What do you call a pumpkin that has had too many Halloween treats???
(read the post to find the punch line…)
Happy Halloween! Today is the date that it’s acceptable to eat massive amounts of candy that’s been given to you by strangers! Don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween! I think growing up as a dancer elevated my love for costumes and dressing up. I still have a huge tub full of costumes… I think there is something really fun about getting to be someone or something else for a day and just live it up! In fact, a gal I knew when I lived in Kansas has the pleasure of doing it on a daily basis! If you want to be seriously amazed, check out her instagram.
Anyhoo… this post is about food, not expressing our other “selves” 😉 so let’s talk about sweets! Treats come in all forms! Halloween is a day for candy, cookies, baked goods, sweets of all kinds… I believe that there is nothing wrong with indulging from time to time, but I also believe that if you’re going to indulge it should be fully worth it. If you are trying to stay on track with your eating, days like today can be difficult, but I have a few recipes for some healthier alternatives to help satisfy that sweet tooth without binging on that overpriced store bought candy.
I have one recipe that I did and then I’m linking a few other choices so you have some variety. Check it out!
So this first one is the one I made. I love chocolate and peanut butter… who doesn’t? But, especially on the Whole Life Challenge, most of the good stuff that contains that combo is non-compliant. I actually made this recipe as a little energy bite that we could pop before or after a workout to give us a little boost, but it tasted so good that I have to share it as a treat.
In a large bowl, cover the dates with 2 cups of boiling water and allow to sit for 10 minutes. This softens them and allows for a smoother mixture
Drain and pat them dry and add them to in a food processor with a steel blade. Add 2 tablespoons of the water, your coconut oil, cocoa powder, chia seeds, peanut butter, and 1 cup of rolled oats.
Blend until smooth, scraping down sides. If you are having trouble with consistency, add a little bit of water (1 TBSP at a time) until the mixture blends smoothly. Then, add the remaining ½ cup of rolled oats and about 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut and pulse until it’s mixed in. You want to leave these roughly chopped for texture, but you do want them well mixed in.
Taste your mixture and make adjustments to the flavor if you want to.
Put the food processor in the fridge for at least 10 minutes before rolling into 1 tablespoon sized balls.
Coat your hands in coconut oil to prevent the mixture from sticking to you. Roll into 1 tablespoon sized balls, and toss to coat in remaining ¼ cup of shredded coconut. I actually added a few more oats in for the coating as well.
Let them chill in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes before enjoying. Keep them (if you have any left over) stored in the refrigerator.
If these don’t spark your interest, here is a list of recipes that look pretty dang enticing as well! I’m sticking with my energy balls for now because they are Whole Life Challenge compliant, but as far as cleaner alternatives go, these are some great options.
And remember…. if you allow yourself to indulge in treats (store bought OR home made!) … do it in moderation 🙂 Don’t let yourself turn into a PLUMPKIN!
There once were four sisters who all trained together at the gym. They had been there a while, and all of them had hit a point in their training at which they started to have some opinions on how they wanted to train.
The oldest sister decided she would always do the hardest option. She was always looking for the hard path. She relentlessly attacked her weaknesses every day. She always did the hardest programs and went to the toughest coaches. Her diet was perfect, she worked out for hours every single day, and she never took a day off.
The second oldest sister decided that she would always do the safest option. She was always looking for the easy path. She avoided the things she was bad at, seemed dangerous, or didn’t enjoy. She stayed with the easy programs and scaled down most movements. She liked going to the coaches that didn’t push her too hard but cheered her on no matter what. She said her diet was ‘pretty good’, never tracked her food, but she did say “no” to her favorite desert or wine every once in a while. She came to the gym when she ‘had time’ and when she ‘wasn’t too tired’.
The third oldest sister could not make a decision. She was always starting one path or another. She went to a hard class and did the hardest options one day, then didn’t come to the gym for a week. She spent an hour working on a weakness, then did not touch it again for 6 months. She was constantly looking at other routines online, starting and quitting a new one every week or two. Her diet changed week to week, and sometimes it even changed in the same day. One day she started to train for a marathon, and the next day she started a program that would help her with her play better for her softball team. She would come to the gym 6 days in a row, then not come at all for over a week.
The fourth sister was the youngest. She decided to ‘pick her battles’. She spent some time focusing on just being consistent coming to the gym, but didn’t try to crush herself every day. She worked on one weakness at a time but didn’t overdo it. When she started a new program or diet, she stuck with it for at least 6 months, and only worried about small changes that would provide the biggest benefit. When she was feeling overwhelmed, she took it easy. When she was feeling bored, she found a new challenge. When she wasn’t sure what to do, what path to take, she asked a coach. When her progress got interrupted, she didn’t beat herself up or try to make up for it. She just got back to basics and worked on being consistent.
