The perfect pre-ride breakfast for a cool, cloudy morning.
Steel-cut oats with non-fat Greek yogurt, pomegranate, walnuts, and just a touch of pure maple syrup.
Oats are a powerhouse of complex carbohydrates, have a low glycemic index, and will give you long-lasting energy for your ride. They’re gluten-free and easy to digest. Enjoy!
It was a pretty breezy day today, with 20+mph winds on my ride. As you may recall from previous posts, in these here parts we call these winds the “Davis Hills.” I managed to get in over 43 miles total: 14 solo and 29 with my cycling partner. Most of the ride there was either a brutal head wind or side wind. Oh, but for a few miles there was a very sweet tail wind!
Saturday was a much better day weather-wise for cycling, but I had other commitments, so I only got about 15 miles in. Oh, but it felt soo good! I have not been getting nearly enough cycling in and the trainer has proven to be more difficult to get situated than expected. Tomorrow morning will be my first ride on the trainer.
We had some very dramatic clouds this weekend – this was Saturday.
This morning I made a scramble with loads of wild mushrooms, some fresh stir fry greens, chicken Andouille sausage, eggs, and just a touch of light Irish cheddar cheese.
Wild Mushrooms, Chicken Andouille Sausage, and Greens ready for the scramble.
Served with some fresh fruit, whole grain toast … this will power you through those headwinds!
With the recent cold, rainy weather, I’ve been playing with some serious comfort food … this was last weekend …
Espresso & Stout Lamb Stew served with Colcannon – perfect on a cold night!
If you haven’t tried Colcannon, consider making some. It’s basically perfect mashed potatoes with some lightly steamed fresh greens mixed in. A little milk, butter, and garlic if you want. I used Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed and steamed in just enough water so that by the time the potatoes were done most of the excess water had evaporated. Add a splash of hot milk and a pat of Irish butter and whip together with a wooden spoon to make perfect mashed potatoes, then fold in some gently steamed mixed greens (baby kale, spinach, and chard), salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy! Here’s wishing you many happy and healthy miles!
This would have been a lovely morning for a ride, but there’s not enough time before work to get the kind of ride in I really want. It would be waaay too tempting to just keep riding past the turn around point, you know? So, it’s a brisk morning walk instead.
Good Morning!
Sometimes it helps to take a slightly different perspective.
Actually, I’m not sure why this picture uploaded sideways, but sometimes that’s just how life is, isn’t it?
Enjoying the Autumn leaves while they last.
A delicate spot of color.
A relaxing touch of fog.
Now it’s time for a hot cup of freshly brewed, locally roasted Pepper Peddler coffee and a warmed up Apple Yogurt Muffin. Oh, yeah, and work work work.
To warm the muffin, you can pop it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, or wrap it in foil and heat it in a 350 degree oven until it’s warmed to your liking.
This recipe is based on this Apple Oatmeal Quickbread recipe. I made just a few changes.
Apple Oatmeal Muffins
1 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt, plain
1 cup whole oats
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large apple (about 2 cups diced apple – peeled or not, your choice)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a standard size muffin tin. You can line with muffin cups, or simply coat with some non-stick spray.
Mix together oats and yogurt. Set aside and allow to sit for 5 or more minutes.
Whisk together eggs, oil, turbinado sugar. Set aside.
Whisk together flours, soda, spices, and salt.
Dice apple and add to yogurt/oat mix. Stir in the egg mixture and combine well. Add dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated, but be careful to not overmix. This batter will be stiff.
Portion equally into prepared muffin tins and bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
Allow to cool briefly in muffin tins, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Enjoy warm!
Wholesome and comforting, warm and spicy.
The hearty whole grains and spicy warmth will fuel you for a chilly morning ride.
Enjoy!
I don’t often eat eggs for breakfast, but when I do, they have to be perfect.
Fried Egg, Avocado, Homemade Focaccia
And this was perfect.
Happy Monday!
Steel Cut Oats with Greek Yogurt, Blueberries, and Pecans
This should fuel me through a few miles: 1/2 cup cooked steel cut oats, 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt, 12 dried blueberries, and 8 pecans.
I accidentally bought “regular” Greek yogurt yesterday, rather than my usual fat free, so I’m going to have to be even a bit more mindful about portions on this. It’s good, but I’d still rather have the fat free because it’s got twice the protein and about half the calories. I’m not a fat-free diet advocate (we need healthy fat in our diets), but I’m not a big fan of too much dairy fat.
Yeesh … did I screw up this challenge already? Not to worry … I have a feeling that my furry friend here will be happy to help me finish this yogurt.
Happy Valentine’s Day! We have the perfect weather for cycling here today, and the air is pretty clean, too! So, I celebrated Valentine’s Day by treating myself to a long bike ride along the American River Trail.
At the turn around point. I love this bike!
Quick stop on the way home - William B. Pond Park along the American River Trail.
I rode about 65 miles, so I think I earned a few extra carbs today. I fueled my ride with a nice, heart-healthy bowl of steel-cut oats, with a couple of walnuts, a drizzle of pure maple syrup, and about 1 tablespoon of dried blueberries. During the ride, I had 2 small whole grain fig bars and a Cliff gel.
I was way overdressed for how warm it got, so by the time I got home I was in need of some cool refreshment.
Fresh, cool watermelon is a perfect way to rehydrate after a ride.
And hungry, too!
Whole Grain Rice Medley with Smoked Chicken Apple Sausage and Green Beans.
This is about 1 cup of carbs, 1/2 cup protein, and 1/2 cup veggies, so it’s easily within my Challenge!
