The Cotter Chronicles

Sounds good to me, right?

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:09:00 +0000

So I got the itch to bake tonight (not that I am in the kitchen enough, haha!) but this night I was feeling like I wanted to create and not follow a recipe on a box. I hate following recipes. I feel like I am being told what to do. As much as I like Betty Crocker, I just didn't want to listen to her, well not fully at least. So here I am looking in the pantry and here are a few things that caught my is eye.....Betty Crocker Gluten Free cake mix, Nutella, oats, shredded coconut, and ripe banana. Hmmmm....I bet i could mix this into a muffin and either they would be fabulous or disastrous. Results.......oh MY!!! So moist and just the right amount of flavor of each!

I really do not measure (My friend Kelly is trying to make me better at this) but here's what I did. Following the directions on Betty's Cake Mix box, I substituted half the mix for 1 cup oats (give or take) and about 1/2 of coconut. Then I used 2 eggs instead of 3 and added 1 tbsp of almond butter along with 3 tbsp soft butter (instead of the whole stick). The recipe also calls for 2/3 cup water but I used half water and half almond milk. To finish off the batter I mixed in just a tbsp or so of nutella. I didn't want them to be too too sweet and nutella can stretch a long way. mix it all up, spoon into 12-14 muffin cups and bake at 350F for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Test the center of the muffin with a knife to make sure the batter is fully cooked. The knife should come out nice and clean.

I think this is the perfect fuel for James' long run tomorrow. YEA!

Cheers in Good Health!
LC

Where's your Holiday Spirit?

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:02:00 +0000

Is it just me or is everyone on edge during these last few days leading up to Christmas? I've never seen so much road rage and busyness. Grant it, I get that way sometimes, but overall I just like to enjoy the little time we have of Christmas music, family, friends, and festivities. In lieu of the season, I have to say have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! Don't be a Grinch!

The Cotters

Making my gifts this year

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:06:00 +0000

So I have a rather large family and we usually do secret Santa, etc. but I still like to give or make something for my cousins and their families, aunts, uncles, etc. This year I decided to make big batches of what I like to call THE COTTER CHRISTMAS GRANOLA. James eats this up like candy. Good thing its not. The recipe is below. It looks really cute in mason jars with ribbon around it. That's about as festive as I get these days, haha!

Try it. Let me know how it goes.

Nut Combo

Then the oat combo

Everything together

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Either butter or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the rolled oats, nuts, flax, coconut, ground cinnamon, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together the oil (or melted butter), and maple syrup. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and toss together, making sure all the dry ingredients are coated with the liquid. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 30 - 45 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally so the mixture browns evenly. (The browner the granola gets (without burning) the crunchier the granola will be.) Place on a wire rack to cool. You will notice that the granola may still be sticky when it is removed from the oven but it will become crisp and dry as it cools. Make sure to break up any large clumps of granola while the mixture is still warm. Once the granola has completely cooled, store in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Note: Once the granola has cooled completely you can add a variety of dried fruits; cherries, cranberries, raisins, and apricots, etc.

Cotter Christmas Nut/Granola Recipe:

3 cups (300 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)

1-2 cup almonds

1-2 cashew halves

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tbsp flaxseed (optional)

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup agave nectar (or dark honey)

1 cup dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, apricots, dates, figs, and/or raisins) (optional)

I actually added some chocolate chips for a little more sweetness!

And voila, gifts for my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. are done!

LC

For the hubby

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:55:00 +0000

So lately I've been so consumed with work and making healthy bites (which is a GOOD thing) that my dinners have been kinda boring. ya know, Chili, chicken, breakfast for dinner, etc. Although James loves any kind of food I wanted to make it up to him by fixing something hearty and spicy! I saw 2 delicious thick pork mini roasts/steaks at Whole Foods and decided to broil those in a spicy mango chutney topped with some speciality spice and jalapenos. Okay, I just topped James' with Jalapenos but mine did have Chalula sauce on it, haha. Then I paired it with creamy mashed butternut squash and salad. I used the Cultural revolution cream top yogurt along with a little olive oil and black pepper to mix into my steamed mashed butternut squash. It was super! A new favorite. Here's the result.

p.s.

Yes, i sneaked in some extra veggies adding sauteed spinach on top. We wanted a little "popeye" kick. haha!

Cheers,

LC

One Word- HEAVEN

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:25:00 +0000

This is our NEW love! Its such a great product and the mission behind this company is just down right Genuine. Check out Kalona Organics and view their many products. Our favorite so far is their plain cream top European Style yogurt. Low in sugar and in carbs and it tastes phenomenal! We use it with homemade muesli and last night I used it as a cream base mix for making mashed butternut squash. YUM!! I'll post that recipe soon. But for now, check these guys out and support good health.

Cheers,
LC

A trip down memory lane

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Here we go. A slide show of pics from this past years races and adventures. Starting off with our road trip to Kansas and ending with Clearwater. I didn't get to go to many races this year but when I did, it was always a memorable experience with my husband.

Let the Road trip to kansas Begin!

Still driving!

Found a komucha in Kansas, thank God after 9 hours of driving!

Watching James race in Austin with Emery (niece).

Austin Triathlon- great finish!

Clearwater Florida- sunshine and blue skies! My running path in Clearwater each morning.

Race Morning at pier 60 Clearwater Beach

Post race in Clearwater with my cute niece, who by the way won't hug him cause he's "sweaty."

Now time to relax in Florida!!
<

Yea for beach time in Clearwater!

.

Clearwater 70.3

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:32:00 +0000

I love coming to Clearwater and racing. It is a great place to hang out pre and post race with great weather and beautiful beaches. We had four days after the race to relax and unwind with with family on a beautiful beach front home. I tell ya, I did feel pretty American after the race. I got redneck with my boy Justin Park and must have consumed seven or eight miller lights after the race. Yes Dad I know, I was drinking water. I then watched and talked football on Sunday while having my arse planted in the couch for almost the entire day. 10 days since the race and I now feel like working out again.

Swim started off poorly with everyone paddling out a good 50 yards past the start line in anticipation of the gun. If you come to Clearwater you have to play the game that somebody always starts. With 80+ pros in the field everyone had to play and start swimming before the gun despite lots of four letter words being tossed about. I started solid and was in the mix of the main pack that was stretched pretty long. I came out 15-20 sec back of the first few athletes. Great position for Clearwater because if you are not in the front pack you can kiss your chances good-bye of a top 10 place. However, just like ITU, if you fumble around in T1 your race can also be over. I funmbled for a little too long :)

Heading into the bike I just missed the tail end of pack one. I was riding with Colucci, Able, and another fellow but the gap was growing by the minute. Eventually we all were eaten up by a fast charging second pack. This group was massive!! Rode the entire way back with the pack and it was fast. Every athlete was jostling for position the entire ride which leads to many close calls. You're constantly accelerating trying not to lose your spot and decelerating avoiding the dreaded drafting call. The ride is madness. It was pretty funny because the lead women were riding with us. I recall one of them riding up and slotting in right in front of me! I thought it would be best to position myself near the back to do the least work possible to be fresh for the run. About 6-7 miles from home I realised I was going to have a tough time bridging up to runner 1 of this pack if he was 300m in front of me. I surged up as best as I could to position myself with strong runners up front.

Came in to T2 and didn't feel very fresh at all running through transition. Chris Leigh and Cunningham were just in front of me. They made a move I now wish I responded to, but the legs were not there at the time. I still was running strong and was realing in guys on the second lap.

Crazy that a 3:44 will get you 22nd! The gap to 10th was only 2-3 min and 13-22place was very small. This race is all about the swim and T1 in my opinion so I look forward to tackling Clearwater again in 2010 in a quest for my top 10 spot :)

New favorites

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:12:00 +0000

So I must admit, when a new health product comes out, I am usually the first to grab it off the shelf. I love discovering new things to cook with or pair other food items with. That being said, here are just a few for the year. Can't wait till next year's line up, ha ha!

So delicious Coconut Kefir (goes great with homemade Muesli, YUM!) Its lower in sugar and a great source of calcium, magnesium, and B12.

So delicious Coconut Creamer (can you tell I like coconut?). Its super yummy in your coffee and you can use the plain flavor in place of real cream in other recipes in case your lactose intolerant.

Steave Sparkling green tea. So refreshing! Plus is doesn't have any calories using Stevia as a sweetener. Don't worry, it doesn't have ANY bad after taste. Great! It also is loaded with Folic Acid, B6, and B12. Not too shabby of a tea, eh?

Ostrich meat. Okay so this isn't a new product, but it sure is new in our diet. Its delicious red meat that is low in fat and HIGH in iron. We love using ostrich meat in place of beef or other red meat. Ground ostrich is great stuffed in bell peppers and since peppers are high in Vit. C they help you absorb the Iron even more. BEAUTIFUL!

Drop me a line with any other new products that you have found and want to share. Would love to keep the list going!

Cheers,

LC

p.s.
Next up, James' clearwater report. Stay tuned!

More bang for your buck

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:28:00 +0000

James and I love Muesli. Its such a good morning treat BUT when you try to get a decent brand at the store it cost $10 a box and you get about 4 servings (and they are all about 1/2 cup servings). That $10 box would last ONE day in our house, especially during high the tri season. So I opted to find a bargain and make our own. I was able to fill 2 whole freezer bags for only $5-6 bucks! Yea! Plus it tasted so fresh and delicious. We picked out our own ingredients. Oh boy do I feel like a Martha Stewart. HAHA!

Here's the mix/match of ingredients:

- dried cranberries and currants (we've also used dried cherries and chopped dates)
- dried coconut flakes (unsweetened)
- chopped pecans and almonds
- organic rolled oats
- sunflower seeds
- agave nectar
- cinnamon and/or cinnamon sugar

Layer all these ingredients, starting with the oats, on a cookie sheet. Spread it out evenly. Then add in a drizzle of honey, cinnamon or cinnamon sugar, and a little of melted butter or coconut oil. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes or until the you can see that the coconut and the nuts/seeds are all toasted. Let it cool and VIOLA!

BONUS- if you use the dried coconut flakes your house will smell HEAVENLY when it bakes. YUM!!

Enjoy! We've packed up the muesli and are hauling it to FL this next weekend. Cheers to the final race!

LC

2009...The Good and the Ugly. VERY long write up

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:56:00 +0000

The 2009 triathlon season has gone by in flurry! Just seemed like yesterday the wife and I were sitting on the deck over looking Lake Taupo! However, that was way back in February. Now we are a few weeks away from the season finale in Clearwater, FL.

2009 started very quickly for me. After competing in the Dallas Open in 2008 I flew straight into Kona to help out K-Swiss during the expo over Ironman. I had a great time and figured I would be home right-away. I was wrong. I met up with Terenzo Bozzone and ended up being his "training hack" over the course of ten days in his final prep towards Clearwater, which he won! I would like to take the smallest amount of credit since we busted out some wickedly hard sessions. It was then that he chirped in my ear about possibly doing Ironman New Zealand. Quick call to the coach and I was in. Things became even better when my old man decided he was in also.

I put all my eggs in one basket leading up to New Zealand. I kissed the wife good-bye, put the job on hold, and flew off to Hawaii for 6 weeks to focus on training. I wanted to destroy Taupo and place in the top 6 and qualify for Kona. I trained my ass off. I don't think I have ever felt as fatigued in any other 6 week period as I did in Kona. I remember one set in particular that hurt. 3x 5 miles at 5:40 pace with 3 min recovery between. When I was on, I was on fire! When a rest cycle came around, I needed if for sure. After six weeks I was the leanest I had ever been and I was ready to head back down to land of origin...NEW ZEALAND!

Once you step on an Air New Zealand flight (or any other non-US carrier. The exception being US Airways.) you realize how airline travel should be. No bike fee, free food and beverage (including alcohol), personal tv with unlimited movies, tv shows, video games, and music videos. Hell, I wasn't ready to land 9 hours later. I wanted more wine and video games. My homestay in Auckland was the legendary, Cameron Brown. I would be staying with his family for 10 days before my family arrived to drive down to Taupo. Training in Auckland was amazing and living down there has definitely been talked about between the wife and I.

Anyways, IMNZ didn't go as planned. A faulty wetsuit that would not unzip threw me out of contention and had me at a 3 min deficit in T1. Well, I actually threw myself out by riding too hard to try and catch up to the boys. Lesson one of 2009 learned. Don't let your ego get out of hand and try and chase over 180km. I blew up at 130km.

Back to America. I was bummed and looking for something. I decided to enter Wildflower. Went and stayed with Terenzo in a cool house a couple miles from race site. I was off the back from the gun and really struggled the entire race. More disappointment. After this race there was some confusion between my coach, myself, and the outfit who my coach was employed by. I left. Coach and I met up a month or so later and re-connected. He his awesome guy and he ended up leaving to form his own training center and is doing awesome here in Austin. All the best Derrick!

It was then I meet up with Matt Dixon from Purple Patch fitness. You may have heard of one of his athletes named Chris Lieto? Chris just finished second over-all in Kona! Matt presented to me a whole new way to look at training. Much more rest. In fact, he put me on 20 days with only one 40 minute training session allowed a day! Matt is great guy/coach and has gone above and beyond to help me out. Not only is he a genius with putting together great plans, he understands the bigger picture of success in the sport and life. To be a great athlete, you need to be happy and have a great support crew. I was so embarrassed to face people after resigning from my well paying job to run around in spandex and not perform. I now have a new training squad I run here in Austin as well as helping my wife our new nutrition company, Healthy Bites (aka Cotter Balls). This takes a lot of my focus away from the sport. I'm looking forward to moving in a new direction for a better 2010. Dixon, I owe so much to you. Thank you for believing in me and sorting me out every time I became a angry man.

After very little training I went to race Kansas 70.3. I went 3:54 and ran a 1:14 half marathon split placing 4th overall in a tough field! I finally saw a glimpse of the potential I think I have. I was ecstatic.

From here on out I thought I would be a top five or even a podium contender at every race. I went so fast on only two weeks training after 20 days of squat! Imagine what I could do more training, right :)

Reality check. Life is tough and doesn't care what you think. Trying to replicate and improve on Kansas was tough. I went to Rhode Island, Calgary, Austin Tri, Augusta and Longhorn and didn't race to the very high expectations I put on myself. If James Bonney is reading this, this is not a convenient personal "reason" always standing between myself and glory. Triathlon is a tough sport and even though I have seen improvement all year in each discipline, I have yet to put all three together. Like my man Naaman, my overblown expectations bred anger and bitterness. My desire for instant success after Kansas proved to be a massive road block for the rest of my 09 journey. Success takes time and to be successful you have to be enjoying the ride.

Dixon came to the rescue and gave me a call after Longhorn. He explained there are great athletes who have lots of potential but have not put themselves in a environmental setting necessary to succeed. This off season I will be looking to change a few things in my environment and steer it towards a course that will breed success.

Clearwater is a few weeks away and I'm really looking forward to the off-season

Just like to thank my beautiful wife, my family, Matt Dixon, Phase One, Ron Vaughn, and K-Swiss for going above and beyond all year helping me through my struggles.

Also a big shout to Randy at Pure for helping me out with a great recovery shake. Katie at zico for supplying me with coconut water. This stuff is fantastic after training in the Austin summer. Very refreshing.

TAPER FOOD

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:49:00 +0000

Its taper week for the Hubby so what do I feed him? Fresh foods, lots of fruits and veggies, lean meats/fish, and limit the carbohydrates.

Typical Foods for a taper week:

Breakfast
- Organic Rolled Oats, nuts, honey, Banana
- Earl Grey Tea

Snacks:Ultimate Crunch mix with berries
- This is a trail mix with dried berries, flaxseed, cashews, and almonds. At Costco, love it!

Apples, Peaches, Carrots, Apple Gate Farms Turkey slices, Bulgarian or Greek Yogurt, and Ricotta Cheese (good source of Whey Protein).

Lunch:
I usually try to make tacos and salad. So 2 corn torillas with scrambled eggs or turkey/chicken sausage and tomato inside.

Dinner:
Lean meat or fish like Salmon, Ostrich, Chicken, or lean ground beef for iron.
Steamed veggies (brusseld sprouts, cauliflower, etc). Sprinkles with a little black pepper and olive oil.
Large salad with avocado and balsmic vinegar.

Desserts:
I'll mix up ricotta and greek yogurt with a little honey/cinnamon and sliced peaches or berries.

Very Simple, very clean. Lots of wholesome Food.

Cheers!

LC

Mashed what?

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:57:00 +0000

So with all the Halloween/Fall Festival decor, I had pumpkins on my mind. But there are so many choices. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, etc. I wanted to use it for something different. So instead of my usual sweet potato or cauliflower mash, I thought maybe I'd go for a combo. Pumpkin/Cauliflower Mash. Ohhhh, it was good! Plus its loaded with fiber and vitamin A yet not as starchy as sweet potaotes or regular potatoes. Recipe is below. It went well with balsamic glazed chicken and brussel sprouts (James' favorite vegetable believe it or not).

*2/3 10z can organic pumpkin
*1-2 cups steamed and then mashed cauliflower
*olive oil (1tbsp or so)
* 1/4 cup all natural ricotta cheese or other creamy soft cheese of preference (like cream cheese or *laughing cow cheese soft cheese)
*black pepper and sea salt to taste
*And other flavoring/spices you like. I used a some Greek spices that seemed to match well.

Throw everything in a pot on medium heat until well blended. EASY!!

Email me if you have any other pumpkin recipes that are unique.

Cheers!
LC

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:52:00 +0000

HEALTHY BITES UPDATE
October Flavor: The Halloween Bite

In addition to our standard four flavors (Apple Cinnamon, Whey Good, Cookie Dough and Apricot Fig) we are also introducing special flavors of the month. Our October Flavor of the Month is the Halloween Bite. Now you can indulge with our mostly all-natural and gluten-free treat that is definitely not a trick! Plus the kiddos will love these too and you won't have to feel guilty about giving them all that Halloween candy!

Per Bite: 100 CALORIES; 4.8g TOTAL FAT (1.5g saturated fat); 0.2mg CHOLESTEROL; 37.0mg SODIUM; 3.8g POTASSIUM; 13.9g TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE; 1.0g FIBER; 11.5g SUGAR; 1.5g PROTEIN

Ingredients: Marshmallows, all-natural caramel popcorn, sugar-free vanilla pudding, and Nutella. __________________________________________________________________________________________________

A New Twist On An Old Classic

We have added a twist to the classic Whey Good Protein Bite. Now you can get it in either the standard vanilla or in chocolate! Yes, Chocolate Whey Good! If you haven't tried either, order a box of half vanilla and half chocolate so you can see which one you prefer!

Lindsay Cotter & Kelly Bruneman
Nutrition Managers & Fitness Professionals
Kelly0412@hotmail.com
Lyndzut@sbcglobal.net

Summer may be gone but.......

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:36:00 +0000

I still crave big juicy peaches and they have been on sale here in TX so I like to take advantage. Call it "the end of the season blow out!" One of my favorite ways to cook them is grilled with honey salmon and served over balsamic onions and salad!

1 large white peach sliced
1-2 tbsp honey
balsamic vinegar
coconut oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste
fresh salmon fillet
sliced onion (red or white)
(again, james like spicy so I added a little chalula sauce in the marinade to kick it up a notch- this is definitely OPTIONAL).

Place the fillets in a ziplock bag with the honey, balsamic vinegar, and a little coconut oil (if you prefer) and let them marinate for 20-30 min. After the salmon is ready, use a griddle or grill to cook your salmon, onion and peaches slices. Add salt, pepper, add little of the marinade to your onion and peach slices to keep them moist while grilling. About half way through the grilling process or until the salmon is about done, transfer all the ingredients into a skillet and sautee for the remainder of cooking time. Then serve over a nice bed of spinach or romain and you have a warm summer salad. YUM!

Next up, fall recipes.
Cheers!

LC

Pineapple Meatloaf with a kick!

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:36:00 +0000

Thanks to my good friend and HEALTHY BITES partner Kelly Bruneman for this recipe and nutrition facts!

This recipe was a 10 out of 10 with the Husband. I added a few extra ingredients to spice it up a bit (because James loves spicy everything). But overall, it was easy, healthy, and YUM. Next time I will be more adventurous and try cooking it with ostrich meat (another lean red meat with a great source of iron).

Pineapple Meatloaf

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup oats
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped (I actually use a tri blend of red, yellow, green)
1/4 tsp salt
chili powder (optional spice)
black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey...you're choice)
8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained

Combine egg, oats, onion, bell pepper and salt. Add beef and pineapple. Mix well. Place in a 8x8 baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Top with BBQ sauce (we used smoky/spicy sauce) and bake for another 3-5 minutes.

Serves: 4
253.9 Calories; 8.6g Fat (3.4g saturated fat); 118.1mg Cholesterol; 138.6mg Sodium; 13g Carbohydrates; 1.4g Fiber; 7.1g Sugar; 26.6g Protein

Its GOOD!

Cheers,
LC

Have some confidence back

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:06:00 +0000

If you're not at the top of triathlon world, it is a very hard (and sometimes stupid) sport to be a professional in. We are all looking for that one break through race that will land us a cover, interview, and a bonus structure!. We train the hardest and make too many sacrifices for all the times we come home empty handed after races. But, the friends and sponsors you make along the way and stories you come home with are priceless!

The past three races for me have been very tough to swallow considering how well my training has been going. In this sport, success is really depended on how well you handle defeat/failure. If you can't pick yourself back up, your done with. So I thought I would share with you how I analyze a race that has gone poorly. It was taught to me from a wise man in Auckland, New Zealand.

Four things can cause a bad race.

1. Training Error
2. Racing Error
3. Bad luck
4. Confidence

I will look very deeply into every aspect I can within the four categories and try and figure out what went wrong. I have figured out what my issues are and have slowly been working at fixing the problem. The event I raced today confirmed to me I'm on the correct path to fixing my issues.

Today I raced to second place behind Richie Cunningham. Richie is Aussie triathlete I recently met who just made the move to Austin. We talked about doing some training together. He mentioned that he might be lowering his standards by training with a Kiwi! I think the same thing could be said from my side also :)
Back to the race...I made a big error on the bike that cost me some time, but I received a big boost of confidence from my overall result that was much needed. I managed to kick out a 10km in the 32 min range that really let me know my training has not been for nothing. Richie was the strongest man of the day, so congrats to him.

So instead of going home and sulking after a bad race (like I used to), go and figure out what caused your bad race, because who knows...you may be one race away from your break through!

Train Hard!

Cleaning out the Closet

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Random post of old pictures I took about 2-3 weeks ago. healthy and tasty meals.

Veggie/bacon Omelet with Fruit Salad and Avocado.

Chili and Avocado Chicken tacos

Recipes are simple and quick. Email me if you want me to send them your way.

Happy labor day!

LC

September is just around the corner!!

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:17:00 +0000

Be on the lookout for Healthy Bites Flavor of the month (kinda like the jelly belly club, haha!). Next month we will feature a Breakfast Bite. Its wheat/nut free. This bite is perfect for people or toddlers with nut/dairy allergies. And they've been approved by 2 year olds AND not so 2 year olds like our husbands and friends(although they make act like it at times)!

Grab, Nosh, and NOURISH!!

Ingredients: Organic rolled oats, Honey Kix, dried plums, organic coconut milk powder, organic flaxseed grounds, Texas honey, cinnamon.

66.26 CALORIES
1.66g FAT (0.5g saturated fat)
0mg CHOLESTEROL
16.58mg SODIUM
11.60g CARBS
1.35g FIBER
4.6g SUGAR
1.5g PROTEIN
35mg POTASSIUM

Email us if your interested!

Cheers,
LC

A night out to Celebrate

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:32:00 +0000

Yes the Cotters can still have a good time, no matter how tired we are! We had a blast this past weekend celebrating Juliette and Zachary Dell's b'nai mitzvah. Thanks for inviting us, you two did great!!

JC and LC

p.s.

my blond skills didn't let me publish the photos too well. Just click if you want a close up, haha!

Get 'em while they're hot!

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:52:00 +0000

HEALTHY BITES- GRAB, NOSH, AND NOURISH!!

Hey everyone! I am posting a new food for you to check out! Kelly Bruneman (friend and fellow nutrition manager) and I have put our heads together and created a tasty little snack called Healthy Bites. These little bites are good for kid's snacks, pre workout fuel, post workout recovery or just for yummy healthy munching! We have 4 ready-made flavors (see below) and we will also custom make anything you want!

Ready Made Flavors:

Apple Cinnamon - good for pre-fueling
Whey Protein - good for recovery
Apricot Fig - good for the gut!
Cookie Dough- good for people with gluten/lactose allergies and just GOOD!!

All of our bites have been tested on our husbands and given the seal of approval! The info below will give you ingredients, allergen and nutritional information, as well as photos and pricing.

Let me know if you want to Nosh and Nourish!!

Whey Good-
Ingredients:
All Natural Vanilla Whey protein powder (sweetened with Stevia), organic almond butter, raw almonds, dried banana, and organic wild honey.
Nutrition (per bite):
90.0 CALORIES; 4.96g FAT (0.3g saturated fat); 0mg CHOLESTEROL; 3.3mg SODIUM; 8.56g CARBOHYDRATES; 0.59g FIBER; 6.34g SUGAR; 5.02g PROTEIN
*NOTE- we can use more protein powder if preferred which will alter nutritional information.

Apricot Fig
Ingredients:
Organic dried figs, organic dried apricots, organic pecans, and organic unsweetened dried coconut flakes.
Nutrition (per bite):
66.0 CALORIES; 2.1g FAT; (0.9g saturated fat); 0mg CHOLESTEROL; 0.45mg SODIUM; 11.6g CARBOHYDRATES; 2.1g FIBER; 8.9g SUGAR; 0.65g PROTEIN

Apple Cinnamon Bites
Ingredients:
Dried apple, organic almonds, organic peanut butter, organic flaxseed grounds, Texas honey, and cinnamon.
Nutrition Info per ball:
104 CALORIES; 6.18g FAT (0.52g saturated fat); 0mg CHOLESTEROL; 22.88mg SODIUM; 11.g CARBOHYDRATES; 2g FIBER; 7.8g SUGAR; 3.5g PROTEIN

Cookie Dough Bites
Ingredients- :
Organic natural peanut butter, gluten-free chocolate chips, dried goats milk powder (lower lactose), organic honey, and raw almonds.
Nutrition (per bite):
79.32 CALORIES; 4.2g FAT (1.53g saturated fat); 2.68mg CHOLESTEROL; 10.36mg SODIUM; 9.23g CARBOHYDRATES; 0.48g FIBER; 8.29g SUGAR; 1.79g PROTEIN

Custom Bites
Give us your favorite 3 ingredients and we’ll custom make your “healthy bite.”

PRICES
$6.99 per box of one dozen
*NOTE* Variety pack also available (choose any flavor combo)

Please email Kelly or Lindsay at lyndzut@sbcglobal.net or Kelly0412@hotmail.com

Need 3 day advance notice before pickup or deliveries can be complete- THANKS!!!!

Cheers,
LC

OUCH!!

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:43:00 +0000

Very dissaponted with myself. Finishing up my ride today and I hit the deck. Worst part, the deck was not nice smooth pavement...it was chip seal.

I had just finished a nasty little climb (city park) and was just begining the descent. I was holding my base bar beneath the elbow pads which were very sweaty from the climb. I hit a pot hole and my hands flew off the bar and I went down. My palm took most of fall.

Nothing too brutal and nasty. Was a little bummed since it looked nasty when I was on site of fall. Once washed off it was very minor. Probably a good thing since I race in a week. It did hurt..a lot remembering the feeling of my palm absorbing/sliding the fall on chip seal. Thank god nobody was around to see it.

Carrot Apple Bread- Paleo Style

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Carrot Apple Bread (paleo style) simple means I didn't use any grains. Almond meal as the flour, olive oil, apple sauce, pure butter, and fresh ground carrots, apples, and a few chopped up dried plums (for sweetness). Okay I did use a tiny bit of whole grain cornmeal to thickin it up a bit, but its still gluten free. The recipe and Nutrition Facts are below. Its yummy with marmite but then again you have to like marmite and be from Britain, Australia, or New Zealand, haha!

carrot/apple almond bread

Ingredients:
3/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup organic corn meal (gluten free)
1 medium size carrot around 6-7 in. (chopped in blender or food processor)
1 medium apple (chopped in blender or food processor
5 dried plums (chopped or shredded into pieces)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 whole eggs
1/4 stick natural butter melted
2-3 tablespoons of oil (olive oil or coconut is best)
2 tsp nutmeg
*OPTIONAL- agave nectar if wanting to make sweeter (maybe 1tbsp or so)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, microwave the butter until melted (but do not overheat). Whisk the eggs in with the butter, olive oil, applesauce, and other spices/sweeteners until well mixed. Gradually add the finely chopped (or pureed) carrots, apple, prunes, and almond flour.

Pour into a lightly greased pie plate or other casserole dish and bake for 40 minutes or so. Depending on your oven it could be 35 to 45 min.

Nutrition per slice (12 servings)- Based on fitday's calculations
119 calories
8.4 grams fat
1.9 saturated
9 carbohydrates
2 grams fiber
3 grams proteins

I hope it turns out yummy. Its also good as a quick breakfast quickly heated up in the microwave!

Cheers,
LC

SERIOUSLY

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:46:00 +0000

I will not even lie and just throw it out there. I say this with the highest amount of respect to top three at Rhode Island...I went into RI thinking I could win the race or at least podium. Post race i spoke with Cameron Brown who said it best. This sport is filled with so many ups and downs.

Swim was perfect. I started swimming when I moved to Hawaii in 2000. Swimming in the ocean a fair amount even when rough prepared me for the swim at RI. Lots and lots of chop the entire swim. Even though I said I was not going to lead the swim because of the great white shark spotting, it just happened. Opened up a gap from the gun. I was hesitant to open up the gap outbound because I didn't want to be easy bait. Once I hit the turn around I opened it up a little more. Solid swim which I thought set me up perfectly for the race since I cruised 80% of swim.

On the bike I rode solid and waited for Richie to bridge up so I had a riding partner. He went by and it was like I was riding with my brakes on. Brownie went by, Wolf went by, Lovato went by, Hodges, Evoe, hell i was waiting for some one in the last wave of the day to go by! It was strange because my left leg was not firing and was stuck in a constant cramp the entire ride. Very hard to swallow especially when my build had gone much better then Kansas. That is racing and if were easy the world would be full of pro triathletes.

Run was solid and I shut it down at mile 10 when I knew the money was too far up the road.

Rhode Island is a great course. The transportation situation is not awesome (up at 3am) but everything else is top notch. I will be back again. Congrats to all finishers.

Great event and it was nice to run into friends. Once of my favorite things about the sport of triathlon is running into friends and meeting new athletes. Meet Dion Harrison during the race and had a nice chat with him at my 14hr stuck at the airport!

Positives from the race:
1) swimming is feeling good
2) my biking continues to motivate me. It is stronger, just bad luck.
3) Running is easier off bike since I'm getting stronger.

Back at it tomorrow!

Cheers,

JC

RI

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:55:00 +0000

Last year i went up to Rhode Island to compete in the inaugural 70.3 in Providence. The logistics kinda sucked as I was up at 3:00am to get to Providence to then jump in a bus for the 40 min trek to the start line. Apart from that, the race was awesome! Great challenging course and great support. I will be returning again this year to try and improve on my time and placing. Like always, the field is never easy. Cameron Brown, Michael Lovato, and R. Cunningham are only a few of the athletes competing next weekend.

I have switched a few things around and so far things appear to be heading in the right direction. Heading into Rhode Island, I have done it the same as my Kansas build. I have had one recovery week and two build weeks heading into Rhode Island. Like my coach always tells me in the kindest way possible.."You bike like shit" so I have been really focusing on lots of Big gear work on the bike. I need to be able to bike with the big boys and this has been helping some. I'm feeling stronger then I did heading into Kansas so hopefully I will still have something left in my legs to throw down a respectable run split as in Kansas. Really looking forward to racing and seeing how my body has adjusted to a few more weeks under Mr. Dixon.

I head out at 7am tomorrow morning. It's race time!

JC

Coconut Crusted Salmon with mango peach salsa

noreply@blogger.com (James and Lindsay Cotter) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:25:00 +0000

SUPER EASY!

I combined it with arugula salad and sweet potato wedge.

I love this meal! Its simple to make, healthy, tasty, and a great summer time dish!

You don't even need a recipe. Here's the low down on the dish. Mix in a small bowl 1 egg, 2-3 tbsp of a coconut oil, and any type of sweet vinaigrette dressing. I used a strawberry blush/balsamic vinaigrette. Then coat the salmon in the liquid mixture. In a second bowl place 1/2 cup almond meal and 1/2 shredded coconut. Dip the salmon in the dry mix until lightly coated. Bake in over on 400 Degrees for about 10-15 minutes then broil the 2 minutes or so. For the salsa you can buy a mango peach salsa from the store and add in diced purple onion, cilantro, and jalapeno if you want a good kick of spice. Or you can make the salsa from scratch. See recipe below.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
•2 mangos, peeled and chopped
•2 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
•1 sweet onion, diced
•1 medium tomato, diced (optional)
•2 cloves garlic
•2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
•juice of one lime
•dash salt and pepper

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients and chill. If you have a food processor, you can process all the ingredients in chunks, rather than dicing and chopping. Chill before serving.
Makes four servings of mango salsa.

After salmon is done, place on salsa on top and chow down!

P.S. This goes great with a Pinot Grigio!

Cheers,
LC