london broil

while searching for recipes to cook the london broil i got on super special at the grocery store, i learned that london broil is not, in fact, a cut of meat, but instead is a way of preparing it. hmm, i guess the kroger butchers/meat packagers have not yet been so enlightened.

anywho, i googled and found this recipe from a site that i have never gotten recipes from before. it turned out ABSOULTELY DELICIOUS, without question the best dish of meat i have ever prepared! and the best part is that it is a paleo recipe! and, it was pretty simple (although i made donny cut it after because it's supposed to be sliced really thin and i really dislike cutting/slicing/chopping of any kind.

london broil (from about.com's american food section... weird, right?)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 lb boneless top round "London Broil" steak, about 2-inches thick
• 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• salt as needed

Preparation:

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, garlic, and rosemary, and Place the beef on a plate and poke both sides all over with a fork. Transfer to a plastic freezer bag and pour in the marinade. Seal and refrigerate overnight. 

Turn broil on high. Remove the London broil from the marinade and pat dry. Salt generously, and rub in the freshly ground black pepper, on both sides. Place on a broiler pan, or other oven-safe pan. Broil about 8 inches under the flame for approximately 6-7 minutes per side for medium rare - internal temp of 130 degrees F. 

Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil; let rest for 10 minutes. To serve, cut against the grain into very thin slices. Serve hot, topped with any juices from the plate on which it rested.

may WOD's

5.3.2010

90 secs box jumps + 90 secs KTE= 61

60 secs box jumps + 60 secs KTE= 50

30 secs box jumps + 30 secs KTE= 41

5.4.2010

2-2-2-2 push press

3-3-3 dead lift

4 rounds:

12 dead lifts

24 sit-ups

300m sprint

(2 min rest between rounds)

2:23 / 2:12 / 2:13 / 2:13

5.6.2010

max snatch

62 lbs

AMRAP in 10 mins:

10 goblet squats (35 lbs)

15 double unders

20 push-ups

4 and 1/2 rounds

5.7.2010

5-5-5-5-5 back squat

112 lbs

7 rounds:

4 burpees

6 wall ball (12 lbs)

10 hammer swings

time= 7:46

5.10.2010

1-1-1-1-1 push jerk + jerk

3-3-3-3-3 snatch pull

bottom-to-bottom tabata squats

lowest round= 14

5.12.2010

5-5-5-5-5 dead lift

153 lbs

500m row

followed immediately by

3 rounds:

10 power cleans (63 lbs)

30m overhead carry (35 lbs)

time= 8:16

5.13.2010

modified "elizabeth"

21-15-9

KTE

ring dips (small band)

time= 9:32

5.14.2010

60 GHD

time trials

1 min max reps of each:

box jumps (40)

pull-ups (15, no band)

burpees (21)

double unders (44)

kettle bell swings (25)

5.17.2010

3 mins L-sits

5 rounds:

10 kettle bell dead lifts

10 kettle bell swings

20 double unders

time= 6:53

5.19.2010

push press

57 lbs

5 rounds:

10 thrusters

5 burpees

100m sprint

(rest 90 secs between rounds)

1:25 / 1:22 / 1:22 / 1:28 / 1:34

5.20.2010

"isabel"

30 power snatch (52 lbs)

time= 3:34

5.21.2010

FGB

3 rounds:

1 min box jumps

1 min push-press (42 lbs)

1 min row (calories)

1 min wall ball (12 lbs)

1 min sumo dead lift high pull (42 lbs)

total reps + calories= 95 / 80 / 80

5.24.2010

3-3-3-3-3 front squat

"annie"

50-40-30-20-10

double unders

sit-ups

time= 7:53

5.25.2010

5-5-5-5-5 push press

team WOD

5 rounds each:

20 lunges

10 kb swings

5 burpees

time= 7:57

5.26.2010

weighted box dips

pull-up negatives

4 rounds:

5 KTE

10 OHS

15 push-ups

300m sprint

5.31.2010

100 burpees

time= 7:31

eggplant parmesan "pizzas"

in my ongoing attempts to not only be more domestic, but also become healthier and more conscientious about what i put into my body, i have continued to periodically try out new, paleo-friendly recipes...

this yummy meal was loosely based on a paleo recipe i found, but with quite a few adaptations and improvisations based on ingredients we had available... i LOVED how it turned out, delicious!!

first off, we didn't have enough of all of the ingredients to make they ooey gooey casserole, so instead i made individual servings like mini pizzas, where the slice of eggplant served as the "crust". second, we didn't have any ground meat so this was vegetarian eggplant parmesan... next time i will for sure add ground turkey though! third, we didn't have mozzarella so i used white american, which we actually loved! here's the improvised recipe:

1 eggplant

~1/2 cup almond meal/crushed almonds

~1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 egg

your fave marinara sauce

several slices of mozzarella (or american) cheese

olive oil

salt and pepper

*ground turkey/beef- maybe 1/2 pound?

preheat oven to 350 degrees. slice eggplant into circles about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. beat egg in a bowl. mix almond meal, parmesan, and some salt and pepper in another bowl. heat stove top and put several tablespoons of olive oil in pan. dip each slice of eggplant into egg, then dip in almond meal mixture to lightly coat it. then put in frying to pan to brown. make sure you add more olive oil with each batch of eggplant!

arrange browned eggplant slices on a cookie sheet lined with foil. **if you are using ground meat, i would add a spoonful of browned and seasoned ground meat first ** add spoonful (or however much you want) of marinara to each slice, then add a square of sliced cheese to the top. bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese starts to brown on top. i ate my pizzas with my hands, although my civilized husband opted for a fork. enjoy! (and leftovers nuked in the microwave were great, although may have been even better had i used the toaster oven or oven)

i almost forgot that i made the BEST london broil ever a few weeks ago... i'll post that recipe soon if i can track it down :) also, i'll be posting may and june WOD's (i know, super exciting)

see no evil, hear no evil...

i've been thinking a lot about the oil spill lately. while i'm sure this is a relatively common sentiment at the moment, for me it isn't. you see, most of the time i am completely successful (albeit not necessarily intentional) in completely tuning out anything unpleasant (to put it mildly) in the world. only when something reaches magnitudes that simply cannot be tuned out do i become aware, invested, or involved. this is a personal issue that i've been aware of for a while, but i've managed to make excuses for myself and simply shove the issue on the back burner.

excuse one: i'm too busy to watch the news. i almost laughed out loud while typing that. donny and i watch hours of tv shows per week, yet those hours hardly ever encompass anything informational. granted the news has it's flaws and, particularly at the local level, and tends to be guilty of the same ignorance that i myself am guilty of, at least in regards to many issues, but it would at least be a small step in the right direction towards social responsibility. whether it be reading daily articles online, watching the world news, or listening to npr, i vow to become better informed.

excuse two: i can't handle tragedy. while true, this is not a valid excuse. i have tended to justify my non-involvement by pointing towards my often times heightened, over-reactions. i cry when i see dead animals on the side of the road. i become physically nauseous during movies and tv shows that feature human evils. hell, i can't even stomach to hear about the mice that have been caught in the traps at my sister and brother-in-law's house. BUT... just because i am easily affected, i should not have a free pass to blissful ignorance. so what if i read, see, hear, or think about things daily that upset me? there are certainly hardships and tragedies out there that deserve my thoughts, sympathies, and tears, at the very least. and only when we are affected do we take action which is my ultimate responsibility. which leads to the next excuse...

excuse three: i donate money to charities that deal with the injustices that i ignore. by giving nearly ten percent of my income to causes that i feel connected to, i give myself a free pass to give nearly zero percent of my time or energy. yes, by giving anything at all financially for building wells in developing nations, supporting less fortunate children, rescuing stray animals,  researching a cure for AIDS, etc., i may be doing more than many americans out there. but that doesn't mean i'm doing enough. giving money is without question taking the easiest route. although i am confident that what i give is making a bit of a difference, i also am confident that i could make more of a difference by giving some of my time and increasing my own awareness, and then in turn hopefully the awareness of others.

but i may be getting ahead of myself here. my goal is not to change the world, but to be better aware of and informed about what in the world needs changing. the one must necessarily precede the other. it has always been a goal of mine to be a responsible citizen of this world, and now i'd like to stop making excuses for not being one. if you are at all like me and my family, maybe you'd like to challenge yourself to do the same.

with that said, don't expect my blog to suddenly become filled with current events or world tragedies. in all likelihood, my next entry will feature current events in the life of the wilsons. but i will try to update on my personal challenge at some point, hoping that doing so will keep me accountable.

good things: june edition

- the return of movie mondays with donny (starting next week)

- hearing kate say "megan" and "donny"

- my future nephew!

- naked fish sushi (i hope!)

- more than 6 months of wedded awesomeness

- frozen yogurt on hot days

- outer banks with the fam

- my new keurig single cup coffee maker

- my dermatologist

- bacon wrapped, oyster stuffed shrimp from the flying dutchman

- ron pope's tunes

- skinny margaritas by the pool

- the WORLD CUP. duh.

- reunion weekend with b and ash in july

- SYTYCD

- a house?

now i just need to find a job, and more urgently, some books to read on the beach! la la la la la la life is wonderful...

april WOD's

4.6.2010

3-3-3-3-3 back squat

98 lbs

3-3-3 hang power snatch

48 lbs

3 rounds:

10 one arm snatch + OHS + press (10 lbs)

driveway sprint

4:38

4.7.2010

1-1-1-1-1-1 power clean

72 lbs

3-3-3 snatch pull

62 lbs

400m row

50 kb swings (25 lbs)

30 knees-to-elbows

7:21

4.8.2010

snatch balance max

57 lbs

4 rounds:

3 hand stand push ups (from box)

20 double unders

30 sit-ups

8:08

4.12.2010

front squat max

107 lbs

30 wall ball (8 lb)

10 push-ups

100m sprint

20 wall ball

20 push-ups

100m sprint

10 wall ball

30 push-ups

100m sprint

8:37

4.13.2010

1-1-1-1-1-1-1 clean and jerk

67 lbs

1 minute of each:

row (16 cals)

GHD (27)

burpees (19)

hammer swings (32)

ring dips (21)

4.14.2010

max back squat

123 lbs

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

pull-ups (1st two rounds w/out band, rest w/ band or BR)

one arm snatch (15 lbs)

8:27

4.15.2010

1-1-1-1-1-1 power snatch

57 lbs

team WOD

3 rounds:

300m run

max box jumps (107 total)

10 floor wiper per side)

11:32-692= 503

4.19.2010

3-3-3 power clean

57 lbs (workout weight)

"the chief"

AMRAP in 3 minutes, 5 rounds:

3 power cleans

6 push-ups

9 squats

5/5/5/5/5

4.21.2010

3-3-3 dead lift

77lbs

in one minute:

1 dead lift, 1 burpee

2 dead lifts, 2 burpees

etc. until fail to complete within minute

10 dead lifts, 9 burpees

4.22.2010

max thruster

77 lbs

3 rounds:

15 thrusters (47 lbs)

barbell carry

30 double unders

12:00

4.23.2010

3-3-3 power snatch

5 rounds:

5 power snatch (42 lbs)

10 pull-ups (BR)

20 sit-ups

7:50

4.26.2010

max over head squat

67 lbs

"nancy"

5 rounds:

15 OHS (33 lbs)

400m run

14:37

4.27.2010

max body row x 2

15/15

750m row

3 rounds:

10 kb swings (35 lbs)

10 burpees

8:14

4.28.2010

5-5-5-5-5 front squat

92 lbs

6 x 100m sprint

-/19/16/17/17/18

march WOD's

3.1.2010

3-2-1-1-1 snatch

"annie"

50-40-30-20-10

double unders

sit-ups

10:48

3.2.2010

clean and jerk

82 lbs

3 rounds:

400m run

21 kettlebell swings (25 lbs)

8 pull-ups

7:51

3.3.2010

100 wall balls (6 lbs) 

+ 5 burpees at each min

7:31

3.8.2010

3-3-3 thrusters (42 lbs)

"fran"

21-15-9

thrusters (42 lbs)

pull-ups (1st rd no band)

9:43

3.10.2010

5x max ring dips (small band)

20/15/15/15/15

tabata sprints

tabata sit-ups (14)

3.11.2010

1-1-1-1 snatch

"the doctor"

5 rounds:

3 snatch (42 lbs)

10 burpees

5:55

3.22.2010

4 rounds:

10 overhead squats (42 lbs)

10 push-ups

6:20

1 minute max box jumps= 35

3.29.2010

5-5-5 clean dead lift

97 lbs

5-5-5-5-5 back squat

82 lbs

tabata row

809m

3.30.2010

1-1-1-1-1 power clean + clean + jerk

62 lbs

4 rounds:

6 pull-ups

20 box jumps

5:49

3.31.2010

3-3-3-3 over head squat w/ 3 sec hold @ bottom

42 lbs

3 rounds:

50 double unders

25 back extensions

10 turkish git-ups

11:05