Flavor to go Fast!

How to Make Big Mac Sauce

2012-02-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

First I'd like to plug here that I updated my website with a post from my first race of the year!

I know it's not pretty, but this was me accidentally recreating the McDonald's Big Mac Sauce. Wasn't planning on posting this until I was pretty stoked since it tasted delicious (and childhood). The key:

OLIVES+CIDER VINEGAR+FRESH THYME+EGG YOLK=BIG MAC SAUCE

The red pepper maybe helped out a bit, along with the flavor from the browned egg white and mince. There was some coconut oil mixed in the egg yolk too.

This was the best massive Salmon salad ever. There's no wild salmon here but you can always find quality canned wild salmon (NOT PINK, that's more lame). It was an epic sun dried tomato basil avocado bacon sando as a salad but butter.

I used a massive dreamy avo, a little leftover bit of an amazing simple tomato soup recipe on the bottom combined with fresh and sun dried tomato, Japanese pumpkin is always delicious, Bacon is always delicious, and a little soy sauce NEVER hurts.

Fresh Basil from the garden on top for some extra love and presentation.

I also came across this recently so figure I'd share it:

How to Store Vegetables without Plastic

Artichokes‐ place in an airtight container sealed, with light moisture.

Asparagus‐ place them loosely in a glass or bowl upright with water at room temperature. (Will keep for a week outside the fridge)
Avocados‐ place in a paper bag at room temp. To speed up their ripening‐ place an apple in the bag with them.
Arugula‐ arugula, like lettuce, should not stay wet! Dunk in cold water and spin or lay flat to dry. Place dry arugula in an open container, wrapped with a dry towel to absorb any extra moisture.
Basil‐ is difficult to store well. Basil does not like the cold, or to be wet for that matter. The best method here is an airtight container/jar loosely packed with a small damp piece of paper inside‐left out on a cool counter.
Beans, shelling‐ open container in the fridge, eat ASAP. Some recommend freezing them if not going to eat right away
Beets‐ cut the tops off to keep beets firm, (be sure to keep the greens!)by leaving any top on root vegetables draws moisture from the root, making them loose flavor and firmness. Beets should be washed and kept in and open container with a wet towel on top.
Beet greens‐ place in an airtight container with a little moisture.
Broccoli‐ place in an open container in the fridge or wrap in a damp towel before placing in the fridge.
Broccoli Rabe‐ left in an open container in the crisper, but best used as soon as possible.
Brussels Sprouts‐ If bought on the stalk leave them on that stalk. Put the stalk in the fridge or leave it on a cold place. If they’re bought loose store them in an open container with a damp towel on top.
Cabbage‐ left out on a cool counter is fine up to a week, in the crisper otherwise. Peel off outer leaves if they start to wilt. Cabbage might begin to loose its moisture after a week , so, best used as soon as possible.
Carrots‐ cut the tops off to keep them fresh longer. Place them in closed container with plenty of moisture, either wrapped in a damp towel or dunk them in cold water every couple of days if they’re stored that long.
Cauliflower‐ will last a while in a closed container in the fridge, but they say cauliflower has the best flavor the day it’s bought.
Celery‐ does best when simply places in a cup or bowl of shallow water on the counter.
Celery root/Celeriac‐ wrap the root in a damp towel and place in the crisper.
Corn‐ leave unhusked in an open container if you must, but corn really is best eaten sooner then later for maximum flavor.
Cucumber‐ wrapped in a moist towel in the fridge. If you’re planning on eating them within a day or two after buying them they should be fine left out in a cool room.
Eggplant‐ does fine left out in a cool room. Don’t wash it, eggplant doesn’t like any extra moisture around its leaves. For longer storage‐ place loose, in the crisper.
Fava beans‐ place in an air tight container.
Fennel‐ if used within a couple days after it’s bought fennel can be left out on the counter, upright in a cup or bowl of water (like celery). If wanting to keep longer than a few days place in the fridge in a closed container with a little water.
Garlic‐ store in a cool, dark, place.
Green garlic‐an airtight container in the fridge or left out for a day or two is fine, best before dried out.
Greens‐ remove any bands, twist ties, etc. most greens must be kept in an air‐tight container with a damp cloth‐ to keep them from drying out. Kale, collards, and chard even do well in a cup of water on the counter or fridge.
Green beans‐ they like humidity, but not wetness. A damp cloth draped over an open or loosely closed container.
Green Tomatoes‐ store in a cool room away from the sun to keep them green and use quickly or they will begin to color.
Herbs- a closed container in the fridge to kept up to a week. Any longer might encourage mold.
Lettuce‐ keep damp in an airtight container in the fridge.
Leeks‐leave in an open container in the crisper wrapped in a damp cloth or in a shallow cup of water on the counter (just so the very bottom of the stem has water).
Okra‐ doesn’t like humidity. So a dry towel in an airtight container. Doesn’t store that well, best eaten quickly after purchase
Onion‐ store in a cool, dark and dry, place‐ good air circulation is best, so don’t stack them.
Parsnips‐an open container in the crisper, or, like a carrot, wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge.
Potatoes‐ (like garlic and onions) store in cool, dark and dry place, such as, a box in a dark corner of the pantry; a paper bag also works well.
Radicchio‐ place in the fridge in an open container with a damp cloth on top.
Radishes‐ remove the greens (store separately) so they don’t draw out excess moisture from the roots and place them in a open container in the fridge with a wet towel placed on top.
Rhubarb‐wrap in a damp towel and place in an open container in the refrigerator.
Rutabagas‐ in an ideal situation a cool, dark, humid root cellar or a closed container in the crisper to keep their moisture in.
Snap peas‐ refrigerate in an open container
Spinach‐ store loose in an open container in the crisper, cool as soon as possible. Spinach loves to stay cold.
Spring onions‐ Remove any band or tie and place in the crisper.
Summer Squash‐ does fine for a few days if left out on a cool counter, even after cut.
Sweet peppers‐ Only wash them right before you plan on eating them as wetness decreases storage time. Store in a cool room to use in a couple a days, place in the crisper if longer storage needed.
Sweet Potatoes‐ Store in a cool, dark, well‐ventilated place. Never refrigerate‐‐sweet potatoes don’t like the cold.
Tomatoes‐ Never refrigerate. Depending on ripeness, tomatoes can stay for up to two weeks on the counter. To hasten ripeness place in a paper bag with an apple.
Turnips‐ remove the greens (store separately) same as radishes and beets, store them in an open container with a moist cloth.
Winter squash‐store in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Many growers say winter squashes get sweeter if they’re stored for a week or so before eaten.
Zucchini‐ does fine for a few days if left out on a cool counter, even after cut. Wrap in a cloth and refrigerate for longer storage.

Photo Overload and Catch Up

2012-02-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a super long time since I've posted and my photo collection has just been building and building. To get things off my chest and start fresh I decided to just post all the photos with short captions for your viewing as you please and hopefully soon i'll be able to get back on track to making some more thoughtful detailed posts!
I've been busy with coming to/training in NZL and getting things going with my new team, Santa Cruz-X Fusion. Make sure to give us a like on Facebook.
Also, make sure to listen to Chuck Feerick and I's new podcast, Fearless Nutrition Radio. Please give us a rating and a review so we know what you think/that people are actually listening!

