What you’ll need:

- Ham steak
- Pillsbury crescent rolls
- Mixed veggies (butter, salt and pepper)

With only three ingredients, you can probably see why this is so quick!

I get my ham steaks in packs of three at Costco, but they’re also at Walmart (I’ve seen two-packs there). You can get them with or without bones. My mixed veggies are usually frozen, purchased from Walmart (BirdsEye brand). We go through a lot, so I prefer the big bags, especially the ones with the zip seal. As for the crescent rolls, these can obviously be any kind of dinner roll, but we love the crescents and they’re fun for the girls to help roll up before baking. The Pillsbury 2-packs are cheaper than the GreatValue brand at Walmart.

I usually start by running hot water in the sink to thaw the ham steak. If you’re better prepared than I, you can skip this step and probably save 5 minutes or so. I then move on to preheating the oven for the rolls.

My girls love to help me roll up the crescent rolls, so while the ham steak is thawing and the oven is preheating, we’re over at the table having some fun with the rolls.

The rolls take 12-15 minutes in the oven, and while they’re baking, I get the frozen veggies cooking in the microwave for about 4-5 minutes. Once they’re done, we add about a tablespoon of butter, some salt and pepper, and let that sit, covered, for the 5-7 minutes the ham steak is in the microwave.

That’s pretty much it. If you’re not having children help you with the process, you may even be able to squeak in some time to cut up some fresh fruit!

OverworkedSupermom.com

This is still a struggle for me, but not as much as it used to be. Having kids has forced me to  learn a bit more about cooking, and through trial and error I’ve managed to come up with some tricks to shorten preparation time, or even just some go-to quick meals that I can even involve the girls in the preparation.

I know I can’t be the only one who struggles with this, so I want to share these tips and meal ideas here to hopefully help those who want to keep on a budget and cook at home more. Be forewarned though: most, if not all, of my ideas involve *some* kind of packaged food – this  isn’t all from scratch.  I am pretty careful about what kinds of packaged foods I buy, so overall the meals should be fairly healthy.

Likely you won’t find anything new, or innovative (I’ve got a ways to go before I can be that kind of cook!), and you may even see some ideas you’ve seen elsewhere. Pinterest has been a great source for me on this (with plenty of failed experiments as well!)

To make this easier in case my list gets long (it’ll be awhile), I’ll add to this post and link to the ideas as I’m able to post them.

- Ham, veggies and rolls
- Cheesy Quinoa
- Pasta Salad w/ Veggies
- Montreal steak and veggies on the grill
- Goulash
- Mexican goulash (Taco pasta)
- Easy fried pork chops

“My gold medal ride in London was fueled by Biju’s Oatmeal. I told Allen to change the name to Gold Medal Oatmeal. It took a team to win—I left my nutrition to the experts and they left the ride to me.” — Kristin Armstrong, professional cyclist and 2-time Olympic gold medalist, 2-time UCI World Time Trial Champion

“One bite showed me a lot of what I was missing. Eating real, flavorful, and simple food was a revelation. Being around Allen and Biju began to ground me and my diet. Good food may only be a portion of what it takes to ride professionally, but to me it has been truly life changing. I believe that not knowing what to eat and when to eat it can be as detrimental to performance as shirking your training. Now that my nutrition is dialed in, I can focs on the other important aspects of training and racing.” — Tim Johnson, professional cyclist for Cannondale P/B Cyclocrossworld.com

“If you are tired of stock-flavored  ”chocolate” or “vanilla” energy bars with the texture of shoe leather, this book is for you. Feed Zone Portables introduces an entirely new genre of food for training and exercise, fit for the road, trail, snow, or anything in between. There’s an enormous variety of foods and flavors that you can easily make in your own kitchen. The food that allows you to perform your best is really simple and easy to make. Take a few minutes to cook yourself with real food and you will notice the benefits in both flavor and your performance.” — Timmy Duggan, professional cyclist for Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff, USPRO National Champion and Olympian

“Having personally handed out hundreds of Feed Zone rice cakes to some of the best athletes on the planet, I can attest that there is a direct correlation between these portables and improved performance and recovery. Simply put, this is very healthy, creative food developed by smart people who care…and the taste is sublime!” — Davis Phinney, Olympic bronze medalist, USPRO National Champion, 2-time Tour de France stage winner

“As a professional rock climber, I spend full days in the mountains pushing my physical and mental limits. For years my daily nutrition was similar to most outdoor adventure athletes—by day, highly-processed bars and gels and by night, simple packaged meals. After being introduced to The Feed Zone, I began to realize there was another way to eat that actually nourished me as an athlete. I didn’t have to live off of processed bars, which dehydrated me and upset my stomach. I started trying recipe after recipe and fell in love with making (and eating) rice cakes. I found they were the perfect snack to help me sustain a fully day of climbing. It was great to actually be eating real food throughout the day.” — Matt Segal, professional rock climber for North Face Athlete Team

“Recipes from Feed Zone are my new, not-so-secret training tool. They deliver huge taste and even bigger performance benefits. My third consecutive women’s course record at the Leadville Trail 100 is proof.” — Rebecca Rusch, professional cyclist and 4-time winner Leadville Trail 100, 3-time 24-Hour Solo Mountain Bike World Champion

“Training is a good excuse to inhale more of the goodness coming out of Biju’s oven. These recipes are easy, tasty, effective, and made with real love for sport and food.” — George Bennett, professional cyclist for RadioShack-Leopard-Trek Pro Cycling Team

“On the national team we work with high-school and college-aged athletes who typically don’t have the knowledge, experience, or cooking skills to prepare healthy, nutritious food. Allen and Biju have written a cookbook that changes that and makes cooking fun and simple to learn.” — Jim Miller, USA Cycling National Team Leader

“My wife and I have really enjoyed some of Feed Zone recipes. We love the diversity, the simplicity and the flavors Biju and Allen have put together.” — George Hincapie, former professional cyclist for BMC Racing Team

“Biju busts out some bangin’ grub. We added the lessons we learned from Biju to the arsenal of competitive tools to give our team everything they need to be successful.” — Thomas Craven, Sports Director for BMC-Hincapie Sportswear Development Team

“Armed with his rice cake and a passion for cycling, Allen Lim has created a food revolution in the pro peloton.” — Craig Lewis, professional cyclist for Champion Systems pro cycling team

“Allen and Biju introduced me to the concept of eating real food in triathlon training and racing and it has made all the difference. Using portables on the bike, I can head out onto the run feeling fueled and ready to race hard to the finish.” — Kristen Peterson, professional triathlete and aquathlon national champion

“Biju has a way of making great food in impossible situations. It’s always an adventure with Biju at the helm.” — Jarka Duba, President POC USA

IN PRAISE OF REAL FOOD FROM THE FEED ZONE

“I love food. I was absolutely thrilled when a cycling-specific cookbook came out to fit my lifestyle. I cook religiously from the Feed Zone. My diet doesn’t have to be boring or austere to go fast. In fact, I go way faster when I’m happy, and good food makes me happy.” — Lea Davison, professional cyclist, Olympian, and U.S. Short Track National Championship Bronze Medalist

“I never bonk when I have rice cakes in my pocket.” — Evelyn Stevens, professional cyclist for Team Specialized-lululemon, 2-time U.S. national time trial champion

“I’ve eaten all sorts of things on the bike—boiled potatoes rolled in salt and parmesan, slices of pizza, cookies, muffins, banana breads. I once got on a black licorice kick. I love experimenting with new foods and flavors on the bike.” — Lucas Euser, professional cyclist for United Healthcare Pro Cycling Team

“Homemade but simple seems to get me through.” — Tim Don, professional triathlete, ITU World Champion, 3-time Olympian, 5-time British Triathlon national champion

“I travel extensively in many different countries, so I am always in search of a dependable solution to my portable energy food needs. Simple, nutritious ingredients and easy preparation are a winning combination when it comes to keeping yourself healthy on the road.” — Carlo Traversi, professional rock climber and 2-time sport climbing national champion, 5-time USA Climbing National Team member

In the Feed Zone, the menu has changed and no one can argue with the results: real food is better. Real food tastes better, digests quickly, and helps you perform at your best.

The Feed Zone Cookbook includes 150 everyday recipes for athletes. Each breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipe is simple, delicious, and easy to prepare.

Feed Zone Portables, offers portable performance snacks made of real food. Try out 75 all-new rice cakes, two-bite pies, waffles, and other tasty snacks.

Try these cookbooks today! Find The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables in your local bookstore; bike, tri, or running shop; or from these online retailers:

• SkratchLabs.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
  
• Amazon.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• BarnesandNoble.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• Chapters/Indigo.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• VeloGear.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook
• TriSports.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook
• Your local independent bookseller: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• E-book edition on Apple’s iBookstore for iPad: The Feed Zone Cookbook

The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables are published by VeloPress, the leading publisher of books on cycling, triathlon, and running. Please see more VeloPress nutrition books at velopress.com/category/nutrition-and-diet

Hot Discovery #1: Vitamin D works far beyond its role as a bone-builder

Last year marked the 100th birthday of the discovery of the first vitamin. We’ve come a long way since then and in the past few years, we have found that every cell in the body has receptors for vitamin D and it is essential for helping to prevent several diseases, as well as helping to maintain muscle in elderly.

 Even in sunny areas, up to 80 percent of the population is low in vitamin D. So consider first having your blood levels checked, and if you are low, supplement!

Hot Discovery #2: Tomato extract helps improve blood flow

There are several things you can do to help decrease your risk for heart disease like eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, avoiding tobacco and exercising at least 30 minutes a day.

You can also try a new tomato extract, Fruitflow, is now being added to food products and supplements, and supports healthy blood flow.

Hot Discovery #3: Oats: A good option for weight control

This simple, old-fashioned favorite helps maintain a healthy weight thanks to the combination of fiber and water, which fills you up on fewer calories and digests slowly so you are satisfied between breakfast and lunch, and less likely to be grazing at the fridge or vending machine.

Hot Discovery #4: Probiotics for health

Remember the days when yogurt was a health food for hippies? Not anymore. Yogurt has gone mainstream and rightfully so. The bacteria found in yogurt can help boost your immune system. Choose plain, nonfat yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fruit or a little jam.

How will you reinvigorate your diet with these hot nutrition tips?

This is rice pasta with pesto seasoning, peppers, mushroom, tofu, and fresh parsley.

 We also had salad with the dinner and I made him gluten free croutons with cutting up small pieces of very toasted gluten free bread with Earth balance margarine. The croutons probably wont pass the test for an adult but for a 4 year old boy it worked just fine.

So, how it’s made…

I fried up some mushrooms, with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tbsp of oil, and some water to soften them up.

While you are cooking the veggies you need to cook the rice pasta in hot water. 

Add pine nuts, and pesto sauce and let it all cook. 

The pesto sauce I use is below. It’s certified gluten free.  This brand also didn’t have any dairy in it.

Once the mushrooms are cooked and the water has evaporated…

 Add in peppers, tofu, and chopped parsley (optional)

 Let it cook to soften the peppers, and then when the pasta is ready add in the pasta and more pesto seasoning.

That’s it, enjoy!

Foreword by Taylor Phinney

Introduction by Allen Lim
Do You Really Need to Eat That?
Hydration: Why Sweat Matters
Do We Drink or Eat Our Calories?
Why Solid Food Is Not the Same as Liquid Food
What Makes a Great Portable?

Portables Recipes
Rice Cakes
Baked Eggs
Two-Bite Pies
Baked Cakes & Cookies
Griddle Cakes, Pancakes & Waffles
Aha! Portables
Take & Make

Appendixes
A: Nutrition Facts for Recipes
B: Nutrition Facts for Additions & Alternatives
C: Conversions

Index
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Credits

To see a complete list of all the recipes in Feed Zone Portables, download this Contents pdf, which includes a FREE sample recipe: Blueberry & Chocolate Coconut Rice Cakes!

The menu has changed and no one can argue with the results: real food is better. Real food tastes better, digests quickly, and helps you perform at your best.

The Feed Zone Cookbook includes 150 everyday recipes for athletes. Each breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipe is simple, delicious, and easy to prepare.

Feed Zone Portables, offers portable performance snacks made of real food. Try out 75 all-new rice cakes, two-bite pies, waffles, and other tasty snacks.

Try these cookbooks today! Find The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables in your local bookstore; bike, tri, or running shop; or from these online retailers:

• SkratchLabs.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
  
• Amazon.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• BarnesandNoble.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• Chapters/Indigo.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• VeloGear.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• TriSports.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook
• Your local independent bookseller: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• E-book edition on Apple’s iBookstore for iPad: The Feed Zone Cookbook

The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables are published by VeloPress, the leading publisher of books on cycling, triathlon, and running. Please see more VeloPress nutrition books at velopress.com/category/nutrition-and-diet

“…but what if I don’t have time to cook??“

Maybe you’re studying in the library all day, or maybe you have back-to-back revision classes… one way and another, cooking for yourself tends to get shoved down the bottom of your to-do list. Well, first off, I think that’s pretty normal, and it’s totally ok to accept that when you are busy and stressed you might want to change up your cooking routine a bit.  BUT, you’re still going to need to nourish yourself just the same (if not more… did you know that the brain typically uses around 20% of our energy intake??) so I guess the idea is just to speed things up a bit!

Pack plenty of snacks to keep yourself going throughout the day… these klippit boxes are a life-saver :)

So, here’s a guide to cooking yummy, nutritious meals and looking after yourselves over the next few weeks. I’ll also be posting up a series of ‘Five quick & easy meals I’m loving lately’ this week to give you a little inspiration… enjoy!

Breakfasts

Breakfasts are always pretty quick and simple so there’s no excuse for not having an awesome breakfast to fuel you through the morning! A couple of tips…

• If you’re apt to run out of time in the morning, prepare your breakfast the night before. Overnight oats are a really great option now that the weather is warmer. Or make a yogurt parfait with some Greek yogurt, honey, fruit and granola, then keep in the fridge until the morning. You might want to leave yourself a note though… I periodically forget that I’ve been nice and organised and have breakfast waiting for me! Make it realllllly easy for your sleepy self to fit in a proper breakfast before rushing out the door.
  

  Overnight oats – seriously yummy!

• Buy instant oatmeal to save time (Quaker oats does a great sultanas, raisins, cranberry & apple oatmeal which I adore)… tear open the sachet, pour into a bowl, add milk and microwave for 2 minutes… add a few toppings and enjoy :)
• On-the-go: you’ve forgotten to make breakfast, you’re late and you’re just about to dash out the door… here’s a couple of ideas for things you can grab on the way: banana + granola + nuts/ cereal bar + fruit/ English muffin + peanut butter + banana.

Lunches

• Leftovers!! A good 90% of the time I’ll make double the quantity at dinner and have the leftovers for lunch the next day. It’s easy and quick, and it means you can enjoy your dinner creation all over again :)
  

  Leftover marinated tofu with brown rice, baby spinach and chopped almonds :)

• Wraps: avocado, black beans & spinach/ falafel, hummus & iceberg lettuce/ tuna, Greek yogurt, red pepper & smoked paprika.
• Salads & bread/ rice/ pasta (e.g. tuna, Greek yogurt, dill, apple, celery & crushed walnuts with a poppyseed roll).

On-the-go Snacks

• Eat natural bars.
• Snack packs of sushi.
• Oatcakes with hummus/ guacamole/ peanut butter.
• Trail mix (dried fruit, mixed nuts, granola, dark chocolate).
• Graze boxes are really awesome for giving you a variety of snacks in little boxes which are perfect for taking to the library… they’re a little on the small side so I’d suggest taking a few pieces of fruit too :) You can also look forward to the arrival of a cute little package in your pigeon hole each week… it’s the little things in life, right?! Or why not drop the hint to your parents that a little ‘care package’ in the post every now and again would really make your day?

Dinners

• Fresh ravioli with pasta sauce & salad - a meal in three minutes flat, you can’t deny that’s impressive!
• Pasta with cherry tomatoes, pesto & pine-nuts - try out ‘quick-cook’ pasta varieties (about 5 minutes) or fresh pasta/spaghetti (2-3 mins).
• Bagel pizzas - cut bagel, spread tomato passata/ pesto, add toppings & cheese, then cook for a few minutes until the cheese melts… enjoy!
• Innocent vegetable pots - these are super good and supermarkets often do deals on them, so keep an eye out. My boyfriend swears by the moussaka pot, but my favourite is the Caribbean pot with coconut rice, sweetcorn, mango and smoked paprika… yum :)
• Fresh soup with crusty bread & hummus.

Of course, you don’t always have to cook for yourself… if you’re busy studying then you might want to check out campus catering options for a few zero-effort meals a week. My old department used to have a really great subsidised canteen which did a mean vegetarian lasagne. Or how about heading to your favourite café for a mid-week treat? I used to really like working in coffee shops and being surrounded by people (of the non stressed-out student kind!) and became best friends with the baristas each summer ;)

Second home…

Shopping Trips

I always love going with a friend and making an outing of it… enjoy the fresh air, stretch your legs and natter away whilst choosing your groceries for the week :) A couple of days before our exams started, my boyfriend & I would head over to M&S and stock up on exam week essentials: quick & easy main meals, yummy granola, dark chocolate, fruit, nuts etc. Having cupboards stocked up with delicious food always made it so much easier to eat well during exams.

If you’re super busy, you could also think about grouping together with a few friends and having some shopping delivered once a week.

Make Time for Cooking, Eating & Socialising!

In the run-up to university finals, my friend and I had an unwavering routine of cooking dinner together then sitting down to eat whilst watching Grey’s Anatomy (we got through several seasons…) Looking forward to that down time got me through several loooong afternoons!

Remember to keep a semblance of a routine… maybe you don’t feel you can take the entire weekend off, but having a picnic in the park for Sunday brunch, or entertaining a few of your friends for dinner on a Friday night can really help to give you something fun to look forward to :)

Perfect spot for Sunday brunch :)

Good luck everyone, be kind to yourselves and remember that summer is just around the corner!!

Forgive yourself for yesterday’s mistakes and let’s start fresh today. It’s never too late.

Click here for a 2-page Printable Weekly Planning Guide. Here’s the Back Of Weekly Planning Guide

Remember that the food you make at home will always be healthier than the food you buy at a restaurant. Yes even a healthy restaurant. Not to mention it’ll be healthier on your wallet.

Now I know what your thinking. Janeris, the problem is that I don’t know what to put on the guide. I don’t know what to make as healthy meals throughout the week. No worries. Tan ta rara! Janeris to the rescue! I’m going to give you some ideas to help you start off. Feel free to change around the ingredients or mix and match dishes. Don’t try to do the exact weekly menu as me because you are different. Your family is different. For example, I HATE cauliflower so I won’t add many cauliflower dishes. But I LOVE broccoli so you’ll see plenty of those in my meals. You may be the opposite and like cauliflower but hate broccoli. So switch it. No harm no foul. I am a meat eater so you will see a lot of animal fats and proteins. I do believe that meat causes inflammation and am trying to have lots of “Meatless Mondays” all week long but I still love meat and you’ll see a lot of that here. But feel free to substitute meat with something else if you please.

I don’t eat anything with gluten, eggs, dairy, sugar, soy, garlic, or potatoes. But I know some of you do and will try to post some ideas that you can eat. There are things I won’t compromise on like sugar free, lite, or fat free stuff. You will never see that junk on my blog posts.  If you are getting really bloated after meals try to pay attention to what you just ate. Your body may be telling you it is sensitive to something you just gave it. My belly gets bloated and sore among other things when I eat eggs, dairy, potatoes, and wheat. I get headaches when I eat garlic and cane sugar.

Everything here should be organic, pastured/grass fed meat, and fresh not canned whenever possible.

Ideas:

Breakfast

1. Fresh Vegetable juice
2. Oatmeal -(Steel cut or rolled oats, honey, almond milk, sliced apples, raisins, or whatever other ingredients you like)
3. Whole milk yogurt with berries and honey
4. Grapefruit, rice cake with almond butter and sliced bananas
5. Banana, almond butter smoothie (Almond milk, almond butter, banana, honey, cinnamon)

Lunch

1. Chicken Berry salad with homemade raspberry vinaigrette ( Add strawberries, blueberries, nuts, tomatoes, and spinach)
2. Chicken or roast beef wrap (Chicken/Roast beef, hummus, lettuce, spinach, cheese, tomatoes)
3. Mozzarella and tomato salad (Fresh mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, on a bed of spinach, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt)
4. Grilled chicken and pineapple sandwich (sliced bread, grilled chicken, sliced pineapple, homemade ketchup, sliced red onions-can also be made in a wrap)
5. Quesadillas ( 2 large Tortillas, grilled chicken, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, top with cheese and press together in a toaster oven or grill)
6. Avocado cranberry salad (Romaine, arugula, dried cranberries, avocados, sliced red onions, raw apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper)

Dinner

1. Fajita-style quesadillas (Corn tortillas, sauteed green and red bell peppers and onions, cilantro, beans, lime, and your choice of veggies. Top it with cheese and dip in homemade salsa)
2. Chicken or turkey lettuce wraps (Ground meat, cooked with coconut oil, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper, wrapped in romaine lettuce)
3. Pasta Primavera (Gluten-free pasta, veggies, olive oil, black pepper, salt)
4. Beef and grilled sweet potatoes (Don’t ask me how to cook the beef. I don’t eat red meat haha)
5. Grilled Salmon and quinoa

Snacks

1. Sliced cucumber in salt and raw apple cider vinegar
2. Strawberries dipped in homemade chocolate (recipe coming soon)
3. Sliced avocados with salt
4. Coconut yogurt, berries, and honey
5. Carrot sticks (not baby carrots) dipped in hummus

This is the first menu planning guide. I may have to work out some kinks. Let me know what you think on my facebook page

Enjoy this breakfast fritata cooking video along with 60 other healthy cooking videos on www.HappyFoodHealth.com/CookHealthy.  Let me know how you like it.

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day because it jump starts our metabolism.  If we skip breakfast, then we prompt our body to slow down the metabolism because there’s a lack of food in the world.  As you can see, when we subscribe to a “diet” mentality, we often sabotage ourselves and do more harm.  This is why I choose to subscribe to a “Happy Food” mentality—eat delicious food that also makes you feel energetic, light, and clean.

There are other break recipes that take 3o seconds to make if you struggle with time or ideas.  Enjoy!!!

Order your copy of Feed Zone Portables from Skratch Labs.

When Dr. Allen Lim left the lab to work with pro cyclists, he found athletes weary of processed bars and gels and the same old pasta. So Lim joined professional chef Biju Thomas to make eating delicious and practical. Their groundbreaking Feed Zone Cookbook brought the favorite recipes of the pros to everyday athletes.

In their new cookbook Feed Zone Portables, Chef Biju and Dr. Lim offer 75 all-new portable food recipes for cyclists, runners, triathletes, mountain bikers, climbers, hikers, and backpackers. Each real food recipe is simple, delicious during exercise, easy to make—and ready to go on your next ride, run, climb, hike, road trip, or sporting event.

Feed Zone Portables expands on the most popular features of The Feed Zone Cookbook with more quick and easy recipes for athletes, beautiful full-color photographs of every dish, complete nutrition data, tips on why these are the best foods for athletes, and time-saving ways on how to cook real food every day.

In his introduction to Feed Zone Portables, Dr. Lim makes the case for real food as a more easily digestible, higher-performance source of energy than prepackaged fuel products. He shows how much athletes really need to eat and drink at different exercise intensities and in cold or hot weather. Because the body burns solid and liquid foods differently, Lim defines a new approach for athletes to drink for hydration and eat real food for energy.

With the recipes, ideas, and guidance in Feed Zone Portables, athletes will nourish better performance with real food and learn to prepare their own creations at home or on the go.

