Cycling Foodie

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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!

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Day  9 –  I didn’t really track things so well. I was just too busy. That said, I stuck to the Challenge pretty well. I made a beautiful Heirloom Red Spinach Salad and added the leftover beef, a few mushrooms, and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was a perfect lunch.

Day 10 – I have been counting tomatoes as vegetables, but really should be counting them as fruit, so I’m switching over starting today.

Tonight for dinner I sauteed a little bit of thinly sliced fresh fennel in a non-stick pan. Then I lightly seared a piece of beautiful wild-caught cod filet. I put the fennel back in the pan, then the fish, and then topped it with about a cup of the Tomato Fennel Sauce  I made earlier in the week. Cover, reduce to low, and gently simmer until it’s thoroughly warmed through and the fish is nice and flaky. It was really good! Light, healthy, and delicious. I served it with 1/2 cup whole grain rice blend. So, that’s protein, carbs, veggies and fruit!

* 2 1/2 cups vegetables
* 3 cup fruit
* 1 cups protein
* 1 1/2 cups carbs
* 1/4 cup healthy cheese (“light”)
* 2 tablespoons nuts

Something close to that. I’m not quite getting this right according to the 21-Day Fix, but … I’m not really following that. I’m just using that a a loose guideline.

Today was a spectacular weather day. I wish I could have been out on my bike riding. I’m conflicted. I really want beautiful weather so I can ride, but we really desperately need rain.

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I’ll have to do this later today, but here’s Day 8 Dinner …

Remember that piece of beef I was marinating? Here it is!

Coffee-Marinated Steak with Heirloom Red Spinach and Crimini Mushrooms

I marinated a small piece of beef in a little coffee, balsamic vinegar, and Herbs de Provence. It had very nice flavor.

The Red Heirloom Spinach was interesting. I’m trying it in a salad today for lunch, with a little of the leftover beef, some fresh mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and a light espresso-balsamic vinaigrette.

Totals for the day:

* 3 1/2 cups vegetables
* 1 cup fruit
* 3 cups protein
* 1 cups carbs
* 2 T healthy cheese (“light”)
* 1 T dressing (homemade marinade)
* 2 tablespoons nuts

Must run! Work, work, work!

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Today was going along fine until about noon, then I suddenly felt funky sick. I had a little ginger candy and that worked like a miracle and I feel OK now. I’m thinking maybe I had too much coffee and not enough food this morning. I started drinking lots of water and nibbled on my food as tolerated.

I made a light, healthy dinner tonight with the leftover salmon from last night.

Spicy Teriyaki Salmon with Steamed Veggies

Totals for the day:

* 3 cups vegetables
* 1 cup fruit
* 2 3/4 cups protein
* 1 1/2 cups carbs
* 2 T healthy cheese (“light”)
* 1 1/2 T dressing (Teriyaki sauce & Sriracha)
* 2 tablespoons nuts

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Today was pretty good, but I was craving carbs, as you can easily see below. It was the sweet potato I had with salmon and vegetables for dinner tonight that put me over, but it was well worth it.

Totals for the day:

* 1 cup vegetables
* 1/2 cup fruit
* 1 cup protein
* 3 1/4 cups carbs
* 2 T healthy cheese (“light”)
* 3 tablespoons healthy oil
* 3 tablespoons nuts

I had about 1 1/2 cups of a ginger miso broth, but I’m not sure where to include this. It was only about 45 calories, so not a big deal in terms of calories.

After dinner, I do like to have a bit of sweet, and I had a few apples that were just a little past eating prime, but perfect for cooking. On this rainy evening, this warm comforting dessert was just right.

Apples Sauteed with Honey and Pure Maple Syrup, served with Non-Fat Greek Yogurt

Apples with Honey & Pure Maple Syrup

2 large green apples, such as Pippins
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Peel, core, and slice apples into about 1/4-inch thick pieces.

Heat honey and maple syrup over medium high in a heavy bottomed non-stick pan. Watch carefully as it could scorch easily.

When the honey and syrup are bubbling, add the apples and stir to coat. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook about 15 to 20 minutes until the apples soften. Uncover, increase heat to medium high and cook to thicken the pan juices to make a nice, caramely sauce.

Serve warm, garnished with plain non-fat Greek yogurt for a warm and satisfying, yet healthy, dessert.

Makes 2 servings – this will be a lovely and heart-healthy Valentines’ Day dessert for your sweetheart.

I think next time I make this I will add some lemon zest, and maybe a little lemon juice along with the apples.

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I am planning to use this with chicken to make a cacciatore-like dish.

Fresh Tomato & Fennel Sauce

1 medium bulb of fresh fennel
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, slightly crushed
8 to 10 fresh Roma tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1/8 teaspoon red chile flakes
4 to 6 small mushrooms, or stems from about 18 mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

You'll end up with about 4 cups of tomatoes.

In a large, good quality non-stick saute pan, cook the fennel over medium-high heat. Allow to brown slightly, and cook until a bit softened. Add the tomatoes, herbs, and chile flakes. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes begin to cook down a bit. Give a good stir.

Add the tomatoes, herbs, chile flakes, and cover. Cook on medium-low.

The Roma tomatoes produced more liquid that I anticipated, so I was looking for something to thicken the sauce a bit without having to cook it down too much. I had cleaned some some mushrooms for another use, and thought I’d try pureeing the stems. That way my roasted mushrooms could be just caps (more attractive) and I wouldn’t waste the stems.

Hmm ... that's a lot of liquid.

Clean and trim the mushrooms (or stems). Place in a blender or food processor and pulse to chop them a bit. Ladle about 1/2 to one cup of the the cooked sauce into the bowl of the blender and process mixture until smooth. Add to the sauce, stir, and cook a few more minutes.

The finished sauce. Perhaps not the prettiest, but it will be wonderful with grilled chicken.

This makes a total of about 2 cups of sauce.

For my Challenge, I will count this as a vegetable.

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Challenge: Day 5 started out well with oatmeal, green tea, and loads of errands to keep me busy. Out and about, I really wanted myself to a latte, which has become a very rare treat for me since I gifted my fully automatic espresso maker. The dilemma, in terms of this Challenge … how do I categorize a latte? I decided to consider it a serving of protein. It’s milk-based, after all, right? That seemed reasonable.

Breakfast, lunch, and a snacks were all strictly within my pre-designated portions. I had a great lunch, using the last of the leftover balsamic chicken and steamed vegetables.

Dinner, however, was a different story. I went to a foodie dinner party, so there were lots of delicious options that perhaps didn’t quite fit the spirit of my Challenge. However, how this Challenge helped me last night was that I was very mindful of my “cheats.” I paid special attention to the fact that they were treats, and I fully enjoyed responsible portions.

Success!

We are having a lovely and much needed rain storm today in Northern California, so I am taking advantage of this time to do a little cooking and prep for the week. I’ve got vegetables washed and ready to cook. I made a Fresh Tomato Fennel Sauce that I’ll use later in the week with some chicken for a Chicken Cacciatore-like dish. I will count this sauce as a vegetable.

Fresh Fennel and Roma Tomatoes ... recipe to be posted soon

I’ve also got a lovely piece of salmon ready that I’ll cook for dinner tonight, and a small piece of beef that I’m going to marinate with something (balsamic? coffee? mustard? rosemary?) and cook tomorrow night.

Now it’s time for a gym workout. I’ll post the Fresh Tomato and Fennel Sauce recipe later.

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This is so easy to put together and makes for great leftovers.

Healthy Meat Sauce

2 pounds of lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds, slightly crushed
optional – red chili flakes for a little heat
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced (more, if you desire!)
1 small red onion, finely diced
8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced (either white or crimini mushrooms will be great)
2 pounds of fresh roma tomatoes, cut into about a 1/4-inch dice (keep the juice!) or 1 can of crushed tomatoes (about 28 ounces)
2 tablespoons pesto, or about 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 4-ounce can of tomato paste
1 large jar of your favorite prepared marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Your favorite pasta (I’m partial to either whole grain or spinach pasta)

For garnish, freshly grated or shaved cheese, such as Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago, & freshly chopped basil and/or parsley

Line a colander with 2 layers of paper towels and set aside. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, fennel seeds, and chili flakes; cook thoroughly. Some people like to chop it up really finely, but I like some chunks in there, so break the meat up as much or as little as you like. When it’s cooked through, scoop the meat into the colander, cover to keep warm, and allow any excess fat to drain. If you’re using lean turkey, there shouldn’t be much. Set the meat aside for now.

Wipe out the skillet, add the second tablespoon of olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook a little, being careful to not brown it. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute a few minutes, just until softened. Add the diced onions and cook a few more minutes, just until the onions are translucent.

If you are using fresh tomatoes, add them now. Stir well and allow to cook over medium heat until they’ve softened a bit. Then add the meat, pesto or chopped basil, tomato paste and stir to blend well. Finally, add the prepared marinara sauce and stir to combine well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If you are using canned tomatoes, then add them with the marinara sauce.

Cook over low heat, gently simmering, while you prepare your pasta. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

To serve …

Ladle your pasta into a bowl, top the hot pasta with some freshly grated cheese.

Top with the hot sauce. This is wonderful with a garnish of mushrooms cooked in a bit of red wine.

For the garnish of mushrooms cooked in red wine … credit must go to Tia Stella … and I’m typing this from memory, so hopefully I’m not missing anything. What you’ll need:

1 tablespoon each butter & olive oil
6 ounces of white mushrooms, cleaned and cut into about 1/4-inch thick slices
a generous splash (well, maybe 2) of dry red wine
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy bottomed skillet, until the butter melts and just starts to bubble a bit. Add the mushrooms, saute a few minutes to soften. Add the red wine and stir, cooking until the wine is reduced and you’ve got a nice slightly thickened sauce. If you want, you can add a little bit more cold butter* to help thicken the sauce and make them kinda’ decadent. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*If you add a bit more butter, start with about a teaspoon of cold butter cut into small cubes, and whisk it in to the pan. You’ll want to be careful at this point to not let it get too hot or the sauce will “break” and the butter will separate out make the sauce oily (for lack of better word at the moment!)

If you don’t like to cook with wine, you could use a good balsamic vinegar in place of the wine.

This would be a great meal after a big bike ride like the Napa Valley Tour de Cure. Come ride with me! There is still plenty of time to sign up. If you don’t or can’t ride, please consider donating to my ride. Please help me reach my goal to be a Champion again this year! I am a long way from reaching my goal this year, so any help will be much appreciated.

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Spinach Linguine with Meat Sauce - made with super lean ground turkey

This would be a wonderful meal the night before, or the night after, a big bike ride!

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A wonderful post-ride recovery meal - easy, low carb, high protein, and delicious!

Spicy Chipotle Shrimp with Stir Fried Vegetables

3 tablespoons good quality olive oil
8 ounces shrimp (medium to large size), cleaned, shelled, & deveined
1 – 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot or red onion
1 – 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 – 2 tablespoon Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, finely diced
1/4 cup dry white or sparkling wine
salt, pepper, red chile flakes to taste

about 4 cups of assorted vegetables* of your choice, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons orange juice
a dash of low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped

Prepare all of your ingredients. Rinse the shrimp, shell, and devein them. You can leave the tails on or pull them off – it’s a matter of personal choice.  Lay them on paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Over medium-high, heat one tablespoon of the oil in a wok. Add the shrimp and cook until they just start to turn pink. Remove from heat and set in a colander to drain. Wipe the wok clean.

Add the second tablespoon of oil to the wok and reheat, on medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot or onion and cook until they just begin to caramelize. Add the Chipotle peppers and heat through. Return the shrimp to the wok and toss to combine well. Add the wine and cook on medium heat to reduce the wine and thicken the sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm.

In another wok, heat the last tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add your vegetables in batches and stir fry a few minutes. Add the orange juice and soy sauce, and cook just until the excess liquid is mostly evaporated. It’s important to not overcook the vegetables for this dish, so watch them carefully.

To serve, divide the vegetables between two large dinner bowls, top with the shrimp, and garnish with the cashews.

This makes two large servings.

We used asparagus, carrots, celery, French green beans, mushrooms, and snap peas.

If you want to add some healthy carbs, this would be great with some brown or black rice.