Salmon Poached in Herb Broth

David asked if I would make “the salmon in the broth”…I knew what he meant, I love the dish. You really cannot eat anything that is as tasty and healthy as this in the springtime, a perfect lunch or dinner.  This was the dinner we had after my birthday lunch at Chez Panisse, even Cooper loved it.

This recipe can be altered to fit a pre competition (not less than 6 weeks out for me) or a dieter, or a non dieter, just by not adding the olive oil.

Don’t let this recipe scare you, in fact, I have made this with almost completely different ingredients and it has been wonderful. I have used chervil instead of tarragon, shallots instead of green onions,  fava beans instead of peas, because I believe that cooking is an art, not a science and you shouldn’t worry about measurements or specific ingredients too much!

This is salmon that is poached in an herb broth, served with spring vegetables such as sweet peas, favas or asparagus (I use all!)

For 3

½ bunch tarragon (1 tablespoon chopped and set aside)

½ bunch chives (1 tablespoon chopped and set aside)

1 ½ cups water

½ cup white wine

½ cup parsley leaves

2 medium green onions, white and light green parts cut into thirds

1 celery rib, cut into thirds

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 large thyme sprig

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

1 ½ by ½ inch strip lemon zest

Kosher salt

3 6 ounce skinless center-cut salmon fillets

½ cup fresh shelled peas (or frozen)

½ cup blanched asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a medium saucepan, combine the unchopped tarragon and chives with the water, wine, parsley leaves, green onions, celery, garlic, thyme, coriander seeds, peppercorns, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to moderate and simmer the broth for 20 minutes.

 Strain the vegetable-herb broth into a very large skillet; discard the solids. 

Bring the vegetable-herb broth to a simmer. Season the salmon with salt and carefully add the fillets to the skillet, skinned side up. Bring the broth back to a simmer. Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to moderately low.

Cook the salmon for 3 minutes, then turn the fillets and add the fresh peas. Cover and cook until the peas and asparagus (or favas) are bright green and the salmon is barely cooked through, about 4 minutes.  (Yes I have an extra piece of salmon, it was a funny shaped piece and it was removed very quickly and eaten as a snack!)

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the salmon to shallow bowls and scatter the vegetables on top. Whisk the olive oil into the broth. Pour the broth over the salmon, sprinkle with the chopped tarragon and chives and serve. 

7 Weeks

I love the arms!

I guess I need to slow down on the size here, last night David looked at me more than once and said "Your arms are huge!" It was back and biceps day Friday and they were still pumped and rather tight on Saturday, which is odd for me, I just don't get sore much any longer!

Things continue to be smooth and easy, although I have been craving a few things that I cannot have. That's to be expected, I will try my best not to whine about it where anyone can hear me though.

I am losing the fat slowly and my skin seems to be remaining fairly tight, I did go out to dinner on Saturday evening though, which is fairly unheard of this close but I was visiting my father in law and it was dinner with the family or be a pain in the butt. As it was, as soon as we arrived at his house I whipped out my food and gobbled it down, then we all went to another restaurant and I had water while they had lunch, I didn't mind. Two restaurants in one day!

At dinner I was good, we were at a Thai restaurant and I ate grilled top sirloin, steamed broccoli and a few bites of David's meat and mushroom dish. I am sure there was sodium in it that caused me to retain a bit of water, but that will leave me soon.

 

The back is looking good, and this pose it much better than last week- see how the shoulders are straight across at the top, not sloped down as much? I still need to practice though as this is the most important pose. It's all about the back, and I have the back, there is no question about it.

I only need to drop some more fat to lose the "smiley's " on my butt, some people never have those, but then some have saddlebags and I would much rather have a smiley...

Anne stooped by and gave a thumbs up, I have felt rather fatigued all weekend, probably stress as my father has his surgery scheduled for Friday at Stanford, so it will be a long week for us.

It's Sunday afternoon as I write, my quads are also sore, again very unusual for me. I will get the ol' foam roller out and try to work out the tightness.

