easier to digest than milk and I personally like the taste. While it is possible to find great quality milk substitutes at Whole Foods and other health food stores, they can be pricy and some brands can be high in sugar and contain additives. So, why not make your own?

Making your own almond milk is unbelievably easy and resourceful because you can utilize the whole almond with zero waste. After pulverizing the almonds to make tasty milk, try using the almond grounds in granola, in baked goods, or even just toast them in the oven with some sugar or spices and use them as sweet or savory crunchy topping.

Here’s my recipe for homemade almond milk. As always, feel free to play around with it!

Ingredients:

2 cups raw almonds, soaked in water overnight
5-7 cups water
5 Tbs. simple syrup (use any sweetener you like)
2 tsp. vanilla extract (or a whole vanilla bean, chopped)
small pinch of salt
Cheesecloth and large bowl

Directions:

1. Drain and rinse the soaked almonds.

So pretty!

2. Place almonds in a blender along with the water, simple syrup, vanilla, and pinch of salt. (I had to do mine in batches because my blender could not hold all the liquid)

3. Blend for a minute or so.

4. Place cheesecloth over large bowl (I held mine in place by wrapping a rubber band around it), and slowly pour almond mixture over it. Squeeze the bottom of the cheesecloth to release the milk.

So cool!

5. Pour into a pourable container to store in the fridge for about 5 days.

Makes 5-7 cups

You can make your own simple syrup by boiling equal parts sugar and water until the sugar dissolves and letting it cool to room temperature. I like to infuse mine with herbs like rosemary or sage and vanilla beans! Enjoy this recipe and as always, stay hungry and fit!

BONUS KITTY PIC

Jamie’s adorable cats

Oct012014

7 Tips for a Happy, Healthy Fall

October is here! Woohoo! I know Hungry is excited—Halloween is one of his favorites. What else does October mean? Fall is really here. Those closing their eyes and pretending it’s summer have to stop now. Well, you don’t have to, but come on—there are pumpkins now! I find that everyone I talk to has different opinions about Autumn—fears, loves, and so forth. Some detest it because the weather starts to get too brisk for outside workouts. Others love it because of the hearty produce it yields and the way it makes them feel. If you are ever feeling lost in Fall, here are a few tips to keep you happy and healthy while the leaves change color and drift away:

1. Don’t let the weather keep you inside. Yes, it may be getting colder, or even downright cold in some states, but that shouldn’t keep you confined to your personal quarters. That’s why layers were invented, of course! To allow you to bundle up and go outside, even when the wind threatens to flay you. You can even workout outside when it’s cold! Put as many layers on as you need to and remember—you can always take them off!

Talk about beauty!

Using layers 😉

2. Fight off negativity. Don’t get down on yourself if you find yourself indulging in pumpkin sweets and heavy foods. Negativity is the worst thing you can consume if you’re striving to be a healthy person. Even if you have an unplanned splurge, don’t trash talk yourself. Instead, learn from the moment and move on. Put it in perspective.

Indulgences happen…move on

3. Set a new goal for the fall. This is important because your goals should always be fresh and exciting to you. Otherwise you will fall away into boredom and apathy.

4. Indulge in autumn produce. Just because it’s no longer summer and watermelon isn’t on the daily menu anymore, doesn’t mean you have to resort to boring foods that give you the “blahs.” Even though in most states, it is getting colder, you must remember that Autumn is still a vibrant season with so much to offer! Think squash, pears, pomegranates and more!

5. Find a gym. If it is getting cold, and you find that it deters you from your workouts, find an indoor arena or gym you can perform your preferred workout. It may seem superficial, but atmosphere and environment are huge factors when it comes down to whether or not you will have a good workout, or even workout for that matter! Bite the bullet, hand over some money to either buy yourself some home workout equipment or a gym membership.

Home workouts galore!

6. Try new things. Change is scary, but it’s also really exciting. With new seasons, come change. And what should you do with change? Fight it? No! Embrace it and give it meaning! Learn something new! Try a new form of exercise! Do yoga! Take a dance class! Roll with the punches of nature and use the opportunity to embrace change and try something new.

That time I did a triathlon…

7. Stick with the old. Alright, now you really must think me crazy because now I’m contradicting myself. Contradicting? No! This is simply an add-on. While you embrace the new, hold onto the old that comforts you. It could be your morning routine, it could be your favorite snack, or your favorite drink. For me, it’s my Silk milk that I put in my smoothies and protein shakes. No matter what, my Silk Soymilk or Almondmilk will be there for me, giving me sustenance while the world around me continues to change.

We are all different. We all have our likes and dislikes, our habits and our avoidances. However, one thing is the same, ironically, and that is change. Nature teaches us to accept change and let it nurture us into better people who try new things and have a wider range of experiences. There is always the “old” or our rocks, our foundation that keeps us going to balance the change in our world. If you want more of the old and the new, check out Silk’s Facebook page, which is constantly coming out with new recipes and tips to stay at your happiest, healthiest you. You could also win a year’s worth of Silk products if you sign up for their newsletter.

Even though this may seem like a list of ways to stay healthy throughout the Fall (and it is), the deeper meaning is to allow yourself to experience change (and enjoy it) while balancing yourself with the things that make you who you are and keep you sane. I hope these tips help you along your way in your Autumn journey. As always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: How do you stay healthy during Autumn?

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all ours.