Ghee-licious!

Ghee is my newest find. I love it. Probably because I love butter. Who doesn't?!

But what exactly is Ghee?

It is clarified butter- meaning butter without the milk solids- making it, well, dairy-free butter! Ghee is a sanskrit word meaning "sprinkled" and is used in many Hindu rituals.

The taste? I think it has a more concentrated buttery flavor. Yummmm.... I have used it to cook my eggs and veggies this week and it has been a nice flavor change.

Want to make your own? Here's how (make sure to get a good quality pastured butter):

Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Remove butter from heat and let stand for a few minutes, allowing the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Skim the clear yellow liquid from the top and strain into a container. You have just made Ghee! Ghee stores well frozen.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and if you've used ghee. Have a great weekend!

I Am Crossfit: Substitutes for Comfort Foods

I Am Crossfit Make-up Workout is tonight

I Am Crossfit Nutrition Mtg. tomorrow at 12:15pm and 7pm

Coach Crystal leading a small group nutrition presentation

When beginning a major shift in nutrition, we often look for things that are "normal" like what we are used to eating. Fake this and gluten-free that. The aisles at the grocery store are becoming full of gluten-free packaged foods. Over in the dairy section, there's Lactaid. If you have a dairy intolerance, why not just stop drinking milk?! Who knows what kind of chemicals and fillers are in Lactaid. If it's not milk, what is it? Anyhow...

This whole nutrition shift is a gradual process that takes time. Don't get frustrated if you take 2 steps forward, one step back. It's ok. We've all been there. The important thing is that you move ahead and know that you WILL feel better, you WILL look better, and you WILL perform better. Guaranteed.

Here is a link to one of my favorite sites, Mark's Daily Apple-

Primal Substitutes for Non-Primal Food

I've made Paleo Pancakes 4 times now and can't seem to get it right. They always fall apart when I flip them!! If you have perfected the recipe, let me know and post to comments. I love me some pancakes....

Enjoy this amazingly beautiful weather!

The "New Normal"

Guilty. Caught on film. You can see what I've been up to. I have been out of town visiting family and attending my cousin's wedding- sorry I've been a little MIA!

I have also had a glimpse into Christmas Future. See, this is my first holiday season of eating clean/Zone/Paleo. After the past 5 days of being on "vacation" i.e. "out- of- the- usual -routine- and -away -from- my- own -kitchen", I got a reality check. If I don't plan and mentally prepare myself, I will be a bloated mess come January 1, my performance will suffer, and I will just feel like crap!

It's sooooo easy to just say "one piece of cake won't hurt me." Don't get me wrong, I do believe in moderation, and I do believe you can have your cake, so to speak. But it definitely takes a huge amount of willpower and planning ahead. I don't have a very good relationship with Willpower...

It was also hard to be "the weird one" eating weird things and not eating "normal" things. It really is a New Normal (thanks Erika- you have a real way with words!) I was super excited to eat this for breakfast (leftovers from the night before):

I think my brother almost barfed when he saw me eating brussel sprouts for breakfast....But to me, that's my "New Normal!"

Is this your first holiday season of living a more healthy lifestyle? How do you plan on resisting temptation?

What is your "New Normal?!"

5 hrs. 20 min.

"LILA" from CrossFit Central on Vimeo.

Did you know that first time moms are in labor an average of 15 hours? Yusuf's wife gave birth in record time! Congratulations on a beautiful baby girl. In honor of Yusuf's new addition, Big Mike concocted "Lila"- the above video is of the Coaches taking on the workout.

This week at Crossfit Central there will be a Nutrition Level 1 Meeting on Tuesday at 12:15pm and again at 7pm. This is open to all Crossfit Central clients and is a great way to get on track- especially with the holidays coming up :)

This coming Saturday is our monthly UTB free workout as well as the Indoor Benchmark Challenge Finale. Has your Fran time improved?!

More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Chicken Broth

This post is piggy-backing on Erika's post about Chicken soup. I've actually been hearing/reading a lot lately about chicken stock of all things and have a quite lengthy post to share with you.

Here's the thing about making a good, organic chicken stock: It can not only help your body when you are sick, but it can help replace key minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, and other trace minerals. It also contains the stuff broken down from the cartilage and tendons- glucosamine and chondroitin- high dollar supplements.

People are starting to link a lot of illness/disease/chronic pains and ailments to mineral deficiencies. If our soil is depleted, our plants are depleted. If our plants are depleted, our animals are depleted. You can see where this is going.

