Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1 cup melted butter
• 10 eggs
• 5 large carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup pure maple syrup (reserve 1 tablespoon for date mixture)
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 10 medjool dates
• Chopped raw walnuts for garnish

Directions:

1. In a food processor, using the grating blade, shred carrots.
2. Place carrots in a large ziplock bag. Pour maple syrup over carrots and let marinate in the fridge for an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 325.
4. In a small mixing bowl, add sifted coconut flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
5. In a large mixer, blend eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and *date mixture.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet and blend.
7. Stir in grated carrots, discarding excess maple syrup that they soaked in.
8. Grease two 9 inch cake pans with butter. (You can also line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper for easier removal)
9. Pour batter into pans.
10. Bake for 35 minutes. Test center with a tooth pick-if the tooth pick comes out clean, then the cakes are done.
11. Remove cakes from oven and cool.
12. Frost cake, garnish with walnuts, and serve!

*Date Mixture:

1. Remove pits from dates and place in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Add one tablespoon water to the dates and microwave for 30 seconds.
3. Mash with a fork, add 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, and mash with a fork again.

• 16 oz full fat cream cheese
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger root

Directions:

1. Bring cream cheese up to room temperature.
2. Blend all ingredients with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid Mixer.
3. Use right away, or refrigerate.

10:00 - every minute on the minute
7 thrusters
3 burpees

The fact that there was not a prescribed weight on the board for this workout should have tipped you off that this was going to be TOUGH. As Zach pointed out to his evening class, "some of the strongest athletes in the gym did this at 40kg's....so make sure you don't over-shoot the weight".

Have you guys met Jamie and Amy yet? They're fresh out of the January ramp-up and they're doing GREAT in group classes! (Jamie is on the left, Amy the right) I wonder what they're both looking at....

Ladies - Warrior Women Wednesday is tonight at 7PM and we are putting on a snatch clinic. WOO HOO! We need at least 6 ladies to do this class - so if you are planning on coming please register right away! We need 2 more warriors to get the green light for the snatch clinic!

The 2012 Open begins in 3 weeks. This is your opportunity to complete a series of workouts and see how you stack up against the REST OF THE WORLD. The CrossFit Open is the preliminary round for the CrossFit Games - the biggest event of the year in our little CrossFit world. Last year we had over 30 people registered including a big pregnant lady! I want to see as many of you participate as possible - this is NOT open to only our firebreathers! I mean...what fun would it be if only the best of the best threw their hat in the ring?? NO FUN AT ALL. To participate, you will first need to create an account on the Games site: https://games.crossfit.com/mygames/login.php

While we didn't get the 45 degree weather, I think the wintery wonderland gave the event some character. (that's the equivalent of saying it's good luck when it rains on your wedding day) It stayed about 55 degrees on the competition floor all day and about 99 degrees upstairs in the loft. Despite the temperature everyone was a good sport about it. We had half naked people in the loft, and people in coats, gloves and scarves outside in the tents.

The competitors were absolutely inspirational. You came with a smile, left everything on the barbell and walked away proud. These were tough workouts designed to test you mentally and physically. You made the impossible, possible. Great job to all of you! Final standings can be found on the men's score page and the ladies score page.

I have about 4 dozen people to thank for helping put together this event. Maybe you baked something for the concession stand, took pictures, came at the crack of dawn to shovel snow, kept our twitter feed going, moved around equipment, or checked athletes into their heats - for that I thank you. The entire event was never more than 5 minutes off schedule the WHOLE DAY. We truly have the most amazing community of people at the Fort. You gave me 110% and I couldn't ask for more.

To my judges, you had the hardest job of all. It's never easy to issue a "no rep". It's also not easy to spend 7 hours of your Sunday counting reps and offering encouragement for other athletes. You held strong to our movement standards and made this a legit event.

I wish I had a 60 person podium, because you all deserve recognition for your hard work! Alas, the podium only held 3 men and 3 ladies.

Ladies:

1st place - Nell Shuttleworth
2nd place - Jessie Murphy
3rd Place - Maddy Ruggeburg

Men:

1st place - Scott Carlson
2nd place - Ben Crookston
3rd place - Todd Nief

Our 3 lovely photographers took almost 1,000 pictures! If you'd like to view them, you can find them here. Feel free to use these on your blogs or Facebook pages. Sharing is caring. Extra credit points if you use a picture from our event for your CrossFit Open Competitor profile picture!

Again, awesome event. I couldn't have asked for anything else! I look forward to seeing all of you next winter!