The Sisters Go on a Trip
The four sisters were traveling together in the far east for a vacation.
One of the days, they had some time in the morning before going to visit an ancient monastery.
The sisters were not getting along because the morning hadn’t gone well.
The oldest sister was frustrated because she couldn’t do her full program at the hotel gym that morning and they didn’t have all the foods she needed to eat according to her strict diet.
The second sister wasn’t feeling well because she hadn’t worked out since the trip began, and she kept eating everything that looked tasty.
The third sister was feeling rushed and frantic because spent the morning looking up workouts to do, ran out of time, and was only able to run on a treadmill for 10 minutes. She had to skip breakfast because she was running late and couldn’t decide what to eat.
The youngest sister was having a great day because she slept in a bit. Instead of an aggressive workout, she did some shoulder pre-hab to help her shoulder that has nagged her in the past, then did a short little circuit that left her breathless but not wrecked. She ate some healthy stuff but didn’t feel too bad about indulging in some new treats as well.
The Sisters Were Not Getting Along
When the sisters got to the monastery, they were arguing with one another about their day.
The oldest sister thought her sisters were lazy, making them late all the time, and too laid back. The second sister thought they had woken her up too early, made her guilty about not working out, and judged for eating the yummier foods. The third sister thought they were rushing her too much, ignoring her (not helping her decide what to do), and she was feeling hungry because all of them ate but her.
The youngest sister was just trying to enjoy herself and wasn’t too worried about her sisters.
They had just finished watching a demonstration of the physical feats of the monastery residents, learning about the long history of teaching and training, and getting some instruction themselves, when one of the teachers asked if they had any questions.
The Sisters Learn Valuable Lessons
One of the sisters asked: “We all have similar goals of feeling good about how we look, being able to do fun things, and staying active a long time… which one of us is using the best approach?”
The teacher looked at each sister in turn and gave them advice.
She told the oldest sister that her training would lead to burn out and injury. The guilt when she missed a workout or ate ‘bad’ was going to make her not fun to be around and make her upset with herself no matter how much she achieved.
She told the second sister that her training was going make her bored and not produce any change. The years would fly by and she will be disappointed with her lack of results. She would feel judged by everyone and wish she had committed to something sooner.
She told the third sister that her training was going take a lot of energy and time, but not produce meaningful results. She will always be frantic to find the ‘better’ program, a ‘better’ technique, or a ‘better’ coach. She will always feel like the ‘next’ program will be the ultimate one, only be disappointed when it doesn’t work any better than all of the others. She will feel that everyone thinks she is a quitter and that the reason that she isn’t progressing is because something is wrong with her.
Then the teacher turned to the youngest sister and said:
“Your way is not the easy way, but it is the best way. And you still have lessons to learn.
You must learn when to push hard, when to let things go, and when to stop and wait.
Sometimes you will feel overwhelmed, so you must learn to accept it, work through it, and plan for downtime in the future.
Sometimes you will feel bored or in a rut, so you must learn to pick a new challenge that is difficult or fun.
Sometimes you will feel confused, so you must learn where you can find clarity or who you can go to for advice.
The most difficult part will be not getting stuck on one path, stuck trying to decide, and to not get swept up in other people’s journeys.
If you continually work on these things, you will get results the fastest and you be most likely to succeed in all the things you desire.”
The Sisters Return
The rest of the vacation went by and the sisters came back with a new appreciation for the different approaches to training and life.
The oldest sister planned periods of time where she would just have fun with her second sister, and she let herself ‘indulge’ in her favorite foods occasionally.
The second sister picked at least one day a week to really push herself and decided to master one of the movements she liked doing. She also challenged herself to pay more attention to what she ate.
The third sister talked to a coach and settled in on a routine that she can stick to for 6 months. She is going to workout more with her oldest sister to keep her consistent. She is also going to stick with some simple nutrition rules that aren’t too extreme.
The youngest sister was making excellent progress, surpassing her sisters even, making them proud (and maybe a bit jealous).
Then she got pregnant…
But that is story for another time…
–
I hoped you enjoyed our little ‘parable’ about the 4 sisters!
Which sister do you find yourself relating to most?
Do you understand how to balance your life so that you can have what the youngest sister was working toward and what the teacher was trying to convey?
In life we shouldn’t try to live in extremes. We need to focus on small changes that create balance. We need to look at our schedule and routines and make deliberate changes that will keep us moving in the right direction.
