Legitness of the Week

Charlie 25 Rounds + 2 Pushups “Cindy” Rx’d (Sweat Shop Record)
Tyler 25 Rounds + 5 Squats “Cindy”
CJ 1:02 403m Run (Sweat Shop Record)
Helen 135×1 Clean (Sweat Shop Record)

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Terin-  Orange-Chili-Cumin Spiced Shrimp with Purple Asparagus!

Shrimp -
1 lb shrimp
1 orange
1-2 cloves of garlic
Chili Powder
Cumin
Red Chile Flakes
Olive Oil for Sauteeing

Asparagus -
1 bunch purple asparagus – SO GOOD!
Olive Oil
A little squeeze of lemon!

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Salmon with Mango Strawberry Salsa

1 lb salmon
Salsa -
~12 strawberries
1 mango, chopped
1 jalepeno, seeded and de-ribbed to your level of spiciness
red onion, thinly sliced
mint, chopped
lemon and lime juice, freshly squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

Serve atop some spinach – so delicious!

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Everybody needs a little dessert, too!

One Ingredient Banana Ice Cream.

Ingredients – Bananas!  That’s it!

Peel and chop your bananas and put them in the freezer for an hour or two.
Put them in your food processor and blend until the bananas turn into ice
cream.  I swear it happens – it’s like magic!

If you’re feeling fancy – like maybe adding another ingredient or two, try
adding some nut butter, or some cocoa powder.  Chocolate Banana Nutty
Deliciousness!

(Serve Immediately – this is important!  The bananas tend to deflate a bit
if you wait too long to serve!)

Ellie -  Boneless pork strips and onion over mushrooms (cooked in applesauce, orange extract,
lemon-lime water, and cinnamon), avocaco and apple

Roasted chicken breast, brussel sprouts with almonds, red pear

Coq au Vin – Chicken breast halves, pearl onions, mushrooms, and baby artichokes
with a white wine and chicken broth base

Tammy – My version of Broccoli Alfredo. Grilled chicken, garlic, asparagus and 
Alfredo sauce over Trader Joes Broccoli Slaw (shredded broccoli and 
carrots).

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Thursday’s WOD:

“Cindy”

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Squats

results:

Overhead Squats during the NorCal Sectionals – photo by Tom Campitelli

I believe Sundays are meant to be work free, however, working out on Sundays is sometimes a good thing.  Problem solved (at least for this weekend).  Come in this Sunday for a workout, and a rare opportunity to watch me suffer as I do the workout as well.  Another rare opportunity is that you will know the workout before you show up, here it is:

18 Front Squats 185# men / 115# women
18 Pullups
1 Mile Run
18 Overhead Squats 135# men / 85# women

Any current Sweat Shop members are welcome, and as with all of our workouts, scaling the weight and/or run distance is always an option, so regardless of your fitness level, you can be sure that you will get a challenging, yet appropriate workout.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

5 Rounds

40 Double Unders
25 KB Swings
25 Pushups

results:

A reminder to those of you that have placed an order for the Prather Ranch organic beef.  Scott from Prather Ranch will be delivering the meat to CrossFit Sweat Shop next Wednesday afternoon May 5th.  Please come by the gym anytime between 5:15-7:30pm to pick up your box of meat.  For those of you that have not paid yet, please pay by this Friday.  Cash is preferred, but checks made out to CrossFit Sweat Shop are also perfectly acceptable.  Thanks, and enjoy your meat!

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Tuesday’s WOD:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Thrusters
KB Swings
Pullups

results:

Aaron – Post workout at the NorCal Sectionals- March 2010

Runners get it, sometimes.  That’s the main thing I enjoyed about running when I was doing it more often.  Runners refer to it as “runner’s high”.  It’s the euphoric feeling you sometimes get after running.  It can last anywhere between a couple of minutes, to a couple of hours. 

First, a little background information on “the high”.  What exactly is taking place within the body, I’m not sure of.  What I have been able to determine is that it is not isolated to running.  Other forms of exercise can elicit the same feeling.  The common denominator is that the exercise needs to be something that can be performed at  a high intensity.  Running isn’t a bad choice because just about everyone knows how to do it.  The problem comes when the runs last more than 1-2 minutes at a time (which aside from track athletes, most peoples runs far exceed this length).  It is on the longer runs that the intensity drops off quite a bit.  Running is the exact same motion, performed over and over again, using only lower body muscles, for 20 minutes to 2 hours, eventually the leg muscles get fatigued and the intensity of the workout decreases.  This is where CrossFit workouts differ.  A workout containing several different exercises allows individuals to train at a much higher intensity, for a longer period of time, before reaching muscle fatigue.  Whether it be a combination of exercises, some more lower body dominant, some more upper, or just one movement that is complex and works the entire body, such as the Clean and Jerk, work output during a CrossFit workout can far exceed a run of equal time domain.  The result of training at this higher intensity is frequently experiencing the post workout “high” that can sometimes be elusive when running, and almost never compares in intensity to that of a full body CrossFit workout.