Feed Zone Portables includes

• 75 all-new recipes that taste great during exercise: Rice Cakes, Two-Bite Pies, Griddle Cakes, Waffles, Baked Eggs, Sticky Bites, Rice Balls, Ride Sandwiches, Baked Cakes, and Cookies
• A smart introduction on how real food works better for athletes
• More than 50 no-fuss gluten-free recipes, including great-tasting cookies and cakes
• More than 50 vegetarian recipes

With the recipes, ideas, and guidance in Feed Zone Portables, athletes will nourish better performance with real food and learn to prepare their own creations at home or on the go.

In the Feed Zone, the menu has changed and no one can argue with the results: real food is better. Real food tastes better, digests quickly, and helps you perform at your best.

The Feed Zone Cookbook includes 150 everyday recipes for athletes. Each breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipe is simple, delicious, and easy to prepare.

Feed Zone Portables, offers portable performance snacks made of real food. Try out 75 all-new rice cakes, two-bite pies, waffles, and other tasty snacks.

Try these cookbooks today! Find The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables in your local bookstore; bike, tri, or running shop; or from these online retailers:

• SkratchLabs.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
  
• Amazon.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• BarnesandNoble.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• Chapters/Indigo.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• VeloGear.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• TriSports.com: The Feed Zone Cookbook
• Your local independent bookseller: The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables
• E-book edition on Apple’s iBookstore for iPad: The Feed Zone Cookbook

The Feed Zone Cookbook and Feed Zone Portables are published by VeloPress, the leading publisher of books on cycling, triathlon, and running. Please see more VeloPress nutrition books at velopress.com/category/nutrition-and-diet

This is what I created last minute after my plan fell through

These were delicious and I am definitely making them again. However, I am the only one in my family who thought so. My kids refused to even taste it.

I started out with an experiment. My goal was to create gluten free & vegan samosas. I found the pie pastry dough at choices.

 Most of the ingredients are a listing from what Earth Balance is. It’s basically Earth Balance, rice flour, potato starch, other flowers and vegan shortening.

 It molds like dough

 It rolls like dough

 This was my whipped potato and pea mixture. I was not including the spices as I was trying to make this kid friendly.

 Put the two together and you get a beautiful mess.

Beautiful samosas aren’t they?

 So then I tried to bake the dough first, but it crumbled when I tried to do anything with it.

So then I added food yeast, a bit of Dijon mustard some salt to the potato mixture and put that into the pie dough lined mini casserole dishes. Let it bake in the oven, and they were soooo good. I ate both of them along with my dinner. Yummy, yummy, yummy. I am doing this again.

Now….how to get my kids to eat something like this…I think I’ll start with mini pie’s.

Enjoy!

Before we get to the recipe, I just want to write a bit about the chia black bean patties. To start, if you have never worked with chia seeds then you’re in for a treat! These seeds are typically found in the “natural” or “organic” isles, or where the “Bob’s Red Mill” brand items are (sometimes the cooking isle.)

Chia seeds are very high in soluble fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol (and thus blood pressure) or keeps cholesterol low. Further, soluble fiber helps to stabilize blood sugars, which is especially important if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes (and will help prevent these co-morbidities.) Foods high in soluble fiber and low in calories (as chia seeds are) can help promote weight loss as well as it slows digestion, keeping you fuller for longer. Further, chia seeds are a good plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, helping to reduce inflammation, which is important for all organs and tissues in the body. They are nutrient and antioxidant rich, and can promote detoxification given their gel-like consistency, which pulls toxins into the intestines to be excreted.

Chia seeds are not only nutritious, but incredibly fun to cook with as well (in my opinion)! They literally gel-up when left to sit in a food item. I especially love putting them in yogurt to create a fun texture. Knowing this property of chia seeds, I wondered if I could use them to make a vegetarian sausage-like patty. Well, I could. And I did. And I think they turned out pretty darn good! Let me know what you think and as they say in India, kā ānanda lēṁ. Enjoy. And yes… I did just Google that!