We need to understand that nothing stays the same forever. We must remember that having some clear goals, stopping to ‘take stock’ of how we are doing regularly, and having a plan for when things change, is a recipe for success.
Hey guys! It’s still raining! And… Austin is under a boil water notice which can make meal prepping somewhat difficult. I’m not on Austin water at home so luckily I didn’t have to worry about that, but we are having to use bottles at the gym instead of our fountain… womp… Anyway, this too shall pass!
Meal prep looked a bit different for me this week since we were driving on Sunday so I tried to keep my recipes simple and quick since I was actually having to do it Monday after work. There was a lot of football in our weekend which is what inspired this recipe. We drove up to Fort Worth for the OU/TCU game (BOOMER!) and then watched the Texans play before we hopped in the car to head home. Cram a Halloween party between those two games and you can imagine I was ready to get back to a normal routine. Don’t get me wrong, we had an AWESOME weekend, but I felt like I was craving some greens like crazy which is why I loaded this up with kale.
We’ve already established that wings and football are a match made in heaven, but this is a little different take on the subject. This week, we’ve got a sweet potato stuffed with shredded buffalo chicken and some simple sauteed kale on the side. Sounds easy (and it is) but the results were awesome! If you made the buffalo wings from my earlier recipe, you can go through the same process with the sauce for this one to tone it down a bit and give it a silkier texture. If you didn’t, you can check that out here.
Also, one last shameless plug for our Barbells for Boobs event this weekend!
I’m a little over half way to my personal goal – If you’d like to make a donation, you can hit up my page here:
OR you can choose any of the members on our team and donate to their pages.
BUFFALO CHICKEN STUFF SWEET POTATOES & SAUTEED KALE
INGREDIENTS
For the sweet potatoes & chicken
2 Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Large Sweet Potatoes
1 cup hot sauce (I use Louisiana)
3-4 TBSP butter (Optional – used to tone down the spice of the sauce)
*Optional toppings – green onions, cilantro, avocado
Preheat the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the chicken breasts in olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and bake for appx. 35 minutes or until cooked through and tender. Once cooked, let them cool for a few minutes and then shred the meat with 2 forks.
If you prefer to bake your sweet potatoes in the oven, go for it. I usually take the faster route and do them in the microwave. Wash the potatoes well. Pierce the skin 5-6 times and wrap in wax paper. Place on a microwaveable plate and microwave 7-10 minutes (if doing both together) or until they are soft, rotating halfway through. Once they are finished, remove, slice them in half and put them on plates or in meal prep containers. Lightly mash the potato inside the skin to prepare for filling.
While the chicken and sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare the sauce. If using butter, melt it first in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the hot sauce and stir. Adjust the spice by adding more butter or more hot sauce. Once you’ve found your desired flavor, mix well with your shredded chicken breast.
Top the potato with your buffalo chicken and serve with green onions, cilantro, avocado, or ranch dressing!
For the Kale
6 cups Kale – torn and stems removed
2-3 TBSP coconut oil
2 large cloves of garlic- minced
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Himalayan pink sea salt – to taste
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the kale and coat in the oil – saute for 1-2 minutes before adding the garlic. Add the garlic and almonds. Saute until kale is tender and rich green. Be careful not to let the garlic burn. Season to taste with salt.
For the ranch – This is a little easier than the one I shared in my other post. Seasoning 1tablespoondried parsley 1teaspoongarlic powder 1teaspoononion granules 1teaspoondried dill 1teaspoondried chives 1/2teaspoonfreshly cracked black pepper 1/2teaspoonhimalayan pink salt
Combine well in a jar until ready for use.
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of water and add seasoning until you are satisfied with the flavor. I usually use 2-3 TBSP. You can adjust consistency with water and flavor by adding more seasoning or yogurt.
Fall is upon us! I think I’d have liked it to creep on a little more slowly, but hey, I guess a 40 degree drop in less than 12 hours is appropriate for “Fall” right? I know, cheesy…
Anyway, as we all know, my recipe choices tend to be influenced by the weather and I LOVE Fall flavors. I actually made this as a weeknight dinner last week because I wanted something “Fall” and I wanted to just make something that was easy to throw together. Tim and I liked it so much that when I asked what he wanted for meal prep this week, his first choice was this stuffed acorn squash. The blend of spicy, savory, and sweet is so satisfying. Not only does it taste amazing, but acorn squash is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You can read about all the benefits here and enjoy the fact that something that tastes so good is also doing great things for your body.
