Living in Nebraska makes me a great authority on sushi... wait... no, no it doesn't. But for that matter, I don't know what does? I eat it every chance I get, and I love preparing it myself, does that count?
Now sushi is something of a polarizing dish. A lot of people are thrown off by eating raw fish for reasons like food poisoning, heavy-metal poisoning, being lame specimens of humanity, etc. The fact is, variety is the spice of life, and if eating something is potentially dangerous it makes it all the more appealing, right? (Think other fun/dangerous activities like skydiving, snowboarding, or listening to 2 Chainz)
The fact is, sushi is NOT always raw fish! Sushi just refers to the cooking method of the rice and wrapping the ingredients in the rice and the nori, or seaweed wrap. Sashimi refers to raw or lightly cooked fish. Sushi is (I realize I use this term a lot about dishes) a blank canvas... I've had everything from steak to a fried whole softshell crab wrapped in rice and seaweed and thrown it all back in one bite.
How To: At the restaurant:
Now, first of all consider you're location. If you're in South Dakota, and the sushi is only $5, its probably not very fresh. But, if it looks like a legit place, or you are close to the ocean, its probably safe! Use your judgement.
When getting sushi, I like to order a variety of different things, and let everyone share. Start with some tempura (a specific type of frying batter used on fish, vegetables, etc.) as an appetizer, you won't be disappointed. Anything deep fried can't be that bad, right? Next, let everyone pick out a roll that they want. One to two rolls should be plenty per person, even if they are all skinny fat kids like me! Sushi is quite filling.
This is the time to branch out, so live a little! Order something weird along with the safe rolls (California rolls are generally liked by everyone). IF there is a softshell crab, get it! If there is anything called a "dragon roll" on the menu, it is required that someone order it. Personally, the only ones I stay away from are the eel... It just tastes a little bit too much like the bottom of the ocean for my taste.
When eating it, using your hands is actually more appropriate than using chopsticks (sweet!) so dig in! Dip it in the soy sauce mixed with wasabi and throw it all back in one bite, even if its a big roll. 2 bites is a no-no. Don't forget the sake, which has a weirdly appealing savoriness to it.
How To: At home
Sushi is actually easier to prepare than you'd think. All you need is sushi rice, rice wine vinegar, nori (The seaweed wrapper, really easy to come by these days!), and anything you'd like to fill it with. I like to use cooked shrimp, crab, and smoked salmon. I myself have never attempted to use raw fish, but if you do make sure it is sushi-grade.
First of all, using a wire strainer and a large bowl, rinse the rice with tap water until the water comes off clear. Next, bring the rice and the appropriate amount of water (1 to 1 ratio) to a boil. Turn down to simmer, and leave for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and leave for another 10 minutes. After this add a couple tablespoons each of sugar, salt, and rice wine vinegar and mix to coat each grain. Put in the fridge until it comes down to room temperature.
Now comes the fun part! Lay down a sheet of nori and spread a thin, even layer of rice over it (if you have a bamboo sushi roller, that makes rolling a little easier but its not necessary). Next, put whatever you like on the rice and roll it up! Think like a sleeping bag roll, keep it tight and hopefully the rice will keep it all together.
Last week Rachel and I did this and had a lot of fun. It is a bit of a process, but its something you can do to make a great date night. We used crab, smoked salmon, and pre-cooked shrimp, as well as cream cheese, avocado, cucumber, and carrots to fill our sushi. The only problem was, we kinda ate as we went, so by the time we were finished neither of us were very hungry!
Well, my friends, I hope this opened your eyes a bit to the world of sushi. Go forth, try it out, and get something weird! I would definitely advise eating it in a restaurant setting before trying on your own. Get some inspiration! It plates beautifully, is very healthy, and makes you feel like a hipster. Until next time, FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
#FBF: The Agnostic Diet
What diet are you on? Lately, this question has become as common as "What church do you go to?" Well me, I was a Catholic School dropout, but I do have my own set of beliefs. I feel like I am a good person, but that is not a result of what church I go to.
This is the basis of the agnostic diet. I first read about this in this month's Triathlete magazine, and immediately was attracted to it. There was a statistic that it had, the exact numbers of which I can't recall, which said that a lot of age-groupers are on a diet with a name (eg. Paleo diet, Vegan diet, Zone Diet) where as next to no professionals are on a diet. What's up with that??
Granted, the demands of a professional allow for a little more freedom with eating. It would simply not do to train 25+ hours a week and be on a low-carb diet... (People often say, "you can eat whatever you want and still look good, can't you??" Well, yeah, but do you wanna do what I do in a given week??) On the other hand though, there is a lot less difference in 1st place and 10th place at a pro race, so the guys with the tiniest edge come out on top. That's where good nutrition comes in.
Now, this "diet" is to most diets as agnosticism is to most religions... in that its not a diet at all! Just like how an agnostic person would say they know how to be a good person without going to church, most of us know pretty well what to eat without following a diet. Being on a diet does not absolve you of all your sins of bad eating... that triple almond milk sugar-free vanilla latte is still bad for you, even though loosely translated its "on the Paleo Diet". Like Jack Johnson says, "Singin' on Sunday won't save your soul/now that Saturday's gone"
Here are a few guidelines to follow. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Here are some foods you should eat: (Start at the top for most quality and work your way down)
Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts and Seeds
Lean Proteins
Whole Grains
Healthy Oils (Avocado, fish oil, olive oil)
Dairy
Here are some foods you should avoid: (Again, the least bad are at the top)
Refined grains
Fatty meats
Sweets (Including artificial sweeteners! That shit causes cancer yo!)
Fried Foods
Donuts (Aww, man! Last place?? Seriously??)
As far as macronutrient breakdown, a good guideline to start with is the 1-2-3 rule. 1 part fats (go for unsaturated as much as possible!) to 2 parts lean proteins to 3 parts carbohydrates (try and get as many of these as possible from fruits and vegetables!)
-Side note: during intense training, it is OK to go as much as 4 or 5 parts carbohydrates... eat that pasta, friends!
Now, all that seems pretty simple right? Like I said, you already know all of this stuff, you just have to take responsibility and follow it. You don't need a diet to tell you what to do, just eat right, go FAST, take CHANCES, and FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!
This is the basis of the agnostic diet. I first read about this in this month's Triathlete magazine, and immediately was attracted to it. There was a statistic that it had, the exact numbers of which I can't recall, which said that a lot of age-groupers are on a diet with a name (eg. Paleo diet, Vegan diet, Zone Diet) where as next to no professionals are on a diet. What's up with that??
Granted, the demands of a professional allow for a little more freedom with eating. It would simply not do to train 25+ hours a week and be on a low-carb diet... (People often say, "you can eat whatever you want and still look good, can't you??" Well, yeah, but do you wanna do what I do in a given week??) On the other hand though, there is a lot less difference in 1st place and 10th place at a pro race, so the guys with the tiniest edge come out on top. That's where good nutrition comes in.
Now, this "diet" is to most diets as agnosticism is to most religions... in that its not a diet at all! Just like how an agnostic person would say they know how to be a good person without going to church, most of us know pretty well what to eat without following a diet. Being on a diet does not absolve you of all your sins of bad eating... that triple almond milk sugar-free vanilla latte is still bad for you, even though loosely translated its "on the Paleo Diet". Like Jack Johnson says, "Singin' on Sunday won't save your soul/now that Saturday's gone"
Here are a few guidelines to follow. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Here are some foods you should eat: (Start at the top for most quality and work your way down)
Vegetables
Fruits
Nuts and Seeds
Lean Proteins
Whole Grains
Healthy Oils (Avocado, fish oil, olive oil)
Dairy
Here are some foods you should avoid: (Again, the least bad are at the top)
Refined grains
Fatty meats
Sweets (Including artificial sweeteners! That shit causes cancer yo!)
Fried Foods
Donuts (Aww, man! Last place?? Seriously??)
As far as macronutrient breakdown, a good guideline to start with is the 1-2-3 rule. 1 part fats (go for unsaturated as much as possible!) to 2 parts lean proteins to 3 parts carbohydrates (try and get as many of these as possible from fruits and vegetables!)
-Side note: during intense training, it is OK to go as much as 4 or 5 parts carbohydrates... eat that pasta, friends!
Now, all that seems pretty simple right? Like I said, you already know all of this stuff, you just have to take responsibility and follow it. You don't need a diet to tell you what to do, just eat right, go FAST, take CHANCES, and FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
#FBF; Sauce Boss!
Lately my dear friend pasta has been getting a bad rap. All these low-carb, gluten-free, trendy diets have been leaving pasta alone out in the cold. And these paleo-dieters come at me saying, "You're ancient ancestors didn't eat pasta, so you shouldn't either!" Well ya know what else my ancient ancestors didn't do? Swim 25k, cycle 250+ miles and run 60+ miles a week, so there!
I'll save you my dietary ranting for another blog post, but today I wanna talk about pasta. Pasta is a great food group in that it is a blank canvas, just waiting to be painted with different sauces, proteins, and vegetables. Not to mention, it is a great fuel source!
The process of preparing pasta is pretty straightforward, unless you're making it all from scratch... As far as the boxed stuff goes, just be sure to use a high-sided pot, salt your water enough that it tastes like the sea, and keep a rolling boil all through the cooking process. Remember to leave it just a little bit under-cooked so that you can saute it for a bit with the sauce to finish cooking! If you wanna be super classy and Old-Worldly, leave it a little al dente.
I am no expert on making homemade pasta, so I won't pretend to be. I have only helped out with this process a couple times, but it does seem pretty simple. If you do use fresh pasta, remember the cooking time is much less.
Now time for the REAL star of the show, the sauce! Marinara is pretty much just marinara, it doesn't ever really deviate from the standard set a long time ago in Italy (I assume? I guess I don't really know...) You can totally make this yourself... but it isn't much better than if you buy a jar. However, the two sauces everyone should know how to make from scratch are a basil pesto and Alfredo sauce.
Pesto does not come out of a jar, believe it or not... In fact, it tastes much better when you make it yourself, even if you don't have super fresh basil! Its also probably cheaper, and it is really not difficult. All you need to do is throw some nuts (about 1/3 cup, walnuts or pine nuts work best!) in a food processor and give them a few pulses to get a head start. Then, add 2 cups of fresh basil, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, and about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of olive oil and 3 or 4 big cloves of garlic. Blend this until its a pretty homogenous mixture (I like to leave it just short of paste, give it a little texture!) and toss with warm, freshly cooked pasta. Add some shrimp or chicken, roasted red peppers, and garnish with a cherry tomato. Bellissimo! (Ok I probably spelled that wrong... I speak Spanish, not Italian...)
Alfredo sauce is a little more of an involved process. Again though, the final product is astronomically better, and it is cheaper than the packet or the jar.... IF you use the jar of Alfredo sauce, we can no longer be friends.
Alfredo begins with a basic roux... butter and flour! I generally use about a 1 to 1 ratio, melting the butter and adding the flower before the butter browns. Add a couple cloves of minced garlic, and whisk the mixture thoroughly and cook for a few minutes until it is about the color of wet sand.
Once it comes to a boil, add 2-3 cups of grated parmesan cheese... this sounds like a lot, but this is how you get that cheesy flavor. Once all the cheese melts, turn off the heat and add salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Now you're ready to plate!
What I did here was toss the pasta with the pesto, put that in a bowl topped with some sautéed shrimp and veggies, topped it all with the Alfredo, and garnished with a cherry tomato. Date night is served! (You're welcome, Rachel!)
Hope you enjoyed my first attempt at a recipe... ok so it was more like some guidelines... Until next time, FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!
I'll save you my dietary ranting for another blog post, but today I wanna talk about pasta. Pasta is a great food group in that it is a blank canvas, just waiting to be painted with different sauces, proteins, and vegetables. Not to mention, it is a great fuel source!
The process of preparing pasta is pretty straightforward, unless you're making it all from scratch... As far as the boxed stuff goes, just be sure to use a high-sided pot, salt your water enough that it tastes like the sea, and keep a rolling boil all through the cooking process. Remember to leave it just a little bit under-cooked so that you can saute it for a bit with the sauce to finish cooking! If you wanna be super classy and Old-Worldly, leave it a little al dente.
I am no expert on making homemade pasta, so I won't pretend to be. I have only helped out with this process a couple times, but it does seem pretty simple. If you do use fresh pasta, remember the cooking time is much less.
Now time for the REAL star of the show, the sauce! Marinara is pretty much just marinara, it doesn't ever really deviate from the standard set a long time ago in Italy (I assume? I guess I don't really know...) You can totally make this yourself... but it isn't much better than if you buy a jar. However, the two sauces everyone should know how to make from scratch are a basil pesto and Alfredo sauce.
Pesto does not come out of a jar, believe it or not... In fact, it tastes much better when you make it yourself, even if you don't have super fresh basil! Its also probably cheaper, and it is really not difficult. All you need to do is throw some nuts (about 1/3 cup, walnuts or pine nuts work best!) in a food processor and give them a few pulses to get a head start. Then, add 2 cups of fresh basil, 1 cup of parmesan cheese, and about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of olive oil and 3 or 4 big cloves of garlic. Blend this until its a pretty homogenous mixture (I like to leave it just short of paste, give it a little texture!) and toss with warm, freshly cooked pasta. Add some shrimp or chicken, roasted red peppers, and garnish with a cherry tomato. Bellissimo! (Ok I probably spelled that wrong... I speak Spanish, not Italian...)
Alfredo sauce is a little more of an involved process. Again though, the final product is astronomically better, and it is cheaper than the packet or the jar.... IF you use the jar of Alfredo sauce, we can no longer be friends.
Alfredo begins with a basic roux... butter and flour! I generally use about a 1 to 1 ratio, melting the butter and adding the flower before the butter browns. Add a couple cloves of minced garlic, and whisk the mixture thoroughly and cook for a few minutes until it is about the color of wet sand.
At this point, add about 2-4 cups of hot 2% milk. I usually get this going in the microwave as the roux cooks. Again, whisk like hell until all the flour gets dissolved and bring the mix to a boil, whisking occasionally.
Once it comes to a boil, add 2-3 cups of grated parmesan cheese... this sounds like a lot, but this is how you get that cheesy flavor. Once all the cheese melts, turn off the heat and add salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Now you're ready to plate!
What I did here was toss the pasta with the pesto, put that in a bowl topped with some sautéed shrimp and veggies, topped it all with the Alfredo, and garnished with a cherry tomato. Date night is served! (You're welcome, Rachel!)
Hope you enjoyed my first attempt at a recipe... ok so it was more like some guidelines... Until next time, FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!
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