Cycling Foodie

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6:53 am and pitch black out. Oh, well. I guess it’s going to be cycling AFTER work rather than before for a few weeks. But probably not tonight due to rain.

Sigh …

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Day 8 … 81 miles – Davis, Winters, Vacaville, Winters, Davis.

Day 9 … 21.1 miles – an easy loop from Davis to Woodland and back.

Saturday, March 8th

I rode pretty hard, enjoying the rollers between Winters and Vacaville on Pleasants Valley Road. I really need to build up to hills again, so this is great practice. I love cycling Pleasants Valley Road – it’s beautiful, rolling hills, and usually it’s pretty well protected from wind when it gets very breezy. Yesterday the weather was perfect for cycling – not too cool, not too warm, not too breezy, not too sunny, not too cloudy. It was just about perfect.

I had a couple of quick rest stops at Steady Eddy’s in Winters. My first stop was just for water and a couple of Sports Beans, then I headed back out on Putah Creek Road with the intent of doing just my Lake Solano loop, but I was feeling so good when I got to turn, that I headed out Pleasants Valley towards Vacaville. Traffic was light (always nice when you’re cycling!) and there were quite a few other cyclists out (also very nice when you’re cycling) enjoying the day. I road out to Vaca Valley Road, then turned around to head back. I hadn’t really planned on this long of a ride and got kind of a late start in the morning, so I didn’t want to risk not getting back at a decent time. I was focused on cycling, so I didn’t stop to take any photos, but it was glorious out there!

Oat Cake - this will get you through a few miles

On my way back through Winters, I stopped again at Steady Eddy’s for a snack. I am quite happy to report that they do still have oat cakes. I filled up on water, half the oat cake, and headed back out. I chatted briefly with a group who was also headed back towards Davis. They were from Davis and Sacramento. I took off a few moments before they did, but they caught up quickly and then invited to to join them. They pulled me all the way down Putah Creek Road. It was nice! It was work to keep up, but it was worth it. I’m not sure what the correct cycling lingo is, but they were steady riders and rode in a straight line, not wambling all over the place, so I felt safe trying to draft off them.

By the time I got home, I had hit 75 miles. I needed some more water and was hungry again, so I filled up with water at home and snacked on the rest of my oat cake. I wanted to do a few more miles and my legs were feeling a bit tight, so I did a little loop just to spin and loosen up my legs. My total for the day was 81 miles. I made some good progress on my March Madness and training for my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure. I felt good about that.

I was pretty hungry last night, and must confess to having a total “guy” dinner.

Steak and baked potato.

Steak

Potato

Of course, my steak was a lean cut and my potato had a little light Havarti cheese & fat free Greek yogurt, so it was really not too bad. Lots of protein and that’s what I needed. My eyes were bigger than my stomach, though. I had about half the potato and about 2/3 of the steak. I was going to have salad, but I was too full.

Sunday, March 9th

This morning a gentle recovery ride was in order. It was a beautiful morning for cycling – the air was deliciously clean and cool, very little breeze, with a nice cloud cover. I headed out towards Woodland, Road 102 to Road 25, then looped back Road 103, and back towards Davis.

Looking towards Sacramento

Looking towards Winters

I have spent the rest of the day …

Hanging with Tiger

Admiring my lavender.

Smelling the roses.

Checking other blooms

... and more blooms ...

Checking for a 4-leaf clover

Making a few new friends …

Luck be a lady tonight!

These ladies were very active ...

... exploring ...

... trying to hide ...

Camera shy?

Very happy for these visitors.

Oh, yeah, and a bunch of chores in there, too, not just play. I should probably get back to a few of those things that really need to get done today.

The rains are supposed to start again tomorrow, so I’ll pack up for the gym in the morning just in case. But if it’s nice … I’ll be … oh wait … time change … sunrise at 7:26 am? I’ll be at the gym in the morning, but maybe I’ll get to ride tomorrow after work!

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Sunshine abounds!

A lovely and breezy morning for a pre-work ride. 15.7 miles. I am chipping away at my meager March Madness goal of 500 miles in the month of March.

I’ve got a ways to go, but am making good progress toward my goal. March Madness is a GREAT training opportunity to get ready for a special ride like the 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure! Join me on May 4th – come ride the beautiful Napa Valley and help raise money for a great cause!

Click your heels together and join me in a little morning cycling meditation …

The wind is an excellent training tool.
The wind is an excellent training tool.
The wind is an excellent training tool.

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16.1 miles before work; no photos, just cycling.

It’s not too late to sign up for March Mardness!

March Madness is a GREAT training opportunity to get ready for a special ride like the 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure! Join me on May 4th – come ride the beautiful Napa Valley and help raise money for a great cause!

Share the promo code LUCKY (all caps) for a $17 registration rate! The code ends on March 17. Registration will not be this low again so take advantage of the code!

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Short pre-work ride, but I got out there and did it. Wet, wet, wet!!!

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Sunrise, March 3, 2014 - a few minutes after peak

Day 3 … 15.3 mile ride. Absolutely glorious sunrise! I altered my regular route just to see it.

Day 4 … might have to be an indoor workout due to rain.

The 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure will be here before we know it! I am now just over halfway to my fundraising goal. If you would like to donate to this great cause please click here.

Want to join me? You can register here.

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One of my favorite rainy weather recipes is a Pork and Tomatillo Stew. Similar to a Chili Verde, it is rich and satisfying, but with the pork shoulder (or butt) it’s pretty high in fat. I am craving this flavor, but I want to try to lighten it up a bit.

I contemplated using a different, more lean cut of pork, but I think the only one that would produce a decently tender result would be pork tenderloin. I’m sure it would be wonderful, and someday I will try it when I find it on a super sale, but it felt a little pricey for tonight.

My favorite local market in Davis, Nugget Market, had their free range whole fryer chicken on sale, so I was inspired to try this. One of the guys in the meat department (I am kicking myself for not asking his name because his service was so amazing that I would love to call the store management to tell them this) not only did he take the time to chat with me about what meats might make a reasonable substitute to lighten up my recipe, when I settled on a whole chicken he offered to cut it up for me. Really? I love this store. I am perfectly capable of cutting up a chicken on my own, but it was really nice have it done for me. That gave me a few extra minutes to do other stuff this evening. So, thank you!

Chicken and Tomatillo Stew

One whole chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds
2 tablespoons oil
1 to 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos
1 bunch green onions
2 cloves fresh garlic
3 or more serrano chiles (how hot do you want it?)
1 red onion, diced
1 7-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bunch fresh cilantro, cleaned and trimmed
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the chicken into pieces – you will use the drumsticks, thighs, and breasts for this recipe. Reserve the wings, back, and rib bones for stock. Alternatively, you can just use about 4 pounds of bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, or about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of boneless chicken breast, or a combination of both. Remove the skin and discard. Cut the breast meat into about 3/4-inch cubes and set aside.

Prepare the tomatillos: remove the husks and discard; rinse and drain the tomatillos. Place in a roasting pan.

Prepare the serranos*: trim the stems and place in the roasting pan with the tomatillos.

Tomatillos, serranos, green onions, & garlic

*How hot do you want this dish? I like it pretty hot, so I use lots of serranos, but I seed all of them. I like the flavor of this pepper, but not the seed.  I always wear gloves whenever handling hot peppers. To seed serranos, you’ll want to remove the stem, then cut them lengthwise in half. Using your finger, remove the seeds and discard.

Prepare the green onions: trim the ends and peel the outer layer. Trim off any of the dark green end that doesn’t look good. This is very subjective, but you will know when you look at the green onions you have. Add to the roasting pan with the tomatillos.

Peel the garlic and add to the roasting pan with the tomatillos.

Place the tomatillos, serranos, green onions, and garlic in the preheated oven and roast until lightly charred. Depending on your oven, you may want to broil these, or even better use your grill to roast them. If you use your grill, you’ll probably want to use a disposable pan.

Brown the drumsticks and thighs

While the tomatillos are roasting:

Rinse the cilantro and set aside to drain.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy stock pot. Brown the chicken legs on each side, then remove from the pan. Add the breast meat – depending on the size of your stock pot, you’ll probably want to do this in two additions, adding a little oil (if necessary) between additions. Brown lightly and remove from the pan.

Check on the tomatillos – if they’re ready, remove them from the oven. You’ll want them to cool a bit before putting them in your blender to process.

Foodie confession … I once melted a KitchenAid blender because I did not allow the tomatillos to cool before processing. Please don’t do this – learn from my (expensive) mistake.

If necessary, add a little more oil to the pan, then add the onions and saute until softened.

Cube the chicken breast

Chop the red onion

Briefly saute the chicken

While the onions are cooking, blend the tomatillos, green onion, serranos, and cilantro until smooth.

Return chicken to the pot, then add the diced green chiles and blended tomatillo mixture. Give a good stir, but remember that you’ll want the bone-in pieces of chicken (legs & things) to be completely submerged so that they cook fully. Add the dried thyme. Allow to gently simmer for about an hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the tomatillo mixture

Give a good stir

I like to serve this over brown rice with warm, fresh tortillas.

This also makes a fantastic topping for a quesadilla or burrito filling.

A dollop of plain fat free Greek yogurt will help to cool the heat if you accidentally make it too spicy. It may take a few tries to get just the right heat level for you.

Enjoy!

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I logged only 20.5 March Madness miles this morning. I’ve got lots and lots to day, so there was only time for a short ride. It’s cloudy and breezy out there today, but the air feels clean and delightful! There were a few sprinkles on my ride, but I kind of liked it and it gave me a good excuse to wear my new purple rain jacket.

I’m thinking a pot of Pork & Tomatillo Stew might be in order today. I haven’t made this in a long time and this is perfect weather for it. I’m thinking of ways to lighten it up a bit – it calls for pork shoulder, which has lots of fat. I may try a different cut of pork, something much leaner, or even chicken. Hmm …

Well, I’ve got lots and lots to do today, so I’d better get moving.

Have a great day! I hope you get some cycling in.

 

The 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure will be here before we know it!

Have you registered yet?

Join me – it’s a wonderful ride for a great cause!

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With 15.2 miles, it’s not a very impressive start to my 2014 March Madness, but it is a start. I have so much to do today and the weather is unpredictable, so it had to be a short ride. I got sprinkled on a little (I enjoyed that more than my bike did, I am sure) and it wasn’t too breezy or chilly. I got to try out my new purple rain jacket and I LOVE it.

For information on the Davis Bike Club’s March Madness, click here. It’s a great cause – proceeds go to purchasing helmets for school-aged children.

Happy March Madness, everyone! May you meet your mileage goals!

Setting a mileage goal for March is also a terrific way to prepare for another great cause – my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure!

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Please remember to always wear a helmet.

Just a quick ride this morning – must get to work. It is perfect cycling weather out there – I hope you get the chance to grab a ride today!

I am so thankful to be able to ride in the mornings before work. Even just little rides like this (10-15 or so miles) are a great way to start a day and will help me to build back up and get ready for my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure ride! If you would like to make a donation, please click here.

Here’s wishing you a terrific day!