Not Pharaoh – Farro?

Farro is ancient, minimally processed, and nutritious grain that is believed to have fed the Roman legions as they marched across Europe and the Middle East. As many ultra events often become a march of some sort, Farro sounded like a food source worth investigating.

What did I uncover?

Get Your Protein Here

Farro contains a significant 7 grams of protein per serving (1/4 cup dry). This is greater than either Quinoa or Brown Rice.

Low Gluten

Although not gluten-free, Farro has significantly less gluten than wheat. For those that have sensitivities to gluten or concerns with it, this may be noteworthy.

Moderately Short Cook Time

The pearled Farro I own cooks up in 15 minutes. Just enough time to get in some Trigger Point / Foam Roller and mobility work.

Taste

Many often explain the taste as “nutty”. I feel nutty in saying nutty but apparently not typing nutty so…I can only describe it as having a very mild flavor as one would typically expect from a grain.

The cooked Farro size is greater than brown rice or Quinoa, so you do enjoy a chewier experience. Farro may just burn the most calories in the grain category as you enjoy it. Bonus!

Cooked Farro grains along with Abe

Cooked Farro with fruit.

Very Flexible

I have found Farro very tasty both warm, cold, plain, or with a team of supporting food mates.

A few ways I have Farro’d it up:

• Plain bowl to supplement my meal (may toss in a little Feta cheese)
• Breakfast with some fruit
• Warm within a Farro and Roasted Butternut Squash recipe (recipe on back of bag)
• Add it to a big tasty salad. Very nice addition especially if you want some extra protein/carbs.
• Add to a thin soup to hearty it up.
• Add to some vegetarian enchiladas to up the protein.

The Biggest Challenge – Where to find it?

Unfortunately, it is not that common of a grain in the U.S. We purchased our organic 48 oz bag at Costco for $7-$8. I have seen it at Whole Foods (smaller bag) although the price is nowhere close to Costco.

The 3 pounder from Costco

The best prices I could find online was at Shop Organic.

More Recipes

For more tasty Farro food ideas, you can check out the Farro Recipe Section on Earthly Choice. You will find a couple recipes for Side Dishes, Salads, Soups, Breakfast, and Dinner categories.

My family is a big fan of this hearty grain. Farro also provides another option for those looking for vegetarian sources of protein. March on!

For those that eat Farro, what do you think of it? Any recipies?

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

(photos: Courtesy of d4vidbruce)

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Unlike the last drawing, Griffin wasn’t interested in being the star of this involved production. So after reading a couple Bob the Builder stories, a little snowman book, and some cuddle time, little man was asleep. I had to accept that the show must go on.

Thanks to all those that shared what you enjoy about trail/ultra running. It is a special outdoor activity indeed.

So who won the Clif packs? Grab your life jacket and sunscreen because we are going fishin’.

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

Congratulations to both winners and thanks again to all of you for being part of the Endurance Buzz community.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

Related Articles:

• Seasonal Clif Bars and Clif Shot Makeover – Plus One Groovy Giveaway!
• Clif Bar Goodies Winners and a Brief Explanation of That Darn Training Tool
• My New Training Tool and Clif Bar Goodies Giveaway
• Clif Bar Giveaway Drawing
• Clif Bar – More Than Just An Endurance Sports Energy Bar Company

New Headquarters

Here is a video touring the new building and highlighting some of its sustainability features.

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

Kind of cool!

Seasonal Clif Bar Flavors

For a short period of time, Clif creates a seasonal triad of unique and tasty endurance bar flavors to fuel your active body that include Cranberry Orange Nut Bread, Iced Gingerbread, and Spiced Pumpkin Pie.

They all zing with flavors you will likely not notice any other time of the year and 70% of the ingredients are organic.

Clif Shot Revampage

Clif Shot went back to the kitchen and reworked their gel fueling product.

What changed?

• New flavors – Mocha, Razz, Vanilla, Chocolate Cherry, Double Expresso, Strawberry, Citrus, and Chocolate
• Thinner Consistency
• More electrolytes – Sodium between 60 and 90 mg, Potassium between 50 and 85 mg.
• 3 levels of Caffeine – 25 mg (1/2 shot), 50 mg (1 shot), and 100 mg (2 shot)

I have tried every flavor but Vanilla and most had a moderately strong flavor. All gels are made from 85-90% organic ingredients. I did find it interesting that Green Tea Extract is the caffeine source for the gels that included some extra kick.