And just what have I been craving? A Greek salad, can you believe it? It's been two weeks and the urge hasn't gone away. I almost salivate as I imagine the tangyness of the feta and the tartness of the tomato combined with the salty brine of the olives and the fruity olive oil...mmmm

The funny thing is most people think it's a diet dish! Ha, they are sure fooling themselves. But, it will be off to Opa Restaurant in Los Gatos for one in May, the week after my competition, the family will go out to dinner, I will have the flaming cheese (ouzo is poured on top and set fire), Greek salad and prawn skewers. Washed down with a glass of red wine. Opa!

Cholesterol

 Image via Wikipedia

I have a physical every single year and my Doctor does blood work for just about everything under the sun. He even says he looks for steroids because supplements are not regulated, and there have been cases where people are buying products that are contaminated...

Right, or he thinks I am taking them! ha!

He checks my cholesterol as high cholesterol is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Thyroid disease also runs in my family, so I am careful about having that monitored annually also. He was interested in Vitamin D deficiency this time because I wear sunscreen everyday after having skin cancer....


He is also very interested in my diet, my exercise, everything. He likes to say that I am a very unique specimen, I take that as a compliment.

I got a call form my Doctor's nurse the other day and she was dumbfounded. She said my numbers get better every year!

She said my total cholesterol is 118 and my HDL is 52, now that is something to celebrate!

Just what does the HDL do?  HDL cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol, appears to scour the walls of blood vessels, cleaning out excess cholesterol. It then carries that excess cholesterol -- which otherwise might have been used to make the "plaques" that cause coronary artery disease -- back to the liver for processing. So when they measure a person's HDL cholesterol level, they seem to be measuring how vigorously his or her blood vessels are being "scrubbed" free of cholesterol.

So what do I do that ensure my cholesterol level is so low?

It's mainly my diet.

I eat oatmeal, oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes.

I eat fish and take lots of fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) Eating fatty fish can be heart-healthy because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clots.
Image via Wikipedia
I eat nuts, mainly natural peanut butter. Walnuts, almonds and other nuts can reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy.

I cook with olive oil. Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol but leave your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.
 
I avoid saturated fats and trans fats. I eat lean poultry, beef and avoid cheese and dairy.

I exercise every single day and include aerobic activity regularly. I do not smoke, I don't drink much, although studies seem to indicate that one or two glasses of alcohol a day (and NO more) may help to increase HDL levels, but do nothing for lowering LDL.

The problem with using alcohol as a method of increasing HDL, is that most people just don't stop with two drinks, plus, you absolutely cannot be successful on a fat losing diet if you are drinking, it just won't work.

I enjoy my diet, it's a diet for life.

Long Live Kristy!

New Year's Eve Dinner

We stayed home, too many drunks out there on New Year's, and you know what they say : "Amateur night".

I made a lovely French meal from a book David bought called The Bistros, Brasseries, and Wine Bars of Paris, Everyday Recipes from the Real Paris by Daniel Young.

The meal was light, satisfying, healthy and so delicious.

We love France; the food, the people, the country and traditions are so much as we like to live.

To start we had Steamed Whole Artichokes with Poached Egg and Vinaigrette.

This is a cooked large artichoke, that has had the center leaves and choke removed after cooking, then a poached egg is placed in the center. The yolk is warm and runny.

You pull off the artichoke leaves from the center, which have the warm yolk clinging to them, and dip them in the herb vinaigrette.


Then once you have eaten all the leaves, you have the white of the egg resting on the heart of the artichoke, with some yolk still there. I loved it!

While the vinaigrette has olive oil in it, which is a fat and thus has more calories than a protein or carbohydrate, it is a monounsaturated fat, and it is important to include some in your diet everyday.

Then we had Garlic Soup with Mussels.

You saute garlic in olive oil and the cook mussels in water and white wine. Once the mussels open, the cooking liquid is added to the olive oil/garlic mixture then simmered. Although this soup appears to be creamy, there is no cream. One egg yolk (for 4 servings) is whisked into the soup at the last minute to add richness.

The mussels are removed from their shells. Small toasted rounds of baguette are placed in a shallow bowl, some Gruyere cheese, the mussels and then topped with the hot soup and a sprinkle of Piment d' Espelette, a mild pepper from the Basque region of France.

