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:

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`!
 ************
*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

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

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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!!

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Thursday’s WOD:

One train wreck, after another.

 

Shown above are the submissions I received this week for the challenge of the month. (click on the picture to get a full view!) I must say I’m REALLY impressed with these Sweat Shop members’ culinary skills.  Also, big props to Alex for including himself in the picture to ensure authenticity.

1.) Alex - Baked chicken, carrots, radishes, cuccmbers, green onions, pink beans,
hearts of romain, tomatos

2.) Terin - Citrus Salmon With Fennel and Caper Berries and Orange-Ginger
Spinach

*Salmon*
1 Fennel bulb - thinly sliced and blanched for 1 minute
1lb salmon - Tip: call ahead to get a center cut pin boned by the
fishmongers and Whole Foods and it will be ready to pick up when you get
there!
1 Orange, 1 Lime, 1 Lemon - each of which: 1/2 peeled and sliced and laid
atop the fish, 1/2 juiced and squeezed on the fish
1 tsp Capers
1 tsp Olive Oil - a drizzle on top of the salmon
Fresh Dill, trimmed - ~1/4 c
Salt and Pepper

*Spinach*
3 - 4 cups fresh spinach
a clove or two of garlic
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/3 - 1/2 orange, squeezed

3.) Josh - Baked chicken legs and thighs, asparagus, bell peppers.

4.) Ellie - Green Bean and Heirloom Tomato Salad
Green beans, heirloom tomato, red onion, mint, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt,
pepper

Apple Cider Braised Pork Chops
Pork chops, fuji apple, yellow onion, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, chicken
broth, spice rub

5.) Ellie - Grilled rosemary chicken over arugula and frisee, mint, parsley, pistachios, peas,
pecorino romano, and strawberries with lemon juice and olive oil

6.)  Terin - Spicy Chicken Soup
2 small onions - thinly sliced
Whole bunch of garlic
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 whole organic chicken - quartered
3 - 4 carrots, peeled and cut in large pieces
1/2 bunch of celery - about 6 stalks, peeled and cut in large pieces
1 whole bulb fennel - sliced
4 - 6 cups of fresh Swiss Chard
2 cups Chicken stock - gluten free and all natural of course!
1 - 2 tbsp Red Curry Paste… for some zing (most Thai Kitchen products are
gluten free)
Freshly squeezed Lemon and Lime juice from 2 lemons and 2 limes
1 - 2 Bay Leaf
Salt, Pepper, Red Chili Pepper Flakes (to taste)

7.)  Tammy - Organic chicken breast, kale prepared with olive oil, organic garlic, 
shallots, red pepper flakes. And Brussel sprouts broiled with olive 
oil, salt and pepper to taste.

8.) Tammy - chicken breast, topped with sunchoke and 
mushroom sauté (sunchokes,mushrooms, garlic, shallots, Rosemary, olive oil, little 
butter)and grilled zuchinni.

9.)  Terin - Cumin Crusted Sea Bass and Brussels Sprouts with Browned Garlic*  

1 lb sea bass - Tip: ask for the tail end pieces - no bones, and sea bass is
so difficult to de-bone!
1 tbsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste)
1/2 orange - juiced - squeeze this on top of the fish while searing, it
works with the cumin and butter flavors
1 tbsp butter, just for good measure and to add some fat to the pan
*Garnish: *
Lemon wedges and fresh Italian (flat leaf) Parsley

_______________________

Legitness of the Week

Jin 245×3 Deadlift (PR)
Eric 235×3 Deadlift (PR)
Criselda 80×5 Back Squat (Goal Exceeded)
Mark 155×3 Thruster (PR)
Valerie 50×3 Thruster (PR)
Cameron 7:52 Fran Rx’d (PR)
Don 12:38 Nancy Rx’d

_______________________

Thursday’s WOD:

A.) Thruster
3-3-3-3-3

B.) 403m Run
21 Pullups
21 KB Swings
9 Pullups
9 KB Swings
403m Run

results:

 Wild Canadian Caribou (compliments of Mike S.) grilled and served over mixed greens w/ sliced pear

This month’s challenge is going to be a bit different.  Instead of being based on athletic performance, it will require some culinary skills.  The reason for this, is that CrossFit Sweat Shop’s mission is to educate, promote, and support, healthy lifestyles, and while exercise is a large portion of this, proper nutrition is equally, if not more important.  No matter how consistent you make it to the gym, if you are unable to prepare healthy, nutritious, and delicious meals, you will no doubt be limited in the results that you see.  Relying on restaurants and Whole Foods’ prepared items can only take you so far.  Time and time again, the people that have demonstrated the most dramatic, and continued improvements, are those that are able to prepare a wide range of healthy dishes.