4 rounds:
500m row
50 sit-ups

Another big congrats goes out to Bad Tiffany. Her first row of the WOD was a PR time for her - the first time sub 2:00 for her 500m row! And I also  have to congratulate good Tiffany (Snooks) on her amazing ability to stop, smile, pose and look adorable at any moment during the workout. That's true talent!

Just a reminder - this Sunday is our War of the WODs. We will start setting up shortly after Team Saturday and we could use your help. There will be tents to setup, errands to run, and equipment to move. If we all work together I think we can get it knocked out in about 2 hours. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has already volunteered! It's going to be a fantastic event!

After our strength work of dead hang chin-ups and good mornings, we did this little WOD:

3 rounds:
15 burpees
30 kettlebell swings

It's never the super complicated workouts that end up being hard. It's little short guys like this that sneak up on you and poke you in the eye when you're not looking.

George, I'm proud of you. After being at the Fort for just over a year,  you are finally coming out of your shell. Don't get me wrong, you're still VERY quiet. Last night was the first time I heard you celebrating your victory. "I totally beat Garth this morning!"

Know who's REALLY good at dead hang chin-ups? (besides Drew) Bank of America Ryan. During the 7PM class I overheard Zach ask him if he ever went to prison because his chin-ups were THAT good.

We have had a few competitor spots open up for WOTW this Sunday. If you're interested in competing we now have 2 mens and 2 ladies spots open. Register today! In case you needed a little extra incentive to participate, I'll dangle the carrot....1st place will receive $100 in Life asrx gift certificates, $25 2Pood gift certificate, $35 progenex, Lululemon water bottle and yoga mat, and FREE MEAT from the meat goat!

WOD 1:

With 10:00 on the clock
Row 2,000m
as many double unders as possible in the remaining time

WOD 2:

Max reps unbroken front squat (ladies @ 3/4 body weight, men @ body weight)
rest up to 2:00
Max reps unbroken pull-ups

WOD 3:

15:00 AMRAP
5 Shoulder to overhead (70/50kg)
7 box jumps (30/24")
9 KB swings (32/24kg)

There is a master document that you can reference for movement standards, parking information, spectator info, heat times, etc. Please read this document before asking any questions. If you ask a question that is answered in the document you will be fined a 5 burpee penalty!

Guys, this event is going to be GI-NORMOUS. If you are planning on coming as a spectator, please check the master document for parking information. We have permission to use some of the surrounding businesses for parking, but not everyone wants us blocking their space. Let's be courteous to our Fort neighbors and only park where we have permission.

We will be running live scoring at this event. (impressive, I know) There will be separate pages for men's scores and ladies scores.

ALSO - the new CrossFit Fire t-shirts will be on sale starting Sunday, along with my WORLD FAMOUS AMAZE-BALLS chili. Please bring your cash if you'd like to feast on some delicious chili, or sport your new CFF t-shirt.

I'm very VERY excited for this event! Hope to see you all there!

Ingredients:

2 Pork tenderloins (1.5lbs each) (These come as 2 roasts in a 3lb package at Meijer)
10oz crimini or portobello  mushrooms chopped
1/2 package  baby spinach (about 75g)
2 slices thick cut bacon - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
2T butter
1/4c white wine or vermouth
4 green onions, chopped
60g chevre cheese
100g feta cheese
1T fresh thyme leaves chopped
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Crust:
1T fresh thyme leaves chopped
1T fresh oregano leaves chopped
2tsp Kosher salt
2tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4c stone ground dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic finely minced

Directions:
First you'll need to prep the roasts. Remove all silver skin from the outside of the roasts. Then butterfly the roast so it lays open nice and flat. Place a piece of saran wrap over the meat, then pound it with a mallet until it is about an inch to an inch and a half thick. Meat should be nice and even when you're done - no lumpy spots! Set aside.

For the filling, you'll need a deep saute pan. Melt the butter over medium heat, and saute mushrooms, garlic and green onion until softened. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Add spinach and saute until completely wilted.

Add the wine/vermouth to the pan and scrape all the edges of the pan to incorporate all the pan drippings into the mushrooms. Cook about 5 more minutes, or until all wine has evaporated.

Stir in the cheeses and thyme and remove from heat. Stir until the cheese is melted and creamy.

Spread a thin layer of filling over both loins, leaving about an inch of space from the edge. Now carefully roll the loins together and tie with butcher's string. I tied it about every 2 inches. Make sure not to tie too tightly, as this will squish out all the filling.

Coat the outside with the crust and allow roasts to come to room temperature before cooking. (this allows for a more even cooking) Bake at 375 50-55 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches about 145 - 150. Let rest under foil for 10 minutes before serving.

DELICIOUS!