Sweet Potato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Things have been very busy! Travelled to Boston this week to visit an Engineering school, it's the Jewish holiday Pesach (Passover) and I'm now finishing up my last and final coursework paper for my degree!

However, my blog needs some love. I look forward to giving it more attention soon. Today's blog post is a recipe I adapted from my good CrossFit friend B.J - she's got some KILLER posts going on recently, I'm looking to try out some more. This meal is one I made a week or so back, during the Passover holiday there are very specific rules about use of your yearly cutlery, electronic kitchen devices, plates and more. For the length of Passover holiday, we don't use any of our kitchen items that have come in contact with "chometz" and use separate dishes and kitchen items.

Therefore many of those posts you will see were made previously before the holiday - and I'm clearly using my usual plates. Being Paleo basically means nearly no transition in the foods that you would eat during Passover. During Passover you do not eat any items that "rise" or have leavening ingredients. Wheat, barley, oats, rye and spelt are all out of the question. Being an Ashkenazi Jew, also rice, corn, peanuts, and beans are also forbidden at this time. Therefore, already used to a relatively Paleo diet, this isn't much of a change for me (more of a change for my husband!).

Recipe after the jump

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Paleo Double Chocolate Muffins

Things just got very real in my kitchen. After so many attempts at muffins, I've finally found my own recipe that works. But before that, let's do a little CrossFit Open WOD Recap. And if you really want, just scroll down to the recipe but come on now, supplementary reading can't hurt. ;)

I competed in my first CrossFit Open competition and it was one of the best experiences I've had so far. It begins to show you what you are very capable of when in competition mode. It's also shown me weaknesses, areas for improvement and also sometimes how lazy I can be during actual workouts. Let me explain through each WOD.

14.1:
AMRAP 10 minutes:
- 30 Double Unders
- 55 lb power snatches, 15 reps

Score: 143 (3 rounds + 8 DU)

What I learned: That in competition mode even if you don't intend to, somehow I turned out 30 dubs in a row without stopping. What I was nervous about was the 55 pound snatch, as I knew my max was 55 last time I tested. Clearly my max is no longer 55 pounds as I repeated the movement 45 times. After (although tired) I retested my Snatch max to 70 pounds. 

14.2:
Every 3 minutes for as long as possible complete:

2 rounds of:
10 Overhead Squats
10 Chest-to-bar pull-ups
(increases over time, but I didn't make it past this point)

Score: 10

What I learned: That I can snatch 65 pounds to get into an Overhead Squat, which was my first time doing that many reps with that weight. I knew that since I literally just achieved my first pull-up that the Chest-to-bar pull-up was not going to be obtainable. It didn't mean that I didn't try though. The workout was humbling as it became important to focus on small gains rather than the score.

14.3
AMRAP 8 minutes:

95lb deadlift, 10 reps
15 box jumps, 20"
135lb deadlifts, 15 reps
15 box jumps, 20"
155lb deadlifts, 20 reps
15 box jumps, 20"
185lb deadlifts, 25 reps
15 box jumps, 20"
205lb deadlifts, 30 reps
15 box jumps, 20"
225lb deadlifts, 35 reps
15 box jumps, 20"

Score: 66

What I learned: That my box jump techniques need work to maximize my time. That being said, I knew I couldn't take breaks in my box jumps because I needed all the time I could get for the deadlifts. Unfortunately I did not make it past the 155lb deadlift round - my intention was to get at least 10 in, and I got 11. I feel as if though if I was to re-do this WOD I could make it to 185. There's always a next time.

14.4
AMRAP 14 minutes:

60 calorie row
50 toes-to-bars
40 wall ball shots, 14lb to 9 foot target
30 cleans, 95 lb
20 muscle-ups

Score: 101

What I learned: That toe-to-bars can rip the shit out of your hands after 41 reps. Especially when you've never done more than 10 TTB in a WOD before.  Although that I destroyed my hands, achieving this was completely worth it and now my hands will be stronger than ever before. This was also my first experience on the rower,  which turned out ok! I truly have no excuse now not to always do TTB in future WODs.

14.5
For time:
21-18-15-12-9-6-3 reps for time of:
65 lb Thrusters
Bar Facing Burpees

Time: 33:22

What I learned: That I truly lack self confidence in myself. I think that's an overarching theme here, but I had serious concerns about doing 65 pound thrusters 84 times. Weight wise, I was able to handle it and I was very proud of that accomplishment. Also this is my realization of how my laziness in usual WODs bit me in the butt. For the burpee rep to count, we had to jump with two feet over the bar. No skipping, no frockling, no stepping over. Which is what I usually do when I get tired. If I consistently trained always ensuring I jumped over properly this wouldn't have been a big issue - it was a lesson to be learned. I would love to do this WOD again, I think I could shave 10 minutes off my time. 

Overall it was a great experience, I have a lot to work on and I look forward to next year.

On to why you came, Double Chocolate Muffins. OM NOM.

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To be Gluten Free, or not to be, that is the question...

What grinds my gears? When someone tells me that they are on a gluten-free diet because it's "healthier." It takes about all of my strength to not smack some sense into people who tell me this. I would accept the following as appropriate comments regarding gluten-free diets.

I'm on a gluten-free diet because...
...I have Celiac Disease
...because my blood test shows highly elevated numbers towards gluten however my scope shows I'm ok, therefore I have a gluten sensitivity and every time I eat gluten I'm stuck to the toilet and things are awful for the next 3-4 days and one time I got this crazy rash (that's my answer, can you tell?)
...I'm gluten sensitive
...because I physically feel better

Choosing to eat gluten-free items (packaged gluten free items I may add) does not necessarily mean that it is healthier for you. In fact, many times you will see that gluten free items may have more calories, fat, sugar than it's gluten full counterparts. I invite you to look carefully at the ingredients and the nutritional value of gluten free products, especially bread, pasta and baked goods. For bread and baked goods especially, you will be shocked at the increase of fat and sugar used in these products.

If you've been reading this blog, you know that I'm gluten-free because I have to be. About 10 years ago, my dad was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity - and at that time it was nearly unheard of. I did learn that it was genetic and it was possible that it could get passed on, but I always told myself I would have no idea what to do if I also couldn't process gluten. When I was first diagnosed - I was absolutely crushed. I loved pasta, bread products, pizza ...I loved gluten. Now I kind of see it as a blessing in disguise and I'm glad gluten is out of my diet and in fact, I don't do very much to replace it. I can't bring myself to eat gluten free bread, I'm sorry, it tastes like crap and to me not worth the calories. I will only eat gluten free pasta if I'm in a serious bind and I have no idea what to do and I'm starving and possible hormonal.

And don't get me wrong, every few months or so (on average every 3-4 months) I'll cheat. That might mean I'm going to have a hamburger WITH the bun. Doing this I'm running a risk, and knowingly I'll have a stomach ache after. I would just rather save my calories for real bread than eat the gluten-free highly processed bread.

I'm not here to tell you how to be healthier, but what I am saying is that if you are on a gluten-free diet and you are just substituting everything you loved to eat with the gluten free alternative, you may be surprised to see that it's not always the "healthier" choice. What I am telling you is to be aware of what you are putting in your body, read the nutritional value, read the ingredients of what's in the processed food. 

*stepping down from soap box*

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Paleo Kofta Kebobs with Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Hi kids, I know it's been a while. Been kind of busy attempting not to fail out of grad school, Open WODs and getting used to a new job. All of these things have been sucking the life out of me which has left very little time for me to blog. Not to mention I'm having tremendous difficulty in finding my dSLR charger, so the pictures a going to be a la iPhone for while. Over the next few recipes I'll update on what's new! Starting off with school, I'm officially dealing with last termitis. I have two final papers creeping up around the corner, and it's been very difficult to write these bad boys. Probably because I know I will be free of coursework so soon that I'm already celebrating before it's over. I've begun the pre-mature celebration with South Park's new video game (The Stick of Truth). In the words of my good friend Olga, apparently I always start a new video game 2 weeks out of all of my due dates.

This is true. I've never realized this before, but I suppose this is my way of dealing with the stress? (aka procrastination).

Anyway, let me bring you to why you came here. Recipe time!

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Open WOD and Recipes coming!

Who knew a new job would absolutely exhaust me?

Anyway, new recipes are coming later this week - I am looking forward to some new posts on here - and as you should be too.

The CrossFit Open got started 4 weeks ago and I have to say each week I've impressed myself. Every workout I've done has hit either a personal record of some sort or a new ability that I wasn't able to do (or never tried to do) before. It has been incredibly exciting period of time for me and a lot of growth too! I also got my first pull-up, so that's very, very exciting. In this time, I've PR'd my Snatch, managed to do 41 toe-to-bars, rowed for the first time, Deadlifted 155 lbs more than I ever have before...it's been exciting and I am going to be very excited to post more soon!

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