On to the recipe! I tried to give accurate measurements on everything here, but I usually just toss it in the pan and adjust by taste so if you want more or less of something, go for it! That’s what’s great about one-pan meals.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Acorn Squash – Halved
Olive Oil
1 LB Hot Italian Sausage
1/2 cup uncooked tri-colored quinoa
1 small onion – finely diced
2 large stalks of celery – finely diced
1 large apple – diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries (no added sugar)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
3 cups packed kale – torn and stems removed
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Salt & Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Start your squash first. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush a little olive oil on the inside and flat edges, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place face down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until fork tender.
Follow the cooking instructions on your quinoa. Usually 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa to 1 cup water, bring to a boil and then cover and simmer until fluffy.
While the squash is baking, heat a large pan over med-high heat and brown your Italian sausage. If using links, remove casings. Once meat is browned, remove from pan, pat dry, and set aside. In the same pan, add a little olive oil and saute the onions and celery until they start to soften (appx 3 min). Add the garlic and stir continuously for about 1 minute (don’t let it burn!) Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in your apples and kale next. You may have to pack the kale in a bit. Reduce the heat to med and put a lid on the pan. Allow the kale to steam for 3-4 minutes stirring as needed. Once the kale has softened and turned bright green, add the sausage back in. Add your almonds, cranberries, and quinoa and stir all the ingredients until well combined. Remove from the heat.
If your squash has finished backing, remove it from the oven and flip them over so the cut side is face up. Depending on how large the hole is, you may want to scoop a little squash out so you can fill it with a good amount of the filling. I usually scoop a bit out of each of them and place it in another dish to go with any of the leftover filling I may have.
Fill each squash with a heaping amount of filling (carefully!) Return them back into the over and bake for a another couple of minutes to heat throughout and gently brown the cut side of the squash.
Remove and serve immediately or pack in meal prep containers and enjoy later in the week!
Howdy! How was everyone’s weekend? We watched some football and some baseball on Saturday. Happy with one game and a little bummed about the other, but life goes on!
Sunday was a full day! We took my niece and nephew to the river for their first time. That was also a situation where some things went well and others not so much. Let’s just say that when the rock got slippery, I was the one that went under and Madelyn lived. You could call me a hero… 😉 All in all, it was a good time.
After the river it was home for meal prep. You’ll see the fruits of that labor below. As you all know, we’re on Whole Life Challenge right now and this recipe was actually a little more difficult to make compliant, but that’s what I love about the challenge. It pushes you to get creative and find alternative options! I’m feeling better overall and less than two weeks in I’m already seeing some visual progress. Just sayin…. you should join us next time.
Post-prep, we set out to do some yard work and I made a new friend, whom I now realize was a black widow spider… Maybe it’s the lack of sugar in my diet right now, but I was like “Hey Tim! Come look at this spider! She looks like a little sixlet!” Y’all remember that candy? She seemed the least aggressive of the “friends” I made on Sunday (SCORPIONS!!) but I guess I should just stick to the raking and the friends I already have.
Anyhoo, on to the recipe. I LOVE Asian flavors. Sweet Chili sauce is one of my favorite things on the planet, but most recipes for it include sugar or at best, honey which are both no-nos on WLC. The recipe below is a WLC compliant version, but if you aren’t on WLC and you want to use honey, I personally think the flavors would blend better than with the dates, but it’s up to you! We’ve knocked out all 4 bowls of this already (that’s how good it is!) and it’s definitely one that will stay in the rotation. There are a few “parts” to this recipe, but I promise it’s easier than it looks and the whole thing can be done in about 30 minutes! Let me know how you guys like it!
Sweet Chili Chicken Bowls
For the Rice:
2cupsjasmine rice
1clovegarlic, minced
3/4tspsalt
115 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
1cupwater
Begin the coconut rice first. Add the jasmine rice, garlic, salt, coconut milk, and water to a sauce pot, and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over high heat. As soon as it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. After simmering for 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit undisturbed, with the lid in place, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, and set it aside until ready to serve. If using for meal prep, divide it into 4 containers and set aside for the other ingredients to be added.
For the Sauce:
Ingredients: I DOUBLED THIS** I used half to cook with, but I love sauces so I doubled and use the rest to drizzle when I reheat 🙂
1/4cuprice vinegar
1/4cupDate Syrup (you can also buy this in the store) or Honey (more/less to taste)
1/4cupwater
1Tbspsambal oelek (found in the international food aisle near the sriracha)
1/2Tbsptapioca starch + 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
Add the rice vinegar, honey, water, and sambal oelek to a small sauce pot. Heat and stir the mixture over medium heat until the ingredients are well combined
Stir the tapioca starch into 1 Tbsp water until dissolved, then pour it into the sauce pot with the sweet chili sauce. Continue stirring and heating until the mixture comes up to a simmer, at which time the tapioca starch will thicken the sauce and go from appearing cloudy to clear.
