Machaca

Machaca is a way of preparing slow cooked shredded beef. It is popular in Mexican and Tex-Mex foods. It was originally a way to prepare beef for preservation and travel, similar to jerky. Today, there are many ways to prepare Machaca. Here is the way that I make it - simple and it turns out good! Use the Machaca for breakfast in the following recipe, or with tacos, on a salad - get creative.

15 minutes prep time
2 1/2 hours cooking time

· Leftover beef, 1 to 2 lbs
· 1 Tbsp olive oil
· 2/3 C chopped yellow onion
· 2/3 C chopped green bell pepper
· 1 chopped jalapeno pepper
· 2 chopped cloves garlic
· 1/2 C chopped tomato
· 1/2 C beef broth or water
· 1 Tbsp oregano
· 1 Tbsp cumin
· 1/4 tsp chili powder
· Hot sauce of your choice

Using a large pot, saute the onion, peppers, and garlic in the olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover the pot, and simmer for around two hours.

Allow the meat to cool, then remove the meat and shred. It should be soft and pull apart easily at this point. Return the meat to the pot, then continue to simmer, uncovered. Let the mixture get thick, even almost dry.

Use the Machaca in a dish of your choice, or store in the refrigerator for later use.

Zone info for total recipe: 2 blocks carb, 16-32 blocks protein (depending on quantity of beef used)

1 oz. beef - 1 protein block, 2/3 cup onion - 1 carb block, 2/3 cup peppers - 1/2 carb block, 1/2 cup tomato - 1/2 carb block.



Machaca Scramble

Now that you've got some Machaca, what to do with it? Here is a quick and easy breakfast idea. Don't want to take the time to prepare Machaca? Any leftover meat will work well!

I first got this idea at the recent CrossFit Training Seminar in San Diego. A few of us went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant that was a several blocks from CrossFit San Diego. The food was excellent, and they had a great Machaca scramble. It was so good that I got a second plate to go, which I downed in the airport a bit later.

This recipe is versatile, use ingredients that you have on hand.

Time: 5 to 8 minutes

· 1 Tbsp olive oil
· 1/3 C chopped white onion
· 1/2 jalapeno or serano pepper, chopped
· 1/2 C chopped tomato
· 2 oz Machaca or leftover meat
· Cumin powder, to taste
· 3 eggs

Saute the onion and peppers for a few minutes in the oil. Add the tomatoes, cook until they soften and begin to loose their water. Add the Machaca and cumin.

Break the eggs into a bowl, whisk, then add to the scramble. Enjoy! I like to serve this with either guacamole or salsa.

Zone info: 1 serving at 5 protein, 1 carb, 18 fat



Grilled Flank Steak with Pineapple Salsa

Aah, summertime. Time to fire up the grill! Here is a quick and easy dinner.

Time: 20 minutes

· 1 lb flank steak, preferably grassfed
· 2 tsp olive oil
· 1 tsp chipotle powder
· 4 slices of pineapple or pineapple rings
· 1 1/4 C chopped red bell peppers
· 1/2 C chopped red onion
· 1/4 C chopped cilantro
· 2 Tbsp lime juice

Get the grill ready! Meanwhile, mix oil and chipotle powder in a dish. Apply to both sides of the steak, then grill for around 5 minutes on one side. Flip and continue to grill for around 3 minutes more. (remember that grassfed beef will cook faster than conventional beef. If you use conventional beef, you may need to grill it for a few minutes longer) Remove to a plate and cover for 10 minutes. The steak will continue to cook.

Meanwhile, grill the pineapple rings for 2-3 minutes per side. Dice the pineapple, place in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients.

Slice the steak thinly, serve with the salsa.

Zone info: 4 servings at 4 protein, 1.5 carb, 9 fat






Mexican Coleslaw

Time: 4 minutes

· 2 1/4 C shredded green cabbage
· 1-2 Tbsp minced anaheim peppers
· Pinch of salt, optional
· 1 Tbsp lime juice

Combine cabbage, pepper, and salt in a bowl. Drizzle with lime juice.

Zone info: 2 servings at 1/2 block carbohydrate each



Chocolate Nut Butter Ice Cream

Robb gave us Paleo Ice cream in the June '05 Performance Menu. Here, I tweaked the recipe to create a favorite flavor. Experiment and come up with your favorite flavor.

Time: 5 minutes

· 1/2 C coconut milk
· 1 tsp either cocoa or carob powder (unsweetened)
· 1 Tbsp cashew butter
· 1 Tbsp crushed walnuts
· Few drops of pure vanilla extract (optional)

Prepare the ice cream about an hour before you want to eat it. Pour the coconut milk into a coffee cup or small dish. Add the other ingredients, mix well. Place into the freezer for one hour. I find that to get a good, ice cream-like consistency, the mixture needs to be stirred periodically to break up the portions that will get frozen hard. Enjoy!

Zone info: 1 serving at 11.5 blocks fat (16 grams)



Herb and Garlic Brussel Sprouts
Nikki Young

· 12 brussel sprouts
· 1 small onion, finely sliced
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 1½ Tbsp olive oil
· ¼ tsp thyme
· ¼ tsp oregano
· Salt and pepper

Boil brussel sprouts and onion in water for around 15-20min, or until tender. Heat oil in a saucepan, add garlic and sauté until browned. Add oregano, salt and pepper before adding the brussel sprouts and onion. Cook for 3-4min stirring occasionally.

Zone info: 2 servings at 2 carb, 7 fat



Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
Nikki Young

· 1 large onion, diced
· 1 tsp olive oil
· Dash of; ground cumin, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and chilli powder
· 6 C pumpkin, diced
· 4 C sweet potato, diced
· 400 ml light coconut milk
· 1 C water

In a large pan, fry onion in olive oil until cooked and slightly browned, add spices and heat through quickly before adding pumpkin and sweet potato.

Add the coconut milk and water and leave to cook for 30-40min or until pumpkin and sweet potato has cooked through. Using a hand blender or food processor, blend up soup to form a thick and creamy texture.

Zone info: 5 servings at 4.5 carb, 5.5 fat



Cauliflower Soup
Nikki Young

· 4 Tbsp oil
· 4 Tbsp arrow root
· 10 C vegetable stock
· 1 whole white cabbage
· Handful parsley, freshly chopped

In a large pan, make a roué by firstly heating the oil, continue by adding the arrow root mixed with a bit of water, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps while continuing to add all the vegetable stock.

Place cabbage florets and stalk into the pan and leave to cook for 20-30min or until cooked. Mash the cauliflower up into smaller pieces and add parsley, cook for a further 5 min then serve.

Zone info: 5 servings at 2.5 carb, 7 fat



Stir-Fried Chili Beef with Cashews
Nikki Young

· 1lb lean beef, sliced thinly
· ½ Tbsp oil
· 2 tsp red curry paste
· 2 tsp fish sauce
· 2 Tbsp lime juice
· 1 tsp honey
· ½ C water
· 1 C green capsicum, diced
· 1 tsp arrow root
· 24 cashews

Heat oil in a pan and fry beef until it changes color. Add the red curry paste and fry for a few minutes longer. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, honey, water and capsicum and simmer for 10min. Thicken the sauce with arrowroot mixed with a little bit of cold water and turn off the heat before adding in the cashews.

Zone info: 4 servings at 4 carb, 4 protein, 9 fat