Mixing Business with Extreme Pleasure

Finally I'm sitting back at my desk in my own house in Austin, TX. January 8th I left Austin to go train in Clearwater, FL with Randy Reese. We arrived to amazingly cold weather along with a very warm welcome by the man himself, Randy. In my mind, Randy is undoubtedly one of the greatest coaches in the world. Last January was my first trip to train with Randy and the experience with Randy

Talent? Is There Such a Thing? Ducasse Doesn’t Think So

Afraid of getting in the kitchen? Think you don't have any talent in the world of burners, ovens and sharp utensils? World renowned chef, Alain Ducasse says he doesn't really believe in talent. Looks like you're in luck... Click the following link to read the insightful words of one of the world's greatest culinary minds. My guess is that you'll get some encouragement too! "Alain Ducasse Doesn't Believe in Talent"

Friday Food Fact: Buffalo aka Bison

Ways to Cook: In my kitchen I try to have bison as often as I can when I'm having some type of meat...and why wouldn't I considering the data you've just read??? Bison is a great substitute for beef and can be used somewhat interchangeably in most recipes. However there are some things you should know first. Cook the meat 'low and slow'. Buffalo has a lower fat content so the meat is much less insulated in it's cooking process and will cook much faster. Try using lower temperatures and be VERY careful not to overcook it. If you plan on using the same cooking temperature and time as you would for beef you will have a tough piece of meat...it might as well be a buffalo chip aka buffalo dung aka buffalo poop aka buffalo droppings. Make sure not to let the meat dry out by letting it sit in the air for too long before cooking as this will also make the cook time faster and give you a less than desirable finished product. I love using ground buffalo for tacos and in tomato sauces. If I'm craving a steak or something of that nature I like to marinate a bison steak in some olive oil, pepper, garlic and rosemary...grill that baby up and you are well on your way to a great meal:) Click here to watch me cook up a delicious Bison NY Strip Steak on 'Wisconsin Foodie'!!!

Training in Clearwater

Training and spending time here in Florida with Randy Reese has been wonderful. I got off to a great start doing a lot of pulley-work in the water. Pulleys are when you swim against resistance with a rope attached to your waist. This is very difficult work and puts a lot of strain on your body. Seeing as how I was not used to doing so much training with pulleys I hurt my triceps after a few days. I got really excited and inspired by everything Randy was having us do and I probably went a bit overboard. The past week I've been kicking mostly and rehabbing my triceps. It frustrates me to no end having to deal with injuries. I was raised to be a worker by my family and by the coaches I've trained with. I am a worker. When I am unable to train to the utmost capacity I deem necessary, I become very dissatisfied. The past week has been a bit of a struggle but my triceps are getting much much better now. I'm confident this next week of training is going to be much more satisfying. Check back again during the week for more updates.

Friday Food Fact: Quinoa

Food: Quinoa History: Quinoa originated from the Andean region of South America. In this area it has been a cultivated and eaten food for 6,000 years. The Incas thought the crop was sacred and referred to it as chisaya mama, aka the mother of all grains. However, Quinoa is actually the seed of the Chenopodium plant. Nutritional Benefit: This small seed is packed with protein and is great for vegans and vegetarians. Quinoa has high values of dietary fiber which is good for our digestive system and is also high in magnesium and iron. For those of you who have problems with gluten...you're in luck because Quinoa is gluten-free. Ways to Cook: On the outside of Quinoa is an invisible coating called a sapopin. This coating is bitter in taste and by soaking it in water you will remove it. Most store bought Quinoa will have this coating removed already so all you need to do is rinse the Quinoa in a strainer. A soapy looking residue will come off when rinsed. Just as Quinoa makes a great substitute for rice or couscous, you will cook it much the same way. I use two parts water to one part Quinoa. Add all of it in a pot and bring to a boil. Once you get a boil going, cover the pot and simmer it for about 10-15 minutes so excess water is taken out. You will know the Quinoa is done when it turns a bit of a translucent color and the germ of the seed forms a ring around the outside. One thing I do to really boost the flavor when cooking it is to cook using a stock such as vegetable or chicken. When cooking is finished you can sprinkle your favorite spices over the top or simply add it to something else on the menu. I love adding Quinoa to salads and bean dishes. My friend Matt Lowe likes mixing Quinoa with salsa, corn, and black beans...give it a try! Below are a couple videos of people cooking with Quinoa.

My Next Read…’Food Rules’

For the past year I've completely dedicated my reading list to food books. Before then I'd read books on food as well but I decided to completely immerse myself in them last year and learn as much as I possibly could. A great writer my Dad turned me on to is Michael Pollan. He's been a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine, an executive editor for Harper's Magazine as well as having written books including 'In Defense of Food' and 'The Omnivore's Dilemma'. Pollan has recently released a new book which I plan on putting on my reading list called 'Food Rules: An Eater's Manual'. Check out this New York Times article about him and his new book...

Friday Food Fact: Lentils

I've had a request for Lentils...so here they are. Food: Lentils History: Part of the legume family. Humans have been cultivating lentils since ancient times. They originated in central Asia. Ancient Rome used to import entire shiploads of lentils from Egypt. Lentils have been part of staple diets for centuries. Nutritional Benefit: Great source of vegetable protein. Like many other legumes, lentils are high in dietary fiber and folate, which makes them heart healthy. Best Ways to Cook: Lentils do not need to be soaked like beans as they will soften in about 30 minutes of boiling water. Adding acidic substances such as lemon juice or tomatoes will greatly increase the cooking time so if the recipe calls for acidic items add them at the end or after the cooking process. If you are boiling the lentils in water you want a three to one ratio of water to lentils. I'm honestly not a very avid Lentil cooker so I can't specifically tell you any way that I've had unbelievable success in cooking them. Remember that this is an ongoing learning process for me too:) I've included some links to a few lentil recipes that I think look good and plan on trying myself. Egyptian Lentil Stew Indian Dhal Lentil Salad with Tomato and Dill

‘Stumbled’ on the 20 Most Incredible Edibles

If you ever wonder what foods are the down right healthiest to eat then you're in luck. Recently I've been perusing a website called www.stumbleupon.com. I've made my settings so the site pulls up information regarding sports and food...two of my favorite topics. While 'stumbling' this morning I came across a helpful little article. The 20 Most Incredible Edibles...check it out and you will be well on your way to advancing your healthfood knowledge

Meaty Monday Madness & TipsyTexan

Meaty Monday Madness surely was a Meaty Monday Madness. Several weeks back I met a guy named Zack who is an owner and chef of a restaurant here in Austin. As I do with most people, we got to talking and soon thereafter the conversation lead to food and cooking. Sometimes I wish there was a secret camera watching me so I could go back and watch how ridiculously excited I get by simply talking to people about food, among other things. Zack had some great stories about his days being a chef and I had a few of my own from stages I had done in New York and Italy (I felt like one of the gang...it was sweeeet). When I was about to leave he pulled out a card from his wallet and invited me to a dinner he has the first Monday of every month called Meaty Monday Madness. Essentially it is a huge meeting of chefs, and their friends, at Zack's house that involves different types of home-smoked meats and tons of chef prepared side dishes. He didn't need to ask me twice...I was going! On the menu last night was a smoked rib-roast, ham, and turkey. There was fresh black eyed peas, corn pudding, mac & cheese, bread and cheeses, homemade cookies, butternut squash soup etc. Also at the party was a guy I know named David who owns a business here in Austin called TipsyTexan. He bartended the event with a classic holiday drink from the 1800's called a Tom & Jerry as well as other drinks one of which included hand squeezed grapefruit juice from a friend's farm in Louisiana. Zack and David definitely know what they're doing. I had an incredible time and got to meet a bunch of great new people, chefs included (I asked them many food questions haha). Wow was the food and drink tasty too...Yum

Home Cookin’ for a Hungry Crowd

Last night I made a huge family dinner for the entire sophomore class of the University of Texas swim team. Imagine having 12 hungry swimmers over to your house for dinner...you're going to need a LOT of food. The menu was four homemade trays of lasagna and six loafs of garlic bread. The lasagna included hot Italian sausage, onion, Riccotta cheese, Mozzerrella cheese, eggplant, roasted peppers and of course tomato sauce...it was a delicious meal. Just a little tid bit, I made all of the noodles in the lasagna myself! BAM:) Oh yeah and the garlic on the bread was freshly roasted and schmeared on by hand when it was still warm and gooey, undoubtedly the best way to do it. Needless to say we had plenty of food and the guys totally loved it. Too bad y'all are not a member of the freshman class because I'm having them over for dinner on Wednesday night.