1/2 cup dried cranberries (or fresh if you desire)
1/2 cup pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the dry ingredients, then add the vanilla, eggs. Add the pumkin and then mix/fold in the nuts and cranberries. The batter will be a little wet, but that’s ok…it makes the muffins super moist. Place batter in cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Let them cool a little and enjoy!
I also did some adaptation and instead of pumpkin used very ripe bananas, fresh raspberries, and walnuts. Sub cinammon for pumpkin pie spice and you are all set.
Ladies and gentleman, the workouts are in, they will be posted early Saturday morning. Below are some things to be prepared for on Saturday.
All competitors should be prepared to count for their fellow competitors, the challenge will take approximately 1 hour to complete, so plan on sticking around the entire duration (9 AM-11:30 AM) that will give us ample time to run two big heats.
If you have not already, please sign-up for the event on the OPT Blog HERE , and reserve your spot at CFA HERE. It is only $5 to compete, we will except cash at the gym.
We will not be holding our normal Saturday team workout, anyone is welcome to compete in the challenge but do so knowing it will be a competition. You will be expected to know how to perform all of the prescribed movements, and there will be no skill sessions.
Looking forward to seeing everyone compete, please email me at wes@crossfitaustin.com with any additional questions!!
In an effort to get to know the fine folks of CrossFit Austin, we embark on our Athlete of the Month series. Each month we will spotlight a different CFA athlete. This month we have the newly crowned most improved Mohican Chazzy D…
State your Name and/or Nickname please.
Charles Douglas Darling a.k.a. Chaz, Chazzy D, Chuck D, Jazzy Chazzy, Chazmanian Devil, Chester, T-Rex (seriously), etc.
Occupation?
Medical Education Technician – Running the logistics for the medical education department of an orthopedic extremities company. Also train and educate orthopedic surgeons on our products.
Words to live by?
Decide what you want. Decide what you’re willing to give up to get it – Mom
What is your fitness background?
Limited. When I was a kid, I played a lot of basketball, then got fat and moved on to football for 1.5 years in the 7th grade. I hit a lull in fitness until I decided to wrestle one year in high school. I got to college and found my competitive/active edge and played racquetball, soccer, basketball, swimming, and became a gym rat.
How long have you been CrossFitting?
March 15th, 2010 so about five and a half months
What’s your favorite part of CrossFit?
The epic mind vs. body war that happens every day during a workout. The body pleads with the mind to stop while the mind screams at the body to keep going. I wish I could say my mind wins every time but it doesn’t. I leave crossfit everyday feeling great, but on the days when my mind tells my body what’s what and pushes through the negative signals, its a huge burst of confidence and gives you a swagger walking out. I love it.
What are your training goals?
Goal 1: qualify for regionals
Goal 2: qualify for the CrossFit Games
Favorite sport or activity?
Besides crossfit, its anything around water, soccer, and football
Recent adventure you’re planning?
Quantas airways will sometimes have random 4 day trips to Sydney or Melbourne at a REALLY cheap price. They had one a month or two ago and I missed it….I’m not going to let that happen again.
Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I’ve been to Antarctica.
Longhorns or Aggies?
Horns baby!
Does your lack of a mustache hinder your performance in your chosen profession?
Since I deal with a lot of cadavers in my profession, I would say no. A mustache would act like an odor sponge and that would not rock.
Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words?
Do something everyday that makes you a better person than the day before. Even if its something small, like reading, trying something new, or working out. It will add up.
