Post Workout Power Pudding

Aurora Master Ducks Elizabeth Moultray, Melony Teague and Kelly Mc Lean

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I am thankful that for two things, for water heaters and that the heater that heats our facility, where our swim team trains, has been repaired. Last time I swam it was decidedly freezing cold and there is nothing like cold water to keep you moving. We had a break over Thanksgiving and it seems now that all is in order with the water heater.

 I love swimming and once you have experienced what it is like to swim with a team and a coach, it is really quite difficult to go back to boring old "lane swim"and enjoy swimming with unfamiliar bodies in the water. There are a few reasons for this. Unlike lane swimming, when you are swimming with your team mates, you swim with other swimmers who match your speed. You minimize the frustration of having to slow down because a slow swimmer is ahead of you, or speed up so that you don't hold someone else back. Everyone in your lane swims with you often, so they know what you are going to do next. Likewise you know what your lane mates are going to do next too and you get used to it. You are all doing the same thing, so you don't become frustrated with someone doing butterfly (and taking up the whole lane) when you are doing freestyle and trying not to drown from the tsunami like waves they produce. So yes, I admit it, since swimming with the team I have been somewhat spoiled and don't enjoy regular old, public swim or lane swim. When I do go, because there is no other choice, I am frustrated or bored or both within 30 minutes.

Time goes by really fast when you are swimming with your team and doing what the coach instructs you to do. We covered 3800 meters at our swim practice and it went by in a flash. Once you have done your warm up set, which usually consists of swimming, kicking and some drill work you do your "main set" and I love how the coaches mix it up and every workout is always different. This week we did sets of 200 meters. I like 200 meter sets, they are easy to count. (Only 8 lengths in a 25 meter pool)

One thing you do not want to do before going to swim practice (and I learned this the hard way) is eat garlic (for your coach's sake) or beans (for your fellow swimmers sake). Post workout nutrition is important and you have to make sure you are hydrated. Unlike on the treadmill,  I sweat while running and am aware of it, when I swim, I workout just as hard, but am totally unaware of the moisture loss for obvious reasons.

I love the sound of swimmers hard at work thrashing splashing through the water doing their thing. It is a beautiful sound. Getting back to the subject of post work out snacks, I have a dilemma. I swim at night and when I come home the ideal thing would be to have my protein shake.

Problem: my son's bedroom is right by the kitchen.Taking out my blender and whipping up a smoothie is not really an option. So, completely by mistake I came up with this recipe that I can make ahead, add the bananas and "cookies" at the last moment and I have a high protein snack when I get home from swimming. Why do I say this recipe came about "by mistake" you ask? Well, I was trying to make little mini tarts and the bases were too crumbly (mainly because I did not have the patience to wait for them to cool) and so it turned into "pudding" instead.

This recipe should be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge so that it is ready for you after your workout. Say goodbye to leg cramps too while you are about it. When I began working on the recipe the idea was to make it a raw vegan pudding and it still can be if you choose to freeze the "cookies" rather than bake them and use a vegan protein powder. On the other hand if you are not going dairy-free you can use plain or vanilla Greek yogurt.

POST WORK OUT POWER PUDDING

Cookie ingredients:

6 Tbsp Ground Pecans
2 Majool Dates, pitted
1 tsp melted Coconut Oil

To make the cookie combine all the ingredients in a food processor and press into a tart shell. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes until crispy. ( Do not over bake) Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

 

Power Pudding ingredients:

3/4 cup Cultured Coconut Milk yogurt
1 scoop Organic Whey Protein Isolate Powder/Vegan Protein Powder - Chocolate flavor
1 banana, sliced (plus another one, but do not blend it)
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 heaped teaspoons of organic (Non-GMO) peanut butter or any other nut butter
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice


Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. 
2. While this is going, slice the other banana and toss in some lemon juice and set aside for topping.
3. Once the pudding is blended store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
4. To serve, pour pudding into the bowl, top with crumbled cookies and garnish with banana slices.

What a way to get refueled and combat leg cramps while enjoying the taste and textures of this pudding. AND it is totally nutritious and delicious.

What is your work out snack?

Do you know what food is higher than bananas in potassium?

I'd love to hear from you.

Comment below or email me.

By Melony Teague

 www.melonyteague.com 

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Melony Teague a freelance writer and columnist who lives in Canada with her husband and two young children.
Founder of "Secrets of Body Transformation from the Inside Out" 
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