Just Snatches....almost

I'm leaving for Denver for a couple of days, so I've got alot of things on my mind. First, get the workout in, keep it simple. Here's what I did this morning,

7:00 KB snatches

Warm up, 40 2 hand swings w/12kg x 5 sets, 10 min.

Work sets

#1
15/15 snatches w/ 12kg, 1 min. on
1 min. rest
#2
12/12 snatches w/16kg (fast), 1 min. on,
1 min. rest,
#3
12/12 w/16kg (slow, hold at top), 1.5 min. on.
1 min. rest

I alternated these three sets in this order 6 times. All three took 6,5 min. to complete x 6 = 39 min. total. 468 snatches

#4
1 swing L, 2 hnd trans, 2 hnd swing, 2hnd trans, swing R, 2 hnd trans, 2 hnd siwng, 2 hnd trans., repeat 10x w/16kg (80 reps), 2 min. on 1 min. rest x 5 sets = 15 min.

This combination is a little complicated, I wish I had time to tape it, because it's fun...maybe when I get back! It' s the best of both worlds...1 hand swings and 2 hand swings!

Total workout time 64 min.

I went a little long because I won't touch a kettlebell until Monday.

Have an outrageous, wonderful, weekend!

Shredded Beet and Carrot salad w/ Spicy Ginger Dressing

This was a practically a regular in last summers daily menu. Last year I used red and golden beets. This is the first time this year that I've made it ( lunch #2), and I had forgotten how good it is.

Shredded; beets, beet greens (or spinach), carrots

Diced; jalapeno, pineapple, dates

Optional; sliced green onion, cilantro, grilled chicken or prawns

*

Dressing

shallot 1/4 c. chopped

ginger, 2 Tbl.

garlic, 1 clove

rice vinegar, 1/4 c.

soy sauce, 1 tbl.

toasted sesame oil, 1/2t.

tobasco, to taste (I use Sirachi, chinese hot sauce)

olive oil, 1/2 c.

Toasted sesame oil is a very strong flavor, I, personally, never use a recipe that calls for more than 1/2 t..

If you think you don't like a particular vegetable, based on a childhood memory or even something crazier than that, like never tying it because it just didn't "sound good", GET OVER IT! Don't discriminate! Grow up, and try everything. I can't tell you how many times I took a salad to work and let a friend try it because it "looked so good", only for them to be surprised by a vegetable they thought they didn't like, for instance, radishes, bell pepper, beets, onions, etc.

Vegetables are good. Vegetables are life. Life is good.

Tracy's All Day Lunch #2

Wednesdays are my, 12 hour away from home, make sure and have all my with me food days! Here's what I packed this morning; (clockwise, bottom picture)

raw beet and carrot salad w/pineapple, dates, and spicy ginger dressing 400 cal.
pea/veg soup w/smoked turkey 350 cal.
extra spinach for soup 0 cal.
Peets coffe w/cream 40 cal.
lemon wedges for soup and water 0 cal.
steel cut oats w/sugar and 1/2 cup lowfat milk 250 cal.
crenshaw melon w/procuitto & 1 pear 210 cal.
Prawns for beet salad (small container) 200 cal.

Total calories 1450

Add morning coffee w/cream 80 cal. = 1530 calories

Most of this lunch was packed the night before with the acception of the oats and prawns that I prepared this morning @ 5:30am.

I'm going to Denver this weekend, for my mother's wedding, so I'll miss Saturday's workout, instead I did Thursday's press/squat, this morning @ 6:00am, so I could get to work by 8:30. I'll do my slow snatch w/16kg early Friday morning and still try to make it to Santa Cruz!

Wednesday KB 6:00am

Warm up

40 2 hand swings w/12kg, 1 min. on, 1 min. rest x 4 = 8 min.

Work sets

#1
dbl swing, dbl clean press w/ 2 12kg's x 10, 1 min on., 1 min rest

#2
40 2 hand swings w/20 kg, 1 min, on 1 min, rest

I alternated these 2 sets in this order 5 x each (10 sets) = 20 min.

repeat #1
dbl swing, sbl clean, press, w/2 12kg's x 10, 1 min on, 1 min. rest

#3
2 hand swing, 2 hand catch, squat w/20kg x 10, 1 min. on 1 min. rest

I alternated these 2 sets in this order 5 x each (10 sets) = 20 min.

15/15 bottoms up cleans x 3 sets = 6 min.

total workout 54 min.

Beet Greens

Once I found out that you could eat the stems of the beet greens, I never waste them. Here is a fast saute, used as a side dish, that I love with seared scallops, even hailbut would be nice. I don't cook seafood as often as I should, because I believe you should cook it the same day, and because I do so many things in advance it doesn't always work out for me. ( That's the only reason)

I always keep bacon in my freezer, portioned in 2 slice pkgs. it's easy to chop when frozen and I use it mostly that way for pasta dishes especially spaghetti carbonara.

Beet Green Saute w/bacon (or stir fry?)

In skillet cook,

2 slices bacon (chopped)

until almost crisp and remove from pan. Pour off all but 2 t. bacon fat, return to heat and add

chopped beet green stems ( I slice them on a diagonal)

Stir to coat with fat and cook for 5-7 min., add salt and pepper at this point, (cautiously they really take in salt, especially the leaves). At any point you just scoop one out to see if it's tender. Once tender add,

sliced beet greens

The greens will wilt quickly, about 1 min. Add back in chopped bacon toss and serve.

*********************************************************************************

Pasta with Beet Greens and Bacon

Boil your choice of pasta according to package, (I had orrechietti). while pasta is cooking, prepare greens as directed above. When Pasta is done, drain and toss with sauteed greens adding a little olive oil or pasta water as needed.

I didn't have any Parmesean, but it's totally appropriate here, or I would add a protein like chicken or any leftover seafood, if I had any from the day before that need to be eaten.

Next, Raw Beet and Carrot salad w/ Spicy Ginger dressing. I gotta use up those beets!

Because I Had the Thyme

Until I have time to write a whole post about one of my favorite meals, my "soup meal", here's my version of split pea soup.

I grew some herbs last year, but this year I didn't take the time, not even to grow basil, so when I put out the money to buy them (fresh herbs), I like to use them up! So, I had some fresh thyme, and since I make my split pea soup with water, I don't have to use my precious home made stock, I picked up a package of peas and a smoked turkey thigh at Whole Foods (only about $5.00 for a ton of meat!), and I almost always have the rest of the ingredients on hand so it's been one of my staple soups since the beginning.

I had beet greens that needed to be used up so I cut them across the width into strips, and when the soup was done I stirred them in after the heat was turned off, they wilt as easily as spinach, (another veg you could add).

Tracy's Smoked Turkey Thigh and Pea Soup with Beet Greens

Heat in lg soup pot,
olive oil (2 tbl.)

Add, diced
onion (2)
carrot (2)
celery (2-3)
cook for 5-8 min. ,

add minced or chopped
garlic (4-5 cloves)

cook additional 1-2 min., add 6-8 cups water and
16oz. pkg yellow peas
lg. smoked turkey thigh
thyme (whole sprigs, sm bunch)
parsley (chopped rough about 2 tbl.)

Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until peas are soft. Add salt and plenty of pepper to season. Serve with lemon wedges.

Optional, stir in beet greens after heat is turned off.

I froze 1/2 of this soup, the rest is portioned out for lunches. I like to mix 1/2 pea soup with 1/2 veg soup for a thinner soup and more veggies!

More beet and beet green recipes and pics to come.

Life is good, fresh food is good.

It's Not What You Think....It's What You Do

How many thoughts run through our heads each day...each hour....each minute...each second??? We think about alot of stuff, lol. Some things good , some things bad, some things freaky, what does it mean? Controlling your thoughts isn't important, besides that fact that you can't, controlling what you do is what's important.

I shared my "binge" thoughts the other day because it was just about what went throught my head, no big deal. Those kind of thoughts are same kind of thoughts when faced with any kind of struggle...the "angel" and the "devil" if you will. For me, those thoughts (binge thoughts) happen less and less, but more importantly is how I act, or don't act on them. When I have compulsive thoughts, it seems the next step is to act on them. It's easy to forget that although I may not be able to control what I'm thinking, I surely can control what I do.

Maybe I should think about how amusing those thoughts are, instead of taking them so seriously! Laugh about them. Life can be funny.

Max Vo2, 42 sets + 880 swings

Sets of 8 per cycle
336 reps

Misc. warm up, swings, snatches 5 min.

Max Vo2

8 snatch L, 15 sec. on
15 sec. rest
8 snatch R, 15 sec. on
15 sec rest
42 sets (21 each side) = 21 min.

The rest of the workout w 16kg;

#1
80 2 hand swings, 2 min. on
1 min rest
#2
20 trans, 10 L/10 R/10 L/10 R. 1 hand swing, 20 trans, (80 reps) 2 min. on,
1 min. rest

Each set took 3 min. total to complete, alternating them backa nd forth x 11 sets = 33 min., 80 reps per set = 880

Total workout 58 min.

************************************************************************************

Saturday KB 16kg snatch

Warm up misc. 2 hand, 1 hand & snatches w/12kg 4 min.

Work sets

#1 20 snatch, transfer w/16kg, 1.5 min. on
1 min. rest
#2 40 2 hand swings w/16kg, 1 min. on
1 min. rest
#3 20 snatch transfer w/16kg, 1.5 min on (same as #1)
1 min. rest
#4 40 2 hand swings w/20kg, 1 min. on
1 min. rest

All 4 sets took 9 min. to complete. I rotated all 4 in this order 4 x 9 = 36 min.


Total workout 40 min.