Nutsack

Haha, get your mind out of the gutter!  Yes, that is my/our new nutsack all the way from Lexington Ky.  In an effort to become more self-sufficient, healthy, thrifty, and aware of where our food comes from, Sarah and I are diving into homesteading.  You know, MacGyver shit for your home like growing and producing your own food and living as independently as possible with a few tricks of the trade.  

We started by trying to reduce the things we buy at the store which we could, with a little effort, make at home.  Two things we go through a lot of are almond milk and peanut butter.  First off, as Lewis Black has so poignantly stated (in reference to soy milk, but the message is the same), “there is no such thing as soy milk!  You know why? Because there’s no soy tit is there?!”.  Ah yes, Lewis, your point is well taken and I do put a fair share of almond juice on my oatmeal every morning instead of regular milk.  Instead of buying the list-of-bullshit-ingredients almond milk from Whole Foods, why not just make it at home?  

So, Sarah ordered some organic almonds and peanuts online along with a nutsack.  Now, for you sick-minded people out there, in cooking nomenclature a nutsack does not hold the male members of our species’ crown jewels, but rather is a devise that strains liquid through a very tin mesh screen.  However, being easily amused by bodily jokes, I have been saying nutsack as often as possible in the past week in anticipation of actually making our own almond juice.  The likes of which Im sure has driven Sarah crazy.  Anyway, the nutsack arrived in the mail along with the nuts and we went to town making our own almond juice. It’s pretty easy really:

Soak 1 cup of raw almonds in water overnight

In your food processor, add almonds and about 3 cups of water.  If your food processor leaks like ours, best to do it in batches.  

Run the processor until you get a milky looking liquid and gritty almond pieces. 

Pour everything into the nutsack and squeeze your nutsack until all of the liquid comes out!

I've been working on my farmers tan

Once finished, transfer the contents to a container fit for the fridge and you are good to go. 

Only ingredients are, umm, almonds and water…no processed synthetic chemicals.   Overall, 1 cup of almonds and 3 cups of water will yield, are you ready for this?  About 4 cups of almond milk!  

After cleaning the food processor, we also made peanut butter.  I could live off of peanut butter and bananas, and we routinely go though about a jar of peanut butter a week.  Again, instead of buying peanut butter, why not make our own?  Although a little longer (15 min) than making almond milk, homemade peanut butter is very simple:

1 pound of organic peanuts.

Put peanuts into food processor and run until the peanuts start crumpling up and collecting on the sides. 

Stop, clean off the sides, and repeat about 8-10 times while shaking the processor.  

If you wish, you can add honey for sweetness (or Stevia or some shit for you vegans) and a little oil (any type will work) if the mixture is too dry/crumbly. 

Eventually, you will get something that is very similar to peanut butter.  Put into an old empty and washed peanut butter jar and you are all set!  This will yield one jar of peanut butter, but be sure to store in the fridge as the oil will separate at room temperature.  

BOB photo bomb

We did a few other things today, but it felt good to make two products that we typically buy at the store.  To homestead, you do not need acres of land, a rustic cabin, and a complete abandonment of society.  All you need is a little knowledge and the drive to be self-sufficient.  My grandparents prided themselves and their families on being self-reliant during the great depression.  I.E. being creative, producing their own goods/foods and not being dependent on others,or the government, for their survival.  There is something to be said for that, and it’s a quality of life I/we really admire and aspire to.  Now, stop reading my blog, get off your ass, squeeze your nutsack, and get to work!

P.S. Blog Nutsack count=10

Earn Your Meals

Today, the majority of Americans are very accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle.  Our economic and social systems reinforce our chronic inactivity from daybreak to bedtime—we commute for some period of time (sitting on our asses) to a job where we sit (on our asses) for 8 hours or more, commute back (more ass sitting), zap some dinner and chill out in front of the tube, Twitter on the couch (not fun to clean up), then we go to bed.  Repeat.  The human body reacts to this inactivity and poor diet by storing fat and losing muscle mass and flexibility.  To combat this, many people turn to the latest crash-diet to fix the problem.  Ever go out to dinner with that friend who is always on a “diet” to lose weight and get “toned”?   Upon ordering dinner, your friend asks the chef to leave off the bun on their burger because it has too many bad carbohydrates and will conflict with their diet.  As if the half-pound corn-fed beef patty with processed cheese shit on top is somehow better for you.  "But it has lettuce on it..." your friend retorts. Whatever.  I am sure we have all been there, but let me pose a few questions: 

Did not eating that bun really help shave an inch off their ass?   Umm, no. 

If someone truly lived a fit lifestyle (nutritious eating + exercise) would that bun really matter in the long run?    Umm, no.  