Possible Favorite Meal: Salmon, Soft Boiled Eggs, Salad w/ Sauerkraut and Sweet Potato

Work It Egg

Too Awesome

Homemade Mayo (coconut/olive oil and egg yolks) on Mashed Cauliflower and Canned Sardines Salad

Bacon Wrapped Duck Roast with Rosemary and Thyme

Teriyaki Beef Heart, Kabocha Squash w/ Kimchee, Rhutabaga, and Garlic Chive Kerrygold Butter

Sweet Potato w/ Garlic Chive Kerrygold Butter

Egg Whites cooked in Ghee w/ Baked Delicata Squash w/ Egg Yolks

Japa Sweet Potato and Eggs

Calimari Salad w/ Mixed Mushrooms and Kabocha Squash w/ Cinnamon Yogurt on the Side

My First Real Bullet Proof Coffee, w/ Cinnamon

Chicken Coconut Curry in New Zealand! Basil, Nori, Turmeric, and Sweet Potato Included

White Rice Noodles cooked in Red Wine (taste good but made me feel bad)

Used 1/2 bottle of wine too old to drink plus some water

Bacon, Venison Mince, Herb Salad and Broccoli for the Noodles

Mixed up with Some Kimchee and Green Beans as well

And Beets and Butter and Tomato

And Nori

An Ostrich Egg that ended up being Off

Inside Burger Fuel with Sam and Aroha, on the second floor w/ lake view, I had the Biofuel Burger (beetroot, onion, tomato, sweet tomato relish, aioli) wrapped in lettuce, the best of NZL but more on that to come

First time with Oysters Rockefeller at the Fish Market in Auckland-tons of bacon, Hollandaise, and Onion (a new favorite dish to order. Oysters=super nutrients especially Zinc which I especially need!)

Greens Salad w/ Amazing Balsamic Vinaigrette and Steamed Veggies w/ Butter, Garlic, and Thyme

Fish Market Gnarliness

Tongue!

Crazy Eyes

I love it in New Zealand because we have 6 chickens so fresh eggs every day, a veggie garden, and a freezer full of Venison. And all the beef and butter here is grass fed without question. Sweet Potatoes and Yams are known as Kumara and I like that name better so will be using that from now on. More goodness to come!

Comment if you'd like guidance on trying to copy any of these recipes.

Ode to Sous Vide

2012-01-11T17:10:00.000-08:00

I've really been enjoying the Sous-Vide Supreme I got my mom for Christmas (unfortunately more than her, but hopefully she'll catch on soon). The benefits are endless. I mostly enjoy the convenience, efficiency, and perfect control of cooking.

This post is all about extremely fine tasting food that's stupidly easy to prepare.

Boom! Standard Breaky Ready in Advance

Cinnamon Sea Salt Sweet Potato w/ some PERFECTLY soft boiled eggs from the batch.

Magic revealed.

I used it for this Salmon and it came out amazing. Exploding with flavor from the Turmeric and some Green Curry Paste that was all vacuum trapped inside while cooking.

So tender, not over or underdone.

I enjoyed with some Mashed Cauliflower which I was recently really into after my Mom made some. Steam and then food process! It tastes better than mashed potatoes by far (especially because you can eat pounds of it and feel great). I did Garlic, Rosemary, and Sea Salt in mine.

A bit of Ghee melted over everything is always good.

Some Steamed Carrots and Chard Sauté as well.

I threw some Lamb Loin Chops in before training with a New Zealand Lamb Rub Spice Blend that came with the machine. It was done in an hour but I took it out 6 hours later!

And still perfect medium rare, exploding with flavor.

Along with Coconut Oil on Sweet Potato, Sauerkraut, and Sun Dried Tomato. Those three have sort of become a staple as i've been trying to eat less fiber on my bigger days to help with digestion, and that's really all I need (carbs, fat, probiotic fermented food, sun dried tomato b/c they are awesome).

Proper Fueling with Many Feasts

2012-01-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

My family friend wanted to cook a feast together.

My Plate Clockwise from Bottom Left: Chicken Tagine, Leeks from Tagine, Sweet Potato Turnip Bake, Persimmon Salad, Kale Salad

I mainly made this Persimmon Salad and my chicken tagine, but using the actual recipe with 1.5 chickens! The salad wasn't really my style, heavy on the fruit, but fairly tasty nonetheless. The leek mixture from the chicken was probably my favorite, along with the Sweet Potato-Turnip combo from the same recipe as the chicken. Could of eaten it for days!

Owen cutting Shallots for the Sweet Potatoes

Tagine Check

The Crew

Then I prepared another feast for my friends.

The buffet line up (close to far): Baked Turnips, Baked Sweet Potatoes/Yam, Roasted Bacon Brussels, Sous Vide Grass Fed Steak

I baked the potatoes and turnips the same as for the first feast because they are too good. A tad spicy a tad herby and a tad sweet.

My Plate

I also made a Balsamic Reduction with simple Balsamic Vinegar and Ghee (2 cups and 1.5T ea.) which I am stoked to have leftovers on. It's sweet and delicious on everything and easy to make, just boil down to reduce by half, mix and serve.

First time making Bacon Brussel Sprouts (of course I've tasted and loved them many times), and was very pleased (along with everyone else). I used Bacon Trimmings which were cheaper from El Salchichero (coming from Devil's Gulch where I ride road to in Nicasio), and just sliced/cooked some up in a pan, poured the grease into a baking tray, put the prepared Sprouts on, and then scattered the bacon pieces throughout and baked with the other dishes at 400º F for 30 minutes or so until soft all the way through.

For the steak I used some Herbs mainly Rosemary with the Sous Vide, cooked to perfect medium rare and then seared the outside afterwards in a tiny bit of the Balsamic Sauce. So tender!

Now onto some more elementary feasting...Post long ride base training! I've been putting in a lot of 4-5 hour rides and it's hard to eat enough carbs afterwards. I need to hit 500 per day which means if there's no lunch involved because of my ride i've got a small window afterwards to cram. It's kind of fun.

I've been having something along the lines of 2 servings of Gu Recovery Brew Strawberry Watermelon (50g ea.), a sweet potato or yam, a persimmon or plantain or blueberries, and for yesterday a few dates/dried cranberries as well. And an extra scoop of whey protein. Then an hour later I'll eat my meal which has another sweet potato/kabocha squash/chestnuts and some nice meat. Massive.

These 'ice cream' bowls have been awesome.

2 out of the 6 scoops of Gu Recovery Mix
150g Blueberries (frozen)
12g Whey Protein (1 scoop)
Vanilla Extract and Cinnamon
Dates/Cranberries/Yam Optional

I hit 4 out of the 6 scoops of Gu Recovery first to get the speedy fiberless absorption before the even more delicious fruit/vegetable concoction (I should take the skin off for even less fiber but it's too delicious).

While on the topic of eating lots of carbs I tried using fit day and it's pretty cool. Here's how it came out:

I was trying to eat less fiber because without grains it's easy to get too much.

Increasing my carb intake at the right times (pre-post-during) has really helped my training and haven't gained an ounce of weight!

Persimmons and Chestnuts Go Together

2011-12-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

Before I dive in to some recent eats I came across this post on healthy living and how to burn fat the other day and think it really sums everything up in a clear and straight foreword manner.

My first Squash and Sweet Potato Parfait! (kabocha as always)

This is definitely as good or better than your standard fruit and granola parfait. I used leftovers that were herb and turmeric baked and then some Full Fat Strauss Yogurt and a little extra plain whey protein. Delish. Extra Cinnamon of course.

Just ate chestnuts for the first time... and now they are a go to carb source! Pure carbs unlike a normal nut. I found some cooked and vacuum packed although also enjoyed roasting my own.

So delicious to get some glucose/starch recovery going in addition to the fructose heavy Persimmon in my smoothie.

If you just use fructose (fruit=mostly), you replenish liver glycogen more than muscle, and also don't absorb the carbs as well compared to when you get some of each.

Roasted yumminess.

I was afraid of consuming any fructose before, but now use it in moderation and don't feel any negatives. Whey, Persimmon, and Cinnamon for the win. Almost like last year! So much has changed.

Pretty stoked on finding this Persimmon Tree when a friendly fellow customer at Good Earth in Fairfax (can't wait for the new one!) told me about it as I asked the staff if there were any more Persimmons. Used some in a feast of epic proportions which I may post soon.

One of my better meals enjoyed recently. It didn't take much, but each thing was so good individually and together.

Wild Smoked Alaska Salmon (8 oz)
2 Soft Boiled Free Range Eggs (Sous Vide)
Prather Ranch Bacon
Baked Yam w/ Cinnamon
1/2 Avocado
Bubbie's Raw Sauerkraut
Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil

I poured the bacon grease over my Yam which is already so delicious with Cinnamon. The creaminess from the mushy egg yolks, avocado, Salmon, Bacon fat, and even the Yam to some degree, combined with the crispy skin of the Yam and meat from the bacon, combined with saltiness/savory sun dried tomato and kraut, PLUS the smokey Salmon and bacon, is amazing.

Also, I started making some quick videos for my parents to learn about nutrition and good eating without me repeating myself in person all the time! Here's a recent one but they are all available on my Youtube Channel.

Egg Porn

2011-12-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

I'm stoked on eggs recently for various reasons (beyond the epic nutrition I already knew)

Eggs in a boat?

Watching Ready Steady Cook and other shows in Oz I learned a few things. Like an excellent way to separate yolks from the white! You just crack the egg into your hand and let the white slide out. I've found putting it in one half the shell first and then your hand works even easier. Perfect separation!

Why would I want them separate? So I can get the yolks delicious runny and raw and the white a little browned and crispy! Not only is this tasty but it's also healthy, since the white contains anti nutrients that block the absorption of the goodies in the yolk, which you don't want to ruin with heat (or oxidize the cholestorol/saturated fat with heat).

Also very nice for making Hollandaise or Bearnaise Sauce! I became obsessed with the stuff after having some with Grilled Cod in the nice hotel in Sydney.

I make an elementary version, but love it still. You could go all out with the complex style, but I'm a simpleton. The ghee flavor could not be used any better in this sauce. It's in between creamy and sweet almost like the best parts of yogurt+toffee?

2-3 Yolks
1-2T Ghee
Pinch of Rice Wine Vinegar
Salt n' Pepper
Pinch o' Lemon (Optional)

Also in the egg world, I can now make perfect soft boiled eggs every time! I got my Mom a Sous Vide Supreme for Christmas. (that egg in the back is hardboiled)

The yolks are like fluffy little medallions of awesomeness. Almost runny, but still hold their shape at the same time. Amazing. And you don't have to peel them like hard boiled eggs because they just slide right out. I'll make a bunch and then have 'em ready in the fridge all week. Can't wait to add them to soups. More from the Sous Vide soon!

Soft Boiled Goodness with Sea Salt and Cinnamon

Perfection

The machine.

Where the magic happens (that's some lamb which came out perfect medium rare and super tender)

Art.

Aussie Treats

2011-12-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

This post is simply a collection of yummy eats/views from my stay in the Land Down Under!

View from a road ride.

My host Joel from Tahoe at the top of a MTB ride. View of Bateman's Bay

Beets from the neighbors! In a Balsamic Salad w/Avo and Grass Fed Beef Rump Roast.

A glass of Aussie Cabernet-Sauv at a fine restaurant called Terrace Restaurant in Thredbo (rated on of the best in Aus!). Since I can legally drink here I have a half -full glass of Dry Red Wine 5 nights a week. I've decided it really is healthy and quite enjoyable (read 4-Hour Body).

My dish was Prosciutto (almost cooked like crispy bacon!) wrapped chicken with Sage (a whole leaf on top turned into a 'Sage chip'), Lemon, and on top of Roasted Pumpkin and Spinach! Divine.

We got stuck in Jindabyne for 4 days with a broken car and this was my staple meal downtown. A large salad half Roasted Veggies Salad (thin sliced Eggplant, yam, Onion, Pumpkin w/ basil)- half Feta Arugula Salad (w/ Sundried Tomatoes and Olives and local Goat Cheese), and the Tandoori Chicken from their wraps on top. I also had it with thinly sliced lamb another time.

My kind of meal!

For dinner while stranded we went to Brumby's Bar twice which was also my kind of place! Choose your favorite grass fed meat and then an all you can eat salad bar/ buffet with lots of sald and roasted veggie options. Including lots of beets/yams/carrots/mushrooms. And watch them grill perfection right in front of you.

I got a sirloin stuffed with scallops one night and the lamb shank the other.

The beach across the street from home away from home.

Not beef lamb heart, a lamb heart sliced and marinated with garlic, red wine leftover, olives, Rosemary from the garden, and Salt and Pepper.

This is what bacon back home looks like in my standard breaky.

Look at all the fat! Now this is what we have here... And at half the price for free range. (both egg/meat)

Like extreme Canadian Bacon!

It's good but i'm not partial to either kind. Harder to get crispy but still extra tasty. Yes that yolk is separate from the white, but more on that in my next post...(very stoked on this)

Now for a big-ass Kangaroo Filet! Green Thai Curry Marinade soooo goood!

After Green Curry Paste, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Pepper, Garlic, and Turmeric, seared both sides.

In a roast veggie salad!

With Cinnamon Pumpkin Coconut Oil Pumpkin Squash of course!

Another beach pic...

The rest of the Kangaroo in a Garden Salad with Fresh Herbs from the Garden! Kangaroo is awesome because it's grass fed since it is always wild, it's higher in Iron (you can taste it), it's helping the environment because they have too many in Oz, and it's cheaper than grass-fed beef!

Including lovely Garlic Chives.

The view from the Quay West Hotel in Sydney, last night before my flight home.

Teriyaki Beef Heart with Bacon

2011-11-28T11:34:00.001-08:00

Since i've been on a roll of Super Foods, i'll keep it going with this Beef Heart Creation I was stoked on.

Beef hearts, in the super food offal category, are available at most butchers, you just have to ask because they tend to keep them frozen in the back. The demand is low so they are A LOT cheaper than your standard steak (hello cheap grass fed nutrient dense meat!). And they taste the same, just with way more beneficial nutrients...

I knew some free range bacon I stocked up on from El Salchichero since it was 15% off would go well with it, especially complementing the Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

BBQ seared to perfection, I love my meat rare! It's like sushi, traps in maximum flavor and nutrients. Ok I could of cooked it a hair more... You can't overdo tougher cuts of meat though (think things that are contracted/used a lot)

Accompanied by a Roasted Kabocha with the usual Cinnamon and Coconut Oil/Sea Salt combo as well.

One massive 1 lb beef heart made enough for 2-3 meals-2 for me :). It tasted INCREDIBLY similar to a nice flank steak! + Teriyaki deliciousness. So tender.

BBQ Teriyaki Beef Heart w/ Bacon and Roasted Veggies

Slice beef heart into thin slices maybe ~1/2 inch thick and marinate 30min-1 hour in equal parts Rice Wine Vinegar, Sake, Mirin (optional, add honey if you omit this), Reduced Sodium Temari (GF Soy Sauce).

Heat up grill to medium/high heat and sear the outside maybe ~2 min per side depending on how you like it. Rest meat for 5 minutes (otherwise it will be contracted and tough).

Sauté Brussel Sprouts in Coconut Oil until soft, tender, and a darker green shade (high heat first for browning, then medium-low).

Cook bacon as you normally would.

Roast Kabocha Squash and Onion in Oven at 400ºF for one hour. Top with Coconut Oil/Cinnamon/Sea Salt.

Enjoy!

I eat a beef or lamb heart (can't really handle livers) once a week or every other week and it's delicious!

Health Potion: Turkey Stock

2011-11-26T15:00:00.001-08:00

This may not be a post about No Bake Christmas Treats, but I'm into it and people still eat whole chickens and turkeys on Xmas so this is what you get! Plus, I've decided everyone should be buying bone in meat/whole chickens all the time anyways. It's cheaper, more resourceful, and you get to make the following nectar of life!

