Still crazy for Krayzelburg

As Krayzelburg tries to make a splash in swimming now by instructing, he's not put off by the fact that his inner city teaching program took so long to take hold.

"We've been trying the last two years to get something like this program going, but there was always so much politics and bureaucracy getting in the way, so many channels we had to go through and rely on decisions made by others that it just made things so much harder," he said.

It only means the rewards will be that much richer.

Finding qualified instructors has also been a challenge.

"You've got to find the right people to hire. They may give lessons to kids at the parks and rec programs, but I don't think they learn much. You have to make it higher quality and meaningful. It's more than just hiring a 17-year-old high school graduate who's looking for a summer job."

He's also interested in reopening the pool at the Jewish Community Center in West Hills.

"We had that school going there until they shut down the pool," he said. "There was some politics and innocent bystanders there. It's unfortunate. Things might come around again and we could take over the pool and reopen it."

On line, he's also maintaining his foundation (www.lkfoundation.org), a swimming social network Website (www.SwimRoom.com) (including his predictions for the 2008 Games at this link), expanding his school (www.LennyKSwim.com) and involved with a program called Swim with the Stars (www.swimwiththestars.com).

Part of Krayzelburg's current commitments are to be a spokesman for the California Avocado Commission (linked here), which he doesn't feel is much of a stretch. Especially as a transplanted Southern Californian after his family moved here from the Ukraine in the late 1980s.

"I've been proud of the fact that, all during my career, it was natural," said Krayzelburg, now 32. "I never took vitamins. I was all about eating the proper diet, a good balance of carbs, protein and fat, and I attribute a lot of my success to that. And the avocado is such a healthy and rich fruit with the minerals that you need in a proper diet. It's ironic that I have the opportunity now to be associated with it because it's so close to my heart. Especially now, when it's easy to get out of shape. You always have to keep an eye on nutrition."

So, with that in mind, there's a recipe you can try. Not one that Krayzelburg came up with himself, mind you. But one he's endorsed as something worth cooking up during your Olympic viewing party. See how it flies:

Cilantro Chicken with California Avocado and Pickled Tomato Salsa
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 4 hours, including chill time
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:· 4 (6 oz.) boneless chicken thighs or breasts, with skin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
4 scallions, trimmed
Pickled Tomato Salsa (see make-ahead recipe below)
2 ripe Fresh California Avocados, peeled, seeded and cut in 1/2-inch
Dice: 2 cups cooked brown basmati rice

Instructions:
1. In a shallow, non-reactive dish, season chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Combine olive oil, lime juice, cilantro and cumin in a small bowl. Brush mixture on scallions and pour remainder over chicken, tossing to evenly coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Preheat broiler or grill. Beginning with skin side toward the heat source, broil or grill chicken until just cooked through, about 12 minutes per side for thighs and about 9 minutes per side for breasts. Grill or broil scallions about 2 minutes per side.
3. Toss Pickled Tomato Salsa with diced avocados and reserve until chicken is cooked.
4. To serve, arrange grilled chicken over a bed of basmati rice. Mound avocado salsa mixture on top of chicken. Garnish with grilled scallions. Serve immediately.

Per Serving: 640 calories; 36.5 grams fat (6.3 sat, 22 mono, 5 poly); 119 mg cholesterol; 243 mg sodium; 4.75 grams fiber

*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.

Pickled Tomato Salsa
Ingredients:
1 lb. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut in quarters
1/2 bunch scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 Serrano chiles, with seeds, thinly sliced in rounds
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, toss tomatoes with scallions and chiles.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Add brown sugar and salt, and cook until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and reserve.
3. Measure ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cracked peppercorns, cumin, cayenne and turmeric onto a plate and place near stove. In another medium saucepan, heat oil over moderate heat until just smoking. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until aromas are released, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar mixture. Immediately pour over reserved tomato mixture. Stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or several days.
4. Before serving, remove tomatoes from juices, roughly chop, and return to pickling liquid.

Note: To peel tomatoes, remove the cores and score an X on the underside. Blanch for
15 seconds in boiling water and immediately plunge into iced water to prevent continued
cooking. Peel with a paring knife.

Per Serving: 325 calories; 28.5 grams fat (3.8 sat, 20 mono, 2.6 poly); 0 g cholesterol; 1,085 sodium; 2.6 grams fiber

Copyright © 2008, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.