So back to the chicken broth... I had always wondered why people ate chicken noodle soup when they were sick. I thought maybe it was something about the combination of the noodles and the little carrots and the chunks of gross chicken in the Campbell's soup. Well...

Thankfully, it turns out it's none of the above! It's the actual homemade broth containing all of the easily absorbable minerals that is so good for you. I found this site that is fascinating if you are enjoying this topic. Here is a little snippet:

Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily-not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons--stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.

Fish stock, according to traditional lore, helps boys grow up into strong men, makes childbirth easy and cures fatigue. "Fish broth will cure anything," is another South American proverb. Broth and soup made with fishheads and carcasses provide iodine and thyroid-strengthening substances.

When broth is cooled, it congeals due to the presence of gelatin. The use of gelatin as a therapeutic agent goes back to the ancient Chinese. Gelatin was probably the first functional food, dating from the invention of the "digestor" by the Frenchman Papin in 1682. Papin's digestor consisted of an apparatus for cooking bones or meat with steam to extract the gelatin. Just as vitamins occupy the center of the stage in nutritional investigations today, so two hundred years ago gelatin held a position in the forefront of food research. Gelatin was universally acclaimed as a most nutritious foodstuff particularly by the French, who were seeking ways to feed their armies and vast numbers of homeless in Paris and other cities. Although gelatin is not a complete protein, containing only the amino acids arginine and glycine in large amounts, it acts as a protein sparer, helping the poor stretch a few morsels of meat into a complete meal. During the siege of Paris, when vegetables and meat were scarce, a doctor named Guerard put his patients on gelatin bouillon with some added fat and they survived in good health.

So today I decided to take the plunge and make the broth. I have a huge aversion to dealing with dead animals with bones, so I was happy I could just throw the entire bird into the pot and not have to do anything to him. I simmered mine for 6 hours and it was super easy. I plan on drinking a cup each day this week since our whole family has had the plague. Plus, it is going to get colder this week- perfect!

One important thing to remember that Erika also pointed out: Don't skim off the gelatin stuff. It is very important. Also important, get an organic chicken. I went to Sprouts near my house and got one for $11. All you need is celery, onion, and carrots and you're set.

Here's the recipe: Chicken Stock

1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
gizzards from one chicken (optional)
2-4 chicken feet (optional)
4 quarts cold filtered water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley

*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.

If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. (If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces.) Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.

Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries.

If you don't want to drink the broth immediately or want to save it for future use, you can freeze it in ice cube trays. Next up, fish broth- finally, a use for fish heads!

Food is the Answer

How are you feeling? Are you getting the results you want? Have you been giving it your all in the gym but not seeing a whole lot of progress?

The answer is your diet. Not going on a diet, but the amount and quality of food that you are consuming.

Are you keeping a food log? Are you weighing and measuring your food? Are you seeking advice from your Coach? Are you attending FREE nutrition meetings?

If you have answered no to any of the above questions, it is time to get on track. Really. Right now.

When I started Zoning in January, it was hard and confusing! Anything new takes a little while to learn. But once I got the hang of it- about 4 weeks later- it was second nature. It really does get easier. The great thing is, you don't have to do it alone! Not only will your Coach help you, but chances are that the women in your class are going through the exact same thing. Be sure to check out our Eat Clean Live Strong blog. Erika is a wealth of knowledge

Tonight is the first ever Women's Only Nutrition Meeting at Run-Tex. It will begin at 7:45pm. Bring your food log if you have one, but if not, just show up. That is the first step. I promise you'll get a lot out of it!

We are 2 weeks into the Benchmark Challenge. Keep up the good work by attending one of our FREE workouts this weekend. Check out the Crossfit Central site for sign-up info.

Boosting your immune system

Cold and flu season is upon us. I have always thought it better to be proactive and preventative rather than spend the next few months in the doctor's office taking unnecessary antibiotics.

A good probiotic is a must. Did you know 80% of our immune system is formed in our gut? Probiotics are the good bacteria. We have them in our bodies, but when illness strikes, the bad guys take over. You can get probiotics at any grocery store: HEB, Whole Foods, Central Market, People's Pharmacy, etc. I also give it to my kids in powdered form mixed in apple sauce. You want a high potency probiotic with a variety of strains.

According to Dr. Mercola, "Total health begins in the gut, so if your GI tract is not in optimal health, then your overall health will be compromised."

Interestingly enough, Dr. M also states the following as essential components of staying healthy:

• avoid sugars, sweets, candies, cookies, etc.- sugar impairs your immune system
• avoid stress
• get plenty of sleep
• frequent handwashing (duh)

So if you are following a Paleo/zone diet along with the prescribed 9 hours of sleep, all you have to worry about is...washing your hands ?! I think you can handle that.