People start CrossFit for many reasons.  Lose weight, be more physically fit, longevity, improve job or recreational activity performance, or as a competitive outlet that is active and healthy.  What most people notice after doing it for a few weeks is how great they feel after the workouts, physically, but especially mentally,  how much they “crave” the workouts, and how they noticeably feel worse if they miss too many days in a row.  For some, including myself, this “high” (along with the mental challenges that take place during the workout) become the sole reason for doing CrossFit.  Despite the discomfort during, and immediately after the workout, the “high” in it’s most extreme cases can feel like a moment of extraordinary clarity and awareness of the present.  Lesser experiences may feel like an internal “cleanse”, to simply feel energized or invigorated similar to the effects of a cup of Peet’s coffee.  Morning workouts always leave me feeling accomplished, efficient, and the effects last the remainder of the day, being much more motivated and focused during work.  A general sense of well-being, which includes, optimistic thinking, heightened senses, and a general appreciation for nature and scenic beauty are other feelings I often continue to experience for hours after a workout.  The best part about it is that the workouts don’t have to take an hour or more, quite the contrary, workouts lasting 15 minutes or less are actually better for eliciting this response because workout intensity can be kept at a much higher level during these shorter workouts.  After feeling the powerful and addicting effects of the high I get from exercise, I often wonder if it is hardwired into our DNA to reward and encourage us to participate in something that is beneficial to us.  Or perhaps it’s our bodies way of dealing with strenuous work that can sometimes feel as though it may kill you.

I decided to write about this topic after a comment that Tammy recently made.  She had done a particular workout twice in the past, seeing big improvement the first time she repeated it.  This third time she did the workout she didn’t see a huge improvement compared to her previous.  Clearly in a much better mood, and more energized than when she arrived at the gym, Tammy said, “… at least I got my high!”  I immediately knew that although the group environment, and workout log are ways to help motivate her to go harder during the workouts, like me, it’s really all about the high. 

Post to comments your thoughts and experience with the post workout high.

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Monday’s WOD:

15 Burpees

2 Rounds of:
15 Squat Cleans
15 Ring Dips

15 Burpees

results:

Miso Black Cod by Sweat Shop’s own, Aaron Thorne (Hiroshi’s Catering)

Liveablity.com named Walnut Creek #4 on their top ten list of suprising food cities.  Check out the entire top ten here.  Post to comments your favorite places to eat in and around Walnut Creek; healthy, junkie, fancy, quick, well-known, unknown, whatever, let’s hear it.

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Friday’s WOD:

4 Rounds

Max Reps Back Squats for 1 minute (Rx’d body weight)
Max Reps Pushups for 1 minute
Max Reps Pullups for 1 minute

REST 3 minutes

results:

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Saturday’s WOD:

4 Rounds
403m Run
21 Pullups
7 Burpees

results:

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Legitness of the Week

Chris G. 275×3 Back Squat (PR)
Rob K. 165×3 Back Squat (PR)
Charlie 8:38 “Helen” Rx’d (PR)
Rob P. 8:52 “Helen” Rx’d (PR)
John M. 8:55 “Helen” C2B (Sweat Shop Record)
Josh – MUSCLE UP!!!!!!!!!!

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Thursday’s WOD:

“Helen”
3 Rounds
403m Run
21 KB Swings
12 Pullups

results:

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Several more great looking dishes.  And thanks to Terin for also including directions!

Tammy – Rosemary lemon organic chicken breast, broiled brussel sprouts ( salt, 
pepper, olive oil) and sautéd kale( garlic, red pepper, olive oil)

My version of chicken tacos (minus the tortilla). Organic chicken 
breast ( olive oil, chilli pepper)and organic black beans on bed of 
sauté bell peppers and zucchini. Topped with a little cheese, black 
olives, cilantro, green onions, and avocado

Grilled Grassfed ribeye, steamed green beans with balsamic vinegar
reduction, and kale sauté(olive oil, crushed red pepper, and garlic)

Ellie Halibut- Sauce & Glaze (Tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, honey, chile
powder, dijon, cumin)
   with pineapple and cabbage

Carrot & Garbanzo Salad- Carrots, garbanzo beans, cilantro, cumin, almonds, lime
juice, and paprika

Terin - *Saturday:   Chicken Pizza – even Nabil will approve of this Pizza!*

When I found out I had celiac, I didn’t stress too much about it. I had
already been eating relatively gluten free for a while, and growing up in an
Italian family, I had pretty much been OD’d on pasta from birth (Connection
to the celiac?  Maybe!).    The only thing I really got bummed out about was
thinking how much I would miss pizza.  Who doesn’t love pizza?