Use the sauce immediately, or refrigerate and use within one week.
For the Rest:
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1Tbsp olive oil
1cupsweet chili sauce (more to drizzle later!)
8-10 oz of fresh pineapple, cut into “tidbits”
1lb.broccoli florets (I buy crowns from the produce section and portion into florets)
1 package snow peas
While the rice is cooking, prepare the steamed broccoli and snow peas. Cut the broccoli crown into florets. Add one inch of water to a large pot, place a steaming basket (or colander) in the pot, then place the broccoli crowns and snow peas in the basket. Place a lid on the pot, then place it over medium-high heat. Allow the water to come up to a boil, and steam the broccoli and snow peas until it is bright green and tender (about 5 minutes). Remove the veggies from the heat and set aside until ready to serve or portion into your four meal prep bowls
While the rice and veggies are cooking, prepare the chicken stir fry. Dice the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Season with a pinch of salt. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and stir and cook until the chicken is cooked through and slightly browned on the outside.
If not pre-cut, chop your pineapple into small pieces and add the pineapple to the skillet along with the sweet chili sauce. Stir and heat the sauce and pineapple through (about 2 minutes).
Once the chicken is finished, portion it with your rice and veggies and drizzle sauce from the pan on each bowl.
Hands down, one of my favorite recipes now. We’ve devoured it! Enjoy!
We are excited to announce that CrossFit Austin will be holding a fundraising event to help raise money for Barbells for Boobs! Join us on Saturday, October 27th where we will complete a version of “Grace,” the official Barbells for Boobs workout!
1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. 7% of those women will be under the age of 40. We are proud to dedicate our fundraising efforts to these too often underserved and overlooked faces of breast cancer.
Saturday, October 27th || Starting at 9:00 am at CrossFit Austin
“Rowing Grace”
For time:
10 Clean & Jerks @ 135/95/65
500 m row
10 Clean & Jerks @ 135/95/65
500 m row
10 Clean & Jerks @ 135/95/65
500 m row
*15:00 cap
As entry to participate in this event, we are asking each athlete to donate a minimum of $20. This will serve as your registration, however, 100% of the proceeds will be going to Barbells for Boobs.
We will begin heats at 9:05 am sharp, but you may come in as early as 8:30 am to begin warming up and getting ready! Heats are capped at 8 athletes.
Why are we fundraising for Barbells for Boobs?
So that together we can take action, raise funds and help detect potentially life-threatening breast cancer occurrences. Barbells for Boobs is dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer, with an emphasis on women and men under the age of 40.
Where does my donation go?
All fundraising efforts support much needed detection services in local communities across the country. Remember that the funds raised to support Barbells for Boobs mission are vital to those who may not have the means or access to critical detection services.
Here’s how you can help:
Make a donation of any amount on our fundraising team page or an individual team members page. For every $120 raised, ONE more person will know if they are living with breast cancer. If you want to be a real rockstar, you can create your own page, join Team CrossFit Austin, and join our efforts to meet our goal!
*It’s easy to create a fundraising page! Learn how, here.
Additionally, you can spread the word and help us reach our goal by sharing this page on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Or even better, send an email to friends you think might be interested in contributing and include a link to our page.
Together, with one unified voice we can make a difference.
Together we can help. Because… Everyone Has a RIGHT to Know.
If you’ve noticed some grumpier than usual people around the gym the last few days, it’s because there are about 23 of us that are 5 days in to the Whole Life Challenge. Don’t worry, we’ll all even out soon, but maybe for the next couple of days don’t hold us accountable for the things we say in our severely lacking state 😉
All kidding aside, this amazing group of folks that chose to join us on this journey has made some big changes this week. You’ve seen me post enough info on WLC so I won’t go too deep into, but we’ve chosen 1 of 3 nutrition levels, set sleep, exercise, and water goals for ourselves, among other things like a daily reflection and really just turning our attention to our own lives and habits.
Each nutrition level has a list of non-compliant foods. Kickstart level is for those who are really JUST starting to make some changes. It definitely cleans up the diet, but allows for more flexibility than the other two. Remember, change comes in stages.
Lifestyle is more restrictive. Things like dairy, grains and flours, alcohol, and additives are on the “non-compliant” side making you have to really choose the cleanest options when going through the grocery store.
Performance is for the hardcore folks. It’s very restrictive. ZERO additives are allowed. No grains, dairy, alcohol, or any of that stuff either. If you really want to get clean with your diet, this is the way to go, but it is not for the weak-hearted.
The one thing that all 3 levels have in common is cutting out the extra sugars. Kickstart does make allowances for things like honey & agave nectar, but for Lifestyle and Performance, no added sugars, no honey, no sweeteners (aside from monkfruit, dates, or stevia).
