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

first will yield the most juice). Home-squeezed juices are, of course, unpasteurized and therefore retain more goodness and taste better than many commercial versions. There are, however, some good store-bought products. Just Juice brand is a good one: it’s pure juice, and because it’s not from concentrate, it offers a higher level of nutrition (see Resources).
     

salt
     
    You will notice that I usually don’t give a specific measure for salt in my recipes. This is because sodium requirements and tastes vary quite widely. Simply add sea salt to taste. Since the Thrive Diet does not include any processed or manufactured foods, it is a low-sodium diet, and adding a bit of sea salt to certain recipes will not have a negative impact on your health. Sea salt is generally of greater value than its mined counterpart: It contains more trace minerals and is less processed.
     
    Alternatively, you could use dulse flakes as a healthy substitute for sea salt. Grind the flakes into a powder in a coffee grinder and keeping them on hand to use in place of salt. You will need to use about twice as much dulse powder as you would salt to achieve the same saltiness. Dried dulse flakes are available at most health food stores. Kelp flakes are another good option, though they have more of an ocean taste and so are suitable in fewer recipes.
     

recipes
     

variations
     
    For extra nutritional value, hemp protein and ground flaxseeds can be substituted in all recipes, including baked ones, for Vega Whole Food Smoothie Infusion on a 1:1 ratio. Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer can also be used to replace hemp and ground flaxseeds on a 1:1 ratio, but only for non-heated recipes, since heat will destroy the value of its probiotics.
     

Thrive Diet basics
     
    These recipes are designed to be made ahead of time and kept on-hand for use in other Thrive Diet recipes.
     

Popped Amaranth
     
    Light and fluffy, popped amaranth is a nice substitute for heavier flours in pancakes; it also adds texture to energy bars and crunch to salads. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks (because of its natural oils, it needs to be refrigerated).
     
     
    Use a hot air popcorn popper and pop amaranth as you would corn.
     
     
    Amaranth can also be popped in a frying pan:
     
     
    Heat a small amount of coconut oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, over medium heat. Add a small amount of amaranth, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. As it pops, remove it from the pan with a spatula and add more grains for popping.
     

     

EFA Oil Blend
     
    8 parts hemp oil
1 part flaxseed oil
1 part pumpkin seed oil
     
     
    Combine all ingredients.
     
    • To further boost nutritional value and antioxidant level, this blend can be substituted in all recipes for Vega Antioxidant EFA Oil Blend.
     
     
    Keep refrigerated.
     

Curry Powder
     
    Although some store-bought curry powders are quite good, this mixture guarantees a pungent, authentic flavor. Make up a batch to have on hand as a seasoning for various dishes.
     
     
    2 tbsp coriander
2 tbsp cumin
2 tsp cardamom
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
     
     
    Combine all ingredients; store in an air-tight jar.
     
    Variation: Add 2 tsp of lime zest for tang.
     
    Makes 3/4 cup.
     

Nutritional Yeast and Sesame Seed Topping
     
    Since nutritional yeast melts, this topping adds a creamy texture to any warm food. Its flavor closely resembles that of mild cheddar cheese. It can be used in place of Parmesan cheese in any recipe. The high level of B vitamins in the nutritional yeast and the calcium from the sesame seeds make this topping a nutrient-packed boost.
     
    I make a couple of cups of this topping at a time and put it in a cheese shaker so that it’s always handy. Keep in the refrigerator to prevent the oil in the sesame seeds from going rancid.
     
    1 part nutritional yeast flakes
1 part unhulled sesame seeds
     
     
    Grind nutritional yeast flakes and sesame seeds together in a coffee grinder.
     

pancakes
     
    These pancakes are much more filling than the traditional fluffy variety made with refined carbohydrate. Since their base ingredients are a combination of flaxseed, hemp, and pseudograins, they are packed with nourishment.
     
    Following the Thrive Diet principle of cooking only at low heat, and since these pancakes contain essential fatty acids that are destroyed at high heat, they are cooked at a low