PLANTED PERFORMANCE: Easy Plant-Based Recipes, Meal Plans, and Nutrition for All Athletes
Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD
NewSeed Press
March 28, 2023
$27.99/Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1681888583
Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD is a New York City based Registered Dietitian, owner of Greenletes®, a successful sports nutrition practice and blog, and author of “Planted Performance: Easy Plant-Based Recipes, Meal Plans, and Nutrition for All Athletes”. Natalie writes for several nutrition and fitness publications, like TODAY, Runner’s World, Men’s Health, VeryWell Fit, Prevention and The Beet. Her recipes have been featured in many top-tier national publications. She is quoted almost daily in national publications and frequently appears on national and local TV. Greenletes is dedicated to teaching everyday athletes how to fuel their fitness with plants. As a marathon runner and 10+ year plant-based eater, Natalie is passionate about teaching others about the benefits of a plant-based diet for performance. After working in advertising for 5 years, Natalie returned to school to study nutrition and received her Master’s of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Teachers College Columbia University. She is extremely passionate about spreading the message of healthy eating for performance and life, and she uses her media influence to reach a wide audience.
Transform your health and improve your endurance as a plant-based athlete with recipes and advice from marathon runner and nutritionist Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD.
Planted Performance lays the sports nutrition groundwork of plant-based nutrition for everyday endurance athletes looking to fuel their activity and recovery. Meal plans to cover every day in a training plan (including rest and recovery days), 68 simple and tasty recipes, and meal prep tips ensure plant-based athletes have the energy they need to bring them past the finish line.
Nutrition for everyday athletes is more than just the overall consumption of the right nutrients—it’s about when and how to get what’s needed to fuel their bodies—and the growing number of plant-based athletes need answers and advice about the proper amount of nutrients. Am I getting enough protein? How much iron and B12 are in meatless foods? Here to guide is Natalie Rizzo, a New York City-based media dietitian and owner of Greenletes, a compilation of vegetarian and vegan recipes and practical sports nutrition articles, to all this and more.
Planted Performance is a cookbook not just for vegetarian or vegan athletes, but also for meat eaters looking to integrate more plant-based dishes in their diets. Packed with nutritional guidance, you’ll quickly become a stronger, better athlete before, during, and after race day.
68 WELL-BALANCED RECIPES: With nutrient-rich recipes, there’s no need to count calories or track macros.
SCIENCE-BASED SPORTS NUTRITION: Learn how to stay properly nourished while on a vegan or vegetarian diet to ensure you’re getting the right protein, iron, calcium, and Vitamin D.
VEGAN SUBSTITUTES: All the recipes are vegetarian, and whenever an animal-derived product is an ingredient, a vegan substitute is provided.
MEAL PREP TIPS: Learn the benefits of meal prepping and become a pro with the simple tips provided, such as focusing your meal around a protein source.
4 MEAL PLANS: Each meal plan includes 6 recipes and caters to different types of workouts: training day, rest day, intense day, and strength-training day.
APPLE PIE BITES
MAKES 12 BITES
PREP TIME: 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES
These energy bites embody the tastes of fall with dried apple rings and cinnamon. The combination of apple rings and dates provides quick-acting carbs that make these bites great for a digestible pre-workout snack. There’s no baking required for the taste of apple pie. Just pop all the ingredients in a food processor, blend, refrigerate, and enjoy!
- 1/2 cup dried apple rings
- 1/2 cup pitted whole dates
- 1/2 cup nut butter of choice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon water
Line a large plate with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the apple rings, dates, nut butter, cinnamon, and water. Process until you have a paste.
Using your hands, roll the paste into golf ball–size balls.
Place the bites on the prepared plate, leaving some space in between each bite. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold. Store leftover bites in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
PER SERVING (2 BITES): Calories: 180, Fat: 11g, Sat Fat: 2g, Sodium: 95mg, Carbohydrates: 20g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Added Sugar: 1g, Protein: 5g, Vitamin D: 0mcg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg, Potassium: 250mg
Fun Facts: Switch up this recipe with any type of dried fruit and nut butter you want! Use cashew butter and dried mango for a tropical twist. Or try dried figs and almond butter for something different.
KALE, CITRUS, AND NUT SALAD
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
All you need are three simple ingredients to make this winter salad. Dark kale combined with juicy ruby red grapefruit and salty pistachios, topped with a citrusy dressing, make an upscale salad that can accompany any other lunch item in this chapter. Or add some protein, such as quinoa, chickpeas, or roasted tofu, to make this a balanced and light lunch.
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- Salt
FOR THE SALAD
- 8 cups chopped stemmed kale
- 4 ruby red grapefruit, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup shelled salted pistachios
To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, vinegar, and honey. Season to taste with salt.
To make the salad, in a large bowl, combine the kale, grapefruit, and pistachios. Pour the dressing on top and toss well. Store leftover salad and dressing in separate sealed containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
PER SERVING: Calories: 310, Fat: 17g, Sat Fat: 2.5g, Sodium: 200mg, Carbohydrates: 38g, Dietary Fiber: 6g, Added Sugar: 2g, Protein: 5g, Vitamin D: 0mcg, Calcium: 99mg, Iron: 1mg, Potassium: 253mg
Reprinted with permission from Planted Performance: Easy Plant-Based Recipes, Meal Plans, and Nutrition for All Athletes. Text and photography by Natalie Rizzo copyright 2023. Published by NewSeed Press.