Saturday morning breakfast are probably my favorite meal of the week. Today’s menu consists of 3 poached eggs, Manila mangoes, kale salad and coffee. As Phil from Duck Dynasty would say I’m “happy happy happy”. It’s also good prep for my first dinner at James Beard winner for Best New Restaurant State Bird Provisions.
Fast food temptations can be rough. After a long day, being tired and stressed I battled wanting to go out of my way to drive to Popeyes. In honesty, my main deterrent wasn’t health but the fact that I didn’t want to sit in traffic any longer then I had to. So I went home and made coconut breaded zucchini “fries” and chicken tenders. Yes I fried them in coconut oil, but at least it wasn’t Popeyes. Crisis averted.
Lamb and arugula and beet salad @Hayes and Kabob
Honey chicken with roasted cauliflower and curry just might be my new favorite obsession. I got the recipe from my cousin and I think she got it from a cook book so if anyone is interested I’ll post it later after I find out where it came from.
The problem with food obsessions is that when I was growing up and my mom found out that my brother and I liked something she would promptly go to Costco and buy a case of it. To this day I have a tendency to eat the same food obsession till I get sick of it. (I think I made paleo chocolate chip cookies for a whole month) This dish was so good it looks like I’m gonna have a whole lotta honey chicken in the coming weeks…
Being CrossFit during Lent means a couple things to me this year. I’ve talked to different people who use the Lenten season as a time to recommit themselves to fasting from something (sugar and caffeine seem to be reoccurring themes). Careful though, this should not mistaken for New Years Resolution 2.0. The fast is a spiritual discipline that helps us focus our hearts before God. It’s a way of clearing our distractions (even food) to set ourselves wholly dependent on God. Other religions practice this form of self deprivation for a similar purpose (Yom Kippur and Ramadan for instance).
For Christians this time is often connected to the time Jesus was in the desert 40 days before beginning his ministry. During that time he fasted to prepare and consecrate himself before God. This was not an easy 40 days as satan did what he could to tempt Jesus away from his purpose. But with scripture Jesus fought every lie with truth and made it through the fast.
Being CrossFit during Lent is a mind, body, and soul thing for me. There’s being CrossFit physically-lifting heavy things and getting stronger, better, faster- and there’s being cross fit spiritually- the giving over of ourselves to the One who, on a cross, gave himself for us first.
This year lent for me is a focus to offer my body and mind and soul to the One that loves me intimately and deeply and without reservation (oh ya there’s a Valentines post coming up!). “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:5 Lent is a great time for us to recalibrate ourselves to The Lord in preparation for serving God and others.
“With all your strength…” Working out can be a spiritual act of worship. One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 12:1 “Therefore, in urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship”. Every Monday, Wed, and Friday I enter CFPA with the idea that I am honoring the body God blessed me with by taking care of it. I try to eat in a way that honors my body blessing as well. It has become an act of worship. This can easily become self worship (I’ll admit it, I like my glutes!) but ultimately I am trying to be a good steward of all I have been given.
“Love God with all your heart and soul…” I think I’ll save these for later posts. As we enter into the Lenten season, I’m going to spend some time adjusting my mind, body and soul to the One who saw me fit enough to die on a cross to pay for my sins. My spiritual WODs (workout of the day) will probably be in the form of waking up earlier to pray. But like good WODs I may keep it varied. 3,2,1 go…
