Ingredients:
4 5oz cans of tuna (packed in water)
2 5oz cans of baby shrimp
2 5oz cans of crab meat
10-15 limes (depending on size/taste)
1 large white onion
3 jalapenos
1-2 bunches cilantro
1 large tomato
6 cloves garlic
1 avocado (for garnish)

Start by chopping the onion, garlic and tomato into small chunks and place in a large bowl. Halve 10 limes and juice. You can add more lime juice as necessary. Pour the lime juice into the onion, garlic and tomato mixture.

Next open the cans of tuna, baby shrimp and crab meat and drain the water from each. Combine in bowl with lime juice, onion, garlic and tomato mixture.

Chop the jalapeno into small pieces being careful not to touch your eyes while doing so. Depending on how much heat your palate can handle, you can either scoop out the jalapeno seeds or leave them in for a good kick to your mouth. Add jalapenos to mixture.

Chop the leafy portion of the cilantro into small chunks and add to mixture. Add freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste. Thoroughly mix all ingredients together and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour (maybe while you WOD perhaps). Slice 1 avocado for some nutritional fat and serve with the ceviche.

Makes 4-6 servings

WOD 07.31.10

3 rds:
25 Wallball Shots
25 Sit Ups (w/med ball OH)
25 Box Jumps
25 OH Lunges (w/med ball)
25 Burpees

Photo courtesy of Freetheanimal.com

Since summer is upon us as of tomorrow, there will be many a grill out to test drive this recipe and tweak it to your liking. Also, here is a recipe from Free the Animal for Primal Ribs and Slaw using this sauce.

SoG Zesty Barbecue Zauce

Ingredients:
- 1 6oz can tomato paste (preferable organic)
- 1 to 1.5 cups of beef stock (I made my own but if you buy, you want it without salt)
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- .5 of an onion
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons chili powder

Directions:
1. Dice your onions and garlic as fine as possible. You want your BBQ sauce a little chunky but the more fine you dice these, the better the flavor will spread through the entire sauce.
2. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Whether you use 1 cup or 1.5 cups of beef stock will depend on how thick you want your sauce.
3. Bring sauce to heat on stove with a low setting.
4. Cover and simmer. Stir frequently and taste regularly. The longer you simmer, the more consistent your flavor will be. I simmered for 20-30 minutes.
5. Enjoy!

REST DAY 06.20.10

I found this “fried zucchini” recipe recently on a blog and tried it out last Thursday. It was a bit labor intensive since the zucchini I got was so small and each piece had to go through a three step batter process, it was well worth it in the end.

1. Preheat to Broil.
2. Slice zucchini into 1/4” thick rounds (use larger zucchini or cut into strips like “fries”)
3. Coat in sifted coconut flour.
4. Dip in a mixture of beaten eggs with a splash of heavy cream.
5. Coat in grated Parmesan cheese or a Parm/Asiago mix.  Add Italian herbs as an option.
6. Broil 7 minutes on each side or until golden.

It turned out to be excellent finger food and a perfect alternative to the breaded/fried version!

**Pictures from yesterday are being uploaded to Facebook as I type this so check back later! Meanwhile, here are the results:

REST DAY 06.13.10

photo courtesy of freetheanimal.com

Monday evening during Becky’s birthday dinner, someone brought up the topic of meatza. I figured you would all appreciate the recipe for this thing of beauty and I look forward to hearing how your creations turn out. It should be noted that due to the inclusion of cheese, this is a Primal and not a Paleo recipe. If you’re unclear on the differences between the two, brush up on this previous post. Of course you can exclude the cheese, but what’s the fun in that?

Admittedly, pizza was one of my all-time favorite cheat foods. That is, until I excluded gluten from my diet and found out how horrible I felt when I had a gluten-filled cheat day. I still love the taste though and have tried the gluten-free pizzas out there. The problem is that they still have a very high carb crust so they’re definitely not fit for day-to-day eating. Enter the meatza — where you now have the best of both worlds. A gluten-free, low-carb pizza alternative that you could have without it even being a cheat from your normal plan!

The key to a pizza is the crust, and that is where the meatza differs. There’s no attempt to utilize a flour alternative and instead meat forms the crust. I first heard about the meatza from a blog by Richard Nikoley called “Free the Animal”. One of his readers further tweaked the crust ingredients by using a passed-down recipe for meatballs. If you take a look around Richard’s blog, you’ll find a few different ideas for meatza recipes.

If for some reason you don’t want to do a beef crust, I even saw Robb Wolf’s gym, Norcal S&C, posted a recipe for a chicken meatza. Give one (or all) a try and let us know how they turn out!

WOD 06.10.10

Make Up Day

2 lamb steaks
red pepper flakes
rosemary
sea salt
pepper

1-2 bunches asparagus (cut into 3rds)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper
2T butter
sea salt
pepper

Preheat grill. Sprinkle salt, pepper, rosemary, and red pepper on both sides of the lamb. Grill 5-8 minutes or until pink on the inside. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan and cook veggies on medium low heat until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

As a variation, you can season the lamb with poultry seasoning (sage, rosemary, etc) or Herbes de Provence, a French herb blend (savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender flowers) usually reserved for poultry or fish, but it works well with the lamb. If you get the Trader Joe’s lamb steak, they usually come with a marrow filled bone in the middle of each one, which is like the toy in the Cracker Jack box, only WAY better! Enjoy!

