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August 30: Trient to Champex

Day summary:

  • 7 hours (Kev time)
  • 8.5 miles
  • gain 1386 m, lose 1199 m

This was a fantastic day – tough hiking over the first pass, but not bad, and the views were fabulous.  The Trient Glacier is astounding!  It is sad to realize that it is shrinking so quickly due to global climate change.

Here is the journal entry for today:

We really weren’t disturbed by runners all night.  We both even slept through the ambulance that came at 4:00 am (according to our dortoir mates).  There were still runners coming through in the morning.  The rule was that they had to be in Trient by 8:00 am, so we didn’t see a lot after that hour.  That’s about when we left for Champex.  We parted company with the French women and with Roland, though we knew we’d likely run into him again.  And we did.  The hike out of Trient and up to Le Fenetre d’Arpette was STEEP and arduous.  We walked alongside the Glacier Du Trient – apparently much smaller than before (Barry conversed with a fellow hiker who had been here 10 years before who reported that it was several hundred meters smaller now).  Barry claims that I can tell (my sister) Sia that I no longer have to climb Mount Whitney – the mountaineer’s route – (a trip I failed to complete several years ago) – what I did today was much more difficult and steep (though at a lower altitude)!  We definitely had to scramble with hands a few times.  You couldn’t really tell where you were headed until you got close enough to see backpacks sitting on the rocks.  Kev calls this the Champs d’Elysees of the Alps because of the number of people hanging out there.  There were day-hikers as well as through- hikers from both directions.  We did meet Roland up there  again, as well as Marco, a fellow from Finland.  They were both headed short of Champex, staying at the Relais d’Arpette.

After a tedious rock-jumping trek down the other side, we stopped at the Relais to use the bathroom and enjoy a diet coke before heading to Champex.  We met Marco there and sat with him, Roland and another guy (a Jewish Russian ex-pat living in Israel), while we rested and refreshed ourselves.  This is going to seem crazy, but you MUST stop at the Relais d’Arpette to check out the toilet.  As soon as we figure out how, we’ll be putting in a link to the video I got with my camera.  The toilet has a mechanism that sticks out, grabs the toilet seat and rotates it all the way around while cleaning it!!!  I’ve never seen anything like it!

The trek from Arpette to Champex was easy and there were many Sunday walkers along the way.  Our hotel was in the middle of town and was very comfortable – L’hotel du Glacier (a Minotel hotel that we booked on line).  There was a sauna and whirlpool down the hall that we didn’t even use.  The lake is full of trout, and I decided to have that for dinner.  Yum!  There is no ATM in town however, and limited groceries, though we had a great petit dejeuner at the grocery/cafe owned by a former skier, Lovey Leon.  There were plenty of medals in the case by the door and an article that claimed the UTMB is nick-named Le Trotte de Leon because of him.  We’ll have to Google him when we get home.

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Our dortoir companion, Roland, was very informative about the history of this area.  He described the waterways constructed all over the mountains that help bring glacial melt down into the cities, providing water and preventing excessive erosion.  These are called “bisse” – we basically walked beside an extensive bisse until we came to the base of the glacier, where we started climbing upward more steeply.

This is a bisse:

River at base of Trient Glacier

Trient Glacier – hard to get a good photo with the bright sun and ice on top and cool shade below

 

Hiking up to Le Fenetre d’Arpette

Atop Le Fenetre d’Arpette – a fenetre is a window – this one had great views on each side

View down the other side

Hiking down from Le Fenetre

Looking back where we just were

Zoomed in view – you can see the signpost and other hikers

Easier hiking down into Arpette

Beautiful tiled roof of hotel

Champex Lac

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Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Apples+

Serve with a spinach salad.

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2012

  • Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 pork medallions and about 1/2 cup apple mixture)
  • Total:20 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 3/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 pieces
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled Braeburn or Gala apple
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Preparation

1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Combine first 5 ingredients; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over pork. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

2. Melt butter in pan; swirl to coat. Add apple slices, 1/3 cup shallots, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; sauté 4 minutes or until apple starts to brown. Add apple cider to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until apple is crisp-tender. Stir in thyme leaves. Serve apple mixture with the pork.

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Pumpkin Ice Cream Torte+

Thaw 10 minutes before serving to slice.

Yield: 12 servings


3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cooking spray
1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
9 cups vanilla low-fat ice cream (about 1 1/2 cartons), divided (one carton is sufficient; try with full on ice cream next time!)
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted and divided
1/4 cup jarred caramel topping

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients (mixture will be crumbly). Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

3. Combine pumpkin and the next 4 ingredients (through cloves) in a bowl. Soften 6 cups ice cream; add to pumpkin mixture, stirring to blend. Spoon half of mixture into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 1 hour or until firm. Cover and freeze remaining pumpkin ice cream.

4. Soften remaining 3 cups vanilla ice cream; stir in 3 tablespoons pecans. Spread over pumpkin ice cream layer; freeze 1 hour or until firm. Soften remaining 3 cups pumpkin ice cream; spread over vanilla ice cream mixture. Cover; freeze 8 hours or until firm. Cut torte into 12 wedges. Place 1 wedge on each of 12 plates. Place topping in microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 45 seconds. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon topping; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pecans.

CALORIES 260 ; FAT 8.2g (sat 3.1g,mono 2.2g,poly 1.1g); CHOLESTEROL 13mg; CALCIUM 168mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.9g; SODIUM 186mg; PROTEIN 5.6g; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 0.7mg

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Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sugared Walnuts+

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup risotto, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, and 1 tablespoon nuts)

5 points

(purchased sweetened walnuts instead; used bacon instead of pancetta; other reviewers suggested cooking squash longer to brown it – then might want to add it in after cooking rice so it doesn’t get too mushy)

This recipe takes time, but is well worth it.

