Black Bean Poop…it’s delicious…
Not only is my wife drop-dead gorgeous (points), but she’s a terrific cook (double points…take notes boys). One of her specialties, and a meal my taste buds and colon love dearly, is her version of “Black Bean Soup,” which I prefer to call Black Bean Poop…I’m sure you can deduce why. It’s both nutritious and delicious…I mean it’s so good it almost tastes bad for you…plus it’s an extremely versatile meal, and it’ll last you a long time. The recipe: (serves a bunch, you’ll have leftovers which is awesome)
Food prep:
-Open 3-4 cans of black beans; a standard can, not the Costco barrels
-A generous couple handfuls of chopped carrots
-1/2 of a white onion, chopped into fairly fine bits
The cooking:
In a deep soup pan, begin by sautéing your carrots and onions in olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of pan) until soft. Once soft, add minced garlic (garlic lovers can be generous), and saute for a bit longer; careful not to burn the garlic.
Next, add 1 tbsp of cumin, a few generous shakes of cayenne (good cooks don’t measure, duh, and I like mine spicy), 3/4 tsp coriander, 32 oz. beef broth and the 3-4 cans of black beans (juice included). Stir it all up and let simmer for 15-20min.
Stroll to television and witness the Sox continuing to choke away the wildcard…make a u-turn back into the kitchen.
We like to serve our black bean poop on a bed of quinoa. See quinoa label for cooking instructions.
After the soup has simmered for about 15-20min, take your hand blender and gently blend until you’ve reached your desired soupy consistency; I like mine chunky. After blending, add ½ cup of dry sherry, and stir it up.
Take your quinoa off the stove, mix the two together, and enjoy!
What’s great is that later in the week your leftovers can be used to make bean burritos; add some fresh slices of avocado and a sprinkling of cheese…and now you’re eatin’ gooood.
The cure for the common case of constipation,
Sous Chef Chris
Packing a Nutritional Punch
These are my current Top 5 foods that are constantly in rotation in my diet (a diet that also includes a healthy dose of "greens" each and every day). Take a look, hopefully you'll be inspired to try something new and at the very least be reminded that with all the time I/we spend splitting hairs about proper warm-up protocols or speed squats vs. cleans, in the end, if you're diet isn't supporting your training those discussions end up being moot.
- Nutritional Yeast: Probably the least appealing name possible, but it is hands-down my number one dietary addition. Nutritional yeast is very light and flaky and tastes like mild cheddar cheese - melts like cheese, too. Anyway, nutritional yeast is a single-cell fungus that is grown on molasses (yum…). It is a complete protein and is prized for its vitamin B12 content (B12 is scarce in the plant kingdom). Finally, nutritional yeast is not active like baking yeast, so those who have issues consuming traditional yeast usually tolerate this magic powder without any trouble.
- Avocado: wide ranging anti-inflammatory benefits, increased absorption of carotenoids, supports cardiovascular health, helps regulate blood sugar, and preliminary research supports the avocado’s role in cancer fighting. So, eat some.
- Sweet Potato: overflowing with antioxidents, anti-inflammatory properties, and helps to regulate blood sugar. If you want the full benefit of the beta-carotene in the sweet potato then you should pair it with some fat to improve the absorption rate.
- Coconut Oil: made by pressing the fiber out of the meat of the coconut, this is one of the few oils that can be heated to high temperatures without converting to trans fat. Coconut oil is near tasteless (so it’s not like you’re eating a coconut everytime you cook with it) and is rich in MCT’s (bonus!). MCT’s – medium-chain triglycerides – are very easy on the digestive system and within moments of being consumed shoot right to the liver to be used as energy. Coconut oil is the fat of choice for those who want to achieve or maintain a lean physique.
- Super Protein Powder Blend: That is my name for combining rice (tryptophan) and pea (lysine) proteins with a little bit of hemp (leucine, isoleucine, and valine + edestin) protein. With this combo you can achieve a balanced amino acid profile in what is called a “flatline profile.” This simply means that the amino acids are being combined properly in a way that is complimentary and is providing a “broad-spectrum source of protein.” In fact, this combination is so perfect that it is actually structured better than any single protein source can ever be.
Sweet-Potato Pasta (+ Protein Shake)
Pasta – amount? Whatever floats your carbo-boat for the moment
1 Sweet Potato
1-2 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
Sea Salt to Taste
Pretty simple: prepare your pasta of choice (I tend to use brown rice pasta) and bake or microwave a sweet potato. Slice the sweet potato and add to the pasta. Then add nutritional yeast, oil, and sea salt (optional).
I’ve actually added avocado to this in the past and was A-MAZing.
Pair this with a protein shake on the side and you’ve got yourself a powerful meal.
Monday Musings 8/22/11: Pancakes, Crawls, Squatmageddon
1. For the past 2-3 years I've been enjoying better pancakes than anyone else on the planet. It's about time I share them with you, no? They are buckwheat pancakes, and, even thought they look like poop, they taste incredible and are extremely versatile. Buckwheat is impressive for many reasons: it's a complete protein, high in fiber, has a low impact on blood sugar, and is gluten-free. As such, you don't have to feel quite as guilty if you consume buckwheat pancakes compared to your usual buttermilk cakes.
To give you an idea of how excellent these things are, I first began eating them with a good buddy of mine in college. Due to our schedules, the best time to do this was at 6:30AM on Friday mornings. As more of our friends discovered this, our little duo on Friday mornings quickly morphed into an event that we (oh-so-cleverly) dubbed "Pancake Friday." On the average, we'd have 7-10 guys in attendance, with an upwards of 15-20 as it grew in popularity. We always ate outside (yes, even in December...I didn't say we were the smartest of human beings), on a large wooden picnic table we had in the yard.
The fact that 8-20 college guys would wake up before 6:30AM on Friday mornings to partake in the awesomeness of these pancakes is, I believe, quite a case for how good these things are.
My two favorite fillings to use are chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is where it's at), and blueberries. While chocolate chips are obviously the less-healthy option, I've found them perfect for a weekend treat, especially after lower body training on Sundays.
I particularly love them with a thin coat of Organic Valley pasture butter, along with peanut butter and Agave Nectar on top. If you're a "skinny-guy" looking to gain some weight, be very liberal with your use of peanut butter and number of pancakes you consume. If fat-loss is your goal, I'd stick with blueberries for the filling and eat just a few of the pancakes with a side of eggs and/or veggies. Either way they're freakin' amazing.
Oh. It's a MUST that you use the Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat mix. I've tried nearly every buckwheat mix on the block and I can say that Bob's Red Mill takes the cake on this one (pun intended).
2. I recently received an email from a female reader of our blog, Juliet. She keeps an GREAT blog over at HeyJoob, and I encourage everyone to check it out; especially the females in the audience.
Anyway, she wrote me to let me know that she was reading our website and stumbled across a post I wrote (Animal Crawl Variations), and was inspired to give them a shot for herself. She filmed the session and I thought it was incredible:
- She was training outside, and I've written about the superb benefits of training outside HERE.
- She has absolutely no shame in posting a video of herself doing something "abnormal."
- It's always refreshing to see a female that "gets it" and tries something besides the elliptical for a change. It was cool to see Juliet getting in an aerobic training session utilizing a slightly unconventional modality. And trust me, these things are way harder than they look.
You can see the video below:
3.Squatmageddon. Tony Gentilcore recently wrote an incredible (and entertaining) response to the fact that some gyms (that shall remain unnamed) up in NYC have BANNED squat racks in their facilities!! WHAT?!?!?!
It's a HUGE shame to see this, and is, unfortunately, an indicator of the current state and mindset a shockingly-large percent of the fitness industry. I highly encourage you to check it out, as I'm sure you'll find it entertaining as well.
You can read about it HERE.
An Oatmeal Recipe You'll Thank Me For
An oldie but a goodie. This is a recipe that nearly rivals my addiction to caffeine. It's awesome to make for breakfast or lunch, tastes a-m-a-z-i-n-g, is filling, and easy to take to work and/or on the road. I've been eating this on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis for the past two years. Many of my friends and family members are still making this after I showed it to them over a year ago. Let's get to it:
Crack Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 1/2-1 Cup Steel Cut Oats (preferred) or Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. Adjust amount depending on current activity level.
- About 1 Cup Milk (amount depends on how many oats used). If milk isn't your thing, you could use water or *coconut milk.
- 1 scoop Whey Protein Powder
- 1-3 Tbsp Xylitol (a magical plant sugar)
- Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder, about 1-2 Tbsp (measure to consistency...Trader Joe's Dark and Hershey's 100% tastes pretty darn good)
- 1-3 Tbsp All-Natural Peanut Butter (adjust amount depending on activity level/goals)
- ½ Banana, sliced (optional...I don't always put this in).
Directions
Combine everything in a bowl, stirring as you add ingredients. Place in microwave for 2-4 minutes (depending on strength of microwave), stirring about halfway through to ensure thorough heating. You can add Splenda as the sweetener, but I don't think it tastes nearly as good as xylitol (even though it's must cheaper). You may also use Agave Nectar (a low-glycemic sweetener extracted from a plant...found in most grocery stores). If using Agave Nectar as the sweetener, I prefer to add it after nuking. It will take a couple attempts to figure out the proportions you personally like to add to make it taste just right, but once you get it, you'll never go back to pre-packed flavored oatmeal that's nutrient-poor and loaded with sugar.
Notes:
- You can also add some fruit on the side, such as some sliced strawberries or grapefruit
- I prefer to get my steel cut and/or rolled oats from a natural foods store, as you can by loads of em for very cheap. If you don't have access to such a market, then plain Quaker oats are a good second choice.
- If going for fat-loss, go light on the peanut butter (measure it, you'd be surprised at how much you use), and light on the sugar.
- If looking for weight gain/muscle building, you can increase the oats and peanut butter used.
- May also add some eggs on the side if you're really hungry or simply need a higher calorie/protein intake.
Note that it's not the most attractive-looking dish (due to the cocoa powder). Many of the athletes at SAPT have questioned my sanity when catching a glimpse of this on my lunch break. Not to fear, as it literally tastes like a peanut butter brownie! Their loss, not mine.
*A great tip I picked up is to boil the steel cut oats IN the coconut milk. Delicious!
Get Your Kale On: A Quick and Easy Recipe
Over the past year, I've been attacked by more illnesses (and lost the battle) than I have in the past four years combined. As such, my fiancee has made it a point to ensure that more vegetables enter my life. More specifically, she's ensuring that more kale enters my life. Given that she has one of the most intense immune systems I know of - and the fact that she's a Precision Nutrition Certified Coach - I'm all ears.You see, Kale is a rockstar vegetable. Not only does it provide cardiovascular support, detox the body, regulate our anti-inflammatory processes, fight cancer, and provide a whopping dose of Vitamin A, C, and K, but it also tops the charts with its antioxident capacity. Seriously, it's number one among the vegetables, at least according to the best known ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) rating. What this all boils down to is this: when enemy ships (disease, cancer-imposing agents, free-radicals, etc.) enter your body, all of the antioxidants and phytochemicals you've ingested from kale act as homing missiles to completely destroy the incoming enemy ships.
I actually can't take credit for that analogy, as Kelsey is the one that gave it to me (I wasn't going to acquiesce to her request of eating more kale until she told me the kale would give me internal homing missiles....then I was all ears, obviously).
Anyway, now to point. This past Sunday, we made a DELICIOUS kale dish that I wanted to share with you all. It's super easy, actually tastes good, and will provide you with the aforementioned homing missiles to fight off not-so-friendly organisms trying to attack your body. Here's how to do it:
Peanut-Butter Kale
(^^^Yes, you read that right^^^)
Ingredients: Garlic, Red Onions, Peanut Butter (the magic maker), Kale, and Oil (we used coconut).
Directions:
- Heat coconut oil in a frying pan.
- Add garlic (minced) and red onions (chopped) and let simmer for a few minutes.
- Throw in a ton of kale leaves.
- Toss in ten a few tablespoons of peanut butter
- Stir around until the peanut butter melts over the kale and everything is thoroughly mixed.
- Give a high five to your cooking partner (preferably a member of the opposite sex).
Seriously, this tasted amazing and makes for a perfect side dish (or a dish all on its own, depending on how hungry you are). Not to mention, your immune system is now armed with the best defense system in the world.
A Little of This, A Little of That
For anyone wondering, Steve is okay, but still pretty sick. So, it looks like he won't be making his next blog post until Monday at the earliest. In the meantime, I'm taking the path of least resistance and offering up some great reads from other sources:McDonald's Happy Meals get a makeover. I, personally, have an enormous problem with McDonald's and feel guilty anytime I stop there to get a black coffee (the ONLY thing I ever allow myself to consume from them). So, I don't know if this effort makes me feel better or worse about them... probably worse, when you consider "Take Home Point" #3. Here's another article from NY Times.
Wost Call Ever? I don't know about all that, but it's definitely a bad call:
Great article on how calorie counting is ineffective and outdated. Weight loss depends a great deal on QUALITY of food consumed - if you eat nothing but unprocessed, nutrient-dense food you can eat as much as you want and will look great - that's the approach I took to losing my "baby weight." But, on the other side, we currently have a client who has lost 38lbs by monitoring caloric intake. Alexander Ovechkin being himself, I suppose:
