As a small company with a big heart, our goal continues to be to provide you with the best products, experience, and customer service.

Simply put: We care about you.

We’d like to take a moment to introduce you to our WOD & DONE Lifestyle blog  (sign up below to our newsletter to stay updated). In this blog, we’ll be delivering content from some pretty awesome sources. We’ve teamed up with great individuals and companies to share a variety of information with you, such as:

• • Mobility drills
  • Exercise progressions
  • Nutrition tips
  • Recipes
  • Fitness, health, and wellness insights
  • …and more

In this issue of WOD & DONE Lifestyle newsletter we are featuring an awesome gymnastics drill from the one and only Pamela Gagnon, a 3x CrossFit Games Athlete and a CrossFit HQ Gymnastics Coach (@pamelagnon     @cfgymnastics ) We are also featuring delicious and nutritious creations by Ailsa Cowell, MS Integrative Nutritionist and the creator of @feelfoodlove and www.foodtofeelgood.com . Check out our friends’ profiles and let them know we sent you with the hashtag: #WODNDONECARES.

Enjoy!

Gymnastics Corner:  Stringing Kipping Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

1) Do you have enough strict strength behind the pull-up?

2) Are you in the correct position at the top of skill?

3) Do you drop straight down after chest touches?Try the drill to help with:

1) Push away from bar after chest touches

2) learning how to push away with a slight hollow before heading into the arch at bottom of swing

3) Gain muscle memory & timing of skill by pausing on the box to make sure you FEEL the correct body position

Try 3x 10reps

Follow me for drills/programs/seminars!
IG: @pamelagnon
https://www.thebarbellphysio.com/performance-plus-programming/
IG: @cfgymnastics
training.crossfit.com/gymnastics

Feel Good Kitchen : Cucumber Noodle Salad & Easy Lemon Wild Salmon

This recipe has so many fresh, bright, ingredients, it truly encompasses the feeling of the season.  The Cucumber Noodle Salad has a simple dressing of lemon juice and olive oil, then I added in some chopped sugar snap peas and tossed it all with finely cut basil, mint, scallions, and raw pistachios.  So good and so simple.

Let me break down a few of the healthy ingredients that make this dish so delicious.

Cucumber are one of my summertime favorites, since they’re super crisp and refreshing, with a mildly sweet taste that lends itself to tons of other flavors.  One of the reasons cucumbers have these qualities is that they are mostly water, so you actually get hydration from eating them plus they contain electrolytes like magnesium, potassium, and even a little calcium.  Not only do electrolytes like these help to keep you hydrated, they’re also really important for balancing the acidity of your blood, maintaining healthy blood pressure, and keeping your muscles strong.  Their skin contains Vitamin C, so it’s better to leave it on!

Pistachios.  We’re all so used to the mindless cracking of these cute little green nuts that it’s easy to forget you can buy them without the shell, which makes this recipe way easier to create.  I love their unique taste, crunch, and the extra shade of green they bring to this plate.  Pistachios are a great source of plant-based protein, so if you’re making a Vegan meal just skip the salmon and eat one big bowl of this!  They are really high in Vitamins B1 and B6.  B1, called thiamin, is vital for the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and also supports mood, cognition, and metabolism.  B6, (AKA pyroxidine) contributes to these same benefits, and it also specifically helps make neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, and melatonin – helping you feel happy and sleep well.

Moving on to the salmon, it’s always best to buy wild caught because it is nutritionally superior and overall safer to eat. It has a much higher omega-3 content than farmed salmon, and most other types of fish in general.  These healthy fats have potent anti-inflammatory benefits for your whole body, while also giving your brain a helpful boost.

So, dive in and enjoy the taste of summer from this tasty Cucumber Noodle Salad and Lemon Wild Salmon.

Recipe:

Prep 30 mins

Cook 12 mins

Total 42 mins

Yield 2-3 servings

Crunchy, refreshing cucumber noodles tossed with sugar snap peas, fresh mint, basil, scallions, and raw pistachios alongside an incredibly simple seared salmon.  A light, bright meal that is perfect for Spring and Summer.

Ingredients

• 3 cucumbers, cut into quarters
• 1 1/2 large lemons
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for salmon
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more for salmon
• 1/2 cup fresh mint
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish
• 2 scallions
• 1 cup chopped sugar snap peas
• 1 cup chopped raw pistachios, unsalted
• 2 wild salmon filets, 1/4. lb each
• avocado oil for pan

Instructions

1. Mix the juice of 1 lemon in a small jar with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.  Shake or stir well and set aside.

2. Spiralize your cucumbers into noodles, then place into a colander and set aside.

3. Chop basil and mint into a chiffonade – roll the leaves lengthwise and then slice from the bottom of leaf to the top, forming nice thin strips.

4. Chop the scallions, using just the green parts, into tiny circles down the length of the stem.

5. Combine all above ingredients in a bowl, toss gently but thoroughly, top with basil leaves and chill in the fridge while making the salmon.

6. Season salmon liberally with sea salt and pepper.

7. Spray a pan with avocado oil and heat at medium-high.  Once warmed, turn down to medium-low and add salmon, skin side down.  Cook for 7-10 minutes (this will depend on how thick it is) but basically you want to watch for it to cook 3/4 of the way through along the sides.  Before flipping, squeeze 1/2 lemon over top.

8. Flip salmon, and cook for another 5 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned.  It should easily release from the pan, if it feels stuck it might need a little longer.

9. Serve your Easy Lemon Wild Salmon alongside the Cucumber Noodles Salad, and enjoy!

Notes

If you plan to make the Cucumber Noodle Salad ahead of time, hold off on garnishing it so you can toss everything again (the juices settle in the bottom of the bowl), and then garnish, right before serving.
If you want a Vegan meal simply ditch the salmon!  You could add garbanzo beans or lentils for an extra dose of protein.