Carb up? Carb up!
So I started to take training for my half marathon half seriously. I decided today was the day to carb up just for a day to see if I really could push myself to the limit. Short answer to that is yes. It made me more confident to know that if I eat enough and push hard enough, I can run mile after mile.
While my ultimate goal is to draw my energy from protein and carbs from veggies. Sometimes a quick fix from some good old pasta will do the trick too. I don't recommend doing this too often. However if you do I'm here to pave the way to pasta alternates.
Just as this was a quick fix recipe so are the photos. I do apologize for the lesser quality. I assure you it tasted good nonetheless.
There are ton's of options when your trying to stay gluten free. The option I tried out for the first time today was brown rice pasta. This, like all white flour based pasta alternates are very finicky. Essentially you can not boil and walk away. It requires for you to stand there and stir. Be mindful to pull a strand out every so often to taste for aldente. Once you've reached that point it needs to be taken out of the hot water immediately and thrown into your pan. This is crucial? Why? Because I didn't take the time to care for my brown rice pasta and I ended up with brown rice mush.
If you plan on eating this on the day of your run give yourself three hours to digest. rice is rice and carbs = sugar, sugar can = food coma. ( I also learned this the hard way). I am amazed that this worked like a charm. I had enough energy to run 5 miles, do weights, stair master, yoga and I feel I could do it all again. AMAZING! This might sound elementary to you, but for me who hasn't had this much energy in a week due to lack of a desire to eat, its amazing to me. Again, this is the easy way out...But now that I've gotten this kick start, I'm going to revery back to my protein supplements and taking the time to measure out exactly what I need to get through the day and train.
Starting Tomorrow I've got 3 weeks of detoxification ahead of me. One last hoorah before I take off to France for 4 weeks. I hope to drop 10 lbs and drop to the low 20's in body fat %. I will eat like a rabbit, I will train harder then I could possibly imagine and I will be unstoppable.
Ok so this recipe is super super simple, for the person on the go. I made this one up, but learned that its a pretty basic Italian tomato and olive oil sauce that is very common in a average Italian kitchen. What can I say, I might have been European in my former life.
Brown Rice Pasta with Tomato & Olive oil sauce
Ingredients:
-Brown rice pasta -Basil -heriloom tomatos -garlic -sea salt -cold pressed olive oil -red pepper flakes
-pine nuts (optional)
Instructions:
Into a boiling pot of water: salt and olive oil. Brown rice pasta, stir constantly so the strands don't stick together.
In a frying pan or sauce pan a generous amount of olive oil, roast the pine nuts
Then add garlic and the tomatos. Season to taste.
toss pasta directly from pot to pan. The pasta water will give the dish a nice starchy kick.
add the basil and stir.
simple and to the point. Enjoy...
Ingredients:
-Brown rice pasta -Basil -heriloom tomatos -garlic -sea salt -cold pressed olive oil -red pepper flakes
-pine nuts (optional)
Instructions:
Into a boiling pot of water: salt and olive oil. Brown rice pasta, stir constantly so the strands don't stick together.
In a frying pan or sauce pan a generous amount of olive oil, roast the pine nuts
Then add garlic and the tomatos. Season to taste.
toss pasta directly from pot to pan. The pasta water will give the dish a nice starchy kick.
add the basil and stir.
simple and to the point. Enjoy...
GREEN FOOD!
Speaking of training, it brings me to the answer to everyone's question, "what is that green stuff you drink?"
It is simple my spinach shake. Spinach is amazingly adaptable. It virtually takes on the flavors that are added to it and it smells like a fresh garden. Today I happen to have papaya too. Yum! I discovered this recipe through Dr. Nancy Le D.C. --She'll also emphesize that although this is a great meal, we still need to chew...So don't go drinking this for every meal you'll ruin your innards!
Into a blender
-put Sp Complete supplement,
-1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
-5 oz of baby organic raw spinach
-1 banana
-1 apple
-any other fruits you like
-16 oz of water
I drink this to supplement a meal sometimes when i'm on the go, in the fridge it'll last all day. blend the night before if you must.
I promise you you'll like this. The greenness if fun. It's just like a mojito..but there's no mint..and its not alcoholic, and its a smoothie...hmm...