Guidelines for the challenge:

• You need to have made the food (no restaurant items)
• Email me a picture and list the main ingredients
• Scoring will be scored based on nutritional content and total number of total submissions for the month
• Limit 3 submissions per week
• Bonus points for creativity and presentation

Last month’s towel hang challenge is over, John M. and Lones had the strongest grip and were able to hold on the longest in their respective categories.  Check out everyone’s time, as well as the overall points standings, here.  Remember, points are awarded to the top three finishers in each category, men under 40, men 40 & up, women under 40, women 40 & up.  At the conclusion of the 6 month series of challenges, the winner of each category receives 1/2 off from one month membership dues!

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Friday’s WOD:

A.) 75 Pullups
*perform 10 Burpees each time you drop from the bar

B.) 75 Wall Balls

results:

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Saturday’s WOD:

A.) Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3

B.) 5 Burpees
10 Pullups
15 Pushups
20 Situps
25 Squats
403m Run

results:

 

Even though you’ve got meat with more meat, this one is all about the fruit salsa. Pineapple, mango, strawberries and lime juice make up the bulk of this delcious and fresh salsa, however, it’s the fresh mint that sets this stuff off like no other! Use this salsa to top a piece of baked salmon, then place the whole thing over some mixed greens and you’ve almost got a meal. Just add a delicious beef kabob with a soy ginger glaze, and you’re done! Nothing goes better with meat, then meat.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

5 Rounds

20 Wall Balls
10 Knees to Elbow
20 (steps) Medball Overhead Walking Lunge
10 Burpees
*finish with (1) 403m run

results:

 Here is a caribou salad I made yesterday served with sliced pear over mixed greens.  In addition to “dressing up” the caribou by sprinkling some rosemary on it before it goes in the oven or on the grill, the sweetness of the pear actually compliments the gamey taste of the meat.  Big thanks to Mike Stark for going all the way to Canada, braving the elements, hanging out with a bunch of dudes in a cabin, and bringing back some great meat.

Legitness of the Week

Don 205×1 Thruster
Helen 130×1 Squat Clean (Sweat Shop record)
Alex 275×2 Squat Clean (Sweat Shop record)
Joe 232×3 Deadlift
Chris 323×3 Deadlift
Latest new equipment to arrive: Dynamax Balls, rings, bumper plates, and barbell…..LEGIT!

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Thursday’s WOD:

A.) Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3

B.) 15 Deadlifts
15 Pushups

12 Deadlifts
12 Box Jumps

9 Deadlifts
9 Burpees

results:

Here’s a great meal that I personally eat 3-4 times per week.  Since I eat breakfast at 5am (yogurt, fruit, and nuts), and a really small snack at 8am, this is usually my next meal around 10:00am.

Omelet:

3 Jumbo Eggs (makes sure you get cage free and organic)
a couple of spoons of black beans
a couple of spoons of sun dried tomatoes
1 cup of chopped frozen spinach

Side:

1 cup of strawberries
1/4 cup of blackberries
1/3 cup of blueberries

Approximately:

Protein 24 grams
Carbs 32 grams
Fat 18 grams

Whether you make this yourself, or you’re having breakfast out, opt for fruit instead of toast or a bagel.  Enjoy!

**REMINDER**  Due to CrossFit Sweat Shop hosting the 5K Plus, there will be only ONE regular class this Saturday morning.  It will be held at 8:30am.  NO 9:00am or 10:00am class will be held this Saturday.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

A.) Overhead Squats
5-5-3-3-3

B.) 20 Hang Squat Snatch
25 Pushups
35m Walking Lunge
403m Run

Score: Max Load A, divided by Time B

results:

 Here is a great post about nutrition for kids from the guys over at CrossFit California City.

Regular readers of mine will know the following:

1) I don’t mince words.
2) I don’t claim to be a doctor or nutritionist.

Take that to heart when you read this.  In addition to being a CrossFit and CrossFit Kids trainer, I’m also a father.  I have a 13 year old daughter, who is also a CrossFitter.  A common conversation I have with friends and co-workers usually contains the “what should I eat?” question and the “it’s hard to get the kids to eat [blank]” statement.  Give me a break.

