180-mile Journey.. Houston to Austin on a bike seat

This year I have been lucky enough to join many others and have signed up for the BP MS150, a two day fundraising cycling ride organized by the National MS Society. We will ride our bikes from Houston to Austin, a 180 mile journey. Along with riding my bike for 2 days, I need to raise funds for the MS Society. Please help me in this journey by making a donation to my page.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/TXHBikeEvents?px=7603712&pg=personal&fr_id=12962

Turkey Stuffed Tomatoes

This was very easy too make. The only thing that really took any time was gutting the tomatoes. I got this recipe from PaleoBlocks Blogspot.

Ingredients:

3 firm large tomatoes (I used 5 as you can see)
2 cups cooked ground turkey ( I just used a whole package of Jenny-O turkey and it filled 5 tomatoes just right. I used the taco seasoning turkey meat and it added a great favor)

(I double up on everything else below)
1/4 cup walnut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped
1 tsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
3/4 tsp thyme

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground turkey meat. Cut a hole in the top of the tomatoes and scoop pulp out. Mix turkey meat with the rest of the ingredients. Stuff the tomatoes with the mixture. Bake in glass baking dish for 10-15 minutes.

See very easy to make. Pretty tasty as well.. Hard to eat though. I just end up cutting up the tomatoe and then scooping a little meat with each bite.

Enjoy!

Paleo Blueberry Coconut Muffins

I received this recipe from CrossFit Santa Cruz Central. These tasted pretty good to me, but the texture was a little different than a muffin. It was more of an airy quiche then a muffin. But they did taste well.

Paleo Blueberry Coconut Muffins

Recipe:
1/2 C organic coconut flour (I couldn’t find coconut flour so I used almond flour)
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1/4 C walnut oil or coconut oil (I used coconut oil)
1/4 C agave nectar
6 eggs
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. sea salt (optional) (I’m not a salt fan, so I skipped this)
1 C fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen and it worked well)

Blend together oil, eggs, agave, and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and salt, and mix together well, until there are no lumps. Fold in blueberries. Spay muffin tins and/or muffin tin liners with spray oil (to prevent sticking). Fill muffins tins about 3/4 full.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 17-19 minutes. This easily made 12 muffins.

• I would use muffin tins (the foil ones) I used the paper ones and they started to stick to the muffin, even with spraying them.

Eggs Poached in Marinara (Very Easy)

I thought this recipe was a good change for breakfast on the weekends. I personally thought the recipe calls for too much marinara per an egg. I have reduced to 1/2 per an egg.

Eggs Poached in Marinara (I got from Food Renegade)
Ingredients:
• As many eggs from pastured hens as you want to serve.
• At least 1 c. of marinara or other favorite pasta sauce per egg.

Directions:
In a deep dish skillet bring marinara sauce to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium low so that the sauce is no longer bubbling. With a spoon, create “slots” for your eggs — tiny indentations in the marinara that will act like “bowls” in the sauce and hold your eggs in their places. Crack open one egg per slot.

Cover the skillet with lid and be patient. Cook eggs until they reach your desired consistency. I personally like them with runny yolks, but some may like them cooked hard.

Spoon eggs and a generous portion of sauce into serving bowls. Enjoy!

Almost had a visit by Pukey!

I have started personal training (“PT”) with one of our very own CrossFit rockstars and Bayou City Angel Katie Russell. Yesterday was my second time to meet with her. I thought we were friends, but I was mistaken; she actually hates me. (J/K)
I have chosen to take on a PT to help me in the areas that need improving: Pullups (more than one at a time), tricep pushups (nipples to mat), box jumps (like a spring), double-unders (without having to clear out a path behind me), speed (no commentary needed here, it just sucks).. the list goes on and on. I can do them all, but there is room for improvement in ALL and so much more.

CrossFit is known for pushing people to the limits and even takes a little pride in making people puke. Hence, the Mascot Pukey the Clown. I have been doing CrossFit for over a year now and in that time I have almost puked once. Maybe I haven’t been pushing myself as much I think I am. Yesterday Katie had me working on sprint work. Holy cow. Twice Pukey almost visited. (Thanks Katie for going in and getting Vic so if it did happen there would be more witnesses, I’m telling you there is some pride in it). Who would think a minute forty-five of work could hurt so badly. After my PT session last night I was whooped. That’s what it is all about right. I’m looking forward to how my results will be changing in the near future (and my body).

I urge all of you that want to improve on your skills to look at personal training, Bayou City has some great coaches that offer there services and knowledge of the craft. It has its rewards.

400 Sprint back in August 1:58; Yesterday 1:45

Jambalaya

Last night I made another tasty receipe from Mark's Daily Apple. This did take a little time to prepare with all the ingrediants and chopping, but was fairly simple. And it made a lot. Would be great for those cold nights we have been having. Would also be great to just leave in a crockpot for a Super Bowl Party.

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, cut in bite-size pieces
1 lb. sausage (I used a spicy pepper sausage from Trader Joe's) I used a jalepeno flavored sausage
Olive oil... about 1/4 C (or less)
1 small yellow onion, chopped I used a whole pretty good size onion, but i like onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained, low sodium i used a can that had itilian seasoning
1.5 C low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1-2 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 large head of cauliflower
2 C shelled, deveined and cleaned shrimp (I got a 16oz bag at Trader Joe's) I just used a whole back of the small salad size shrimp
some fresh ground pepper to taste! I used cayenne pepper

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and brown chicken pieces and sausage over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. When onion becomes translucent, transfer to a large pot and add tomatoes, broth, thyme, and parsley. Simmer.... While jambalaya is simmering make some cauliflower rice: Put cauliflower in food processor ( I don't have a food processor, so i just chopped into pieces) and shred until it becomes the consistency of rice. Then, add cauliflower "rice" to the mixture and simmer, uncovered for another 10-15 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer another 5+ minutes. Add some pepper to taste!

This is approximately 4 - 1.5 C servings. (Zone blocks: 3F, 2P, 1C)