Hello!
Happy holiday Monday!
Guess what I did this morning?
I went to CrossFit!!!
It was GREAT!
There’s a box about 10 minutes from my house and I was finally able to check them out.
They have 4 scheduled classes a day and I went to the 6:15 AM class.
Yes, I know it’s a holiday and I didn’t have to get up early but the neighbor’s dog had other ideas.
Incessant barking at 4:30 this morning.
Yay.
Shooting him didn’t seem like the right thing to do so I just made the best of it, got up and went to the early class.
It’s a small box (which is fine) and there were 3 of us there this morning plus the coach.
Holy. Leg burner. WOD.
I definitely appreciated the small group this morning because my front squats were a little wonky to start and I really needed the attention/coaching.
And, I learned how out of shape I really am. Running schmunning. I missed HARD WORK.
I can’t wait to check out the PM class on Wednesday!
Tomorrow is speed work. And, it’s supposed to possibly get up into the 60s! Shorts & t-shirt running weather!
CrossFit this morning was definitely the kick in the pants I needed.
My motivation really waned this past week and I’m so ready to get back to business. 🙂
I’ve also fallen off the “healthy” train a little.
Um, hello, red velvet cheesecake swirl brownies!
And lovely box of chocolates!
It was worth it. 🙂
Anywho, enough about dessert, let’s talk about dinner.
I found an AMAZING Clean Eating recipe for chickpea stew!
I do love the chickpea.
This stew is lightly spiced (seriously, use more jalapeño if you want it to fight back) and amazingly delicious.
AND, you get to cook with a whole cinnamon stick!
Okay, fine, maybe I’m a dork but I thought it was pretty cool. 🙂
And, it adds a whole different flavor level than just adding ground cinnamon.
It was a delicious combination with the toasted cumin seeds, turmeric, fresh ginger and garlic.
My kitchen smelled AWESOME!
I served this up with some toasted Naan and called it dinner.
Tomorrow, at work, I’ll call it lunch. 😉
NOTE: This stew calls for dried chickpeas that require overnight soaking. If you don’t want to do that, use canned. Just make sure you rinse them really well.
Spicy Chickpea Stew
makes 4 (1 cup) servings
1 tablespoon organic extra-virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped carrots, diced
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced (remove seeds if you don’t want even a little kick)
1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed and chopped, for garnish (optional)
1. In a large bowl, add chickpeas and enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Soak overnight, for 8 to 18 hours. Drain.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil on medium until melted. Add cumin and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add onion, celery, carrots and salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, and ginger and sauté for 1 more minute. Add turmeric and cinnamon stick and stir to combine.
3. Stir in 2 cups water, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beans are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Add garam masala and stir to combine; remove cinnamon stick. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with cilantro (if desired), dividing evenly.
4. Nom it down! 🙂
Talk to me: Why is my cat so weird?
– jennifer
A Hungry Runner 