A plant-based diet could helpboost your fitness,buteating enough veggies to feel fullcan be a challenge for some people.Vegan food tends to be less calorically dense than meat- and dairy-heavy meals, so wesought out heartier options fromfour athletes with big appetites. Whether you’re a full-time veganor just looking to cut down on your animal-product intake, these recipes offer great ideas for preworkout fuel, midmission snacks, and recovery meals.
Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl
New York City-based runner, community organizer,and Adidas ambassador opts for an easy, filling breakfast. “Being hyperactive and often pressed for time, I like to have a simple start to my day [with something] that tastes good and gives me energy,” she says. She preparesa base, usually a sweet potato puree or cashew yogurt, and then adds different toppings depending on her mood—and what she can find at her local bodega.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium to large sweet potato
- 1 cup plain nut milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Dash of salt
- 1/2cup fresh organic blueberries
- 1/2 cup low-sugar granola
- 1 tablespoon hemp protein powder
Optional toppings:
- 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon organic maca powder
- 1/2 cup toasted pepitas
Directions:
Peel the sweet potato and chop intoone-inch cubes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the sweet potato, andboil for 15 to 20 minutes or until soft when poked.Thentoss it into the blender with thenut milk, coconut oil,and salt.(You can prepare this in advance and store in the refrigerator.) Mix the pureewith theblueberries, granola, and hemp protein to use as a base, then addtoppings.
‘Cheesy’ Garlic Chickpeas
Registered dietitian and ultrarunner specializes in helping athletes pursue their endurance goals while eating a plant-based diet. Plenty of popular snacksare animal-product free—like potato chips—but you don’t have to sacrifice nutrition fora satisfying, savory crunch. Flavorful roasted chickpeas makea healthieralternative to gas-station junk food and work just as well as a postrun treat as they do atop a salad.
Ingredients:
- 2 cans cooked chickpeas
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/4cup olive oil
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Distribute drained chickpeas evenly on a sheet pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove chickpeas from the pan and toss them in a bowl with the sea salt, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder,and olive oil.Spread the seasoned chickpeas back on the pan, and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the chickpeas, return tothe oven, and turn the oven off. Let the chickpeas sit in the oven as it cools, whichhelps themdry out anddevelopa crispy texture. Enjoy immediatelyor store in an air-tight container for up to two weeks. To mix things up, experiment withdifferent flavor combinations using spices likedill, black pepper, cayenne pepper, turmeric, or chili powder.
No-Bake Fig Bars and Apricot-Tahini Balls
Registered dietitian and bikepacking extraordinaire loves plant-based snacks for long days in the saddle. Without eggs or dairy, vegan options will keep in your jersey pockets, even in hot weather, he says. Kadey’s simple recipes—which you can find in his cookbook, —are packed with carbohydrates and nutrient-dense ingredients.
No-Bake Fig Bars
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups dried figs
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces
Directions:
Place figs in a large bowl, cover with hot water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain figs and pat away excess moisture with a paper towel. Then blend the drained figs, almond flour, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon,and salt in a food processoruntil the mixture clumps together. Pulse in walnuts. Line an eight-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving about a one-inch overhang. Add fig mixture to the pan and, usingdamp hands, press the mixture flat (to about three-fourths of an inchthick). Place pan in the freezer until contents have firmed up, about anhour. Lift the bar mixture out of the pan with the help ofthe parchment paper, and slice into nine squares. Keep bars chilled in the refrigerator or freezer.
Apricot-Tahini Balls
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup dried apricots
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Place oats in a food processor and pulse until pulverized. Add remaining ingredients and blend until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Using damp hands, rollinto one-inch-sizeballs.Makes about 14.Keep chilled.
Spaghetti Squash Dinner
“Being vegan and an athlete, you have to be a bit creative to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need,” says Under Armour ultrarunner . “That has ledto a lot of discoveries about foods and recipes that I probably never would have found.” Cotton often opts forspaghetti squash, thanks toits versatility and low price point. And here’sher favorite way to enjoy it—with homemade pesto and sautéed vegetables.
Ingredients:
- Spaghetti squash
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups basil
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- Lemon juice
- 1 clove chopped garlic
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Sun-dried tomatoes
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and drizzle with olive oil,salt, and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft. Use a food processor to blend the basil, 1/2 cup olive oil, salt and pepper to taste,the nutritional yeast, pine nuts, lemon juice (also to taste), and garlic into a simple homemade pesto. Sauté the broccoli and mushrooms(and any other veggies youwant) in olive oil over medium heat until soft. Use a fork to loosen the “spaghetti” from the squash’s skin. Top with pesto,veggies,and sun-dried tomatoes.