Yes - there are gluten free pizzas out there.  Mostly rice crusts – and what
seems like wallpaper paste.  They have a tacky texture, and while they work
to create a pizza-like “form”, they’re just not crave-worthy in my opinion.
I’ve also seen recipes for nut-flour crust pizzas… I’ve thought about
experimenting with these but think I’d run into a few problems with using
nut flours:

1.       Nut flours are VERY calorically dense and are consequently very
filling.  I can’t eat MORE than a handful of nuts without a belly ache.

2.       I can’t eat LESS than 4 slices of Pizza (this theory has been
scientifically tested with multivariate control analysis methods J)

3.       Some Recipes for nut flour pizza call for up to 3 CUPS of nut
flour.  You need to grind almost ONE FULL POUND of nuts to get that much
flour!  A pizza made with a nut flour is guaranteed to yield a SEVERE belly
ache (See number 1).

So, what’s a girl and her pizza-loving husband to do?  Chicken to the
rescue!

We all know we should be building our meals around protein first… so why not
use the protein as the crust?  Bryan and I have a heavy-duty food dehydrator
and we regularly make chicken jerky.  If we pound out the chicken before we
dry it, the chicken dries to a beautiful little crispy treat.  If you don’t
have a food dehydrator, no problem – you can use your oven and get the same
results!

*Crust (makes 2 individual-size pizzas):*

·         2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded out with a meat
tenderizer to a thin “roundish” shape. (Tip: put a piece of Plastic Wrap on
top of the chicken before you pound it… otherwise the tenderizer will stick
to the chicken and tear it apart).

·         A pinch of Salt and pepper sprinkled on top

·         A SMALL drizzle of olive oil… just to help it brown.  Too much
olive oil here will make it a little oily and won’t get the pizza crust very
crisp.  If you don’t mind eating with a fork and knife, or like a softer
crust, don’t stress about the amount of olive oil

·         Place on the broiler rack in the oven and let it brown on both
sides for a few minutes.  The chicken should cook quickly since it’s so
thin, so make sure you don’t burn it.  If you want it to get crispier, put
it directly on the rack so air can circulate around the chicken as it’s
broiling.

Let the chicken cool and make your sauce:

*Simple Pizza Sauce:*

Do yourselves a favor and just make your own pizza and pasta sauce.  It’s so
simple and you wouldn’t believe how much sodium, sugar and junk is in that
canned/jarred stuff!

·         1 lb peeled, seeded, stewed tomatoes.  San Marzano Tomatoes are
the best, most authentic tomatoes you can buy in a can.  Since I would
imagine you don’t spend the later part of your summers stewing and jarring
tomatoes from your garden like Nonna did, you can buy the San Marzano di
Pietro tomatoes at any grocery store. (Ingredients should be: Tomatoes,
Basil)

·         1 – 2 small onions, finely diced
·         Garlic to taste
·         Salt and Pepper to taste
·         Herbs: Basil, Oregano, Thyme – to taste
·         Cheese – I think this is what seals the deal in a sauce.  Add some
grated Parmegiano Reggiano or sharp Italian cheese as it’s simmering.  It
will thicken the sauce and add some dimension.

Simmer on the stove for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come
together.

*Toppings:*  Whatever you like!

Bryan and I added fresh spinach, sautéed onions, red peppers, olives and a
little cheese to ours.  Top your pizzas and put them back in the broiler to
let the cheese melt and serve immediately!  You can see the crust is crispy
enough to hold in your hand!  Pizza and Chianti are a natural pair...
they're paesanos!

Buon Appetito!

*Sunday – Fillet of Beef with Shallots and Shitakes | Shaved Fennel and
Asparagus Salad | Mango Strawberries and Mint*

*Fillet of Beef with Shallots and Shitakes *

How can you improve on a great grass-fed fillet steak?  It’s great by
itself, but it becomes an Umami-delight with the shallots, shitakes, a
little bit of soy sauce, and just a little bit of the bluest bleu cheese you
can find (I love bleu d’auvergne or the Roaring 40’s from New Zealand – but
any blue cheese is good blue cheese!).   Serve this with a nice rich
Cabernet Sauvignon – steak house perfection at home!

Ingredients:

·         2 amazing grass-fed beef fillet steaks

·         1 – 2 tbsp Butter for searing the steak and sautéing the
vegetables

·         2 large Shallots
·         As many Shitakes as you like!