7 rds:
7 Hang Power Cleans
7 Front Squats
7 Push Press

compare to 02.18.10

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

(courtesy of Jillian Michaels, “Master your Metabolism Cookbook”)

INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup packed flat leaf parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons packed fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup extra- virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound skirt steak
• Olive oil spray, for the grill

In a food processor, pulse the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes until finely chopped. Add the parsley and oregano leaves, and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Place the skirt steak in a shallow pan and pour 1/3 cup of the chimichurri sauce over it. Turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours (up to overnight). Cover and refrigerate the remaining sauce.

If using a gas or charcoal grill, spray the grill with olive oil and prepare a medium-hot grill. If using a grill pan, spray it with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Grill the steak for 4-5 min per side for medium-rare. Let stand on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steak and divide among four plates. Top each serving with a generous teaspoon of chimichurri sauce and serve. (Serves 4)

Pear Sorbet

(also courtesy of Jillian Michaels, “Master your Metabolism Cookbook”)

INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 large organic pears (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup ruby port wine
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• Thinly sliced pear, for serving (optional)

In a small saucepan, place 1/2 cup of the honey and 1/2 cup water and heat over medium heat to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for one minute. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

In a food processor, pulse the pears and lemon juice until finely chopped. Add the cooled honey mixture and process until smooth. Chill until very cold, at least four hours.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, place the port, vinegar, remaining two tablespoons honey, the cinnamon stick, and the star anise. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the syrup has thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 30 minutes. Watch the pan carefully during the last five to 10 minutes of cooking; it can very quickly go from perfect to burned and bitter. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before serving; remove and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise.

When the pear puree is cold, freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. The sorbet is best served at once, but it may be transferred to a freezer-safe container and frozen until ready to serve. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

To serve, scoop the sorbet into individual serving bowls and drizzle the room temperature syrup over each. Garnish with pear slices. (makes 5 cups)

WOD 04.24.10

The 6pm crew wishing Ruth and Sean a Merry Christmas

Yes, the gym is closed today and “not a creature is stirring” but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be! Take a few minutes aside today to either stretch or foam roll your problem areas. If you dread every time you see the partner hamstring stretch, maybe — just maybe — you should hit those up today. Aside from helping you in the gym, it will also help alleviate some of the stress you’re likely experiencing due to shopping, crowds, traffic, parking, dealing with relatives… or all the above!

I will leave you with a simple egg nog recipe I made this year through trial and error.

• 3 cups whole milk (preferably raw)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 whole eggs (omega-3 if you got ‘em)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff, not some HFCS goop)
• ~1 tsp vanilla
• Nutmeg to taste
• Optional (but highly encouraged!): Dark rum

Throw everything into a blender until well mixed. The egg whites should form a frothy “head”. Pour into serving glasses and sprinkle an extra touch of nutmeg on top. Make sure you have a designated driver and enjoy!

WOD 12.24.09

Egg Nog 3-3-3

AM WRAP Presents

Cash Out: Fruitcake Toss

Here’s another remake of what is normally a cheat day favorite for many. Mark’s Daily Apple featured this extremely simple recipe (only THREE ingredients!) and I cannot wait to try this one out.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1 heaping tablespoon of almond butter

Instructions:

1. Mash the bananas, add the egg and mix well.
2. Stir in the almond butter, adding more than a tablespoon if you want a more pancake-like texture.
3. Warm butter in a pan and pour batter into small cakes.
4. Brown on each side and serve warm.

Make sure to read the full article for additional tips and serving suggestions.

WOD – 12.17.09

Make Up Day

When switching over to the Paleo diet, you may be used to eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Why is it bad? Oats are a grain and have gliadin, one of the proteins that form gluten. As we try to avoid gluten when eating Paleo, these are obviously verboten. But what about when you really have a craving for a hot bowl of cereal? Mark’s Daily Apple posted a recipe this week for Oat-Free Oatmeal that looks like a great alternative.  The ingredient list could easily be obtained in a single trip to Whole Foods:

• 1 small handful of walnuts
• 1 small handful of pecans
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 banana, mashed
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (add more if you prefer it a little runny)
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds
• 1 handful of goji berries or fresh berries

And the end product looks pretty tasty!

WOD – 11.28.09

“Grace, Run for the Hills!”

• 100m hill run
• 10 Clean and Jerks
• 100m hill run
• 10 C&J
• 100m hill run
• 10 C&J

Post times to comments.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of frozen cooked medium shrimp
• 1 package of frozen Harvest Hodgepodge vegetables
• 1/2 can of light coconut milk
• thinly sliced ginger (keep in freezer to make it easier to slice)
• minced garlic
• 3 frozen basil cubes
• ~3T red curry paste*
• ~1t fish sauce*
• ~2T coconut oil*

Melt coconut oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and brown slightly. Toss in the Harvest Hodgepodge vegetables and stir fry until the veggies have softened. Pour in the coconut milk and mix in the curry paste. Add a few shakes of fish sauce (~1 tsp) to the wok and stir everything well. Meanwhile, take the frozen shrimp and place in a strainer then rinse with cool water. Drain the shrimp well and once the liquid in the wok is bubbling, add the shrimp. Add the frozen basil cubes and stir well to break them up and distribute evenly. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook until the shrimp soften. Take care not to overcook or the shrimp will end up rubbery!

Before any of you reports me to Internal Affairs for the Paleo PD, yes I know the Harvest Hodgepodge includes baby corn. I was just testing you — good eye! Seriously though, of course I was picky enough to remove the baby corn when I ate it… you make your own call.

* – ingredient not available at Trader Joe’s, sold separately, some assembly required and batteries not included.

WOD – 11.19.09

2 rds:
25 Deadlifts
25 Wallballs
25 KBS
25 Push Press

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