PEAK NUTRITION: Smart Fuel for Outdoor Adventure
Maria Hines, Mercedes Pollmeier
Mountaineers Books
May 1, 2020
$29.95/Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1680512052
Winner of the 2009 James Beard Award for Best Chef Northwest, Maria Hines was also named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 10 Best New Chefs. Her organic Seattle restaurant, Tilth, is one of the nation’s top culinary destinations. An avid big wall climber, she holds a Level 1 nutrition certification and runs an online nutrition coaching business, mazamanutrition.com.
Mercedes Pollmeier, a former professional boulderer, is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a strength and conditioning specialist. Based in Seattle, she holds a degree in exercise science and an MS in human movement, along with a Level 2 nutrition certification. Through her business, Modus Athletica, she uses movement and nutrition training to coach climbers and help them perform their best.
What happens when you combine the minds and talents of climbing partners Maria Hines, a James Beard-award-winning chef, and Mercedes Pollmeier, a NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist? A book filled with 100 simple yet tasty recipes designed within the context of outdoor goals and physiology. The authors found that by tinkering with their nutrition their performance sky-rocketed and felt strongly they needed to share this knowledge with the world.
PEAK NUTRITION: Smart Fuel for Outdoor Adventure is more than just a delicious cookbook. Hines and Pollmeier realized for people to be motivated to better nourish their bodies for optimum performance, they needed clear, concise information on how their bodies worked in relation to food. They dive deep into body and digestive system science; outdoor sport motivation, recovery, and hydration; developing healthier eating habits; specialized diets; and much more.
Whether you are an outdoor athlete looking to improve your performance or simply a home-chef seeking to better your understanding of nutrition, this comprehensive cookbook will appeal to and inspire the millions of Americans interested in cultivating a healthy lifestyle in the kitchen and beyond.
Wild Caught Fish Tacos
Serves 4
Makes 8 tacos
- 1 cup diced tomato
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus 1/2 cup cilantro leaves for garnish
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced jalapeño
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound wild-caught halibut, cut into 2-ounce portions, about 8 pieces total
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 fresh corn tortillas or lettuce leaves
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 4 lime wedges
To make the salsa, in a small bowl stir together the tomato, red onion, 1 tablespoon cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, salt, and pepper and set aside.
Heat the grill to medium-high.
Place the halibut in a small bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine until all pieces are coated with the olive oil.
Place the halibut directly over the medium-high grill heat and let it sit to char for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, 6 to 8 minutes total. Set aside.
If using corn tortillas, place them on the grill to char, about 1 to 2 minutes.
To assemble the tacos, place a piece of fish in a tortilla or lettuce leaf, and spoon some salsa over the top. Garnish with avocado slices, cilantro leaves, and a squeeze of lime, and serve.
Thai Coconut Curry Vegetable Stew
Makes 4 servings
Even a meat lover will enjoy this hearty, satisfying vegetarian stew. The coconut milk provides a silky, rich, and sweet quality. The variety of vegetables adds compelling texture and increases the micronutrients.
Tip: To bulk up the stew or feed a crowd, serve it with rice.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 1 can (15 ounces) coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons curry paste (Massaman curry or Thai red curry)
- Juice of 1 lime
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
In a medium saucepan, add the coconut oil and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook until they start to release their liquid and are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, broccoli, and kale to the pot and stir a few times, cooking another 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add the coconut milk, curry paste, and lime juice to the pot and bring the stew to a low boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft and the stew is slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Nutrition facts (per serving): Calories: 425, Calories from fat: 221, Total fat: 26 g, Saturated fat: 23 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 30 mg, Potassium: 790 mg, Total carbohydrates: 45 g, Fiber: 11 g, Sugar: 19 g, Protein: 9 g
These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit:
Recipes from PEAK NUTRITION: Smart Fuel for Outdoor Adventure by Maria Hines and Mercedes Pollmeier. (Mountaineers Books; May 1, 2020; $29.95/Paperback, ISBN: 978-1680512052).
Contact: Tess Day