You guys would not believe how many grocery items have added sugar. Don’t believe me? Take a look! Canned vegetables, chicken broth, frozen fruit…. not all brands, but you’d really be surprised at how many ingredients lists have sugar.
So, if you see some of us acting a little cranky, it’s because we have cut out some of the things we enjoy regularly (um.. queso???) and our brains and bodies are in the process of balancing all of that out.
Long intro, there to this weeks Kitchen Adventure, but I wanted to give a shout out to my WLC crew. They’ve already become a real team, working together and encouraging each other and we’re not even a week in! Watch out y’all because in about 5 more weeks we’re all going to be lean, strong, healthy, and ready to take on the Holidays!
Ok, on to the recipe. I actually have a few things here. Any time I do WLC, one of the FIRST things that gets me is snack options. When you’re cutting out all the “filler foods” and crap that we stick in our mouths throughout the day, you tend to go through a period of being hungrier. These are all WLC compliant, but for anyone looking to find some healthy snack options, here we go!
***One thing to note – dates are high in natural sugars. Almond flour is just ground up almonds which are higher in fat. Don’t go crazy with your portions on these things, guys. Everything in moderation.
Carrot Cake Energy Balls
All raw, All vegan, All delicious
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of shredded carrots (I just buy the matchstick carrots in a bag because it’s easy and ain’t nobody got time fo’ that)
1/2 cup of walnuts
3/4 cup of pecan halves (honestly, you can use any nuts you like. I’ve done hazelnuts and almonds before too)
5-6 large pitted dates
1/2 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
shredded coconut for coating
INSTRUCTIONS
Blend carrots in a blender or food processor until finely chopped, then add the dates and continue to blend until well combined *It’s extremely helpful to slice the dates before blending. Throwing the whole thing in makes it very difficult*
Once the dates and carrots are well mixed, add the nuts and spices and blend to combine. You can make the ingredients as fine or as chunky as you like. You should end up with a consistency that allows you to roll them into balls.
Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out equally sized amounts and roll them into balls. Roll them in shaved coconut for an optional coating.
Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes before eating.
Store them in a sealed container in the fridge! You won’t need to store them long because you’ll probably eat them all in a couple of days.
***The last time I made these, I also added about 2 TBSP of chia seeds to the mix. Chia seeds are FULL of antioxidants, minerals, Omega-3s, and are good for so many different things. Definitely one of my favorite little super foods! You can check out some of the health benefits here.
Ok, sweet tooth is covered! Now let’s get something for those savory folks
Almond Flour Crackers
You can season/spice these with any combo you like. Just use the basic outline and go nuts! Some others I love, sea salt & lime, rosemary & Himalayan pink salt, Italian season, salt & vinegar, the list goes on and on….
INGREDIENTS
1 cup almond flour
1 egg white
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Add the egg white and mix until you’ve formed a dough.
Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, as thinly as possible. Thicker dough will require more bake time and result in thicker crackers. Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Cut the dough into desired shapes. I usually just use a pizza roller and cut them into triangles.
Move the dough, with the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until golden brown. Depending on your oven you may need a little longer to achieve a crunchy chip. Just be careful not to over cook! Let them cool for about 5 minute before removing them from the sheet so they “set”
Remove and enjoy! These are fantastic with guacamole. (see below for my recipe)
Clean & Easy Guacamole
INGREDIENTS
3 Large avocados
1 large tomato
1/2 an onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 large jalapeno *OR if you want to go super easy like I do, just buy THESE 😉
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried minced onion or onion powder
Pinch of cumin, to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 small limes
DIRECTIONS
Halve and pit the avocados. (reserve 1 pit) While still in the skin, use a knife to slice into cubes, then use a large spoon to scoop the chunks into a mixing bowl.
Finely chop your pico ingredients (or open your pre-purchase pico 😉 ) and add to the bowl. Mix the avocado and pico until combined.
In a small bowl, mix your dry seasonings, then add to the large bowl along with the juice from one lime. Mix until well combined. I like my guac chunky and with lots of lime (lime juice also helps to preserve it), but you can smash away if you like it smoother. Add more lime (I usually use 2) if you prefer!
I don’t know if this really works or not, but if you store your guac with the pit it supposedly helps to keep it from browning. Make sure you cover it tightly to prevent air exposure and store it in the fridge. We usually go through guac so fast that we don’t have to worry about it though.
That’s it for this week, folks. Enjoy the rest of your week and happy snacking!
