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Hi hi! I hope you are all staying healthy and well. Things are getting pretty crazy here in Texas with Covid numbers spiking, but we’re healthy (thank God *knock on wood*) and glad we can still be helping others to keep themselves healthy as well. It’s wild that masks have become a part of our daily ensembles, but here we are!

This week, I’m sharing my sweet sister in law’s Etsy shop as my feature! She started making masks right at the start of all of this for the family and for her elderly neighbors. Now, she’s expanded her production to include all kinds of prints and patterns and she has different sizes for adults and kiddos. I’ve always seen April as a superhero. She’s an excellent mommy to my niece and nephew, great wife to my brother, Navy veteran, talented in many many ways and mask making is now one of her superpowers!

She’s local in the Austin area so if you need masks, hit her up. For those at the gym, I’d even be happy to pick up from her and you can grab them at the gym if you like. Just communicate that in your etsy order and I’ll make it happen.

Ok, this week’s recipe is a tasty alternative to the summer favorite, potato salad. I had some help from my sous chef (aka Tim) on this one! He’s been jumping in and working on things with me the last few weeks and it’s be awesome. He’s always up to chop things for me, but our kitchen is so small we can really only have one of us in the kitchen at a time. We’ve been finding more of a groove though and it’s really fun to be able to cook WITH him. Anyhoo, he put this one together for us and did an excellent job.

I wanted to keep similar textures and flavors with this potato salad, but amp it up a bit and I think it turned out quite well! You could boil your potatoes if you want, but I roasted them as a way to mix it up a bit.

SWEET POTATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

So simple… if boiling, boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. If roasting, coat in oil and roast at 400 until fork tender.

Cook your bacon… I like mine baked in the oven, but your choice.

In a large bowl, mix the cooked potatoes, bacon, celery, green onions, and cabbage if using.

In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the dressing. Taste and adjust to your liking. Then pour it over the potatoes and toss until everything is well coated.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge! Enjoy!

Hi hi friends!

I feel a little like I blinked and now it’s Wednesday again! It’s been another full week, but this past Sunday I actually got back on my meal prep game a little bit and we’ve had a lot more control of our meals which has been great.

As I mentioned last week, I really want to elevate my friends and the good things they are doing in the world, so in addition to my recipe each week, I’m going to share the businesses, art, charities, projects, etc… that my friends are involved in. If you’re doing or making something, let me know so I can spread the word!

This week, I want to share Operation Turkey San Marcos!

Our friend Jesse Ruiz has run Operation Turkey San Marcos for several years now! This is a volunteer based organization that packages and delivers thousands of Thanksgiving meals to those in need every year! It’s really incredible how everyone comes together and gets the work done! Jesse has actually coached at CFA in the past and many of you probably already know him, but this is just an extra special thing he leads every year. They are always looking for help and there are several ways to do so. While we may not know what Thanksgiving is going to look like this year with everything going on, you can still make giving a priority. Check out the site and if it’s something you’d like to help with in November, shoot Jesse a message and put it on your calendar!

Okedoke, for this week’s recipe – I’ve been craving some color! I’m sure you’ve heard that you should eat a variety of colors on your plate. Well, this recipe crams a bunch of them all together in a delicious roll! These are so simple to put together and are such a great summer lunch option when it’s super hot out and you just want something cool and light.

As always, you can customize to your liking, but I love this combo of color and texture. DO NOT SKIP THE SAUCE. It is simple and so delicious. It really pulls it all together.

RAINBOW WRAPS

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing:

1/4 cup creamy nut or seed butter (I used Sunbutter, but go with peanut, almond, or whatever you like)
2 tsp coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1.5 -2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp honey
2-3 tablespoons warm water, to thin as needed

Optional, but HIGHLY recommended: A dash of Sriracha or red chili sauce

For the wraps: These are appx. amounts. It fully depends on how big you want to make these! You should be able to get 4-6 wraps from this.

Full sized spinach tortillas
1 cup matchstick carrots (or shredded carrots)
1/2 cup sliced radishes
Julienned red, orange, or yellow bell pepper – 1-2 depending on size (I used strips of all 3 colors!)
1 cup rough chopped red cabbage
2 cups baby spinach
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup diced green onion
2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
1.5 lb cooked chicken breast – sliced or shredded – I seasoned mine lightly with garlic powder, salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook your chicken – grill, bake, instant pot, whatever you prefer and either cut into slices or shred.