That bun, or dessert, or drink, or whatever, does not really matter in the grand scheme of things because the second person earned their dinner through intense exercise.  They worked hard in the gym, ran the extra mile, or did an extra set of squats to rev up their metabolism so the calories in the bun were inconsequential.  I am not saying after running five miles you have the green light to scarf down an entire plate of cookies Cookie Monster style.  The quality of food is just as important as the quantity of food.  Eat plenty of veggies, fruits and moderate amounts of proteins, carbs, and fats and most people are good-to-go diet wise.  If you do that, a bun or glass of wine is not going to be detrimental to your overall health.  However, the exercise component is essential.  

Up until as recently as 60 years ago or so, the vast majority of humans on the planet had to earn their meals through some physical task: tending the land, planting seeds, harvesting veggies, taking care of livestock, slaughtering animals, milking whatever, and preparing/cooking that day’s meals.  Rewind to our earliest hominid ancestors and not only were we foraging for nuts, berries, and hunting antelope, we were also collecting water, making tools, and wrestling mega fauna for dinner.  Bottom line, we were very active from dawn to dusk.        

But today we don’t have to battle saber tooth tigers for dinner…maybe we should.  I bet the obesity epidemic would dramatically decrease in this country.  

Fact: Putin wrestles Tigers...and wins.   

That tough SOB earned his Borsch dinner at the expense of the proletariat

Chick: "Where's Bob?"

Dude: "Dude, Bob's slow-ass got eaten by a tiger on the 110 this morning."

Chick: "Sucks"  

Anyway, do not fret about the small things like buns and dessert.  As long as your basic diet is in order and you work your ass off in the gym you have earned your dinner.  Here is one of my favorite recipes.  It’s easy to prepare, tasty, and it takes 40-50 minutes to bake in the oven so you can get up, do your WOD, and then enjoy the tasty goodness of quiche!

*For all of you Vegans out there, check out this recipe:     http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2KRvwe/www.dietdessertndogs.com/2010/05/04/sos-kitchen-challenge-for-may-and-another-eggy-vegan-recipe/

Quiche

For the Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt and sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) of butter, cold, cut into small pieces (don’t freak out, it’s okay.  You killed it in the gym)

¼ to ½ cup of ice water

For the Filling:

Approx 6 eggs

Splash of half & half or heavy cream

Whatever veggies you want!  I would suggest zucchini, spinach, potatoes, collards, onions, garlic, broccoli, peppers, anything really

Salt and pepper and other spices (I like hot pepper flakes)

*Shredded cheddar or feta, or any kind of cheese you want if you worked out extra hard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine the dry team (ever watch Good Eats?) in a bowl.  Add the butter and combine until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Slowly pour in the ice water and continue mixing until the dough just holds together.  Typically, it takes almost the entire ½ cup of water, but will be different depending on your climate.  

Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface.  Create a thin layer a little larger than the dish you will bake it in.  Slowly transfer the dough into the dish.  

Whisk together eggs, cream, spices, cheese, and veggies (wet team) in a large bowl.  Transfer into the awaiting dough.  Fold over the dough to form a crust and trim off the extra.  

Bake for approx. 35-50 minutes.  When you begin to smell the quiche goodness in the other room, go check on it, it’s almost done.  Slide a knife into the center, if the knife is coated in runny egg, bake a little longer.  If it comes out more or less clean, dinner time!  Let cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving.  Enjoy!

Check out my campaign to earn a Personal Trainer and Kickboxing Instructor Certification on Indiegogo!

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/209026?a=1067295

Archaeology WOD For Time: 400m Total Station Prism Pole Sprint, boulder clean and press, 200m bucket-of-sand sprint, Locus 2 excavation, and back-fill unit. 

Welcome To Our Family

This is Jonathan.  He is a Cultural Anthropologist but has crossed over to the dark side of archaeology due to too many viewings of Indiana Jones.  He teaches anthropology, kickboxing, and tai chi, holds a 4^th degree black belt in kenpo karate and has a mean one inch punch!  Jonathan can eat cupcakes in a single bite but sticks to a plant-based diet on most days.  In his spare time he likes to create new workout routines for his fitness classes, watch south park, and read books on philosophy.

 

This is Sarah.  She is an ex-archaeologist who currently works in property management.  She takes her husband’s fitness classes and thinks she is better for it.  Focused on healthy living, she also consumes a plant-based diet but loves ice cream almost as much as she loves her husband.  In her spare time she likes to try new recipes, scour the web for foodporn, shop for shoes, and read about the new farming movement.

This is Igor Stravinsky.  He is the oldest of the kitties and simply walked in the front door of Jonathan’s mother’s house one day and stayed.  He is the quintessential cat, loving warm sunny spots, long cat naps, and curling up in the lap of anyone that will have him.  Careful, he drools!