A wonderful bistro meal, with a little sparkling wine and then a glass of Chateau La Canorgue. If you ever saw the movie "A Good Year" with Russel Crowe, it is the property that he "inherits".

We visited the winery a few years ago, I highly recommend it if you are in that area of France!

I digress. The meal was delicious, healthy and perfectly acceptable for any dietary goals (OK, not if you are prepping for a competition, but then you cannot eat anything!)

Remember, meals can be delicious and healthy, there is no need to suffer just to maintain a healthy body weight and low body fat. 

I went to bed at 8:45 (always thinking about the next day) and was set for a long sleep, the gym didn't open until 7:00 am!  The wind and the cat woke me at 5:30, I was full of energy and feeling good.

It was leg day, but I tweaked my right spinal erector on Friday and it was still a little tight, so I changed it to shoulder day. I had a fantastic workout! Heavy sets, jump rope in between each set, for an hour and 45 minutes. A great long steam and off to tackle the day.

Pizza and Clowns

I think a lot of people may tell you I am a clown. I love to laugh, have a good time, life is too damn short to be serious about almost everything.

Here I am in the kitchen, it's Pizza day, I am making pizzas for David, he is in hog heaven, he lives for pizza day.

I make my own dough, it has to be started the day before so it can gently rise. The secret is .00 flour imported from Italy, that is really super fine flour that gives the crust a crispy texture.

If you make pizza correctly, it really isn't unhealthy. A thin crust, crushed San Marzano tomatoes spread judiciously, a few ounces of buffalo mozzarella, some basil from the garden and a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

Into the 500 degree oven for about 10 minutes and then a stunning pizza!

Oh and the clowns? I read a short blurb in the paper that just made me wonder what on earth is going on!

In June, Britain's traveling John Lawson's Circus announced a series of counseling sessions for people who avoid circuses for fear of clowns. "Coulrophobia" is reportedly Britain's third-leading phobia, after spiders and needles.....

WTF?

Pizza anyone? Stick with me, we don't need no stinking clowns!

Opa!

Veterans Day.  I work for the State of California, and "the Gov" requires that I take this as a holiday. David is a principal of an elementary school, so we both get the day off. Cooper attends the same school district, so that's three of us lazing around all day. Not really though....
 

I am up at 4:00 a.m. as usual, I like my routine. This allows me to spend the time I need at the gym in one visit.

It's glute day, an entire day devoted to "My Butt". It has gotten rather round, I will be posting a picture soon, it looks really, really good.
 

I trained glutes then did 20 minutes on the treadmill. Home for a good breakfast and then off for some shopping, David had a Groupon at Gap he had to spend.

It was lunch time, so we grabbed Cooper and headed off to a Greek restaurant in town called Opa! Check out their link, it is seductive! If you never experienced a sensual feeling related to food and eating, this site will change that for sure! Turn on your speakers....you will want to visit Opa!, or take a trip to Greece.
 
Opa is a Greek Word that may be used as an ‘Exclamation’, or ‘Utterance’, or ‘Declaration’, or ‘Affirmation’ or a lovingly gentle way of telling you to ‘Stop’ ... depending on the situational context.

It is a word or pronouncement of celebration; the celebration of life itself. It is another way of expressing joy and gratitude to God, Life, and others, for bringing us into the state of ultimate wisdom; that all that really matters is health, family, and friends. It is a humorous affirmation that you’re the best; that you’re where you’re supposed to be; and that you need to stop and celebrate…

It is the Greeks’ way of stating they have come to a level of serene exuberance able to enjoy life as children. … In a state where having been fed, and having quenched our thirst, and having enjoyed the pleasure of uniting with others, we have filled with hope and confidence that life abounds with all that we need, … and that food will always be there, … and so, we break the plates, … because tomorrow there will be more.…

And we light a fire and dance around it as a symbol of the warmth that surrounds us. … and … We break the plates as a way of saying thank you to those that helped us reach a state of celebrating our life, … as a way of saying thank you to the music that brought peace to the world, … and we break them to honor the one that’s dancing, as we kneel in front of them and look up to them exclaiming : Oooopa !!! …

And we throw the napkins in the air as a reminder that we are as free as the birds; ‘sky is the limit’ … so ‘Let go, Be Greek, Fear nothing and join in the celebration’. It is a way of saying “don’t worry” … no matter what has happened you are still alive, … “don’t be harsh on yourself,” there’s another minute and another day ahead of you to right what’s wrong, … and we are here together to make sure of this.

