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Saturday, October 27, 2012

The Aftermath of "Grace"

 Day of "Grace"
 
Day after "Grace" 
 
Day 2 after "Grace" 
 
Day 5 after "Grace"... we did hang cleans in a workout and it hurt like heck!
 
One week after "Grace'
 
I would like to think that the more I do this, I'll stop looking like an abused and out-of-control wife, but several people have told me it never gets better! It's okay, I enjoy the funny looks and getting to make up extravagant explanations, only for them to still look at me crazy when I tell them what I was REALLY doing.
 
strongisbeautiful

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Crossfit Intrigue: Barbells for Boobs 2012

Barbells for Boobs is a non-profit organization who's mission is to provide funding for qualified low income and uninsured women (and men!) who need screening and/or diagnostic procedures in the prevention of breast cancer.

Crossfit Intrigue held a fundraiser on October 20th to support this organization and their mission. Our team had a goal of $500, and we exceeded that by rasing $1582. Participants completed the WOD "Amazing Grace" - 30 Clean & Jerks for time. Men used 135#. Women used 95#. This was many of our members first time doing the workout, and everyone did a great job. This was special to me, because it was the first time I've Rx'd a workout. It took me forever to finish, but I finished well under the cap of 15 minutes. I don't know that I've ever felt more accomplished! Here are some photos of the event.


 
 


 

 
 
last clean

last jerk - check out that slight smile

3...2...1...
 

GO!
 


Josh & Jake both finished sub 2:00 
 
 

Team CFI

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

If meatloaf was a woman, my husband would leave me for it. Promise. That guy LOVES meatloaf. I'm pretty sure he married me because one of my favorite things to cook is my mom's meatloaf. I was a little concerned when we started on this paleo adventure that not being able to cook his favorite foods such as meatloaf, white potatoes, hamburger steak, or anything else involving gravy or frying would result in our demise as a married couple. Fear not - PaleOMG is here!
 
Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf
 
Ingredients
 
  • 1lb ground turkey
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour or 1/2 cup almond flour/meal (I used coconut flour)
  • 3-4 tablespoons hot sauce (I used Texas Pete)
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1/4 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  •  
    Directions
    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    2. Place all ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to mix thoroughly.
    3. Plop mixture into two mini loaf pans OR one large loaf pan. I used my stone loaf pan from Pampered Chef = LOVE.
    4. Bake for 25-35 or until loaf is completely cooked through.
    5. I used the poke technique. Poke the meat, if it sinks in, like it’s uncooked, it probably is. Or you can use a handy-dandy meat thermometer and still be guessing if you're me!
    6. Let cool and serve with something yum like roasted asparagus!
    (it looks like a brick.... but it's a delicious brick....)
     

    Homemade "Granola"

    Another recipe that Joshwa found, that I executed. This is "grain-less" granola. A great snack, and worth the time and effort on a weekend to prepare to have ready for the week ahead.

    Homemade "Granola"

    Ingredients

    Honey
    Water (let me know if you have trouble finding this...)
    Orange oil or extract (we got extract...)
    Slivered almonds
    Take your pick of additional options: seeds, nuts, dried fruits, coconut, etc.

    This is a very flexible recipe. Use what you like. I used the almonds, walnuts, craisins, and sunflower seeds.

    Directions

    1. Heat some honey and a little water on the stove.
    2. Add a few drops of orange extract.
    3. Mix in your almonds and your other fillers. You want enough honey mixture to coat the ingredients and it be pretty sticky, but not so much that they're falling apart or swimming.
    4. Grease a mini muffin tin. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups so that they are overflowing. Then use your muscles to push the mixture tightly into the muffin cups. You may need to add more mix and press down again. It should be wedged in there pretty good.
    5. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

    *I'll be honest.... my mini muffins turned out great... but were a pain in the rear to get out of the pan. I had a little more mixture, so I threw it in some big muffin tins. The big muffins never would crisp all the way through. Next time I attempt this, I will more than likely roll the mix into balls and throw them on a baking sheet, just to see what happens!!



    Frittata

    Josh found this recipe on one of his Crossfit websites and asked me to make it for him... it's basically egg muffins in a 9x13" dish instead of muffin tins... but whatev, I figured I'd humor him.

    Frittata

    Ingredients

    3 pieces of bacon, cooked (not super crispy... or you can use bacon bits...)
    a bag of baby spinach
    a big, red tomato, diced
    a can of artichoke hearts, drained and diced
    a dozen eggs
    2 tbsp paprika
    salt and pepper to taste

    Directions

    1. Wilt your spinach in a bowl by microwaving on high for about a minute, or until it's bright green and wilty looking. Squeeze out any excess water and pat dry between paper towels.
    2. Lightly grease the bottom of your pan (casserole pan, 9x13... whatever you want) and sprinkle the bacon, spinach, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts along the bottom.
    3. In a bowl, beat your eggs and mix in your paprika, salt, and pepper.
    4. Pour the egg mixture slowly over the other ingredients.
    5. Bake at 375 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.... about 30-35 minutes, but is really dependant on how much "filling" you use in your frittata.
    6. Cut into squares and serve! You can do the same thing with this as the egg muffins... store them in the fridge for an easy, on-the-go breakfast option!

    before the egg 

    after baking

    Banana Soft-serve

    If you love bananas, you'll like this recipe. If you love icecream, you'll LOVE this recipe. My Crossfit coaches have limited me to one banana a day... so it's hard for me to fit this in since I really really really like to eat a banana and peanut butter either for breakfast or before my workout. BUT every now and then we do this as a treat. Josh liked it, and we didn't give it to Carter for fear of his potassium creeping above his new normal which is on the low end of normal's normal. Does that make sense? Maybe not. But we try to keep him away from banana either way. Anywayssss... this recipe right here:

    Ingredients
    Banana
    Delicious, fun, paleo-rific toppings such as dark chocolate chips, shredded coconut, honey, nuts, nut butter

    Directions
    1. Cut up a banana. Put it in a ziploc bag or a tupperware. Put it in the freezer. Let it get good and frozen.
    2. You can probably do this in a blender, too... I'm not sure. I put my banana(s) in the food processor and let it whirl until it's nice and smooth. You can even add a little almond or coconut milk if it's not a consistency you love with just the straight up banana.
    3. Add your toppings and consume!!!


    This is really a super treat to make if you just really need an icecream fix but don't want to fall off the wagon and end up at DQ like we do sometimes..... or eating/drinking something like this.....

     
     (The cupcakes were for our Cupcake Wars fundraiser for the Booster Club. That's homemade peanut butter icing that would make you slap yo' momma! The Mountain Dews are evidence of a very weak moment for me and
    Josh during a trip to Publix.... yes.... those are 20oz cans.)

    Cinnamon Chipotle Sliders

    This recipe is brought to you courtesy of PaleOMG! Delicious, tiny burgers with yummy toppings. So much flavor.
     
    Cinnamon Chipotle Sliders
     
    Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1.5 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 1.5 tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 package of thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  •  
    Directions
    1. Grab a large mixing bowl and add your beef and spices. Mix well to combine
    2. Heat a medium skillet up and add your coconut oil. Add in your onions and stir a bit to help cover the onions in oil, then add a tablespoon or so of water and cover to help steam the onions.
    3. As the onions begin to brown, grab out a large skillet and add your olive oil to warm up under medium-high heat for your sliders.
    4. Form your sliders into small patties. Mine were about 2-3 inches wide once I pressed them down. Add to hot skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides.
    5. As the sliders are cooking, keep stirring around the onions to help make sure they don’t burn. When they have cooked for about 6-8 minutes, add mushrooms and re-cover with a tablespoon of water.
    6. Once the sliders are done cooking, set them aside while you finish the onions and mushrooms.
    7. Once the mushrooms and onions are almost cooked through, add your balsamic vinegar and mix to combine.
    8. Top your cooked sliders off with some ground mustard and the onions and mushrooms. Serve with something yummy like sweet potato wedges!
     

    Honey Ginger Apple Shredded Pork

    Again, PaleOMG!!! Have I told you how much I love my crockpot? This recipe was delcious.

