6-Layer Bean and Lentil Protein Packed Casserole

I spent about half of the afternoon in the kitchen today cleaning, prepping, baking, packing, washing, and more cleaning!

The good news is my order is ready to go. :)

I made a batch of my Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Breakfast Muffins (a personal favourite of mine!) and my Absolutely No-Oil Pumpkin Apple Raisin Muffins. Come to think of it, the zucchini muffins have no oil in them too! Sweet, indeed.

Want to see the results of my candy bar molds for my Glo Bars?

This bar below was created in the bottom mold (above):

The verdict? I was impressed with the result! It was easy to use and came out pretty well after being in the freezer to harden. The only snag? I pushed too hard on the mold when it came out of the freezer and I broke the plastic on one shell! :( Oops. I guess next time I will let the molds warm up a bit before handling them!

The other candy bar mold was not so great:

I couldn’t get it out!!

I had to take one for the team and eat this bar with a spoon. Sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do! ;)

I also got something else accomplished on my to-do list: My workout.

I decided not to go for a walk/run outside because I am not sure my body is ready for the wear and tear of the nasty pavement!

My treadmill is quite easy on the joints (which Landice treadmills are known for) and I wasn’t sure how my body would appreciate a much harder surface! I chose to stay on the ‘comfy’ treadmill today. Don’t want to push it too much, too soon.

My workout stats:

• Duration: 49 mins.
• Walk/run intervals (Walk = 4.1-4.2 mph, Run = 4.8 mph) I ran 2 out of 3 miles today. :)
• Max heart rate: 162 bpm
• Avg heart rate: 138 bpm
• Feel the burn: 376 kcals

Instead of doing today’s BBBC challenge, I opted for more planks. I don’t have the best knees and I find that lunges and squats can irritate them– especially if I am running too. At three points in my workout, I got off and did a 1 minute plank.

I did:

• 1 min. regular plank
• 1 min. right side plank
• 1 min. left side plank

And no, the side planks aren’t getting any easier!!

Seconds 45-60 are nothing less than excruciating for me.

It feels like someone is taking my waist and ringing it out like a washcloth. That is the best way to describe it. Surely, I can’t be the only one who hates these side planks???

But alas, they work, and I will keep doing them. Even if I am eyeballing my stopwatch, cursing, and flailing about. My stomach is getting tighter, so I can’t really complain all too much now can I?

Help a Mama Out!

My mom recently took the plunge and purchased a treadmill and shortly thereafter, a new Polar Heart Rate Monitor (go mom!!). I recommended the Polar brand to her because I have one myself and love it and I have also heard many great things about the brand.

However, my mom says that when she tested out the HRM, her heart rate was jumping all over the place- 90 bpm and then 10 seconds later 115 bpm or 120 bpm- all while at rest. It has her a bit concerned. I am wondering if it is a faulty monitor because I think I have heard a couple other readers complain of this problem.

If you have any ideas or advice for my mom, please leave a comment below (she reads all the comments!) :)

Tonight for dinner, I created a fun 6-layer bean and lentil protein packed casserole dish:     

When I started making the black bean puree, I wasn’t really sure where I was going with this dinner idea. All I knew was that I had leftover zucchini puree and I needed to use it!

I just opened the cupboards and looking for some fun items!

I rarely follow recipes; I prefer to just add foods that I enjoy and experiment with cooking!It’s more fun that way!

Ingredients (oh boy- let’s hope I remember!):

The Zucchini Bean Puree layer:

• 1 1/4 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup-3/4 cup Zucchini
• 2 T Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tsp garlic puree (or 1 garlic clove)
• Crushed Chili pepper (to taste)
• Paprika (to taste)
• Tipsy Whiskey BBQ Sauce (1 glug)

Directions: Puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

For layers 2 and 3, I used frozen mixed vegetables (microwaved in water and drained) and 1 cup (before cooking) Red lentils (pre-cooked on stove top for 10-15 mins).

Layer 1: Frozen Veggies                              Layer 2: Black Bean Puree

Layer 3: Cooked Red Lentils                       Layer 4: Frozen Veggies

Layer 5: Black bean puree                           Layer 6: Cooked Red lentils

This casserole would be fantastic with cheese or soy cheese melted on top! We didn’t have any though.

Directions: Cook for 1 hour, covered, at 400F. Serves 4 hearty portions.

The result was nothing short of spectacular!!

My plate:

This casserole was delicious! Eric and I both thought that it was a fabulous knock-off of a traditional potato and ground beef casserole. The red lentils mimic the potatoes and the black bean puree was a wonderful ‘imposter’ to a ground beef mixture.

With an aromatic Easter Lily ($4.44 on sale this week!):

(Yes, I moved the flower so I could see my husband! haha)

Dessert: 2 large Dark Belgium Chocolates:

Ok, back to work! My list is still huge and I feel like I barely made a dent! I’ve got some long reading to do.

See you tomorrow AM for the winner of the Fundraising contest and more!

Have a wonderful night. :)