Flavor musings

• Mocha (1 shot) – Smooth peanut buttery-like chocolate taste. Yeah baby! Mild flavor. My Favorite.
• Razz – Strong raspberry flavor.
• Chocolate – Seemed a bit thicker consistency than some of the others.
• Strawberry (1/2 shot) – Mild flavor.
• Citrus (1/2 shot) – Key Lime pie in a gel. Strong flavor.
• Chocolate Cherry (2 shot) – Rich flavor.
• Double Expresso (2 shot) – Nothing shy about this one. For those that like their coffee with extra black.

One thing I wish Clif would do with their gels is provide a bulk purchase option such as a recyclable jug that could be used with a reusable flask. This would seem like a more environmentally friendly option than to toss all of the empty gel packets into the garbage.

You can pick up Clif Shots at your local running store or stock up with a box of Clif Shots from Running Warehouse and receive an Endurance Buzz discount (10%) at checkout.

Giveaway Time!

I received a nice sample package of the bars and gels from Clif and I just have to share some with you.

I have two packages to give away from the hive at Endurance Buzz:

• 3-pack of the seasonal Clif Bars (one of each)
• 7 Clif Shot gels (one of each flavor except Vanilla)

How to enter?

Simply add a comment in this blog post sharing what you most enjoy about trail and/or ultra running.

The drawing will close at the end of Sunday, December 12. The two unique drawing winners will be announced Monday and I will e-mail the winners.

Good luck!

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

Related Articles:

• Gone Fishin’ – Clif Bar Giveaway Winners
• Clif Bar Goodies Winners and a Brief Explanation of That Darn Training Tool
• My New Training Tool and Clif Bar Goodies Giveaway
• Clif Bar Giveaway Drawing
• Clif Bar – More Than Just An Endurance Sports Energy Bar Company

Runners expect a lot from our bodies, shouldn’t we expect a lot from our snacks as well? I think so. Instead of just empty calories, I like to choose snack with some nutritional punch.

Here are my top three snack that I have recently been enjoying when the Lion roars.

1. Hummus and Rice Crackers

Hummus is predominately ground up chickpeas (Garbonzos) and sesame seeds (Tahini) mixed with a bit of oil (This Pita Pal uses Olive Oil) and some seasonings. Besides being subtly tasty, it provides a nice protein punch at 3 grams per 2 Tablespoons. Hummus is also available in a variety of “flavors” which will provide more zing for the taste buds.

Rice crackers contain basic ingredients. The round, subtle tasting, crunchy crackers are also low-fat, gluten-free (the pictured brand), and a great partner for the Hummus.

We purchase both the Hummus and crackers at Costco because of the solid pricing. Our favorite flavor is the roasted red pepper and garlic. You could fairly easily make your own Hummus as well (we haven’t done it yet). If you want to explore that route, you can check out a variety of simple Hummus recipes at Allrecipes.com.

Health Benefits Insight:

• chickpeas – good source fiber, blood sugar stabilizer, source of iron, Manganese for energy production and antioxidant support, Protein source
• Olive oil – Protection against chronic degenerative disease, supports heart health, Anti-inflammatory
• Tahini (ground sesame seeds) – Arthritis relief, Vascular and Respiratory health, Bone health, cholesterol support

2. Nuts and Raisins

A small handful of almonds (or mixed nuts) with some raisins simply satisfies a whole collection of cravings from fat (the nut), a little bit of salt, and sweet (the raisins).

You can take this little mix to the next level by adding a few dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

This also makes a nice snack at work. Bring with a little container/baggie with the mix. When you hear the roar, instead of walking to the snack machine (which contains very few healthier items), enjoy a bit of the healthy ultra mix.

Health Benefits Insight:

• Almonds – Lower LDL, Diabetes and Cardiovascular protection, Good source of magnesium and copper (important for energy production), Protein rich
• Sunflower Seeds – Anti-Inflammatory, calms muscles, improves detoxification
• Pumpkin Seeds – Prostate health, Anti-inflammatory, Nice range of minerals
• Raisins – Antioxidant protection, Boron (bone health)
• Cranberries – Antioxidant, Cancer protection support

3. Fresh Fruit Plus Nuts/Seeds

Pretty tough to beat fairly fresh fruit. To provide some yang with that yin, I like to include a few nuts or seeds. The added healthier fat from the nuts/seeds help sustain that full/happy feeling versus simply eating the carbohydrate-rich fruit.

Our family favorite fruit this summer was watermelon. We probably ate close to 10 of them. We would cut it into cubes and place in the fridge. After a run in the heat or an hour playing at the park, one bite would have you saying ahhhh. Plus Griffin loved showing me the watermelon juice dripping from his chin.

Health Benefits Insight (couple examples):

• Apples – Heart health, Lung support
• Watermelon – Antioxidants, Energy production, Eye support
• Almonds – Lower LDL, Diabetes and Cardiovascular protection, Good source of magnesium and copper (important for energy production), Protein rich

Note on Apples: Apples are #4 on the list of fruits/veg with the highest pesticide contamination. If possible buy organic or from a source you can verify their growing methods. During the Fall/Winter months you can usually get organic apples at Costco at very competitive prices (a little over $1 a pound).

I would love to hear what healthier snacks you eat when the Lion roars. Please share in the comment link below.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

(Photos: Courtesy of Abhijit Tembhekar, Greencolander, and Tambako the Jaguar)

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The actual product isn’t changing, simply the name.

Check out the complete article at treehugger.

Why eliminate or reduce the consumption of HFCS (oops) Corn Sugar? This article provides some great high-level information and further digging if you so desire.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Our family really digs this simple Risotto recipe we found in a Whole Foods flier. We eat it as the main dish but it could easily be used as a side dish or supplemented with additional protein if desired.

Risotto? What the heck is that?

I originally thought Risotto was the type of rice used in the dish but it is actually the name given for a traditional creamy Italian rice dish cooked with broth and flavored with Parmesan cheese and other ingredients.

And if you look for Risotto rice, you won’t find any. I confirmed that.

Enough of my culinary ignorance, let’s check out the ingredients list.

What you Need

• 10 asparagus spears trimmed (fresh or frozen), cut into 3/4-inch pieces, cooked, and rinsed in cold water
• 32 ounces organic chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 teaspoons organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided into 1/3 cup and remainder
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives (optional)

Note – The above is the original recipe. We didn’t include the onion or chopped chives due to a family member’s allergic reaction to them.

The core ingredients: Rice, Broth, Asparagus, and Parmesan

What to Do With It

1. While preparing asparagus, heat broth to a simmer in a small covered pot (broth staging pot).
2. Heat oil in another pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add rice to the oil/onion pot and cook 2 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add 1/2 cup simmering broth while stirring constantly, shaking pan forward and back as you do, until absorbed, about 1 minute.
5. Add 1/2 cup more broth and repeat the process. Continue repeating until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy and loose, about 20 minutes more. (If extra broth remains, save for another use.)
6. Remove pot from heat and stir in 1/3 cup cheese, cooked asparagus, and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Transfer risotto to bowls and garnish with remaining cheese and chives. Serve immediately.

Serves: two

In-Action Shot!

Cooking Notes

• Extra cooking love required – Preparing the rice does require fairly constant attention to create that nice creamy texture. It will be worth it!

Time to Eat!

I also like to include a Tablespoon of Olive Oil in my bowl (mix it up) for some healthy fats.

You may wonder…so how much protein is in this tasty dish? ~16 grams in the rice and 16 grams in the Parmesan = 32 grams total (16 grams per serving).

Now grab a fork, sit back, and enjoy.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Most veggie burgers I had found for purchase are primarily soy based. Me no likey.

Well a veggie burger actually exists that tastes good, yes good, and isn’t primarily made from soy!

Where did I find this tasty, vegan, veggie pattie?

Crazy enough – Costco. While strolling through the isles I noticed a big old box of Gardenburger California Burger veggie patties.

Hmm, let’s take a look at the ingredients.

Primarily brown rice based! Sweet! There is still some soy but low on the list. Sodium level is higher than I would like but still had to give these a try. The only danger of trying something new like this from Costco is you have a whole pile of them left if they taste like poo. I decided to live on the culinary edge.

The next day, I cooked one up for lunch. After 20 minutes of cook time, I cut the veggie pattie in half and could see all the brown rice grains which I thought was kind of cool (doesn’t take much to entertain me. . The first bite tasted like real food. There was texture, there was taste. As far as veggie patties go – these rocked!

If you are interested in a veggie pattie that has a rock-star taste, I would definitely give the Gardenburger California Burgers a try. Costco had the best price by-far versus other grocery stores.

Anyone else tried these veggie burgers, know of others you like, or have a killer recipe?

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Pesticides are often used on fruits and vegetables during the growing process, yet fruits and vegetables are critical for overall health. See the potential conflict?

Fortunately you can eat your important fruits and vegetables and limit your pesticide exposure with a bit of awareness provided by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

EWG has gone through collected results from 89,000 pesticide tests created by the USDA and FDA. From this data, EWG has created an updated pesticide exposure best-to-worst list for the 50 most popular fruits and vegetables. (Ranking Methodology)

EWG created a nice cheat sheet highlighting the Dirty Dozen (12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables) and the Clean 15 (15 least contaminated fruits and vegetables).

Here is the 2010 cheat sheet.

What is the pesticide exposure difference between the two lists?

EWG explains, “…people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the Dirty Dozen™ list consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat from the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily.”

Seems like a pretty significant difference. If possible, limiting consumption from the Dirty Dozen (unless organic or a known source) seems like a choice definitely worth considering.

You can check out my article on the 2009 EWG list which also contains a few different ways to bring organic produce in your home without the entire organic price tag. – Five Ways to Reduce Your Fruits and Vegetables Pesticide Exposure I have also found great pricing on a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables at Costco but results will vary depending on the store.

If you are not able to buy or grow your own produce without pesticides, should you stop eating them?

EWG states, “No, eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.”

Snickers bar or a conventional apple? Conventional apple still wins.

If pesticide exposure is a concern to you, you now have a great source to assist with purchasing decisions.

To see the entire EWG list and additional insight, check out the entire EWG Shopper’s Guide.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Let’s check them out.

Subtle Sweetness – Dried Fig

This bite-sized piece of fruit is one of the first plants cultivated by humans and was an endurance sports fuel source for early Ironman athletes. Nutritionally you will find included; Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Fiber, and natural sugars.

The taste is mild with a subtle sweetness that does not overpower. As with most dried fruit, the texture is chewy with an added crunch-crunch, as tiny edible seeds exist inside.

I recently found a nice big bag of Organic dried figs at Costco.

BAM! Sweetness – Dried Medjool Date

The dried Medjool date has been referred to as the “candy that grows on trees.” Once in your mouth, its sweet presence will be announced and is sure to satisfy most cravings. Nutritionally you will find included; Potassium, Magnesium, and fruit sugars.

This dried fruit has a smooth texture when eaten and will contain a single, long seed that must be discarded or else you may pay for it later.

The Medjool date has a much greater sweetness level as compared with the fig.

When only Chocolate will do

If chocolate is the only thing calling your name, consider a healthier chocolate. This could mean organic or a chocolate that leaves out the partially-hydrogenated oils, uses Vanilla (not Vanillin – artificial), and contains a short ingredient list of words you can pronounce.

Costco has a great assortment pack of French, Swiss, and Belgian chocolate squares that contain anywhere from 32-70% Cocoa.

These bite-sized squares are extremely tasty. The challenge is not to eat more than one or two.

Are there any uncommon healthier sweet treats stashed in your fridge or pantry?

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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All this in a meal not often associated with the above descriptive words and phrases – Lasagna

We have been making this tasty little Lasagna dish for more years than I can remember and it still remains a family favorite and great for leftovers or company.

What’s in it?

We are fans of using the cleanest ingredients possible or within reason. This may include organic, local (from a trusted source), or from your backyard. (Five Ways to Reduce Your Fruit and Vegetable Pesticide Exposure)

• 1 lb. ground turkey breast
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 – 26oz. jars low fat marinara/pasta sauce
• 1 – 16 oz. carton cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (1-oz.) pre-shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1 T dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 – 10 oz. package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 cooked lasagna noodles
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

Now what?

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Add turkey and garlic to skillet and cook until meat is browned.
3. Add 5 3/4 cups marinara sauce, cook 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
4. Combine cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper, and spinach. Stir well.
5. Spread remaining marinara sauce in bottom of 9×13 inch baking dish.
6. Arrange four noodles over marinara, top with cottage cheese mixture, and half the mozzarella.
7. Spoon half of the turkey mixture over the mozzarella.
8. Arrange remaining noodles over turkey mixture.
9. Top with remaining turkey mixture and mozzarella.
10. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes, or until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly.
11. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves: 9

Bam – Enjoy!

We will also include some cooked vegetables, occasionally garlic bread, or of some sort or a fresh, crisp salad. Some friends brought over an amazing Greek salad. Wow, a great combination.

For those that have gluten sensitives, you can use rice noodles. Tinkyada is a brand we have used when making for friends that have gluten issues. Of course, you have to make sure your other ingredients are clean as well.

mmmm..this is making me hungry.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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