Eating to Hydrate

Well, it's only one week until the Conchman Triathlon. One of the most important things to do at this point is increasing the amount of liquids into your system. My friend Lisa, who is an amazing athlete and has a few triathlons and marathons under her belt, suggested eating wet foods 1-2 weeks prior to the race. This method of eating wet foods is essential to proper hydration for an upcoming race. Fruits and Vegetables with a high water content, Soups and home made shakes are perfect.
Here are a few recipes to do just that.

This is a delicious drink and the color is beautiful. I also have added orange juice instead of water for a change, Lisa likes it with grapefruit juice for a nice tang, and my friend Laurie has used pineapple juice. It's all good!

Dr. Oz Green Drink Recipe

2 apples, cored
2 big handfuls of spinach
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
1 celery stick, chopped
1 thumbnail length of ginger root, peeled
1 lemon - juice only (use peel slice for zest)
1 medium cucumber
Place ingredients in a blender, add 4 oz. spring water or a handful of ice cubes, then puree quickly for one minute. Makes two glasses of Dr. Oz’s green drink.

The green drink has a strong taste and if you are used to drinking soda or sweet tea, the taste will take some getting used to. Dr. Oz suggests adding other items at first to sweeten the green drink to your taste.


Spicy Sweet Potato, Carrot and Squash Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2 inch cubes
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 inch piece gingerroot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1-2 Tablespoons Garam Masala spice, or yellow curry if prefered
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

In a dutch oven, heat oil over med heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add potatoes, squash, carrots, ginger and spices. Cook about a minute, stirring until fragrant. Add broth, turn heat to high and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let cook about 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Remove from heat and using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. You may add more broth if too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!