Get Yourself a Cheap Piece of Meat

But, you know I want it to be good quality.
I am stealing this post from the folks at Whole9 who were kind enough to share this awesome post about the different types of meat that we could choose to spare some change.

Eat Up!
http://fuelasrx.blogspot.com/2011/03/buying-meat-on-budget.html

Get into the Games!

You all know I love the Games Fever, and 'tis the season.
Some of you have jumped into a competition, others are considering participating in their first via the Open.

Lemme tell ya ~ Just Do It!

Bring $10 and show up. Give it your all. Whatever you have that day. It does not matter how prepared you feel, how competitive you will be. Just be there. And get sweaty. CrossFit is an amazing community. Competitions are one more element. You deserve to feel completely involved.

And, just so ya know, it is not just me that is a competition junkie knowing full well that I will not be standing on a podium at the end, read this!

Sick - Digest This!

http://whole9life.com/2011/02/stm-feed-a-cold/

'Tis the season. It seems like we are all getting sick, or getting over being sick. Here you will find reasons why you should not go completely off of your food plan JUST because you don't feel well.

There are recipes to keep you full, rationale to keep you on track, and humor too.

Eat Up!

Love the one you’re with! The people AND the food choice

Click this, allow it to play in the background while you read through this amazingly simple yet impressive Dinner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5IVuN1N6-Y

Today is a great day for you to love whoever it is you are with, and love your food. This menu is easy people. I will walk you through step by step just in case I have any tips that might serve you well. Most of the time I post a recipe for a side dish, an entree, or maybe a salad that is an entree. This post is long. Hang in there, it is worth it. This is a full meal.

Balsamic Roasted Chicken with Cripsy Seasoned Potatoes and Spaghetti Squash tossed with red peppers.

The roasted chicken recipe was inpsired by the Balsamic Roast Chicken recipe found in the Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2010 edition. The basic spaghetti squash instructions can be found here: http://killyourcoward.blogspot.com/2010/10/eat-some-spaghetti.html
The Crispy Potatoes are based on a recipe found in the Cusine at Home Magazine.

Love your Food Plan. Love this Menu. Love how easy it is to prepare. Share it with someone you Love!

I would say this takes an hour and half to prepare. Enjoy the adventure! (Servings - 3/4 cup chicken, 1/2 cup potatoes, 1/2 cup spaghetti squash)
For that effort you will get about: 319 calories, 10 g total fat (3 g saturated fat and 5 g monosaturated fat, 5 g polyunsaturated fat), 93 mg cholesterol, 537 mg sodium, 23 g carb, 4 g fiber, and 34 g protein.


Gather the Goodies!

For the Roasted Chicken

1. One whole chicken. About 5 pounds is plenty big.
2. Aluminum Foil
3. Large Roasting Pan, and a rack if you have one.
4. salt
5. 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
6. About 3 feet of cooking string (butcher's twine) (Kid's kite string will work great, if it is clean.)
7. 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
8. Black pepper
9. 4 tsp olive oil
10. Small bowl
11. 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

For the Spaghetti Squash

1. 1 spaghetti squash
2. Baking dish with cover.
3. Olive Oil
4. Salt and Pepper
5. 1 tsp. garlic
6. 1 red pepper

For the Crispy Potatoes

1. 1 1/2 pound of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes. (If you do this prep in advance, store them in water so they do not brown in the open air.)
2. 1/3 cup vegetable oil
3. Large non stick skillet
4. 1 tsp dried thyme
5. Salt and pepper to taste
6. Collander to catch your boiled potatoes
7. Clean kitchen towel to rest your boiled potatoes on so they dry
8. Large pot of cool and salted water

Get Cooking!

