Review: Holiday Clif Bar Trio

While shopping the other day I came across the holiday themed Clif Bars. With three flavors, spiced pumpkin pie, peppermint stick and iced gingerbread, I had to give these a shot. 

So I had the idea of taking pics of each bar to show what they looked like. However, after taking pics of all three, I'm sad to say that there is no significant difference between each other. Iced gingerbread was the first one tried. Totally expecting a gingerbread taste, I was greeted by the standard CB taste with a hint of gingerbread. Would I eat this while training or racing? Never. Would I eat it again? Sure. The next was the peppermint stick bar. Like the iced gingerbread bar, it had the usual CB taste but with a hint of a peppermint stick. Again, I wouldn't eat this while training or racing but I'd eat it for snacking. The last was the spiced pumpkin pie. I'm a huge pumpkin pie fan so I was really looking forward to eating this one. I guess my expectations were to high, so I was a little disappointed with this one. There was a slight pumpkin pie taste but it wasn't to strong. I'm guessing if you didn't know what it was, it'd be hard to figure out what it was. 

Overall, I found each bar to be a little on the sweet side but edible. I'm not one to be big about sweets while training but everyone's different.

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Tomato Tofu Egg Drop Soup

With the weather being rather chilly, it was only appropriate to make soup. Lately I've been pretty lazy to make anything that required a lot of ingredients or time. So for those who are lazy and short of time, give this recipe a shot. 

Tomato Tofu Egg Drop Soup

Tomatoes (more or less for your liking) peeled and seeds removed

1 tray off firm tofu, cubed

2 eggs beaten

1 can chicken stock

2c water

salt to taste

Measure out 2 cups water and bring to boil in a pot. While waiting for the water to boil, cut a cross on the bottom of each tomato. Drop tomatoes into boiling water and boil for 1-2 min. Remove from water and cool in cold water or an ice bath. Peel skin off, cut and remove seeds. 

Add can of stock and tomatoes to water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, slowly add in tofu and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once boiling. 

Add in beaten egg and stir with a chopstick to break egg up. Add more salt to taste. Serve hot. 

Enjoy!

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New Shoes - Asics Gel-DS Sky Speed

I hate running. I am one of those who will be cursing not celebrating if the swim segment gets canceled for in triathlon. However, it still part of a triathlon so it's gotta be done. One thing about the area where I live is that it rains a lot. It's all good that it keeps things green but when you have holes on the bottom of your shoes, it sucks. I love my K-Swiss-Blade Light Run shoes but needed something that didn't have holes for wet weather running. While browsing the web, I came across the Asics Gel-DS Sky Speed shoes on Runningwarehouse which were 25% off from the listed price. After reading some reviews, I decided to give them a try. 

Yankz. Get them. They are pretty awesome.

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Pumpkin Sherbet

This past weekend I finally got around to murdering my pumpkin. I'll be honest, I hate the holidays. Horrible music, gift giving and long waits at the airport. Definitely not my thing. However, I do appreciate the cool weather and awesome food though. On that note, I bring you Pumpkin Sherbet by SkinnyTaste.

Pumpkin Sherbet  

1. 2 1/4 cups 1% milk

2. 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

3. 1 cup pumpkin puree or canned stuff 

4. 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

5. 1/2 tsp cinnamon

6. 1/4 tsp nutmeg

7. pinch of clove (itty bitty pinch, don't want it to overpower it)

8. pinch of salt

Using a pot, combine milk, sugar, pumpkin over heat, bring to a full boil while stirring. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 30sec. Remove from heat. 

Add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and salt to milk mixture. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Using saran wrap, place directly on top of mixture. Place in refrigerator and cool  till mixture is cold (an hour or more). Once completely chilled, place in ice cream and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Serve immediately for soft serve or chill overnight for a harder consistency. Enjoy!

*note, if you're a big pumpkin pie fan like me, you'll love this recipe.

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Strange cravings while on the bike

So this past weekend I was out on my usual 50 something mile ride and had the strangest craving for cinnamon rolls. I could have gone for instant gratification and hit up Cinnabon or Safeway but why do that when homemade is much better. 

