Great Grains!! A Delicious Recipe for the Endurance Athlete

I know how it is… Train, eat, sleep, train, eat, eat, EAT!!!  We get hungry as endurance athletes and it’s so hard to find time to cook delicious and healthy items for ourselves, let alone our families.  As an Ironman athlete myself, I know.  And as a professional chef, I’ve discovered easy and healthy ways to get the goods out of eating. 

One great way of time managing the week is to plan your weekly meals over the weekend.  Put aside a few minutes, go through that pile of recipes you have torn out from magazines and make a list of what’s for dinner, even if it’s the same thing every day.

Cook for the week!  Cook on one day for the rest, or the majority, of the week.  Cut up your chicken and salmon portions, cook potatoes and rice, par-boil your veggies, make your pasta sauce.  It’s an easy way to make sure you always have something ready to heat up when you get home late after a training session.

I’ve created a delicious and easy recipe that stands up to your Tupperware for a few days, is deliciously healthy, and very simple to make.  I like to call it my Mixed Grain and Lentil Salad.  For me it’s the perfect side dish to any protein like Salmon, Chicken or Beef.  Another great thing about it is that you can eat it hot or cold.  I’m always on the go in my work so it’s easy to bring with me in my cooler bag and eat in my car (not while driving, of course). 

Let’s talk about the ingredients!

Quinoa: Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)  the “super grain”. When cooked, quinoa is light, fluffy, slightly crunchy and subtly flavored. Some of the nutrients in quinoa include: Complete protein- Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles. Magnesium helps relax your muscles and blood vessels and effects blood pressure. Quinoa contains high levels of this vital nutrient. Fiber- Quinoa is a wonderful way to ensure that you consume valuable fiber that eases elimination and tones your colon. Manganese and copper- Quinoa is a good source of these minerals that act as antioxidants in your body to get rid of dangerous cancer and disease-causing substances.(Source: Body-Ecology.com)

I love the pop-like texture of quinoa.  The perfect palate teaser. 

Wheat Berries: Wheat berries are short, plump whole-wheat kernels loaded with nutrients. They can be cooked for sweet or savory preparations and have a chewy texture and nutty flavor. They can also be ground to make flours to bake into bread for a more nutritious whole-grain option.

(Source: Livestrong.com)

Another incredible crunch to this salad.  I also love it’s vibrant reddish color

Lentils: Lentils, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. But this is far from all lentils have to offer. Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat.
(Source: whfoods.com)

So many colors of lentils to choose from. I like to use the brown ones as they are easiest to cook and not overcook, without losing their shape.

The following recipe is for just over 2 servings (depending on how much you like or are able to eat)   The ingredients are all cooked separately and then assembled together.  It can be kept for up to 5 days in your refrigerator so feel free to make lots for prepared meals.  Enjoy!!

The finished product

Mixed Grain and Lentil Salad by Chef Karleen Dirmantas

1 c Cooked Quinoa (I like to use Brown and Red Mixed)

½ c Cooked Brown Lentils (you could also use any bean you like: white beans, black beans, etc.)

1 c Cooked Wheat Berries

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add any of you favorite veggies (I like Edamame, Organic Tomatoes, Chopped Raw Kale)

Quinoa: (makes about 2 c cooked)

1 c dry quinoa

2 c water

Bring water to boil with a pinch of salt.  Add quinoa and bring to boil again.  Reduce to simmer stirring occasionally, about 11 minutes.  When most of the liquid is cooked up turn off heat and cover with a lid for 5 minutes.

Lentils: (Makes about 2.5 c cooked)

1 c Brown Lentils

2 c Water

Sort through the lentils to remove and stones or debris.  Rinse them in cold water and drain. Bring water to boil. Add lentils and bring to a boil again.  Return to medium-low heat and cook for another 15 minutes.

Wheat Berries: (Makes 2 ¼ c cooked)

1 c Wheat Berries

3 c Water

½ t salt

Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones. Rinse well under cold water. Add water and salt in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse.