2UP: The Two-Ingredient Pack — Salad Grinds and Bean Plants #23

2Upper John Dilorenzo, as seen in Berrics Magazine issue #1.

2UP: The Two-Ingredient Pack

WORDS: Johnny Lozano

Every January I draw up a list of skateboarding New Year’s resolutions. More stairs and noseblunts have been on and off the list an embarrassing number of times, but one thing that never fails to make the list (and which still hasn’t been mastered) is a flip-in/flip-out nose manual.

Maybe in 2018?

It hardly bears mentioning that skateboarding is an exercise in extreme control. While it may seem second nature to anybody skating for more than a month, the act of merely standing up on a board and rolling from point A to point B requires physical control of a kind that most bodies will never experience. Rolling at Mach 10 toward a triple set, popping, flipping a wooden plank with wheels, catching it without using your hands, and rolling away requires more control than even most skaters can comprehend. But perhaps no other maneuver in skateboarding demands the patience and control at the level of a manual combo. Aaron “Jaws” Homoki—a man who has jumped down 25 stairs and regularly makes blasting out of pools look like a carefree endeavor—stated himself in his Nine Club episode that he would be ecstatic to land a kickflip nose manual nollie flip out.

If you for some reason haven’t watched 2UP 2018 yet, then I suggest you stop what you’re doing and go witness the insanity. I won’t spoil the results, but with a lineup including Sebo Walker, Will Fyock, John Dilorenzo, Sewa Kroetkov, Cody Cepeda, Dane Vaughn, Chris Haslam, and TJ Rogers, you’re guaranteed to scratch your head raw trying to figure out what these guys are doing. Not only are the manuals in 2UP mind-boggling in their own right, but the manner in which the creative layout of the park is left to each skater’s discretion allows for their personalities to shine through, creating an ever-changing battleground for our votes.

While balancing on two wheels is clearly not my forte, I do enjoy the occasional two-ingredient recipe. Don’t get me wrong, while there’s a unique joy in throwing on some records, putting in some serious time in the kitchen, and making a twenty-ingredient masterpiece, sometimes time constraints (or just general fatigue) necessitate quick, functional, delicious recipes. Much like these guys don’t waste any time getting two of their wheels up, I won’t waste any time getting these two-ingredient recipes up:

Banana and Flaxseed Crackers:

I originally got this recipe from Simply Taralynn, which is more of a lifestyle blog than a cooking blog, but nonetheless posts some great recipes.  Using only bananas and whole flaxseeds, this recipe has everything you need and nothing you don’t.  The bananas provide fiber and potassium, and the flaxseeds provide omega-3s, protein and B vitamins.  All in all, these crackers make for a perfect pre- or post-session snack.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ripe banana

• ½ cup whole flaxseeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. It doesn’t get any easier than this: Preheat the oven to 300°F.  Peel the banana and mash it into a pudding with only a few lumps remaining.  Stir in the flaxseeds until it is an even mixture.  

2. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, use a tablespoon to measure out lumps of the mixture and press them into thin crackers.  The thinner they are, the crispier they’ll be, so just how thin you want them is up to you.  Bake them in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are a golden brown.  Pack them up for a session and enjoy!

    

Roasted Chickpeas:

You’ve probably seen these in the health food aisles of your local grocery store for a criminally inflated price. While chickpeas are a healthy alternative to pretzels and chips (packing way more fiber and protein and far fewer preservatives and mystery ingredients), there’s no need to pay a steep price for pretty packaging. Thankfully, you can get all that fiber and protein in a pre- or post-sesh snack with just a can of chickpeas and some olive oil.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• (optional) sea salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and peel open that can of chickpeas. Using a strainer, pour them out and then rinse them under the sink until all the bean water is gone (or if you want to hang onto the bean water, I’ve got some aquafaba recipes coming soon…). Layer some paper towels on top of each other and then roll the chickpeas between the layers to dry them out some.

2. Throw them into a bowl and then toss in the olive oil and salt, if you’re adding it. Mix it up to ensure even coating and then throw them onto a foil-lined pan and place them into the oven.  Cook them for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. Once they are crispy and golden, take them out and feast on your savings.

    

Banana and Almond Butter Ice Cream:

If you tried my Thanksgiving recipe, then you’ll have already had a more complex variation of this dish.  However, you don’t need multiple flavorings and a fancy pie crust to enjoy homemade vegan ice cream.  Frozen bananas and almond butter make for a creamy dessert that has healthy fats, fiber, potassium, and protein, and no added sugars!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 ½ – 2 tbsp. creamy almond butter

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Peel the banana and slice it into ½” slices.  Throw them into the freezer until they are solid (about 2 hours).  You can leave them in for longer if you want, but don’t use them before they’re frozen solid.  

2. In a food processor, add the bananas and almond butter and blend until creamy.  If you have a plastic stirrer in your food processor, it’s best to take this out until the bananas are creamy, so as to avoid chipping or damaging it with supersonic rock-hard banana slices.  Freeze the mixture for a post-sesh treat or enjoy on the spot!

Happy shredding,

Johnny

For more recipes, check out_ www.saladgrindsandbeanplants.com _or find us on Instagram at @salad_grinds_and_bean_plants.