Green Spring: Chicken Tomatillo Stew

THE GOODS:

TOMATILLO|goodness.
10-12 medium sized tomatillos (husk removed, washed and quartered)
1-2 cloves of garlic (depending on how many vampires you want to keep away)
1/2 C Basil or 1 small container you get at the grocer (crazy delicious)
1 Serrano or other hott pepper (if you like spice like moi)
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 lime squeezed
1 T fresh ginger, leave whole (the secret weapon)

THE HOW:

1. throw all ingredients in the magical food processor and mix until smooth salsa like consistency
*now, the best thing to do with this is to eat a bit and let the rest sit overnight as the flavor really comes out. If you cannot wait, no worries, just read on.

THE REST:

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (leave out if you are a veg head)
3-5 C homemade stock or store bought is ok too (add or subtract based on your consistency )
6 assorted small new potatoes, quartered (I love the combo bag you can get that has purple, red and white)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
   garnish:
    green shredded cabbage
    limes
    avocado
    chopped basil
    Grilled Polenta (if you eat corn)

THE HOW:

1. heat a pot on high
2. with a glug of EVOO, add onion and cook until translucent
3. add potatoes and saute until browned
4. add tomatillo goodness from above
5. add stock
6. add shredded chicken
7. Turn to medium and cook until potatoes are done and soup is hot
8. scoop into bowls and garnish with toppings.

We ate withe a simple green salad and a glass of red zin.

MMM... who knew eating green could taste so good!

Breaking Down the Borders.

I love the desert.

I love the vastness.

The sharp landscape.

The dry air.

The heat. 

I have been here in Tucson guiding two bike tours unlike any I have done before. We ride through the Saguaros, the symbols of the American West. We ride horses through the desert where Pancho Villa once roamed. The roads are curvaceous and the desert enigmatic.  As we skirt the Mexican border, the most frequent cars passing are fleets of green and white border patrol vehicles looking for immigrants crossing the border illegally.

The irony of riding wild and free on this tour is that hidden among the mesquite that line the roads are Mexicans trapped between the border and a potential new start. The miles tick by and I start to think of how lucky I am to be on my bike without care or hastle and how terrible I feel for those who may never get where they truly want to be. For the sake of this blog, the body is what I am referring to.

We are free to do what we choose to our bodies. There is no body border patrol protecting our 'temple' from invasion of unlawful substances (ie toxins from our food). It is up to us to survey our body, assessing its needs and wants and kicking out the invaders that are sometimes overlooked.

I have realized over the past year that when my cycling clients ask me why I eat the way I do and I explain, they become more curious. Instead of talking the talk, this season we walk the walk. This desert tour has inspired me to experiment with Lizard Head riders by feeding them well-planned, balanced meals that will keep them strong and energized. Since this is most folks first time out for the year, the nutrition aspect is even more important.

From salads made to order with a dozen ingredients to choose from, to avocados stuffed with shrimp, pineapple, cashews & cilantro, to gourmet panini sandwiches. (ahhh what? panini with bread???.) Not everyone that comes on tour is convinced what I know & practice is right. Baby steps. I foresee a tour offered that incorporates not only a training plan on the bike, but a strategic menu that will ultimately give cyclists wishing to take their fitness to the level they have always wanted. Young or old, it would be a true training transformation tour.

Being able to ride this early in the season has stoked the fire within me to take my own fitness to where I know it can be and to share the journey will others. I will post light bulb moments from the road that will benefit anyone trying to push his/her fitness 'over the border'.

AND I HAVE A NEW STEED! Meet Van D.