Stealthy Ninja Bastards

[peggysr]

Avocado goes with anything.

 

My new favourite unlikely pairing - avocado wrapped in seaweed.

 

 

I was sad that the recipe link for paleo avocado "sushi" was broken.  Avocado is like bacon; it's good with just about everything.

[rogaecia]

Peggy you have some amazing recipes.

 

So... not to be selfish... but my avocado's are just about ripe. Anyone know anything delicious I can do with them other than "use a spoon"?

Guacamole. Yesterday I also had visions of a guacamole+chocolate/cocoa+coconut milk smoothie/milkshake. 

[Ceasefire]

I like avocado on top of a chicken/turkey burger with a poached egg on top. Let the yolk drip down and YUM~

[Ceasefire]

 

You're welcome.

[Reinfire]

With a full and satisfied belly from your last mission, you continue your ninja training.

You have yet to meet anyone else from this shadowy group of ninjas, but that's not particularly surprising. Stereotypically, ninjas prize their secrecy.

 

Several days go by with no new missions. As you practice your daily meditation, you wonder if you were imagining the whole thing.

 

As you let the thought float by you and pull your consciousness back to your body, you notice a slight gust of air behind you. You immediately jump up to face your silent attacker, but find only a scroll sitting on your window. The curtains sway for just a moment, betraying the recent presence of a skilled ninja.

Upon breaking the seal and opening the scroll, you find another message:

 

One mission done

have proven yourself worthy

Finish six trainings.

 

Only a perfect practice

makes a perfect form

Look closely young ninja.

 

Expect next mission 1/20/14

 

Your mission this week, should you choose to accept it:

Do a form check on your most difficult exercises. If it normally requires weight, use a lighter weight so that you can focus on using the right muscles. Either grab a IRL buddy to help you out, or post a video for us to check out for you.

 

At the end of the week, post a video of your new and improved form, along with a note about how it feels - is it harder or easier? Do you feel sore in the same places?

 

One other quick note:

Do you guys like having this emailed out to you every week as well? It's no problem to copy/paste it, but if it's redundant then we'll stop spamming your inboxes

If you do like having a weekly email, I'll need Starpuck and LegoLady's emails.

 

On to week 2, Bastards!

[Nephaisys]

Beautiful! OMG! You're going to get a video of my doing a weighted squat!

[peggysr]

I guess I HAVE to get back on track for strength training now...  I'll try to work out how to videotape my pushups.

[Reinfire]

Beautiful! OMG! You're going to get a video of my doing a weighted squat!

That's exactly the exercise I'll be doing. I end up leaning forward waaaay to much, literally can't sit up straight (feels like I'm going to fall over)

[sabrinamari]

Late ninja frantically posting a pic of last week's bean recipe to complete last week's mission!

 

Thank you Peggy!

 

[sabrinamari]

Also, avocado wrapped in seaweed…mmmmm!

 

And welcome, Ceasefire.

 

And here is a recipe for quinoa from Csilla Bischoff, whom I really like:

 

Thai Quinoa

  

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

  

Ingredients:

Unrefined sesame oil

1 cup dry roasted quinoa

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup red pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon microplaned or minced ginger 

1 cup frozen peas

8 oz pineapple, cut into small pieces (optional)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped  

1 cup coconut milk 

1 cup water or vegetable broth

2 Tablespoons of Tamari soy sauce

Juice of half a lime
Chopped organic peanuts (optional) 

Chili flakes

Pinch of sea salt

  

Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer.
2. Bring water/broth and coconut milk to a boil.
3. Add quinoa, garlic, salt and chili flakes.
4. Bring back to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
5. Heat a large wok or skillet over medium heat and add some sesame oil. 
6. Add green onions and ginger and cook for about a 1 minute or so. 
7. Add peas, pineapple pieces and cilantro and cook for an additional minute. 
8. Add cooked quinoa, Tamari soy sauce and lime juice to the wok, and stir to combine. 
9. Cook for an additional minute or two, or until the quinoa begins to get crispy. 
10. Serve with peanuts (optional). Enjoy!

[The Borg Queen]

Re: Quinoa

 

Answer: Anything!

 

I usually toast it in a little of my favorite fat (butter) and then simmer it 1:2 or 1:3 water (sorry, I eyeball everything). It's good plain, but I like to spice the crap out of the water. I usually go for warmer spices, sort of in the chili, cumin, turmeric, and/or curry

[Reinfire]

Hey ninjas! How are those form checks coming his week?

[Nephaisys]

Changed my mind. Y'all aren't getting squat push press demonstration. Imma give you a showcase of drancing. Which is a sport I've pretty much made up.

 

I discovered recently, I don't so much run, as I do just dance in a forward motion. It's a bit like the below, but you know... not sh*t.

 

PS - to really see the magic of this video, skip to 2:20, and watch for at least 30 seconds.

 

[sicil]

Changed my mind. Y'all aren't getting squat push press demonstration. Imma give you a showcase of drancing. Which is a sport I've pretty much made up.

 

I discovered recently, I don't so much run, as I do just dance in a forward motion. It's a bit like the below, but you know... not sh*t.

 

DO IT.

 

But like a ninja.

[Nephaisys]

DO IT.

 

But like a ninja.

 

OMG.

 

Why isn't Ninja running a thing? ... But not parkour.

 

Might just record a video of my living room. I be like sooo ninja you won't even be able to see me.

[sicil]

OMG.

 

Why isn't Ninja running a thing? ... But not parkour.

 

Might just record a video of my living room. I be like sooo ninja you won't even be able to see me.

 

I can totally picture you running on rooftops. Butfirstsignthis:

 

[The Borg Queen]

OMG WTF is that ahhhhhhh that disclaimer just activated my full face tick.

 

that is all.

[Nephaisys]

It's been a week, and there's been no sign of your shadowy ninja friends.

You carry on with your ninja life, throwing knives. Hiding in plain sight. Lurking. The usual ninja stuff. Ninja school is at about the mid-term, and your preparing for your end of year exams. So you show up. You study.

 

But really...? Your hearts not in it. In between your ninja activities, you find yourself ... sort of ... bored. Meditating only with some intent, (whilst keeping an eye open in the vague hope of a new scroll appearing). Not a whisper on the wind. No mysterious scrolls. No hidden clues. The only shadowy thing in the room is you (probably. You couldn't see another ninja even if there were one I guess) and that makes you feel just so.... *sigh*

 

Where have your shadowy ninja buddies got to?

 

You take up kicking leaves. Writing poems. Sighing wistfully into the night.  How can you possibly continue your ninja training without the random excitement of cloaked figures showing up unannounced?

 

 

You choose to cheer yourself up with a bucket of (ninja?) ice cream and plop yourself down for lunchtime, whilst some of the older, higher-grade ninja's are practicing their moves opposite you. They're swift; adept, gracious in their movement. Every muscle, every flex, every jump, crouch and swish is done with meaning and intent. They're graceful, yet confident; strong yet supple; focused yet calm. It's like they can predict their enemies pathways; observing and reacting to their opponents every movement, reacting to their chi. Moving in a subtle dance against the flow of their foe.

 

It looks like art in motion.

You feel that feeling in your tummy again. You know, the exciting one. The swelling of pride one. The one that makes you leap up and do. You feel inspired.

 

Screw those shadowy figures! They're messing with the wrong ninja!

 

Your mission this week, should you choose to accept it:

Get inspired. Be the inspiration.

• Post a link to a thread of someone on here who you follow every challenge (or recently started following) and who you're constantly surprised / inspired by. Don't tell them if you think it'd make them big headed :$
• Post a link to a newbie's thread who you think could use some ninja lovvin'.
• Jump on at least one other person's suggested newbie thread and show them your unbridled support!

 

Come at us week 3, let the bastards have ye!

[The Borg Queen]

Looks like a really fun mini challenge. Thanks, Neph!

[rogaecia]

[Reinfire]

I think at this point, we can all agree to just hang out on facebook