Ingredients (makes two sandwiches with ~6 chia black bean patties left over):

• 4 whole eggs
• ¼ tsp. ground pepper
• 1 cup cooked beans (I used raw beans but canned should work fine as well– just make sure to rinse them and pat dry!)
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 1 whole green pepper (seeded)
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 2 slices (~2” x 2” x ¼” each) sharp cheddar cheese
• Olive oil spray (Misto if you have one!)
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• 1 whole fresh tomato
• 1 whole fresh avocado

Chia Black Bean Patty Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine 2 eggs, ground pepper, cooked beans, chia seeds and green pepper. Process until uniform and refrigerate overnight.
2. Sautee patties on a skillet, about 1 minute on each side or until lightly brown.

Curry Egg Directions:

1. Spray skillet with olive oil spray and heat on stovetop on medium. Crack 2 eggs onto skillet. Sprinkle ½ tsp curry powder and ½ tsp turmeric on each and let simmer until almost cooked. Flip, top with cheese and let simmer for about 10 second. Flip egg in half (like an omelet.) Cover skillet until cheese is melted.

Putting it together:

1. STACK away! Toast bread -> Chia Black Bean Patty -> Curry Egg à tomato -> avocado -> a dash of pepper and done! YUM!

1. Spinach (boiled)
2. Portobello mushroom (pan-fried with a little sea salt or seasoning)
3. Pineapple – sometimes a bit sweeter if you soak in lightly salted water
4. Papaya
5. Korean potato noodles (with cabbage and honey ham) – secret is adding some black pepper!
6. Butternut squash (boiled & lightly pan-fried)

Enjoy this easy and light meal! Chef Sifu Wong says, “It’s colorful!”

I know its hard to pack a really quick lunch when we are avoiding bread. Here’s one idea that can be modified five ways to take you on a choose-your-own culinary adventure.

Core Ingredients

• Leftover chicken 
• Peppers
• Onion (white or green)
• Something spicy (pepperoncini or pickled jalepeno)
• Mystery ingredient

Instructions

Chop up chicken, peppers, onions and something spicy.

Choose one of the following options:

Chicken Salad Salad: Add mayo & paprika to the core ingredients. Maybe throw in some Sriracha? Eat by itself or on a bed of spinach.

Bean Bowl: Add refried beans and a side of salsa.

Mexi-Salad: Add drained kidney beans and eat over spinach. Use salsa and lime juice for your dressing.

Lettuce Wraps: Mix ingredients in a bit of yogurt-based ranch dressing and roll up in romaine lettuce leaves.

Quicky-ish Stir-Fry: Follow rice vermicelli cooking instructions. Omit spicy thing from core ingredients. Throw everything in frying pan with roasted garlic (2 cloves) and cook up til peppers are soft. Add soy sauce to taste.

Nom.

• Potatoes
• Chicken breast
• 1 packet napoletana pasta sauce (or any sauce you like).
• Cheese

Method:

Roughly chop the potatoes. I like to use baby potatoes so they only need to be cut in half. Season if you like although the sauce has a very strong flavour its not essential. Here I have used some ‘all purpose’ seasoning.

Place the potatoes in the oven. Then chop up the chicken breast and place it in a casserole dish, make sure its covered. I like to use stir fry chicken which is already cut, or you could use shredded roast chicken.

Then you sit and wait for it to cook this takes about 30 mins or until the potatoes are soft and a little bit crispy. Aslong as the chicken is covered it wont burn.

Once the potatoes look nearly ready, put the pasta sauce in a pot. I like to use the “Passage to Italy” Cherry Tomato Napoletana sauce. I am sure you could use any type of pasta sauce if you wanted to but this has a really rich flavour.

Take the chicken out of the oven, and place it in the sauce while it is heating up.

While that is happening get the potatoes out of the oven and arrange on the plate. Once the sauce is starting to bubble take it off the heat and place on top of potatoes. Then add a sprinkling of cheese and you’re done!

This recipe is gluten free if you use the same pasta sauce I have. This sauce also contains only 2% garlic and no onion so I find it  low-fodmap friendly, although you may wish to use a different pasta sauce if you need to avoid garlic completely.

You could alter this recipe by using broccoli or other steamed vegetables instead of potatoes.

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