When it comes to triathlon, I always seem to have a new book or reading material to converge on. Whether it’s about coaching or training reference, new equipment, technical studies or biographies, the stack remains high. Magazines in the sport are abundant and keep me up to date on the latest trends, gadgets and results. I’ll list a few of my favorites and a couple of my “Go To” selections that seem to get pulled off the shelf more often.

Magazines ~

Triathlete & Inside Triathlon: Both bring the latest news and equipment offerings to the sport. Race tips as well as destination races one might consider.

Outside: It’s a view in to those other areas of life I like to explore. Whether it’s surfing in Bali, kayaking in Croatia or just reading about top athletes in the great outdoors. It provides a nice escape every month.

Reference Books ~

The Triathlete Training Bible by Joe Friel: Let’s face it, with a name like that, you better know your stuff, and if anyone does, it’s Joe Friel. I can always find a reference source in this book when looking for the whys and hows of training and racing.

Strength Training Anatomy by Frédéric Delavier: This book, and it’s counterpart for women, always seems to be at an arms length. It is the most comprehensive, well-illustrated and in-depth book on strength training I have ever found. Got something that’s hurts? Pinpoint what muscle it is with this book. Want to know how to do more specific strength training and which muscles are actually doing the work? It’s in here. When the Body Works exhibit came to Portland, I brought this book along to see how the printed page actually translated to the three-dimensional human body display. It’s the best!

Workouts In A Binder by various authors through Velo Press: These are reference books for Swimming, Biking and Running. Workouts are categorized or broken down based on goals and distances. They’re great for changing up your routines and keeping workouts interesting or at least different. The sweatproof pages are a great help too.

There are a lot more books than I have space for. If there’s a particular area of the sport you’re interested in, chances are there’ll be several books to choose from.

Train With Grain!!

What is my favorite piece of gear? Tough question! For anyone who has been involved in cycling long term, you know all too well that there is a lot of gear that comes with the territory. In fact, it can be overwhelming when it comes time to choose the best helmet, the most comfortable shoes, the lightest bike, the coolest sunglasses or even the right bike light.

Having been in the sport for as long as I have, various pieces of gear has found its way into every nook and cranny in my house. I’m in a fortunate position that I have multiple items to pick from when I am deciding what glasses to wear that day or what wheels to use, but there is some gear that stands out in my mind as my go to gear on a daily basis and for every road trip – Thule luggage. It’s my gear of choice I use to pack the rest of my gear of choice. As Thule says, it’s

“Designed to meet the specific needs of people who take their gear from point A to points B through Z and want to make sure it gets there in one piece and ready for action.”

Thule has kept the “gear head” in mind by designing every size and shape of luggage imaginable to give every person the flexibility in packing just what he or she needs. When packing I have multiple bags to choose from – a small 56 Liter rolling duffel to carry-on, an 87 Liter rolling duffel to check-in, a 70 Liter duffel, a 30 Liter backpack. Depending on how many days or weeks I will be on the road, I might choose just the small carry-on duffel or I might have to go with all of the above for the long 3 week haul.

Regardless of the length of the trip, the one bag that stays with me at all times is my 30 Liter backpack. It fits all the small bits and pieces that I need in the front pocket, my MacBook, power cords and books in the main, spacious compartment and my glasses and other fragile items in the crush-proof compartment. The side pockets are a handy place to stash cash that I’ll find on a later trip just when I need it. Plus, it’s super comfy and fits well even when it is loaded down with all sorts of odds and ends inside.

All of the Thule bags are incredible durable, easy to maneuver, roll smoothly and are functional for any type of gear. Hands down, Thule bags are the best (and my favorite) for carrying all the rest.

By now most of you know that if I have a nemesis race, it’s Gloucester. Each year it just doesn’t go quite right. I’ve tried to make peace, I’ve tried to cultivate my hatred but it all ends up the same. And this year was no exception. I was disappointed in my overall performances, but understood that it was not a surprise and I’m looking forward to this coming weekend in Providence, RI.

Gran Prix of Gloucester, Day 1

The weather was overcast with some morning showers. And for a minute, it looked like it may actually create some mud to play in. By the time my race went off at 2:30 in the afternoon, the track was dry, the humidity was brutal and the sun was coming out (of course).  Gloucester! (Shakes fist).

The course itself was the most creative rendition of Gloucester that I have seen in many years. There was a soft dirt run up, a new set of small steps and some twists and turns to make the usually lightening fast course a bit more technical.

 
My legs were feeling a bit sore and fatigued from having just returned from a long trip and the race on Wednesday night (not to mention that I moved my office on Friday). I hoped that I would shake it out in the warm up laps, but off the start line, I was in a bad position and was immediately chasing to catch back to the leaders. Despite my best attempts to dig deep and really push, I stayed pretty much where I was with very little forward progression. I was 9th place at the end of the race, unhappy that I wasn’t able to place higher in the top 5.

Gran Prix of Gloucester, Day 2
I did my best to shake off the slump that Day 1 put me in. I put a positive spin on making the top 10 and being grateful for simply being able to race at all. It worked mentally in terms of perspective, but I still didn’t know if my legs were on board.

I had a much better start on Sunday and was able to stick with the lead group until the bottleneck on the long stair run up. Being a decent runner, I would have liked to stiff arm the other riders out of my way and pass them but the stairs were only wide enough for one person at a time and the jam allowed the top riders to get away.

I spent the rest of the race with a small group very close to the top 5 but never able to close down the gap. I finished in 8th place.  Relieved to have Gloucester over with, I put my energy forward to the next two races in Providence.

As part of my role at Bob’s Red Mill, I field all sorts of requests for product- from magazines and food writers to professional athletes and movies. I have never gotten a request for samples from a musician, until I met Naomi LaViolette.

Naomi contacted me a few months ago to let us know that she had used our organic quinoa in her album. Evidently, her team was looking for a specific shaker sound and nothing was producing the right noise. Heading back to the kitchen, she told me, her producer had a moment of inspiration when he spotted our bag of quinoa on his shelves. It turned out that quinoa was just the sound they were seeking!

Naomi uses quinoa in her song “Somewhere New to Stand” on her soon-to-be released self-titled album.  Her music falls somewhere beautiful between folk and jazz. Naomi is one of many musicians who hails from Portland and we think she’s really something special. Check out her website and music- we hope you think it’s as special as we do.

In honor of Oktoberfest, which is in full swing all over the world, here are some great Beerfest Do’s and Don’ts from Mark. Be sure to check out more Do’s and Don’ts from Keyon over here.

I find myself uniquely qualified to report on this subject. I have just recently returned from a reconnaissance mission for the Train with Grain editorial board in which I was sent to Munich, Germany and without argument the largest Beerfest in the world – Oktoberfest.  He is what I learned…

• Dress Appropriately

• Do your best to not attract undue attention to yourself with outlandish and inappropriate attire.  The party is about the party – not about you.

• From time to time, take a breather.  You will never succeed at drinking all the beer in the world.  If it were possible, Munich would be a dry city by September 20^thevery year.

• If you’re in for the long haul, find a quiet place to take a nap.  You’ll wake up invigorated and ready for another round.

• EAT!  Nothing puts a good Beerfest to an early end like a belly full of nothing but fermented grain beverage.  Beerfest is an endurance event and you need sustenance in order to perform at peak levels.  Some suggested sources for proper Beerfest nutrition…

Weisswurst und Sauerkraut

Curry Wurst

Schwein Shaxen (pork knuckle) – the undisputed king of all Beerfest cuisine

With the exception of the sprinkling of chives on the perfectly beautiful potato dumpling above, you’ll note the complete lack of anything green on the above plates.  This is intentional.  Proper Beerfest fare is specifically designed to absorb and achieve a perfect carbohydrate and protein balance.  Arugula simply has no place at the Beerfest table.

• Enjoy the company of a few great friends

• Dance!  The movement is necessary to stimulate your metabolism to break down and absorb the beer and sausage.

  

• Finally and in all seriousness if you do not have a designated sober driver – Walk.  Cab.  Public Transportation.  There is no lower life form than one who mans the rudder while under the influence of intoxicants.

In honor of Oktoberfest, which is in full swing all over the world, here are some great Beerfest Do’s and Don’ts from Keyon. Be sure to check out more Do’s and Don’ts from Mark over here.

Wow, Beefest Do’s and Don’ts.  There’s so many Don’ts that I hope I’ll be able to help with some of the Do’s.  I guess the Do’s and Don’ts are determined by if you’re in season or if you’re out of training season.

Do’s: Get a designated driver.

Do’s: Bring a lot of cash.

Do’s: Make a pretzel necklace, I don’t know why, but everyone else does.

Do’s: Remember to eat before you head out the door.

Do’s: Take a shower before you go.  I’ve been to way too many summer Beerfest’s where the overlying theme is awful B.O.

Do’s: Wear shoes.  Those things can get crowded and you have to protect your toes for your next race.

Do’s: If you’re still in training mode, rotate a cup of water every other beer. This will help cut down on the beer consumption and keep you within proper limits.

Do’s: Set a limit for how many beers you want to drink.  You can still have fun without drinking a ton during Beerfest.

Do’s: Take lots of fun pictures to remember the day.

Don’ts: Don’t drive home.  Seriously, get a Designated Driver.

Don’ts: If you’re a girl, don’t wear high heels to these things.  Especially if you have a race coming up, skip the heels.  How bad would it be if you couldn’t compete because you hurt your ankle walking on all that uneven grass during Beerfest.

Don’ts: If you have a race coming up its probably a good idea for you skip the beer altogether.  If you’re concerned with staying hydrated, skip the beer and just drink water and enjoy the scene.

Don’ts: Don’t wear your nicest clothes.  As the day progresses, spills are guaranteed, by you or by others.

Don’ts: Don’t be that guy…(you know what I mean)

After a long flight to Edinburgh via Amsterdam and a train trek across the peaty countryside of Scotland to Inverness-shire, our hearty little band of whole grain evangelists arrived in the Mecca of porridge, Carrbridge, for the World Porridge Making Championships. The four of us from Bob’s Red Mill and our fan-competitor, Merry Graham, woke in Edinburgh today a bit jet-lagged and bleary-eyed, but nonetheless thrilled to be in this wonderful country to tell the world our secret: oats aren’t just a boring breakfast gruel.

Recall that we wrested the Golden Spurtle from its Scottish clutches in 2009. This year, facing unprecedented competition from the Scots, we tapped into the collective intelligence of Bob’s Red Mill’s myriad of incredibly creative fans by hosting an American elimination heat, the winner of which would be bound to represent the company at this most important and unusual competition. What we uncovered was the tireless imagination and porridge making talent of Southern California-based culinarian, Merry Graham.

Merry’s traditional porridge uses a couple of special secrets I can’t share yet, but take it from me, the former champ, Merry’s porridge is the best I’ve tasted. It’s simple as can be but makes the essential flavors of oats dive into one’s taste buds. Merry’s Specialty Category—the secondary category—recipe pulls together a bunch of her favorite native flavors of the Southwest, like fresh spring onions, tomato and cilantro, all atop a patty of steel cut oats and black beans that redefines comfort food.

Tomorrow is dedicated to preparation for Sunday’s big event but we’ve got things fairly well wrapped up. Now it’s just a matter of time and nerves. There is a tension that hangs like fog over the hamlet of Carrbridge as the competitors flood into town but we’re all feeling quite at ease here at the Fairwinds B&B. Technique matters. Salt matters. Clean water matters. We stand tall and confident with the power of the most important variable in such epicurean fisticuffs—the world’s best ingredients. Nonetheless, we thrive on your support and look forward to you following the event’s unfolding on Sunday. Wish us luck!

Matthew Cox

Marketing Director

While you are peacefully asleep on Sunday morning, our team will be eagerly awaiting the results of the 2011 Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships. That’s right, this coming Sunday is the 18th Annual Golden Spurtle!

If you recall, we held the Spar for the Spurtle throw down last August to determine our entry into the competition. Our winner was Merry Graham from Newhall, California with her dish— Black Bean Porridge Patties with Black Bean Pico de Gallo.

Right this moment, Merry and a few key Bob’s Red Mill team members are preparing for the competition (ok, so they’re probably asleep right this moment, but they’re prepping in their dreams- we’re sure of it!). While the judges will have to wait to try her savory patties, you can make them at home this weekend.

Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, this recipe combines a breakfast staple (oats) with a little Californian flair. Top these with a dollop of Greek yogurt like Merry does or do what we’ve been doing at home and top with a fried egg. I’ve made this recipe so many times since I tried it in August it’s borderline embarrassing. My husband has deemed these “his favorite food” and I  love them for how easy they come together. Unlike our Oregon Orchard Oat Brulee and our Savory Oat Fritters, this recipe is fairly simple and quick to make. To top it off- these can easily be made gluten free and are naturally vegan- though I can promise they lack nothing in flavor and texture!

Be sure to check back and find out how Merry did at the competition. We’ll have a full report on Monday. Spurltes crossed!

Watch Merry’s video to see how these are made.

Black Bean Porridge Patties with Black Bean Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Award Winning Steel Cut Oats*
• 1 2/3 cups Water
• 1 Tbsp chopped Garlic
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, rinse, drained, divided
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
• 1/3 cup minced fresh Cilantro for patties, 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro for pico
• 3/4 tsp Bob’s Red Mill Baking Powder
• 1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Oat Flour, additional for forming patties*
• 1/3 cup Grapeseed Oil (or Canola)
• 1 ½ chopped fresh Tomatoes
• 2 Green Onions, chopped, additional for garnish
• 1/2 cup Picante Salsa, medium or mild if preferred
• 2/3 cup Greek Yogurt

Instructions:

In a 4-cup bowl, combine Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats and 1 2/3 cups water, stir and set aside for three hours. Do not drain water after oaks have soaked. [Alternative non-soak method listed below.]

Pour softened oats and soaking water in a 4-quart or larger saucepan, combine, garlic, water, and salt, cover, and cook on high or medium-high for 9 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Uncover, add 1-cup black beans, cumin, and red pepper, stir constantly and cook 4-minutes.

Pour hot porridge into a large bowl and stir in 1/3-cup cilantro and then add baking powder, stir, add all but about 2-tablespoons of the oat flour until uniform in consistency. Sprinkle a work surface with about 1-tablespoon of remaining oat flour. Form 4 patties by scooping 1/2-cup oat mixture. Sprinkle each mound with about 1-tablespoon of oat flour; press down with the back of a metal spatula and shape with hands.  Use additional oat flour if needed.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat grapeseed oil on high. Fry patties on both sides 5 minutes, adjusting heat between high and medium-high, until patties are brown and crispy. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl toss together remaining black beans, 1/2-cup cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, and picante salsa.

Place Black Bean Porridge Patties on a large serving patter or on individual salad plates. Top patties with Black Bean Pico de Gallo and dollop with Greek yogurt. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions.  Serves 4

Alternative non-soak method: Combine oats and garlic with 2 2/3 cups water in a 4-quart saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover, adjust heat to medium and cook for 14 minutes or until water has almost completely absorbed into oats. Uncover, and add black beans, cumin and red pepper, stir constantly and cook 4-minutes. Continue instructions as listed above.

*To make this recipe gluten free, simply use our Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats and our Gluten Free Oat Flour (or other flour of your choice).

Quinoa? Pumpkin? Chocolate Chips? Yes, please! These delightful pumpkin-y treats carefully walk the line between muffin and cupcake. Whole wheat flour and cooked quinoa boost the nutritional value, while chocolate chips turn these muffins into a decadent treat. We just love these and think your family will too. Enjoy!

• 1 ¼ cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¾ cup Quinoa (cooked and drained)
• 2 Eggs
• ¾ cup Unsweetened Canned Pumpkin
• ½ cup Buttermilk
• ¼ cup Safflower Oil (or melted butter)
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°. Oil or line a 12-cup muffin tin or 24-cup mini muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the quinoa, separating the grains with a fork to distribute evenly.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, then add the pumpkin, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Gradually stir into the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins.

For regular sized muffins, bake for 30 minutes, or until muffins are browned around the edges and a tester comes out clean. Cook the mini-muffins about 15 minutes.

Let the muffins rest for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool.

For an alternate version, try this one from Lorna Sass.

Summer and fall are such amazing times for fruit. We belong to a local CSA and stone fruits like peaches are available every week right now. Who doesn’t love cobbler? Like all desserts, most cobblers contain wheat flour and lots of sugar, so this needed renovating to make it a healthy recipe I can still enjoy.

The savory element of the shallots might not work for you. I was inspired by a chutney idea. If you’re feeling adventurous, caramelize a few shallots and just add a touch to the peaches, then taste. You can always use them for another dish.

Peach Cobbler with Caramelized Shallots
Makes 8 servings

• 6 ripe Peaches
• 2 tsp (10 ml) Apple Cider Vinegar, or other sweet vinegar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Agave Syrup
• 2 Tbsp (10 g) Arrowroot Starch
• 1 tsp (2 g) Cinnamon
• 1-2 small Shallots, finely minced*
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Agave Syrup*
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Grapeseed Oil*
• ½ cup (70 g) Bob’s Red Mill GF Biscuit & Baking Mix
• ¼ cup (35 g) Sweet Sorghum Flour
• 1 tsp (2 g) Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) Salt
• 2 Tbsp (30 g) cold heart-healthy Margarine or Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Agave Syrup
• ½ cup (60-125 ml) nonfat Greek Yogurt or Soy Creamer

If you want a traditional peach cobbler, omit the caramelized shallots, indicated by the *.

Mince the shallots, then saute them over medium heat in the grapeseed oil. You can also use a light olive oil, but grapeseed has a more neutral flavor. Once they are starting to sweat and turn golden, turn down the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Add the agave syrup, stir, and cook for 10 minutes more.

To de-skin the peaches, cut an X in the bottom of each one, and drop into boiling water: 1 minute for very ripe peaches, 3 minutes for harder peaches. Use a slotted spoon to remove from the water. Use the cooled water to water your garden. When the peaches are cool, pull off the skins, cut in half, remove the pit, and cut into small chunks. Compost the skins and pits if you can.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, agave syrup, arrowroot powder, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add the peaches and stir.

If using shallots, add a small amount and taste. They have a strong flavor and can overpower the peaches. Reserve the rest of the shallots for a savory dish, or to top a sandwich or burger. Pour the fruit into an ovenproof bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the topping ingredients except for the yogurt or creamer. Pulse on a low setting until the mixture looks like crumbly small peas. With the machine running, add the yogurt or creamer a little at a time, just until the mixture forms into a ball. (Start with ¼ C. of yogurt or creamer.)

If the dough is pretty firm and holding together, you can roll it out in between two sheets of waxed paper into a rough circle, then place on top of the fruit. (I make the dough first, then put it in the freezer in plastic wrap while I’m prepping the peaches. You can then push it by hand into a nice circle.) If it’s not holding together well, you can simply drop it by the spoonful on top of the fruit. Brush the top of the crust with agave syrup. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.

Recipe courtesy of  Stephanie, The Recipe Renovator, all rights reserved.