Parents, let me speak to you directly.  I know we live in the day and age when we let kids do whatever they want and worry about their freedoms, all that crap.  It is your job, for 18 years or so, to nurture your children, raise them responsibly, prepare them for adulthood, and impose on them values you believe to be worthwhile.  When you let them go into the world, hopefully you have provided them with a set of decision-making skills that will allow them to make smart, educated choices as adults.

If that is your job, (and it is), then why in the world would you let them continue to eat like they do simply because they are kids?  I know why, because you’re too lazy and spineless to make the change.  I told you I don’t mince words.  If you’re willing to go Paleo, or Paleo/Zone, or Primal…any “clean” version of eating, and you find that to be an important part of your life, why WOULDN’T you impress the same on your children?  If they think it’s bunk, fine.  When they get a job and start providing for themselves, they can eat whatever they want.  For now, you’re the boss.

So, let’s cut to the chase.  How do you do it?  This is terribly simple, and it only requires you to stick to your guns a little.  Barring any medical needs, allergies, or other unforeseen circumstances, this will work for anyone with the will power to do it.  Here are the three steps to clean up your kids diet, in order of importance.

1) Stop buying crap!  Eliminate the crap from your house and your shopping list.  Period.  Your child physically CANNOT eat a pop-tart that does not exist.  For proof of this, sit them down without a pop-tart and try to get them to eat a pop-tart.  When you are able to do it, let me know, because you’ve got a kid on your hands that scientists will want to take a look at.  Get the picture?  They cannot eat what you don’t buy.  Sure, you’ll have to deal with a couple weeks of a cranky kid, but they’re going to be mad at you for something else anyway, so you might as well make the most of it.  When they get hungry, they’ll eat.  I promise you that.  If they don’t want hot salmon and broccoli…then they’ll get cold salmon and broccoli.  It’s up to them.
2) Talk to your kids about why you buy and eat what you buy and eat.  Share with them why a protein source at every meal is important and why grains and sugars should be avoided.  Tell them why fat is perceived to be bad, but in reality, it’s good.  Children are smart, and will understand you as long as you keep it to their education level.  This is also a great time to find out what they really like.  You’d be surprised what healthy foods they like, but don’t eat them because you don’t buy them.  I did this with my boot camp kids last summer.  I gave them the CF Journal 21 Zone lists of favorable and unfavorable foods and a highlighter.  Show me what you like!  Try it, you might be surprised.
3) Allow them to enjoy social situations with friends, in moderation.  We all know what being a pre-teen/teen can be like without the excess stress of not being able to eat burgers and fries on Friday night after the game with everyone else.  One trip to “In-and-Out” or Pizza Hut every other week is not going to push them over the edge.  It is far better to provide them with unquestionably “good” choices at home and for lunch at school, and allow the freedom to cheat with friends.  Guess what?  After a while, they won’t want the junk.  They’ll learn how bad it makes them feel, and not only will they seek out “better” choices when they’re out, but they’ll start to influence their friends.

That’s it.  If you stick to your guns, these three steps will yield a child that is roughly 80% Paleo/Primal, or whatever.  More importantly, you’ll give your child a large selection of healthy choices at their disposal as they progress into adulthood.

Many of us did not find the holy grail of proper nutrition until our adult years.  Just like CrossFit, don’t you wish you had “Paleo” when you were younger?  Be strong and give your kids the tools they need.  They will use them.

For the record, this is the exactly how we were able to get our daughter to eat what we eat.  The worst thing she gets at the grocery store is ice cream.  But, we eat that too now and again, so no hypocrisy on either side.  Everything else in the “cheat” realm is all special occasion; visits to friend’s houses, parties, etc.  More and more we hear about how she didn’t eat this and that, or how bad she feels after eating certain things.  I’ve got a 13 year old that does not eat cereal for breakfast.  Bacon and Eggs.  Is her diet perfectly clean?  Nope.  Is mine?  Heck no.  Is yours?  Doubt it.  But 80% clean for a 13 year-old is a success story to me.  When I find myself worrying about too much fruit, I know it’s time to count my blessings.  She’s a great kid, and she’s off to a great start.

Who’s next?

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Tuesday’s WOD:

As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes:

6 Squat Clean to Overhead
6 G.I. Janes (burpee to pullup)
12 Situps

results:

Bill enjoying some post Halloween WOD fun.

