Post-Workout Nutrition
The humble sweet-potato is jam-packed with fiber, iron, complex carbs and vitamin A and C. These modest tubers, domesticated in Latin America over ten thousand years ago, are also famous for improving blood sugar regulation, reducing tissue inflammation, and keeping Chinese peasants alive during famine.
Select small, firm sweet potatoes with no bruises or tears in the skin. For a sane life, cook a week's supply and keep them in your fridge for post-workout gratification. If the sweet potatoes are organic leave skins on for extra nutrition, otherwise peel them off before steaming or boiling, or after baking/microwaving. If baking (about 1 hour at 350 F), don't forget to prick the sweet potatoes with a fork to prevent explosion. To microwave, prick potato and cook 8-10 minutes on high, flipping over once. Steam in chunks, boil whole or chunked.
SIMPLE VERSION:
- 1 small cooked sweet potato (@ 4oz)
- 1-1.5 cups of milk, soy milk, rice milk, nut milk, or water. For a probiotic punch try 1/2 cup fat-free yogurt or keifir and 1 cup milk/water.
- Dashes of spice to taste [try: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, black pepper]
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into glass.
- Consume.
FANCYPANTS ADD-INS
- 1-2 scoops vanilla whey protein power
- 2 tbs flax-meal
- handful of raw spinach
- 1/2 cup frozen cranberries
- ice
- dash of vanilla extract
PROFILE: (4 oz sweet potato, 1c 1% milk)
- CALORIES: 187
- PROTEIN: 8g
- CARBS: 33g
- FAT: 2g
- FIBER: 4g
Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig is an award-winning playwright and a fancypants in the kitchen.