I have got to start getting some longer rides in so I can get ready for my 2015 Napa Valley Tour de Cure!!! Please consider donating to my ride – it’s a great cause!
My 21 Day Challenge
I was flipping around on TV channels the other night and I came across an infomercial on the “21 Day Fix“. It said you could lose 21 pounds in 21 days. Now, I don’t have 21 pounds to lose, but I was intrigued. This plan looked like a pretty healthy balance of basic food groups. The deal is, the eating plan has portioning containers so you can measure out your foods in the designated containers. Hmm … seems healthy and easy … might be worth a try.
So, I did a little online research. I came across a website (Unlock Weight Loss) that had a review of the system. I found some basic details about the program. According to this website, based on your current weight, you determine how many servings of each food group you can have daily. There are also disks included in the program that have a variety of 30-minute workouts.
Important to note – the containers measure by fluid ounces, not by weight.
The food groups include (serving size):
Based on my weight, the plan for me is to have this number of servings of each item in one day:
So, I thought I’d give it a try, but with my own cyclingfoodie twist.
Day 1: 02/03/2015
Breakfast
1 package organic instant oatmeal (1 carb)
Lunch
1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, plain (1 protein)
1/4 cup frozen organic blueberries (1/4 fruit)
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (1 nuts)
1 teaspoon real maple syrup (1/6 dressing)
Afternoon Snack
1/2 cup Chicken Salad made with non-fat Greek Yogurt (1/2 protein)
Dinner
1 piece Mahi Mahi tuna (about 6 ounces) (1 protein)
1 cup Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes (1 vegetable*)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, slightly crushed (1/4 seeds)
1 1/2 cups fresh vegetables (Asparagus, Green Beans, Crimini Mushrooms) (1 1/2 vegetable)
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (1 fruit)
* Although, technically, tomatoes are a fruit!
My “cheat” for the day was one glass of red wine with dinner.
The fish was super easy to prepare. Simply season the fish with a little of your favorite lemon pepper seasoning. Heat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Add the fish and brown lightly on one side, then turn and lightly brown the other side. Let the fish cook a minute or so. While the fish is cooking, cut your cherry tomatoes in half and add to the pan. Sprinkle with the crushed fennel seeds. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until the fish is tender and flaky.
Mahi Mahi Tuna with Fresh Cherry Tomatoes & Fennel Seeds
The tomatoes will cook down a bit and soften. Place the fish in a serving bowl and ladle the tomatoes and their juices over top of the fish.
Mahi Mahi Tuna with Fresh Cherry Tomatoes & Fennel Seeds, cooked & ready to serve.
This would be great with some fresh thyme, or other fresh herbs, but (gasp!) I was out of fresh herbs. Enjoy with a side of your favorite veggies …
Fresh Asparagus, Green Beans, & Crimini Mushrooms
So my total in terms of servings for the day:
As you can see, I didn’t eat everything I was “allowed.” It was a low activity day for me, so this felt just about right.
So it looks like if I follow this plan, I should lose about about 5 pounds in 3 weeks. That’s just from calorie deficit, not factoring in exercise.I’m having to take it easy for a few days (doctor’s orders), but will be back to exercising in a few days. I’m sure on days I am exercising that I’ll have no problem eating the full servings! But for today, I was quite satisfied.
I won’t bore you with a complete diary of every day’s intake, but I’ll post a few recipes and follow-up now and then.
Mini Fritattas ... first attempt
Tonight I made a few items for a work party tomorrow:
The fritattas look and smell promising, but I have not tried one yet. Here’s hoping they’re as good as they smell.
I’ve never made these before, but they were pretty easy. I diced a couple of gold potatoes into about 1/4-inch cubes and sauteed in a bit of olive oil to brown and soften them a bit. Then, I diced about 6 ounces of crimini mushrooms into about a 1/4-inch dice and sauteed these in a bit of olive oil to cook out some of the moisture. I chopped a few sun dried tomatoes. It’s important to note that they were just dried, not packed in oil. I like the Trader Joe’s ones that come in a bag. They’re soft, and have great color and flavor. Some dried tomatoes are dark and taste old, for lack of better word at the moment. Whisk eggs with a dash of salt and pepper. Plan on one egg per muffin cup. Generously spray the muffin cups with a non-stick spray.
Assembling the Fritattas
Begin layering the ingredients in the cup: potatoes, mushrooms, dried tomatoes, fresh chopped herbs of your choice, then pour the egg mixture over to cover. Top with a little shredded cheese. Be sure to not overfill the pans. They’ll puff up a bit, but not too much.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. They should be fairly set, but be careful to not overcook.
Let them cool for 5-10 minutes and then gently loosen them from the pan. Serve hot or chilled. I’m thinking a little dash of hot sauce will be really good on these!
Enjoy!
California Crepe
Side of Banana!
Saturday we ventured to Davis, exploring the route to the Causeway. This will be a fun commute to work someday! For a break, we stopped at Crepeville, one of my favorite breakfast stops in Davis. A crepe is a bit much for me to eat mid-ride, so I just snuck a few bites along with my side of banana.
I do miss cycling in the Davis area, but it’s good to explore new rides.
Sunday I just grabbed a quick morning ride before a family visit and trip to Napa for a little wine tasting fun!
A splash of bubbly!
Here’s hoping you had a great weekend and got to enjoy some fun outdoor activities. If you’re in an area with lots of smoke (way too many fires burning in the area right now), be careful exercising too much outdoors right now, especially if you’ve got any sort of respiratory troubles. It’s important to have a back up plan for these bad air days.
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