So, as an example when someone accidentally drops and breaks something, no matter how valuable, we yell: Oooooopa !!! … kind of “It’s ok,” … everything can be mended if your mind is healthy and still open to music, dance, mezedes, and wine !!

Somebody dropped something, or broke something : Opa!

Someone is assisting someone to back up the car, ...and just about when the driver is about to hit something : Opa (ie : Stop !)

Somebody is dancing and another is breaking plates as they exclaim : Opa !!

A group is drinking and as a form of Cheers : Opa !

Opa! is a fun restaurant, they have pita sandwiches, plates, salads, great wonderful Greek food. I am always interested in eating healthy though.  I try to stick to my lean protein, lots of fresh vegetables and some good quality carbs.

We started with some skordalia. This is in no way healthy nor fit for a plan to lose bodyfat, but I am not a fanatic and I am not prepping for a competition, so I had some and boy was it good! Three small pieces of crisp pita with the skordalia and I was quite satisfied.

As an entree I chose the seafood souvlaki, which was marinated, skewered shrimp and scallops, grilled.... it was served with a choice of fries or rice pilaf. Now rice would be the better choice, but it is white rice so...I asked.

Could I substitute Greek salad for the rice?

Yes!

You can see it above and it was outstanding! A huge Greek salad with two fat, plump skewers of shrimp and scallops grilled and laid on top.

I will go back and I will order this same dish. The only change is that I will ask for half the oil. A true Greek salad has only olive oil on it, no vinegar as it gets the tartness from the tomatoes. This was a great salad, just a little too much oil for me. At least it is olive oil which is a healthy fat.
 

A glass of wine and fun times with the family. Next time we will order the cheese appetizer, the cheese is brought to the table on a metal patter, then they flambe it right in front of you, putting the flame out with a squeeze of lemon. I am not sure how it tastes, but It  looks fun!

 In fact, they have happy hour Monday through Friday 3:30 to 6:00 where all appetizers are half off and there are drink specials too.

I am back to work on Friday, but the boys are off another day. I bet they will sleep till 9:00 (David) and 10:00 (Cooper).

So when you think about your life, and everything you have to be thankful for hopefully the word Opa! comes to mind and brings a smile to your face.

Provencale Tuna

I love tuna. I am lucky here in California to be able to get fresh wild albacore quite often. 

Tuna can be grilled or pan fried, and it can be prepared in numerous ways, from high fat and high calorie, to low fat and low calorie, all is delicious.


Luckily David loves albacore too, so I can make one dinner with slight changes to satisfy both of us.

Above is my dinner, steamed plain green beans, steamed fingerling potatoes and a nice thick, rare piece of albacore (there is a handful of supplements on the side too).

The albacore has been marinated for an hour, turning occasionally in the following:

1 Tbls dry white wine
1 tsp olive oil

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 tsp Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence can be purchased in any grocery store spice section, they are wonderful! It is a mixture of thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, fennel, sage and lavender.

Pat the albacore dry, then on a prepared grill or hot skillet (spray or coat with some oil), quickly grill the fish as long as desired, we like it really rare, so a 1 inch thick tuna gets cooked 2 minutes per side at most.

Here you see David quite happy and quite blurry I am afraid, he had Remoulade sauce with his. This is a handmade sauce of

salt, pepper, garlic, shallots, parsley, capers, hard cooked egg yolks, raw egg yolk, olive oil and lemon juice.

Mine, I squeezed fresh lemon on it.

This is dish is great any time of year, and the fish is fine room temperature too, we eat it often. Even if you are watching your fat intake, olive oil is a healthy oil,  and the tiny amount in the marinade is not going to impact your diet one bit.

Now the Remoulade, that's another story, it's a treat that's for sure, not something you would want to eat on a regular basis, but once in a while, it won't hurt you.

Ratatouille

My good friend belongs to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Hers is the typical setup, you sign up for a certain length of time, say 6 months and every week, ya get what ya get!

Mine, I get a choice if I want to buy it each week, either I say yes or no, and it's at work, easy to walk over and get it, so I have the best of both worlds.

My friend is also quite the jet setter, she is always going here or there, often out of town for a few days. I love it! Why? Cause she needs someone to eat her veg!

She gets her delivery every Wednesday, so when she is  planning a trip, I get an email from her with her itinerary and I get the food. A week ago I got the delivery and when I opened it up,and took stock, I had eggplant, tomatoes, basil, onions, peppers and squash, why it was ratatouille in a box!

I pulled out my Chez Panisse cookbook and got to work, you can see most of it all diced up in the picture above. That's what takes the most time, the dicing and slicing. Once you do that, it comes together quickly.  

Ratatouille is best served cold, odd I know, but it is and that makes it even easier to prep ahead. If you have never had it, it is a French vegetable stew, not lots of liquid, but a creamy, rich texture that goes great with fish, grilled meats or chicken.  

Don't let this recipe, or ANY recipe scare you. Cooking is an art, which means you create it with what you have. If you don't have one ingredient, it does not ruin the dish, it merely changes the dish. The absolute only time you must have all ingredients is in baking, and baking is a science.

I have never been very good at baking, I think I am more artistic!

1 large eggplant
Salt
3 onions

3 red bell peppers (or any color)
4 summer squashes

5 tomatoes
10 cloves garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Hot pepper flakes

1 large bunch basil (about a 1/2 pound)

 

Set aside a handful of the basil leaves for garnish and make a bouquet garni with the rest by tying kitchen twine (cotton only!) all around it like a bundle.

Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes (leave skin on), salt liberally and leave it to drain in a colander.

Peel and cut up the onions, the peppers, squashes, and tomatoes, keeping them all separate. Everything should be cut into pieces about the same size as the cubed eggplant.

Smash and peel the garlic and chop it coarsely.

Press down on the eggplant to extract more water and dry it.

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat some of the olive oil and gently fry the eggplant until golden. It will stick, and get a little mashed up, don't worry. Drain and reserve the eggplant.

Add more olive oil to the pot and over medium low heat start sauteing the onions. When they are soft and translucent, add the garlic, the hot pepper flakes and the bouquet garni. Stir for a minute.

Toss in the peppers, cook for a few minutes. Add the squash, cook for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes.

Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally then add the eggplant and cook another 15 to 25 minutes until everything is soft and the flavors have melded together. Remove the bouquet garni, pressing on it to extract all the flavors.

Adjust the seasoning with fresh chopped basil leaves, salt, pepper and a little extra fresh chopped garlic if you like.

Serve warm, cold or room temperature.

 

 

 

 

I have mine with a piece of fish, David and Cooper spoon a large helping on their plates, drizzle with extra olive oil and have it with grilled Italian sausage. 

Ratatouille is a wonderful, earthy taste of Provence, give it a try you may have only a week or two left for those wonderful ingredients as winter is soon upon us.

Quinoa with Sun Dried Tomatoes

If you have never tried quinoa, you must as soon as possible, I cannot stress how wonderful this grain is!  It is considered one of natures "superfoods" .

Quinoa is an ancient grain grown above 12,000 feet above sea level. It is a whole grain and has been classified by the National Academy of Sciences as one of the best sources of protein in the vegetable kingdom.

It is gluten-free, has a low glycemic index and provides all of the eight essential amino acids.

It is simple to cook, unlike rice and tastes fantastic.  One of my favorite recipes is from Tosco Reno's The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook.

QUINOA WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6):
1 tsp best-quality olive oil
8 sundried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
2 minced shallots
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cups low-sodium, low-fat chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup dry quinoa
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Rinse quinoa grains in fine mesh sieve (to remove the bitter saponin layer) until water runs clear (about 1 minute).This step is very important unless you buy pre-rinsed quinoa.

2. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add tomatoes, shallots, and garlic. Sauté until shallots are softened.

3. Add stock OR water and bring to a boil.

4. Stir in quinoa and cayenne pepper. Return to boil.

5. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

6. Let stand for 5 minutes, and fluff with a fork.

7. Mix in the seasonings!

Calories 128

Protein 5 grams

Carbs 23 grams

Fiber 2 grams

Sugar 1 gram

Fat 3 grams

Sodium 211 mg

The picture above is made with red quinoa, you can also make black or white. I like to mix in cubed cucumber, chunks of chicken breast and some fresh chopped green onions, top with some fat free vinaigrette and you have a complete, healthy meal.

Feel free to experiment and mix in whatever vegetables you enjoy. 

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Halibut for Dinner (different)

I never seem to get enough fish...I love it year round. I thoroughly enjoyed this halibut and everything about this is totally appropriate for a pre-competition diet!

This is 6 ounces (uncooked weight) of fresh halibut that I have patted dry then sprinkled with smokey Spanish paprika and black pepper. Pat onto the flesh to make sure it adheres.

I heat a cast iron skillet over very high heat until very hot, spray with olive oil cooking spray then sear on each side 2 minutes, then lower heat and cook 1 minute longer on each side. It will be moist and just barely cooked though.

I topped it with a wonderful puree of bar-b-qued tomatillos.

Take a large bag of tomatillos, remove the papery husks then rinse with cool water. Bar-B-Que them until they are blistered and hot, some may start to split, take them off as soon as they do this. You can alternatively roast them in a hot skillet indoors, or broil them.

Place them in a blender with a small amount of water (about 1/2 cup for a pound of tomatillos), blend until nicely pureed.

This makes a great salsa with no added salt.  The salsa went over the fish, then a nice pop of fresh cilantro leaves. Yes tomatillos have some calories and carbs, they are a vegetable after all, but I used 2 Tbsps, it was like having a little extra vegetable.

I also have  roasted golden beets. Scrub beets to remove all debris, place in a small baking dish and add about a half cup water, cover with foil. Bake in a 400 degree oven until very soft when pierced with a knife, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on size and freshness.

When the beets are done, remove the skins with a paring knife, they will pull off easily, as long as you do not use the red beets, your fingers won't get stained.

Cut the beets into quarters or even more pieces if large, place in a bowl and add black pepper and red wine vinegar, about 3 Tbsps for a pound of beets. Allow them to macerate for at least a half hour or as long as you like.

Par boiled green beans, plain.

I squeeze lemon all over everything, it goes great with all of the flavors.
 

Do you notice I have no starch? Yes, this is true.

It's my way of "carb cycling" and it's not even close to what most people have heard of.

I think carbs are good for you. I do not believe that extremely low carb diets are healthy for many reasons.

The first reason is I don't think that any diet that is so restrictive that you cannot maintain it, or something very close to it year round is  ever going to be successful. My definition of success is not a weight loss that is regained, it is a change in body composition forever.

If you cut carbs extremely low, you cannot or will not sustain it long, most people just won't do it. Most people will also feel extremely deprived and will binge and not stay on the diet.

Also, carbs make your body function properly, you need them for brain function and for energy.  Your muscles look full when you have eaten carbs, your body looks healthy.

Without them you look thin, emaciated, tired, not a look I can recall ever striving for.

However,  there are times when I need to lose some bodyfat and by a certain time, so that's when I will manipulate my carbs.

First, I never ever cut them really low, it doesn't work for me. I have met people who swear by it, but I have not yet met anyone who can live with it very long.

I maintain a clean, healthy diet year round. I of course will go though periods of eating completely unhealthy things a couple weeks after a competition, then it's back to a balanced diet, all the time.

I will not deprive myself in the off season, but I will make the right choices most of the time. I aim for 90% compliance.

I feel that eating right year round ensures I never gain a tremendous amount of weight like many competitors do, I don't have to struggle to lose it, and my "pre-competition diet" is really not much different than my "off-season diet", I just cut out some higher fat, higher sugar items and limit portions a bit more.

I eat carbs (starches) at every meal except my final meal immediately prior to bed. At that meal I have some vegetable, which has a very small amount of carbs, but not much.

When I am close to competition time, I eliminate those carbs (it is usually one cup of spinach). And then, I will cycle just a little in and out in my 5th meal (dinner).

So tonight, no carbs at dinner. It's ok, I won't be exercising, I don't need the energy. I will do this three nights, then the fourth, have carbs for dinner again (3 ounces rice or potato). Then three nights no carbs with dinner, and add them again on the fourth.

If I am stuck and not losing weight, and I have made sure I am eating the correct protein and vegetables, and am doing extra cardio, I may reduce my starches at other meals for a few days also, no more than one ounce though. If I do this, is it typically no longer than 2 weeks.

This very small change makes a difference, but I will never suffer, I will never look gaunt, I will remain full and healthy looking.

Feeling Blue and Vinegar Chicken

I woke up feeling blue today, and it has lingered for quite some time. I am a really upbeat person, I don't get down very easily.

It's the diet.

It's Sunday and I  have 20 days to go. 20 days is not a long time, it can whiz by so fast. But when you are on a super strict diet, it can go oh so slowly.

I actually had tears well up in my eyes this morning as I was on the treadmill, and it was not the treadmill making me cry. It was the feeling of despair that hits you sometimes, and those of you who compete will know exactly what I am talking about.

I spent three hours at the gym, I worked shoulders, then bootcamp with "R" and I did my cardio for a half hour, I didn't feel like going back a second time today.

I am ready to live a normal life, ready to relax a bit.

I come home famished, all I had was my meal replacement drink at 5:15, and it was now 9:30. Egg whites, and then a bowl of steel cut oats. So hungry. Almost decided to eat turkey meatballs and rice, that may make me feel normal again.

David offers some tastes of his food, forgetting that I cannot try it. He apologizes, not intending to make things worse for me.

I start making vinegar chicken for David and Cooper's dinner. It is a fabulous dish, that if I wasn't so close to competition time I could eat, but not today. I cook and try not to pay attention to the smells, Coop walks in and says it smells great.

La Volaille Au Vinagre De Vin Bistro D'A Cote

Saute 6 chicken legs, 6 chicken thighs (or a cut up whole chicken) that has been generously salted and peppered  in 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter till golden. Remove from skillet, drain fat, add chicken back into the skillet. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar, cook about 10 minutes till reduced by half, turning chicken occasionally.

Add 1 cup chicken stock, 1 large can chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken, then reduce sauce for 10 minutes. Add the chicken back into the skillet, it's best if you refrigerate it a while, even overnight, it makes the flavors better. Then reheat, and add 4 tablespoons butter.

It is served with potatoes au gratin made with creme fraiche and Gruyere cheese.

I then made them a fig crostada (rustic tart) for dessert.
 
There are always leftovers from the chicken so what do I do? I think they may even like this better: The sauce is thin, and I take all the remaining chicken from the bones, mix it with the remaining sauce and serve over pasta the next day.

Me? I will have red snapper, asparagus and rice.

I think this scenario repeated day after day would get anyone down eventually.
David and Cooper leave for a few hours to a couple lacrosse games, I have brought work home so my mind is occupied and I am not feeling so down, I am concentrating too much.

I decide to make pastry tart for some homemade fig "pop tarts"...I will freeze the dough and cook them later, just before I go to my competition, they are best room temperature says the  recipe, they look stunning and I cannot wait to try them!

The dough is flour, sugar, salt, butter and cream cheese. Filled with a homemade fig jam mixture then baked and glazed, they should be fabulous with a steaming hot cup coffee... or champagne.

I don't lick my fingers as I prepare the dough, but I really want to, no one is watching, I can easily do it and no one would know. But I would, and if I didn't look my best when I stepped on stage, I would be really angry at myself in 20 days.

I eat my next meal, a can of tuna, 4 ounces brown rice and some mushrooms. I am increasing carbs because I have started putting out ketones, I monitor my urine to see if I have been cutting back too much and I have, so it's more starches for a while.

I still have a couple pounds to lose, so it's tough, I have to increase carbs yet lose weight, it means more cardio.

Pincho Morunos Chicken

I am forever attempting to keep the family well fed and happy, and maintain my fairly strict diet at the same time.

For those of you have have known me long, it is no news that my hobby used to be cooking.  In fact, I even won the "build a better burger" contest for the western United States for my Gorgonzola Beefburger with Sun dried Tomato relish...I have always loved burgers.

I made this dish with pork tenderloins for the boys, and I  used ground chicken breast to make some 'patties" for myself. The only difference was theirs had olive oil in the marinade, I left that out of mine. They loved it, said it was a
keeper and I liked mine too!

This makes 8 patties

2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast (only use breast, the other stuff is skin, fat, garbage, don't use it).
1/2 medium onion minced fine
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1 Tbsp parsley minced fine
1 1/2 tsp Spanish paprika (I like agri-dulce)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp saffron threads (I know it's expensive so leave it out if you don't have it) I am lucky that my brother lives in Spain and it is cheap there! My sister is bringing some back this month in fact.

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp dry sherry or dry white wine

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together. It will be a sticky mess!  Form into balls as best you can, wrap individually in plastic wrap, then "shape" into patties to freeze them.

Heat a cast iron skillet and spray with olive oil cooking spray, fry on each side until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. You can tell by pressing on the patty, it should be quite firm when done.

Great with lemon squeezed all over...

If you are cooking for someone who is not watching oil intake, you would mix 1 1/2 Tbsps olive oil in the marinade, and marinade whole pork tenderloins or pork chops several hours or overnight. Bar B Que over medium high heat.

Shirataki Pasta

This looks fabulous doesn't it?! Doesn't even look like "diet" food, but it sure is.

"R" and I went to do a little shopping at Mitsuawa market today, it is my favorite Japanese grocery store.

Among other things, I found some beautiful scallops, I can eat them this week then no more for a few weeks due to the sodium content.
 

I also picked up a few packages of Shirataki pasta- it's made from tofu and yam flour. If you follow Hungry Girl, you read about this years ago, it's actually available at almost any grocery store, in the refrigerator section. I tried it then and didn't care for it, but after tonight I have decided it had to have been my method of preparation that failed me previously.

It has a gelatinous texture, so it is crucial to prepare it correctly so that is almost eliminated. The pasta comes in water, drain it and rinse it very well, using tongs or your hands to clean it all off. Then boil it for 3 minutes and drain well again.

Now this is the most important part, lay it out on paper towels then dab it with more towels to get it as dry as possible.  Now let it sit till you plan to toss it in your dish.

I heated a cast iron skillet till very hot, then sprayed it very quickly with olive oil cooking spray. Salt and pepper on the scallops, and seared them on each side for 2 minutes.

I added 1 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (it can give sauces a meaty, rich flavor if used sparingly), it quickly cooked off, and I removed the scallops from the pan. I then added 5 ounces diced up fresh tomatoes, 1/4 cup chopped green onion, 2 Tablespoons julienned basil, a dash red pepper flakes and let it cook a couple minutes, then added salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar.

Simmer a few minutes longer, then add 1/4 cup chicken broth. Add the pasta to the sauce, stir and warm a minute then add the scallops back in, stir.
Serve in a bowl with a few shreds of fresh basil on top.

 Now the good part-  An entire package of shirataki pasta is supposed to serve 2, I ate all of it. The whole package has the following nutritional breakdown:

Calories 40
Carbs 6 grams
Fiber 4 grams

Fat 1/2 gram

Protein 2 grams

Sodium 30 grams

So, when you add the other ingredients to this, the total breakdown was:

6 ounces (uncooked weight) scallops

5 ounces tomato

1/4 cup green onions

2 Tbls Basil

1 Tbls + 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 package shirataki noodles

258 calories

16.6 grams carbs (tomatoes have a lot)

28 grams protein

3 grams fat

To put this into perspective, if you were to use 2 ounces dried pasta (the recommended serving on the box, that's 1/8 of a box), instead of the shirataki noodles,  the breakdwon would look like this:

418 calories

51.6 grams carbs

33 grams protein

3.5 grams fat

That's a HUGE difference, I rarely ever eat a meal with that many calories, and the only meal I eat with that many carbs is immediately following a heavy training session.

I am making turkey meatballs next and shall try a meat based broth with just a few tomatoes and will let you know how it is!