Whip up a quick smoothie and sip away while you’re getting your bath ready.

I invented this smoothie today. No doubt I was inspired by recipes from some of the awesome healthy food blogs I’ve been reading lately (see my Eat to Ride blogroll in the sidebar), so apologies if this recipe sounds familiar to anyone. I did not rip you off on purpose.

Chocolate Cherry Kiss Smoothie

1 cup frozen cherries
1 1/2 cups unsweetened chocolate almond milk
2 heaping spoonfuls unsweetened cocoa powder (How much exactly? Well, how much do you like chocolate?)
1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (because this is a recovery drink – you could leave it out if you wanted)
1 tablespoon flax meal or seeds (only use whole seeds if you have a high powered blender, like a Vitamix)
A splash of sugar free vanilla syrup (e.g., Torani; optional)
A few ice cubes

I blended this all up in my Vitamix (I love you, Vitamix) and happily sipped away. I would drink this (maybe minus the protein powder, which isn’t my favorite thing in the world) for a dessert. I also thought about adding some almond butter. Mm-mm. But I had almond butter in my chocolate oatmeal this morning, and I’m about to make a delicious-sounding Broccoli Salad with Almond and Chile Dressing. So, enough nut butter for one day. There’s always tomorrow.

Also, I think plain old dairy milk would be just fine in this smoothie. I happened to have chocolate almond milk in the fridge and wanted to use it up, which was the beginning of my idea for a chocolate cherry smoothie drink.

For one serving of a sweet, crumbly mixture that bears more than a passing resemblance to my adored Nutter Butters:

Place 2 T of natural peanut butter in a bowl. If the peanut butter was refrigerated, pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften it up.

Stir in a little sugar and combine well.

Stir in a handful of old fashioned oats, enough to form a coarse dough.

Sprinkle on some chocolate chips and maybe even a few chopped walnuts if you like. Heaven.

This isn’t a low fat or low calorie treat, but it is a sure shootin’ better option than hitting the nearest Dairy Queen or decimating a bag of Nutter Butters. Simple, whole food ingredients, and you control the sugar. So don’t feel too guilty when you sit down to this very filling bowl full of Yum.

Remember, you really wanted a cookie.

27 times
693.08 mi
Spent 55:10:42 h:m:s in the saddle
Burned 30,671 Calories (most of which apparently went toward oatmeal mixed with peanut butter and chocolate chips)

Who knows what March will bring? My first century is March 31: Smokin’ Spokes!

Chocolate Covered Katie has a smorgasboard of dessert-oatmeal concoctions.

Kath (of KathEats.com) has a Tribute to Oatmeal.

And I have a Cookie in a Bowl. Or what I like to call Cheater’s Oatmeal. Because the truth is, I really want a cookie.

How To

Make a bowl of oatmeal with old fashioned (not quick) oats. This is really simple: Take a big bowl, add 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup milk (or water, but oatmeal cooked in water is kind of nasty to me), shake in a little cinnamon if you like, and pop it in the microwave for 3 minutes. You want to use a big bowl because the oatmeal will bubble up while cooking.

Then comes the cookie-wanna-be-fun part. Stir in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, natural peanut butter, and/or chopped nuts.

Alternately, sometimes I just pour a little hot water on a bowl of dry oats just to soften them up and then add my mix-ins. I like chewy oats, and this method yields a less watery oatmeal than microwaving.

Chocolate chips are candy, pure and simple, even when tucked into a wholesome bowl of oatmeal, so do watch your portion size.

Unless, of course, the alternative was a large DQ Blizzard. In that case, you’re totally saving calories and adding nutrients, so enjoy that candy. Remember, you really wanted a cookie.

Last year, my goal was to improve my average speed per ride from 11-12 mph to 15-16 mph. I am pleased to say, Mission Accomplished!

This year, I want to hold steady at 16 mph and improve to 17-18 mph, even on long rides.

Whenever there is a century (100 mile) route option, I want to take it.

I want to work on my bike handling in regard to descending. I made a list of hills in austin that I want to be able to descend without it being a Big Deal. (I’ve never actually been to these hills, only know them by reputation.

Jester
City Park
Ladera Norte
Mount Bonnell

Can I do it? We’ll see!

Coaching? But I’m not Lance…

If you want to know more about training with Cycle Camp, go on over to their Web site and check out their Cycle Fit program. You can try it out for free, too. You don’t have to be Lance Armstrong or anything close – you just have to want to have more fun on your bike. Working out consistently and getting some guidance from folks who can show you how to get the most out of that very expensive toy you are straddling, will help get you there.

Getting more physically fit + handling your bike better = more fun.

6-8 cups chicken broth
A few slices of gingerroot
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 package dried shitake mushrooms
hot water
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 bunch green onions (scallions), minced (reserve a handful to garnish the soup)
1 head bok choy, washed and sliced
1 cake soft tofu, diced (optional)
1 package Udon noodles (I buy these noodles in single serving vacuum sealed packages. they come with a flavor packet, which I throw away)

Heat up chicken broth in a soup pot. Toss the ginger slices into the pot, too.

Stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, and stir into broth.

In a small bowl, cover the dried mushrooms in hot water and let soak for 10 or 15 minutes. When they have softened, cut them into slices with a pair of kitchen scissors and add them and their soaking water into the soup – this will add a lovely, smoky flavor to your broth.

Add the fresh mushrooms, all but a handful of the scallions, and the tofu to the soup to heat up.

Add the noodles and bok choy last. Stir it all up.

Taste and season with salt, pepper, soy sauce and vinegar.
Be sure to fish out the ginger slices unless you want a spicy surprise in your soup.
Ooh, mommy, that is some good soup. And good for you, too!

1/2 large butternut squash
1 orange
a splash of milk
a good shake of cinnamon
some brown sugar or maple syrup, optional, to taste
salt to taste

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side down in a glass baking dish. Add a little water to the pan and microwave on HIGH for about 12 minutes, until cooked through.

Scoop the flesh from the skin straight into the Vitamix. Add the orange, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Whirl it up for a minute or so until smooth and creamy. Add salt to taste.

Add a salad, and you have a nice light (but decadent tasting) dinner.

(Need a little protein with your meal? I probably could have used some last night since I’d just finished cycling. Just top that salad with some lean meat, tofu, or some beans.)

Come for a training ride; stay for brunch!

There is a $10.00 Gift Certificate for the first 100 participants!

Ride begins & ends at the Steiner Steakhouse. Wheels downs 8:30 a.m.

Sunday, January 29, 2012
5424 Steiner Ranch Blvd
Austin, TX 78732

Great Door Prizes and Last Chance discounted registration.

Download the flyer (PDF)

Nearly 26 million children & adults have diabetes in the U.S.

It is the #1 cause of blindness in adults.

It doubles the risk of heart attack & stroke.

1 in 3 of all Americans have it: 1 in 4 don’t know it yet and 1 in 5 are on their way to getting it.

The Central Texas region has higher than the national average rate of people with diabetes.

Get more diabetes statistics.

That’s why we ride.

Our Favorite Fixin’s for Chinese Chicken Salad
A couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, baked at 350 degF for about 40 minutes. Marinate in soy or ponzu sauce if you like. (And try to avoid the frozen pre-grilled FrankenChicken like Tyson – baked chikcen only needs one ingredient – chicken – not 15 ingredients.)
Baby greens
Shredded cabbage (buy it pre-shredded in the produce section for convenience)
Carrot match sticks
Snow peas
Sliced mushrooms
Sliced water chestnuts
Chow mein noodles (watch your portion!)
Raw cashews (a healthier alternative to the chow mein noodles)
Tinhly sliced onion
Scallions

My preferred salad dressing is Cookwell & Company Asian Ginger Vinaigrette.