With Halloween behind us, and Thanksgiving right around the corner, what better time to highlight some of the health benefits of the wonderful pumpkin.

Pumpkins are a tasty source of vitamins and minerals, particularly beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium. It also helps prevent arterosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, which can lead to strokes and/or heart attacks.

Pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc and unsaturated fatty acids which are effective help for prostate ailments.

A study by the USDA indicated that diets high in pumpkin as a fiber source tended to curb the appetite, yet provided more food for the same calorie count.

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Thursday’s WOD:

500m Row
3 Press
6 Push Press
9 Push Jerks

50 Squats
3 Press
6 Push Press
9 Push Jerks

30 Box Jumps
3 Press
6 Push Press
9 Push Jerks

403m Run
3 Press
6 Push Press
9 Push Jerks

results:

Nathan Brammeier will be hosting a free showing of the movie, Food Inc., this Thursday evening at 6:30pm at Renaissance Clubsport in Walnut Creek.  This is an excellent movie that I highly recommend to anyone who cares about their health.  This is not a gore filled movie intended to shock and disgust you on various practices in the food industry (however, if you want one of those I can send you a link), this movie is meant to inform, educate, and offer possible solutions.  Nathan will also spend a few minutes after the movie going into more detail about what choices we can make to become healthier individuals.  This showing is free to both members and non-members of Renaissance Clubsport.

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Friday’s WOD:

400m Row
5 Rounds
12 Deadlifts
18 Knees to Elbow
12 Pushups
18 Box Jumps

finish with (1) 403m run

results:

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Saturday’s WOD:

21-15-9

Dumbbell Squat Clean Thrusters
Pullups

results:

Here is an eye opening presentation on sugar from Robert Lustig MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics.  I first saw it about 2 weeks ago on the CrossFit Oakland comment section, and have since seen it on the Diablo CrossFit and CrossFit Oakland main page.  The reason I mention this is because it brings me great pride to be involved in a community that truly cares for the health and well-being of it’s members.  CrossFit clearly isn’t just a bunch of meatheads that just push barbells and do pullups.

The video is 90 minutes, so break it up in a couple of parts, or wait until you get to work next week and are having a case of the Mondays.  Seriously, this video is worth watching, the quality of information shared in this presentation is something you would have to pay big bucks for, and/or endure 4 years of school at UCSF.

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Thursday’s WOD:
compare to:   4.1.09    5.13.09    9.8.09 

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

10 Wall Balls
10 Summo Deadlift High Pull
10 Burpees
10 Medball Cleans

results:

Despite what you may want to believe, when you crave pizza, ice cream, pasta, or soft drinks, it’s not because your body needs it.  Here are a few examples:

Crave?                                 You need this.              Eat this instead.
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chocolate                                         Magnesium                             nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits

soda/carbonated drinks            Calcium                                    greens, broccoli, cheese

Check out the full list here.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

A.) Overhead Squats
9-9-7-7-5-5

B.)
500m Row
10 Overhead Squats
15 Situps
10 Overhead Squats
15 Situps

results:

Quick and easy, and seriously satisfying, this turkey burger served over mixed greens with sweet potato fries is a delicious alternative to the traditional burger and fries.  Since turkey doesn’t have much fat you need to add a few ingredients to keep it moist and give it a great flavor.  Saute some shallots and a bit of parsley.  Peel and finely chop a granny smith apple, 1/2 a fresh lemon squeezed, along with a bit of lemon zest, some mango chutney and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix all those ingredients with the ground meat, form into patties, and cook for a few minutes on each side.  For the sweet potato fries, thinly slice the potatoes, drizzle in olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, and rosemary.  Bake in the oven for about 35-45 minutes, or until slightly crispy.  Skip the burger bun, it only robs the burger of it’s flavor.  Enjoy!

**REMINDER** There will be NO classes on Saturday October 24th.  There WILL however be ONE class on Sunday October 25th at 9:30am.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

Deadlift
5-5-5-5-5

*immediately after each set of deadlifts, perform one set of max reps weighted pushups with 10-45lbs.

rest as needed before moving on to next set

results:

This is awesome.  The corn industry is obviously concerned about people educating themselves on the health risks of high fructose corn syrup.  They developed an ad campaign and a site to try and tame people’s concerns about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup.  The campaign trys to exploit the fact that people are hearing that HFCS is bad, but most average americans can’t explain why it’s bad.  A repeated theme in the campaign is that it, (HFCS) is natural because it comes from corn… so it is fine.  Corn may be natural, however, the processes that creates HFCS is by no means natural or happens in “nature”.  Add to that the fact that corn is in so many food products, is a genetically modified crop, and gets hit with lots of pesticides and you’ve got a product you may want to reconsider ingesting.

