Mikiko's Adventures

[Mikiko]

No excuses...this year I'm staying on track!

Step 1: Finish taxes.
Step 2: CALL TRAINER!!!!

My personal goal for Team Universe this year is to have the most disciplined and focused contest prep ever!

[musclemilf]

Yay!!! A bay area person! I'll be reading your journal :)

[Mikiko]

After a gluttonous weekend, I'm ready to get disciplined and into a routine!
I spent the weekend with my darling, and of course I refuse to pig out in front of him. I pigged out on 3 Dunkin' Donuts, a brownie bar, 6 peautbutter-chocolate cookies, chicken salad, pint of mixed salted nuts, and pack of chocolate-chip cookies while waiting for my flight. Once I got home, I had a Skinny Cow mint ice-cream sandwich, and haagen-daaz sorbets in mango and raspberry. MMMMMMmmmmmm....

OK now down to business.
Today's menu:
8am - 4 eggs, scrambled, w/ salt
1pm - 1.5 scoops of ALLMAX ISOFEMME Whey in Strawberry + 1 TBS ground chia seed + 1 TBS Walnut Oil, 1g CLA
2pm - 1 packet ALLMAX Isofemme Rapidcuts
3:30pm - 4oz chicken breast, 1 cup romaine lettuce leaves, 1 TBS walnut oil, 1 TBS rice vinegar, 1 packet ALLMAX Vitastack
7:00pm - 5oz tuna, 1 TBS almond butter
11:00pm - 1.5 scoops ALLMAX Isoflex Peanutbutter Chocolate Whey, 1 tsp all-natural organic peanut butter

Training:
6:45am - 30 min cardio @ 130bpm
2:00pm - Shoulders + abs:
1 warm-up set of lateral raises, db presses, rear db flyes, upright db rows
3 sets db press
3 sets db lateral raises superset with upright db rows
3 sets db rear delt flyes superset w/ wide grip bb press
3 set of front cable raises superset w/ side cable raises
5 sets of rear delt flyes
3 sets swiss ball crunches

If I get a second cardio session in tonight I'll be thrilled, but first I need to go tub / shower / tile / faucet shopping for my bathroom remodel, set up my daughter's computer, and move her stuff into the spare room while hers is being remodeled. Also on my agenda tonight is getting things together to donate to the animal shelter, and gather all of the empty decorative alcohol bottles for recycling.

[Mikiko]

Yay! I lost 5 lbs since Monday. I don't care if it's water or whatever...my body functions best at 126-128lbs.

Today's diet took a turn for the worse. I waited two hours for my plumber this morning, but he never showed up. In the meantime, I was busy going over construction logistics with my contractor. I kept forgetting to cook my morning eggs, and had to rush into work. By the time I remembered to eat, it was already 10:30, so I had a scoop of whey with a tablespoon of ground chia seed. I worked frantically until about 2pm, had another scoop of whey and ran down to the gym. I trained legs today:

1 warm-up set of squats
4 sets full squats
4 sets deadlifts superset with one-legged press
4 sets sumo squats
4 sets of lying hamstring curls
4 sets of seated hamstring curls

That's all I really had time for...went back to my desk and stayed there until 8pm. Rode home and stopped by Lowe's on the way to buy a shower pan and faucet. I also picked up some tile samples.
At about 10:30 I had rockfish. I was so exhausted it wasn't fully cooked in the middle, and I ate it partially raw anyway. All I could think about was...anasakids crawling through my muscle tissue.....attempted to further clean my house. I can't feel my body waist down, but a bit too wired to sleep.
No cardio today :(

[GirlyMuscle]

Cool to see you journaling Mikiko. Will you be posting photos and stuff as well?

[Mikiko]

Hi GM! How are you? I will post pics when possible.
I really enjoy writing and it helps me focus!
Sometimes I feel so scatter-brained or confused. Writing helps me to organize my thoughts and get back on track.

March 2010 is Nutritional Month! In recognition, the fitness center and cafe manager collaborated to offer a variety of nutiritonal-themed events.

Today I attended a seminar on our food program here at Yahoo!, along with a recipe demonstration and general nutrition tips by Kaiser permanante. I learned so many new things, and had a ton of questions answered!

Dave has me fascinated with the whole cooking with mac oil concept. Our foodservice management company informed me that they use virgin olive oil and canola oil in most of the dishes here at Yahoo!. They do not use nut oils due to food allergies. The canola oil is used with the olive oil to increase the smoking point (duuuuh....I set off the smoke alarm in the hotel because I used extra virgin olive oil. Normally I do not use oil to cook, so I wasn't even thinking of smoking points!!!).
Our managers also do everything possible to reduce our cabon footprint buying buy locally, and organically wherever possible and practical. 90% of the fruits served are grown locally.

[GirlyMuscle]

I cook with mac nut oil all the time. I like it. Especially, with chicken. I'll slice up left over chicken breasts and stir fry it in mac nut oil....yum!

[Tu Holmes]

Well look who shows up. :P

[Gaoshang Xiongshou]

I can dig it. I am in.

[Ninja Loco]

Are you....Japanese....?

