Another gym update

[redbird]

I have exercised, been to the library, and run a few errands. Now I'm making chicken soup from scratch.


My shoulder wasn't doing well the last couple of days, so I wanted to go a little easy on it. That was the theory, anyway. So I did one Nautilus machine instead of schlepping plates for the plate-loaded equivalent: and then did lots of upper body stuff anyway.

Cardio, 23 minutes +2 cooldown, top heart rate 145
Nautilus leg press, 230 pounds, 3 sets of 15
Chest press, 65 pounds, 2 sets of 12
Glute machine, 37.5 pounds, 2 sets of 15 with each leg
Adjustable row, 70 pounds, 2 sets of 15
Calf raise, 80 pounds, 13, 11; 75 pounds, 12
Balance ~fly, 55 pounds, 2 sets of 15 on each side
Squats, 3 sets of 15, 1 relatively shallow, 2 deeper and with rail for balance. With Leanna's advice/help on form for the third set (which is why I did three, I got her attention at the end of the second)
Tricep pulldown, 45 pounds, 2 sets of 15

Crunches, 3 sets of 30
Back arch, 3 sets of 17
Yoga tree, 4 sets of {3 on each leg}

Balance lateral raise, 5 pounds each hand, 2 sets of 15; 2.5 pounds each, 15, walking
Seated leg curl, 80 pounds, 8. This was mostly to give myself a break between upper-body things, and my legs were tired by then. Haven't used this machine in ages, it feels like. Probably 3-6 months.
Wrist curl, 35 pounds, 2 sets of 15
Bicep curls, 10 pounds each hand, 2 sets of 20; 7.5 pounds each, 20

Stretches

Comments

[threeringedmoon.livejournal.com]

Recipe, perhaps, or at least your general approach to making chicken soup. I've been making chicken rice soup, which is generally good, but am open to different ways.

[redbird]

It's in the second Tiptree cookbook, Her Smoke Rose Up from Supper.

The following is off the top of my head: if it looks weird, check with me before using the instructions:

The basic approach is to take the bones, and some skin and fat and a little of the meat, from a cooked chicken. (You've eaten most of the meat on previous days; if possible, set some aside for later.) Put that in a large pot, Add an onion, with a few cloves stuck into it if you like them, three or four peeled carrots, a rib or two of celery, a bay leaf, salt and pepper, garlic, and ginger root if you have it. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Skim off the gray stuff that will appear at this point. Lower the heat, and simmer for about three hours.

Salt is not optional: it's needed to draw all the flavor out of the skin and bones.

When it tastes done, strain into suitable containers. (In our case, that's a middle-sized pot for tonight's soup, plus measured freezer containers.) Save the carrots, to go into the soup. The other vegetables go, as does the now extremely boiled chicken.

For the soup, I'll add the reserved chicken meat, and rice or noodles. Also a fresh piece of celery, diced. That goes in about five minutes before serving. Scallions, if you have them, are nice to toss on the top. The soup simmers while the rice cooks (20 minutes) or noodles (3-4 for thin egg noodles, otherwise follow your package directions). If you want to make matzoh ball soup, follow the instructions on the package, but that takes longer.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

>Salt is not optional: it's needed to draw all the flavor out of the skin and bones.

Cider vinegar is also good for this. I use about 0.5-1 cup for a chicken, the larger amount if it's a large bird or if I want the soup to be a little sour, as for hot/sour, or ginger/sour. With vinegar, the soup needs much less salt. (And if a person needs to restrict sodium for medical reasons, others can add salt at the table. Not that I know anything about this.)

[redbird]

The amount of salt I use for this purpose is less than almost anyone is going to actually want in their soup.

Also, note that if you're freezing the broth, it will taste saltier when defrosted, so going easy is useful for that purpose as well.

I may try cider vinegar next time.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

If you want to take the fat off before freezing, leave the broth in a covered container in the fridge and you can scoop the solid fat off the top before parceling out to freezer containers.