    Hony Ginger Apple Shredded Pork

    Ingredients

  • 2lb pork shoulder roast (or any other roast you prefer)
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 apples, cored and sliced
  • 2/3 cup beef or chicken broth OR water
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (use ground ginger if you don’t have fresh on hand)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1 bay leaf
  •  
     

    Directions
    1. Pull out your crockpot.
    2. Add your broth or water, then onions, then pork, then apples then all your spices/garlic clove/and bay leaf.
    3. Cover.
    4. Cook for 8-10 hours on low or 6-8 hours on high.
    5. Use tongs or a fork to shred your pork.
    6. Serve with some roasted veggies!
     

     

    Brownie Batter Pancakes

    We're big fans of breakfast for dinner. This is a recipe from PaleOMG... love her food! Josh really loves these... I don't understand, but I don't like the consistency of these paleo pancakes I've made so far.

    Brownie Batter Pancakes

    Ingredients
    For the pancakes
  • 1 banana, peeled
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon agave or raw honey (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  •  
    For the toppings
  • handful of strawberries, diced
  • 1/4 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate or 1/4 cup homemade coconut butter (I didn't have either of these, so I subbed coconut milk... the canned kind found in the Asian food section of your grocery store)
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon agave or raw honey
  •  
    Instructions
    1. In a food processor or blender add your banana and pulse until completely broken down into a soupy paste.
    2. Add your egg whites and egg and pulse again to combine.
    3. Add all of the rest of your pancake ingredients and pulse to thoroughly combine.
    4. Heat up a large skillet under medium heat, grease with a bit of coconut oil, and add your pancake batter to the hot skillet with a spoon.
    5. Flip pancakes when you begin to see bubbles forming on the top surface of the pancakes. The smaller they are, the shorter amount of time they will take to cook so keep on eye on them.
    6. While your pancakes cook, mix your coconut cream concentrate, cocoa powder, and honey/agave. Place in microwave if needed to mix thoroughly into a paste.
    7. Once your pancakes are finished, top with your strawberries and "syrup" and serve with other breakfast-y foods!
     
    (this picture was from the first time I made these, and I didn't make the "syrup")
     

    2 Ingredient Pancake

    This recipe could change your life... or at least your breakfast. I'm actually not a huge fan of it. Not sure why. But check it out, hopefully you will be!

    2 Ingredient Pancake

    Ingredients: get ready for this... it's a doozy
    a large egg
    a small banana
    some cinnamon (optional)

     
    Directions:
    Blend together your ingredients. I used my immersion blender to get it really smooth. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat with cooking spray or coconut oil. Pour your batter in and let it cook sloooooowly. When it's all bubbly on top, and the edges pull up easily, give it a flip. Let it finish cooking through. Top with your favorite nut butter and consume!
     

    Cilantro Chicken Nuggets

    I made this one night and my mom came over for dinner. She was surprised that she liked them! This is another PaleOMG recipe. I also cut some zucchini/carrots into thin strips and roasted them in olive oil. This meal has kind of an Asian flare, and turned out really well.
     
    Cilantro Chicken Nuggets
     
    Ingredients:
    For the nuggets
    • 1lb ground chicken
    • 1 egg, whisked
    • 1 bundle of cilantro, chopped
    • 3 scallions, chopped
    • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
    • 1/2 cup Coconut Flour
    • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
    • salt and pepper, to taste
    • 1-2 tablespoons Coconut Oil
    For the dipping sauce
    • 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos (I didn't have this, so I subbed soy sauce)
    • 1/8 cup white wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon ground stone mustard (from the bottle/container-not powder)
    • 1 teaspoon Raw Honey
    Instructions
    1. Mix all of your nugget ingredients together: ground chicken, egg, cilantro, scallions, sesame oil, ginger, and salt and pepper.
    2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
    3. Place your coconut flour in a shallow bowl.
    4. Make small balls from your nugget mixture, “nugget sized” and place each nugget in the coconut flour (being sure to only lightly dust the nuggets) then place in your skillet.
    5. Use a spatula to slightly flatten out each nugget.
    6. Cook on both sides for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through.
    7. While your nuggets cook, mix your dipping sauce ingredients together.
    8. Enjoy!
     
     

    Monday, October 8, 2012

    Life at CFI

    Alright, it's been ages since I've posted. I've been uber busy at work, and of course at home with the munchkin and that guy I live with. Another reason for my lack of posting is my insane amount of time spent at the gym. I've managed to WOD at least 4 days a week since CFI opened their doors - and I've loved every minute of it. I missed posting my last few WODs at RRCF, but I'm going to pick up with my first few weeks at CrossFit Intrigue!
     
    9.17.12
    1730
     
    Strength
    DL 3x3
    2 at 95#
    1 at 105#
     
    WOD
    12min AMRAP
    8 DL (95#)
    10 KBS (35#)
    8 burpees
    200m run
     
    Completed: 3 rounds + 8 DL
     
     
    9.18.12
    1600
     
    Strength
    Strict Press 3x3
    1 at 55#
    2 at 65#
     
    3RM push press - 75#
     
    Partner WOD!
     
    5min AMRAP
    max rep push press (55#)
    max rep pull ups (green+blue)
     
    5min AMRAP
    20 medball passes each (8#)
    120 jumprope
     
     
    9.19.12
    1530
     
    Open Gym
     
    800m run
    5x5 front squat 55#
    3x3 front squat 65#
    pullups 6x5 (green+red!!!)
     
    Gutz
    4 rounds
    10 knees to elbows
    20 #d twists (15#)
    max effort plank hold
    then...
    Tabata sit-ups!!
     
    Dubzzzz: highest continuous reps: FOUR. which is higher than THREE. BOOM!
     
    9.20.12
    1600
     
    800m run
    5! pullups (green+red)
    SDLHP 35-55#
     
    WOD
    15min AMRAP
    10 goblet squats (35#)
    8 box jumps (20")
    8 KBS (35#)
     
    Completed: 8 rounds
     
    9.24.12
    1600
     
    Strength
    OH squat 3x3 at 55#
     
    1 min at each station x 3 rounds
    1. push press (55#)
    2. rest
    3. MB cleans (14#)
    4. push-ups
    5. OH lunges (15#)
     
    PP: 17 - 7 - 3
    MBC: 17 - 15 - 17
    PU:  12 - 10 - 12
    OHL:  20 - 20 - 21
    Total Score: 173
     
     
    9.25.12
    1830
     
    Strength
    Power clean 3x3 at 95#
    Hang clean
    High clean
     
    WOD
    21-15-9
    SDLHP w/KB (35#)
    50m farmer's carry w/KBs (35#x2)
    200m run
     
    Completed: 7m 25s
     
    9.26.12
    1600
     
    Gutz
    Jumprope
    100 - 80 - 60 - 40 - 20
    Situps
    50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10
     
    pullups (green+red)
    pushups 3x10
     
    9.27.12
    1600
     
    Timed 400m run!
    Completed: 1m 53s
    *Note: CFI's 400m is longer than RRCFs... that sounds dumb but it's the truth... lol!!
     
    Strength
    1 RM DL - 165#
    new PR!
     
    WOD
    Complete anyway possible
    1000m run
    100 wallballs (14#)
    50 pullups (green+red)
     
    Completed: 23m 35s
     
    9.29.12
    1100
     
    A. 6x1 2 position clean (above then below the knee; pause for 1 second below the knee before the second clean)
    65# - 75# - 85# - 95# - 85# - 85#
     
    B. EMOM for 6min
    3 strict pullups (green+red)
    HSPU max reps (scaled - lowered controlled then kicked out, repeat)
     
    C. EMOM for 6min
    8 pullups (green+red)
    HSPU max rep (everyone else had to kip on these... I just did my same scale from B)
     
    D. EMOM for 12min
    Even minutes - 5 power cleans (65#)
    Odd minutes - 200m run
     
    10.1.12
    1630
     
    Strength
    3x3 push jerk (no rack)
    65# - 75# - 75#
     
    3x3 strict press
    45#
     
    WOD
    2 100m sprints
    then...
     
    3 rounds
    10 KBS (35#)
    10 pushups
    then...
    800m run
     
    Completed: 8m 24s
     
    10.2.12
    1830
     
    Strength
    4x8 front squat 75#
    (cleaning for start)
     
    WOD
    10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
    Split lunges (each leg)
    1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
    pullups (green+red)
     
    Completed: 10m 24s
     
    10.4.12
    1630
     
    Strength
    Clean & Jerk
    1x3: 65# - 75# - 85#
    1x6: 95#
     
    WOD - for completion
    loop run
    20 burpees
    loop run
    15 burpees
    loop run
    10 burpees