It’s football season! There is a long menu of football friendly foods, but when I think football, I think wings. I’m here to tell you though, you can make a healthier version and even have the ranch! All of this is whole life compliant (for performance level too if you find a clean one or make your own mayo!)
This is definitely more work than ordering from your favorite wing place, but it’s so worth it if you’re trying to stay clean. You can chow guilt free knowing what’s exactly what’s on your plate while you’re watching your favorite team. I can’t help you with the beer… you’re on your own there 😉 (although, topo and lime is a great substitute if you just want something cold and fizzy)
BUFFALO WINGS
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds chicken wings
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
½ lemon, juiced
¼ cup compliant hot sauce (I use Louisiana)
2-4 TBSP Organic butter (to taste)
DIRECTIONS
I use an air fryer for mine (which I totally recommend buying one if you don’t have one!) but you can also just bake these in the oven. I’ve included directions for crispy oven wings below.
In a gallon sized zipper bag place the chicken wings, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and lemon juice. Toss to combine making sure to massage the marinade into the wings well.
Marinade for 30 minutes.
Preheat your air fryer to 360°F. (SEE BELOW FOR OVEN INSTRUCTIONS)
Place the chicken wings in a single layer in the fry basket and insert into the air fryer.
Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket.
Repeat this process with the remaining chicken wings.
*Optional -While wings are cooking- To tone down the spice of your buffalo sauce, melt 2 TBSP of butter in a sauce pan and combine with 1/4 cup of hot sauce. Simmer on low for 3-4 minutes. Add more butter to bring down the spice.
In a bowl place the fried chicken wings and hot sauce and toss to coat.
Serve immediately.
Oven Directions –
Pat wings dry with paper towels after marinading; Bake at 250F for 30 minutes, then at 425F for 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
RANCH DRESSING
There will be a couple of steps to this. First we’ll make the seasoning mix. You’ll need 3/4 – 1 1/4 TBSP of seasoning mix, but this recipe with make enough that you’ll have some to store! Once we’ve made the mix, we’ll talk about combining it with different ingredients to your liking.
Seasoning Mix –
INGREDIENTS
6tablespoonsdried parsley flakes
2tablespoonsdried dill weed
2tablespoonsgarlic powder
1tablespoononion powder
1tablespoondried minced onion
1tablespoonfreeze dried chives
2teaspoonssalt
1teaspoonblack pepper
DIRECTIONS
Toss all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Use your fingers to gently massage the spices together until mix well.
Store in a sealed container until ready to use.
MAKING YOUR DRESSING
To make Dairy-Free, Paleo, WLC compliant Ranch Dressing mix together –
1/3 cup mayonnaise – you can make your own compliant mayo with this recipe
1/4 cup canned coconut milk (regular not lite in a can, not the kind you drink – check for sweeteners!)
1 – 1 1/4 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix
Mix all the ingredients together until combined. Start with using 3/4 tablespoon dried seasoning mix. Add more if desired.
Alternate option to mayo – I really like this with 1/3 cup of plain Greek Yogurt instead. That would be lifestyle compliant, but kicks it our of performance so choose accordingly!
Ok, guys! Like I said, it’s more work than ordering in, but so worth it! I hope your teams wins this weekend. Unless they are playing one of mine. Then I hope they lose 😉 Enjoy your wings!
The sun is shining again! I couldn’t believe it Monday when we went ALL DAY with no rain! I knew I had to go get in the river though, so I took my workout outside. I ran from home to the river, did some rounds of Cindy on a playground, and then jumped in that cold clear water and forgot about everything else for a bit!
I made it down there before everyone was getting out of school and work so I had the place nearly to myself. Being down there, surrounded by green life, being submerged in a life source… Man, it’s one of my favorite things.
Speaking of green life… ya like that smooth transition? 😉 Anyway, this week’s recipe is full of all kinds of good green stuff. This recipe is a variation of a simple concept that has endless possibilities. Very basically, this is a grain bowl. A grain bowl is layered with some sort of grain of your choice, a protein, and any combo of your favorite veggies! I’ve done many versions in the past, but I really love how this one turned out so here we go! I don’t go by a particular recipe when I make these so take these measurements with a grain of salt.. (or more to taste 😉 )
Green Machine Grain Bowl
Ingredients:
1.5 lb Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast
2 cups (cooked) grains of your choice – I used a mix of brown rice, freekah, quinoa, and bulgar to complete 2 cups cooked
1 15 oz can of chickpeas
3 cups raw spinach
3 cups raw arugula
2 pears – pre-sliced OR slice upon serving
4 stalks of celery – chopped
1 bunch green onions – chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
1-2 TBSP Lemon Pepper Seasoning – if you struggle with finding one that does not have added sugar, make your own!
Olive oil and lemon juice to drizzle (or you can use a lemon vinaigrette dressing if you prefer!)
Directions:
Coat your chicken breast in olive oil and season generously on both sides with lemon pepper seasoning. Cook it up however you like! Sometimes I’ll bake mine in the oven at 350 for about 25 minutes (or until cooked through) but this time, I cooked in in a skillet on the stove. Either way… season those puppies up and make them not raw..
You should have about 2 cups of cooked grains. If you measure out two cups dry you’ll end up with way too much. Check the packaging of whatever you choose to use and it will give you proper measurements.
Rinse and drain your chickpeas. *Optional* You can saute these in a skillet to give them a bit of a toasty flavor.
The rest is easy! This amount made 4 bowls for us. Divide your grains (about 1/2 a cup per bowl), chickpeas, and chicken into 4 bowls. This will be the “hot” ingredients.
I just used zip locks for the “cold” ingredients. Divide your spinach, arugula, celery, and green onions into 4 separate containers. As for the pears, I’d suggest you leave them whole until you’re ready to eat, but you CAN pre-slice and put them in a separate container.
Serving:
HOT STUFF COLD STUFF ASSEMBLED
Heat your bowl with the “hot” stuff. Then you can assemble right in the bowl if it’s large enough. Mine aren’t so I transfer it to a plate, dump the bag of “cold” stuff on it. Add the pears, sliced avocado, and walnuts and then drizzle either with your lemon vinaigrette or just a little olive oil and lemon juice and chow down!
Like I said, the beauty of a grain bowl is that there are endless combinations. It’s easy to cook, easy to assemble, and easy to clean up. I was so happy with the way this one turned out. I know I’ll be making it again soon.
Each month we spotlight a different CFA athlete who stands out and shows just how awesome they are. What is it that makes up an Athlete of the Month? It may not be the person that finishes the fastest, Rx’s every WOD, or gets a PR every time they walk in the gym. Although we love and celebrate when those things happen, the Athlete of the Month is made up of much more than physical ability. This person shows up, gives their best every time, and then gives a little more. They are hungry to learn and always ready to do the work. They support their fellow classmates and encourage them to reach their goals. This athlete embodies what we believe the CrossFit Austin Community should be about.
Our September Athlete of the Month is Marco Ramos! Marco has been a part of the CrossFit Austin Community for about a year and a half! From day one, he’s been a happy and welcoming guy in class. He gets in here and works hard in every single class. Marco is a perfect example of using his fitness outside of the gym with all the awesome activities he does too! He’s and outdoors man of many sorts and the training he does here, helps him enjoy that even more. Marco exemplifies so many of the qualities we look for in an AOM and has shown some awesome progress in his time here. Marco, the CFA Team is proud to honor you as our September Athlete of the Month and as an awesome part of this community. Thanks for your all your hard work and we look forward to seeing all you accomplish in the years to come! Congratulations!
State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Marco Ramos
Words to live by?
Slow but steady wins the race.
What is your fitness background? My background is fairly new. I started my fitness journey 10 years ago. I began as a runner and completed 3 full marathons. I have done my share of workout videos such as P90X and Shaun T’s Insanity. I joined my first CrossFit gym in 2014.
How long have you been CrossFitting? 4 years
Take us back to your first day ofCrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today? I was lost in my first class. The coach spoke in a short hand and now makes sense. This shorthand were words to describe the work or the movements. It was the first time I saw AMRAP, EMOM, cleans, and thrusters.What’s your favorite part ofCrossFit Austin?
My favorite part is the Community. Everyone is supportive and wants to you succeed.
Current Training Goals/PRs? I am happy with slow growth. I am trying my hardest not to get injured.
What advice do you have for folks just starting out in CrossFit? I would suggest to commit for one year and attend consistently. Don’t eat before class.
What is your cheat meal go to? I don’t have a go to cheat meal. If I am going to cheat, it’s going to have plenty of calories and have no nutritional value.
How do you use your fitness outside of the gym? I use my fitness in hiking, maneuvering in a tight space when I go caving, running town lake, around the house, or opening a jar.
Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout. My proudest moment in CrossFit was my first RX WOD.
If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be? I wouldn’t know where to begin. What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside ofCrossFit? I like to explore and travel. I can dance East Coast Swing, Lindy hop, and Blues. I am learning how to cook.
Tell us something we don’t know about you… I have a level 1 sommelier, but I drink beer and spirits. I searching for the perfect Negroni recipe. I enjoy festivals such as Okterberfest. My favorite holiday is Halloween.
Leave the fine folks ofCrossFit Austin with some parting words…
INGREDIENTS