1. Get the chicken out of the fridge, out of its bag and rinsed well inside and out. You need to get your hand all over the inside of that bird and make sure you remove any hearts, giblets, livers, and whatever else the butcher stuffed in there. If there is a neck still hanging on, cut it off. Allow your bird to air dry for a bit while you work on your oven. Wash your hands please.
2. You are going to need room in your oven to cook that bird in a roasting pan and the squash in a covered dish. Arrange your racks accordingly before the oven gets hot. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Start by prepping your spaghetti squash. Follow the previous post listed above. Cut it in half, remove seeds, place in a large baking dish, add about a half inch of water to the dish to make the cooking process go quicker, drizzle olive oil and spread, season with salt and pepper, and add garlic if you want.
4. Clean and chop that red pepper. Set it aside for now.
5. Next, work on getting your chicken in the oven. Your bird is clean, empty of extra parts, and no longer dripping wet.
6. Line the chicken roasting pan with aluminum foil. You will hate me if you skip this step. Ask my mom.
7. Rub the bird all over, front and back, with 2 tbsp of olive oil. On the breast side, loosen the skin by poking your fingers in and around. Go easy, but keep at it. Wash your hands now please.
8. In a small bowl combine the thyme, rosemary, 1 tsp salt and several grinds of pepper. Pour half of your herb mixture into your hand and rub that under the breast skin right onto the actual breast meat.
9. The remainder of your herb mix goes all over the outside of your bird, front and back. Feel free to put a little inside the chicken, too.
10. Drizzle the chicken with the balsamic vinegar.
11. Ok, the chicken is almost perfect for roasting. Put it in your roasting pan, on the rack if you have it.
12. See how his wings and drumsticks are loose and could flop around?
13. To make this bird cook evenly, you do need to truss it. The idea is to tie him all together. Never done that? Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KECQggg-Rvk
14. It is finally time to cook. Get the bird and the squah in your oven. Set a timer for 25 minutes.
15. The bird and squash are cooking, and you have the chopped red pepper set aside. We need to work on those cubed potatoes now.
16. Boil the potatoes in the salted water for about 5 minutes. You want them to be fork tender.
17. Drain them well and then dry them.
18. Now you get to wait for that timer to go off. When the timer does go off, check on your chicken. Is it pretty and brown? If not, continue cooking uncovered until it is. This may take another 10 minutes, but not much longer than that.
19. Once the chicken is browned well, cover with aluminum foil and set the timer for 25 more minutes.
20. Add the red peppers to the wells of your spaghetti squash.
21. Again, you are on a break. Start cleaning up your kitchen and setting your table. If get your beverages prepped and update your FB status. By now your kitchen should smell amazing and you should feel all proud of your Betty Crocker self.
22. When the timer goes off again pull the squash out of the oven carefully. Don't forget about that water that is in the bottom of the pan; don't let it splash you. Is the squash fork tender? If not, put it back in the oven. If your water has evaporated, add more.
23. Check the chicken to see if it is done. Mom taught me a cool trick so I did not have to use a meat thermometer. (Sticking a thermometer in the bird releases juices, making them dry.) Twist the drumstick. Gosh, be careful. That bird is HOT! The drumstick is probably tied up but it will still twist only a bit. Just rotate it clockwise. Does it release easily from the joint or does it resist? I promise, when it releases you will know it. If it resists then not much is happening and you may feel unsure. That means it is not done. Bake it longer.
24. When the Chicken is done, pull it from the oven and leave it covered.
25. When the squash is done, pull it from the oven and remove it from the baking dish. Let it cool while you start crisping those potatoes.
26. In a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Add the parboiled potatoes and allow them to sautee WITHOUT stirring them for five minutes.
27. This is a great time to prepare your bowl of spaghetti squash. Scoop out the red peppers into your serving dish.
28. If you have time start forking the squash off of its rind.
29. Once the potatoes sauteed for 5 minutes it is time to turn them and cook another 7 minutes or until they are golden brown.
30. Keep working at the squash and toss well to distribute the red peppers throughout. Taste, and add salt and pepper if desired. Congrats, the squash is ready.
31. Place that beautiful bird on a platter. Yeah, you should probably pat yourself on the back now.
32. Once the potatoes are done cooking, transfer them to a serving dish and season them with thyme, salt, and pepper.

It does not matter if you are cooking for you and a parent, you and a loved one, or you and some yummo leftovers. Love where you are, celebrate it. Do it in a healthy way!


Eat up!

Why I participate in CrossFit Competitions

• You do get a T-Shirt.
  


• I am not a competitor, yet. I am unstoppable! My showing up meant there is no such thing as failure. You just have to do YOUR best!


• I know I can’t if I don’t even try.


• I cannot think of a better reason to do 4 workouts in one day.


• Being last in a group this amazing is FINE by me!
  
• Is there a good reason not to? Ha! As if?!?

• It is a challenge. I happen to like a challenge.


• It makes other WODs easier. Knowing that I participated in the physical goat rodeo of the GLI gives me a boost of confidence at the end of any workout.


• I get to watch a lot of other people get sweaty and learn from them.


• I like knowing you were too scared to even try. Yeah, I just said that.


• The Events are amazing – what else amazes you these days?!?


• The camaraderie of the competitors. Good sportsmanship abounds.


• Seeing CF in action – the physical work output is a mind-gasm!


• Seeing CF in action – Yep! This philosophy does work for everyone, even me!


• Because I have a gym crush on April Garner and you can bet your butt she will be competing in the competition.


• The spectators at the Competition relish hard work. They will do these WOD’s later on their own because they are jealous they have not done it yet. But, I did!


• This guy summarizes it pretty well. So, What He Said!


• The other cool kids are doing it. Other 180 folks are starting to catch the Competition Fever.


• Because Brad Garner is my CrossFit Coach and he told me to live life as Rx’d. He says I have passion. That is pretty damn cool!


• Because Amanda Miller can’t anymore. That is one Epic Fail thanks to Melanoma!
  This list was inspired by a Catalyst Gym Blog Post referenced by CFHQ main page.
  