For more great info, make sure to visit Dr. Mercola's site.

A Recipe Worth Sharing...

I try to cook.

I like to cook.

I'm not such a good cook.

With 2 small children, I am always looking for recipes that are Paleo/Zone -friendly but not too "out there". Oh and super easy.

Tonight I made these Almond-crusted Chicken Strips from the Caveman Food Blog (thanks Maggie!). Here is the post:

Sometimes you just want some nasty old fried chicken fingers, but as a rule they are flour-coated transfat-laden monstrosities. How to enjoy the crunch without all the badness? Almond flour!

serves 2

ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into fingers
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 - 1/3 cup oil for frying (I used palm oil shortening, but I wouldn't hesitate to use olive oil or coconut oil either - or lard if I had it!)

Heat the oil a large pan over medium-high heat (but closer to medium than to high - you don't want the almond flour to burn).

Put the beaten egg in one bowl and the almond flour plus seasonings into another bowl. Dip each chicken finger in egg, then in the almond flour mixture.

Cook the chicken in two batches until it is golden on each side.

Here is what I changed:

I used slivered almonds that I threw in the food processor- instant almond "flour"

I used Montreal Steak Seasoning (has some bad stuff in it probably)

I didn't use mustard powder

I fried them in coconut oil

Super delicious and very popular at my house this evening. Enjoy!!

Nutrition Blog

Have you seen the newest CrossFit Nutrition Blog? Erika is doing a fabulous job of keeping us on track with recipes, great information, and motivation. I made the Swiss Chard she posted tonight- yum!

If you see Erika around, make sure to say hello. She is a wealth of information, has quite the story, and is just an overall really nice person. (And one heck of an athlete!) Anyway...

The Nutrition workshop was a huge success last night. I hope everyone got what they needed. Remember that all the CrossFit Central coaches are here for you and want to do whatever it takes to help you succeed.

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. Baby steps. Start with Food Logging. Get a sense of where you are starting and where you need to go. Weigh and measure. Add some fat. Re-assess and meet with your coach for guidance. Repeat.

GMOs: What's the Big Deal?

The following is an article by my friend, Allison from Food as Life.  Good stuff!

Most of us have heard the dire news about high fructose corn syrup (HCFS) and trans fats.  We have altered our shopping habits accordingly, reading labels to avoid these harmful ingredients.  How about genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?  Are you as vigilant about avoiding them?  It is not as easy as you may think since our government regulations and standards make it nearly impossible as there are no labeling requirements in the U.S.    GMOs were first grown in the United States in 1996.  They work by inserting an additional protein into the genetic code of the original seed.  This allows the crops to withstand repeated bouts of pesticide without destroying the crop.  In such a short amount of time, GMOs have become a ubiquitous part of our food supply, found in nearly 75% of processed foods lining the supermarket shelves.  How has it infiltrated such a large portion of our food supply? A large majority of our farmland the past few decades has transitioned to grow three major crops: corn, soy, and canola.  The same agrochemical businesses that created GMOs also sell the seeds that grow these crops.  For example, 92 percent of all soy grown worldwide is genetically modified, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  If you think you do not consume any of these soybeans because you avoid edamame, tofu, and soymilk- think again!  Soybean oil, soy protein isolate, soy lecithin, etc, are common ingredients in processed foods. Even products you think of as healthy contain these harmful ingredients, such as protein bars, dark chocolate, and multigrain crackers. Since these crops are also fed to our animals, even meat is not free of them.     All of Europe, England, Australia, Japan and Russia require food containing GMOs to be labeled accordingly.  In response to consumer outcries in these countries, large companies such as Kraft, Walmart, and Coca Cola have redesigned their products to either remove GMOs from them or label them appropriately.  Consumers can then make their own decisions about whether to include these new substances into their family's diet or now.  For a myriad of political reasons, we are not given that choice in this country.  Instead, you must be extremely pro-active if you would like to minimize GMOs in your diet.     So what's the big deal with GMOs and why should you avoid them?  Most of the objection about GMOs is that they are an uncontrolled human experiment.  Only one study has been conducted on humans rather than animals.  The results showed that parts of the altered gene in GMO soy had been transferred into the DNA of the bacteria in the digestive system (U.S. National Academy of Sciences 2004).  Results from animal studies are even less promising.  Until U.S. consumers get more vocal about GMOs, what can you do?    Tips for minimizing GMOs in your diet: *Stick to organic food as much as possible; even fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables can be coated in a corn-based wax to make them look prettier and withstand long travel distances *Look for corn, soy, and canola listed in the ingredient list; assume they are genetically modified * Start small.  What do you or your family consumer a lot of?  Cereal?  Crackers?  Milk?  Look for a non-GMO alternative of your favorite brand by shopping organic. *Most importantly, speak up!  Does your grocery store have slim pickings when it comes to organics?  Make a request for specific products you would like to see.  Does your store already offer plenty of options?  Let them know you appreciate the selection.  Do it for your children and your children's children!

