Hey Friends! It’s Wednesday again! Isn’t it crazy how getting out of our normal routine can make us lose track so quickly? Speaking of routines, I think one of the things I’m struggling with the most during these mandates is grocery shopping and cooking.

If you’re like us, we are trying to minimize our shopping trips as much as possible. Not only to minimize our own potential exposure, but to make it easier for others to minimize theirs as well. I have so many comments I could make on how many people I see that have no regard for others and make no attempt to distance, but I’ll save that for another rant post.

ANYWAY, I used to do 1 big weekly trip and then make several small trips throughout the week for additional items, but lately I’ve been trying to cut it to once every other week. Two weeks of groceries is a LOT of food and for a household like ours where our basket is generally about 70% fresh produce (Yes, really. No, we aren’t vegetarian… we just eat a ton of veggies) it’s been tough to figure out how to make that work.

My first attempt at buying two weeks of produce resulting in me having to toss some of it out. Tossing out food hurts my heart. Tossing out produce I didn’t even get to hurts my SOUL. We’ve been so slammed I just wasn’t able to cook what I had intended. I always try to use what I can, even if it’s not at it’s best and that’s why the ingredients in this recipe came together, but the outcome was so good I’ll definitely make this again!

I planned a little better on this last trip. I didn’t cut back at all on my produce list, but I lined out several freezer meals that used a lot of it before it will even have the chance to go bad. Stay tuned for some of those recipes coming up!

Enjoy, guys!

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Spaghetti Squash – cooked well and mashed
1 Red Bell pepper – diced
1 Small Yellow Onion – Diced
3 Carrots – peeled and thinly sliced
3-4 Handfuls of kale – ribs removed and torn into chunks
3 Cloves of garlic – minced
1 package Force of Nature Wild Boar (or ground turkey sausage, ground chicken, or ground pork)
Oil for cooking
1 TBSP Italian Seasoning (or the equivalent combined of basil, oregano, and thyme)
Salt & Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Choose your cooking method for the spaghetti squash. Cook time is kind ofup to you. I wanted more of a mashed texture vs the “noodle” texture you can get from spaghetti squash so I cooked a little longer. I used my instant pot – cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Coat lightly with olive oil. Place on the trivet with a cup of water in the pot. Close and seal the valve on the lid. 5 minutes on high pressure and 10 minute natural release. For more of a “noodle” texture, vent the valve and remove after the 5 minutes.

If using the oven – preheat to 400. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Poke a few holes in the skin side with a fork and coat the flesh side lightly with olive oil. Place face down on a baking sheet and bake until desired texture. About 30 minutes for the “noodles” and up to 50 for a mashed texture.

Heat a little oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the meat you are using. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and cook, breaking it up into small pieces until browned. Removed from pan and set aside.

Add the onion, carrots, and peppers along with a little oil if needed. Saute until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and the kale and cook, stirring frequently until the kale reaches the desired texture and has a bright green flavor. Add the meat back to the pan and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Once the squash has finished, remove and let it cool until you can handle it. Then, scrape out the “noodles” or scoop into a bowl and use a fork to lightly mash. Divide it into your serving or storage bowls and top with the meat and veggie mixture.

That’s it! I was able to rescue some of my veggies and create a delicious, healthy dish!

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*A note on registration – If you go directly through our team link it should add you to our team automatically. If you use the registration + donation or the “pay what you can” option, you’ll have to go into your profile and search for CrossFit Austin to join our team. Regardless of the option you choose, make sure you join our team to receive all of the communications and accountability! 

As we prepare to start “The Journey” this weekend, I just wanted to shed a little more light on what to expect! Some of you have done the Whole Life Challenge with us in the past, for some this is all brand new, but for everyone, The Journey has a lot of new things to offer!

The Whole Life Challenge is comprised of 7 Daily Habits – Nutrition, Exercise, Mobility, Sleep, Hydration, Well being, and reflection.

Happy Hump Day! I hope everyone is doing well. I hope everyone’s friends and families are safe and well in this time. I also hope that many of you will join us on “The Journey” starting this weekend! If you have never done it, you’ve likely seen us post about the Whole Life Challenge. We’ve been running the 6 and 8 week cycles for a few years and it brings something new to light for me every time. I won’t spend a ton of time telling you about it here because I’ve already done a video and a blog post ((CHECK THIS OUT)) but I’m really excited about the next cycle. It’s going to be different in a lot of ways that I think all of us could really use right now.

In honor of the upcoming challenge, I’ve actually chosen to share a recipe I’ve already posted before. I’ve been writing this blog weekly for about 2 years now (WOW) and this is the first time I’ve ever repeated! This is not only compliant for the nutrition portion of Whole Life, but it’s just so dang easy and delicious.

One last note on “The Journey” Whole Life Challenge – this is a tough time for a lot of people and there is SO MUCH GOOD that comes from this challenge. If you’re interested, but concerned about paying the registration fee, please email me gen@crossfitaustin.com

The CEOs of WLC have opened a registration option to make this more accessible to people in this time. 

Easy Breakfast Hash:

INGREDIENTS
2 TBSP Coconut oil (add as needed when adding kale)
1 large butternut squash – peeled and cubed (you can also buy pre-cut at HEB to keep it easy)
1 large bunch of kale or appx: 3/4  of a 4 oz. bag chopped with thick stems removed
1/2 medium sized red onion
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt & Pepper to taste
*Optional – red chili flakes

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat 2 TBSP oil in a large skillet (the bigger the better for when you’re adding the kale). Saute’ the onion and butternut squash until the onions begin to turn translucent and the squash begins to soften. It will turn a bright, beautiful orange!

Add the paprika (more if you like) & pine nuts and stir for about a minute (also add red chili flakes if using)

Begin folding in your kale. You may have to do it in chunks. It will shrink as it cooks. Don’t let the kale get too dry. This is where you’ll start adding in a little more coconut oil as needed. Don’t go crazy though, it shouldn’t be “wet.”

Cook until kale is a rich green color and has softened some.

Serve with your choice of sausage, bacon, hard boiled or fried eggs and some fresh avocado! This week I packed the meals with 2 hard boiled eggs along with both bacon & sausage. This meal keeps well and reheats well for a filling breakfast. Enjoy!

For those of you who’ve participated in the Whole Life Challenge with us before, things are going to look a bit different this time.

For starters, this challenge is 12 weeks long vs the regular 6 weeks. Hence, the name “The Journey.”

While the 7 daily habits are still in place (nutrition, sleep, exercise, mobility, hydration, reflection, and well-being) the focus is not so much on the points and trying to be perfect every day.

Rather, we are focusing on finding some regularity in our lives, connecting on a different level and supporting each other in creating and maintaining healthy habits without beating ourselves up when our days don’t go as planned.

Even the daily habits are adapting a bit based on our current situation. Our grocery shopping trips and for some, even the availability of certain things has changed so the nutrition portion of the challenge is gaining a bit of flexibility to accommodate. You’ll also see some of the well being practices tailored to suit our current lives.

While this is scheduled for 12 weeks, you have some freedom within that. You can go all in, choose to use this as a check in for yourself where you’re on for 2 and off for 2? Maybe you choose 1 of the 7 habits to put your energy into for each week and just cycle through. It’s really up to you. Registration will remain open for the first 6 weeks so you can join at any time up to that half way point.

We’re aiming to take the pressure off by also incorporating a weekly meal plan for anyone interested. We plan to alternate each week between a Nutrivore diet and a Plant Based diet so there is something for everyone!

The point is, this 12 week journey is meant to help us dial into ourselves, create some structure where we are lacking, but also allow the grace we need to make progress in a time like this. And we can’t forget about the accountability and connection that so many of us need! We hope you’ll consider joining us. We’ve run several of the 6 week cycles over the years and I take something new from it each time. We’re really excited to see how “The Journey” plays out.

Lastly, this challenge isn’t JUST for our members. We’re hosting a team, but if there’s someone else in your house hold, or even across the country that you would like to invite to join us, please do! Just use the link that connects directly to our team.

As always, feel free to reach out to me with question and we look forward to this adventure with you!

JOIN OUR TEAM

WHAT IS THE JOURNEY?

Starting on April 11, we’ll be opening up our first 12-week Journey. This will be different from our traditional Challenges. We’ll be approaching community, accountability and growth from an entirely new perspective.

