We know it may seem trendy, but here at Athlete Food, we can't seem to get enough of kale.
What is it about running hard that causes that awful stomach ache? And why does it strike even if you ate the perfect pre-workout snack? It's a mystery to me.
It's been a few years since I've been stricken with RSA (Runners Stomach Ache).
For the last week or so, I've been in Clermont, Florida training with fellow pro triathlete and mom, Sarah Haskins. We've been putting in some great training hours and some fun baby playing hours - Sarah's six month old and Amy could not be happier together.
As much as I love ice cream, my favorite dessert has always been fresh fruit. It’s what we had for dessert every night growing up. Our dad would go to three grocery stores searching for the freshest fruit he could find and always kept the house stocked with oranges, melons or whatever was in season.
purely elizabeth's Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Cookies
When it comes to baking gluten-free cookies, I tend to stick to mixes. I figure, if someone has taken the time to figure out a mix of ingredients that make gluten-free cookies taste like the real thing, just go with it. I came to this conclusion after spending the time and energy to make gluten-free cookies from scratch.
I have something to confess. I've gotten into the habit of devouring embarrassing amounts of chips after long days on the bike. Last weekend, I knocked back an entire bag of Sea Salt Lundberg rice chips, including all of the crumbs. Even though I can justify all day long that I deserve those 600 calories of salty carbs, I know my body needs more nourishment than that after a 4 hour ride. 
Most of my bike routes around New Paltz involve riding through orchards. They are everywhere. And starting in September, they start to come alive with apples and out-of-town apple pickers. The extent of my picking is usually jumping off my bike mid-ride to grab an apple or a pear off the tree.
One of the best things about summer in New Paltz is that the produce is so fresh that little has to be done to turn fresh picked veggies into a meal. Take this simple tomato and basil salad, for example. All you have to do is slice a few heirloom tomatoes and toss a handful of sungold gold tomatoes and fresh basil leaves on a plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and you’ve got the perfect BBQ side dish.
Most pro triathletes spend the winter at training camp, putting in grueling hours of work in order to prepare for the upcoming season. Instead of spending my days trail running, going on group rides and smashing swim sets, I spent the winter recovering from a C-section and waking up at in the wee hours to feed my newborn daughter. For the first time in my career, I kicked off the racing season while easing into training—slowly and solo.
As I prepped for last month’s Philadelphia Triathlon, my first triathlon in over a year, I fretted about what to put in my transition bag, whether my wetsuit would still fit, and what to eat for breakfast in the hotel room.
Saturday was one of those perfect spring days. Flowers were out everywhere, it was warm enough to wear shorts biking, but cool enough not to over heat. There couldn’t have been a better day for riding up to the Mohonk Mountain House, down the mountain to High Falls and back.
This past month of training has been all about rehab. As much as I'd like to be training like crazy with Laurel, recovering from major abdominal surgery takes time and needs to be done properly. I've been carefully working my way back to fitness under the watchful eye of physical therapist/athletic trainer/all-around guru Carolyn Mazur.
This is kind of hard to admit, but I've been downing rice cakes like they were homemade bread for going on 2 years now. I always chalked rice cakes up to being too dietetic, but since I started eating a gluten-free diet, these crumbly mess-makers have become a staple in my pantry. I've found that they are the most convenient and cost effective vessels for the standard peanut butter pre-workout snack.
We have a special treat for you today. Our friend, Elana, of the blog John and Elana Talk About Food is here to share a healthy Super Bowl recipe with us. Elana's managed to transform an Athlete Food favorite ingredient into the perfect half-time snack. Even those of you who aren't so down (to earth) with this superfood of root vegetables will be reaching for the bowl of chips.
Triathletes, you may recognize Elana from the race course or from her recent contributions to Triathlete Magazine. If this recipe leaves you hungry for more, go eat up some time on Elana's blog.
It’s Laurel here, making a cameo on the Athlete Food blog, while Bec attempts to relax in her final days before baby. As you may remember from our Pecan Pie Smackdown, I’m not much for baking. I like the idea of eating fresh baked goods, but the measuring and cleaning required takes me out of my comfort zone. A few weeks ago, however, I received a lovely care package from Elizabeth Stein founder of the gluten-free and all natural baking company, purely elizabeth. The box included a chocolate chip cookie mix easy and healthy enough that I thought I’d risk another kitchen experiment.
Like a lot of triathletes, I rely on my blender to fix quick meals year round. In the spring and summer when I'm training all the time, I make smoothies almost every day to pack in calories and nutrients with minimal effort. This fall, I used the blender as a soup-making machine to stock my freezer so that come January, John and I can enjoy a home cooked meal when we’re sleepwalking through new parenthood.
On the eve of what the weatherpeople are calling the storm of the century, I can't help but long to be back in Hawaii. Tomorrow we'll get to relive the Ironman race on the NBC broadcast, but what they won't show you are the the little bits of paradise just steps off the race course.
Last spring I read a few articles about elite athletes crediting beet juice for their improved times. There’s this one about marathoner Ryan Hall in Outside and this report from the London Olympics in the NYT. But I first heard about the wonders of beet juice in 2007 from one of my training partners. 
Snack: Grilled cheese with sliced pears
Timing: I eat this snack as my second breakfast since it is savory and my first breakfast is always sweet. It would also make a good afternoon snack, eaten a few hours before running.
Why I like it: It allows me to eat a comfort food in between workouts without feeling sluggish.
Last day to enter contest: Monday Aug. 13, 2012
Win a case of ZICO coconut water!!
Laurel and I still train together every day, even though she’s working out longer and harder than ever to prepare for the New York Ironman, while I’ve scaled back since I’m 4-months pregnant. Our eating habits are wildly different now, too. Laurel’s 18-mile runs leave her hungry for thousands of calories, while I actually need to slash my normally enormous in-season calorie consumption.
Case in point: Our recent favorite smoothie creations, below.
Read them, try them, or just glance at the titles, then comment below on which one you like best or tweet your response to @athletefood. No need to leave your email address in the comment, we'll track you down.
We’ll select one reader randomly and reward the lucky Athlete Food fan with a case of ZICO coconut water.
—Bec
If you haven't gotten a chance to check out our recipe in last month's Triathlete Magazine, here it is!
The recipe is based on our original granola recipe, but we've added a savory kick and toasted coconut flakes.
