I went to my first BodyPump class yesterday.  I wasn’t really sure how I’d feel about it since, well, you know…I kind’ve drank the Paleo/CF Kool Aid and have finally started appreciating what the whole max effort, high-weight/low-rep deal-io is doing for me.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, BodyPump is basically an aerobics class format but everyone gets a mini-barbell.  Seriously, those things are adorable…I want one for my non-existent todlers to play “Imaginary Gym” with.  You also take a bunch of little mini-plates to go on your mini-barbell.  So cute!

There are 10 “tracks,” which are just different songs you go through as you work different body parts.  You do approximately 1 bajillion reps of each exercise, so you can’t go too heavy and most of the workout felt like cardio (whilst flailing around my cute mini-barbell).  I did feel pretty smoked by the end, though, and I actually had a great time.  I don’t know if this kind of workout will help at all to make me stronger–I can’t see how deadlifting 40 lbs 100 times will get me much closer to a 1RM of 230 lbs, for example–but if nothing else it’s enough to make me sweat profusely and make my muscles beg for mercy.  Can’t wait to see how I feel in the morning…

Oh, yeah…so, the recipe.  All I’m going to say is that the true star of the show is this sauce.  I will absolutely be making it again and putting it on anything and everything.  I tried it with raw cauliflower after dinner and it was awesome.  Same deal with some leftover sweet potato fries.  No big deal.

Ingredients

2 lbs Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs (Skin-on)

2 T Olive Oil

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1 T Fresh Ginger, grated

1 1/2 c Chicken Stock

Juice of 2 Oranges

3 T Coconut Aminos

3 oz Tomato Paste (half a can)

1 T Chili Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 T Arrowroot Powder, dissolved in 1 T Water

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add garlic and ginger, sauteing until soft.  Add chicken stock, orange juice, coconut aminos, tomato paste, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk together and bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the arrowroot powder and allow the sauce to thicken to the consistency of a thin BBQ Sauce.  Remove sauce from heat, cool, and divide in half.

Place chicken in a large bowl and add half the sauce, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Remove chicken from bowl and place in a greased baking dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (drumsticks) or 50 minutes (thighs), until cooked through.

When chicken is done, remove from the oven and top with remaining sauce.  Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, and enjoy!