Raising my saddle height & eating cactus

Last week I rode my bike wearing cycling shorts. Normally I ride using a pair of triathlon shorts. The difference is the cycling shorts have a pad built into them for comfort, the tri shorts don't. I rode much better that day wearing the cycling shorts. Later that week I rode each way to see if it was really the shorts that made the difference, or if I just felt better on the day I 1st wore the cycling shorts. & each time I rode in the cycling shorts I rode faster at the same hear rate.

I felt the only real difference could be that the pad was lifting me up a bit higher, & the added height made me ride with more power & efficiency. I adjusted my saddle height, & I rode my favorite course at the same HR I normally do at half a mph faster!!! Amazing that raising the saddle height just 1/8 of an inch can make such a big difference!

Tonight I steamed veggies for dinner. I threw in as many vegetables that I have never ate, or hadn't ate in a long time. I've heard the more varied a persons diet is the healthier they are & the less likely they are to have any vitamin deficiencies.
I added broccoli, yellow squash, 1 jalapeno, 2 garlic cloves, yams, a large turnip, celery, & a prickly pear leaf. Yup, a prickly pear cactus leaf. Turns out they are very nutritious. Here's what I pulled off the net about them:

Nopales is the Spanish name for Prickly Pear Cactus pads. Prickly Pear Cactus are members of the Opuntia genus, and produce both nopales, a vegetable, and tuna, a fruit.

Native Americans used Nopales to poultice bruises and dress wounds. They also boiled and crushed the pads, then added the sticky juice to mortar or whitewash to increase adhesiveness.

Nopales have been more popular as a food source in Mexico for hundreds of years. Recently, they have gained increasing popularity in the United States as well.

As a vegetable, Nopales can be used in salads, casseroles, soups, grilled and prepared in a variety of other ways. Nopales are somewhat tart and have a green bean- or asparagus -like flavor.

Nopales are often compared to Okra, because of the sticky substance they release when cooked. This should be rinsed off before serving or before further preparation as an ingredient.

Nopales can be purchased year-round in Mexican markets and some grocery stores in the U.S. They can also easily be harvested from your own Prickly Pear Cactus growing on your property.


Nutritional Facts
Serving Size 1 cup raw (142g)
Calories 60 Calories from Fat 10
Amount Per Serving % daily value
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Sugars NA
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 32%
Calcium 8%
Iron 2%
Here's a link that has the nutrients, how to prepare & cook it. Seems to be some really Delicious recipes.

http://www.desertusa.com/magdec97/eating/nopales.html