Diet & Nutrition article by Ben on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 6:07:29 PM EST
Since it's another scorching hot day in Vancouver, B.C. I figured I'd post up another great barbeque recipe that I tried out last night. For all you meat lovers out there, I made some barbecued Buffalo Burgers and they turned out absolutely perfect! I didn't really follow a recipe or anything, I picked up some fresh ground buffalo, onions and peppers at the local grocery and then just kind of mixed in a few other things that I had at home already.
Cajun Buffalo Burgers
Ingredients:
approx. 1-2 lbs. of ground buffalo
approx. 1/3 cup of chopped yellow onion
approx. 2 T chopped jalepeno peppers
approx. 2 T chopped garlic
approx. 1/2 cup of rolled oats
2 egg whites
2 T of Lea & Perrins worcestershire sauce
a pinch of brown sugar
cayenne pepper
black pepper
and lot's of cajun spice!
Preparation:
Mix all of the above ingredients together and then shape them into individual burgers. You should be able to get 4-6 depending on how big you make each one. You can have the burgers on toasted buns or with out. I had mine without the buns but did have some grilled onions on them and they were so good!
Also, have a look at this
article from
epicurious about the top 12 Best Burgers in America recommended by the nation's top restaurant critics. It's a quick read, it features some unbelievably tasty looking burgers and it might come in handy if you're traveling through the United States and are in need of a really good burger!
Exercise & Workout article by Ben on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 5:30:05 PM EST
One of my clients passed this
article on to me from the New York Times and I thought that I should share it with any one who has or is currently taking any type of thermogenic, energy pill or fat burner. I've never been a huge supporter of diet pills, energy drinks or weight loss powders. I've read some studies about the benefits of having caffeine before a training session and will occasionally have a cup of tea in the morning or a diet Pepsi in the afternoon for a littler pick me up but as far as fat burners are concerned.. I've never really been a big fan. I remember about ten years ago I tried this fat burner called
Therma Lean and it made feel so jittery, nauseous and sketchy that I never touched it again. I remember hating the way it made me feel and I couldn't wait till it wore off a bit so I could "come down" and feel normal again!
Hydroxycut is another brand of fat burners and weight loss supplements and they have recently had some of their products pulled from store shelves because the FDA has received 23 reports of significant adverse health effects in people that have used Hydroxycut products, including tissue and liver damage, a liver transplant, heart problems and a possible death. The company that owns the brand Hydroxycut, Iovate Heath Sciences of Oakville, Ontario have voluntarily recalled 14 of their products. These products include:
- Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
- Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
- Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
- Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
- Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
- Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
- Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
- Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
- Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
- Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
- Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
- Hydroxycut 24
- Hydroxycut Carb Control
- Hydroxycut Natural
So if you have been taking or are currently taking any of these weight loss and energy boosting products then you must stop immediately! Be sure to consult your physician if you experience any symptoms or side effects!
Exercise & Workout article by Ben on Saturday, July 11, 2009 3:01:52 PM EST
I've had a few people ask me about periodization lately so I thought I'd write up a brief summary of what periodization is how you could benefit from following a periodized exercise program.
Periodization is the organization and division of a training program into smaller, progressive cycles during a specific period of time. These cycles typically include the micro cycle which usually lasts from 5-7 days, the meso cycle which usually lasts from 2 weeks to a few months and the macro cycle which refers to the overall training period and could last up to a year or two.
The micro cycle consists of multiple training sessions that are strung together and designed with meaning and purpose to help you achieve a specific goal. There are many different types of micro cycles including the introduction, restorative, competitive, and the shock micro cycle. The average micro cycle will range between 1 and 7 days.
The meso cycle is longer in length and is made up of many micro cycles that are designed around one specific purpose. Most training programs use the meso cycle to develop one component of fitness such as strength, power, endurance, agility or speed. There are many types of meso cycles including the introduction, base, competitive and restoration cycles. The average meso cycle will last between 1 and 4 months.
The macro cycle usually refers to the entire length of the periodized exercise program and usually lasts about a year. There are usually always 3 phases to the macro cycle - the preparation, competitive and transition phase. During the preparation phase, the focus is on building up a strong base, during the competitive phase the focus is on hitting your athletic peak and during the transition phase the focus is on rest and recovery.
If you would like read a more detailed description on periodization and the different types of periodized programs then check out Dave Tate's The Periodization Bible; Part 1 and 2 from T-Muscle.
Diet & Nutrition article by Marlaena on Sunday, July 05, 2009 10:28:29 PM EST
Here's another great barbeque recipe I came across on
epicurious. I tried them out last night and they were amazing! I substituted the aleppo pepper with lots of cayenne and some crushed chilies and it turned out perfect! I made a side salad with red leaf lettuce, wild greens, broccoli, shredded carrot and red and yellow peppers to go with the skewers for a super easy, quick and light summertime meal!
Yogurt-Marinated Chicken Kebabs with Aleppo Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Aleppo pepper* or 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper plus 2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika, plus additional Aleppo pepper or paprika for sprinkling
- 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek-style yogurt** (8 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
- 2 unpeeled lemons; 1 thinly sliced into rounds, 1 cut into wedges for serving 2 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken (thighs and/or breast halves), cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
- Special equipment: Flat metal skewers
Preparation
If using Aleppo pepper, place in large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon warm water. Let stand until thick paste forms, about 5 minutes. If using dried crushed red pepper and paprika combination, place in large bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons warm water and let stand until paste forms, about 5 minutes. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to spice mixture in bowl; whisk to blend. Stir in garlic and lemon slices, then chicken. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Thread chicken pieces on metal skewers, dividing equally. Discard marinade in bowl. Sprinkle each skewer with salt, pepper, and additional Aleppo pepper or paprika. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter. Surround with lemon wedges and serve.
*A slightly sweet Syrian pepper with a moderate heat level; available at some specialty foods stores and from wholespice.com.
** A thick yogurt; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods markets) and Greek markets. If unavailable, place regular yogurt in cheesecloth-lined strainer set over large bowl. Cover and chill overnight to drain.
Ingredient tip:
Aleppo pepper is sold finely ground or crushed into small flakes; either one will work well in this recipe.
