BBQ Chicken Thighs and Celery Salad

Celery Salad... This was awesome! Thanks Neile and Miriam for recommending this! Recipe from Marks's Daily Apple.

Ingredients:

1 bunch (12-15 stalks) celery, plus leaves

1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Chop the celery stalks and leaves into bite-sized pieces. Mix together with almonds. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Drizzle dressing on top of celery and almonds and stir well. Makes approximately 4 servings.

I served it with BBQ's chicken thighs and zucchini. Marinade chicken thighs in:

1 C white wine

3 T lemon juice

2 T chopped oregano

2 T chopped thyme

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp onion powder

Marinate for at least 4-6 hours! BBQ to your liking and served with steamed zucchini! This meal is about 3 blocks ! Take the skin off the thighs to cut the fat a little more! Enjoy!

* Zone/Paleo challenge is here! I was so pleased to see such a wonderful turnout! Congratulations to all of you... this is going to be GREAT!!!

Remember to KEEP your food log! Turn in weekly! To either myself or Michele.

Let's get lean!! :)

Start Your Day Off Strong!

I love omelets! They're so easy, and you can put just about anything in them! This omelet just has 1/2 a tomato and a few diced green onions (some fresh ground pepper on top). This is a typical 2 block morning for me. I always include an omega-3 gel capsule and an Emergen-C packet, too (I like the taste, and I figure it certainly can't hurt). I look forward to my morning meals. Absent from this picture is my "must-have" cup of coffee!! With a great start on the day, I feel ready to tackle any CrossFit WOD I happen to walk into! (Well, at least that's what I tell myself). Happy Friday!

**Don't forget the Zone/Paleo Challenge starts September 1st!!! Getting started information meeting THIS Sunday at 12:30. Please email Michele Mootz if you can attend!

Grilled Tuna Patties for Lunch!

This was our post-Helen lunch! Once I was capable of driving home, and the sick feeling in my stomach went away, I realized I was hungry! With the husband home for the day, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out these tuna patties. I thought they were really good!

Ingredients:

1 7oz can solid white albacore tuna packed in water, thoroughly drained

2 egg whites

1 cup grated zucchini

1 clove minced garlic

2 T chopped fresh parsley

pepper

celery salt (optional)

paprika

1-2 tsp. olive oil

Combine tuna, egg whites, zucchini, garlic, parsley, pepper and celery salt. Mix well and form into two patties. There will be a little liquid left over, and the patties will be kind of loose... that's okay. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Grill tuna patties on medium heat until brown. Gently flip patties to brown the other side. I added a little more oil to prevent sticking. Sprinkle with paprika for added color. I served them on a bed of romaine lettuce leaves and with a side of cantaloupe. Yummy!

*Zone/Paleo Challenge Information Meeting!!! This Sunday @ 12:30 pm. Please email Michele Mootz if you plan on attending! Get some helpful tips on getting started!!!

Primal Jambalya

We went to our friends house for dinner the other night (for the Mad Men premiere), and they served this wonderful Paleo Jambalaya dish (recipe from The Daily Apple... http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-jambalaya/). It was SO very tasty and I can't wait to make it again myself! Thanks Josh & Melissa for the great food and a great evening!!!!

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb andouille sausage, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced crushed
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1.5 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp dried leaf thyme
1 tbsp parsley (fresh is preferable, but dried will do in a pinch!)
1 tsp chili powder
1 large head of cauliflower
2 cups shelled, deveined and cleaned shrimp
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and lightly cook the sausage and chicken over medium heat. Once golden, add onion, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until onion becomes translucent. Transfer items from the frying pan into a large pot. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, thyme, parsley and chili powder and bring to a simmer. While the mixture is simmering (you’ll want to let it go for about 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally), place the cauliflower in a food processor and shred until it becomes the consistency of rice. Add the cauliflower “rice” to the mixture and simmer for another 15 minutes until tender. Add shrimp and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust other spices as needed. Serve piping hot. Serves 6.

For you zoners... as far as I can tell from the recipe information: A serving is about 1 cup... and is about 2 blocks fat & protein. Add some carbs to balance this out. Yummmy... I highly recommend! :)

Tequila Lime Shrimp

Well, my husband was at the Giants game, my kids were invited to the neighbors for pizza, so I was on my own for dinner. In this situation I always crave shrimp! It's just so easy to take the exact amount out from the freezer... it's quick... and it's delicious. I buy the 2 lb. raw, tail on, jumbo shrimp from Costco. It's a household staple!

7 shrimp

2 cloves garlic

2 T chopped cilantro

juice from 1/2 lime

splash Tequila

I sauteed garlic and chopped cilantro in olive oil, then added the shrimp and cooked until pink. Then I squeezed lime juice over the top and stirred. Just before serving, I added a splash of Tequila. This is 2 blocks protein and fat... so, I had a salad with it to balance it out. It was very tasty!

~ Zone/Paleo challenge starting soon! Check out the official Zone site for some information on getting started on the zone. Check out Robb Wolf's site for some great Paleo and gluten free information. Another great site for information on the Paleo diets is: http://www.thepaleodiet.com/

Zone/Paleo Challenge!

Are you interested in improving your performance in the gym? Do you want a better Fran time? Increase your max rep pull-ups? Push-ups? Shed some time off your 1-mile run or 2000m row? Or get that 1 ½ body weight dead lift?

CFSCC will be having a Zone Paleo challenge. This is an opportunity to apply nutritional principals to your crossfit. Why Zone? Why Paleo Zone? Because it works! You will see a decrease in body fat and an increase in lean muscle. You’ll notice increased energy levels and improved recovery. You will notice an increase in your athletic performance. You will simply… feel great!

Challenge rules:

• Eat Zone or Paleo Zone (your choice) for three months. Keep following the Eat This blog for helpful information on getting started.
• Keep a daily food log. Include everything (even slip-ups)… it happens!
• Cost: $20.00 to be put into a “kitty” for the winner.
• Two before pictures (taken at the gym). Why? It’s motivation! Pictures tell it all. Remember, this is NOT about pounds lost… it’s about changing your body composition & getting lean! Your privacy will be completely respected! Photos will be a front view and a back view. Men in shorts. Women in sports bra and shorts. Pictures to be taken between Aug. 25-Sept. 01.
• Benchmark workouts. Know your stats! Within the last month, you’ll need 1 board workout (we’ve recently done Jackie, Filthy Fifty, The Chief), a run or row time, a max effort, and a 1-rep max lift (we just did back squats). These benchmark workouts will be ran again close to the end of the challenge.
• Two after pictures. These will be taken Nov. 23 & 24 (same poses, same place, same type clothing).
• CFSCC trainers, and myself will pick the top people who have had the most change in body composition, as well as the largest gains in their benchmark performances.
• Winner gets entire kitty, plus a CFSCC t-shirt, to boot!

Are you up for the challenge? Sign up now in the gym!

Now.... Here's a quick and tasty appetizer that my cousin, Paul made while he was visiting!

Bacon wrapped scallops!

Wrap scallops in a piece of bacon, secure with a toothpic. In a non-stick pan, on med. hi heat, cook scallop on all sides until bacon is browned (scallops cook quick, just get the bacon cooked). We had two scallops each for about 1 block fat & protein. I had a 4oz glass of white wine to balance it out! :) Thanks, Paul!

Stuffed Peppers & Zucchini

I finally used the Zucchini I got from a friend with a garden (thanks, Narine)! I highly recommend finding a friend with a garden! Home grown veggies are the best!!!

I've been wanting to try a recipe like this for quite awhile. So glad I did. It was really tasty. Even the kids liked it (well one kid liked it, the other thought the idea of stuffing a "vegetable" with perfectly good meat was just absurd!).

I used two small, roundish, home-grown zucchini, and two bell peppers, cut length-wise. Scoop out center of zucchini and reserve (save 1/2 from each). Clean out center of pepper, too.

Stuffing ingredients:

1 lb. ground pork sausage

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 C sweet red pepper, diced

1/2 can (8 oz. diced tomatoes)

2 T chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. onion powder

zucchini reserve

I sauteed the garlic in 1 tsp garlic infused olive oil (yes, I like garlic), then added the red pepper and zucchini reserve. In a separate pan I browned ground pork sausage, and added the garlic, pepper mixture. Then I added the diced tomatoes (I haven't cracked a can of diced tomatoes since I gave up pasta!). Once everything was mixed well, I stuffed the peppers and zucchini.

This was a perfect amount of stuffing to fill the 8 halves. Each zucchini half or pepper half is about 2 blocks (fat and protein). I had one of each, plus 1 1/2 C green salad, for a substantial 4 block Paleo dinner! I am so glad there are leftovers... Have a great weekend!

QUICK Sausage Stir Fry

Dinner tonight was accompanied with a berry salad! I used strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. I have some crazy chocolate mint growing wildly in my yard. Seriously, there is NO stopping it. But, it is wonderful in fruit salads!
I needed an easy and quick dinner tonight. This fit the bill perfectly!!

1 bag broccoli slaw

1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips

1 zucchini, sliced

3 chicken sausage (sweet Italian style from TJ's)

2 tsp. olive oil

2 T lemon juice

3 cloves garlic

I grilled sausages in my grill pan (for the pretty lines). In my stir fry pan I sautéed garlic in olive oil, then added all the other ingredients (including sausage, which I sliced). It cooks quick. I added lemon juice, and covered for a couple minutes to slightly steam veggies. This serves two, and is a 3 block Paleo dinner... be sure to add 1 1/2 C berry salad to balance out the blocks! This was all put together in 30 minutes...max! Hope you enjoy this quick fix! :)

Rolled Chicken Breasts

Allow some prep time for this, but it's worth it!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, pounded thin (save the chicken tenders for delicious "protein bombs" later)

4 slices bacon

2 cups spinach

3 cloves garlic

1/4 C diced shallots

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin julienned strips

paprika, and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp olive oil

tooth pics

Saute garlic and shallots in olive oil, and add spinach. Set aside. After pounding chicken, season breasts with fresh ground pepper. Fill each breast with 1/4 of spinach mixture (in the center of chicken breast). Place julienned bell pepper strips on top of spinach mixture. Roll chicken breasts. Wrap 1 slice bacon around rolled chicken breast and place a tooth pic through the center to hold it in place. Sprinkle with paprika and black pepper for added color. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes (until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175). Then, broil for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the bacon. Each breast is 4 blocks protein, 1 block carbohydrate and 2 blocks fat (leftovers make great lunches, too). I served this dinner with sauteed spinach and about a cup of sliced honey dew melon (and I had room for a glass of chardonnay)!

I wish I could say it'll make you forget the "Filthy Fifty", but I'm afraid it has no such powers. Hope you enjoy!

Nothing Like a Good Burger!

Lunch today satisfied my hamburger craving and appetite!

I used extra lean ground beef (93/7), which made 4 large patties.

Combine about 1 lb. ground beef with:

1 egg

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 T dried minced onion

1 T worcestershire sauce

Fresh ground pepper

Form into patties (they will seem slightly sticky)

BBQ or grill to your liking. I used lettuce leaves instead of hamburger buns, and added sliced tomato, sliced pickle, and onion. It was juicy and delicious as it was... I felt no need for condiments! I also served with sliced peaches to balance out this very hearty 4 block lunch. Honestly this felt like some decadent splurge... But, I felt I deserved this after taking on "The Chief" this morning! :) Enjoy!

Vegetable Mania

Tonight was all about the veggies! I simply needed to do some cleaning out of the vegetable bin! It turned out to be a great meal enhancement, and a big hit! We balanced it out with a lemon pepper pork loin (from a previous post)....

Grilled veggies!!!! All you need is some olive oil, garlic and a grill. Lightly brush veggies with olive oil, season with garlic and pepper, and grill. We used asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, and onions for a wonderful & tasty side! I also sauteed some red chard (again with more garlic and olive oil), and topped with a splash of balsamic vinegar. So good!!! :)

Shrimp Curry

I was on my own for dinner the other night, so I came up with this personal size 2 block meal.

My family is not a fan of curry, but I love it!

7 jumbo shrimp

1/4 C light coconut milk

1 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp curry

6 spears asparagus

paprika & fresh ground pepper

Lightly coat asparagus with olive oil and grill, cut into pieces and set aside. Saute garlic in olive oil and add shrimp and saute until pink. Add coconut milk, asparagus, and curry. Sprinkle with paprika and fresh ground pepper. I had this with a cup of cantaloupe to balance out the blocks. Enjoy! Have a great weekend.

Dessert Please!

This was a great little 1 block treat & curbed my sweet tooth oh so nicely!

1 C blueberries

1/4 C light coconut milk

1 egg white or 3 T quick egg whites

Cinnamon

Pour coconut milk over blueberries. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form and spoon over blueberries. Top with cinnamon! Enjoy!

Lookin' for Lunches!

My husband actually seasoned a bunch of chicken tenders (paprika, garlic powder, ground pepper, and onion powder) and baked them. He calls them his little "protein bombs". They make excellent snacks or lunch options! Today, I used a 2oz piece on a salad.

Salad with chicken tenders, 2 block lunch:

2 C lettuce, 1 tomato, 1/8 avocado, 4 olives, and a pinch of slivered almonds. I also enjoyed 1 apple, sliced. For dressing I just had a splash of rice vinegar. Hope that helps with some of the lunch dilemmas!

Mahi-Mahi with Pineapple Salsa

Pineapple salsa:

1 C finely chopped fresh pineapple

3 T minced fresh cilantro

2 T green onions

2 T diced red pepper

1 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper

cayenne pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together and chill, to blend flavors, until ready to use.

Mahi-Mahi: I bought my fish at Trader Joe's, in the freezer section. Good price, and I was pleased with the quality!

2 mahi-mahi fillets, which I rubbed olive oil over, and sprinkled with ground coriander.

Bake fillets in a covered baking dish at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Top with pineapple salsa before serving. Serve with a side salad and vegetable of choice! Enjoy... Seafood has been sounding so good to me lately, summer probably has a lot to do with that! This is a 3 block paleo/zone meal!

Meatballs with Peach, Tomato & Basil Salad

I was really happy with how these meatballs turned out! They had a sweet nutty taste that paired really well with tonight's salad!

Meatballs:

1 lb. lean ground beef, 1 egg, 1/4 C pecans (blended in food processor until fine), 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1/4 C minced shallots, 2 T chopped parsley, 1/4 tsp. sage, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, fresh ground pepper, and fresh ground nutmeg. Combine all ingredients. Spray non-skillet with olive oil spray. Form ground meat mixture into balls and heat on all sides over medium heat until brown.

Peach, Tomato & Basil Salad:

This recipe was sent to me by Sabrina Delk of CFSCC. I tried it tonight & it was wonderful!

1 fresh peach, sliced, 1 sliced tomato, 2 T roughly chopped basil, juice from 1/2 fresh lime.

Place tomatoes & peaches over a bed of arugula and mixed greens. Squeeze lime juice over the top and season with salt and pepper. Thank you Sabrina!

This was about a 3 block paleo dinner! Enjoy!

Fish Market Friday!

This is one of the advantages of living in Santa Cruz! So, I spent the day at the beach with the kids, and I just didn't feel like cooking. We drove out to the wharf and picked up dinner to-go at the fish market...

Oysters on the half shell with lemon.

Fresh crab, (which we put over salad when we got home).

I did get some clam chowder for the kids! Lucky them!!

I enjoyed 4 oysters, and 2oz crab on a salad for a fabulous 4 block dinner!

Happy Friday, and have a great weekend! :)

Chicken Marsala

This is another family favorite. It's been altered, of course, from my pre-zone days, but it's still really tasty. :)

Marsala Chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in half, for 3oz portions, and pound until thin.

Season breasts with paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder on both sides.

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a pan and saute 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 shallots, and 1/2 cup diced mushrooms. When all liquid is absorbed and starts to stick, add 2 T marsala cooking wine, and deglaze pan. Remove mixture and set aside. Add another tsp olive oil to pan and brown chicken breasts on both sides. Add shallot mushroom mixture back to pan, and spread over chicken breasts. Add 1/4 cup marsala wine and simmer, with lid on pan, for about 10 more minutes.

Serve with side salad and vegetable of our choice! This is about a 3 block meal. Enjoy leftovers for lunch, too!

Salmon with Heirloom Tomato Salad

This is a family recipe, and I just love it! It's super easy and pretty much a regular in our house. This recipe is for about a 16 oz piece of salmon.

I drizzle a little olive oil over salmon (about 1 tsp) and then sprinkle salmon with ground pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Grill on both sides to get those pretty grill lines. Spread a thin layer of stoneground mustard over top of salmon, put about 3 T capers (with juice) over the top and bake for 10 minutes in 350 degree oven. That's it!

Heirloom tomato salad: Toss cherry tomatoes, about 16 oz, (heirloom varieties of your choice) with 1-2 T balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup diced red onion, 3 T chopped fresh basil, and chill. I also served this dish with some steamed broccoli. 4 1/2 oz of Salmon is 3 blocks protein, but I can't eat that much! Salmon is filling, so I divided the salmon into approximately 3 oz portions, for a 2-3 block dinner. Very satisfying and full of omegas!!! Enjoy.

Easy Omelet

Well, I still have leftover cilantro parsley pesto! So, this morning I put it to some more good use. This time on an omelet:

1/2 C egg beaters

1/2 large tomato, diced

2 tsp cilantro parsley pesto

I sprayed my semi-nonstick pan with olive oil spray. Then over medium heat, I poured the egg beaters in the pan. When the eggs were almost set, I put on the tomatoes and folded in half. I seasoned with some fresh ground pepper, and topped with two tsp. of my seemingly endless supply of cilantro parsley pesto. I served it with 1 cup of blueberries & raspberries for a complete, filling, 2 block zone/paleo breakfast! I felt energized and ready (or not) for the 10am WOD.

Seared Scallops with Cilantro & Parsley Pesto

I am all about easy recipes! I especially like easy recipes that "sound" really difficult and gourmet! This is one of those recipes. Making the pesto is a little time consuming, but not too bad.

Pesto:

1 1/2 C chopped cilantro

1/2 C parsley

1/2 C pine nuts

1/2 C olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. lemon juice

Puree in food processor, season with some pepper. Set aside.

1 lb. scallops, sprinkle both sides with cumin and a little cayenne pepper

Heat pan with 1 tsp. olive oil. Cook scallops 2-3 min. on each side (until firm and opaque in center). Serving size is roughly 5 scallops. I served with a side of sauteed spinach. Put a dollop of pesto on each scallop and enjoy! I also had a glass of white wine with this meal... had to! It was Sunday night and I needed an extra carb. block. :) This is about a 4 block meal. Good news... there was quite a bit of pesto left over, which I put on a fresh tomato as a snack the next day. Yum!