·         1 – 2 tsp Soy Sauce – I am allergic to soy, so we use Coconut
Aminos (available at Whole Foods) – it’s gluten free, soy free and tastes
rich and amazing!  I like it even better than traditional soy sauce, and I
think Coconut products are all-around fantastic!

·         Blue Cheese – as much as you like… put a little (1 – 2 tbsp) in
the sautéed shallots and mushrooms, and let melt, and then for the real
cheese lovers, use the rest to top your finished steak!

*Shaved Fennel and Asparagus Salad*

Springtime means asparagus, and there’s no better way to celebrate fresh
asparagus by just eating it raw… shave it with a vegetable peeler for thin,
even strips – mandolins are too dangerous for these small little veggies,
but if you’re daring you can use one for the fennel!

Ingredients:

·         1 medium fennel bulb
·         1 bunch asparagus

·         Dressing:
·         2 – 4 tbsp Olive Oil
·         1 tbsp Dijon or other spicy mustard, or mustard powder
·         1 tsp Capers
·         ½  - 1 Shallot, minced
·         4 – 5 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice – about ½ lemon

*Dessert –  Mangoes, Strawberries and Mint*

MMM.  Fresh fruit and mint.  Mangoes and Strawberries are like peanut butter
and chocolate, but better for you!

·         1 Champagne Mango, diced
·         1 pint of Organic Strawberries, sliced
·         A few sprigs of Mint – voila`!
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*Monday – Indian-Spiced Chicken and Tomato Chutney *

I love Indian Food so I make some simple Indian dishes at home to keep
myself from overdoing it at the Indian buffets too often.  Spicy, sweet
chutneys are pretty easy to make, and they add a lot of zip to boring
chicken breast.   If you find this is too spicy, reduce the peppers.   If
tomatoes aren’t your thing… you can substitute mangoes.  It will make the
chutney sweeter, but you can adjust the rest of the spices for balance.  I
served this with a little brown rice and some sautéed broccolini with
garlic.  A perfectly balanced meal!  Indian Food is best matched with
beer... MMM Beer.  But for wine, I'd go with a Gewurtztraminer or a Riesling
to deal with the spicy chutney.

*Chutney* (2 – 4 servings, depending on how much chutney you like on your
chicken):

·         1 cup coarsely chopped, seeded tomato.  I like to use the sugar
plum tomatoes, cut them in half and squeeze the juice and seeds out.  (or  1
cup coarsely chopped mango – about 1 fruit)

·         1 tsp Olive Oil (or coconut oil)
·         1 medium shallot, chopped
·         1 tsp chile pepper – Serrano, jalapeño, or other spicy
pepper.    (Tip:
the white ribs of the pepper are what’s spicy, not the seeds… for a spicier
pepper, leave the ribs in.  If you want to reduce the heat, remove some or
all of the ribs of the pepper).

·         ¼ tsp minced fresh ginger
·         1 clove of garlic, minced
·         2 – 3 tsp red wine vinegar
·         1 tsp sugar or honey… or add a sweet fruit like a tangerine
instead to add sweetness without processed sugar.  If you are making this
with mangoes, don’t add the extra sugar.

·         1 tsp mustard seeds – this is what gives the chutney an Indian
flavor, don’t forget these!

·         ½ tsp salt

*Chicken:*
·         1 lb Chicken Breast
·         Olive Oil or Coconut Oil for sautéing

Coat the Chicken with the following mixed spices as a dry rub before
sautéing in your pan:

·         1 tsp Curry Powder
·         1 tsp Ground Coriander Seeds
·         ~½ tsp Ground Cumin
·         ~½ tsp Black Pepper
·         ~½  tsp Salt
·         Add Fresh Cilantro for Garnish

Here’s a post from the NY Times.com about more studies that point to a possible correlation between being obese, and the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Fat tissue itself may be a problem. Fat cells secrete hormones like leptin; leptin acts on the brain in a variety of ways, and is thought to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s. Obesity may thus disrupt the normal production of leptin, with dangerous results. Fat cells also secrete substances that cause inflammation; chronic inflammation of the brain, which is often found in the obese, impairs learning and memory and is also a feature of Alzheimer’s.

Check out the entire post, here.  Thanks to Chris G. for the link.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

A.) Overhead Squats
5-5-5-5-5

B.) 40 Double Unders
20 Knees to Elbow

30 Double Unders
15 Knees to Elbow

20 Double Unders
10 Knees to Elbow

results:

Our friends at CrossFit Adventure are hosting a free movie night this Friday evening.  FRESH the movie, is a great follow up to Food Inc.

FRESH is more than a movie, it’s a gateway to action. Our aim is to help grow FRESH food, ideas, and become active participants in an exciting, vibrant, and fast-growing movement.

Check here for complete details.

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Monday’s WOD:

A.) Back Squat
3-3-3-3-3

B.) 500m Row
3 Rounds
12 Handstand Pushups
15 Box Jumps

results:

 One mom and one mom “to be”, both CrossFitters

Here is an awesome post from the follks at CrossFit Catalyst, up in Canada.

CrossFit doesn’t look like your workout.  No, it doesn’t.

There are no ’3 Sets of 8.’  Not a single ‘triceps kickback’ to be found.  And while we have lots of novel exercises to ‘work your core’ and ‘improve your stability,’ we prefer to teach you to move better in your own skin than stand you on a blue-pimple novelty and watch you quiver.

We make big claims: that we create an elite level of fitness.  That we get you places you’ve never, ever, ever been before.  That their workout is our warmup.  To back those claims up, we have to do movements that are efficient, challenging, and get you far more bang for your buck than a selectorized machine ever could.

A clean and jerk, for instance: once a staple of the workout crowd, and a fundamental lift for improving your grocery-carrying and storage, is banned from nearly every ‘fitness club.’  For all the wrong reasons, too: it requires coaching, chalk, and the occasional drop of a barbell from overhead.  Knowledge plus cleanup plus noise?  Not an option if your teenage ‘personal trainers’ have to learn it all in a two-day course.

But a clean and jerk is a big lift, requiring a lot of energy.  From a purely mathematical standpoint, it’s four times as challenging as a bench press.  If it seems scary, it’s only because you haven’t seen it around much – or have you?  Lifting your bike onto your roof racks – that’s a clean and jerk.  Storing your Christmas lights on the top shelf – that’s a clean and jerk.  Doing it in the gym first just makes you break fewer bulbs.  And fewer backs.

That’s right: contrary, maybe, to what you’ve been told, this stuff prevents injuries.  The strongest, safest backs in the world belong to powerlifters, NOT bed-resters.  Knee injuries are typically the result of misuse, imbalanced use (the knee extension machine, anyone?) or non-use.  Deadlifts don’t hurt your back – given the right chance, they’ll save it.  Ask around: chiropractors, physiotherapists, and doctors send patients to us.  We modify our methods for the injured, yes.  But they’re on the same road as our competitive CrossFitters, albeit a different starting line.

 
We choose to exercise in stark boxes.  While exercisers from the 1920s,1930s,1940s, and 1950s would feel right at home, the modern machine-indoctrinated fitness pursuer will struggle to comprehend our methods.  At least, at first. Slowly, they’ll recognize little glimmers of sameness.  “Hey, I did that as a kid!”  “We do squats at my gym…but we don’t go that low.”  “I’ve seen this on TV, but I never thought I could do it….”

Our workouts are short, but tough.  But you’ll want more.  After a month, you’ll find yourself checking our website on a daily basis, and joke about ‘drinking the Kool-Aid.’  After three months, you’ll start breaking your own personal bests and bringing your friends.  We’ve grown because CrossFit is amazing, not because we have a special limited-time offer on our membership.

Now, there’s no denying that for most people, once they’ve been immersed in CrossFit, they can’t ever go back to average.  It tattoos you.  And once you’ve offered up your fresh, pink skin to the prick of the needle, its mark is indelible.  You can’t undo CrossFit; once you’ve been painted, you can’t go back to beige.

There’s joy in sweat.  There’s family in common discomfort.  There’s a chemical addiction that comes from challenging yourself this way.  There’s pleasure in learning new stuff every single time you’re in the gym.  That’s what CrossFit is: sweat+community+knowledge.  Call it what you like.

Post thoughts to comments.

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Monday’s WOD:

25 KB Swings
10 Pullups
25 Wall Balls
25 Box Jumps
15 Deadlifts
15 Burpees
10 Pullups
10 Deadlifts
25 Situps
5 Pullups
10 Burpees

*Deadlifts performed at 65-70% of 5 rep max

results:

John receives a Russian Shower after completing his final workout during the NorCal Sectionals 

Everyone has heard that recovery is just as important as the exercise itself.  Unfortunately, most of us don’t give it more than a passing thought.  Recovery encompasses much more than giving yourself at least one or two days off from working out during the week.  Proper nutrition, adequate sleep, and stress managment, are all critical parts of recovery.  Putting an emphasis on comprehensive recovery isn’t just for those guys and girls who train hard, five days a week.  It’s just as important to someone who is committed to reaching their goals, even if they are only able to train two times per week.  Below is an excerpt from an article written by Robb Wolf:

As a CrossFitter you have likely been fatigued, sore and generally beat up at one time or another, or perhaps continuously!  This is a result of training.  What will largely determine the results you obtain from training is a multifaceted concept, recovery.  Adequate recovery allows for more training and ultimately improved performance.  In some respects recovery is the Night to our exercise Day (this analogy will be more true than we can imagine).  In exercise we release hormones, mount immune responses, cause inflammation and use things like glycogen and lipids for fuel.  Recovery complements this process.  Accelerating the things we want and mitigating the less desirable processes will provide more return on our exercise investment.

