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Every year during our Anniversary/Holiday party we like to take a minute to recognize some of our members. Over the years these superlatives have been lovingly deemed the “bitter burpee awards” but they are ALL from the heart. We could recognize every single one of our members with an award of some kind, but let’s be honest… there is only so much random stuff in the closet that we can give away 😉

In all seriousness, we are so grateful for all of you. We’re grateful for the hard work, the smiles, and most of all, your personalities and the things you bring into this community to make it so great.

THANK YOU for 11 great years! We’re excited to see what the 12th holds!

 

 

The Traffic Jam Award – Daniel Arrendondo

Daniel owes the most burpees for being late to class… but he always runs in with a smile and is READY TO WORK when he gets here! Daniel, thank you for making us smile and for working so hard in every single class!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tenant in C-300 – Jacki De Los Santos
Jacki has LIVED at the gym this year with 165 check ins (since we switched to our new system!) and we can see the results! She celebrates her wins and we are so proud of her growth! Congrats on all your hard work, Jacki!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. & Mrs. Liftmas – Alec and Angie Bobst

These swolemates stole our hearts when they joined the gym! We love seeing folks sweat with their sweethearts! These two came in with a “can do” mindset and we believe anything they put their minds to and work together on, they will achieve! Send some love to your gym couple of the year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ol’ Reliable – Scott Stookey

He never misses a beat! 5:30 am and he’s at the door with a story and a smile. Fun fact- Scott and Gen worked together for 9 months 3x a week at 5:30 am without fail! Scott has kept that consistency with his group class schedule and we can always rely on him to be there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a 3 part award! CrossFit Austin = CFA = Community, Fitness, and Adventure. These are our 3 pillars and these folks live the life!

 

Community – George and Denise Valdez
Not only has this couple (and now their beautiful daughter!) been a part of our community for many years, but they are always supportive of their fellow athletes, cheering them on in class and gathering the crew for Thirsty Thursdays! They set a great example for new folks coming in and are always happy to make a new friend. They are a couple of friendly faces we are super grateful for!

 

 

 

 

Fitness – Marco (Alien) Torres
When life gets hard, work harder. Marco has truly made fitness a priority in his life this year! He’s put in the work with additional plus programming and extra open gym time to train for his sport, roller derby, and we SO PROUD of him! He made the Mexican National team again this year! Way to use your fitness, Marco!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventure – Marco Ramos
What we do is about so much more than the hour in the gym! How are you using your fitness outside of the gym!? Marco is a big adventurer! When he’s not in the gym, you can find him deep in a cave, hiking, climbing, swimming, and who knows what else?! He takes his fitness out into nature and pushes his body to its limits. THIS is why we train! We train to live!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rookies of the Year – Joel Guajardo & Katie Alfsen
These two hit the ground running! It’s been a joy to watch their growth since joining CFA. Their desire to learn, openness to coaching, and drive to do the work is all we could ask for in a new athlete! Congratulations on all of your accomplishments so far! We’re excited to be a part of your continued growth!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Longevity Award – Paul (Buck) Patek
We lovingly call Paul our “teacher’s pet” because this guy does ALL of his homework! Since day 1, he has been in it for the long haul. Paul understands the importance of the accessory work, the soft tissue, the recovery and he spends the time to make sure his body is both prepped and taken care of day in and day out. Because of this, we’ve seen more improvement and growth in Paul than we see in a lot of athletes. He also knows that it doesn’t happen over night. Patience, diligence, and that long term mindset have set him up for success.

We’re so proud of you, Paul! We’re proud of your work, your dedication, and your support! We’re so thankful to have you as a member and as a FRIEND and we look forward to moving with you for MANY more years!

 

 

Coach of the Year – Dylan Wall

Let me begin by saying we are so proud of our current team. We truly believe this is the strongest coaching team we have ever had in our 11 years. This crew brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and joy! They are humble, they are always hungry for more, and they truly work together as a team.

With that said, we wanted to recognize Dylan for going above and beyond this year! Dylan has grown the Austin Weightlifting program massively, built the youth strength & conditioning from the ground up, and taken HUGE leaps in building his future career. This year, he stepped out of his comfort zone and into the role of Coach for Life with us. Additionally…. and we never thought we’d see it 😉 but Dylan also crossed the boundary from weightlifting to CrossFit and has become a CFL1 coach. He’s regularly gotten into classes to expand his own coaching repertoire and to grow himself as an athlete and a member of this community.
We learn something new from Dylan every day about things both in and outside of the gym and we are honored to have him as a part of this team.

Heart warming moment – After winning this award, Dylan approached us humbly and said it wasn’t just his… it was the Team’s award. THIS is why we love and are so proud of this crew. Thank you for being you, Dylan.

 

 

And last, but certainly not least…

Our 2019 Iron Buffalo Award Winners – JoAnna Brand & Sayyed Naghaviani 

The buffalo represents a headstrong and steadfast figure. It is representative of good health, strength, and stamina. It represents a humble confidence and a work ethic that is unmatched. It is calm and steady, but also extremely protective of and dedicated to its herd.

The buffalo has also held personal significance to Tim and his family for many years. If you haven’t see all the buffalo figures, pictures, etc in the gym, take a look around! The buffalo symbolizes so many amazing qualities and it is with the greatest honor that we recognize these athletes as our male and female Iron Buffalos!

Stand by for full interviews from both of those folks in January!

Jo & Sayyed – Thank you for being pillars in our community. Thank you for working hard, staying honest, and supporting our team and our CFA family. Day in and day out, we see your efforts and over the years we’ve come to know the love and goodness within each of you. 

We are proud to have you in our lives.

 

 

Well, we had another good ol’ Texas 40 degree temperature drop in less than 24 hours this week. That was fun…. But, it was perfect timing to try out this soup I’ve been playing with in my head.

So, if you didn’t read my post last week, you should (CLICK HERE) This will give you some info and links to more info on the freezer full of goodies in the front office. I’ve been looking through the different meats we have available to us and trying to come up with new recipes to change up my game, but to also give you some options to try in case some of these things are a little out of your comfort zone.

Last week we covered ground bison, but this week I tackled the Wild Boar. To be honest, I was a littlenervous about this one. My only exposure to wild boar was MANY years ago. I was in middle school and my ex-stepdad had killed one in Tennessee… He was not really a hunter… definitely not a chef… and it was disgusting.

I knew this experience would be different because of where this meat comes from, how it’s raised, killed, processed, etc… but I also had absolutely no idea how to cook it or what it’s true flavor profile was.

My first instinct was to treat it almost like sausage. I knew I wanted to make it into a cozy soup and I LOVE wild rice and mushrooms in soup. I originally was going to do this as a creamy based soup, but I tasted it before that step and I loved it so much as a broth based soup that… here we are.

I put this in my instructions below, but I’m going to emphasize, TASTE THE BROWNED MEAT BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN THE SOUP. I’m seriously so impressed. It doesn’t have any odd scent to it like some packaged meats can get and it has a lovely flavor. Give it a try. You’ll be glad you did and you’ll be more comfortable working it into different recipes.

Enjoy!

 

INGREDIENTS

1 Package Force of Nature Wild Boar
4-5 carrots -peeled and sliced
3-4 celery stalks – sliced
1 yellow onion – diced
3 cloves garlic- minced
4 large handfuls of kale – stems removed and torn into chunks
8 oz shitake mushrooms – thinly sliced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms – thinly sliced
1 cup (uncooked) wild rice
6-8 cups chicken broth
2 tsp dry rubbed sage
2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fresh thyme
salt & black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Get your wild rice going first because it’s going to take the longest. Either cook it according to the package, but use chicken broth in place of water. OR to follow what I did, cook your rice in an instant pot with 4 cups of chicken broth. Close the valve and set it to manual pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the valve. You WILL have broth left over – SAVE IT – it will go in the soup. The left over broth will have SO much amazing flavor and I believe that really added to my soup.

While your rice is working begin working on the meat and the soup itself. Heat a pan with a splash of olive oil. Add the ground wild boar, season with 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook, chopping up as you go, until brown. It’s quite lean and you shouldn’t have much fat to drain, but drain it if you prefer. Taste a little bit before you put it in the soup because IT’S DELICIOUS.

For the soup, heat a large pot (I used by cast iron dutch oven) to medium high heat with a splash of olive oil. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and saute until the onions & celery start to become translucent and the carrots begin to soften. Add the garlic, 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp rosemary, and cook for another 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.

Add the broth from the rice first, then add the rice, meat, and additional broth as needed to create the consistency you prefer. Bring the pot to a soft boil, reduce heat to low, add the kale and fresh thyme, cover with a lid and let simmer for 5-10 minutes or until kale is the desired consistency.

Taste the broth and adjust seasoning to your liking! I like a little more sage in mine, but these measurements are a good starting point.

Serve with a little garlic bread if you like.

Eat well friends!

If you haven’t seen the new set up in the front office yet, we are now a PROUD supplier of Force of Nature Meats! One of our very own, Kristy (Marsillo) Sansom, helped us get the hook up to bring you fresh, sustainably and ethically sourced meats raised by regenerative farming methods.

Her new hubby, Robert Sansom is the Co-Founder and CEO of this new venture and we’re so excited to support what they are doing! Regenerative farming not only provides an incredibly clean product, but is actually better for the environment! If you remember back in February when Tim went out to Roam Ranch for the bison harvest, we mentioned these practices in that post. Well, Force Of Nature is paired with Roam Ranch to bring the products straight to the community.

Here’s a snippet from a great article you should check out if you want to learn more, “The ranch is farmed using regenerative agriculture, a conservationist approach to food and farming systems that focuses on regenerative topsoil, increasing biodiversity of species and improving the water supply in order to reduce the ongoing effects of climate change while rehabilitating land that may have been damaged over time.”

We currently have Ancestral Beef, Ground Bison, Ground Elk, Ground Venison, Ground Wild Boar, and Bison+Bacon patties available in the freezer in the front office. Grab a coach if you have any questions or need assistance and you can purchase right through the kiosk!

To kick us off, I wanted to give you guys a recipe using one of these options. I chose bison because I’ve worked with it before and I already had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do with it. I am super proud of this one guys and it was actually pretty simple to make! The chutney was killer, but the bison was truly the star here. Enjoy!

 

INGREDIENTS
For the Meatballs
1 package Force of Nature Ground Bison
1 egg
1/4 cup riced cauliflower (raw)
2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp milk of choice
2 cloves of garlic – minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP fresh thyme

For the Chutney
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup dried figs, chopped and stems removed
1 TBSP honey (more to taste)
1/2 cup shallots – thinly sliced
2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP fresh thyme

To top
Fresh Pomegranate seeds
Fresh Goat Cheese
Fresh Thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I served these with roasted brussels sprouts and roasted carrots so if you’d like to do the same, you can get those roasting while you start the rest.

In a large bowl, mix the bison and all the remaining ingredients for the meatballs until well combined. Try not to over mix. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease the foil or, if you have a baking/cooling rack, place it on top of the baking sheet so that the fat from the meatballs can drip down into the baking sheet.

Roll your meatballs about 1.5 inch in diameter. I was able to get 12 equal sized meatballs from this recipe. Place them on your baking, evenly spaced without touching each other. Place them in the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes.

Then, bake for 16-20 minutes or until cooked throughout. The tops should be a nice brown color, but be careful not to overcook and dry them out!

While the meatballs are chilling you can start your sauce. In a sauce pan, bring the pomegranate juice to a low boil. Add the figs, remove from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. You’ll then drain the figs, but reserve the pomegranate juice to be used in making the sauce.

In a hot pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Saute the shallots for 4-5 minutes or until they start to soften. Then, stir in the drained figs and honey along with a splash of the pomegranate juice. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots are golden brown and the sauce thickens. If it becomes too thick, you can continue to add a little pomegranate juice as needed. If you prefer a little sweeter or more caramelized flavor, add another teaspoon of honey.

Once the meatballs are done, top with the sauce, add dollops of goat cheese, pomegranate seeds, and a little fresh thyme. Serve with your favorite roasted veggies and enjoy!

Tis the season! Cold and Flu season! We’ve already had a couple of coaches out sick and if you haven’t heard me screaming from the whiteboard to wipe down your equipment, I’m surprised. It can be difficult to determine whether or not you should come to the gym when you’ve got the sniffles. Sometimes a good sweat session can help knock out what you have going on and sometimes you’re just exposing all your friends and gassing out what little energy you have left.

Number one rule – if you have or have had a fever in the last 24 hours, keep your booty home. 

Not only do you really need to rest, but guaranteed you’re going to pass on whatever you’re fighting. No matter what though, make sure you’re washing your hands at the gym, wiping down every piece of equipment and space (floor, boxes, etc..) you’re touching, and do what you can to keep yourself well. If you have been sick, don’t rush it when you do come back. Scaled appropriately and understand that while you may be feeling better, your body needs some time to get back to beast mode. Ease in so you don’t crash.

Boost the vitamins, eat well, hydrate mucho, add some extra good stuff… That’s where this recipe comes in. This soup is tasty, but it’s full of all the goodies your body needs to get well or stay well during the cold and flu season. It does have a little kick to it, but that spice is part of what helps you fight off the cooties.

Stay well friends!

INGREDIENTS
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (this is optional, but it does make it a little heartier)
Olive or Coconut oil for cooking
1 large yellow onion – diced
3 stalks of celery – sliced
1 large sweet potato – cubed (skin optional)
1 medium head cauliflower – cut into florets
3-4 large cloves of garlic – minced
3 big handfuls of kale – stems removed and torn into pieces
1 TBSP fresh parsley – minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne (more to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper
Pinch of cinnamon
Juice from half a lemon
8 cups chicken broth – bone brother preferable (sub vegetable broth if doing vegan option)
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

If using chicken breast, cook using your preferred method. I used the instant pot, but you can bake, pan sear, etc… just make sure it’s cooked through and then either shred or cube it to go into the soup in a bit.

In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and celery until it begins to soften and become translucent. Add the sweet potatoes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Add the cauliflower, garlic, broth, and all the seasonings and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes on low.

