Archive for February, 2016
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Moonset Sunrise Ride
Wednesday, February 24th, 2016
Last night’s full moon made for an amazing moonset this morning.
Looking from North Davis towards Winters area – you can just barely see the full moon setting.
The cool, fresh, moist air made for a glorious sunrise …
Sunrise, looking east towards Sacramento.
This morning’s ride was just over 17 miles … aaah. Not much else to say.
Here’s wishing you a wonderful ride today.
Full Snow Moon
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016
Can You Think of A Better Way …
Monday, February 22nd, 2016
Need Comfort Food? Try Some Curry.
Friday, February 19th, 2016
Why is it that when I am in serious need of some comfort food I often turn to curry? Probably because curry powder is flavorful, warming, and has oodles of health and mood-boosting benefits.
Chicken Curry with Cauliflower, Peas, and Rice Medley
This can be a super easy weeknight dinner to prepare. I had some leftover cooked chicken, fresh cauliflower florets, frozen peas, a little chicken stock, and cooked rice. I like it a little spicy, so I also add some cayenne pepper to my curry powder.
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Slice the cauliflower into about 1/4-inch slices and saute on medium-high heat in a pre-heated wok with a little oil. Sprinkle your favorite curry powder and cayenne (if desired) over the cauliflower and toss to coat. Add the chicken to the cauliflower and add the stock*. Add the hot rice and stir to combine well. Reduce to low and allow to simmer gently. Meanwhile heat the peas – about 2 minutes on high in the microwave should do it. Add the peas and stir gently to combine.
*You can add a little flour to the stock and make a slurry if you want to thicken your sauce a bit.
We have been having some glorious rain in Davis this week. Last night’s storm was impressive and off and on today we had some intense rain showers and wind. The air was so clean and fresh this morning it was delightful. I am looking forward to getting some good cycling in this weekend!
Foggy Pre-Work Rides
Wednesday, February 17th, 2016
Pre-work rides make all the difference in the world … in my world, anyway. How about yours?
A little chilly, a whole lot beautiful sunrise ride between Davis and Woodland.
I still love, love, love this bike.
Exercise is a well-researched and proven way to effectively deal with stresses that everyday life can bring. Why not start your day a super healthy invigorating stress relieving bike ride?
All that, and you can eat more yummy stuff, too. It’s a win-win. Yes?
Breezy Ride Today
Monday, February 15th, 2016
Here are a few scenes from my ride today.
A beautiful spring-like day here.
Sweet, fragrant almond blossoms along Putah Creek Road.
The morning started out so calm and in just a few hours there was this crazy wind. That will teach me to wait too long to get out on the road in the morning, huh? 56 miles total and most of it either into a headwind or fighting a strong side wind. It was worth it, though, for those few miles with a sweet tailwind.
That made for a pretty good training ride. I was hoping to ride a longer distance today, but with the wind this was enough. It’s been wonderful cycling before work again. I know we need more rain, but I’m sure enjoying cycling again. Yesterday 62 miles. Tomorrow … who knows how many?
Dinner tonight was a simple salad of greens, avocado, and tomato with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I had a small piece of a lean cut of beef that had marinated overnight in coffee, balsamic vinegar, and a little olive oil. I quickly pan fried the little steaks, then allowed them to rest while I made some mushroom gravy. It was very low fat – I used the leftover marinade as the base of the sauce and added some beautiful oyster mushrooms. I made a light slurry of chicken stock with a bit of flour to thicken the sauce and some fresh thyme to brighten it up a bit. It was very flavorful, but low fat. I made some smashed potatoes (basically mashed potatoes with the skin still on them!) to have with the gravy. The potatoes were also low fat – made with a bit of low fat milk and no butter.
The meat was a very lean piece of beef and kind of tough even after marinating overnight. Sliced very thin, however, it was quite flavorful and tender. The leftovers will be a perfect addition to a post-ride salad tomorrow.
Happy Valentines Day
Sunday, February 14th, 2016Remember … some of the best things that you can do for your heart are to exercise, eat well, and be happy.
So, here’s wishing you a happy, heart-healthy Valentines Day! I hope you have the chance to ride today!
Time for Morning Rides Again!
Friday, February 12th, 2016It’s time for pre-work rides again. Finally!
Between Davis and Woodland. I am loving the cool, fresh air!
Hello Spring!
Sunday, February 7th, 2016
We still need more rain and snow, but I am so thankful for a lovely weekend to get some good cycling in. Yesterday was beautiful and today promises to be even better!
Along Seivers Road between Winters and Dixon. Spring is here already!
We enjoyed a nice caffeine stop mid-ride.
Cappuccino & Espresso at a favorite rest stop, Steady Eddy’s in Winters.
Post ride I made a spicy fish stew that made for a perfect dinner. Served here with some short grain brown rice, lightly stir fried mixed baby greens (mix from the Farmer’s Market), and garnished with a bit of Chevre cheese. I posted a similar recipe a few months ago.
This batch was about half seafood (two types of cod) and half chicken Andouille sausage. It was super spicy because I did not adjust the chili flakes (oops) to account for the spicy sausage. The Chevre cheese helped to temper the heat a bit and added just a bit of richness.
Spicy Fish Stew with Chicken Andouille Sausage, Greens, and Brown Rice.
Yesterday I logged about 65 miles on my Colnago and today I hope to ride even a little more. I’ve got to get out and ride, ride, ride to get myself ready for the 2016 Tour de Cure. I’m striving for Champion Status again this year. Please help me to reach this goal by making a donation to support my ride. Simply click here to go to my personal Tour de Cure page.
Here’s wishing you a fabulous weekend!