Superfoods

Here are 10 foods everyone should have in their diet:
1. Blueberries. Contain the highest amount of antioxidants per capacity than any other fruit. A great alternative is strawberries. One 53 calorie cup has more vitamin C than an orange. These berries may also help reduce blood pressure and control levels of stress hormones. They are also a great help to ease muscle pain and soreness after one of our WOD's.

2. Red Wine or Beer. (There you go Joy!) They are made with an antioxidant rich plant. Women who drink one drink a day, wine or beer have lower risk of developing high blood pressure than nondrinkers. Beer has also been linked to higher bone density.

3. Almonds or Peanuts. Nuts have been proven to lower both total and bad cholesterol. It can be a great weight loss snack. People who eat peanuts and peanut products tend to have lower BMIs than those who nix them. Stick to one-quarter cup of peanuts or two tablespoons daily.

4. Tomatoes or White Button Mushrooms. These two are very high in antioxidants! Tomatoes are loaded with lycopene which helps protect against cancer and heart disease. Mushrooms contain vitamin D, which aids calcium absorption for strong bones.

5. Flaxseeds or Sunflower Seeds. These seeds are packed with omega-3 fats and fiber. One-quarter cup has three grams of fiber to help keep you full, plus almost half your daily requirement for antioxidant-boosting vitamin E.

6. Broccoli or Cauliflower. Broccoli is packed with vitamin C and may fight cancer. One cup of cauliflower supplies about 3/4 of the vitamin C you need daily.

7. Salmon or Trout. Packed with omega-3's, these foods are the best sources of healthy fatty acids you can find. These fats reduce inflammation, lowering your risk for cardiovascular disease and even easing post-workout soreness. The American Heart Association recommends getting two servings of fatty fish per week; one three-and-a-half-ounce trout fillet give you half the recommended amount.

8. Olive Oil. This oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to fight the dreaded-and dangerous-muffin top. Some experts believe that when this belly fat wraps around your internal organs, it may release fatty acids into your liver and trigger insulin resistance, which is linked to diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

9. Edamame or Black Beans. Edamame supplies four grams of fiber in just a half cup, and a healthy dose of protein. Cooked black beans, which have 7.5 grams of fiber per half cup, get extra points for having tons of healthy plant compounds called phytochemicals.

10. Brown Rice or Barley. Brown rice is a super side dish contains more nutrients, minerals and cholesterol-lowering fiber than its white counterpart. With Barley, you can get 16 grams of fiber per half cup!

New Year's Resolutions

With many of the unrealistic New Year’s resolutions people make, like “I’m giving up sweets,” or “I’m going to work out every day,” it’s no wonder that only 40% to 46% of people who make resolutions will be successful after six months.  To make resolutions that will actually stick (and improve your health and well-being), I’ve included 10 ideas for resolutions you can actually keep.
Small changes = big results. Consider two simple diet substitutions—like a side salad instead of fries and dessert once a week—rather than a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. Simple changes can add up to big health and weight-loss payoffs and are more likely to stick, compared to resolutions that are too restrictive.
Commit. You’ll be more likely to succeed if you write your goal down and put it where it’s visible. You’ll see and read it most days, and sharing your resolution with family and friends adds additional incentive to improve your chances of success.
Limit liquid calories. Since beverages are less filling or satiating than food, limiting your liquid calorie count to 150 a day is one of the easiest ways to cut calories without increasing hunger. Aim for nutritional beverages like antioxidant-rich tea and 100% fruit juice.
Break the fast. Enjoy a daily breakfast of whole-grain cereal to improve your diet, reduce caloric intake, and help with weight loss.
Snack smarter. Choose fruits and veggies as snacks for a big weight-loss payoff. Since snacks currently account for one-quarter of your total calories, produce will help slash between-meal empty calories by filling you up with fiber.
Make a list, check it twice. Make a grocery list for each shopping trip and stick to it to limit impulse purchases that may occur on the snack food aisle. And when you are in the grocery store, stick to the peripheral of the store, where you’ll find fresh produce, lean protein, and whole grains.
Find your inner chef. Eating out less and trying to cook at home will slash calories and fat from your diet.
Write off pounds. Those who track what they eat and how much they exercise lose more weight than those who don’t. Take advantage of online food and exercise logs—sign up for a program and begin documenting what you eat and how much you move. Two of my favorites are LoseIt.com, which is iPhone compatible, and FitDay.com.
Find fitness that fits. Fitness resolutions are among the most likely to fail because they are too rigid and essentially impossible to achieve. Making fitness a part of your daily schedule will aid in your success. Do an activity that you love or try to sign up for fitness events—like 10Ks, marathons, or charity walks.
Have a fall-off-the-wagon plan. Have a strategy for when/if you cheat or break your resolution so that you can get back on track without derailing all of your efforts. Think progress, not perfection.