This recipe comes from Sarena Shasteen, author of The Non Dairy Queen, as part of our Bake a Healthier Holiday partnership with California Olive Ranch.

• 1-1/3 cup Sugar (white or turbinado)
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill White Rice Flour
• 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Brown Rice Flour
• 1 /2 cup Buckwheat Flour
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 cup California Olive Ranch’s Mild and Buttery Artois Ranch
• 1-1/4 cup Milk or Dairy Free Milk alternative (soy, almond or hemp)
• additional Cinnamon and Sugar for sprinkling on top
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 Tbsp Turbinado Sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp Cinnamon for topping

When: after every ride. Yes, every ride. Do you take a shower after you get sweaty, wet and muddy? Okay. Take care of your bike and your bike will take care of you.

The following supplies will make cleaning your bike easy, breezy:

• 1 bucket
• 1 garden hose
• Kitchen gloves
• Dish soap, Dr. Bronner’s soap
• 1 sponge, non-abrasive scrubby brushes (I’ve seen people clean dirty cx bikes with toilet bowl brushes, but haven’t tried this method), rags, towels
• Bio Clean, Simple Green (or similar biodegradable degreaser product)
• Bike Lust (or some similar product)
• Chain lube
• Rubber boots
• Bike stand

I live in Montana and the outdoor hose spigot gets turned off in early-November to prevent the pipes from freezing. Yes, it gets that cold here. If you don’t have access to an outdoor hose, not to worry, grab a bucket, fill it with warm soapy water and clean your bike!

After your ride, clean yourself up, drink your recovery drink and eat a snack. Then put on your rubber boots and go clean your bike.

If you have a bike stand, toss your bike on the stand, remove front & rear wheels. If you don’t have a bike stand, lean your bike against a building or against something stable so your bike doesn’t fall over or get scratched during the cleaning process.

Put on your kitchen gloves to protect your skin and prevent your hands from freezing.

Clean your bike with warm soapy water. Spray your bike and your bike’s drive train with a biodegradable degreaser. Let the degreaser soak in and work its magic. Scrub the grease, grime, dirt, mud, grass, sand, snow and ice off your bike’s nooks and crannies with sponge, scrubby brush or whatever you have.

If you are using a hose, crank up the volume to create your own “power washer.” If your bike is covered in frozen mud and snow, take your bike to the carwash and hose it off with the power wash soapy sprayer. It works!

After your bike is clean, wipe and dry your bike off with a clean towel. Spray some Bike Lust on your bike (or whatever product you use to make your bike look shiny and new).

Next: clean your bike’s chain. Since the chain is likely damp, the dirt and grit launched into your bike’s chain should come off pretty easily. Grab a rag and clean your chain. Look at all the grime and grease that just came off your chain. Nasty! Repeat cleaning process. Then apply a thin coating of bike chain lube to your sparkling clean chain. Check shifting. Check brakes. Check cables. Clean wheels, tires, rims. Voila, clean bike.

I’m not a bike mechanic, but I do know that a little bike maintenance goes a long way in helping to keep your bike rolling along. Regular bike maintenance helps me learn more about my bike. If during the cleaning process I discover something isn’t working properly, I’ll bring my bike to my favorite mechanic for some bike love.

 A clean bike is a happy bike (until you launch it into sand, mud, dirt and snow).

Off-season. What’s an off-season? I hardly remember what a true off-season is anymore because I race nearly year round. I can tell you, though, that I am anxiously looking forward to a few weeks off in February between the end of ‘cross season and the beginning of road racing.

Although in recent years I haven’t had a true “off-seasons”, I can tell you from past experience that the off-season is a time for reflection, a time to look back on the triumphs and disappointments from the past season. What went right/wrong in training? Were you happy with your race results? Could your nutrition have been handled better? Did you make the best out of every outcome – good or bad? What changes need to be made to make the coming season even better? Now is the time to consider all that went right and wrong in every facet of your cycling “life” to help prepare for a more successful 2012.

