Recovery Trail Mix #1

I have created, and when I say created I mean compiled, a little mix of goodness to be eaten away from home. Jake and I are both racing away from home this weekend, and to make sure we had access to Paleoesque food, I invented this Trail Mix. Now, it is not 100% Paleo because it contains Ghirardelli chocolate morsels (60% cocoa) and Craisins (which have added sugar). That being said, I feel like it is better than fast food by a long shot. I am planning on eating this mix after my race, once my stomach starts to calm down. Walnuts are high in fat, so if you consume it too close post-exercise it will slow the digestion of the sugars and won't benefit your recovery much. I am also limiting our use of this mix to traveling. Whether it is to a race or just a vacation, I think this will come in handy. But you shouldn't over indulge.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Craisins
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
1/4 cup Ghirardelli 60% Coca Morsles
1/4 cup cut dates (4 dates total)

Now it is pretty simple. All you have to do is mix these ingredients together in a little baggie or tupperware container. One bag is meant for one person. So if you have two people, double the recipe and make two baggies. If you are confused you probably shouldn't be in a kitchen anyways.

I am really excited about this mix because it includes walnuts. Walnuts are great for you. They contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which are far superior to Omega-6 fatty acids found in other nuts. I was able to purchase all the ingredients at my local King Soopers. And after making two baggies of Trail Mix, it is apparent that the food I bought will make several more baggies. That is great, because these ingredients are not cheap. But if they make ten bags of mix, well I'd say it is well worth it. I have an idea for a second Recovery Trail Mix that I will also be trying out in the near future. (Sneak Peek: raisins, almonds, coconut flakes and dates). And I just thought of another one: walnuts, dried apricots, Craisins and chocolate morsels. Wow, really the possibilities are endless people. Just avoid the traditional Cheerios, dry roasted peanuts, and m&m's found in most trail mix bags. And if you do indulge in chocolate morsels, check the ingredients. Check how many grams of sugar there are per serving and compare brands against each other. A little dark chocolate here and there won't kill you. A Double-Stack from McDonalds might though...

Looking forward to enjoying this little treat after my race tomorrow!

e.

P.S. Trail mix was great! For me, what looked like a very little bag was way more filling than expected. I didn't even finish it. Just fyi!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

A delicious Paleo pancake recipe. Typically, the Paleo diet prohibits the consumption of starchy vegetables, however sweet potatoes are excellent for post-exercise recovery. I wouldn't recommend eating these too often, but as part of your recovery routine they are a wonderful treat. We have topped these with maple syrup and blueberries. I am looking forward to mixing different fruits into the batter in the future.

Initially when I made these, I only made a half recipe. That fed Jake and I for one meal. This recipe produces 24 small pancakes, which should be at least a few meals. I placed the cooled pancakes in a plastic Tupperware container and then put them into the freezer. Heat up the pancakes in the toaster oven (or a toaster) and they will be nice and crisp.

Ingredients:

4 cups mashed sweet potato*

2 mashed ripe bananas

6 eggs

1 cup flax meal

3 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

FYI: In case you don't have a food processor, sweet potatoes and bananas can be mashed with a potato masher, hand mixers, or a fork.

Blend bananas in a food processor with sweet potato. (We have a small food processor, so I have to do it in two separate sessions). Puree until very smooth. In a large bowl, mix eggs, flax meal, cinnamon, baking powder, and the banana/sweet potato mixture. Mix together until no lumps remain.

Heat a flat skillet, grease and turn heat to medium low. Place 1/4 cup of batter on skillet (should fit 4 pancakes at a time). Cook for a few minutes, gently flip. The pancakes tend to be fragile. When they are done, place on a cooling rack or eat while warm.

* I used one large and one medium sized sweet potato. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut off each end. Cut into cubes and place in a medium sized pot. Fill with water. Bring the pot of potatoes to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer until potatoes are soft (10-20min). Place potatoes in food processor and blend until smooth.


7/23/12 I would like to add a note about storing these... mine got all stuck together and it was sort of hard to pull them apart when they were frozen. The next batch I make I am going to put parchment paper between the patties. If you are making them for immediate consumption, this clearly won't be an issue for you. Otherwise they have been GREAT!