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 ounce pancetta, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup chardonnay
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemon thyme or 1 1/2 tablespoons thyme plus 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Arrange nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes or until toasted, stirring twice. Place nuts in a bowl. Drizzle butter over warm nuts; sprinkle with sugar and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss well to coat.

3. Combine squash and 1 tablespoon oil, tossing to coat. Arrange squash in a single layer on jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until squash is just tender. Remove from pan; stir in garlic. Set aside.

4. Bring broth and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

5. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta to saucepan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Add onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Stir in squash, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with cheese and nuts.

CALORIES 259 ; FAT 10.7g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.6g,poly 3.8g); CHOLESTEROL 9mg; CALCIUM 95mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.5g; SODIUM 397mg; PROTEIN 7.5g; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 1.3mg

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Vegetable Samosas with Mint Chutney

2 points

This looks a lot like the curried vegetable samosas recipe, but uses phyllo dough instead.  I’ll have to compare and decide which one I like better.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 samosas and 1 1/2 teaspoons chutney)

CHUTNEY:
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt

SAMOSAS:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup shredded carrot
2/3 cup frozen green peas, thawed
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes
8 (14 x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare chutney, combine first 8 ingredients in a food processor; process 1 minute or until smooth. Spoon mixture into a bowl; cover and refrigerate.

3. To prepare samosas, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peas, mustard seeds, garam masala, and salt; cover and cook 2 minutes. Stir in potatoes; remove from heat.

4. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, cut each sheet lengthwise into 3 (3 x 14-inch) strips, and coat with cooking spray. (Cover remaining phyllo dough to keep from drying.) Spoon 1 tablespoon potato mixture onto 1 end of each strip. Fold 1 corner of phyllo dough over mixture, forming a triangle; keep folding back and forth into a triangle to end of strip. Place triangles, seam sides down, on a baking sheet. Brush triangles with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature with chutney.


CALORIES 89 ; FAT 3.6g (sat 0.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.5g); CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 21mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13g; SODIUM 217mg; PROTEIN 2.2g; FIBER 1.6g; IRON 0.9mg

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Lemon-Splashed Shrimp Salad

5 points

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 3/4 cups)

8 cups water
2/3 cup uncooked rotini (corkscrew pasta)
1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped avocado
1/2 cup chopped seeded poblano pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add pasta to pan; cook 5 minutes or until almost tender. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Combine pasta mixture, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients; toss well.


CALORIES 250 ; FAT 6.9g (sat 1.2g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.2g); CHOLESTEROL 252mg; CALCIUM 74mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17g; SODIUM 667mg; PROTEIN 30.3g; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 5.1mg

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Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms and Spinach+

Yield: 6 Servings

6 points

1 (3.5-pound) spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1.5 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Poblano pepper
8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup cup julienne sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
1 1/4 cup cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

1. Preheat broiler.

Cut poblano in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 5 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel and chop.

3. Reduce oven temperature to 400 °.

4. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash halves cut side down in a 13×9-inch baking dish. Add water to measure 1/2-inch deep. Bake at 400 ° for 45 minutes. Turn squash over; bake an additional 15 minutes or until tender; cool. Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove strands to measure 6 cups. Keep warm.

5. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Cool and crumble. Increase heat to medium-high; sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to drippings in pan and cook 4 minutes; remove from pan.

6. Heat remaining 11/2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan and cook 3 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, reserved bacon, Poblano, garlic and Italian seasoning to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and cook 4 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add wine to pan and cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add reserved chicken, chicken broth, tomatoes, and spinach to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly; stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Place about 1 cup squash on each of 6 plates; top each serving with about 1 cup chicken mixture and 2 teaspoons remaining cheese.


CALORIES 296 ; FAT 9.3g (sat 3.2g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.4g); CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 241mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.8g; SODIUM 707mg; PROTEIN 31.2g; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 3mg

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Grilled Lamb Chops with Roasted Summer Squash & Chimichurri+

A quick blanching in boiling water mellows the garlic slightly.

Yield:  6 servings

7 points

2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dash of crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 pound)
3 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3/4 pound)
6 (5-ounce) lamb loin chops, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add garlic to pan; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Remove garlic from water; cool. Coarsely chop garlic.

2. Place garlic, 1/2 cup parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, shallots, and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper) in a food processor; process 1 minute or until almost smooth. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; pulse 2 times.

3. Preheat oven to 450°.

4. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

5. Combine squash, zucchini, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl; toss well. Arrange squash and zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bake at 450° for 16 minutes or until tender, turning after 8 minutes.

6. Lightly coat lamb with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place lamb on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Divide squash and zucchini evenly among 6 plates. Top each serving with 1 lamb chop and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley puree.

CALORIES 288 ; FAT 15.5g (sat 4.4g,mono 8.4g,poly 1.5g); CHOLESTEROL 90mg; CALCIUM 47mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5.8g; SODIUM 466mg; PROTEIN 30.9g; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 3.5mg

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Omelet with Summer Vegetables

Ingredients
Cooking spray
2/3 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 tablespoons shredded smoked Gouda cheese

Preparation
Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add corn, zucchini, onions, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, water, pepper, egg whites, and egg, stirring well with a whisk. Coat pan with cooking spray. Pour egg mixture into pan; cook until edges begin to set (about 2 minutes). Gently lift the edges of omelet with a spatula, tilting pan to allow uncooked egg mixture to come in contact with pan. Spoon corn mixture onto half of omelet; sprinkle corn mixture with cheese. Loosen omelet with a spatula, and fold in half over corn mixture. Cook 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Carefully slide omelet onto a plate.

Yield: 1 serving (serving size: 1 omelet)