Add the kale, lemon juice, and chicken if you’re using it. Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the kale has wilted. Adjust seasonings to taste and then serve!

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Adelle Agnes D. Santos // Adelle   

Words to live by?
We are a speck of dust in the universe.  If we understand the context of our existence, then we will naturally be silent.

What is your fitness background?
I used to play tennis and karate until my late 20’s. 

How long have you been CrossFitting?
I joined CFA in 2013 but I am one who “loves” to stop and “smell the roses”.  

Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?
I had this extreme positive attitude that I can do whatever the other athletes were doing e.g. PullUps, Handstand, BoxJumps, Run, DoubleUnders and Lunges…LOL.  (no judgement please hehehe), and Squat with great confidence. To this day, I am still wrapped with that same attitude. 

Right now, I can follow majority of the WOD’s and OLY workouts.  I find the workouts less intimidating. I am still a work in progress.  

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
It may sound cliché – but I love the feeling of “home” and community. 

Current Training Goals/PRs?  Goals:
I would love to be part of the 2020 OLY Competition hosted by CFA.  And be able to use those “real” big plates when I lift. 

What advice do you have for folks just starting out in CrossFit?
This is your journey, not anybody else’s.  Be the better you Today compared to Yesterday. 

What is your cheat meal go to?
Oh goodness!!! It’s not a meal but a food item: Bread!   NomNomNom…

How do you use your fitness outside of the gym?
The energy level trickles extensively at work.  I guess the scientific findings is true; exercise produces a positive chemical effect on our brain which reduces stress and improves our mood – 20 minutes of exercise can boost someone’s mood up to 12 hours. 

Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout.
Days when I felt soooo lazy to come and left victorious, not because I PR’d but because I remained “in the moment” during the workout – giving my All.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your fitness journey?
My work/travel schedule. 

If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?
WOD: AwesomeSauce Adelle
Power Snatch
Snatch RDL
Clean and Jerk
Bench Press

What keeps you going on the days you don’t feel like it?
My Goal/s. My Fitness Journey 

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?
I love photography and traveling

Tell us something we don’t know about you.
I am so scared of heights to the point that I do not like taking the escalators.  This being said; I feel that it is time for me to conquer this fear – “I plan to skydive.” Just don’t ask me when…lol.

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words.
Success happen when we are able to use ourselves to our full potential.  I find it really important to ask ourselves, what we really want out of life…. Then, let that serve as the direction we take.  

 

This recipe makes an insane amount of food….I filled 2 glass casserole dishes – a 9×13 dish and a 7×11 dish! I ended up giving an entire casserole to my mom. That said, you’ll eat insane amounts of this in one sitting so maybe it’s a good thing?

Anyway, there are a few steps to this, but it’s packed with good (and good for you) stuff. All the fall veggies and the warm and hearty spices make this feel like you’re indulging. I’d call this cozy comfort food for sure. For this one, I just happened to have some sausage in the freezer and thought it would go well (I was right) but if you’re not up for that you can stick with just the chicken, or lose the meat altogether and make this a vegetarian dish!

I’m including a spice blend recipe that’s needed for this recipe. You will have some extra, but it’s a fantastic blend that is really good in soups too so hang on to it!

INGREDIENTS
1.5 Lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 lb smoked sausage (I had some from Salt Lick!)
1/2 Yellow onion – rough chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
2 celery stocks – chopped
1 large sweet potato – diced
Appx 2 cups  diced butternut squash – I buy pre-diced because cutting a butternut squash is a nightmare
1 lb brussels sprouts – quartered
1 large apple – diced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds
6 cups cooked wild rice (about 2 cups dry)
1/2 cup broth
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp spice blend (more to taste)

Spice blend –
1 tbsp celery salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch dry mustard
1 pinch cardamom
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch clove
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch allspice

Whisk together

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the rice according to the instructions. While the rice is working, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet. Cook until golden and fully cooked through. Set aside and let cool. When you can handle it, cut into 1″ pieces. Cut sausage (*note – if you aren’t using already cooked/smoked sausage, cook it first) into pieces and set aside.

Heat another tablespoon of oil and lower heat to medium. Add the onion, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, celery, garlic, thyme, 1 tbsp of seasoning mix and salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften. Add 1/4 cup of broth to the mixture and simmer covered for about 5 minutes.

Grease a large casserole dish (you’ll likely need 2). Add chicken, sausage, rice, and vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add the diced apple and raisins and mix until well combined. If you prefer more of the seasoning mix, add and combine here.

Pour the casserole mixture into your baking dish(es) and add the remaining broth. Top the dish(es) with almonds and bake until it’s heated throughout and the almonds are toasted. 15-18 minutes should do it.

Then, either serve immediately or divide into meal prep containers for the week!

This warming dish will really make you feel like it’s fall. Even if we get another Texas heat wave mid-November 😉