A Different New Mexico Green

My hubby purchased a huge bag of limes from Costco and I have been wondering how to use them. We love Key Lime Pie, but I am a little baked out and don't feel like blanching almonds and what-not to make pie. This week I need easy!

I came across a "Green Lemonade" recipe on Elana's Pantry, an amazing site! This morning I thought, why not limeade?

1 bunch celery

1 apple (any kind, I used Gala)

1 lime (use half if you like it less tart)

1 cucumber (I left the peel on)

Juice all and savor. Serves 2.

How's that for a beautiful non-green chile New Mexico green??

Finish Line in Sight!

The countdown is upon me. The last measurement is this Saturday, Nov 20. When I was measured last Monday, Nov 8, I was down 4.2% total. I started at 24.5% and was 20.3% last week.

And then I went to Vegas.

Hopefully I did not kill all my chances of even placing in the competition, but we shall see on Saturday. I am now, since returning from Vegas, on a liquid diet, which included nuts and dates. Much different, I assure you, from the liquid diet of which I did partake in Vegas.

Just a few sheets to the wind the first night

Honestly, we really didn't eat many bad things for us. We just drank very bad things for us. Many bad things. Wine, martinis, wine. I am very proud to say that I walked myself on my own in 3 inch heels to our room, both nights. Okay, to our floor. It wasn't the consumption but the friggin' heels that were killing me.

My sweet husband took me to see Phantom and it was amazing. I remembered to wear shorter heels that night. We had a blast and now I am back on The Path. We'll see if I can undo some of the damage!!

Badass or bad form?

So incredulous was I on Monday at my 50 knees to elbows for time that I made my trainer come over to see if I was actually doing the exercise correctly. ta-da! I was not. Not even close to my elbows.

Thing is, I thought (and said ALOUD) k>e was the one thing in the gym I was sort of fast at doing. And...that's what I get for bragging.

I had a principal once tell me, "You're a better mother than you are a teacher," and not in a nice way. Maybe it's the same at the gym. Maybe I'm a better underdog than athlete. That's the beauty of a gym like mine. Even if you thought you might be great at one thing, that one thing can push you to the very limit of greatness and kick you right in the tookus. In my case, I wasn't even doing my "great thing" correctly, so I kind of crash-landed and made a crater with my tookus.

My husband has told me for the 6 months he's been at CrossFit, "Just go in there and give 110%. Don't look at the board, just do your thing." I really wish it was that easy. He can say all he wants about "healthy competition" and whisper behind my back (while I'm in the room) to my mother about how competitive I am, when HE'S the one with abdominal definition (after only 6 months), HE'S the one who has been beating all my times (after 2 weeks), and HE'S the one who doesn't hardly bat an eye with prescribed weight. Healthy competition my ass. I've been there 15 months and don't have one effing line in my stomach since, oh, yeah, I carried his three children in that general area. TWO AT A TIME, ONCE! Okay, I digress.

I understand that to become better at something you have to train and practice. Well, first you have to do the effing exercise CORRECTLY. And I'm trying to think of all the milestones I have made, but it doesn't help. It reminds me of the opening of SATC when SJP is walking the streets of NY, looking hot, when the bus with her advertisement drives by and splashes her with muddy water. Splat. And that's what ya get for braggin'. Even if it wasn't aloud.

At least it wasn't as bad as this guy.

3, 2, 1...Cook!

Yesterday some of my fellow CrossFitters and I attended a Paleo cooking class. It was great fun with all the gang. We learned some neat things, as well. Such as: sharpen your knives to better stab people who get in your way in the kitchen and how to perfectly chop an onion so it won't make you cry. *tear*

I also learned that I cannot dictate directions well, since I told my partner to NOT cook the chicken all the way through, that it would have more time with the sauce. Wrong. But it all worked out, everyone's dish finished at about the same time and I didn't poison anyone with salmonella. Go team.

Here is an amazing shot of my trainer in attire I never thought I'd see him in...

an apron!

And here's one of my super-cute cooking partner!

Our chicken dish is to the far left and she is standing in front of a squash gratin another group made. Everything was delish!

Of course, the ovens in the back helped. There's no way all of this would've been accomplished if not for the chef's commercial appliances. And her ENORMOUS kitchen! My favorite dish was the roasted seasonal vegetables. Cut them into same-sized pieces (squash, carrots, onions, bell pepper) and place them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with evoo and toss to coat. Bake at 400° for 20min or so. Yum! The butternut squash was the best!

TRICK your brain and TREAT your mouth

Reese's cups are my favorite candy treat ever. Instead of making a side dish for the BBQ post-workout, I decided to make treats. Homemade almond butter cups. They were pretty good. I made 36 and came home with 10. Super easy. Use your mini-muffin pan and buy the cute mini-muffins cups.

Ingredients:

3/4 c coconut oil, divided

4 T agave nectar

3/4 c carob powder

1/3 c almond butter

8-10 dates, food processed until crumbs

Melt 1/2 c coconut oil with 2 T agave in microwave. Mix 1/2 c carob powder with melted oils. Pour equal amounts into muffin cups. Put in the refrigerator to set up, at least 2 hours.

Mix almond butter and processed dates together and divide equally on top of chocolate, about 1 tsp or so. Melt 1/4c oil and 2 T agave together in microwave. Add remaining amount (1/4c) carob powder to melted oils and pour scant amount on top of layers. Place back in refrigerator to set, about 1 hour. Consume in quiet, away from children and husband.