Monday, June 22, 2009

Guacaparagus


Avocados are awesome. I just really started to appreciate their fabulousness about three years ago, and now I love them. They are full of healthy fats, nutrients, and are an excellent way to feel satisfied without eating junk food. Some fun facts:

-The Aztec word for avocado was ahuacatl, which means "testicle tree"
-Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit.
-Rudolph Hass, a postman, patented the Hass avocado tree in 1935. The first Hass avocado tree is still alive and producing fruit
-Avocados contain more potassium than bananas

Now, the major drawback to this wrinkly green fruit is the fat and accompanying calorie content. If you normally eat a lowfat diet, its not a big deal, but we can all identify with wanting to trim calories here or there. This recipe is a great way to do that - it combines asparagus and avocado to create a delicious version of guacamole. Awesome with chips or crackers, this is also tasty as a sandwich spread. I found the original version in the Moosewood cookbook, and tweaked it a little for my purposes.

Guacaparagus

-1/2 lb asaparagus, with tough ends trimmed off and cut in 1" pieces
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-1-2 T lemon juice
-1/4 c. onion
-1/2-3/4 ripe avocado
-1/2 c. fire roasted tomatoes, drained (you can use regular, fresh or canned, if you prefer)
-Cayenne pepper + hot sauce

1. Steam the asparagus for 10 minutes, until very tender
2. Let the asparagus cool a bit, then pulse in a food processor with the lemon juice, onion, and garlic.
3. Add the avocado, tomatoes, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and some hot sauce to taste (I used about a teaspoon). Blend to desire consistency, and you're all done!


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Drinking and running....combined!

I've been lazy with blogging (specifically taking interesting pictures of things and writing about them), but I figured I'd throw out a few niblets for your enjoyment.

While somewhat disappointing in respect to my post-work and weekend activities, I found this NY Times article about the health benefits of alcohol interesting. Basically it questions all of the studies linking moderate drinking to health benefits. Jury's still out.

In a similar vein, here is a good Runner's World article about alcohol consumption and running.

Lastly, in order to get enough miles to bump me up to Elite status on Northwest I was thinking about doing the Las Vegas Rock n' Roll half marathon. That is, assuming I don't die running the Seattle one in a WEEK AND A HALF. Oh god, that's coming up really damn fast! Well, I did over a ten-miler this weekend, and one two weeks before that, so I should be good to go. But I'm still slightly terrified.