While that’s working, make your sauce. In a small bowl mix together nut/seed butter, aminos, rice wine vinegar, ginger, honey and warm water until well combined and the consistency of your choice. If you want it to be a little spicy, add in the hot sauce. Taste and adjust as needed. Set this aside for serving.

Assembly! This is the fun part. It’s best to go ahead and have all your ingredients out and available to you so you can just toss them in the tortilla and roll it up. It’s easiest to try and get everything sort of lying in the same direction so it’s easy to roll, but it’s your masterpiece 😉 Before rolling, drizzle a little of the sauce on it.

Roll them up tight and store. I just wrapped mine in foil and put them in the fridge for a quick grab. Serve with some extra sauce or sriracha if you like it spicy!

Who doesn’t love Honey Nut Cheerios? (No, this is not a paid sponsorship)  Well, here is a new way to enjoy this classic breakfast item! Coach Dylan has whipped up another smoothie recipe featuring a few of our childhood breakfast favorites! You could easily throw in a scoop of your favorite protein powder and start your day strong!

The Breakfast Dream (Recipe is for one 20oz. smoothie)

Hi Crew,

It’s been a minute since I’ve done a Kitchen Adventures post. Honestly… it just hasn’t been important. There are so many bigger things happening both for me personally and in the world that have needed the attention and a voice in this time and recipes from a novice home chef took a back seat.

Posting this week does not mean that those things are any less important, but I’ve decided to try to re-establish some regularity with my weekly schedule for my own mental health and I also think this is a good opportunity to start using these posts to spread a little more love. I’m going to start sharing the art, small businesses, passions, etc of my friends each week in addition to the recipes in hopes that I can support people in a bigger way. I tend to overstretch myself which means I don’t always have the time or energy to commit myself to everything, but I can definitely share and spread the word…

Cooking used to stress me the heck out. I burned everything. Nothing was edible… Now, I’m actually pretty good… That didn’t happen overnight though. Time, practice, attention, and dedication were just a few of the things it took for me to get to where I could not only make things that were safe to eat (you think I’m joking) but also be able to prep and feed both myself and Tim through the week.

Now, I find some peace in cooking. Meal prepping and cooking are two different things to me. Meal prepping is making sure we have healthy options to sustain us through the week. Cooking.. truly focusing on the meal I’m making is therapeutic. I can let go of everything else for just a little bit and there is just something about sharing food with the people I care about that is really special to me.

So, before we get to the recipe – I want to share my friend Zakiya’s new business. She’s a beautiful, strong, sassy, and FAITHFUL woman at my church and she makes faith based apparel and accessories. Zakiya has battled MS and 10% of the proceeds of her sales go to assistance for MS patients. I love the name she chose for her company so much. It fits her, her BEAUTIFUL family, and her passion for God perfectly. Check out her site HERE and her FB page HERE.

Ok, so this week’s recipe is super simple and you can whip it up in no time, so make a quick HEB order and grab these ingredients for dinner tonight!

SOUTHWEST RANCH TURKEY BURGERS

INGREDIENTS – this should make about 6 burgers

2 lbs ground turkey (93% – trust me!)
1 package ranch seasoning mix (you can find this in the aisle with the ranch dressing usually)
1/3 cup grated cheddar
1 red bell pepper – petit diced
4 green onions – sliced thin
*Optional – pinch of cayenne

Olive oil to cook

To top – fresh tomato, lettuce, pickle, avocado, crisp bacon, red onion, wheat bun, cheese, etc…. Whatever you usually like!

DIRECTIONS

Mix the ground turkey, ranch, bell pepper, green onions, cheese & cayenne if you’re using it. Form into patties and chill in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes. To cook, either light up the grill and cook to desired temp or heat a skillet with about a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4-5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness.

That’s it! Load up your burger with all your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Our hips play a huge role in our ability to move effectively and efficiently, especially with bigger/gross movements. If you think about it, most of our power and drive from the movements we perform stem from the hips. Therefore, if we’re dealing with any restrictions, they should be dealt with asap! To break it down into 4 steps, we should address: 

1) Mobility – moving the joint through its range of motion

2) Foam roll – glutes, quads, IT band, adductors (inside part of the legs)

3) Stretch – into end range positions

4) Posterior-chain activation – to lock in and secure our new found range of motion

Below, I’ve listed and described a few movements for mobility and stretching that may help with stiffness and/or restrictions. Again, after performing these movements it’s always best to lock in your new range of motion with posterior chain activation exercises like squats or deadlifts. As always, stay swole and flexy!

