Observeable, measureable, repeatable. That is the reasoning behind recording all of your workouts. Data is of the utmost importance at CrossFit Blacksburg. If you can record numbers for your workout, you can easily repeat that same workout and be able to observe any change that may have occurred. Be it that you were faster or slower, able to move more or less weight on the barbell - these are important data points towards your fitness level.
Keep those journals current, kids!
From Paleo Plan,
Paleo Hummus:
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-1/2" florets
1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup tahini (find it fresh at Annie Kay's or Eats...)
3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced into a paste
juice of 1 lemon
1/8 tsp paprika
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss cauliflower, olive oil, cumin, sea salt (if desired) and black pepper together in a large bowl.
3. Transfer mixture to rimmed baking sheet and spread out evenly.
4. Bake until cauliflower is browned and tender, 25 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Combine tahini, garlic, lemon juice and roasted cauliflower in a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste forms (add additional olive oil if desired).
6. Season with sea salt (if desired) and sprinkle paprika on top.
7. Serve warm or cold with assorted vegetables.
.jpg)
Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday night! We had a ton of activity including Simon Says Gone CrossFit! Everyone enjoyed the activities and a movie - next PNO will be in May! Hope you can join us! Today we will follow our regular schedule...
This side dish requires only 7 simple ingredients and they are pretty easy to find - the Blacksburg Farmer's Market probably has all of them this time of year. The seasoning that I used comes from Penzey's Spices...We served it alongside some slow-cooked beef and roasted spaghetti squash...
Roasted Veggie and Bacon Salad:
1 lb. chopped carrots
1 lb. chopped parsnips
6 strips thick-sliced bacon, chopped
1 chopped red onion
Salt/Pepper to taste
1 tsp. Bavarian Spice from Penzey's
1 TBSP sherry cooking wine
Cook bacon in a saute pan and reserve the fat. Put all veggies and spice into a roasting pan and add some of the fat - toss well and roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the veggies and toss with bacon and sherry.
Some funky odors have been making their way around the gym lately...On Monday, we had a quick chat about personal hygiene. Please make sure that you are washing hands thoroughly after using the restroom. And, if you think you might need to use a little deodorant or antiperspirant, you probably do! Try using Tom's products as they contain no aluminum.
Rather than handing out a bunch of unhealthy candy tomorrow on Valentine's Day, give your loved ones the gift of exercise, love and solid nutrition. At CrossFit Blacksburg, we work to get kids and adults to stay away from candy and junk food and concentrate on fresh foods. It is so important in a society where bad food choices lurk around every corner. Once you eliminate most of these "foods", cravings begin to disappear...
Indeed!
From Paleo Plan, here is a recipe that even kids will enjoy!
2 TBSP fresh ginger root, rough chopped
1 large shallot, rough chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 serrano chili pepper, sliced, stem removed
1/3 cup olive oil
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (403 fl oz) can coconut milk
1/2 cup almond butter
2 TBSP lime juice
1 TBSP fish sauce
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
In a blender or small food processor, combine ginger, shallots, garlic, and serrano chili pepper. Add oil slowly to create a paste.
Divide the paste in half. Place one half in a large Ziplock bag, along with the chicken strips. Add sea salt (if desired), and cayenne pepper. Mix contents together with your hands so the chicken is coated entirely. Seal the bag tightly.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Place the other half of the paste in a saucepan. Shortly before mealtime, heat the saucepan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Bring temperature down to medium-low, and continue to cook until a creamy consistency is reached (2-3 minutes).
Thread the marinated chicken strips on to skewers. Grill over direct high heat until fully cooked, turning once (about 5-7 mins).
Serve alongside the sauce.
The top of the pressing movements is full lock out - shoulders should be active, core super tight and you should be looking straight ahead - not all around the gym at what else might be going on. Brayden is getting some correction on this from Amy - can you see how active his shoulders are while the PVC pipe is locked out over top? A smile on his face also helps!
One of the most important movements that we work with in the gym is getting upside down. Adults and kids need to do this on a regular basis to stimulate the vestibular nerve in the inner ear which receives and processes positional information. This keeps our balance, coordination and vision in check. Ice cream makers, ring inversions, somersaults, headstands and handstands are just a few ways to get there...
.jpg)
Ingredients:
5 packed cups organic Curly Kale, torn into bite size pieces* – you will get at least 5 cups from a single bunch.
1 Tbsp good olive oil
2 tsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
pinch cayenne pepper [optional]
Quick Method:
Divide torn leaves across 2 trays, coat with oil, sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for 10 mins at 180C [350F] – stirring once. Remove from oven and allow oven to cool for a bit. Place back in mostly cooled down oven to dry out entirely. Eat.
Full Method:
Preheat oven to 180C [350F]. Wash and dry kale [I use a salad spinner thingy to get the water off]. Divide torn leaves across 2 cookie sheets – that is about 2 1/2 packed cups on each tray. No need to line trays.
Drizzle half of the oil on each tray of leaves and scrunch with your hands to coat them evenly with a thin layer. Spread into a single layer. Important things: Do not add more oil, it will not end well – 1/2 Tbsp is plenty for 2 1/2 cups of kale; Don’t be afraid of scrunching the leaves until they are evenly coated – you are baking them after all, a bit of scrunching is fine.
Combine dry seasonings in a small dish. Sprinkle half the mixture over each tray. Toss gently if necessary.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, stirring half way through. I have asbestos fingers from years of waiting tables so I just move them around with my hand, you can use a large spoon or tongs, just don’t crush them. Again, this step is quite important – you want all the leaves to get crispy and none to get burnt.
Remove from oven, toss again and allow to cool. At this point they are probably just fine to eat… I however like them really crispy and want them to keep well for a few days. Sooo, I wait for the oven to cool down a bit after it’s been turned off – 10 or 15 mins maybe? Then pop the trays back in and let them sit until the oven is completely cool. There is just enough heat to finish crisping up any rogue chips, but not enough to burn them. Tricky.
Makes about 3-ish cups of chips. If necessary store in an airtight container for a few days.
*Notes:
The easiest way to remove the leaves from the core is to gently pull your fingers along the stalk from base to top – the leaves will tear right off, when the stalk breaks it is probably thin enough to eat.
