WTF
The picture above is EXACTLY how the school lunches I ate in middle school looked. For some reason that “pizza” was one of two main course items on the menu everyday, literally. Check out Everyday Paleo for some better school lunch ideas for your kids. They’ll thank you for it!
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A.) Overhead Squat
3 Rep Max
B.) 4 Rounds
403m Run
12 Burpees
25 Double Unders
I just received some heirloom tomatoes in my Farm Fresh To You box, coupled with the delicious beef we recently go from Prather Ranch it reminded me of this great looking dish I recently saw on Mark’s Daily Apple. Check it out here.
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A.) 1 Mile Run
B.) 12 Minute Clock – 3 Rep Back Squat
*score sum of 3 best sets
*clock begins as soon as you complete mile run
C.) 1 Minute Max Reps Pullups
1 Minute Max Reps Burpees
My first juice. I was so excited I took a picture.
The juice revolution has begun at the Sweat Shop. Helen and I, Melaney and JB, Matt and Jessica, Josh, Al and Elisa have all recently jumped on the juice wagon. Apparently Donna C., Katherine, and Melia have been on it for a while. While two of my meals each day consist of, among other things, a large mixed green salad, I figured the juicer would be a good way to supplement my regular diet in order to get as many nutrients as possible from vegetables. And while the picture above shows a juice that also contains quite a bit of fruit, I now just juice veggies, with the exception of apple. My favorite right now is kale, carrot, celery (this is a must), half an apple, 1/4 of a lemon, and a really small piece of ginger.
If you’re juicing, post to comments your favorite recipe. Just after getting on the juice, Jessica finally got her first muscle up… just sayin’.
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A.) Snatch Balance
B.) 1 Mile Run, then:
5 Rounds
5 Deadlifts (295/185)
50 Double Unders
finish with 200m run
Braised short ribs recipe from Free The Animal
For those of you that participated in the Prather Ranch beef share, you may find yourself with plenty of beef still in your freezer, but running low on ideas on how to prepare some of the cuts. A site I recently came across, Free The Animal, looks to have some pretty tasty dishes. Be sure and also check out the Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger Meatza!
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9am
A.) For time: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Front Squats (135/95)
Pullups
B.) 2 Rounds
2 minutes to complete:
403m Run
Burpees for REPS
REST 3 minutes between rounds
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10am
A.) Back Squat
5-5-5-5-5
B.) Alternating TABATA
Muscle Ups
Pistols
Handstand Pushups
Box Jumps
*20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest
alternate b/t first two exercises, then move on to next two
4 sets of each exercise
Jin, feeling “Jin and Tonic’d” 30-minutes post “Barbara”on 8/5/10. While contemplating why in the world he showed up to the Sweat Shop that day, he also regrets not having a recovery meal on hand before heading to work.
Whether you are training for CrossFit competitions, or to simply stay in shape, your recovery must be done right nutritionally and timely in order to accomplish your desired results. Many of you still inquire about when and what you should eat right after a workout. For the average CrossFitter, the simple rule of thumb is to replenish immediately after the workout and to eat “real” food as opposed to other sources. For the competitive athlete, the guidelines are slightly different in catering for longer, and more intense training sessions. Here’s an excerpt from Paleo-Creator, Loren Cordain’s book “The Paleo-Diet for Athletes” with a more in-depth explanation on the goals of each stage of recovery.
On eating 30-minutes post exercise:
At no other time in your entire day is your body as receptive as it is now to nutrient intake. Research shows that the restocking of the muscles’ carbohydrate stores is 2-3 times as rapid immediately after exercise as it is a few hours later. In the same way, other research reveals that the repair of muscles damaged is more effective if protein is consumed immediately after exercise. Don’t delay. Being refueling as soon as possible after you cool down.
Read full excerpt here.
Be advised: Many people mistake this 30-minute “warning” as some sort of alert to eat as much sugar and carbs as they can. Yes, missing the “window” all together can be detrimental, but so is using this window to eat 3 glazed donuts, frozen yogurt, and a happy meal.
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Legitness of the Week
Josh joins Bill’s “Double Day” club and crushes Wednesday’s “Pistols” WOD twice! His one day pistol total = 132!
Nabil raises the Sweat Shop “Consecutive Double Unders” record to 110!!
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WOD #1
4 Rounds:
9 Front Squats (155#/105#)
21 Box Jumps
2 Rope Climbs
9 Handstand Pushups
WOD #2
4 Rounds:
18 Thrusters
18 Box Jumps
12 Pullups
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3 Rounds
500m Row
40 KB Swings
30 Pushups
20 Pullups
10 Burpees
*3-minute rest between rounds*
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Don’t forget to check out the spoiler for tomorrow’s workouts here.
Be ready to work!!!
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photo from Everyday Paleo
For those of you that have started eating more paleo foods, you may find yourself running out of meal ideas. Check out this awesome site, Everyday Paleo, from a CrossFit coach and mother of three. Sarah has done a fantastic job of creating some delicious recipes, and aside from written directions, she even has videos!
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5 Rounds
2 1/2 minutes to complete:
7 Deadlifts (70-75% 3 rep max)
200m Run
13 Wall Balls
Burpees for REPS
REST 1 minute between rounds
Many of you may not know that Sweat Shop member, Aaron, is not only an awesome athlete, a recent new father to his first child, and a creative sushi chef, but also runs his own successful catering business, Hiroshi’s Catering. Check out his newly updated website, here. Having enjoyed his food on many occasions, I can honestly say that Aaron’s is sushi brilliantly unique, and consistently amazing!
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“Fight Gone Bad!”
3 Rounds
1 minute at each station
Wall Balls
Summo Deadlift High Pull
Box Jumps
Push Press
Row for CALORIES
REST 1 minute after completing each full round
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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“Cindy”
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Squats
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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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
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4 Rounds
403m Run
21 Pullups
7 Burpees
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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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“Helen”
3 Rounds
403m Run
21 KB Swings
12 Pullups
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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
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*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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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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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
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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
_______________________
A.) Thruster
3-3-3-3-3
B.) 403m Run
21 Pullups
21 KB Swings
9 Pullups
9 KB Swings
403m Run
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:
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!
_______________________
A.) 75 Pullups
*perform 10 Burpees each time you drop from the bar
B.) 75 Wall Balls
______________________
A.) Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3
B.) 5 Burpees
10 Pullups
15 Pushups
20 Situps
25 Squats
403m Run
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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5 Rounds
20 Wall Balls
10 Knees to Elbow
20 (steps) Medball Overhead Walking Lunge
10 Burpees
*finish with (1) 403m run
CrossFit Sweat Shop Walnut Creek, CA