These photos are from Thanksgiving (I know it's been a while, but I've been down under in Aus and a bit off the grid from the intrawebs). I did this twice during November (two feasts) and it seriously yields so much more meat. This is me scavenging all the extra meat halfway through making the stock. You just simply can't get it all by conventional carving. Think a couple extra pounds of turkey. Win #1.

In my pot was just the carcass, water, apple cider vinegar, and various herbs (bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, garlic).

All the meat taken off to the best of my ability, then it's back in for the bones!

I got 3 delicious jars of Turkey stock out of one massive heritage bird carcass. I'm known to slurp a whole jar after it 'gels' in the fridge (minimal calories, just a little protein/water/nutrients) and becomes delicious turkey jelly! It's also good for cooking veggies, or for soup and other things. Win #2 and #3.

I took some of it and made a grain free gravy simply by boiling (reducing) it down until it was as thick as gravy and it was delicious.

That's a lot of extra turkey! And it's oozing with way more flavor and delicious dark meat. (Don't be afraid of the fat if it's free range, then it's got vitamins not chemicals!)

Now onto the health benefits and the process:

Health: Bones in animals are considered organs believe it or not, putting them in the same category as the REAL superfoods (no not kale/goji berries which we can't even digest and absorb that well) like free range super nutrient dense animal organs like liver, heart, and nutrient dense free range fat (lard/tallow). Kale may go right through you, but the fat soluble vitamins in animal fat get absorbed quite easily.

Inedible bones and connective tissue contain lots of goodies like collagen, glucosamine chondroitin (yes you don't need to pay $30 a month for the supplement to fix your achy joints), and other minerals. Win #4 You just have to cook the crap out of them to extract them. Thus, we have soup stock.

The bone marrow (my favorite) is also fatty and delicious and nutrient dense along with the stock, which is actually very low calorie since after chilling all the fat floats to the top. If your animal was free range, slurp it up or spread it on some sweet potatoes and roast veggies, but if not I'd throw it away because that's where the animals most likely store all those gross antibiotics and chemicals.

Process: DON'T follow the conventional stock recipes/process! They do not recommend cooking times long enough for excellent nutrient extraction, just enough for good enough flavor.

Simply take your bones or carcass (best flavor after being roasted normally for the meat, but either works) and cover with enough water in a pot/dutch oven/slow cooker (maybe some wine if you have some, I always use mine once it's been open for a few days). Bring to a boil and then simmer for the appropriate time (fish bones 30min+, poultry 3-4 hours+, ruminants like beef 8 hours+). You can go almost as long as you want, just not long enough to make the bones soggy/break up and hard to deal with. These resources are the best. Strain when finished and store in glass jars. The fat layer on top will prevent bacterial growth and eating is optional.

Mark's Daily Apple

Balanced Bites

You can use this same idea to braise meat, I.E. with lamb shanks or short ribs that require long slow cooking. Just cook long enough for the meat, remove and put the bones back in for the time required to make stock, and then optionally boil it down to a sauce for the meat, adding in veggies/herbs/tomato sauce/lime juice at the end for even more flavor. Works especially well with Ham Hocks.

And yes this is different from what you buy in the store, with little to no sodium, and you can freeze it for later use as well!

Also worth mentioning, I came across the Four Pillar of Healthy World Cuisine, one of which is simply eating meat cooked with the bone in! So stop paying a premium for less healthy boneless skinless breasts that lack the nutrients the bone provides and the skin contains!

An Epic Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-24T18:22:00.001-08:00

Man I should have started making all this food the day before! This year easily beats last year. More skillz and better ingredients thanks to the superior Paleo way of eating (sorry Vegans, I believe these recipes are healthier than last years dairy and almost meat free ones!).

I won't bore you with my description of all the recipes so this will be more of Thanksgiving Food Porn. Enjoy.

I was excited weeks before for this Heritage Turkey, thanks to El Salchichero. Yes that means eat all the delicious fat possible for those desirable Omega 3's and fat soluble vitamins. A Torchon cooked Sous-Vide so all I had to do was brown the outside (in Ghee, which I am obsessed with all of a sudden) and then heat in the oven for 2 hours. And make stock! But that deserves a whole separate post coming soon for various good reasons.

The Lemon, Sage and Spices wrapped in the inside were absolutely insane!

The 'Gravy' I made by simply reducing some of the stock I made was amazing on everything. No cream or flour included! (I got 3 delicious containers of stock...going to be slurping turkey jelly all day!-stay tuned)

Now onto my plate before dissecting each component:

In the bottom middle is my stuffing. Pictured below steaming in the light! I omitted the sausage/mushrooms and used coconut oil. It was a hit (only dish at the table to compete with a standard 'normal' stuffing). I didn't miss the bread at all.

This had no recipe, just a bit of guidance from SnackingSquirrel and my own experience of eating baked sweet potatoes and squash a couple times a day.

A mix mash of Parsnips, Colored Carrots, Delicata Squash, Acorn Squash, and Kabocha Squash. With a bit of Ghee. Nothing like delicious buttery (better yet-Toffee like thanks to Ghee) squash, especially the mushy Acorn.

A salad dressing thanks to Oh She Glows, followed exactly for once.

I liked the dressing (above) even better than our cranberry sauce, the perfect blend of tart, sweet, and sour and tasty on everything.

Cranberry sauce. Enough said.

Mashed Yams/Sweet Potatoes like last year. This was über popular once again. Simply steam, mash, and mix in 1/2c Coconut Milk and 1 generous Tbsp of Coconut Oil. Creamy, sweet, and delicious, nice with a touch of cranberry sauce/dressing.

Onto making pies. Above are the Pecan Pie filling ingredients about to be processed, it called for 3 eggs but 1 had a double yolk so I got a bonus yolk! I was stoked since that's never happened to me before. Thank you Farm-Fresh Eggs.

Close and personal, this pie ended up quite delicious but a little bit nut buttery/energy bar like. I love it like Almond paste/Marzipan, especially with Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream but am more of a liquidy pecan filling kind of guy.

The epic crust for the Pumpkin Pie. I followed this for both crusts but got way more pecans into the pumpkin one, which made it way better. I could just make it as a cookie if I added a hint of ginger!
Boom.

Pre-Oven Pumpkin Pie.

Pre Oven Pecan.

Donezo! I should of cooked it longer but couldn't because of the crust getting overdone, next time I'll do the crust less the first time around.

I enjoyed with a bit of Fage Greek Yogurt as well as Coconut Bliss Vanilla Bean (which was so good, the bean part so strong it was almost like coffee ice cream). The Pumpkin filling was a bit like Pumpkin pudding, not super firm and very creamy.

They go together quite well. In fact I had a slice of each for breakfast today and again after training.

The whole table, this year only my dishes were present! Except for one imposter stuffing...

Ok I can't take credit for the gourmet turkey, El Salchichero I don't know what I'd do without you.

Cooking from 7 to 5 was well worth it for the 30 minutes of eating (plus several leftover meals).

Now leftovers for days if they last and the wonders of stock coming soon.

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway.

Secret to Greek Yogurt

2011-11-11T09:35:00.001-08:00

It's not really much of a secret actually. It's quite obvious.

It's healthy and good on EVERYTHING. More protein than normal yogurt because it's strained, so less sugar/carbs. Also even easier to digest with less fat. Zero fat makes this yogurt basically pure protein yet it somehow still tastes creamy and delicious, perfect to combine with some healthy fats from nuts or fueling carbs. A good protein-Substitution for everything:

Sweet Potatoes and Yams (like Sour Cream)
Waffles and Pancakes (Like Whipping Cream)
Burritos/Guacamole addition (Sour Cream)
Granola/Cereal/Pumpkin Pudding Cereal
Tzatziki and Other Dipping Sauces
Additions to Soups/Curries
Thickener for Salad Dressing
Fruit

But here we will explore my favorite and less obvious use. On my favorite food ever. Kabocha Squash! Otherwise known as Japanese Pumpkin.

