Mario Tennis Check In

Hello Friends,

I hope this email finds you healthy. I’m keeping sane by trying to enjoy some leisure time. I’ve been also thinking about how I can best coach each of you once we are back on the court, but during this time apart as well.

Here’s a video I made to demonstrate that while we can’t play real tennis, we can keep our reflexes sharp and winning tactics in mind by playing video games such as Mario Tennis. In this video, I am playing up at the net as Peach while my partner, Yoshi, is serving.

You will see the importance of staying active at the net and keeping the ball cross-court when on the baseline. In doubles, when you have the opportunity to end the point, it is essential to hit a ball to an open space, or right at the opposing net player.

I hope to continue to keep in touch with ways to keep your game sharp, without the game. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxNPZjPLhVw

Also, here are some of my other survival mechanisms while we all have to remain apart. Let me know if you try any of the below, and I look forward to recommendations from you too.

Movie Recommendation: “Between Two Ferns” (Netflix) – Not suitable for children

Show Recommendation: “Tiger King” (Netflix) – Not suitable for children

Non-Screen Activity: SCRABBLE

Epic Walk: The Arches / Sudbury Aqueduct (behind Neohoiden parking lot)

Smoothie Recipe: 1 serving as a meal replacement.

- 1 Cup water

- 1 Cup almond milk (or milk of choice)

- 1 Cup packed spinach

- 1 packet sugar free frozen acai berry

- ½ Cup blueberries

- 1 banana

- ¼ Cup cauliflower

- 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseeds

- 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds

- 1 Scoop protein powder (optional)

Blend together liquid and spinach until well blended. Stop blender and add remaining ingredients. Blend well until smooth (may need additional liquid).

Dinner Recipe: Shakshuka (adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi)

Serves 2 to 4

- 2 Tablespoons olive oil

- 2 heaping Tablespoons harissa (a condiment usually in the international aisle at the grocery)

- 2 Teaspoons tomato paste

- 2-3 bell peppers (red, yellow, and/or orange), diced (about 2 cups total)

- 4 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped

- 1 Teaspoon cumin

- 5 Cups chopped or diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)

- 6-8 eggs

- ½ Cup labne or Greek yogurt

- feta cheese (optional, but delicious!)

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add harissa, tomato paste, peppers, garlic, cumin, and a scant teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring periodically, about 8 minutes, until the peppers are softer.

Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook for another 10 minutes on medium low heat. Taste and adjust spices to your liking (this is a good time to add more salt or some black pepper).

Make 8 little dips in the sauce. Gently break the eggs, one at a time, into a separate small bowl and pour each egg into each dip. Use a fork to swirl the whites a bit into the sauce, but take care not to break the yolks. Simmer gently on low heat for 8-10 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still sunny. Remove from heat, leave for a few minutes to settle, then spoon into shallow bowls. Add a spoon of labne and a sprinkle of feta cheese to each bowl, and serve with crusty bread. Enjoy!