A MORE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
The conditions around us aren’t always ideal. We’ve updated some of the 7 Daily Habits to help you make the best decisions you can in a dynamic environment. No matter what is happening around us, we are always on the Journey and it’s important to stay engaged with what is important, regardless of the circumstances.

A STRONG COMMUNITY
Growing an ongoing community of people who are committed to long-term growth, supporting each other, and being prepared in body and mind for what the world places at our doorstep.

ACCOUNTABILITY
As a daily opportunity to continuously shape ourselves into the people we’re committed to being.

LONG-TERM GROWTH
The 12-week Journey allows you more time to experiment with the 7 Daily Habits and the best way to incorporate them effectively into your life.

COME AND GO
The extended timeframe gives you the flexibility to take the Journey at your own pace. A couple of days missed or to focus on one or two important things doesn’t eat up a large chunk of your time in it. Maybe you work 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off? Or focus on 1 habit for all 12 while cycling your focus on the other 6 habits through the duration. There are so many ways you can play this.

A NEW WAY OF THINKING
Rather than a “Challenge” where you aim for the best score possible or you’re “on” or “off” the wagon, the Journey invites you to take this time to connect, be committed in a new way, settle in, experiment, drill down on individual habits, learn, and grown on your own personal journey

READ MORE about this online challenge HERE

Happy Wednesday! I think everyone is on the same page with the fact that it’s tough to keep track on the days. Hopefully, everyone caught last week’s post. If not, the first point was to establish a schedule. Our days look very different now and you don’t have to have a super strict schedule, but setting up some timelines for yourself and a few healthy boundaries is always a good idea!

Another thing that’s helped me tremendously is hopping in on the live classes all the coaches are running! Not only do I get to move my body, but I get to check in with all the coaches and our community members that are logging in too. It helps to bring me into a normal cycle and keeps me sane!

Luckily for us, our eating habits haven’t changed a whole lot. Like I mentioned last week, it took us a little bit to get the hang of our “new normal” and we were not eating much because we were so busy, but we’ve really been making a better effort to sit down and eat together.

When the grocery stores were hit hard, we bought a bunch of the Force of Nature meat at the gym. Honestly, other than chicken and fish, that’s what we use anyway! We are always stocked up on sweet potatoes and the rest of it is pretty normal fair for us too so this recipe came together very quickly and easily!

I understand your access to certain things may be limited in this time, but this recipe would be great with ground beef or venison too. Use what you can get your hands on and feel free to message me with any questions about substitutions!

ELK STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

INGREDIENTS
1 lb Elk (or ground meat of your liking)
1 large shallot – sliced thin and roughly chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes – baked (I used the instant pot)
1/4 cup golden raisins
2-3 handfuls fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 TBSP Tarragon
Crumbled goat cheese to top
Salt & Pepper to taste
Oil for cooking – I used grapeseed

DIRECTIONS

Cook your potatoes with whatever method you prefer. While they are cooking, slice and rough chop a large shallot.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add a dash of oil. Add the meat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until browned. Drain any excess liquid from the skillet and then add the shallot, raisins, tarragon, and cinnamon and cook until the meat is cooked through and shallots are softened. In the last minute or so, add the spinach and mix in until lightly wilted and bright green. Taste and adjust seasoning to preference.

When your potatoes are finished, let them cool until you can handle them. Slice open and use a fork to gently fluff the flesh. Spoon the elk mixture into the potato and top with some crumbled goat cheese!

I served this with Brussels sprouts roasted with sliced garlic and topped with sea salt and a drizzle of honey.

All finished in about 30 minutes! Enjoy!

The world is very far from normal right now… Everyone’s lives have been completely turned upside down. Many are still going into work as essentials and risking their own health for the sake of others. Many are home without any work because their establishments were forced to shut down. Many are scrambling to figure out how to make “working from home” a viable and productive option. None of this is how we saw 2020 going and none of it is ideal, but try to remember that it’s only temporary.

