Enough is Enough...

i am well aware we have totally dropped the ball on this blog, but it's all beth's fault! ok... not really, but we have both been really busy and just updating our other blogs has taken what free time we have. that's going to change.

i am about to change my diet pretty drastically in an attempt to pack on some muscle and get bigger/strong/faster. the way i have been eating is just not working anymore. my staples will still be there and i'll keep it as primal as possible but I need more calories from both protein and carbs if I am going to make this happen. the bottom line is i am too skinny and have hit a pretty big plateau in my training... and it's not for lack of doing the work. i think it is largely do to my diet. yeah it's healthy, probably too healthy, and not enough calories. i want to go faster!

luckily i have an awesome FW who is going to help and my homeboy Denner has offered up tons of advice... that dude know's how to eat and go fast! So updates will be coming... a lot more often.

one sidenote. my homeboy Donald has started a food blog. check it out: Chew' Ur Food

just to hold you over... if anybody still reads/subscribes to this... here are some photos of recent meals to hold you over until i drop a real post. really nothing new and beth always gets on me for posting the same photos... but it's what we eat. the weather has been great and i have be grilling it up at least 4 nights a week... i love it!

grilled tri-tip, shrimp, veggies, and bread


stuffed beef burger (blue cheese & sun dried tomatoes) on a gilled portabello mushroom, sweet potato fries, and grilled mexican zucchini


scallops with mango salsa


kale!


bbq chicken tenders and more grilled veggies


grilled chicken sausage, buffalo burger, and mushrooms


plated with some grilled/steamed (in foil on the grill) brussel sprouts and broccoli


my favorite way to cook brussel sprouts and broccoli... on the grill. no clean up.

8oz Burger Bar

This will be the first resaurant review here on Vo2 Maxxed. It's something I have been meaning to do for quite some time just never have. So here it goes.

It's now secret that I am huge fan of Mexican food, and in particular, healthy burritos usually filled with grilled fish and veggies... and plenty of guac. A close second for me is a good burger. When I say a good burger I mean quality meat (it can be chicken or turkey too) and these I am always on the lookout for grass-fed/organic options.

This weekend I was up in Los Angeles hanging out with my sister and I was looking for new restaurant to try. She first suggest Tart, which looks good, but I wanted an epic burger. So I discovered 8oz Burger Bar and all it took was one look at the menu and I was in... and what sealed the deal it that they have Green Flash West Coast IPA on draft. I just posted on my beer blog a couple of weeks ago that this could be my new favorite beer. So I was stoked.

Green Flash West Coast IPA


The menu is simple. You basically just pick your burger and then can pick from a bunch of killer toppings. I ordered their signature "8oz" and my sister ordered the "Melrose".

Here's the description of the burgers from the site:

"The 8oz" signature burther, as well as the "Melrose", are made using only humanly raised, hormone-free Blank Angus sirloin, short rib, and chuck. Meat is ground in-house then aged in a Himalayan salt-tiled meat locker before being grilled on live oak.

I got mine with lettuce, pickle, 80z special sauce, and balsamic grilled red onions. I also got a side of their sweet potato chips and heirloom tomato ketchup.

My sister got her "Melrose" as is which comes with wild baby arugula, garlic roasted tomatoes, and red onion marmalade with a side of roasted baby broccoli.

The crazy cocktail my sister got.


Our food was awesome. It's definitely one the best burgers I have ever had... if the not the best. I can't wait to go back and try some more of their epic food and beers.

Lagging, good finds, and some dinner.

Ok... I have been lagging posting on VO2 Maxxed. Beth has been getting it done and we actually have two guest family posts waiting on deck. So since I have been blowing it and haven't posted in a while. Here's quick highlight of some of the meals and wines we've had recently and some killer products we found at Trader Joe's.

Find #1: Individually wrapped, single servings of Steelcut Oats. They are awesome and perfect for right after masters.


Find#2: Trader Joe's Spicy Spinach Pizzas


We hooked them up with a bunch toppings... like fire-roasted tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms, artichoke heats, more spinach, grilled chicken, and feta cheese.


Dinner#1: Grilled swordfish with corn salsa and avocado with a side of steamed veggies.



Dinner#2: Salmon burrito.


Dinner#3: Veggie Egg scramble


Dinner #4: Filet mignon... perfect medium-rare


We also stocked up on random wines at Trader Joe's. I am big fan of the "House Wine" and Block 50. Beth really liked the Les Moirets Cotes Du Rhone.


there... that's it... a post from me. Now maybe Beth will get off my back!

Chicken Curry and Steamed Veggies.

Here's a quick one for you. While Beth is in New Orleans partying it up at Mardis Gras (she's actually there for a Psychology conference... good timing!) I am at home recovering and cooking for myself.

When I was at Trader Joe's yesterday I picked some of the new Curry Chicken Breast Tenders. They are just raw chicken tenders marinating in some bright yellow curry sauce. I usually by the Pollo Asado and Carne Asade that comes packed the same way and they are both killer. The good thing about these packages is that there is a lot of meat... typically 5-6 servings. So I portion it out and freeze it. Enough of that.

So I got home late tonight and already had some of the Curry chicken waiting in the fridge so I busted out the the grill pan, chicken, veggies, and steamer bag.

If you haven't tried the new steamer bags that Glad and Ziploc are making I highly suggest them. They steam all kinds for vegetables to perfection in 4-6 minutes and I have even steamed up some chicken in them.

I heated the grill pan, sprayed it with some olive oil and got the chicken going.


Then I threw a ton veggies (Brussels sprouts, green beans, mushrooms, broccoli, sugar snap peas, carrots, and red onions) along with some salt, pepper, and curry powder.


I topped it all with a some lemon pepper and a little bit of soy sauce (reduced sodium of course). It only took be about 10 minutes to whip this together and it was good. The curry chicken tenders are winner!


Go Eat.