My friend Sue sent me this photo of me at the finish line in New Orleans. Raising the roof. Elated to be finish, because any finish is worth a celebration.
It kind of all went down hill after that. Too much good food on Bourbon Street, a late night, then being cramped in an airplane coming back to Montana. I got off the plane and felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck.
The good news is, my hamstring pain has been eliminated. At a price. It has now been replaced with calf muscles that you can’t come within a 1 inch radius of. I think New Orleans was much tougher than many of the athletes perceived: hot, humid, windy. I ended up suffering some serious cramps in my calf muscles in the middle of Jackson Square.
I took a few extra days recovery and had a spare afternoon to whip up some power chili. What makes it so powerful?
1. Black beans are a great source of fiber. When combined with quinoa, they are a great protein source.
2. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A and C and antioxidants
3. Quinoa is a grain that is a relative of spinach. It is a great source of protein, iron and potassium.
I have been getting some requests for the recipe, so here goes:
Once again, follow the rules of cooking with Linsey - no measuring cups or spoons, and use whatever you have in the cupboard.
Power Chili: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
Cook 1 cup of rinsed quinoa in 2 cups water: Bring to a boil, and let simmer until all the water is absorbed - about 20 minutes.
Saute 1 onion in some olive oil
Add 1 seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper
Add 1 chopped sweet potato
Add 1 handful of chopped carrots
Add a dash of each: cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper
Let cook 10 minutes or so
Add 1 chopped red and green bell pepper
Add 1 chopped zuchinni
Add 1 handful of chopped mushrooms
Add 1 - 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
Add 1 can of diced tomatoes
Add 1 - 25oz can of rinsed black beans
Add 1 - 15oz can of rinsed pinto beans
Add lime juice (I used 2 limes)
Let simmer 30 (or more if you have time) minutes
15 minutes before serving stir in quinoa, 1 cup of frozen corn, and a handful of chopped cilantro
Chris says it tastes better the next day, so make sure you save some for leftovers . Enjoy!