No matter which category you fall into, I’m willing to bet that your normal diet/food schedule has also taken a hit. For us, we’ve been so wildly busy trying to take our business online that we’ve hardly been taking in enough calories to support the long days we’re working. With the restaurants unable to do business, some of you who rely on going out to lunch on your break may be struggling to find a new normal, and I’ve heard from MANY who are home all day, whether or not they are working from home, are finding themselves binging more than just Netflix.

So, how many times throughout your day have you found yourself at the fridge or the pantry? Eating can very quickly become a way to cope with boredom or anxiety. Without structure, that habit can take hold and hang with you even once your days go back to normal.

I was going to post a recipe today, but I decided to save it and just talk about some things that can help you stay on track during this time. I understand that your grocery shopping probably looks a little different too with all the folks stock piling. It’s difficult to get some things right now, so just do the best you can and be kind to yourself about it.

Establish a schedule

This is important for all of us. If you’re still going in or working from home, you’re likely working longer days, but it’s so important that you line our time for yourself to sit down and eat. Read that again. Sit. Down. And. Eat. Not only are you doing what your body needs to make it through the day, but by scheduling time for your meals you’ll give yourself a little break from the madness to breathe and rest. Even if it’s quick, don’t stand or walk and eat. Sit down, have your meal, and allow yourself a moment to collect.

If you’re one of those hanging out in front of the refrigerator (or pantry), you need a schedule too. You probably need a schedule even more so because now you’re just looking for things to fill your time. Take this even further and try to create a “new normal” schedule for yourself each day. Set your alarm and get up at the same time. Set your meals. Schedule time to go outside and walk or exercise. Schedule time to veg out a bit (but don’t go overboard). Plan time for reading or finally learning how to do that thing you’ve always wanted to learn. Schedule time for chores… whatever it is!

For all of you though, set a time for each meal and stick to it as closely as possible.

Continue to Plan/Prep – or – Start Planning/Prepping!

If you are used to doing a weekend meal prep and having meals available throughout the week, don’t stop that now! You can probably minimize it a bit if you do find yourself with more time to cook throughout the week, but don’t stop entirely. Having a plan of what you’ll be eating throughout the week sets you up to stay on track!

For those of you working really long days, having something that you can just pop in the microwave or take out and eat will take a lot of pressure off of you. Yes, it’s a bit of a time commitment on the weekend, but then you’re set for when your scheduled meal times come up 🙂

When I prep for myself and Tim, I’ll choose 2-3 recipes that I’m going to make for alternating lunches and then I plan to make fresh dinners that will provide left overs a few times a week. Breakfast, I usually keep pretty simple and we’ll have 1 or 2 alternating options. Point is, I choose the majority of what we will eat before I go to the grocery store. This keeps me from spending time during the week trying to figure out what to make for dinner AND it keeps me from just picking at stuff in the fridge. Plan it, prep it!

If you’re interested in learning more about my meal planning/prepping just shoot me a message 🙂

Keep Track

This is useful for my busy bees and my bored bears… And, there are several things you can track during this time. If you’re really trying to be in depth and track things like macros and calories there are plenty of resources out there. MyFitnessPal is an app I’d recommend for anyone.

You can track WHAT you’re eating. Again, this can be done in MyFitnessPal or just in a notebook. Try to make notes for yourself with quantities. They don’t have to be exact, but you can use things like “a palm sized piece of chicken breast” and that will help you see how much you’re eating. Take a look at the end of the day and see what it looks like. Did you eat enough? Did you eat too much? Did you get enough veggies in? Find some balance by looking at what your intake is.

Another thing that will help you be more mindful about how many trips you’re taking to the fridge is to have a notebook or whiteboard or something beside it and put a tally mark on it EVERY time you go! What does that look like at the end of the day? If you have double digits on that tally, you need to slow your roll! Take a moment while you’re making that tally mark to reflect on why you’re there and make a decision. Are you there for one of your scheduled meals? Are you peering into the pantry and contemplating life while you eat another spoonful of peanut butter? While you’re there, go ahead and just grab a drink of water because most of us don’t get enough of that in anyway!

In fact, when in doubt, stop and drink some water. That’s pretty good advice for all of us in any situation.

If you need some guidance during this time, shoot me or your CFL a note and let’s talk about food!

Stay safe, y’all and take care of yourselves!

-G