A Healthy Sip For Holiday Cheer!

It's Thursday night and would I love to be in town for a little night time cheer at that local pub. This time of year is such a great time to meet friends out for cocktails with all the holiday spirit in the air! My local sailing club has their annual party this weekend and Grrr I'll be missing it. Which got me thinking about, at-home cocktails that take the edge of a day of shopping madness, warm the body from a day of frost-biting, or just because.

So...I've been having a very productive search with a little bit of "taste testing" for the recipes whose ingredients I have on hand.

My fav "sip" for this Thursday evening is from Eating Well Magazine (no surprise as it is one I subscribe too!)

Hot Cider with Apple Brandy and Spices (I had to improvise on the brand of brandy, but here's their version):

A natural, cloudy apple cider is delicious for this exotically spicy and aromatic winter warmer, but if you desire a sparkling-clear drink, apple juice can be substituted. Calvados, which is a French apple brandy, adds richness. If you wish to omit it, just add more cider or juice.

Makes 8 servings (I cut the whole thing in half)

ACTIVE TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

• 8 cups apple cider or apple juice
• 4 whole cloves
• 4 whole allspice berries
• 4 whole cardamom seeds
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup Calvados or brandy

Combine cider or juice, cloves, allspice, cardamom and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan. Simmer for 20 minutes; strain out spices and stir in Calvados (or brandy). Serve very hot in heavy mugs. (Just holding the cup close and enjoying the aroma...lovely!)

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 184 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 0 mg sodium; 1 mg potassium.

2 Carbohydrate Servings (Not too bad, it has this "warm filling" affect and sipping one in a nice ceramic mug goes a long way for sitting by the fire with friends after a long day!)

Wouldn't the solo Vendee folks, who are playing in the 40s love a sip of this warm cider!

Counting Down One Regtta At A Time

It's amazing how fast the year goes by when measured by famous international events like the Sydney Hobart, Chicago to Mackinac or Key West Race Week. It would be a dream to fit them all in, then again there are those who do!

Feels like months ago, I contributed some SailTrim.Org content for an Australian Sailing Publication covering physical preparation and nutrition for this event and here it is, due to start in ~ 22 days!

Also nipping on our heels, good old Key West Race Week and despite hard $$$ times, we may be missing some of our Grand Prix favs but this event is not just about the "rock stars," and for many PHRF sailors, this is one hell of a holiday that does not have to be anything less.

In The News...

The VOR folks are on for a quick re-coup before getting under way. I was afforded a little informal chat with Delta Lloyd navigator Matthew Gregory and all sounds well and team excited for the Singapore Stop-over. It was an off the record chat...so that's all you get! Sometimes, when your life is "not typical" it's nice to have a "typical", "how you doing?" sort of conversation.

The Vendee folks are making way through the first "ice gate" and an interesting mix of how they are meeting this race safety measure...

Final Thought...
I may come back and change my title, as the clock chimes and just noticed there is some sort of "countdown" on every site I scope out and the TV commercials, which I think is as much of a theme for this time of year as the impending visit from Santa...

And why not jump on the holiday humor wagon when my "web research" found this little gem of a site, so fitting to my passion:

Winter Workout Help Santa complete four winter themed events.

Play this free game now!!

Have fun, more "bites" to come...

Late Nite Snack

It's the end of the day here in CT and I was just looking through the VOR images and enjoying a hot tea. These photos struck my fancy:

A Rock-star Moment

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race
Ericsson 4, Skippered by Torben Grael from Brazil (pictured) is interviewed by the media, as they arrive in Cochin, India, to win the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09.

Bird's Eye Coverage

Sally Collison/PUMA Ocean Racing

A Digital Record

Sally Collison/PUMA Ocean Racing
Kenny Read Being Interviewed By Media/Press

There are SO many amazing shots of the boats, and handsome shots of sailors and their families; it's hard not to capture them. What I really enjoy finding are the ones, which in one shot make you feel present at the time of capture.

A Nibble Of History

It's so easy to slide down a negative path when someone mentions the America's Cup, AC or any other term related to the historical event. With the VOR on a mini break while teams recoup (though keep the rally going for Team Russia!) and the Vendee is about to get more interesting as the solo skippers head into Mother Nature's idea of an extreme amusement park ride; it's the holidays. A time for traditions and remembering.

Thought it would be nice to remember the yacht that gave the America's Cup it's name:

"Her performance that summer would influence British yacht design for well over 25-years. It was true then as it is today - the America's Cup is an inspiration for designers, builders and sailors, and an opportunity for innovation and excellence like no other." ~ read more!

Here's to the history of yachting!

A Weighty Matter

Tell me, how are you all feeling after the American holiday? Which is completely focused on eating and drinking, with some more eating and a little bit more drinking, eating, etc. If your an American, does not matter where in the world you live, the last four days were focused on good eats!

How'd it go this year? Actually, should be asking, "how do you feel?" I'd share, but there seems to be this expectation the founder of SailTrim and front runner in the campaign for healthy One Design Weight Management never over indulges. Ha! Thanksgiving IS my most favorite holiday of the year.

With 48 days till Key West Race Week, this is my plan for the next couple weeks and there is no gym involved but there is some restraint. Ya ya, not easy during the holiday season and I can see the look on your face, I've been doing this for a few years, you OD sailors have a "look" at the thought of restraint.

• Do Not Skip Breakfast! Bit of a broken record, but do whatever you have to do to to eat SOMETHING before 10am everyday. Eating this one meal, especially on the day of a holiday party, will ensure you do not over eat (unless you are one of those personalities that mirrors my pup, who will eat whatever is in front of them ~ tip for those types in a moment.)
• Stay Active! This, a harder feat to achieve when your job requires you to be glued to your computer and under a deadline. Walk. Ride. Play with your little ones. Take the stairs. I say it every year but one has to make it a habit and apart of their lifestyle for it to carry them through this particular season. They say 15 minutes a day. This only works if you pair it with:
• Clean Eats! Be GONE with the cream cheese ladened bagels, danishes, heavy cream based soups and sauces, super-sized anything, etc. I think the point comes across. IF you can clean up your eating habits, do your best to not eat, for the sake of eating because you are bored, stressed or nervous about something; you WILL be able to maintain a healthy weight with moderate day-to-day physical activity. This does not have to be a miserable task that involves carrot sticks and rice cakes.
• Accessorize with a glass of water, hunger is many times dehydration in disguise and staying hydrated with non-alcoholic beverages will help you ward off unnecessary snacking.
  

I'm not racing in the 2009 KWRW and will be working behind the scenes, so no impending scale to motivate, but this really shouldn't be what motivates. Feeling awesome, having good energy and hell, looking hot while doing what you love: sailing and being with your sailing peeps on a cool island!

Life's too short to not feel your best all year long. BoatBites will keep the tips rolling till we all survive the holidays. Cheers

In The News:

• Leg Two of the VOR is wrapping up but Team Russia is still out there...
• The temps are cooling while the solo rockstars make may to the 40s...
• Sailing Anarchy is breaking into the "inbox news" with their e-Anarchy launch...
• SailKarma fills in the sailing new's gaps...

All Smiles!

Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race
(l-r) Ericsson 4 Skipper Torben Grael greets Ericsson 3 Watch Captain Magnus Olsson