PRODUCT REVIEWS The Feed Zone Cookbook & Feed Zone Portables Reviewed by Crystal Banning
Tested at: The Hawaii Sport Test Kitchen, aka Crystal’s House Where to Buy: www.feedzonecookbook.com, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iTunes Cost: $18.00 Description: Training-focused cookbooks full of pre- and post-workout meals as well as portable options to take with you on a ride or run! The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables provide endurance athletes with an organized and flavorful approach to fueling the body for intense training. The philosophy of eating homemade food rather than using packaged, processed bars and gels is appealing and the recipes tested provided plenty of energy even during long workouts. With a few small tweaks, I even found the recipes dinner party-worthy!
mid-workout was surprisingly delightful, and with flavors ranging from tiny french toast cakes to miniempanadas, you will definitely find plenty of recipes that hit the spot. Better yet, these recipes use common ingredients that you most likely already have around the house–no expensive trip to the specialty food store needed! If there is any downfall to these cookbooks it lies in the caloric density of their recipes. Perfect for those who train most days of the week, the carbohydrate-rich content could easily add a pound or two to someone less active. For those of us who work out on a near-daily basis, however, I highly recommend seeing what freshly made fuel can do for your training–and your taste buds!
Liberally coat a medium nonstick saute pan with olive oil and place it over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the cooked rice to the saute pan, spread evenly, and cook until crisp (about 3 minutes). Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl and pour over rice. Mix gently, then let the eggs begin to set up. Loosen the edges of the omelet with a spatula as you tilt the pan, allowing the uncooked eggs to fill in around the edges. Cover and cook until the eggs in the center of the set up or finish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. Top with grated parmesan and a hearty shake of coarse salt and pepper. Cut into 6 triangles. Let cook to the touch before wrapping in foil. Store in the refrigerator. PROS: 1. Beautifully laid out and easy to read. 2. Both books use common ingredients you probably already have at home. 3. Provides a “whole food” alternative to prepackaged, processed foods. 4. Recipes are well-explained and easy to make, even for beginning cooks. 5. Geared toward the serious endurance athlete.
While the Feed Zone Cookbook gives endless, original ideas for daily cooking organized conveniently in pre- and post-workout categories, the Feed Zone Portables introduces the unique concept of making small “bites” that can easily be taken on a run or ride. To me, this is where the books truly shined. After years of packaged energy bars, taking a quick bite of something homemade and wholesome with real, fresh ingredients
Sample Recipe from the Feed Zone Portables (reprinted with permission):
Swim Hawaii - Adult Beginner’s Swim & Advanced Freestyle Stroke Technique
within a given time frame and distance. The recovPROS: ery period is the small window you are awarded 1. Classes are limited to a maximum of five stuwithin your given time frame when you reach the dents. Small class sizes allow for individual attention from instructors - also great because end of the set distance. In other words, your rest period is based on how much effort you place into you get your money’s worth. getting to the end of your distance based on the 2. Classes are Saturdays at 30 minute intervals time left over. with two time slots: 4:30 to 5pm and 5 to 5:30pm; providing just enough time for partic- If you are curious about this concept, I highly suggest giving the class a shot. You may join the class ipants to learn without overstraining. at anytime. Check out www.SwimHawaii.com to CONS: see how you can sign-up. 1. Parking is limited. Cost is $6.00 flat at the UH PROS: campus parking Structure, $4.00 flat at Puck’s Alley or $2.00 for two hours at Church of the 1. Freestyle Stroke Mechanics are divided into 8 parts and spread out over an 8-week course. Crossroads (Diamond Parking Service). Street parking is also an option, but it can be hard to 2. The class videotapes participant’s strokes find depending on your class time. above-water. A review and critique for improvement session is conducted in the following class. Also included is a lecture highlighting correct stroke patterns and common defects.
Reviewed by Zara Nguyen
Where: Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex UH Manoa Cost: $15 per class Where to Buy: www.SwimHawaii.com , janprins@swimhawaii.com. Description: Group swim classes for kids and adults (taught separately) for beginning and advanced levels. Adult Beginner’s Swim
I know many people who can swim, but I do not know many people who know how to swim. The difference between being able to swim and knowing how to swim is technique.
I started the class with strokes that were jelly-like and laughable. My body movement in the water, overall, was very strange. I had learned to swim from friends and family with very little teaching experience. Their advice was to just hang out in the water and it will come naturally. That might be true when it comes to feeling comfortable and floating, but a skill like swimming needs to be studied, analyzed and refined. After only being in the class for seven weeks, I am already feeling extremely comfortable in the water. My freestyle stroke is decent and my body composition is much, much better than when I had started. I still have a few more classes to go before being able to swim from one end of the pool to the other, but I will get there!
Crispy Rice Omelet 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 cup cooked rice 6 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons grated parmesan Coarse salt and pepper to taste
Adult Advance Freestyle Stroke Technique
CONS: 1. Recipes may be calorie-rich for those not doing high level training.
RATING: 4.5 – ALMOST PERFECT!
3. In addition to learning and focusing on different topics each week, the last 15 minutes of class is devoted to “interval training.” This class structure encourages (and forces) participants to push harder than they would when training on their own time in a pool and in the ocean, allowing students to see constant improvement each week. It is great preparation for a race, to advance to the next fitness level, or just to improve swim technique for fun.
The first lesson I learned in this class was interval swimming. When it comes to swimming, interval CONS: training is much different than interval training on 1. Parking is limited. foot. The concept is based on intense swimming RATING 5 - AS GOOD AS IT GETS!