Cycling Foodie

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Today’s Challenge was, shall we say, a bit more challenging?

I was hungry today. I was super hungry when I got home from work. My hope was to get to the gym in time for the spin class, but thanks to commute traffic and leaving work late, I missed the class by about 10 minutes. Instead, I tried 4 different aerobic machines at the gym tonight, did one easy set on the lateral pull down, and some stretching.

Today’s Menu

Breakfast (8am): 1 package TJ’s Steel Cut Oats & Quinoa
Snack (10:30am) : 1 cup carrots
Lunch (about noon): 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup frozen cherries, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
Snack (about 3pm): 1/2 cup chicken salad (made with non-fat Greek yogurt) & 1 cup cherry tomatoes (counting as fruit today)
Post-work out while cooking snack (about 8pm): 1 Baby Bel light cheese
Dinner (about 8:30pm): 1 cup skinless chicken breast (marinated in a white balsamic vinaigrette) and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, 2 cups steamed veggies (asparagus & green beans)
Daily cheat (with dinner): 1 glass red wine

So I figure this is about
* 3 cups vegetables
* 1 1/2 cups fruit
* 2 1/2 cups protein
* 1 cup carbs
* 1/8 cup healthy cheese (“light”)
* 2 tablespoons dressing
* 2 tablespoons nuts

I’m now enjoying a cup of mint tea with just a touch of honey after dinner. This satisfies my post-dinner sweet tooth.

I now feel completely satisfied food-wise – even after a 90-minute workout. I admit it was a light workout, I didn’t push too much, but I worked out.

Steamed Asparagus & Green Beans (2 cups)

Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Marinated in a White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Early this morning I marinated 2 large chicken breasts in about 2 tablespoons of a prepared White Balsamic Vinaigrette. I cut each breast onto 2-3 smaller pieces (for quicker cooking). These two cooked breasts worked out to be about 3 cups of chicken chunks. This is perfect, because leftovers will be critical in my being able to keep up with food prep for this Challenge. I don’t like processed foods, so I’ll want to cook pretty much everything from scratch. That will be one of my CyclingFoodie twists on this Challenge.

To prepare the chicken – I simply cooked the pieces of chicken breast in the marinade in a non-stick pan for about 25 minutes. First on high heat, brown both side of the chicken. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender. If you find there is a lot of liquid in the pan, you can reduce it a bit to make a little sauce. If you want to get fancy, you could deglaze the pan with a splash or two of white wine and make a very light sauce by reducing that. That would be a nice touch … maybe I’ll try that next time. I added a touch of balsamic glaze while I was reducing the residual liquid in the pan. That added a nice depth of flavor.

You can eat light and healthy, and still have lots of great flavor. I am lucky – I never really liked rich, heavy, creamy sauces. However, I do like flavorful and well-seasoned food.

While the chicken was cooking, I cleaned, trimmed, and lightly steamed my vegetables.

To serve, place the hot vegetables in a nice bowl, top with 1 cup of the chopped chicken, and drizzle with a bit of balsamic glaze. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, if desired.

 Enjoy!

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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):

• Vegetables (8 ounces)
• Fruits (8 ounces)
• Proteins (6 ounces)
• Carbohydrates (5.3 ounces)
• Healthy fats & cheeses (2.7 ounces)
• Seeds & dressings (2 ounces)
• Oils, nut butters, seed butters (teaspoons)

Based on my weight, the plan for me is to have this number of servings of each item in one day:

• 3 Vegetables
• 2 Fruits
• 4 Proteins (translates to 3 cups)
• 2 Carbohydrates (translates to about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 Healthy fats & cheeses
• 1 Seeds & dressings
• 2 Oils, nut butters, seed butters

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:

• 2 1/2 Vegetables
•  1 1/4 Fruits
• 2 1/2 Proteins
• 1 Carbohydrates
• 0 Healthy fats & cheeses
• about 1/2 serving Seeds & dressings
• 2 T Oils, nut butters, seed butters

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.

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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.

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This is an awesome dinner to serve the night before a big ride. To make it a great recovery meal, serve it as a side dish with some good lean protein such as fish, chicken, turkey, or pork tenderloin.

Pasta Primavera

1 tablespoon good olive oil
Assorted vegetables*, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into about 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 can tomato paste
1 jar of marinara sauce
your favorite pasta

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy bottomed skillet. Saute the vegetables for a few minutes, just to start them cooking. Add the tomato paste and marinara sauce. Stir to combine well. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and allow to simmer for about 15 to 30 minutes. How long you cook the sauce will depend on how crisp you like your vegetables. I tend to like mine on the crisp side, so when I prepare a Primavera this way, I only cook the sauce 15 to 20 minutes.

Cook your pasta according to the directions its packaging. Drain the pasta, and if desired, toss with a little olive oil.

To serve …

Portion your pasta into a bowl.

Ladle your Primavera Sauce over the pasta.

If desired, sprinkle with a little freshly grated cheese, such as Parmesan, Asiago, or Romano. A good, crusty bread will be a nice accompaniment, also. If you feel like something a bit richer, then feel free to add a bit of Italian Sausage, sweet or spicy would be good. To keep it on the light side, be sure to use a lower fat sausage, such as chicken or turkey.

* Tonight I used asparagus, carrots, fresh fennel, French green beans, heirloom cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, and snap peas. You can use any combination you like! That’s the beauty of a recipe like this – it is so very flexible. It’s easy, nutritious, low in fat, and delicious, too.

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Last night I had some friends over for dinner. After the holidays, we’re all feeling a bit, dare I say, overindulged? However, last night was the final “holiday” party for 2014. It just had to wait until 2015 due to everyone’s schedules. So a light and healthy meal with just a touch of decadence was in order.

We had a few appetizers, the usual fresh vegetable platter, some cheese and crackers, and one experimental recipe – Roasted Crimini Mushrooms with Herbed Goat Cheese and a Balsamic Vinegar Glaze.

Roasted Crimini Mushrooms

Fresh Veggies

For the entree, I made Cioppino, mostly based on this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. I made just a few modifications, but tried to follow her recipe as closely as possible because I’ve never made Cioppino before.

Cioppino

3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 large shallots, chopped
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tomato paste
28 ounces of chopped fresh Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 cups dry white white
2 cups oyster broth
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, low sodium
1 1/2 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 pounds mixed seafood: mussels, shrimp, scallops, calamari
1 1/2 pounds wild caught fresh swordfish, cut into chunks

Mis en place: assemble and prepare all of your ingredients.

In a large pot (at least 5.5 quarts), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, and shallots; saute about 8-10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, wine, broths, water, and bay leaf. Stir to combine well. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to gently simmer for about 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to blend.

Add the mixed seafood, cover and cook for about 5-10 minutes. Add the fish, stir gently, and cook another 5-10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes.

Ladle into bowls and serve with a good, crusty bread. This recipe makes six generous portions.

Cioppino - light, yet rich and satisfying, this Cioppino will make you want to head back for seconds.

We served a 2011 Luna Canto, which paired nicely and stood up to the spicy kick of this Cioppino.

For dessert, I made a “Paleo” Apple Crisp that I know you’ll want to try.

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We have finally been getting some rain here in Northern California and I am loving it! It does interfere a bit with cycling, but the air is cleaner, fresher, and far more breathable. I am fortunate enough to have access to a fancy Compu-Trainer, elliptical, and treadmill so I am getting at least some exercise.

The rain has held off this weekend, so I was able to get a short ride in yesterday and a longer ride in this morning. Cool temperatures and very little breeze made for a pleasant ride on the American River Bike Trail.

The rainy weather is calling for some serious comfort food.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Probably not the healthiest dinner, but sometimes comfort wins out and that’s OK. It’s not entirely unhealthy, though. I always add my little touches that help ease the guilt a bit … organic, lower-sodium cream of tomato soup … whole grain bread … just a touch of butter in the pan, mixed with a touch of olive oil to give a nice, flavorful crisp the the bread … a combination of cheese that included at least half reduced fat cheese.The trick is to use just enough full fat cheese to give a touch of the ooey-gooey melty cheese thing that people love about a grilled cheese sandwich.

So, that was Friday night’s dinner … after what felt like an unusually long week.

Saturday … the sale I’ve waited all year for! The Meyer Factory Outlet Sale!! I haven’t been to this in years and I had planned to go last year, but I missed it. It’s running until December 15th – if you need any kitchen stuff, now is the time to stock up. Check out their website and you can download a coupon for an extra 30% off. Go ahead – splurge on your inner foodie.

After some shopping and errands, I grabbed a quick late afternoon ride yesterday. The weather cleared up and it was gorgeous!

Tower Bridge

River heading towards Downtown Sacramento

Last night’s dinner was a bit healthier – a spicy beef stir fry with asparagus, green beans, and mushrooms, served over brown rice.

Spicy Beef with Asparagus, Green Beans, & Mushrooms with a little extra chili garlic sauce

This was super easy to make. Simply marinate some thinly sliced beef in a bit of soy sauce, white white (or dry sherry), fresh minced garlic, Tiger Sauce, a little honey, and a little sesame oil. I didn’t measure … just go by taste. Whisk together these ingredients and then taste before adding the raw meat. Next time I make this, I will add some chili garlic sauce or Sriracha sauce. I wanted it spicier!

Clean and trim your vegetables. Be sure to cut them into consistently sized pieces so that they’ll cook evenly. Heat up your wok with a little avocado (or peanut) oil. Quickly stir fry the mushrooms, then set aside. Next cook the asparagus, then green beans, setting aside. Remove the meat from the sauce and set the sauce aside. Cook the beef a few pieces at a time so that they’ll cook quickly. Remove from the heat and set aside, repeat until you’ve cooked all the meat. Pour the reserved sauce into the pan and heat quickly, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat, add the meat and vegetables and toss to combine. Cover for just a few moments to heat through. You want the vegetables to be crisp-tender, so be careful to not overcook.

Serve over brown rice and if desired, add a splash more hot sauce.

Be sure you make a BIG batch, because it makes for terrific and easy leftovers. Enjoy!

Now it’s time to turn the Christmas lights on and enjoy a Christmas movie to get in the spirit. This week I’ve got to get started on my holiday baking.

Suggestions? Requests?

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Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken

Last night I roasted a whole chicken. The basic procedure for roasting a chicken is posted here, but I modified it a bit based on what I had on hand. I found myself without any fresh herbs (gasp!) and no carrots, so I used a combination of dried herbs: thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, along with some fennel seeds. I let them sit in olive oil for a bit, while I prepared the chicken.

There was lots of leftover chicken. Tonight I used most that to make a pasta dish.For the recipe below, you will want to adjust the quantity of the ingredients based on what you have and how much meat vs. pasta vs. vegetables you want.

Pasta with Chicken & Vegetables

Chicken Mushroom Pasta

Your favorite pasta
Leftover roasted chicken
Fresh garlic, minced
Mushrooms
Cooking greens, cleaned and well drained (spinach, arugula, chard…)
Peas
Pine nuts
Avocado and/or olive oil

1. Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Follow the directions on whatever pasta you’re using. Remember that if you’re using fresh pasta that it cooks very quickly, so you’ll want to do this last, not first. You’ll want to start cooking the pasta as soon as the water is boiling; it will be cooking while you’re preparing the rest of the ingredients.
2. Rinse the mushrooms and set aside to drain. Tonight I used a combination of Chantrelle, Shiitake, and Crimini mushrooms.
3. Cut or shred the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
4. If you’re using frozen peas, remove from the freezer and rinse with cool water. Set aside in a colander to drain.
5. Lightly toast the pine nuts and set aside. You can do this in a heavy bottomed skillet on the stove or in the oven. Just watch them very carefully – they can turn from not quite perfect to scorched in an instant. If you’re not sure, click here for more detailed instructions.
6. In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat some of the oil. Place the garlic in the oil and cook until it just starts to color. Add the mushrooms and saute on medium-high heat. When they’re cooked to your liking, remove from the heat and set aside in a covered bowl. Return the pan to the heat.
7. If needed, add a little more oil to the pan and then add the chicken. Saute over medium-high heat until it browns a little. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the mushrooms. Add the peas, then cover to keep warm.
8. If needed, add a little more oil to the pan and turn the heat to high. Add the greens and cover. They’ll cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. When the greens have wilted, return the chicken and mushroom mixture, toss to combine well, cover and allow to heat through. Tonight a used a combination of spinach and arugula, but really any cooking greens you like will be wonderful in this.
9. The pasta should be cooked by now. Drain and return to the cooking pan. Add the chicken and mushroom mixture and gently toss to combine well.
10. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, red chile flakes.

Keep in mind that this makes for great leftovers, so feel free to make a big batch.

I think it was a hit ... don't you?

This pasta dish makes an excellent dinner for the night before a big ride, or a recovery dinner after a big ride. It’s also easy to make and comforting after a long day’s work. Protein, carbs, vegetables, healthy oils, and it tastes great!

It paired quite nicely with a Pinot Noir, or would also go well with a Chardonnay.

Enjoy in good health!

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Here’s a healthy, light, and easy to prepare dinner that’s perfect for a chilly autumn night.

Wild Ling Cod Provencal

2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 pieces of wild ling cod
1 1/2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 tablespoons pesto

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet. Quickly sear the fish on each side. Reduce the heat and add the halved cherry tomatoes, spread evenly around and on top of the fish. Top with the pesto. Cover and simmer on low until the fish is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your pieces of fish.

Serve steamy hot with some brown rice, or a good, crusty bread.

I wish I had taken photos of this dish – it was beautiful!

Enjoy!