Wine Country CrossFit

SPRING ON!  I can’t think of anything that signals that we are truly in Spring than these two.

Asparagus is such a great vegetable and it is so important to eat it NOW.  Loaded with Vitamin K, low on the Glycemic Index scale–“It’s not surprising to see asparagus being heralded as an anti-inflammatory food because it provides a truly unique combination of anti-inflammatory nutrients…Alongside of these anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, asparagus provides a wide variety of antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E, and the minerals zinc, manganese, and selenium. In addition to the antioxidant nutrients above, this much-loved vegetable may also contain a valuable amount of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH). GSH is one of the body’s best-studied antioxidants; it consists of three amino acids — glutamic acid, glycine, and cysteine — combined into one molecule.”¹-be sure to check out the link, there’s tons of great info about this special vegetable that has been around for thousands of years.

My favorite preparation of this vegetable is to trim the woody ends off the bottom of the asparagus. I then get my cast iron skillet out and start to get that heated.  Dump in some olive oil–get it hot but not smoking–and saute them with TONS of sea salt (Maldon is my new darling, but Himalayan is awesome too).  I let them get really crispy by constantly tending them.

THEN for those artichokes!  Oh my goodness.  Such a California treat.  Did you know that 99.99% of all commercially grown artichokes are grown in California and no other commodity can claim such exclusivity to the state? Its history does not date as far back as the asparagus BUT It appears that the artichoke was first developed in Sicily, Italy.  Read more from GourmetSleuth.com:

“Artichokes supply 28 percent of the recommended daily value of fiber…(they also provide) 25 percent daily requirement of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, providing antioxidant action to protect cells from damage from free radicals (such as air pollution), which are formed as our bodies convert food into energy. Vitamin C also supplies collagen to help wounds heal quickly and protects the body from disease by helping it absorb iron…Extracts from edible parts of artichokes were found to have negative effects on breast cancer cells in clinical trials conducted in 2011. Cancer cell movement and invasion was shown to be “remarkably inhibited,” indicating the cancer-fighting capabilities of artichokes¹. Other tests showed that not only did artichokes show significant antioxidative potential, but also slowed liver cancer cell activity².” Read some other cool stuff here.

Here’s a great recipe from one of my favorite chefs…Cinder-baked artichokes with lemon, bay & prosciutto

If you haven’t already, you’ll see these two at the regular market but come next month, I recommend getting both vegetables at the farmer’s market when it opens!  They cost a lot less, you know it’s coming from the area you live in (as opposed to Argentina), and you help keep our local community connected.

Oh and we have to workout today too :).  Linear progression on the push press, moving through that metcon with grace and concentration!

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Friday’s WOD

Press
At 65% of 1RM complete 3×5
or 2.5# increase from previous week.

5 rounds for time:
5 Push Press (use your Press working weight.)
10 Box Jumps (24/20)
15 Toes to Bar
Cash Out: ME weighted planks
-30 second hold
-5 attempts