Simply remove seeds and bake for 40-60 minutes at 400º F. Edible skin and all! I top with Cinnamon and Coconut Oil/Butter often, but when I desire something more creamy the yogurt comes in.

And since Greek Yogurt also mixes EPICLY with Cinnamon you must throw some on, Sea Salt also optional and tasty.

So simple, so delicious. I am known to eat mass quantities plain, and even larger with said toppings.

Eat as a snack of accompany with whatever dinner may be, in this case I tried out some Ginger-Sautéed Squid (fresh, local, and cheap from the Farmer's Market) in a massive salad. The sweet creamy tender squash and yogurt combo balanced out the gingery crunchy salad perfectly.

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway.

I also must mention that if you can, also try St Benoit's Yogurt. They are the only yogurt makers i've found that use grass fed cows for their milk. Thus, I get the full fat yogurt (instead of avoiding the corrupted fat from conventionally raised cows) they have when I feel like spending the money, although it is much more runny than Greek. I like to mix it up.

P.S. My interview over at RiseBar is now live! Check it out.

All About Bison

2011-11-10T10:09:00.001-08:00

This is truly 'pasta' done right. Similar to my Newman's experience except with Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes. To clarify, buffalo only exists in Africa, everything in North America is actually a Bison, and you can't get corn fed so your safe on that front. You'll just most likely have to pay for it (like $10/lb).

Just like standard delicious Tomato Basil Garlic Pasta with the Garlic and Onion coming through strong, but mixed up with notes of creamy coconut oil and squash flavored pasta. Bison is naturally a bit leaner than Cow.

I couldn't stop adding things and they were all worth it:

Thyme, Basil, Garlic Powder, Pepper
Garlic and Onions (sautéed, then added herbs/bison and then tomato)
Baby Carrots
Sushi Seaweed (Nori)
Coconut Oil
Steamed Broccoli/Asparagus
1/2 Large Can Fire Roasted Tomato
1/2 Pound Ground Bison
1 Spaghetti Squash, baked at 400º for 1 Hour

Within the pasta it's tough to taste the difference with Bison but on it's own you can tell it tastes leaner and more gamey/earthy. I like.

I'll also leave you with a delicious meal I had at my favorite Marin restaurant, Fish.

The Saigon Salmon Sandwich on a salad instead!

The flavors in this are so strong, salty and gingery and a little sweet on top of an already delicious salmon.

Side of Braised Rainbow Carrots

Simple high quality carrots with tasty Olive Oil and Herbs. Sweet but Savory.

How To Eat Sausage

2011-11-09T20:19:00.000-08:00

I've started to get good at making my daily eggs (free range only! Glaum's Ranch a stone's throw away). 5 on Rest and Recovery Days and 3 on training days.

But this is all about More goodness from my new favorite spot: El Salchichero.

The pork in these sausages comes from happy pigs in Devil's Gulch, where I ride my road bike in Marin all the time!

Buying sausage is definitely not the cheapest, but you considering how AWESOME they taste and the fact that you buy some extra healthy fat as well, you might be able to omit another fat contributing part of your meal like an expensive avocado.

Wow. I wanted to make my own BBQ sauce instead of using some sugary artificial one and it came together so fast and so easy. It works like ketchup on eggs and fries and bbq sauce/mustard on suasage. So bomb.

Just mix a bit of each of the following to taste:

Tomato Paste/Sauce
Vinegar (I used Red Wine Garlic Vinegar)
Garlic Powder
Mustard (I used Spicy Brown)
Pepper

The Sweet Italian Sausage is insane with Fennel and other delicious herbs coming through strong, not spicy at all. I've never tasted better (until below?). This had all the greatest breakfast aspects going on. A ketchup-eggs-potato combo and a mustard-sausage combo, except it was so much more than that (yam instead of potato, etc). A bit of my favorite local Santa Cruz Raw Horseradish-Leek Sauerkraut as well.

The 2nd time was the same except I was a bit more successful in cooking this Quince-Sage Suasage through and getting the eggs presentable. I used no oil in a non-stick for the sausage since it browns better and then begins to 'sweat' anyway, and then only had to supplement a tiny bit of coconut oil to cook the eggs.

Quince is a fruit similar to a pear, which led to an amazing sausage similar to my memories of Campfire Chicken-Apple Sausages. Only better.

And healthier given that pig fat (pasture raised) is more nutrient dense than chicken since they convert and store much more plant matter into their fat.

The Quince Flavor is so much better than apple. I didn't even want to put any of my sauce on it! So tasty, slightly herb-y with the Sage, just a hint. I was quite stoked on this one.

Probably also worth mentioning my new method for yams/sweet potatoes. I slice 'em real thin and toaster-oven them at 350-375º for only 20 minutes or so depending on desired consistency. It's a lot faster for breaky/lunch than doing the standard 400º 1 hour in the oven.

To Eat More Meat

2011-11-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

Ok it's been a while again but I've been working heaps on some exciting new team sponsorship for next year so stay tuned for awesome news on that front...

I've been eating MEAT. Thank you El Salchichero for providing super local pasture raised and grass fed beef/pork/poultry and amazing sausages and cured meats.

Of course you pay a price for the best meat ever, but I will only eat non-conventional beef/pork (and prefer it to lean chicken/fish when it is).

Basically the way I see it animals store everything as fat, so corn+steroids turn into fat in conventional animals, and tons of grass/bugs/plants turn into delicious nutrient dense fat (even more dense than veggies) in the pasture raised.

Thus, for conventional meats, lean cuts are best something like this order: chicken/turkey, fish, pork, lamb, beef. With wild/normally raised animals, the order is the exact opposite.

I save a lot of $$$ going with the cheaper thrifty cuts. Like these Beef Shanks.

I browned them in some Coconut Oil before simmering for 3 hours in 2 parts White Wine, 2 parts Chicken Broth, and 1 Part Water just to submerge, with some random Herbs and Carrots.

The meat was tasty, tender and unchewy. Falling apart and melting in your mouth. The carrots became mashed under steamed veggies/Raw Sauerkraut which tastes like the delicious broth and 100x better than mashed white potatoes.

Best of all were the super fast and easy sweet potato wedges (fries) dipped into the bone marrow fat. Like Dutch fries and 'Mayo', only 100x more nutritious. At $5/lb, these grass fed beef shanks provide so much goodness between the nutrient dense fat and abundant protein. Although I probably upped the cost quite a bit when I used the rest of one of my nice white wines for the broth...

I enjoyed the second one for dinner with a Kale and Rosemary salad, from the garden = so good.

For dressing I used the broth supplemented with Balsamic Vineger. Easy and Bomb.

Once again, the tallow from the bone marrow kicks ass used instead of coconut butter on my Yam. More tasty, cheaper and much more nutritious.

More delicious meats to come. Sausage and ~~Buffalo~~ Bison (more on that) included.

RiseBar

2011-10-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

After a good 3.5 hour training session on the road bike from Santa Cruz to Pescadero and back, I was very excited when I found this at my door from Rise Foods. Even better than MacroBars?

Almond Honey Rise Protein Bars!

For those that know Boomi Bar, they are reintroduced in a whole new look. I was drawn to these for the on the go protein, but much more so for their grain free 3-ingredient list! How could you ask for more? I thought the Paleo plan pretty much put all bars out of the picture, but then...

Their other flavors are creative and delicious as well, never having more than 5 ingredients, the only grain being Amaranth, which is arguably a seed and the least offensive grain (as far as gut irritation goes).

One bar offers:

280 Calories
20g of Protein
13g of Sugar

These are perfect post workout or mixed in with other more carbohydrate heavy sources on longer riders and workouts. They have nearly a 1:1:1 protein, carb, fat ratio which is ideal in my opinion, and don't spike your blood sugar much with a relatively low sugar count compared to all other workout food products.

