Planning a training week of superfoods.

Pre-planning a Powerful Superfoods Diet

Knowing when to eat is just as important as what to eat. Look ahead at your week and plan for the meals and snacks you’ll need for the energy and power of optimum performance. Sticking to a healthy diet will be easier if you have a stocked cupboard to grab what you need when you are on the run. Clear out the junk and get ready for a nutritious week.

Getting the SuperFoods Ready

Once the ingredients are home, spend some time organizing and pre-prepping a few items for the week:

Chicken breast is the athlete's protein staple.

Boneless skinless chicken breast

Grill or bake several breasts at a time so pre-portions are ready for dinners, lunches, and snacks.

For dinners: Lightly brush with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon, then place chicken breasts in a baking pan in the oven covered with foil and a light covering of water or low-sodium vegetable stock in the bottom of the pan. Bake until done at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately thirty-five minutes. Add finely chopped fresh parsley, green onion, cilantro, or other herbs and spices for flavour without adding fats. Serve right away with steamed broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, or other seasonal vegetables. Get creative and try new ones or stick with your favourites—as long as you mix up the variety. Serve with brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat couscous, or barley, which can also be cooked in water or low-sodium vegetable stock for extra flavour. Cool and refrigerate the extra chicken.

For lunches: Slice the chicken and add to spinach or other dark leafy green lettuce; with chickpeas or other legumes; tomato, cucumber, snap peas, peppers, and virtually any other raw vegetables for an energizing salad, as a portable lunch, or an easy and quick dinner. Top with multigrain or Wasa crackers on the side.

For snack: Cube the chicken and toss with light mayo, chopped walnuts, apples, and black pepper. Portion into a small container to take for an afternoon or pre-workout snack, or serve in a hollowed-out tomato or red pepper to eat as a side dish.

Wild salmon or white fish

Steaming wild salmon or fish can be a quick and easy healthy dinner entrée. Bake extra salmon at the same time to add to a salad the next day. Serve with sweet potatoes, brown rice, and any vegetables of choice.

Salmon with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans

Sweet Potato (or new potatoes):
3/4 cup          small wedges of sweet potato
1/2 tsp           olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Small Serving Salmon (or chicken, white fish, tofu):
3 ounce fillet  salmon
Lemon, squeezed to taste
1/4 clove        minced garlic
Ground pepper
1 cup             green beans (substitute broccoli, cauliflower florets, yellow beans, zucchini, etc.)

Instructions:
1. Scrub, clean, and cut sweet potatoes into small wedges. Toss the wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste; should not be greasy. Roast uncovered at 400 degrees for about thirty minutes.
2. Season salmon with lemon juice, garlic, and pepper to taste. Wrap in foil. Cook at 325 degrees for approximately twenty-five minutes (will vary if a larger piece of salmon). Salmon will flake when done.
3. Steam green beans (or other vegetable). Drizzle with lemon juice and lightly season with pepper and salt and serve.

Hard boiled eggs

Hard boiled eggs can be sliced and added to a salad as a good source of protein. Enjoy as a sandwich on a multigrain bread or bun, or pair with cucumber slices and whole-grain crackers for an afternoon or pre-workout snack.

Egg Salad with Cucumber Slices
(yields two small snacks)

Egg Salad:
1                   whole egg
1                   whole egg white
1/3 cup         red pepper
1/3 cup         celery
2 tsp             green onion
Black pepper
1 tbsp           low-fat mayo
8                   thick round slices cucumber
Parsley garnish

Instructions:
1. Chop egg, egg white, red pepper, celery, green onion.
2. Combine with black pepper and low-fat mayo. Toss until evenly mixed throughout.
3. Lay cucumber slices flat and top with egg salad. Garnish with parsley.
Makes a perfect snack on the run. Serve with Wasa crackers to increase the carb count.

Chopped veggies

Make sure you get the most from your veggies by cleaning and chopping when you first bring them home. Slice carrots and celery to have ready on hand as a snack, which you can keep in the fridge in water, or take to work and pair with cottage cheese or hummus for a great snack.

Clean and chop peppers to toss in a salad or eat with dip or tuna salad. Chop or slice the peppers that you will need for the next couple of days (any longer and they will start to go soft). Cauliflower, broccoli florets, and carrots can be frozen and steamed later.

Berries and fruit

Seasonal or frozen (no sugar added) berries should be included in your diet. If you’re buying fresh, bring home extra and freeze to use for smoothies or to thaw out in winter. Mix with plain yogurt and almonds for a pre- or post-workout healthy snack.

Recipes to Make ahead of Time

Texas Style Turkey chili
(yields four small portions)

A healthier variation on the fattier ground beef version. A perfect combination of lean proteins and healthy carbs and fats. Increase or decrease the protein content by varying the amount of turkey breast. A large batch can be made ahead of time, eaten for dinner, and taken to work as lunch. Freeze any leftovers for later.

Ingredients:
12 oz                   ground turkey breast
8 cups                 diced tomatoes
1 cup                   black beans
1 cup                   chickpeas
1 cup                   kidney beans
Spices: Chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, and pepper

Instructions:
1. Brown ground turkey and drain off any extra fat in a large pot.
2. Add all other ingredients.
3. Add seasonings to taste. Add hot sauce or chilis if desired.
4. Simmer for about an hour on low uncovered.

Zucchini and Red Pepper Frittata
(yields four six-ounce servings)

This recipe can be used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A whole pan will last in your fridge for one or two days after cooking. The egg combination can be prepared ahead and kept in the fridge overnight until baking.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp                 olive oil
2 cups                sliced zucchini
1 cup                  sliced red pepper
Salt and pepper
4                         whole eggs
10                       whole egg whites 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese
2                         tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp                 chopped parsley
1 1/3 cup            orange, medium, sliced
1 1/3 cup            strawberries

Instructions:
1. Sauté zucchini and red pepper, salt, and pepper, cook for ten minutes until softened.
2. Whisk together eggs and egg whites, add cheese and herbs. Pour into vegetable pan.
3. Cook over medium heat until centre in almost set. Bake in oven for two minutes.
4. Serve with orange slices and strawberries.
The goal is to incorporate planning and preparation into your weekly schedule so that healthy eating becomes a habit. Your performance will benefit, and maybe that one-hundred-mile trail run will come true after all.

PLANNING AND SHOPPING

Create a menu for the week before you hit the grocery aisles. It’ll suit your wallet and waistline better, and keep you away from unhealthy fast-food options.
Here is a sample list of staples that includes a good balance of carbs, proteins, and fats to get you started:

• lean chicken breast
• ground white turkey
• wild salmon or white fish
• chickpeas
• kidney beans
• eggs
• veggies such as broccoli, cucumber, tomatoes, baby spinach, sweet potatoes
• extra virgin olive oil
• multigrain bread
• grain of choice: brown rice, couscous, quinoa, or barley
• almonds
• walnuts
• mixed fruits
• plain yogurt
• fresh herbs

You’ll be able to mix and match the ingredients to make a number of nutritious meals and snacks.

About the Author

Katie Rodgers is co-owner of Licious Living, in Vancouver and Toronto. For online menu planning, visit www.myliciousliving.com.