Read full article here.

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Friday’s WOD:

Every 2 minutes complete:

70m Sprint
5 Pullups
7 Thrusters
3 Burpees

Repeat for 10 Rounds

results:

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Saturday’s WOD:

4 Rounds
3 1/2 minutes to complete:

403m Run
15 Box Jumps
As many PUSHUP and SQUAT reps as possible (alternate between the two however you choose)

REST 90 seconds between rounds

resluts:

Holy moly!  Terin’s dishes are pretty amazing.  She was kind enough to include full receipe and instructions, so I attached them in their entirity.  Bryan certainly is lucky to have such a talented culinary creator!

Terin: *Monday – Steamed Halibut with Tangerine Thai Chili Sauce | Steamed Sesame
Asparagus*

I love my bamboo steamer!  One pan, a little water and 6 – 10 minutes and
you can have your entire meal ready at once!    If you have a double-decker
steamer, put the fish on the bottom and the asparagus on the top – this way,
you can test the veggies to your preferred level of done-ness (I leave it on
for about 6 – 8 minutes depending on the size), and the fish should be done
in 8 – 10 minutes depending on the thickness) .  If you don’t have a
double-decker steamer – go out and get one now!   I would pair this with a
nice Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand to work with the asparagus and the
limey flavors in the sauce!

*Halibut:*

Ingredients:

1 lb halibut (bet you thought I was going to say Crab, right?)

*Sauce: *

This is one of my favorite sauces – it’s sweet, sour, spicy and salty, so
it’s well balanced and very satisfying.    (Tip: Don’t try to start the
sauce while the fish and asparagus are steaming… you might run out of time
and overcook them  – prep the sauce first and let the flavors meld together
while the fish and asparagus are steaming).

Freshly squeezed lime juice – about 1 lime
1 – 2 tbsp red curry paste (Thai Kitchen brand is gluten free!)
½ – 1 tsp Thai Fish Sauce (Thai Kitchen brand is gluten free!)
1 – 2 tbsp sesame oil
½ – 1 bunch of green onions – chopped
Handful of Mint – chopped  (1 – 3 tbsp)
Handful of Cilantro – chopped (1 – 3 tbsp)
1 tangerine – peeled, sectioned and coarsely chopped (you want some of the
juice to sweeten the sauce, but you still want some pieces for color,
texture and taste)

*Asparagus* – I like to marry the flavors in all my dishes… using Sesame Oil
and Sesame Seeds with the Asparagus creates harmony with the sauce used on
the fish:

1 bunch asparagus
1 – 2 tsp Sesame Oil
Salt, Pepper to taste
Sesame Seeds

***  *** *** ***

*Wednesday –  Rosemary Skewed Lamb with Caramelized Dates| Cauliflower
Skordalia | Tzaztiki Dip with Dill | Spinach with Mint and Chives*

Skewering the lamb on rosemary sprigs was something I had been wanting to
try… it was actually easier than it seems, and gives good wow-factor for
parties or summer barbecues!   The dates and the marinade were my twist on
the traditional lamb + rosemary combination, and  the combination of the
lamb and the date and the tzatziki was amazing!

Lamb always goes well with a nice syrah, but with this, I would recommend a
lighter, high-acid Greek Wine to work with the garlic and lemon.  Greek wine
is all a little funky and gamey to me…so I think that would work with the
lamb, too.  We had a Vin Gris of Pinot Noir from Robert Sinskey that night…
it didn’t necessarily go with the meal, but I love that wine, so it didn’t
matter to me! J

*Lamb:*

1 lb grass fed lamb

4 – 6 long sprigs of rosemary – get the longest ones you can find, take the
leaves off of 2/3 and reserve for the marinade

Dates – pitted and halved – put these on the grill or grill pan when the
lamb is about ½ done – they will melt and caramelize… you’ll appreciate a
little sweet to counterbalance the rest of this salty and garlicky meal!

*Marinade for Lamb: *(you can marinate the meat in this, or just brush it on
when you’re ready to grill)**

Chopped fresh rosemary (1 – 2 tbsp)
½ lemon – freshly juiced
¼ c Olive Oil
2 – 4 cloves of garlic
Salt and Pepper

*Cauli-Skordalia*

Bryan and I used to go to a great Greek restaurant in Florida where we would
order Skordalia.  It’s also known as Greek Penicillin… and you must be a
garlic LOVER to tolerate the burn of this dish.  This is not recommended if
you are expecting close contact with any strangers for a few days, or if
your dinner companion will not be eating this with you… It will come in very
handy if you happen encounter any vampires.  This is so delicious and can be
served as a side dish (hot) or cold as a dip/spread for veggies (and pita or
other bread if you’re a still a gluten lover).

Skordalia is traditionally made with white potatoes, but I don’t think
there’s anything you can’t do with a head of cauliflower instead.  I still
have to tell Bryan when he’s eating cauliflower and not potatoes – and he is
a potato lover and a former hater of cauliflower!

1 head of cauliflower
4 – 6 cloves of garlic – or as much as you can tolerate
2 tbsp white vinegar
½ – 1 tsp white pepper – to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste

*Tzaztiki Dip*

After all the garlic with the Skordalia, we needed a cool dip to balance
everything out.  You can make this with dill or mint – either way, it’s
super easy and keeps in the refrigerator for a couple days, so make more
than you need.  I used one 10oz container of Fage yogurt and had enough for
4 meals!

Ingredients:
Greek Yogurt – I like Fage… get the full-fat – it will make the dip the
creamiest.

1 large or 2 medium cucumbers, peeled seeded and diced  (Tip: Make sure you
drain the cucumbers for about 30 minutes first… then when you mix the
cucumbers, dill, garlic, salt and pepper together, strain the processed or
chopped cucumber mixture through a fine colander or sieve to remove the
remaining excess water – this will help produce a thicker, creamier dip!)

1 – 2 cloves of garlic – or as much as you like
Juice of ½ lemon
Mint or Dill – to taste

*Spinach with Mint and Chives*

Mint gives a uniquely Greek, fresh taste to the spinach.  Plus, we needed a
break from all the garlic!

3 – 4 c fresh spinach
Handful of Mint – roughly chopped
Handful of Chives – chopped
Olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice – just a squeeze is enough
Salt and pepper to taste
***  *** *** ***
*Thursday – Seared Scallops | Roasted Beets with Apple and Bleu Cheese |
Sautéed Beet Greens with Bacon*
MMM.  Bacon.  What *doesn’t* go with bacon?  Cook up that sweet yummy bacon
and reserve the bacon fat… use that to sauté your greens and sear your
scallops – meal harmony!  I would serve this with a Sancerre (crisp
Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire) or a dry Gewürztraminer or German Riesling
to play up of the sweetness of the beets and balance the saltiness of the
bacon and blue cheese.

Once again, I want to mention that Bryan wouldn’t usually even look at a
beet… and he was going for multiple helpings of the greens and the beets!
The bleu cheese and beet combination is really amazing!  Another “wow” dish
good for company with all the colors and flavors.

*Roasted Beet Salad with Apples and Bleu Cheese*

2 – 3 bunches red and/or golden beets  (Tip: be sure to wear gloves when
you’re removing the skins after you’ve roasted these… otherwise you’ll
look like you’ve gone on a murderous rampage.  Dark clothing or an apron is
also recommended!)
1 Honey Crisp apple (you can substitute your favorite crisp, sweet and tart
apple)
~1/4c olive oil
2 ounces apple cider vinegar (or other sweet, light vinegar, like sherry
vinegar or champagne vinegar)
1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper – to taste
2 – 3 oz bleu cheese (or a nice sharp feta would work, too)

Handful of flat leaf parsley, for garnish

*Sautéed Beet Greens with Bacon*
All the tops of the beets you’ve roasted – should be about 6 – 8 cups of
greens
1 – 2 tbsp reserved bacon fat
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 – 2 slices of bacon, roughly chopped/crumbled
A little hot sauce if you’re spicy!

*Seared Scallops*
1 lb scallops
1 – 2 tbsp reserved bacon fat for searing
1 – 2 cloves of garlic, minced and sautéed in the bacon fat… Tip: sautee the
garlic at medium heat in the bacon fat to infuse the flavor, then remove all
the garlic before searing – this will prevent any burned garlic taste in the
scallops
Salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy!

Teri:  This is a pasta dish that I make regularly and
it’s always a huge hit.  I make it with gluten free pasta now since we are trying to
eat gluten free.  Not all GF pasta tastes the same I found out.  There is a
particular one at WF that is much better but I cant recall the name and I used the
last of it.   Hope people like this as much as we do.  It tastes super fresh the tomatoes, fresh
basil, and asparagus.

