With the perfect ratio of carbs to protein, this cashew coconut recovery milk is the perfect way to refuel after a workout.

Let me get this out of the way. I am no elite athlete.

As a child, I rode horses and took gymnastics, both of which I loved. There was also that one season I "played" soccer, but I mostly just ran in the general direction of the ball so it looked like I knew what was going on. In high school, I ran track and cross country, which I enjoyed, but after moving to a new school my junior year where they had one of the best cross country teams in the nation, I was basically intimidated off the team.

Since then, I've learned that I do best moving my body in ways that I enjoy rather than forcing myself onto the elliptical or treadmill. For the past three years, it's been lighter exercises, like yoga. But over the past few months, inspired by my more athletic clients and my active dietitian blogger friends, I've started to enjoy how it feels to push my body to it's max. Whether it's Pure Barre (which sounds wussy, but holy moly does it get your muscles to shake!) or running, it's always a happy surprise when I realize what my body can do.

As I've started to push myself athletically, and as I've started working with more active clients, I've had to think more about fueling for my workouts. Although it's clearly important for everyone to eat nutritious foods, when you're active, there's a lot of other little things to consider, like pre and post-workout snacks, ensuring adequate glycogen (fuel) stores and getting enough protein without going overboard.

There's probably no area of nutrition where there's worse, less reliable information online than sports nutrition. Start googling and you're likely to takeaway a long list of supplements and serious case of confusion.

That's why I was so excited when Whitney of Sweet Cayenne and Christina of The Fueled Athlete sent me a copy of their new ebook, The Fueled Athlete. Already a fan of their blogs, I knew it would be great, but after reading it, I was seriously blown away by how they were able to make such complex nutrition science so readable and to the point.

The range of topics covered by the book is impressive. You'll learn how to distribute macronutrients (fat, carbs, and protein) during easy, moderate and heavy training, and do it in a way so you're not actually counting fat, carbs and protein (yay for no counting!). It also tackles the important topics of pre and post-workout nutrition, hydration and science-backed supplements. Plus, there's 14 delicious, whole food recipes designed for athletes (or anyone who loves tasty food!). I can't wait to try the Mediterranean stuffed peppers and the Asian soba noodle salad!

All the information is really easy to understand, no matter your level of background knowledge. And it's written so it's useful for both athletes and people who are just active!

For $15, you can purchase it below. Full disclosure - it's an affiliate link, meaning I am paid a small portion of the profits if you decide to purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting the work I do here on Avocado, and the products I love, like this book!

The Fueled Athlete

Now, on to this recipe. Have you heard that chocolate milk is the best way to refuel after a workout? Researchers (funded by the dairy industry, obviously), found out that chocolate milk has the perfect ratio of carbs to protein to replenish glycogen stores and build muscle after a workout. True, but do you really want to get your carbs from added sugar and protein from conventional dairy? I knew there had to be a better way.

So, I started playing around with recipes and I came up with this cashew-coconut milk, which has the exact same 4:1 ratio! Not only that, but coconut water, a rich source of electrolytes like potassium, sodium and magnesium, helps rehydrate. If you want to squeeze in some extra protein, feel free to add a scoop of protein powder to the mix.

Cashew Coconut Recovery Milk

Serves 4

You could also use almonds or any other nut you like, but I love that you don't have to strain cashews. Just give it a good shake!

Ingredients

1 cup cashews, soaked at least 2 hours
5 cups coconut water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until pureed and smooth, about 3-4 minutes. I store individual servings in mason jars and give it a good shake before serving.

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