(I demolished 2 before a pic was taken)

So after a quick search on Foodgawker, I found a scaled down recipe from the Pioneer Woman. She's awesome. I wish she was my mom or neighbor. Anyways her recipe made a ridiculous amount. Yes I really wanted cinnamon rolls but not that much. Fortunately I found another site that reduced it down to a reasonable amount.

Cinnamon Rolls

1 1/3c milk (I'm not sure if skim would work)

1/3c vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1/3c sugar

1 1/2t yeast

2 2/3c flour + 1/3c

1/2t baking powder

1/3t baking soda

1t salt

100g butter, melted (don't have to use it all, but go for it if you must!)

1/2c brown sugar

Cinnamon powder

(nuts optional)

1. Mix milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in pot

2. Scald mixture (heat till it is just about to boil), turn off, remove from burner and let cool. 

3. When luke warm (when you can stick your finger for over 10 seconds) add in yeast. Must be warm and not hot or you'll kill the yeast. 

4. Add 2 2/3c four, mix and rise for an hour. If you have a mixer, use it. If not, eat some spinach and give your forearms a workout. 

5. Add in 1/3c flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and stir. Dough will be sticky, so you could put it in the fridge for an hour/day to firm up or use it instantly.

6. Sprinkle a clean surface generously with flour. No shame now. Form a rectangle with the dough. Then roll it out thin, maybe a 1/4" or so. 

7. Drizzle the melted butter over the dough (too much and you'll have a real mess to clean). Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the butter. 

8. Starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll tight as you roll. Once done rolling, pinch ends to seal it, 

9. Cut the roll about an 1" thick and place then in a greased baking pan/dish. Leave a little space to allow them to rise. 

10. Pre-heat oven at 375deg. 

10. Let rolls rise for 30min or until they look like they have gotten bigger. Once they look bigger, bake at 375deg until light golden brown, 20-25min depending on your oven. 

Enjoy. 

*I opted out of frosting for the following reasons 1) I'm a purist. I don't want to taste powdered sugar or some other kinda frosting. 2) In my mind, it already has a lot of sugar 3) I'm too lazy and it would only make more dishes.

**I thought I'd throw this out, if you think you can keep up or are faster than me in biking, can wake up super early and be on time. You're welcomed to join me on my long rides. Just email me about the details.

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The Barefoot Running Movement and Born To Run

If it wasn't for this book, would barefoot/minimalist running be where it is now? What are your thoughts? Personally, I am not against it but not for it either. It great that it get's people get's people out to exercise. It's just not for me. About the book, I thought it was well pretty entertaining. Credible? Who knows.

What I thought the message the book was relaying in the two pics below

Evil Empire (Big running shoe companies)

Rebel Alliance (Barefoot/Minimalist advocates)

On another note, back when I was a little kid, we used to go help run the aid stations for the Kilauea Volcano Wilderness Marathon back in the 90's. As you can see in the link, you run through lava fields, forest and roads. I'll never forget the day I saw a guy running barefoot. Talk about a serious BAMF. This isn't him but I found a site with pics of the course.

Lastly, I apologize if this post makes no sense. I was up way to late playing Battlefield 3 which came out yesterday. 

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2011 Koolina Sprint Tri

This past weekend I ventured way out west to participate in the Koolina Sprint Tri out at the Koolina resort. Apparently this is the last triathlon on the island for the year so I was hoping for a good finish before switching over to biathlons. If you've been following from the beginning I had great aspirations for racing this year. After running the Xterra off road trail race with 8 min something pace, I was looking forward to finally having decent run times for this season. Unfortunately, pushing too hard and improper running form led to me injuring both Achilles tendons. Despite these setbacks, I still managed to finish the Honu (1/2 Ironman) with me power walking the last 10 miles. Fast forward to this past weekend. Feeling 90% again, no Achilles problems and feeling good to finally race a hopefully pain free race.

So little about this race which makes it different from other races is that the swim isn't a straight swim. It's more of a swim/run.

Illustration of the swim course.

Panoramic of the first lagoon. Hideous Disney Hotels on the right.

 One of the running sections on the swim.

Arrived early in transition, got the first spot on the rack. Setup swim to bike and bike to run gear. It's amazing what you see in the transition areas. I saw things from chairs, buckets to people with way to much liquids for the the bike. Finally got to meet Doug of Dirtbag Fitness . Took the long walk over to the start area to get ready for the swim. Got to the area, no one was warming up in the lagoon. Was thinking "Damm the water must be cold", got in and remembered that the majority of triathletes don't like to swim. While waiting around for the start, briefly saw Kepa the Tri-n-Hawaiian running to the start line.

The swim started off pretty good, I decided to go easy on the first lagoon being that I've never done a swim/run race before. I guess I got lucky, I didn't get punched or kicked in the start. Kinda wished that I wore my speed suit since the I could feel my tri top flapping in the back. Anyways, finished the first lagoon, felt pretty good. Got to the second lagoon and wow, seemed like guys were paying the price. Saw a few people backstroking it, one was just stopped and few were just resting. Guess doing those 100m x 6 with 5sec rest really pays off. I finished the swim feeling pretty good, probably a little to conservative on the swim. 

Swim 16:29

For the bike segment, my plan was to take it conservative for the first 1/2 and at the turn around push it on the way back. In the beginning I got passed by a bunch of people, played bike tag with a few and got crushed by a few. At the turn around, sucked down a gel, took a drink and picked up the pace. Finished strong and ready for my least favorite part of the race. The run. 

Bike 46:33

The run segment has always been my weakest segment of the race. The first mile seemed to suck, as expected got passed by a few people, surprisingly I passed a few. By the end of mile 1, I seemed to get into the rhythm and picked it up. The last mile felt awesome, pushed it pretty hard and had a great finish. 

Run. 26:30

Overall time 1:32:08    

 Overall, I feel that I should have pushed a little harder on the swim since it was a little slow for me. I guess next year I shall if I do this one again. However, I'm pretty happy with my results. I'll definitely miss biking but I'm looking forward to participating in the upcoming biathlons.

With that said, I'd like to thank the guys at the McCully Bike repair shop for fixing my bike and being awesome. Big thank you to Sebastian, Sylvie and Roy at SLS3 for making awesome compression gear and race suits. Without a doubt, their compression gear provided great usefulness when training for a 1/2 Ironman. Also, I can't say enough how awesome their fobic speed suit and race tops are. I am really thankful to be associated with their team. 2012 will be a great year for them. Lastly, thank you to all you readers of this blog.

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Medals4Mettle

So you've done a few races and got a few medals. Assuming that it isn't gold, silver or bronze, you'll probably toss these medals in some random place around the house and forget about it. Personally, I rather have a coffee mug or a beer glass instead (more useful). Well, fear not, I have found a use for your medals. Medals4Mettle. Click link for more info. 

Koolina triathlon race report will be up soon.

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No hassle Focaccia Bread

Craving focaccia bread but don't have all day it wait or just to lazy to knead dough? Well, I have the recipe for you. No Hassle Focaccia Bread from King Arthur Flour. 

No Hassle Focaccia Bread 

1 1/2c warm water 

2T olive oil

1 1/4t salt

3 1/2c flour

1T instant yeast

1/8t chopped fresh rosemary

rosemary sprigs

poppy seeds

rock salt

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. Set aside. 

Using an electric mixer (by hand is fine) combine all ingredients together except rosemary sprigs, poppy seeds and rock salt. 

Once mixed well, pour directly into the greased pan. Spread evenly, cover and set aside for 60min. 

While bread is rising, pre-heat oven to 375deg. 

Once the hour is up, using your finger, gently poke indentations all over the bread. You want to make it look like the surface of a golf ball. 

Drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with poppy seads, rosemary and rock salt. 

Bake bread till golden brown for 30-40min. 

Remove bread and let cool for 5min, remove and let cool on wired rack. 

Serve and enjoy. 

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On the lighter side of things..

Thought these were funny. I'm sure we all know or seen someone like this at the races.

 

My personal favorite

 

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Almost Vegan Quinoa Burritos

If anyone tells you that "Doing Triathlons is inexpensive" they are lying, have a sugar mama/daddy or are so ridiculously rich money ain't a thing. 

Unfortunately, I'm not Jay-Z so things get can be tough at times. Since leftover chicken was the only meat in the fridge I had to make do with what was available. 

Almost Vegan Quinoa Burritos 

1 can black beans 

1c quinoa (raw)

2c chicken broth (can use vegetable or water)

1/2 of onion, chopped

2t cumin

1t paprika 

1T olive oil 

lettuce

flour tortillas

Place oil, cumin and paprika in a pot, fry till fragrant (about 1min, don't burn spices). 

Add in onion and saute for another min or two, add in quinoa and beans and stir for another min or two. Remove from heat and place in microwave rice cooker. Add in chicken broth and cook per rice cookers instructions. If you don't have a microwave rice cooker, add the chicken broth to the pot and cook on low till liquid has been absorbed. Once cooked, place on tortilla, add lettuce, cheese, salsa and serve. 

I added leftover chicken from the other day

On another note, my registration for the Ko olina tri has been sent in. Looking forward to it since it's my first sprint race post-Achilles tendon injuries. Should be fun.

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Almost Puffy Tacos

So the other night I kinda spaced out and over headed a tortilla in the micro. If you've never done this before, the tortilla gets pretty hard. This rules out any possibility of having a burrito. So with some quick thinking, I tossed it on the dish rack to create a taco. 

Tacos

Almost Puffy Tacos

Flour Tortilla

Lettuce

Chicken

Cheese

Place tortilla in microwave for about a min. Once done place on dish rack or something that will create a taco form *caution, tortilla will be HOT

Let cool for a few minutes. Add favorite taco ingredients. Enjoy!

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Coconut Cream Dragon Fruit Sorbet

So I've been put on the disabled list until my test results get back. It's kind of a downer since I was really looking forward to doing the Koolina Tri. Since my weekend usually consists of a long bike ride, running, strength training and sleeping it doesn't leave me with much time to do try multiple recipes in one day. While browsing my usual food sites I came across this recipe for Coconut Cream Dragon fruit Sorbet from The Ardent Epicure. Oh yeah, I decided to play around with my iTouch this time for pics if you're wondering what's going on.

If you don't know what dragon fruit is, it's pretty much this crazy looking fruut that has flesh similar to a kiwi but with a very mild sweet taste. Back home I'd make a few calls, wait a few days and I'd have a few for free. However, I'm on Oahu where things are much harder to get for free. Let me warn you, these were not cheap, I'm sure if I spoke fluent Chinese, things would have been different. 

Outside of Dragon Fruit

Inside

Coconut Cream Dragon Fruit Sorbet

2 ripe dragon fruit

1 juice from one small lemon

zest from small lemon

14oz coconut milk

2T coconut flour

1/2c raw sugar

pinch of salt

Puree dragon fruit and lemon juice in blender, fold in lemon zest and chill in refrigerator until cold (2-3hrs). 

Place coconut milk in another bowl and whip till thickened, add flour and sugar a little at a time until throughly mixed. 

Add chilled puree into coconut cream and mix. 

Following manufactures instructions, place into ice cream maker. 

It can be served immediately for or chilled overnight.

Overall, it was pretty tasty, I'd definitely make it again but with a few changes. Maybe less lemon juice, zest the lemon better and maybe use red dragon fruit instead of white (no difference in taste but I think color would look better) 

I also made a pizza with spinach, garlic, tomatoes and chicken. However, the crust was a little weird so I won't post up the recipe. Only the best for you readers. 

 Pizza

 

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Crickets

Sorry it's been pretty quiet here lately. I haven't been feeling the greatest lately. Over the past 2 weeks I've had trouble breathing, kinda like when someone sits on your chest. Workouts have been pretty bad. I feel like I'm a100lbs overweight and really out of shape. To top it off, I feel really really exhausted all the time. So decided to go see the doctor before I drop dead somewhere. Doctors visit went alright, definitively not heartburn but possibly Exercise-induced asthma. She had me take a blood test and a chest x-ray to make sure it's not anything else. Also mentioned that I should rest until I get the test results back.So with that said, you might see some food or movie reviews coming up.

