Chicken Apple Salad with Spiced Pecans

2-3 cups spring mix salad greens
3-4 oz cooked chicken (I usually use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods)
1/2+ apple thinly sliced
2-3 Tbs spiced pecans (I make my own, but you can buy these pre-made)

1-2 Tbs Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette (I usually prefer to make my own dressings, but this one goes perfectly with the meal and the ingredients are acceptable)

Layer the ingredients in this order: salad greens, chicken, apples, dressing*, and pecans.

*Anytime you are packing a salad to take with you on-the-go, put the dressing in it’s own little container and mix it in right before eating.

Albacore with Mixed Greens and Cherry Balsamic

2-3 cups spring mix salad greens
1 carrot, grated
1/4 cup grated red beet (raw)
1/4 avocado, thinly sliced
1-2 Tbs pepitas, toasted
1-2 Tbs dried Golden Berry Blend (dried cranberries, golden raisins, blueberries, and cherries; sold at Trader Joe’s)

1 can tuna (chunk light or solid white)
1 tsp aoli or mayo
1 tsp mustard (I prefer whole grain Dijon mustard)
1 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbs capers (optional)
ground pepper to taste

1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs cherry balsamic (or any kind you like)
a few drops of mustard
a few drops of honey

1 Ryvita sesame rye cracker (optional)

Put the tuna in a bowl and break it into small pieces with a fork. Stir in the aoli, mustard, lemon juice, capers, and ground pepper.

Layer the ingredients in this order: salad greens, carrots, beets, avocado, tuna mixture, dressing, pepitas*, and dried berries. You can add a Ryvita sesame rye cracker on the side if you like.

*I keep all raw nuts/seeds in the refrigerator. To freshly toast nuts, just scatter a few on a tray, place them in the toaster oven, and set the timer for “light toast”. I’ve found this to be the best method for toasting (and not burning) nuts/seeds.

Lemon Mustard Salmon Salad

From my favorite cookbook: The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, by Rebecca Katz

2-3 cups spring mix salad greens or butter lettuce
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 avocado thinly sliced (my personal addition to this recipe)

3-4 oz leftover poached salmon or canned boneless, skinless wild sockeye salmon, drained
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of cayenne
pinch of sea salt*
1-2 Tbs finely chopped celery
1 Tbs finely chopped flesh flat-leaf parsley

1-2 Tbs Rebecca Katz’s Basil Lemon Drizzle or Moroccan Pesto, or you can shortcut with Brianna’s Champagne Caper Vinaigrette.

4-6 brown rice crackers (optional)

Put the salmon in a bowl and break it into small pieces with a fork. Stir in the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, cayenne, salt, celery, and parsley.

Layer the ingredients in this order: salad greens, radishes, avocado, salmon mixture, and dressing. You may add a few brown rice crackers on the side if you like.

*I only use French Celtic gray sea salt in my cooking because it is unrefined and therefore retains vital trace minerals. It also has superior flavor to white salt.

• Lemony Chicken with Capers and Kalamata Olives served over Quinoa
• Large side of Sauteed Broccolini
• One glass of Red Wine
• Farmer’s Market naval orange cut into wedges for dessert

Bon appetite!

Lemony Chicken with Capers and Kalamata Olives

• 2 boneless organic chicken breasts, halved
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (I use Meyer lemons)
• 1 cup halved and thinly sliced red onion
• 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
• 3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbs thinly sliced garlic
• 1 Tbs capers, rinsed
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise

From One Bite at a Time by Rebecca Katz. This recipe makes delicious leftovers for dinner or lunch the next day.

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Marinate the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice for a minimum of 30 min optimum and up to two hours for a spa treatment. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle each chicken piece with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Spread the onions in the bottom of a shallow glass baking dish. Add the orange juice and place the chicken breasts on top of the onions.

Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, the olive oil, and oregano. Drizzle over the chicken. Sprinkle the garlic and capers over the chicken. Add the olives to the pan juice (don’t put them on top, or they will leave their mark!). Bake, uncovered, until the juice of the chicken runs clear, about 30 min, or until an instant red meat thermometer reads 160 F.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter with the pan juices, olives, and capers.

Quinoa

• 1 cup Quinoa
• 2 cups chicken broth (or 2 cups water with 1 cube vegetable or chicken bullion)

Measure and rinse (2-3 times) quinoa. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes. Let sit 5 min, fluff with a fork and serve.

Sauteed Broccolini

• 1.5-2 lbs Broccolini
• 1-2 Tbs Olive oil
• 1/4 tsp Salt & herb mixture (I love the Tuscan Salt Coastal Goods from Whole Foods)
• 2 cloves Garlic pressed or minced
• 2-4 Tbs water or chicken broth

I throw this together on the fly so quantities and times are estimated.

Rinse broccolini and trim ends. Heat olive oil in large sautee pan over med/high heat. Stir in broccolini for about 1 min. Add salt and herb mixture, sautee for 30 seconds. Stir in garlic, sautee for 30 sec more. Add broth, cover, and reduce heat. Allow to steam/simmer for about 3 min or until slightly tender (not soft).

The most important thing to consider is the amount of time between when you eat and when your workout begins. The more time you have the longer your food must sustain you and the more complex (more protein, fiber, and fat) your meal can and should be. Through my own trial and error, I’ve created a breakfast menu of 5 items. Feel free to try these out for yourself, and start creating your own breakfast menu.

Workout: 6:30am Swim
Time between eating and beginning workout: 30 min
Breakfast: Rice Protein Shake: 1 scoop Rainbow Light rice protein powder (vanilla flavor) + 3 ounces of Tazo Chai (pre-made in box) + 6 ounces of unsweetened almond milk + 4 ounces of water.
Notes: The small amount of sugar and caffeine in the chai along with the spirulina in the protein powder give an initial energy boost while the protein helps sustain energy. This mixture is very easy on the digestive system so you won’t be burping it up during the workout.

Workout: 8:00am Surf
Time between eating and beginning workout: 45-60 min
Breakfast: I have two favorites for this one. Either Apple Walnut Amaranth (see recipe below) or a piece of sprouted grain toast with almond butter, half a sliced banana, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I prepare the amaranth the night before so all I have to do is heat it up. I pair either of these with a cup of hot yerba mate tea for a little caffeine boost and to warm me up before I get into the cold Pacific.
Notes: Foods I avoid before workouts less than an hour out, due to past experience with digestive upset, include coffee, oranges, apple, heavy protein, and cereal.

Any workout 90min-2 hours out.
Breakfast: Either a Protein Pancake (see recipe below) or my old standby; 2 eggs with a quarter of an avocado, a piece of sprouted grain toast with strawberry or guava jam, and a cup of coffee.
Notes: This breakfast must have protein, complex carbs and a little fat. Both of these recipes are also great everyday breakfast options.

During the workout.
I usually just drink water. For bike rides or runs lasting over 90 min I’ll carry energy gels as well.

After the workout.
I always carry an apple or other seasonal fruit to eat immediately after a workout to replenish glycogen stores, stabilize blood sugar, and sustain energy until my next meal.

Apple-Walnut Amaranth
This recipe is from one of my favorite nutrition books: Ultra-Metabolism (Mark Hyman)

1 cup amaranth
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch sea salt (optional)
1 large apple, skin on, cored and diced (or unsulfured and unsweetened dried apple, pear, or fig)
½ cup copped raw walnuts or pecans
2-4 Tbs flax meal (optional)

Makes 3-4 servings.

Place the amaranth, water, almond milk, cinnamon, salt, and apple in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until amaranth is soft. Mix in flax meal (optional). Top with raw chopped nuts. If you make the amaranth the night before, wait until after you reheat it in the morning to add the nuts. This recipe is gluten and dairy free.

Protein Pancake

1/3 cup raw rolled oats
1 Tbs flax meal
1-2 Tbs chopped walnuts
1-2 Tbs dried berries
Sprinkle of Cinnamon (to taste)
2 eggs

1 serving

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Heat pan over med-high heat and lightly coat pan with butter. When pan is heated pour the mix in so it makes a nice even looking pancake. Cook about 3 minutes. Quarter the pancake and flip each piece to brown the other side. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. I’m a salt lover and like to sprinkle a little gray sea salt on top, but it’s not necessary.
Pro Tip: Combine all dry ingredients the night before and add the eggs in the morning. This will reduce your prep time in the morning to about 5-7 minutes.

Almond Muffin Mania (makes 24 mini muffins)
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup spelt flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup organic milk, almond milk, rice milk, or soy milk
2 organic eggs
1/4 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a mini muffin tin by generously oiling each cup.

Combine the almond meal, spelt four, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and stir with a whisk until very well combined. Separately, combine the agave nectar, mashed banana, milk, eggs, oil, almond extract, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well with a rubber spatula.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups filling each about three quarters full. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until muffin springs back when touched in the center. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes., then gently run a knife or a small offset spatula around the sides of the muffins to loosen them before turning them out.

Variations: Katz provides recipe variations for chocolate orange muffins and ginger lemon muffins. Purchase her book to get the details!

Prep Time: 7 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes (plus time to cool) Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Per Serving: Calories: 100; Total Fat: 6.4g; Carbohydrates: 8g; Protein: 3g; Fiber 1g; Sodium: 75mg

Great Pumpkin Custard

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 organic eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup organic milk or soy milk

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Stir the pumpkin, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and milk. Whisk the egg mixture into the pumpkin mixture until well combined.

Pour the custard into six 1/2-cup ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and add enough hot water to the dish to come up 2 inches high around the ramekins. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 60 minutes Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. Per Serving: Calories: 110; Total Fat: 3.2g; Carbohydrates: 18g; Protein: 4g; Fiber: 1g; Sodium: 240mg