Check out the ad campaign here.

Don’t be one of the uneducated idiots played by the actors in the ad campaign.  A study published earlier this year from the University of California Berkeley showed that compared to glucose, fructose had the following effects.

1) Four-fold greater intra-abdominal fat accumulation

2) 13.9% increase in LDL cholesterol, doubled Apoprotein B

3) 44.9% increase in small LDL, 3-fold more than glucose

4) Increased postprandial triglycerides 99.2%.

Other studies have shown that fructose:

–Increases uric acid–No longer is red meat the cause for increased uric acid; fructose has taken its place. Uric acid may act as an independent coronary risk factor and increases high blood pressure and kidney disease.

–Induces insulin resistance, the situation that creates diabetes

–Increases glycation (fructose linked to proteins) and protein cross-linking, processes that underlie atherosclerosis, liver disease, and cataracts.
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com

If you want to learn more, the study is published in it’s entirety here.

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Thursday’s WOD:

A.) Overhead Squats
7-7-7

B.) 100 Burpees
*every minute perform 3 strict pullups (or most challenging pullup variation you are capable of)

results:

Catalyst Athletics down in Sunnyvale has a great website that among other things, includes some delicous and healthy recipes.  This chicken apples salad is quick, easy, and taste great.  Below are the ingredients.  Check out the website here.

Time:  25 minutes

• 6 oz chicken
• 6 cups shredded cabbage
• 1/2 Grannysmith apple
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• olive oil
• sea salt and pepper to taste
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Wednesday’s WOD:

7 minutes to complete:

(1) 403m Run
Max Reps Body Weight Bench Press (or pushups)
Max Pullups

REPEAT for 4 Rounds

results:

Here is an informative blog from a cardiologist in Wisconsin.  This is not a medical website, just a doctor’s own blog about health and nutrition.  He recently wrote about what he as observed in his patients that have eliminated wheat from their diet.  His entire blog is really good, but you can read the post about wheat, here.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

Deadlift
5-5-5-5-5

Push Jerks
5-5-5-5-5

results:

If you are still having trouble modifying your nutrition, perhaps this article will help.  And by sugar, they don’t just mean the packets of white stuff you add to your coffee.  All high glycemic index foods, such as bread, pasta, white rice, potatoes, etc. are quickly converted to sugar in the bloodstream.  Check out the article here.

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Monday’s WOD:

start with 400m Row, then

5 Rounds

12 Knees to Elbow
6 Ring Dips
12 Burpees

finish with (1) 403m Run

results:

 

Here is a really good article from Time about the problems with the food industry.  If you don’t feel like reading the entire article online, I’ll have a few copies available at the gym.  The article does a good job summarizing the recent movie Food Inc.

Read full article here.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

4 Rounds

15 Deadlifts
15 Ring Dips
20 KB Swings
403m Run

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop: Walnut Creek, CA

photo: © Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com  from the book Hungry Planet: What  the World Eats

Here is an interesting piece from Time, on what families around the world consume in a week.  The family from China seems to have a decently well-rounded shopping list (aside from the soda and KFC).  And then there are the Americans, are we doomed?  Big thanks to Christina D. for sending me the link.  Lastly, there is a really good article about the food industry and in specific, meat,  in the August 31st edition of Time Magazine.  The article is basically a summary of the movie Food Inc. for those of you that may have missed it.  I’ll try to print up extra copies of the article and bring it into the gym.

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Sports Performance WOD:

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

Deadlift @ 250lbs.
Hang Squat Clean @ Body Weight
Ring Dips

for time perform 10 Deadlifts, 10 Hang Squat Clean, 10 Ring Dips, 9 Deadlifts, 9 Hang Squat Clean, 9 Rings… etc
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Thursday’s WOD:

4 minutes to complete:
400 meter row, then as many Deadlift reps as possible.  REST 2 minutes, REPEAT for 3 Rounds.

REST 2 minutes

4 minutes to complete:
400m row, then as many Push Press/Push Jerks reps as possible.  REST 2 minutes, REPEAT for 3 Rounds.

results: