Yesterday morning I started off my week doing something that I really have not done in quite a while.  I simply ran 3 miles on the treadmill as my workout.

I have to admit that I was a bit nervous since it has been such a long time since I have banged out some miles on the treadmill, but it actually felt pretty good!  I made sure to listen to the newest release of Bodypump so that it really gets in my brain.  This week, the gym I teach at is releasing the new launch and I am teaching it a total of three times so I really want to be prepared!

After my run, I then cooled down by walking at a brisk pace for another mile.

Once I got to work, I did my typical eat-breakfast-while-I-check-email-and-get-into-work-mode thing.  Breakfast yesterday was a delicious bowl of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt with stevia, berries and cinnamon along with another bowl of scrambled egg whites with spinach and salsa.  What can I say?  I get hungry after the gym!  And, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

Dinner

When I arrived home from work last night, the house smelled of this delicious dish.  Brian had the day off from school, so I had him toss a couple of ingredients in the crock pot so that we have meals to last us the entire week (hopefully! 😉 ).

I got the original idea from Julie over at Peanut Butter Fingers who loves using her crock pot and created a little challenge around it so that she had to try out some new recipes.  I was really intrigued by the garam masala flavor in this dish, as I have never tried it before.  I absolutely love the way spices and herbs at so much flavor to meals, and this one seemed like it was going to pack a big flavor punch. Well, this meal was a flavorful hit!!

Julie’s recipe features chicken as the source of protein and utilizes fresh cilantro as a flavor enhancer.  My version is vegetarian-friendly, and I also chose not to use cilantro or Greek yogurt as topping options.  I think it tastes great all on it’s own with a little side of quinoa.

Tofu Cauliflower Crock Pot Garam Masala

Adapted from Peanut Butter Finger’s Crock Pot Garam Masala Chicken & Chickpeas

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2, 15 oz cans of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 2, 15 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
• 14 oz block of tofu, cubed and drained
• 2 1/2 tsp garam masala

Directions:

Place all ingredients in crock pot.  Turn heat onto low and allow to cook for about 6-8 hours.

Serve with a side of quinoa, or eat by itself.

I hope you all had a happy Monday, and that your Tuesday is off to a great start as well!  Enjoy 🙂