This is Vomer.  She was adopted from a rescue group after having survived a fairly substantial surgery to repair a hernia.  She is soft like a bunny and only likes to be petted when its her decision.  She loves tuna water and once stole an entire jumbo shrimp from the counter top in a single stealth move.  She is by far the strangest kitty as she likes to have her armpits scratched and be petted when someone is on the toilet.  TMI?  Yeah, probably.

This is Boo, aka Boo Bear.  The youngest of the bunch, she was picked up in the alley of Lafayette, Indiana and was the loudest meower of the litter.  She is most definitely a complainer and lets everyone know when she is unhappy or bored.  She is especially good at knocking things off the table and has a current infatuation with used q-tips.

 This is Sudan.  She is a rescued greyhound who used to race in Daytona, Florida.  She once peed on Sarah’s shoe to show her unhappiness with her work schedule but has since been forgiven (mostly).  She sleeps about 20 hours a day but loves to run circles in the backyard to use up all that extra energy.  She is one fast dog!  She plays with stuffed animals and stock piles them on her bed.  She is also the early riser of the household, often waking her humans up at the ungodly hour of 5:45am to be let outside.  She hates rain and would rather hold it until her teeth float than get her sleek coat all wet.  Definitely a prissy dog, she doesn’t like drinking out of the bowls shop owners place outside during hot weather. 

It Begins....

Hi, my name is Jonathan and along with my wife, Sarah, we welcome you to our Fit Foundation blog!  We are currently stuck, trapped, and otherwise stranded in L.A.  Yes, the weather here is nice, but our goal of opening a fitness studio in a place that practically grows them on every street corner (not to mention outrageous rent prices) does not seem like a smart business plan.  What to do?  Well, we moved to California from Indiana (we met in Grad school at Purdue) and have since realized Indiana feels like “home” to us.  As soon as we can save enough money to move back, we will put into motion our plan of opening a fitness studio.  Will this be another big box gym or one method only Pilates studio?  Hell no.  S and I are both passionate about fitness and eating healthy, organic, and primarily plant-based diets.  Essentially, we think if one builds a foundation of functional fitness movements combined with an organic, largely plant-based diet, that individual will become not only healthier in the short-term, but have the necessary structure to positively impact their long-term health and well-being.  

Sunny SoCal

Colder-than-shit Indiana

How are we going to accomplish this?  Although the devil is in the details (which we have not worked out yet) we have a basic fitness/health philosophy.  

Philosophy:

1.        THE MIND COMES FIRST.  The mind initiates action in the body.  Without a conscious drive to improve one’s current state/condition, progress will not be made.  Additionally, participating in physical fitness activities and researching healthy eating helps to sharpen the mind as well.  Mind and body are linked, not separate. 

2.       NUTRITION IS ALSO PRIMARY.  For our bodies to “perform” in the sense of being healthy, illness free, and strong, a sound nutritional foundation is essential.  Fueling our bodies with fast food, processed crap, and high fructose corn-syrup will only lead to disease and death. 

3.       FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION.  Physical fitness in today’s world is focused too much on form over function—all show and no go.  Take care of function, and form will follow suit.

4.       BASICS ARE FUNDAMENTAL.  Growth, development, improvement….cannot happen without the basics.  Basic nutrition and exercises are fundamental to overall health. 

5.       NO BULLSHIT FADS.  There is no secret to health and fitness.  No magic pill, only hard work and knowledge.  Period. 

6.       POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO.  You must be able to effectively carry and use your own body. 

7.       FLEXIBILITY & CONTROL ARE AS IMPORTANT AS POWER, SPEED, AND STRENGTH

8.       DIVERSITY OVER RIGIDITY.  There is not a single path to health, wellness, and overall fitness.  Multiple avenues are needed for complete overall wellness.

9.       HEALTH AND FITNESS IS A PROCESS.  The two cannot be accomplished overnight, nor can they be discontinued when a “goal” has been reached.

10.   HARD WORK IS ALSO PRIMARY.  No amount of equipment, fashionable clothing, or expensive diets will substitute for hard work in and out of the gym. 

11.   MEDIOCRITY IS CONTAGIOUS AND INFECTIOUS.  Eating unhealthy foods and avoiding exercise is easy—do what a lot of people do.  Don’t do what others do if you want genuine improvement. 

12.   JUST FUCKING DO IT!  You can think about exercising and eating healthy all you want—it won’t change your situation.  Get up, take action, and just fucking do it.  

Idealistic?  Probably.  But, this blog is our beginning, our genesis, our first action (see #14) towards our goal.  Moving forward, you can expect to see a variety of blog posts: business plans/ideas, moving across the country, looking for gym space, recipes, nutritional articles, bitching and moaning, and who knows what else.  We welcome you on our journey and look forward to every step of the way.  

J&S