Mushrooms for toast

Ingredients

• 30g butter 
• 1 sprig rosemary, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 200g chopped fresh mushrooms
• handful chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 1 tablespoon Scotch whisky

Method

• In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté rosemary and garlic until tender. Stir in mushrooms and sauté until juices run. Add parsley and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. When mushrooms are tender, stir in stock and mix well before adding cornflour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then add whiskey and cook for 1 minute more.

Banana, Orange and Ginger Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 banana, peeled
• 1 large orange, peeled and seeded
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 450ml milk

Method

• Place banana, orange, milk and ginger in an electric blender. Process until ingredients are blended and smooth.

Workouts for the week

Week 4 of new format; again much the same as week 1 to 3. Continue with formal Yoga classes again this week as I would like to get back into formal training and get my full teaching certificate


Workouts

• Sunday - Easy Kettlebell 20
• Monday - 30 min bike
• Tuesday - 4 rounds of: 15 x Bodyweight squats, 15 x Seated knee raises, 15 x recline rows, 15 x push ups
• Wednesday - 1.5 hrs Yoga class
• Thursday - 4 rounds using 40kg of 6 x military rows, 6 x bent over rows, 6 x db lunges each leg, 15 x sit ups
• Friday - 45 mins boxing training
• Saturday - 20 mins run, 20 mins bike

Mobility and stretching

Mobility drills and stretching every day; to an extent I do what I feel like here, but try to cover each area of the body. I have been doing two rounds from "6 minutes in the morning" daily. Good little book which I would recommend heartily (note: I get no payback from amazon for this)


Supplements at the moment:

• Multi Vitamin and minerals
• Omega Fish oil
• Lysine

Still thinking of trying DHEA. I have read the DHEA Breakthrough. Will write up my thoughts this week (I know I promised this last week).


Injuries

• Nagging lower back pain - generated recently from work and not picking up food crates correctly. Have been doing some squat drills from "Enter the Kettlebell", and some hamstring stretching.
• Forearm pain in right forearm going into thumb and continued numbness of the area. This was picked up about this time last year, again from food crate breakdown at work. Ball rolling helps this immensely

Plans

Nothing to add

A colder, crueller country

I completely agree with this article by Johann Hari published today in The Independent.

As an economist and accountant by training, I do not believe in what this Conservative government is doing.

Whilst I make no comment as to the intangibility of "fairness" I state that the policies being implemented are regressive affecting those on the lowest incomes more than those who have the most.

I was taught that a tax and economic system which operated in this way could not succeed in the long term. I only hope that this long term does not prove so long that this country re-enters the 1930's.

Thai chicken curry

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breast skinned, boned and chopped
• 2 lime leaves
• 1 lime, juice only
• 125 ml chicken stock
• 0.5 tsp caster sugar
• 200 g green beans
• 400 ml canned coconut milk
• 1 small bunches coriander, roughly chopped

For the curry paste

• 2 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2.5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, peeled
• 1 small red chili

Method:

• Place all the paste ingredients in the blender and blend 
• Heat some oil in a wok add the chicken, brown and then add the curry paste and stir fry until the chicken is coated and the paste fragrant.
• Add the lime leaves, juice, stock and sugar and stir fry for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the green beans and coconut milk and bring to a slow simmer for 10 minutes but do not boil, until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with the fresh coriander to serve.

Workouts for the week ending 23rd Oct 2010

Week 3 of new format; again much the same as week 1 & 2. Not much walking this week as lots done last week and back to formal Yoga classes this week as I would like to get back into formal training and get my full teaching certificate

Workouts


Sunday - Rest day

Monday - 30 min bike

Tuesday - 4 rounds of: 15 x Bodyweight squats, 15 x Seated knee raises, 15 x recline rows, 15 x push ups

Wednesday - 1.5 hrs Yoga class

Thursday - 4 rounds using 40kg of 6 x military rows, 6 x bent over rows, 6 x db lunges each leg, 15 x sit ups

Friday - 45 mins boxing training

Saturday - 20 mins run, 20 mins bike


Mobility and stretching

Mobility drills and stretching every day; to an extent I do what I feel like here, but try to cover each area of the body. I have been doing two rounds from "6 minutes in the morning" daily. Good little book which I would recommend heartily (note: I get no payback from amazon for this)

Supplements at the moment:

• Multi Vitamin and minerals
• Omega Fish oil
• Lysine

Still thinking of trying DHEA. I have read the DHEA Breakthrough. Will write up my thoughts this week.


Injuries

• Nagging lower back pain - generated recently from work and not picking up food crates correctly. Have been doing some squat drills from "Enter the Kettlebell", and some hamstring stretching.
• Forearm pain in right forearm going into thumb and continued numbness of the area. This was picked up about this time last year, again from food crate breakdown at work. Ball rolling helps this immensely
• Stiffness in the neck on right side - very old injury picked up from karate when I was in my early teens.

Plans

Nothing to add

Pasta with Chorizo & Tomato

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 medium-size onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 chorizo sausage
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 300g penne

Method:

• Peel and chop the onion.
• Peel and chop garlic.
• Remove the seeds from the pepper and chop.
• Cut chorizo into round slices about 1/4-inch thick.
• Pour about half of the olive oil into a large frying pan and heat on medium. Once hot enough, sauté the chorizo, pepper, onion and garlic in the pan. Stir often. If necessary, add more olive oil.
• Once the onions are translucent, add the can of tomatoes. Sprinkle in the paprika. Stir and cook on medium-low for 10 minutes.
• While the sauce is simmering, cook pasta until al dente
• To serve, add pasta to frying pan and mix together with sauce.

Workouts this week

Workouts

In the lake district this week, but its more of the same across the week:

•Sunday - 10 mile walk

•Monday - 30 min run

•Tuesday - 4 rounds of: 15 x Bodyweight squats, 15 x Seated knee raises, 15 x recline rows, 15 x push ups

•Wednesday - 10 mile walk

•Thursday - 4 rounds using 40kg of 6 x military rows, 6 x bent over rows, 6 x db lunges each leg, 15 x sit ups

•Friday - 10 mile walk

•Saturday - rest day


Mobility and stretching

Mobility drills and stretching every day; to an extent I do what I feel like here, but try to cover each area of the body and am going to give this a little more thought in the next few weeks.

Supplements at the moment:

•Multi Vitamin and minerals
•Omega Fish oil
•Lysine

Still thinking of trying DHEA, but have now read a broad range of reports that suggest that it is both wonderious and evil!


Injuries

•Forearm pain in right forearm going into thumb and continued numbness of the area. This was picked up about this time last year, again from food crate breakdown at work. Ball rolling helps this immensely

•Stiffness in the neck on right side - very old injury picked up from karate when I was in my early teens.

Plans

More of the same really!

Salmon Casserole

Ingredients:

• 160g salmon 
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 cup of peas
• 6 tbls butter
• 2 tbls flour
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 250ml milk
• 125ml cream
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs

Method:

• Almost cook the potatoes for about 8 mins so they still retain their shape. Drain well, and set aside.
• In the meantime gently poach the salmon.
• Flake the salmon and mix it into the potatoes along with the peas. Set aside.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180C
• Melt 2 tbls of the butter in a saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring until the onions have softened.
• Whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute.
• Whisk in the milk and cream. Cook and stir until the mixture bubbles and thickens.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and hot pepper sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the potato mixture and combine. Spread into the prepared baking dish.
• Mix the bread crumbs remaining butter together. Sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole and then bake in the heated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbling and nicely browned on top.

Workouts for the week ending 9th October 2010

Workouts

• Sunday - Rest day
• Monday - 30 min run
• Tuesday - 4 rounds of: 15 x Bodyweight squats, 15 x Seated knee raises, 15 x recline rows, 15 x push ups 
• Wednesday - 6 mile tab carrying 15kg
• Thursday - 4 rounds using 40kg of 6 x military rows, 6 x bent over rows, 6 x db lunges each leg, 15 x sit ups
• Friday - 45 mins boxing training
• Saturday - 20 mins run, 20 mins bike

Mobility and stretching

Mobility drills and stretching every day; to an extent I do what I feel like here, but try to cover each area of the body and am going to give this a little more thought in the next few weeks.

Supplements at the moment:

• Multi Vitamin and minerals
• Omega Fish oil
• Lysine

I am thinking of trying DHEA and have bought what is considered the main book about it which I will review here soon.

Injuries

• Nagging lower back pain - generated recently from work and not picking up food crates correctly. Have been doing some squat drills from "Enter the Kettlebell", and some hamstring stretching
• Forearm pain in right forearm going into thumb and continued numbness of the area. This was picked up about this time last year, again from food crate breakdown at work. Ball rolling helps this immensely
• Stiffness in the neck on right side - very old injury picked up from karate when I was in my early teens.

Plans

More of the same really!

Workout of the day

For time:

•  Run 1 mile
• Row 2K
• Run 1 mile

Spaghetti with Olives, Thyme, and Lemon

Ingredients:

• salt and pepper
• Spaghetti
• 10 olives, pitted
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon, coarsely chopped

Method:

• Cook pasta until it is al dente.
• While pasta is cooking, combine olives, parsley, olive oil, thyme and lemon zest in a food processor. Pulse until chunky. Transfer to a warm serving bowl large enough to accommodate cooked pasta.
• Add pasta, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.