Brussel Sprouts=True Love

I've never made or even eaten Brussel Sprouts.  But last night I tried a new and super scrumptious recipe.  I even ate some for breakfast this morning!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1. Heat oven to 425. Cut off the bottoms. Cut each sprout in half or into small chunks if they are big.

2. Pour some EVOO onto a cookie sheet and shake it around until the whole sheet is covered with a thin layer of oil.

3. Place sprouts cut side down onto cookie sheet.

5. Place cookie sheet in heated oven and cook for 10-15 minutes. I started with 10 minutes then did a few extra so they would be nice and caramelized.

6. Take out the sheet and shake it around. Then place the cookie sheet on top of the stove for about 5 minutes for a little extra heat/cooking time.

7. Sprinkle with Sea Salt.

8. Devour.

Brussel info:  contain significant amounts of Vit.C and antioxidants plus some fancy cancer-fighting phytonutrients. 1 block= 1.5cups of sprouts

The Pre/Post Workout Balance

How can I maximize my workouts?

What should I eat before I workout?

What should I eat after I workout?

These are questions I have been wondering about for some time. I sought out (some may say stalked) Carey for some answers.  The following is taken from my conversation with her. Good stuff!

Pre-Workout:

This depends on when you workout. If you workout in the morning, you don't have time to get a lot of food in you before you roll out to your 6am class. Carey recommends something light that will stay down during your workout. (I like to have a few bites of banana with some peanut butter, but everyone is different.) Taking a supplement combo like Spark with some Catalyst provides your muscles with some food (Catalyst) along with some energy and mental focus (Spark).  She calls this a "George Jetson" meal- it's pretty close to rocket fuel!

If you are working out in the evening, eat 2 to 3 hours beforehand- 1 or 2 blocks of protein (7 or 14g) and fat (1.5 to 3g).

Post-Workout:

The most important thing here is to eat no more than 30 minutes post-workout. Eat more carbs here- at least one more than your usual serving for a meal. (so if you usually eat 2 blocks of carbs, eat 3 or 4) Eat this with little to no protein or fat. 

The science behind this is that by eating the carbs, your body recovers more quickly. If this delicate digestion balance is upset with adding fat and protein, your workouts could suffer in the following days! Eat some sweet potatoes, fruit, or other easily digested vegetables. 

Carey drinks a post-workout recovery shake since it is easy to mix and always on hand for that important 30 minute window. Then in the next hour she will eat her protein and fat. 

Voila! Everything you've ever wanted to know. I, for one, will definitely be trying this out. Let me know if you are doing it and how it is working for you.

The Food Makes the Girl

(shout out to Mel and anyone else on vacation- Hope you're having fun!)

Warning: This week will be heavy on nutrition. There are so many things I want to talk about so I am going to dedicate this week to Food...

Last week I fell off the wagon. A lot. I looked very similar to the picture above. And I began to wonder just how "dirty eating" affects us both mentally and physically and for how long.

It's like Melissa Byers was reading my mind. She wrote a great 2- part piece about "eating dirty." So be sure to check it out.  

It is so easy to beat yourself up for having a cheat meal here or there. Food discipline is hard! But I've noticed the last few days how much my performance has suffered due to my indulgences. I feel sluggish, bloated, and just slow. 

BUT...Tomorrow is a new day, right?! Time to reel it in and break out the ol' food log.

Next up: How to fuel up pre- and post-workout.  

Food Inc.

As you may have noticed, I'm just slightly obsessed with food. Good food. Pure food. Non-chemically-laden-government-sponsored-gonna-kill-you food.  I think we, as consumers, have been duped for way too long. It's time to get our food back!!

Have you heard about Food Inc.? Luckily it's not another Michael Moore film, but it is a documentary featuring some pretty smart people.  Here is a snippet from the website.  Be sure to check out the trailer below. 

 

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.

Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.

Food Inc will be playing at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown next Friday, June 26