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Some essentials

So this season I've the great pleasure to deal with the joy of an Achilles tendon injury. It was brought upon by a number of things like tight calves, increased mileage, improper running form and the desire to push through pain led to my injury. Here's a pair of things that I found useful on the road to recovery.

The Stick

According to the website, The Stick provides the following benefits:
"
- Prevent & Predict Muscle Injuries
- Dramatically improve strength, flexibility and endurance
- Rapidly prepare muscles for physical activity
- Disperse the effects of lactic acid following activity
- Accelerate muscle recovery"

I found The Stick to be a better investment over the foam roller. Since The Stick is smaller, I can bring it to work or before going out for a ride or run. With the foam roller, you're pretty limited to where you can use it. In the future, I'll probably upgrade to the longer stick so I can get more of my back.

RockTape 

 Closer view of RockTape

 

For me, having an AT injury really sucked. I went from running 8min miles down to not being able to walk more than 10ft without stopping to rest. So I was willing to try anything that made it feel better. One of my co-workers suggested I give RockTape a try since she was a frequent user. 

According to the website, 

"Rocktape is a kinesiology tape and is fantastic for treating common sports injuries like shin splints, plantars and runner’s knee. Rocktape also can increase endurance by promoting blood flow during an athletic event. When applied properly, ROCKTAPE lifts the skin away from the muscle, which promotes blood flow. Faster blood flow means more oxygen and more lymph drainage, which helps remove Lactic Acid."

 In my opinion, I felt that the RockTape did make things feel a little better. Might be a mind over matter issue but hey, if it makes it feel better, why not? I didn't have any major issues with the RockTape, however I did find it a little irritating after swimming in the pool and after showering since the tape did hold a little water.

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Green Velvet Cake

Sometimes I miss my unemployment days. My usual day would consist of swimming, biking, bodyboarding or running in the morning, eat breakfast, nap and look for jobs. After lunch, I'd work on small projects or bake something if I was in the mood. Good times. Anyways, I was off for a few days and decided to try this Red Velvet Cake I saw on Foodjimoto. 

So why green instead of red? Well, it's because I ran out of red, didn't want to pay $7 for 24oz and green was one of the colors I had left in the 4 color pack. According to some friends it looks like "Oscar the Grouch" or like x-mas trees with snow on top.

Green Velvet Cake 

1. 1c shorting

2. 1 3/4c sugar

3. 2 1/2c sifted flour

4. 1 1/4t salt

5. 2 eggs

6. 1c buttermilk (substituted with 1T vinegar added 1c of milk)

7. 1t baking soda

8. 1 1/2t vinegar

8. 1t vanilla extract

9. 1/4oz green food coloring

10. 1 1/2t coco powder

In a using a mixer combine 1 and 2 till mixed well. 

In another bowl, combine 3 and 4. Set aside. 

Mix 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 together. Add to the shorting mixture 1c at a time alternating with the flour/salt mix.

In a small bowl, mix 9 and 10. Add to batter and mix till combined. 

Line the bottom of two round cake pans with parchment or wax paper. 

Divide the batter between the two cake pans. 

Bake at 350deg for 25min or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Icing

1. 1 1/2oz cream cheese (I used 1 block)

2. 3/4c softened butter

3. 1 1/2lb powdered sugar 

4. 1/4t salt

5. 2t vanilla extract

Combine well. 

Enjoy! 

Would I make this again? Sure. I might cut the amount of sugar needed in the icing since I thought it was a little sweet.

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Previews

Been a little busy lately but fear not, I am working on it. 

It's like winter green velvet cake

Cute Chinese masseuse alternative

Never to old for stickers

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Tomato Corn Chowder

So I was feeling a little sick the other day and didn't feel like chicken noodle soup. Since the slumlords made their monthly collection, I needed to make do with what I hand. After seeing this recipe for Tomato Corn Chowder on Foodjimoto, I decided to give it a shot. 

Tomato Corn Chowder 

Peeled Tomatoes

Minced Garlic (she used roasted garlic, I didn't have or was in the mood to make any)

1 Can of unsalted non-creamed corn (She used fresh)

2 slices bacon

1 small red potato

1 can chicken or vegetable broth

1 small onion, diced

Salt, Pepper and Tabasco for taste 

Chop and crush tomatoes and set aside. 

Slice and fry bacon in a pot till crisp. Drain fat. Add in onions and cook till soft. Add in garlic and potato. Saute for a few minutes. Add in tomatoes, corn and broth. Let simmer till potatoes are soft. Season with salt and pepper. It came out pretty good despite having no roasted garlic or fresh corn. I'm sure it would taste even better with those.

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New hydration/gear setup

So I've been thinking about changing my setup for sprint and Olympic distance races my current setup isn't very aerodynamic. Currently, I have one water bottle on the frame, a tool kit bag under the seat and a bento box. After reading a few articles on ST, I've decided to give the horizontal mounted and under the seat mounted styles a try.

Chris McCormack rocking the horizontal setup in the 2010 Kona Ironman.

Chris Lieto with the under seat setup.

The setup:

Apparently I didn't have zip ties long enough to work with my HED basebar, I used the a Profile Design aerodrink bracket instead. I attached the top of the cage to the bracket while the bottom was attached to the basebar. Since I'm on a budget, I had to use what was available. 

With water bottle. Computer is mounted right behind bottle, somewhat blocking it from the wind. 

 Front view. Computer is blocked by the bottle. 

For the rear setup, I used the Minoura cage holder which can be found on eBay for under $12.

Depending on seat construction, this may or may not work for you. 

The cage can be bent to insure a tighter fit.

 Front view of rear cage. Pretty minimal.

With this rear setup, I can place my flat kit, tools, tube and cell phone all in a water bottle.

The whole setup. 

I'm sure you're wondering why I don't use the PD aerodrink. Well, since my front end is really low, there isn't much space between the basebar and the front wheel. Because of this small space, the aerodrink rests upon the front tire, thus making it useless for me. Here's a good review by Tom D from Trisports.com Aerobar Drink Systems Review.

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2011 Cholo's Waimea Bay 1.2 mile Swim

 Waimea Bay

I know it's a little late. Anyways, on with the report. 

Never deprive yourself of sleep. Listen to your body if it's tired. Rest and do it another day. I however, didn't listen and paid the price. Since Mondays are my sort of recovery days from working late on Sunday nights, I had every intention to be out cold by 8:30. So after a great 2K open water swim in my new SLS3 Fobic Speed suit. Little did I know, my post-workout high would be short lived. Two frantic voicemails, 3 call backs and a very quick drive home I found myself in the ER. Six hours later, starving and really grouchy, we finally got to go home. Times like this, I really wish I had a smart phone. Oh, I'm alright, it wasn't me that needed to go to the ER. The rest of the week was pretty rough. Slum lords upstairs had a visitor that would not STFU. So a good sleep was out of the question. So I woke up on Saturday morning, feeling tired as hell but decided to go do the swim. 

Stars and numbers indicate order and buoy placement.

Found parking a 1/4mile away (I'm too cheap to pay for parking) and walked to the bay. So for this race, females were to start first while males go second. I'm not sure on the whole reasoning behind this but it wasn't fun. Our wave starts and I'm feeling alright, got a good draft and started to get into a good rhythm. So somewhere between points 1 and 2,  somehow got stuck behind a slow female and blocked in by two slow guys on both sides and then it hit me. I felt really really exhausted. Almost to the point where I was having trouble breathing. I had to stop. Yes, that's right, I stopped. I dunno how long I was there trying to get my act together but it must have been a while. Anyways, got my act together and managed to finish in 37:32.9 for 20th in my AG. It's a far cry from the week before where I finished 8th. On another note, it was my second time wearing the SLS3 suit. All I can say is "Amazing". Don't forget that I stopped, I was tired and my previous time for 1.2 mile swim was a 38.04.

 

The guy in the back had a ridiculously strong kick which equaled great draft

For those who aren't familiar with Waimea Bay, some vids on how it looks during the winter. 

It's pretty crazy to see this in real life.

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