Male Top Performance:
1 Fit Session + Top and Bottom courtesy of Lulu Lemon Athletica
1 Visit to Airrosti Rehab Center courtesy of Airrosti Rehab Centers
1 Olympic Lifting Class with 2 Time Olympian, Chad Vaughn courtesy of CrossFit Austin
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
Female Top Performance: 1 Fit Session + Top and Bottom courtesy of Lulu Lemon Athletica
1 Visit to Airrosti Rehab Center courtesy of Airrosti Rehab Centers
1 Olympic Lifting Class with 2 Time Olympian, Chad Vaughn courtesy of CrossFit Austin
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
Male Most Improved:
1 Fit Session + Top courtesy of Lulu Lemon Athletica
1 Olympic Lifting Class with 2 Time Olympian, Chad Vaughn courtesy of CrossFit Austin
1 $20 Gift Card to Snap Kitchen courtesy of Snap Kitchen
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
Female Most Improved: 1 Fit Session + Top courtesy of Lulu Lemon Athletica
1 Olympic Lifting Class with 2 Time Olympian, Chad Vaughn courtesy of CrossFit Austin
1 $20 Gift Card to Snap Kitchen courtesy of Snap Kitchen
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
Scaled Division:
Male Most Improved: 1 Foam Roller courtesy of Airrosti Rehab Centers
1 Olympic Lifting Class with 2 Time Olympian, Chad Vaughn courtesy of CrossFit Austin
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
Female Most Improved: 1 Foam Roller courtesy of Airrosti Rehab Centers
1 Olympic Lifting Class with 2 Time Olympian, Chad Vaughn courtesy of CrossFit Austin
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
Beginner Division:
Male Most Improved: 1 Personal Training Session courtesy of CrossFit Austin
1 $20 Gift Card to Snap Kitchen courtesy of Snap Kitchen
1 Water Bottle courtesy of Snap Kitchen
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
Best Costume:
1 Hour Massage Courtesy of Massage Envy
1 $20 Gift Card to Snap Kitchen courtesy of Snap Kitchen
1 Water Bottle courtesy of Snap Kitchen
1 CrossFit Austin T-Shirt courtesy of CrossFit Austin
If you google “power balls” you will find a ton of recipes. Here’s an easy adaptation:
1/2 c unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 c something “dry” (recipe typically calls for oats – instead i used a mixture of almond meal and protein powder. Could also use flax meal, almond flour, etc)
3/4 c dried dates
1/4 c honey (or agave)
1/4 c nut butter
1/4 c sesame seeds
In a food processor, combine sunflower seeds and dry ingredient. Then add the dates and process. Next add the honey and nut butter and process until the mixture forms a dough-like consistency (it may begin to ball up/jam up on you in the processor). Scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and roll in sesame seeds. Store in fridge (or even freezer – yum).
Feel free to go crazy – the proportions above are just to get you started, feel free to experiment with the flavor and consistency you prefer. Use dried apricots or other fruit in place of dates. I threw in flax seeds and some walnuts I had on hand. Roll in nuts or coconut flakes instead of seasame seeds (you can also press into a pan or onto wax paper to cut into bars, but these babies are pretty sticky so i recommend rolling them in something). Add cinnamon, or cocoa. Or bacon. You get the idea.
PS. While these can be adapted to be paleo, make no mistake that these balls pack quite the sugar punch. Not really recommended for those trying to lean out…at least, don’t eat half the batch in one sitting. (<– I of course have no experience with this, I have just *heard that it can happen)
Ingredients: 1lb lean ground beef
1 pkg spicy Italian Sausage (I tried to buy the sausages with the least amount of ingredients possible.)
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1/2 c white onion chopped
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs
1 c almond meal
5 garlic cloves chopped
1 4oz can organic tomato paste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the Italian sausage from the casing, and place the meat into a bowl with all of the other ingredients. Mix all of the ingredients by hand. Spray a baking dish with Pam and place the meatloaf mixture into the dish. I used a 9×9 pan and I had to mold my own “loaf” in the center of the pan, if you have a smaller pan, you can probably just smush the ingredients into the sides of the pan. Bake for 1 hour and serve.
**I used jalapeno/ bison sausage from whole foods and 6 oz of Central Market’s tomato paste which only contains tomatoes.
Ingredients: 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup almond meal/almond flour
¼ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup honey
½ tsp baking soda (I usually leave this out)
1 egg
Mix the dry ingredients (Almond meal, 60% cacoa choc chips, honey. Add all other ingredients and mix throughly. Use the mixture to form small “dough balls” on a greased baking sheet. Use around 1 large kitchen spoon (1tbsp or so) for each one. The batch should make around 15. Obviously if you make the individual cookies too big, they won’t cook correctly.
Bake at 350F (preheated) for about ten minutes, until they start to brown well. They won’t look like they’re done. Touch them with you finger to check if they have hardened. It will be obvious (by touch) when they’re done. Eat! (cooling optional)