As you mull over 2011 and plan for 2012, think about how, when, where you’re going to give yourself some down time, too. Put the bike away for a few weeks. Walk. Hike. Run. Ski. Hit the gym. Do yoga or try pilates for the first time. Do all the things that you don’t get a chance to do during the season when all focus is on the bike.

In the days when I did have an off-season, I spent quite a bit of time in the gym working on my core and overall body strength and stability with Cross Fit. Unless a person is working on muscle imbalances or has a very specific focus, I believe that no cyclist needs to use a single static machine to build strength, power or endurance. Cycling is dynamic. Sure we are stationary on the saddle, but we are always in motion. It’s the coordination of muscles between the upper body, back and legs that power our movement on the bike, so why single out just one muscle? In one shot Cross Fit-type exercises incorporate almost every major muscle group into each different exercise, which improves stability, strength, power and endurance across multiple joints, not just a single muscle.

Don’t just toss your training program out the door. Eat the cookies you usually vehemently shake your head at in fear of gaining an extra pound. Have two (or three) beers instead of just one. Enjoy a Thanksgiving feast without guilt. Cut yourself some slack…for a little while anyway. Let your body recover from the strict limitations and stress that it deals with for five, six, seven months out of the year.

After a few weeks or so of unregimented “training”, slowly work yourself back into a casual training schedule. Don’t jump into intensity right away. Ride slow, long miles. Continue to mix in other activities as well. Reconsider drinking that third beer or eating that fourth cookie.  As the weeks and months tick by, tighten the focus on your training and nutrition so when you line up for the first race of the year you are as best prepared as possible. That doesn’t mean you should be at your fittest, because few people need to be flying in March, but you should be on target to reach your 2012 goals.

If you want to bring out your wild and crazy side, try cyclocross. My only warning is that it is addictive. I know from experience. It’s why I haven’t had an off-season in several years. But, it’s also why in December when it’s cold and dreary outside I am happy to be on my bike. I can race instead of train and have a lot of fun doing it. Plus, I like getting muddy. Maybe you will, too.

This recipe comes from Marnely Rodriguez, author of Cooking with Books, as part of our Bake a Healthier Holiday partnership with California Olive Ranch. 

When baking with olive oil, you want oil that will not only add moisture to your baked goods, but will also add a layer of flavor. California Olive Ranch’s Artois Ranch is just that; it brings a delicate buttery taste and a mild underlying olive depth that pairs perfectly with the nuttiness of Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour.

Using almond flour in quick breads provides flavor, but more importantly, a supportive crumb structure. Living in New England, fresh cranberries were an obvious addition to cut the sweet buttery taste and add some tartness. Milk chocolate chips can be substituted for dark chocolate chips as well. Serve with fresh cranberries as a treat for a holiday brunch or top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate for a special dessert!

Almond Cranberry Chocolate Chip Quick Bread

By Marnely Rodriguez, Cooking with Books blog

http://cookingwithbooks.blogspot.com/

• ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
• ½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ cup fresh Cranberries
• ½ cup Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Mild & Buttery Artois Ranch Olive Oil
• 2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 large Eggs
• ½ Vanilla Bean, scraped

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with a little olive oil. Set aside.
2. Whisk together flours and baking powder and stir in fresh cranberries and chocolate chips. Reserve.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, sugar and eggs. Add vanilla and incorporate.
4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until incorporated. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, until bread is done. To check doneness, touch the center of the cake, and if it springs back, it’s ready.

This lovely recipe comes from the Bob’s Red Mill Cookbook. Roma tomatoes work best for this tart because their meatier flesh is denser and drier than most varieties. Cooking the tart in a cast-iron skillet will produce a lovely golden crust. Pair this with a green salad for a delightful Meatless Monday meal.