• 10 hip rotations (CARs – controlled articular rotations)

• • Slower is better here
  • Begin on your hands and knees. Place your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips
  • Raise your knee out to the side, reaching as far as you can, while not allowing too much rotation to occur at the pelvis (pause there for a second or two)
  • Slowly begin to kick behind you, ending with a leg outstretched behind you
  • Repeat

• 30 sec per side pigeon stretch

• • With the right leg in front and the left behind you, rest your front/right leg in a 90 degree position on the floor
  • Slide your left leg back and point your toes, your heel is pointing up to the ceiling
  • Scissor your hips together, by drawing your legs in towards each other
  • Focus on erecting the spine by opening your chest
  • If you are able, walk your hands forward and lean forward for a deeper stretch
  • Hold for 30-45 seconds or as tolerated

• 10 per side half kneeling hip flexor stretch

• • Starting in a lunge position, rotate/scoop the hips in an upward motion (posterior pelvic tilt)
  • A stretch should be felt on the front side of the hips (hip flexors)
  • Hold the end range position for 30-45 seconds, shooting for at least 3 sets

Who likes Reese’s?? Well… this isn’t exactly the same, but if you’re a fan of that flavor profile, you’ll like this! Don’t let the spinach fool you guys. You won’t even taste it, but you WILL get all the goodies in it. You can use any chocolate protein you have. If you don’t have chocolate protein, use something like vanilla or coconut and throw in a 1-2 teaspoons of cocoa powder. This one is almost dessert! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

2 Scoops chocolate protein of your choice
2 TBSP Sun butter (almond, peanut, etc… whatever you like)
1 Banana
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 Cup fresh spinach
1 Cup fresh oats
1 TBSP Chia Seeds
Milk of choice – I like coconut milk
Handful of ice cubes for texture
*1/2 cup of coffee

INSTRUCTIONS

As a rule, it’s good to get a little liquid in first so the protein powder doesn’t stick, but otherwise drop all that good stuff in and blend it up!

Ankles, ankles, ankles! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of ankle mobility. Think about it, our feet and ankles are the foundation on which we perform 90% of movements.Whether that’s in a CF gym or simply walking around our homes/communities. Take a simple movement like the squat, for example. If we lack appropriate ankle dorsiflexion (our ability to bend forward at the ankle joint), it throws off the entire movement system. We may begin to compensate by exaggerating hip flexion which in turn, creates unwanted torque (due to a greater moment arm) in our low back. The image shown demonstrates an individual with poor ankle dorsiflexion (stick figure on the left), and another who demonstrates appropriate ankle mobility (stick figure on the right). Below are a few exercises to help us improve our ankle mobility and ultimately, our performance.

• Soft tissue/Foam roll:
  • • Gastrocs, anterior tibialis, plantar surface of foot
    • Start your session off with some foam rolling of the calves (Gastrocs), soft tissue near the shins (anterior tibialis), and the underside of the foot with a hard ball (plantar surface of foot)
    • Use longer strides vs shorter to maximize the movement of fluids into and out of the targeted tissue(s)

• Goblet squat stretch

• • • 2 sets of 30 sec hold
    • Holding a weight, place elbows on knees in the bottom position to force knees out (deeper stretch) 
    • You can also lean towards either side to really focus on one ankle at a time
    • Keep the heels down!!

• Box/chair ankle stretch
  • 2 sets (per side) of 10 ankle pumps
  • Using a stool/chair/box, prop one foot up while placing your other leg in a lunge position
  • Perform 10 ankles pumps, taking the ankle to end range of motion (or until the heel starts popping up)
  • KEEP THE HEELS DOWN!!
  • You may also hold at end range of motion for 20-30 seconds to continue stretching the gastrocs 
  • Place a weight on top of the knee to use as leverage when moving into the deeper positions

Believe it or not… working from home has had us working longer, harder hours than ever. To the point that it’s been hard to find time to prep and cook like I was before… Enter: Freezer Meals. Game changer guys!  One day, I batched up about 7 different freezer meals. Most of them yield 4-6 servings so for us that’s 2-3 meals worth. I was a little concerned because I’m one who tastes and adjusts as I cook and by going this route, there was no tasting until it was done. I did adjust slightly once it was done, but I was pretty dang proud for myself for how good this tasted right out of the bag!

That was the best part too… It took maybe 5 minutes to put this together in a bag and all I had to do when I was ready to cook it was dump it in the instant pot. You will need the larger 2 gallon freezer bags for this OR divide it into (2) 1 gal. bags.

I’m going to include instructions for both the instant pot and the crockpot. The only other step for this would be to make the rice if you’re using it. (I suggest it, but you know how your body responds to it).

Anyway, try this out and tell me it’s not the best damn frozen meal you’ve eaten! 😉

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

INGREDIENTS
12 oz  Smoked Sausage (I like Andouille)
1 lb  Chicken Breast
16 oz  Frozen Okra
1 red bell pepper – diced
1 medium yellow onion – diced
3-4 cloves garlic – minced
28 oz can of petit diced tomatoes – include the juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 dashes tabasco or hot sauce

*Optional, but HIGHLY recommended 🙂
serve on top of white rice
gumbo file’ powder – add about a tbsp once it’s done

INSTRUCTIONS

Label a 2 gallon (or 2 1 gal.) freezer bags with the date, the name of the recipe, and the cooking instruction. Add all ingredients (except rice and file) to the bag, seal it trying to get as much air as possible out of it and lay it flat in the freezer.

If you want to cook it immediately, go for it using the instructions below.

For instant pot-
From frozen, add the contents to the instant pot. You may have to thaw slightly and break it into chunks. Add 1/4 cup water. Cook for 12 minutes at high pressure then allow 10 minutes for natural release.

If cooking fresh, cook for 10 minutes at high pressure, then allow 10 minutes for natural release.

Once it’s done, shred the chicken, add the file powder and eat up!

For crock pot –
From frozen, add the contents to the crock pot. Again, you may have to thaw slightly and break it into chunks. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 5-6hours.

From fresh, cook on high for 3 hours or low 4-5 hours.

Once it’s done, shred the chicken, add the file powder and eat up!

I call this black magic because of the color it ends up being at the end 🙂 You may also have noticed that both mine and Tim’s name are on this recipe. That’s because this comes from a combo of things we’ll both cram into a smoothie.

This is a dense drink, y’all! I’m a firm believer of packing as much goodness into the cup as possible so this ends up being a nice thick, creamy smoothie. It’s sweet without being overly sweet and with the sunbutter and avocado, the texture is amazing!

I also prefer to use a base of frozen fruit because that keeps me from having to use ice. The frozen fruit acts as an ice cube would, but I get all the goodies of the fruits & veggies that I wouldn’t get in ice.

Lastly, (I promise we’re getting to the recipe) I believe in making life easy where you can and bulk things up from there! HEB makes these frozen packs called “Blendables.” I love these because they have so many different combos, almost all of them have vegetables in them in addition to the fruit (extra goodies!) AND there is no added sugar or anything else. Next time you are at the store, look at some of those other smoothie packs… I have no idea why they find it necessary to add crap to it….

Lastly, lastly & finally – This will make (2) smoothies (appx. 12 ounces each) so if you just want one, use half the blendables and cut the rest in half. Or just go HAM on one giant smoothie.

Anyway, here we go!

BLACK MAGIC SMOOTHIE

Ingredients –
1 HEB Blendables Blueberry Beet pack OR if using your own fruits/veggies, see below
1 TBSP sun butter (or nut/seed butter of your choice)
1 Date
1 scoop protein power – I love the SFH coconut!
1/2 a medium avocado
1 cup spinach – packed
1/2 banana
1-2 TBSP chia seeds
Coconut milk (or milk of your choice) to your liking. This gets THICCC so you may even need a little water to make it easier to blend

*option for not using the blendable pack – 1 cup blueberries, 1/2 – 3/4 cup beets – diced (you’ll need to peel and cook them first), 1/2 banana sliced, large handful of spinach, 1 TBSP flax seeds – after cooking (I just roast them), peeling and dicing the beets, add all these ingredients to a ziplock bag and freeze!

Instructions 
There is a little strategy to this. If you’re using a full sized blender it may be a bit easier, but we use a ninja so things get a little tight.

Add the frozen stuff first, then protein, milk last. The rest can really go in any order, but if you want the protein to blend in well, it’s best not to put it directly on the bottom.

That’s about it guys. Smoothies are such an easy way to get in some extra goodies! Enjoy!