This is nothing fancy but has really helped me get away from lunches that contain
gluten.  I was a big fan of PB&J or other sandwiches prior to this dish.  There’s
not much to it but it’s a great way to get more vegis in and it’s really easy to
prep for busy schedules.

 red quinoa salad with grilled grass fed steak added on top.

Bill:  gnocchi
mushrooms peppers onion basil chicken homemade tomato
sauce garlic romaine lettuce croûtons yougart ceasar dressing olive oil bread more
garlic parmesean cheese basil

Tammy:  Paleo chicken cacciatore(all organic) chicken breast, olive oil, diced 
tomatoes, red onion, portobello and shitake mushrooms, spinich, 
garlic, fresh oregano and basil..I served it over grilled zuchinni

Ellie:    1) Turkey breast, broccoli, NF cottage cheese, and sauteed spinich with crushed
almonds (I usually add a lil avocado)

2) quinoa, chicken breast, dried cranberries, almonds, spinich, feta, cinnamon, and
sundried tomatoes

______________________

Legitness of the Week

Jim D. “Murph” Rx’d 36:57 (Goal Achieved)
Ellie 12 Unassisted Pullups (Goal Achieved)
Terin 125×5 Deadlift (PR)
Jin 255×5 Deadlift (PR)
Lones 195×5 Deadlift (PR)
Mike B. 275×5 Deadlift (PR)
Alex now rocks Vibram Five shoes, AND does chest to bar pullups… holy moly, LEGIT!!

______________________

Thursday’s WOD:

One train wreck, after another.

 CrossFit NorCal Sectionals (2010) Tom Campitelli Photography

Yet another study that shows the benefits of exercise.

A clear trend emerged: the men engaging in highly active leisure pursuits were significantly less likely to die than the men whose activities were entirely sedentary. What’s more, the improvement in mortality seen among the exercisers was equivalent to the higher survival rates of men who quit smoking

Read full article here.  Thanks again to Chris G. for this one!

_______________________

Wednesday’s WOD:

A.) Deadlift
5-5-5-5-5

B.) 15 Deadlifts
20 Box Jumps
20 Pushups
403m Run
7 Deadlifts

results:

I recently visited CrossFit Adventure in Concord to get a workout it with co-owner Nathan Brammeier. 

Check out this post from CrossFit Utility, that outlines the natural progression that some people experience after doing CrossFit for some time.  Although I don’t think any members of the Sweat Shop have experienced it, ironically, I have.  Big thanks to Nathan for putting me through a workout that I definitely would not have put myself through (notice overhead exercise)!

_______________________

Tuesday’s WOD:

5 Rounds

3 minutes to complete:
200m Run
12 Front Squats
12 Knees to Elbow
Burpees for REPS

REST 90 seconds between rounds

results:

 Ellie during a moment of “reflection”

For goodness sake, lose the 3lb. dumbbells!  You lift phone books, grocery bags, and kids that are heavier than that.  Light weights, high reps to tone, and heavy weight low reps to gain mass, is a myth.  Lots people get their fitness knowledge by talking to the guy in the gym that has the biggest muscles.  They figure, “he must know a lot about fitness”, …”I’ll get his advice on x, y, or z, even though I don’t want to get big like that”.  Unfortunately, that really big guy doesn’t know much about fitness, he only knows about bodybuilding, and even worse, he gets his knowledge from bodybuilding magazines.  Bodybuilder’s only goal is to increase the size of their muscles for aesthetic purposes.  Strength and overall fitness are of no concern to a bodybuilder.  How others view the way he, or she, looks, is their primary motivation.  Unfortunately, this line of thinking, coupled with years of unproven fitness claims being made by guys and girls who just like to workout a lot, has lead to myths like lifting heavy weights makes you bulky.  Lifting heavy weights with functional, compound movements, such as squats, deadlifts and presses, stimulates the neuromuscular system, the result being an increase in strength.  There is little correlation between muscle strength and muscle size.  Lifting heavier weights also elicits a greater neuroendocrine response, which has a positive influence on our hormones.

For people who lift weights to tone up and slim down, experts say, a regimen that includes a combination of challenging weights and fewer repetitions can help significantly. In a 2002 study, for example, scientists looked at what happened when women performed various resistance exercises at different weights and repetitions (85 percent of their maximum ability for 8 reps, versus 45 percent for 15). Subjects lifting more weight fewer times burned more energy and had a greater metabolic boost after exercise.

Read full article here.  Thanks to Chris G. for sending me this article!

_______________________

Monday’s WOD:

“I Love Tabata”

20 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest.  Alternate between the first two exercises in this format until you complete 8 sets of each.  Then move to the second two exercises with the same format.  Score total reps.

Pullups
KB Swings

Pushups
Box Jumps

results: