Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life

is a traditional East European staple. Roasted buckwheat cannot be sprouted and is less versatile in recipes. Because of its mild flavor, buckwheat is easily overwhelmed by the foods it accompanies. Buckwheat flour nicely complements quinoa flour in particular when the two are combined.
     
    Preparation: Cook like rice, at a 1:3 buckwheat-to-water ratio, for about 20 minutes. It can also be sprouted (see page 202).
     

quinoa
     
    With a light, fluffy texture and mild earthy taste, quinoa balances the texture of other, heavier grains when combined with them.
     
    Nutritionally similar to amaranth, quinoa consists of about 20 percent protein; it is high in lysine and is a good source of iron and potassium. High levels of B vitamins, in part responsible for the conversion of carbohydrate into energy, are also found in quinoa.
     
    Preparation: The preparation of quinoa is particularly important since it is naturally coated in a bitter resin called saponi. Thought to have evolved naturally to deter birds and insects from eating the seed, saponi must be removed by thorough rinsing to make quinoa palatable. Most of the saponi will have been removed before the quinoa is shipped to the store, but there will likely be a powdery residue.
     
    Cook like rice, at a 1:2 quinoa-to-water ratio, for about 20 minutes. It can also be sprouted (see page 202).
     

wild rice
     
    Wild rice is an aquatic grass seed, rather than a true rice. High in B vitamins and the amino acid lysine, wild rice is much more nutritious than traditional grains. Native to the northern regions of the Canadian Prairie provinces, wild rice is seldom treated with pesticides since it thrives without. (It is also grown as a domesticated crop in Minnesota and California.) Wild rice has a distinct, full-bodied flavor and slightly chewy texture that complements many meals.
     
    Preparation: Cook like rice, at a 1:2 wild rice-to-water ratio, for about 30 minutes. It can also be sprouted (see page 202) or popped like amaranth (see page 209).
     

fruit
     
    Fruits that are part of the Thrive Diet include:
     
     

     

dates
     
    High in glucose, a carbohydrate, dates are sometimes referred to as “Nature’s fuel.” Upon consumption, glucose is rapidly converted to glycogen in the liver. Maintaining an adequate glycogen supply in both the muscles and the liver is imperative for sustained energy. For this reason, dates are best consumed shortly before, during, or immediately after exercise. Other foods, including chlorophyll-rich ones, convert to glycogen as well, but not as quickly as glucose. The easily digestible, alkaline-forming date is the ideal snack to fuel activity.
     
    I try to use fresh Medjool dates in my recipes because of their relatively large size and small pit. They are available in most supermarkets. However, any date can be used, and more and more stores are stocking fresh or moist dates in sealed containers. If you are using dried dates, you will need to soak them first for about four hours, to soften them. After soaking, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
     

oils
     
    Oils come in a wide assortment, each with a distinct taste and unique nutritional value. The key to keeping the flavors in your meals ever changing and your diet’s nutrient value diverse is using various oils.
     
    In the right amount, high-quality, cold-pressed, unrefined oils are among the healthiest of substances. My favorites are hemp, pumpkin, flaxseed, and, for cooking, coconut. Most oils contain the same nutrients as the plant seed they are from, just highly concentrated.
     
    Not all oils are equal. Low-quality manufactured oil is one of the most damaging foods that can be consumed, eclipsing even refined carbohydrate. Many cheaper store-bought baked or fried products, such as muffins, chips, and cakes, contain trans fat, a near poisonous substance unusable by the body. Trans fat, also known as trans-fatty acid, is added to many mass-produced commercial products to extend their shelf life, improve moisture content, and enhance flavor.
     
    As for the oils used in the Thrive Diet recipes, it’s important to know which can be heated safely and which are best consumed raw. I never fry with hemp, flaxseed, or pumpkin seed oil because of their low burning point—the temperature point at which oil becomes molecularly damaged. Exceeding the burning point can convert healthy oils into trans-fatty acids. When baking with ingredients that contain