Polenta-Crusted Tomato Tart

• 2 pounds Tomatoes, preferably Roma, skinned, seeded and sliced
• Kosher Salt
• 2 cups Polenta*
• 1/2 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes (in oil), puréed
• 1 to 2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (might we suggest California Olive Ranch?), if needed
• 8 ounces Chèvre, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Basil
• freshly ground Black Pepper

1. Lightly grease a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet, pie plate, or other baking dish.
2. Carefully set the tomato slices in a sieve or colander, salt lightly, and leave to drain over a bowl for 30 minutes to 1 hour, given a gentle toss ever now and then to shake off the water they release.
3. Meanwhile, make the polenta: Bring 6 cups salted water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until quite thick, about 20 to 30 minutes. When done, the grains will take on a pearly quality and be tender and not gritty to the bite. Remove from the heat and stir in the puréed sun-dried tomatoes. Add olive oil if the mixture seems too thick. Fold in 1/2 cup of the chèvre.
4. Spread the hot polenta across the bottom and up the sides of the pan (it should be about 1-inch thick).
5. Leave at room temperature until cooled and set, about 15 minutes. (Or you can cover and chill the polenta until you are ready to assemble and bake the pie, up to 24 hours.)
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
7. Spread the remaining goat cheese evenly across the bottom of the pie. Layer on half o f the tomato slice, sprinkle with half of the basil, and a light dusting of pepper. Follow with the remaining tomatoes, basil and a bit more pepper.
8. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until the polenta crust is golden-brown at the edges. Cool slightly, cut into wedges and serve.

*Make this gluten free by using our Gluten Free Corn Grits/Polenta

PLEASE READ THE SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS BELOW TO BE COUNTED IN THE GIVEAWAY

I’m not gonna lie here.  As a girl with a deathly aversion to leg hair I shave my legs every day whether they need it or not.  And generally speaking if you shave that often they don’t need it. It becomes routine.  And while I don’t understand why you boys have such a hard time with it I do know that there are loads-o-reasons why you SHOULD do it and some handy dandy tips to make it easier.

But first, why?  Why oh why hairy man, should you shave your legs?

Well, because it looks awesome.  Smooth sleek muscular powerful.  Whereas hairy legs in spandex just look wrong.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Hairy legs in spandex with embro?  That’s just scary looking.  Nothing says “I’m a gonna crash you” like hairy legs.

Okay, so I digress.  Looking good is an excellent side effect but not really the reason to do it.

So if not for the pure aesthetics, why go to all the effort?  Well there are a bunch of reasons:

1. Crashing in bike racing is a when, not if type of deal.  And when you crash and after the nice people in the Emergency Room have given you your tetanus shot they’re gonna have to scrub that mess out.  It goes WAY better when it’s not hairy.  You can get it cleaner and have less debris.  And when they slap that Tegaterm patch on you, pulling it off is way better when you’re not ripping hair out too.
2. Massage.  It’s a long season.  The occasional rub down can help the legs stay happy happy.  You’ll recover faster too.   So go hairless, get a massage and your legs will thank you.
3. Embro!  Ah that happy magic elixer.  Rub in on your smooth, bare legs and feel the warming!  Application goes easier when you’re not trying to smear that Mad Alchemy goodness into leg hair.   And it will wash off more easily too.  But take heed… embro on freshly shaved legs NO BUENO!!!

Convinced?  Good!  So let’s hit the nuts and bolts.

1. Shave regularly.  The more pelt you let grow in, the longer and harder your task becomes.   Twice a week is a good schedule.  Make a habit of it.
2. Don’t use soap.  Use shaving cream.  Me?  I like DZ-Nuts Bald. It makes for super smooth legs and it’s good for your skin.  Nice!
3. Good razors are key.  Cut yourself once with a dull one and you know why.  Change razors frequently. And dedicate your leg razor to your legs.  Your face will thank you.
4. Be slow and thorough.  Please, so you don’t look like some weird Hobbit – don’t just shave the parts we can see.  Start with your feet and move on up.  Go slow, it’s not a race. And commit.  Do your whole upper leg too.  Don’t stop at the leg band of your bibs.  You don’t want to look like you’re wearing hair shorts.
5. Moisturize.  Shaving is tough on the skin.  Slather some nice smoothing shea butter, cocoa butter, or vitamin e on those babies and keep ‘em nice and smooth.

And that is that.  EZPZ no stress guide to shaving.

DRAFT_Hanscom From the ladies: A man’s guide to leg shaving, and why it’s important.

I’m not gonna lie here.  As a girl with a deathly aversion to leg hair I shave my legs every day whether they need it or not.  And generally speaking if you shave that often they don’t need it. It becomes routine.  And while I don’t understand why you boys have such a hard time with it I do know that there are loads-o-reasons why you SHOULD do it and some handy dandy tips to make it easier. 

But first, why?  Why oh why hairy man, should you shave your legs?

Well, because it looks awesome.  Smooth sleek muscular powerful.  Whereas hairy legs in spandex just look wrong.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Hairy legs in spandex with embro?  That’s just scary looking.  Nothing says “I’m a gonna crash you “ like hairy legs.

Okay, so I digress.  Looking good is an excellent side effect but not really the reason to do it.

So if not for the pure aesthetics, why go to all the effort?  Well there are a bunch of reasons:

1. Crashing in bike racing is a when not if type of deal.  And when you crash and after the nice people in the Emergency Room have given you your tetanus shot they’re gonna have to scrub that mess out.  It goes WAY better when it’s not hairy.  You can get it cleaner and have less debris.  And when they slap that Tegaterm patch on you, pulling it off is way better when you’re not ripping hair out too.

2. Massage.  It’s a long season.  The occasional rub down can help the legs stay happy happy.  You’ll recover faster too.   So go hairless, get a massage and your legs will thank you.

3. Embro!  Ah that happy magic elixer.  Rub in on your smooth, bare legs and feel the warming!  Application goes easier when you’re not trying to smear that Mad Alchemy goodness into leg hair.   And it will wash off more easily too.  But take heed… embro on freshly shaved legs NO BUENO!!! 

Convinced?  Good!  So let’s hit the nuts and bolts.

1. Shave regularly.  The more pelt you let grow in, the longer and harder your task becomes.   Twice a week is a good schedule.  Make a habit of it. 
2. Don’t use soap.  Use shaving cream.  Me?  I like DZ-Nuts Bald. (http://www.dz-nuts.com/products/bald)  it makes for super smooth legs and it’s good for your skin.  Nice!
3. Good razors are key.  Cut yourself once with a dull one and you know why.  Change razors frequently. And dedicate your leg razor to your legs.  Your face will thank you.
4. Be slow and thorough.  Please, so you don’t look like some weird Hobit – don’t just shave the parts we can see.  Start with your feet and move on up.  Go slow, it’s not a race. And commit.  Do your whole upper leg too.  Don’t stop at the leg band of your bibs.  You don’t want to look like you’re wearing hair shorts.
5. Moisturize.  Shaving is tough on the skin.  Slather some nice smoothing shea butter or cocoa butter or vitamin e on those babies and keep ‘em nice and smooth. 

And that is that.  EZBZ no stress guide to shaving. 

As I was thinking about this entry, I realized that it could very easily have been titled: “How to Avoid being “That Guy” in Everyday Life.” Although this will have a cycling related spin to it, in my opinion, many of the same principles apply. Maintaining a good standing with your peers at the races can be traced back to observing a few simple ideas: Be Quite, Be Considerate, and Be Gracious.

Now, when I say Be Quite, I don’t literally mean that you have to use your Inside Voice, when you’re outside, but just use a little discretion when you do decide to open your yapper in the middle of a bike race. While racing, you can only control what you do. That means that if you don’t like the situation in which you find yourself, it’s up to you to do something about it. Don’t scream at your competitors to get out of the way, or harass someone for crashing in front of you. If you don’t want to be around such riders, it’s up to you to keep your mouth shut and ride faster. However, there is nothing wrong with a nice “inside” or “comin’ in hot” as you’re about to put a pass on someone. But, generally speaking, very few people have even been labeled “That Guy” for keeping their mouth shut during a race.

Be Considerate. Now, I know this is starting to sound a bit like Kindergarten all over again, but you’d be surprised how many people could use a refresher course on basic people skills. While at the races, you’ll encounter quite a few people who would really appreciate you being considerate. Many of the people you’ll find “working” at a venue are actually either volunteers or others that are making, what equates to, an amazingly low hourly wage for their efforts to promote and grow the sport you love. So, keep that in mind when you’re deciding whether or not to make a big deal about the fact that the box of free GU products at registration is empty.

The final component of our Trifecta of Skills for Smooth Sailing at Your Next Race is to Be Gracious. Whether or not you are the best or worst racer in your scene, you’ve got to make sure that whatever result it is that you achieve, you do it with grace. If you’ve just won by 5 minutes, don’t stop short of the line, hoist your bike above your head and scream in triumph. The standard two arms above your head will do quite nicely, or you could even blow everyone away with your humility and just give a subdued smile and wave. Remember this though: the more extravagant victory celebration you display, you more you increase the odds that people will question your decency. The same goes for losing. No one looks good throwing a tantrum in the pit or at their car because they lost that sprint for 19^th.  Less is more. And as always, don’t forget to say “Thank You”. The cycling community is a very small family and as long as you concentrate on building relationships instead of burning bridges, it will pay you back.

I just love a good cookie swap! Not only does it allow you to get together with your favorite people, but you reap the rewards, but not the pain of hours of baking and walk away with all sorts of different cookies that you may or may not have attempted on your own. It’s been a few years since my last cookie swap, but I still remember the joy of multiple mixers humming and flour flying as five of us scurried around the kitchen making cookies.

You can do a cookie swap a few different ways, but here are my basic tips for a successful shindig.

1. Make a game plan:Decide if you want to do pure cookie swapping or if you want to do some cookie swapping and some cookie baking. I prefer the latter, but that’s just me.
   • Pure Cookie Swap: Decide how many cookies you want each person to bring for swapping. Traditionally, you would ask each person to bring a dozen cookies per guest. If you’re having a big group, you may want to cut that back to a half dozen.
   • Cookie Swap/Baking Party: Decide how many cookies you want to make at the party and how many you want people to bring ahead of time. Realistically, you probably have time to bake 2 or 3 types of cookies as a group. Ask people to bring a half dozen for each guest and everyone should walk away with plenty of cookies.
2. Pick a date: It’s the beginning of December, so it’s definitely not too late to plan a cookie swap, but folks are busy, so getting a date on the calendar is something you should do as soon as possible. If you’re finding it hard to get everyone to commit to a date, maybe doing a pure cookie swap is the way to go- that way everyone can bake what they want and only get together for a short time to swap cookies.
3. Invite people: While getting a bunch of different cookies is the goal, you also don’t want to burden your guests with baking 12 dozen cookies ahead of time. Pick a reasonable number to invite- I’d recommend 4-7 people. In your invitation, include a few simple cookie recipes or resources in case your guests need inspiration.
4. Talk to your guests about food allergies/restrictions:Check to find out of any food allergies or dietary restrictions. This is important- if you have a person with a nut allergy, you most definitely don’t want half your guests showing up with cookies that have walnuts. If you have someone on a gluten free diet, you may want to make a game plan with that person specifically. There is no reason they can’t join in the fun, but planning ahead will make sure everyone has a good time and no one gets sick.
   • If you are trying to plan a full gluten-free or allergen-free cookie swap, be sure to communicate the importance of preventing cross contamination and give them ideas for what to bring if they are not sure what to make.
   • If there is anyone on your list with a food allergy- ask the other guests to label the cookies with any allergens that might be present.
5. Party Preparation:
   • If you will be baking, make sure to have extra aprons, measuring cups, butter, flour, eggs and other essentials on hand.
   • Make sure to have extra containers, baggies, aluminum foil, etc. on hand for packaging up any cookies that you bake or need to be split up still.
   • If you’re doing a pure cookie swap- have some holiday paper plates or containers available. You could take advantage of everyone being together to make up gift plates together. Put 2 to 3 of each cookie on a plate, wrap with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and a bow. Now, not only have you saved yourself hours of baking, but you walk away with ready-to-go gifts. Tuck in the freezer until you’re ready to distribute. These make great gifts for teachers, hair dressers, mailmen, and party hosts.
   • Have extra recipe cards on hand in case folks want to swap recipes (not a bad idea to make sure everyone brings a copy of their recipe to include with their cookie contribution).
   • Serve light refreshments and beverages that will keep your guests from needing to break into those cookies.
6. Finally, Have fun! The holiday season is stressful enough without making extra stress for yourself. The point of the cookie swap is to share quality time with your friends and loved ones, save time in the kitchen and walk away with an assortment of cookies.

Simple cookie recipes:

• Old Fashioned Gingerbread Men (or ladies, or trees… )
• Crispy Ginger Cookies
• Strawberry (or any flavor) Thumbprint Cookies
• Basic Peanut Butter Cookies
• Chewy Sugar Cookies
• Holiday Cut-out Cookies
• Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies

This recipe was specially developed for our partnership with California Olive Ranch. When asked about her inspiration for this recipe, Sarah, our resident recipe specialist, explains, “Being from Bob’s Red Mill, I wanted to be sure to make this as whole grain as possible.  Everyone’s go-to whole grain flour seems to be wheat, so I decided to use something structurally similar but perhaps not as well know to most bakers.  Spelt has a great mildly nutty flavor, is nutritionally rich and is highly water-soluble so the body absorbs the nutrients quickly.  Baked goods using spelt have a tendency to be slightly more dense which is why I chose to only use spelt flour for half of the total flour. Many quick breads contain the addition of nuts.  I wanted to accentuate the nutty flavor of spelt and thought it would be fun to replace nuts with cooked spelt berries.  The substitution worked out great, adding a lovely light chew to the cake and increasing the whole grain content for extra nutrition.”

Enjoy!

Olive Oil Spelt Cake with Caramelized Apples

Yield one 9 inch round

Caramelized Apples

• 1 Tbsp California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¾ cup Bob’s Red Mill Evaporated Cane Juice
• 1 ½ pound firm Apples, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick

Cake

• ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Spelt Berries
• 2 cups Water
• 3 Tb Bob’s Red Mill Organic Golden Flaxseed Meal
• ½ cup Water
• ½ cup California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Evaporated Cane Juice
• 1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White Pastry Flour
• 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Organic Spelt Flour
• 1 Tb Bob’s Red Mill Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 cup Water

Rinse spelt berries under cool running water.  Cover spelt berries with about 2 inches of water.  Refrigerate and let soak 8 – 12 hours.

Drain spelt berries and rinse well.  Place rinsed spelt berries and 2 cups water in a small pot.  Simmer until the spelt berries are very soft, about 90 minutes.  Drain and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a 9 inch round cake pan with olive oil.

To make the caramelized apples, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and evaporated cane juice in a skillet and stir to combine.  Let cook, stirring occasionally until golden.  Add apple slices and cook, gently stirring, until well-coated and just softened.

Once apples are cool enough to handle, arrange them on the bottom of the prepared cake pan in a decorative pattern.

In a small bowl, combine flaxseed meal and ½ cup water and let sit 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, sift and combine flours, baking powder and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, whip olive oil and evaporated cane juice until well combined.  Add vanilla extract and flaxseed mixture and mix to combine.

Add dry mixture to wet, alternating with remaining 1 cup of water, and mix to combine.  Do not over-mix.  Fold in cooled spelt berries.

Pour batter on top of the apples in the prepared pan.  Bake at 350°F for 40 – 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the edges begin to pull away from the sides.  Let cool and unmold onto a serving platter.  Makes one 9 inch round cake.