I was super excited right when I bit in to discover it tastes just like Bit O' Honey, one of my favorite candies growing up. So much sweet Honey, chewy crunchy Almond-ness, and bit creamy.

It actually has the same ingredients... plus a ton of other additives and unhealthy ingredients.

A photo for my interview over on their blog.

I let one of my housemates try just a smidgen of mine and he insisted on making me split the box with him!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

2011-10-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

This post is all about these Grain Free Super Chocolate Cookies which I will be making again, but first a bit about Kombucha!

I've made my own for a while before, but only drink 1-3 bottles per week and with my travel/limited time I've now switched to buying GT's again. Especially since they reintroduced the Classic stronger variety (actually raw, more health benefits) after the Kombucha Outlaw last Summer.

They really give me some good energy as well as help digestion, and now with the Chia varieties, I can sneak in some extra healthy nutrient packed fat with Omega 3's (although my main sources are still fish oil and grass fed meats/pastured eggs and yogurt, since you only convert 10-15% of Omega 3's in the ALA form to the beneficial stuff).

The Chia versions aren't carbonated, so easier to drink for those not used to Kombucha, and they remind me of slurping jello as a child. I've tried Cherry and Raspberry so far and they are delightful.

The also new "Third Eye Chai" flavor which is exactly as awesome as it sounds.

Now for Chocolate. Cookies.

I'd like to call them Triple Dark Chocolate Cookie Dough Almond Fudge Cookies!!!

I actually followed the recipe for once (since it didn't require any grains/sweetener/dairy), almost:

1/4 Cup Cacao Nibs and 2 Squares of 88% Dark Monkey Chocolate (the best)

The changes were good, I would just recommend adding the nibs/chocolate at the end for crumbly purposes. They really are like fudge and cookie dough at the same time, with a tiny hint of delicious salty creamy coconut. Is that possible?

I even made another batch for my house/teammates (using chocolate chips this time, but only melting in some of them), and they all got gobbled right up. I also made one extra cookie separate out of the batch where I really melted most of the chocolate in. It turned into way more of a crunchy biscuity chocolate type cookie! Much less crumble but I loved both variations (cookie dough vs biscuit).

Newman's Own Pasta Sauce Fun

2011-10-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

This is part of a Tastemaker program with Newman's Own! Thanks!

What could it be?

A flip camera??

And delicious healthy real ingredient salad dressings and tomato sauces! Let's see what we can do with Tomato and Basil...

I first tasted it plain, and the Basil is sooo good. Very evident and fresh tasting. I love basil therefore I love it. The tomato factor has just the right amount of salty and sweet. I knew it would go perfect on some Spaghetti Squash Pasta.

For one hungry athlete:

The Meat (Optional)

5oz Lamb Shoulder Chops
1t Coconut Oil
Dried Thyme and Chopped Chives
1-2oz Beef Jerky

The Pasta

1 600-700g Spaghetti Squash
3/4c or 200g Newman's Own Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
1t Coconut Oil
1T Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Ground Pepper

The Salad

Herb Salad Mix, Cucumber, Tomato, Avocado
Macadamia Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar
Fresh Ground Pepper

Use 1 Spaghetti Squash with 5oz of cubed meat of your choice (I sautéed Lamb Shoulder Chops in Coconut Oil with Thyme, Chopped Chives, and Cumin), and 1-2oz of Beef Jerky torn into bits.

Slice in half before or after baking at 375ºF for 30-45minutes until soft. Scoop out and discard seeds and then run a fork from top to bottom and scoop out the flesh into a dish. The more you run a fork through, the more pasta-like, the less, the more squash like.

Melt in 1 Tbsp of Coconut Oil for some creamy texture and a little hint of flavor.

Pour 3/4 Cup Tomato Basil Sauce with some fresh Rosemary (about 1/2T, mine was right out of the garden!) and a few turns of Fresh Ground Pepper. Mix Well.

Then mix in the meat/jerky (or tempeh/tofu), and accompany with a nice Herb Salad. Mine was composed of Herb Salad Mix, Japanese Cucumber peeled and chopped, sliced Heirloom Tomato, Avocado, and the other 1/2T of fresh Rosemary. A quick salad dressing of Macadamia Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar (1T each), and of course some more Fresh Ground Pepper.

The already delicious pasta sauce combined with some Rosemary and Pepper, a hint of Coconut, and then slightly squash flavored 'pasta', and you have yourself one of the most delicious meals! The Lamb is pairs up quite well and the Jerky acts like Bacon, mixing up the texture some more. I love the sometimes pasta sometimes squash bites!

You could also skip the salad dressing and use one of the awesome Newman's Own options, however I cannot enjoy them due to the dairy and walnut content. However, my housemates are enjoying them to their fullest and love them!

This meal is the ultimate nutrient packed lowish carb healthy fat and protein powerhouse! Just the right amount of sodium in the sauce, and only real ingredients, not a huge list. That's how you refuel with simple meat and veggies and lots of flavor!

Foodie App Fun

2011-10-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

Besides my digital kitchen scale (which I use for quick nutrition, recipes and portioning in a jiffy-pre race best overnight oats stress free), my smartphone serves as an essential kitchen tool.

Beyond making notes all day about what i'm going to make, eat, or buy and looking at lots of nutrition and food blogs/recipes online, these are the following apps which come to my rescue on the regular.

Seafood Watch

This app by Monterey Bay Aquarium is a progressive and fun tool for finding and choosing the best sea food, for your health and the planet.

Quick and simple guide as to which fish to avoid (including from where and how they are caught)
Search Project Foodmap which locates fish around you, and you can add fish that you find to the project, increasing your profile rank the more fish you add

No more struggling to find and make simple choices on the ever complex subject of choosing healthy sustainable fish!

MyFood

There a lot of calorie and nutrition apps out there, and you could always just use google, but I rely on this because it's free, has most things I want to look up and does not require web access.

You can search to find the food, you get to see the entire nutritional breakdown, and it really has most foods available, like Quail Eggs!

Locavore

This app is super cool in my opinion. I have always tried to look up what's in season and it's usually inefficient and wishy washy given the area, so this is incredibly handy.

You can:

Find local markets in your area,
Browse foods to see when they are in season,
See what is in/coming in season in your area (automatically switches as you move to new places).
Not sure about what a food is? Quick links to recipes and wikipedia fix that as well.

For converting measurements I use google or Convert Units a lot.

Self explanatory:

I hope you try out some of these apps and benefit your healthy living life!

Eggs Eggs Eggs

2011-10-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

This post is all about Eggs. And Squash. They've become staples. Cereal grains for breakfast=less healthy, more expensive, and more lame!

My breakfasts have been split between acai bowls and other epic bowls with protein powder and the following breakfasts, I've be

Stocking up: Grass Fed / Free Range Meats, Wild Salmon, Free Range Eggs, Loads of Veggies, Nuts, Sauerkraut and Canned Pumpkin (note it's all whole foods!)

Since cholesterol and saturated fat are not a problem, especially with local free range eggs, I've determined them to be an optimum protein and fat source. The omega 3 fats they provide are also essential (reducing my omega 6 intake and upping omega 3's has really helped my knee tendonitis).

3 Eggs, 1/2 Can Butternut Squash, Nutritional Yeast and Nut Butter

I've found that 3-4 eggs (3 if im going straight to train, 4 if i'll hang out for a bit) is the proper amount to prepare me for training with out getting hungry super early in my ride or feeling too full.

They can go savory with Sea Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper, and Nutritional Yeast or sweet with heaps of Coconut and Cinnamon. I either hardboil them in advance for super fast breaky's or use the simple and easy poke n' spread method (with coconut oil of course). Canned Squash goes especially well with the Yeast.

Super convenient just like the best overnight oats versus making oatmeal in the morning!

Better yet, use left over Yams for the Cinnamon and Coconut themed version (also an awesome sweet potato combo).

Or go all out and use leftover Kabocha Squash, and a side of Cashew Yogurt with Cocoa Powder and Cinnamon mixed in. Sea Salt, Coconut Oil, and Cinnamon directly on the eggs.

Cashew yogurt is so good on its own and so easy to make, and is even better when you add in cocoa and cinnamon. And then eggs and squash...The awesomeness never ends! I wish it was breakfast right now...

I discovered with the other 1/2 can of Butternut Squash (never bought it canned before) that it goes epicly in salads-or anything probably- as long as some Nutritional Yeast is generously sprinkled all over!

A Massaged Kale Salad w/ a Lemon, Macadamia Oil (the best), and Cider Vinegar Dressing, Heirloom Tomato, Sauerkraut, Avocado, Carrots, Canned Squash, Yeast

Macadamia Oil is a must add to your pantry. It's low omega 6 content and nutty flavor make it superior to olive oil for salad dressings and a great way to change things up. Hard to find but some health food stores definitely carry the Now Foods Brand.

My Power Pancake!

2011-10-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

I've made power pancakes before, but I can confidently say they were modeled/inspired by and don't live up to these. Other than Lenny and Larry's The Complete Cookie, these are a good buyable healthy tasty food!

Thanks to Alan at AbsClubLA where you can purchase these tasty and nutritious babies online!

Right now I only have the Chocolate Chip Hempseed flavor, but I really shouldn't say only.

I would say they are a cross between an epic breakfast oatmeal cookie without lots of oats and a chocolate chip pancake with some extra delicious dried fruit and seeds. And 100x more nutritious ingredients. Good on the go, or enjoy them at home after softening in the microwave if that's your thing or making them nice and toasty in a toaster/toaster oven. Getting some nice warm melty chocolate chips is always a bonus. Could even top with nut butters, yogurt, etc for extra fun.
*I must mention that I toasted one with some coconut butter to melt all over the top and it was off the hook!

I love dates and chocolate. Enough said. Just try them!

Thankfully, they are wheat free, so the gluten content is low in the rye flour. Also no dairy so happy digestion all around (no eggs either for the vegan fans out there).

Great for pre or post workout nutrition, providing plenty of carb fuel/refuel along with just enough fat and protein for fuel/rebuilding, but not overworked digestion (and not super high glycemic raising sugar carbs that will just make you crash/not last long either). I also use them for longer lasting exercise like rides well over 2 hours.

At $2 a pancake (plus discounts!) they are competitively priced for buying what I would consider an unprocessed real food that is excellent on the go or pairing with exercise/workouts. Far more nutrients (and same calories/$) than what you get in your standard $2 sports bar!

I'm really excited to get my hands on the Carob Chip and Mango flavors!

Thai Lime Coconut Chicken Curry

2011-10-13T17:17:00.000-07:00

It's a great thing when farmer's markets lead you to good deals and fresh healthy whole foods. It's even better when they are new and way more delicious than your basic go to items. Thank you to the Santa Cruz Farmer's Markets (I've been frequenting many of the different daily ones)

(photo from Serious Eats) A new squash experience: More Sweet and Nutty than others!

This tasted ridiculously delicious. Way better than anything I should be able to create from random. It gets its own dedicated post!

It started with Delicata Squash and Kaffir Lime Leaves (also labeled as makroot leaves). They are both epic. So much flavor in just one whole food each. Thank you to the staff at the UCSC Campus Farmer's Market for the suggestions (not the combo, just the individual ingredients).

Then combine with lots of other good spices, herbs, and ingredients and I don't know how I do it. No need for grains/bread/legumes/dairy when you have super extra delicious whole foods that are even excellent on their own, and provide way more nutrition.

Sometimes I'm stoked on the food I make. Other times I like it so much it's almost less enjoyable because I'm bummed that everyone I know can't enjoy it as well! This is by far one of those times. Creamy, sweet, a little spicy but not really, a little tangy but not fruity. Excellent textures for days.

First time in a while I've done some real cooking/put a bit of extra time in and it was so incredibly worth it. Ahhhhh satisfaction. Ok onto the ingredients:

Chicken Breast (from earlier) baked with Basil, Thyme, Coconut Oil, splash of Temari
1/2-2/3 Can Lite Coconut Milk with several Kaffir Lime Leaves, 1/4 bunch Cilantro, 2T Lemon Juice, 2 shakes Dried Basil, 1T Green Thai Curry Paste, 1 Chopped Shallot
1 Baked Delicata Squash sliced/in coconut oil
Grilled Brussel Sprouts with Mustard Powder, S&P, Coconut Oil

I baked the chicken in the oven at 375º for 20 minutes and then sliced it up. The squash was 400º for 45min-hour (until super soft and browning). I browned the Sprouts on medium high heat at first and then reduced the heat to low to cook for a pretty long time, covered, until starting to get soft, and then added the curry mix (mix all ingredients in bowl w/ hand blender or food processor/blender), squash, and chicken.

This was the perfect meal for me to refuel and prepare to rebuild for another day. The proper protein from a free range boneless skinless chicken breast, just enough healthy fat from almost a full can of coconut milk (I could do a full can if extra hungry), and 1 whole winter squash that's not too big or too small. And a hearty flavorful meal at that!

I must make this over and over again. Hopefully in XL quantities to share and store for later. Definitely the best chicken curry sauce i've made!

I'd also like to use a red purple onion (never know which to call them) because they taste so good in curry's! Sweet yet with a bite.

Persimmons and Pumpkin Smoothie Epic Bowl Fun

2011-10-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

I've finally jumped onto the Fall Bandwagon! Pumpkin Pie Spices (I don't have the actual mix), Pumpkin, and Persimmon in everything! My favorite time of year (been waiting for persimmons for so long!!!).

Bam: First Fall Breakfast!

I have been into using the frozen Acai Smoothie Packs from my freezer and they've been making some epic bowls. This one went:

Acai
Pumpkin
Persimmon
Hazelnut Butter and Macadamia Nuts
Pumpkin Pie Spices (Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, ~~Cloves~~)
Vanilla Protein Powder

I'm burned out on cloves since I hit them heavy handed a few times and ruined too many foods. Hazelnut goes epicly with the spices though, and the persimmons are sweet and creamy within the amalgamation of yummy vanilla protein and acai. Also more of my new favorite hot cocoa (note that delicious melty drop of coconut oil, mmmm).

This time in the bowl went:

Pumpkin (maybe 1/4c)
1T Chia Seeds
2 Scoops Vanilla Whey
2-3T Nonfat Greek Yogurt
Pumpkin Pie Spices
Topped with a bunch of Melty Coconut Butter
Persimmon

At this point when I open a can of pumpkin I can just eat it straight without any extra sweetener or spices, but I've held back for the most part to make it even better first...

The Turtle Shell Chocolate Sauce - Coconut Butter trick is quite delicious (fun?), and I definitely enjoy pumpkin pie flavoring (I've literally had it in so many smoothies/recovery drinks/breakfast bowls recently), but also the Vanilla Whey with Chia Seeds combo makes an epic vanilla poppy seed theme/texture.

I also experimented with Pumpkin Pie Hot Cocoa. Pretty good (just added Pumpkin Pie Spices and 1-2T Pumpkin to my regular combo), although definitely something to be in the mood for since my regular mix is so tasty already. I might try way more pumpkin next time.

*On a side note hard boiled egg yolks mix into the pumpkin quite well for a pleasant creamy taste (I definitely mixed some hard boiled eggs into my pumpkin breakfast bowls a couple of times).

Here's another meal replacement/recovery smoothie party I had:

I went with:

Frozen Banana + Blueberries
Vanilla Whey Protein
Macadamia Nuts
Ginger Juice/Ginger Powder
a Persimmon, Macadamias, Coconut Flakes, Cacao Nibs, and a Coconut Chocolate Chip Macaroon mixed in

These Cocoroons are straight up dangerous. Way too good.

It was creamy, gingery, sweet and full of delicious cookie like crunchies. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Enough said.

Now I just have to step it up and actually bake with pumpkin and persimmon instead of being lazy and eating them in quickie breakfast bowls/smoothies! Stay tuned...

Guest Post: Racing Weight

2011-10-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

I recently started following a pretty sweet blog, Feerless Food. I've been in touch with Chuck who seems super cool and since we have very similar healthy living styles I thought a guest post would be appropriate. It's not quite heavy on the food porn/recipe side, but very relevant and I agree with everything in it. Every time i've mentioned on here a clean streak...

Being that this will be read by many athletes and especially endurance athletes, I know a lot of you may be familiar with Matt Fitzgerald and books such as Racing Weight as well as his other articles. The focus of these books and articles are about being at the ideal weight for you to race at where you will your fastest. However, having been there myself, a number of us, ignoring the principles the Matt clearly lays out in his book, take the wrong approach to getting down to what we define arbitrarily to ourselves to be our “Racing weight”. We often assume that if we weigh as little as possible, we will automatically be faster, but this is not always the case. Here are my considerations for your Racing Weight and ways that approaching this in the wrong fashion can actually hurt your performance.

First off, weight loss is often assumed to with a caloric decrease, a calories burned increase, of a combination of the two. I don’t believe that to be the whole story, but that’s for another article. This being said, we assume that if we eat less and exercise more, then we will lose weight. This is likely, but if you are not doing it intelligently, your performance will decrease. If you cut out too many calories, you are not going to have the energy or the stamina to complete the hard workouts you engage in with the hope of getting faster. To become a better athlete, you must train smart, and this means pushing yourself through a focused workout which takes fuel. If you can’t make it through a workout due to a lack of nutrition, you aren’t going to become a faster athlete.

On the flip side, by skipping post-workout nutrition, your body is not going to recover from a tough workout and you’re going to experience the same lack of results described above, not to mention perpetuating the cycle of not having reserves for your next workout.

Your Race Weight is also not the lowest weight you can achieve. It’s where you are the fastest. If you are already lean and strong, losing any more weight could be a really harmful idea. Let’s take the example of a triathlon: if you think losing 5 more pounds will help you be faster for your bike and run, maybe you’re right to an extent. Let’s say that by losing 5 pounds you decrease your bike by 4 minutes and run by 1 minute. So you’ve saved 5 minutes from the weight loss.

But let’s think about where that weight is coming from—likely muscles and your fuel stores which you REQUIRE to help get through a race. Thus, in our example, this loss of muscle costs you 8 extra minutes on the bike due to being underfed and a loss of muscle, making it so you can’t reach the speed you are capable on the bike. This fatigue carries over to the run and costs you and additional 4 minutes on your run time. This adds up to a 12 minute disadvantage.

If we add the 12 minute gain to the 5 minute decrease, you’re still 7 minutes slower overall.

You may completely bonk all together. You are expending way more energy on race day than in your training and, thus, your body may not be able to handle the increased workload if it is not fueled properly.

So instead of focusing on losing weight to get to my “race weight” what should I focus on, you say?

Wild salmon with mushroom, onions, and steamed broccoli

I say, take the time when you would focus on getting to racing weight, and instead focus on eating “race nutrition”. If you had planned to try to lose a little weight in the last 2 weeks before the race, instead focus on eating a very clean, unprocessed, high-octane diet. This can mean no processed food, cooking all your own meals, not skipping any meals, and eating appropriately around your workouts. This becomes extremely important as recovery and “pre-covery” are key. Making sure you have proper fuel to begin a workout will help you get through it, but also aid in buffering some of the muscle breakdown that the workout will cause. Along with the solid snack, this is where taking something like an amino acid can help.

"Kona Punch"

After the workout is even more important, so that as your muscles breakdown during exercise, they are immediately built back up with solid nutrition. Doing this will ensure your muscles and body have the fuel stores they need on race day.

HoneyMilk

With proper nutrition, you in fact lose a few pounds, who knows. Your body will find the weight it wants to race at, and to try and manipulate that is not a good idea, especially for a more taxing event.

So the key takeaway I leave you with- focus on race nutrition, not race weight. Proper fueling is the key to success not being as light as possible!

These are just my thoughts so take it for what you will, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. If you have any questions or opinions, please let me know and I’d love to discuss with you!

Also, thank you to everyone who saw some of my Tweets earlier this week and sent me encouraging messages! I was going through a rough time and I will be blogging about it later this week, but wanted to say thank you. I would write that post now, but I really wanted to get this out there first. Hope everyone is having an amazing week!

Thoughts on “racing weight”?

Canada To Cali

2011-10-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

A few quick inclusions from the trip from Canada to Cali:

A pretty dialed meal as far as eating while driving goes. Well balanced bursting with flavor and super healthy.

I am obsessed with these Bombay Curry Kale Chips! They are extra tasty with a bit of spice and all good ingredients. Some yummy big clusters and they remind me a little bit of childhood BBQ Lays.

The Grass Fed-Teriyaki Jerky was pretty good too.

More of the Standing Stone Brewery! I wish I could eat here so many more times to try everything on the menu!

I had to try their in-house kimchee, and it was delicious. Lots of ginger and they use real chile flakes to avoid the preservatives in other kimchee seasonings/peppers. Different (the ginger factor) but quite good. And they let me sub it for the salmon's pub mashers!

Wild Alaskan Salmon Fillet

So goooood! A quality fish but the highlight was the sauce on top, lemony with a hint of curry/cumin, definitely Thai-influenced. Served over a delicious mix of sautéed veggies.

I can't wait for the Ashland Mountain Challenge in 2012 so I can go here again!

Quick Tasty Experimentation

2011-09-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

I made an effort to use up my waffles after having an excess post waffle-testing (and having to leave for home).

This was a bit of the standard set up: Toaster-ovened with or without the Blueberries and Cacao Nibs at the same time, and accompanied/mixed with Vanilla Vegan Protein Powder mixed with just enough water and PLENTY of Cinnamon. Hot Cocoa for occasional dunkage.

Then I had an idea...

Gluten Free French Toast Waffles? Taffles?

After seeing so many delicious egg/quinoa bakes and other similar bakes in the food blog world I decided to just throw some of my favorite free range eggs in the toaster oven with my waffles. Definitely an easy and delicious way to enjoy a French Toast like waffle providing the essential morning fat, carb, and protein! Cinnamon and Cacao Nibs included. A little soggy and a little crunchy for the win.

Another morning I tried out making some high protein more blueberry muffins to use up the last of my brown rice flour and quinoa.

They were a little dry, but rose the right amount. Super sweet, tart, and delicious blueberry clusters were epic (I used a lot!).

Melting coconut oil all over the top makes up for a bit of the dryness and is super tasty.

Epic Blueberry Insides

I don't know if the recipe is sharing but I'll include it anyways for inspiration/if you feel like using up some brown rice flour and quinoa flour or quinoa. And lots of Blueberries!

2 Eggs
1c Blueberries
1/2c Brown rice flour
1/4c Quinoa flour
1/4c Whey protein
2g Baking soda
50g Olive oil
20g Agave nectar 40g Brown rice syrup
Dash of Salt
Cinnamon 6g
Contents of 1 Vanilla Bean

Baked for 27.5 minutes at 350ºF.

All of these Gluten Free treats make me extra happy because A) I've discovered that the less wheat I eat, the less my knee tendonitis bugs me when I ride (no advil or rocktape needed) and B) Aaron Gwin (best American mountain biker ever thus far, just truly came out of the woodwork this year and won the world cup overall) is gluten free!