If I were an athlete what would I eat ... Porcupine Pub and Grille of course!

It's been an amazing but lengthy season for me and as I enter the final weeks in preparation for Kona, it's crucial that I take very good care of myself for the home stretch. This means getting plenty of sleep, focusing on recovery and of course watching my eating habits!! As triathletes we have many training cycles that we go through during the year and the eating will fluctuate depending on exactly what we are preparing for, however one thing does remain the same and that is eating at Porcupine about 6 days a week! I often get the question of what I would eat before a big training day, a race or just a healthier option for a meal, so I thought it would be helpful to list my top 5 picks of what I eat as an athlete ( at Porcupine Pub and Grille)  porcupinepub.com

1) The Ahi Salad

This is my go-to, hands down. Our ahi is amazing and is a great source of protein for me. It comes lightly seared so the preparation is very clean ( meaning no added butter, sauces etc..). I get my veggies with the mixed greens it served over and I like to add extra carrots for more color. Depending on the training cycle I'm in I often add a side of white jasmine rice and mix it all together. With the wasabi vinaigrette that's made in house this salad is fresh, healthy and full of everything I need to get through a huge training day the next morning or is a great pre race meal the night before.

2) The Hummus
This is one of our most healthy appetizers. I can honestly say it's the best hummus I have ever tried  with its amazing garlic and roasted red pepper flavor it's offered with pita, crustini bread or veggies or all three! I typically get it with the delicious veggie option of carrots, celery and jicama:)

3) The Santa Fe Sandwich
This is one of our most popular sandwiches on the menu and is also a great pick for athletes. It's got a
great mix of carbs , protein, fat and vegetables. It's grilled chicken topped with some muenster cheese, with green chiles, onions, tomatoes and lettuce on the side. I like to leave the aioli off and add some avocado and order it on the spent grain bun. I choose either a side of fruit or side salad to go with it.

4) Cherry BBQ Salmon
This is an amazing entree that we offer. Our salmon is wild salmon and it comes with an 8 oz portion
so I get plenty of my protein serving with this item.  Depending on what my body needs I will order it with just the steamed veggies or both veggies and rice that it is offered with.  It also comes with a side salad or soup. I will usually get a mini house side salad with our house balsamic vinaigrette that is the bomb!

5) Our Soups
ALL of our soups are phenomenal and homemade with the most delicious and unique flavors.  In the winter time soups are the way to go after a long run for some post workout fueling. The soups change
 daily so I never get sick of this option. Our soups are so fresh and healthy . The lentil, garden vegetable with chicken, miso tofu and carrot ginger are just SOME of our healthy, satisfying and absolutely to die for options. Grab a chocolate milk while you're at it for the perfect recovery meal:)

6) Mocha cheesecake
I wouldn't be an athlete without being able to indulge once and awhile and I just cannot leave out dessert! With a lot of athletes going gluten free these days. This is an option we have at Porcupine Pub and Grille and it's fantastic!!  Throw some vanilla ice cream on there as well ( our ice cream is GF too ) and it's a well deserved ending to a big training day . After all we have to have some reward for those miles of training!

These are just some of  Racing Katy's picks for some healthy yet exciting eating for the athlete. Who says we have to eat grilled chicken and broccoli every night! There's plenty more where that came
from. Stay tuned for some more healthy yet satisfying options to fuel and recover from you're next workout or big race:)

Want to learn about some more about Porcupine Pub and Grille and the menu? Visit their website porcupinepub.com
Also starting October 1st we will be doing Octoberfest for the whole month including a new menu with authentic German food and beers! Just in time for the off season...