[Mikiko]

Thank you GM! Yes, mac oil is delicious! I was hoping to get our cafe to carry it!!! But, I do see their point from a safety and sustainability atandpoint. I suppose something as delicious as mac oil should be left for enjoyment at home, and not for the masses.

TUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Hi Gaoshang!

Hi Ninja, yes, I am half Japanese, very nice to meet you! Your signature is hilarious!

[Mikiko]

My darling enjoyed this recipe very much (or so he claims...tee hee hee!)
I would like to share it as one of my favorites, it is a tasty and healthy treat!

Ingredients:
1 head of Nappa Cabbage (or Bok Choy, or Spinach)
3oz water chestnuts, minced
3oz water chestnuts, sliced
12oz sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed
12oz straw mushrooms, rinsed
2 green onions, minced
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 large egg, beaten (but not yelled at)
1 lb ground turkey (if using extra lean, it's tastier to add 1/4 carton silken tofu)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Truvia sweetner (or your favorite sweetner)
2.5 tsp pale dry sherry (optional)
3 Tbs light soy sauce, divided
1/2 tsp asian sesame oil
black or white pepper to taste
2-3 Tablespoons of one of the following as a binding agent: cornstarch, flour, almond meal, unflavored whey (optional--just helps to make the meatballs form better)
2 Tbs Macadamia Nut oil
1.5 cups of chicken broth

Preparation:
1. Wash and drain cabbage/greens 3x. Cut crosswise into 3" strips.
2. Mix the minced water chestnuts egg, turkey, green onion, ginger, salt, sweetner, sherry, 1 TBS of soy sauce, sesame oil, pepper, optional tofu and optional cornstarch/flour. Form into 8 meatballs.
3. Heat macadamia nut oil in skillet on medium-high. When the oil is hot, brown the meatballs in the pan. Turn the meatballs to brown the other side, lowering the heat if it gets too hot. Drain excess oil off the meatballs on a paper towel.
4. In a large saucepan, heat chicken broth and 2 TBS soysauce to boiling.
5. Add the meatballs, sliced water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and straw mushrooms. Arrange the cabbage or greens on top. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

This is especially delicious served over rice!

[Mikiko]

Chocolate - Mango and Coconut Cream Cake Recipe:
Serves 10-12

For the vanilla genoise:
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
¾ cup of sugar
½ cup cake flour
¼ cup cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 400F and set a rack in the middle.
1. Lightly spray a 12x17 baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, salt and sugar together in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk gently until the mixture is just lukewarm, about 100F on a candy thermometer(or test with your finger - it should be warm to the touch).
3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment (or hand held beaters) and whip on medium-high speed until the egg mixture is cooled and tripled in volume. The mixture will be thick and will form a slowly dissolving ribbon falling back onto the bowl when the whisk is lifted.
4. Over a medium bowl or a piece of parchment paper, sift together the flour and cornstarch.
5. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the beaten egg mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture, making sure to scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl to prevent the flour mixture from making lumps. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture and finally with the remainder.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
7. Bake the genoise for about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure the cake does not over bake and become too dry or it will not roll properly. Let cool on a rack. Remove the cake from the baking sheet and invert it on a larger piece of parchment paper. Peel of the parchment paper that was lining the baking sheet. Set the cake aside.

For the cocoa genoise:
Same process but replace the amount of cornstarch with the same amount in cocoa powder and proceed with the recipe the same way.

For the coconut Bavarian cream:
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
3 tablespoons water
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup heavy cream, cold

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand to soften while you prepare the cream.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until very pale. In the meantime, in a medium large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the coconut milk to a simmer. Slowly pour the milk over the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent them from curdling. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over medium low heat and cook until the cream coats the back of a spoon. Add the softened gelatin and stir until melted completely into the cream. Let cool to room temperature.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream to soft peaks on medium speed and fold it into the cooled cream base. Use within one hour.

For the mango mousse:
1.5 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
4 oz mango puree
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, cold

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it soften while you prepare the fruit.

In a medium saucepan, bring the mango puree and sugar to a simmer.

Remove from the heat and add the softened gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is completely melted.

Transfer the fruit puree to a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the fruit puree to lighten it up (do not worry about losing air at this point). Carefully fold in the rest of the whipped cream. Use within one hour.

Rum simple syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons rum

In a small saucepan set over medium high heat, bring all the ingredients to a simmer until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room temperature.

Lemon glaze:
1.5 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it soften.

In small saucepan set over medium high heat, bring the water, lemon juice and sugar to a simmer, stirring off and on to make sure the sugar dissolves properly. Add the gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Let cool to room temperature (if the mixture gels, warm up over low heat until barely melted again).

To assemble:
Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper of foil, leaving a border on the sides to make it easy to remove when set. You can also use a cake frame of the same dimensions.

Cut two 8x8 cake layers in each of the genoises. Place one layer of the chocolate genoise at the bottom of your pan and brush with some rum syrup. Pour half the coconut Bavarian on top and smooth with an offset spatula. Top with a layer of vanilla genoise, brush some rum syrup on top. Pour half the mango mousse and smooth with an offset spatula. Repeat the process with the second half of cakes and creams. Refrigerate until set. Pour the lemon glaze over the cake and let set in the fridge.

Cut through the cake with a knife dipped in hot water to prevent breaking the glaze instead of slicing through it.

[Mikiko]

Sprouted Ezekiel Bread
This makes 2 pound and a half loaves of bread.
Cut ingredients in half except for yeast if making 1 loaf.
4 cups Prairie Gold hard white wheat
1/4 cup kamut
1/4 cup spelt
1/8 cup lentils
1/8 cup millet
1/4 cup of mixed beans (pinto, pink, and small white)
Mix all of the above well. Divide into 3 parts. Place each part in a 1 quart canning jar. Fill the jars with water and let mix soak for 24 hours. Cover the jars with cheesecloth (or a piece of nylon hosiery). Attach the cover with a rubberband. Drain the water from each jar. Rinse the grains with clear water. Turn the jars upside down in a dish to allow them to drain completely. Rinse and drain again 24 hours later, and repeat the process again in 24 more hours. The beans will be the last to start tiny shoots. When you see those, the mix is ready to grind in a meat grinder or food mill for wet foods. Drain the grains well before grinding. When it comes out of the grinder, the mixture will be a heavy dough, ready for you to make into your favorite bread product.
Essene Bread
Add1 tsp. salt and your favorite seasonings to your dough. Try garlic, or Italian Seasoning, etc. Knead in the salt and seasonings. Roll dough out as thin as you like. Cover with cheesecloth and Let it dry in the sun. Flip it over and let it dry on the other side. It will be like a cracker - with all the nutrition of raw sprouts. Try it with honey, raisins, and cinnamon for a dessert.
Note: Since this is not cooked, make sure your beans are sprouted before grinding. Unsprouted raw beans can make you sick to your stomach. You can speed up the process by baking this bread in the oven, but it will lose some of its nutritive value. If your beans did not sprout, then you should bake this bread before eating it.
Yeasted Flourless Ezekiel Bread
Grease 2 medium bread pans. Place your dough in a heavy duty mixer with dough hooks (hand or electric).
Add
1/3 Cup Oil
1/3 Cup Honey
1/2 tsp. Ascorbic Acid or Citric Acid
2 Tbs. Yeast
2 Tsp. Salt
3 TBS Gluten
Turn on mixer or begin mixing with hand kneader. (If the dough is too wet, add some gluten or allowed flour until dough cleans the sides.) Knead for 10 minutes. Oil counter. Take dough out of mixer bowl and place on counter. Divide into two equal parts. Tuck under edges and place in medium loaf pans. Place pans in warm oven (150 degrees) or covered in a warm location for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove bread from pans and place on rack to cool. (A solar oven that reaches at least 300 degrees will do an excellent job baking this bread. Solar cooking produces a fluffier, lighter bread. The lower the temperature, the longer it will take to cook.)
Slice when cool.
If you are using an electric bread baker, cut the recipe in half except for the yeast.
Use 1 1/2 TBS yeast. Place the ground sprouts and other ingredients in the machine and select the whole wheat cycle. Let me know how it turns out. Some machines turn out better than others. Don't give up if it didn't turn out the first time. Experiment. Bread baking is an art, not a science. Once you have perfected a loaf to your liking, you'll have lots of fun with variations.
Ezekiel Quick Breads
Use your regular recipes for pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc. but substitute your sprout dough for the flour and water. If you need a batter rather than heavy dough, add water. If you need a drier dough, add oatmeal or allowed flour.

[Ninja Loco]

Hi Ninja, yes, I am half Japanese,
Someone hold me.......

[Mikiko]

Ahahaha! Are you as well? Hajimemashite! It is always nice to meet a fellow nihonjin! We have a decent community here in the Bay Area. I love to share our delicious manju and daifuku! :) Genki de ne...

[Ninja Loco]

Ahahaha! Are you as well? Hajimemashite! It is always nice to meet a fellow nihonjin! We have a decent community here in the Bay Area. I love to share our delicious manju and daifuku! :) Genki de ne...
Marry me.

[Mikiko]

Marry me.
I'm spoken for, how about my twin sister?

[Ninja Loco]

Is she into fitness?

[Ninja Loco]

Heh heh....*bows low*.... No I am not Japanese, not even half. We do have some asian blood but we are not sure what it might be. It's either Philipino or Japanese though. Unfortunately, I am only eastern in spirit (much like my brother GX), not in body. But in essence, that is what counts, is it not?


I am honored to meet you.

[SallyAnne]

After a gluttonous weekend, I'm ready to get disciplined and into a routine!
I spent the weekend with my darling, and of course I refuse to pig out in front of him. I pigged out on 3 Dunkin' Donuts, a brownie bar, 6 peautbutter-chocolate cookies, chicken salad, pint of mixed salted nuts, and pack of chocolate-chip cookies while waiting for my flight. Once I got home, I had a Skinny Cow mint ice-cream sandwich, and haagen-daaz sorbets in mango and raspberry. MMMMMMmmmmmm....


I wouldn't want to pig out in front of him, either. lol :D

Miss you! Hope you're doing well and I'm looking forward to seeing you in a few months. :hugme: