Like most of the country, you’ve probably been binge-watching the Winter Olympics for the past few weeks. You’ve watched the amazing athletic feats of Salt Lake City native Nathan Chen, who became the first person to land six quad jumps in an Olympic event and pulled himself from 17th place to fifth.

You saw 17-year-old Chloe Kim take gold in the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition, and Olympic veteran Shaun White win gold in the men’s version of the event. And you were watching as Park City’s Ted Ligety came back from injuries to compete in another Olympics.

So now you’re inspired to fuel your body toward your own goals, right? But what do Olympians eat to turn their bodies into sport-conquering machines?

The diets of Olympic athletes are as varied as the sports in which they compete, but they all have something in common — they focus on fruits, vegetables, and protein. With a high-performance blender from Utah’s own Blendtec, you can easily incorporate healthy food for on-the-go (like blueberry breakfast bars) or dinner for your entire team (like kale and mushroom stroganoff). So even if you’re not an Olympian, these recipes, provided by Blendtec, are ideal for fueling your body toward your gold medal success.

Blueberry Breakfast Bars

You may not be an Olympic athlete, but your life is busy! It's hard to work in a fueling breakfast while rushing out the door in the morning. Luckily, there's a hack for that. Make these blueberry breakfast bars in advance, and you'll have a healthy meal full of necessary nutrients to throw in your purse, briefcase, or kids’ backpacks in the morning.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 2 large eggs
• 2⁄3 cup pecans
• 1⁄3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup rolled oats, divided
• 1 1⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1⁄2 cup applesauce
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

2. Add banana, eggs, yogurt, applesauce, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla to the jar. Secure lid and select "Batter." Add whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup rolled oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pecans to jar. Secure lid and press "Pulse" four to six times or until dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in blueberries.

3. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup rolled oats. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove from pan and cut into 15 bars. Bars can be individually wrapped and stored for three days or frozen for three weeks.

Hearty Vegetable Chowder

After a day of racing down the slopes, playing your favorite winter sport, or just chasing after your kids, it's nice to warm up and refuel with a hot bowl of healthy soup. Plus, it's easy to throw together and cook in a Blendtec.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic, quartered
• 1⁄2 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1⁄8 tsp ground white pepper
• 1⁄4 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 1⁄4 tsp fennel seeds
• 1⁄2 tsp chili powder
• 1 cup red potato, baked
• 1 cup frozen carrot coins

2. Add soup to FourSide or WildSide+ jar and secure lid. Select “Soup” setting. Add potato and press “Pulse” five to seven times or until desired texture is reached. Transfer soup back to the saucepan and add remaining corn and carrots; heat until corn and carrots are tender.

Fruit and Nut Recovery Drink

After any workout, it's important to refuel your body the right way. So choose a drink filled with protein and good carbs to keep your body performing at optimal levels. You can even take this drink on the go with the new GO™ travel jar accessory from Blendtec.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 oz raw almonds
• 1 apple, cored and quartered
• 1⁄2 banana
• 1 cup ice cubes

2. Select "Whole Juice" or blend on medium-high speed for 50–60 seconds.

Kale and Mushroom Stroganoff

It's easy to add superfoods — and eat more like an Olympian — when you've got a delicious yet simple recipe like kale and mushroom stroganoff. Kale provides fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamins K, A, C, and more — and mushrooms are packed with healthy nutrients, too, including B vitamins, iron, selenium, and potassium. You won't even miss the meat.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, quartered
• 3 cloves garlic
• 6 cups mushrooms, divided
• 4 cups kale, chopped
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 8 oz plain coconut yogurt
• Eggless pasta or brown rice

2. Add 3 cups mushrooms to WildSide+ jar and secure lid. Press "Pulse" four to five times to chop the mushrooms.

3. Slice remaining 3 cups mushrooms into thin slices. Add mushrooms, kale, vegetable stock, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper to onions and garlic and simmer 5–10 minutes until mushrooms and kale are tender. Add coconut yogurt and stir until incorporated and creamy.

4. Garnish with chives and serve over cooked eggless pasta or brown rice.

5. For a vegan option, you can substitute the Worcestershire sauce for one of these vegetarian soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or Braggs Amino Acids.

Berry Omega Blast

Even if you're not an Olympic athlete, it's vital to take care of your heart. Research shows a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may reduce your risk of heart disease. They also are essential to brain function and may lower your chances of getting cancer and arthritis. And they're vital for pregnant women — growing babies need omega-3s, so they're not at risk for developing problems with their vision and nerves. Fish is an excellent source of omega-3, but it's not the only way to get this vital nutrient in your diet.

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup apple juice
• 1 banana
• 1⁄2 cup blueberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 cup ice cubes

2. Select "Smoothie" or blend on a low speed for 10 seconds, then a medium to medium-low speed for 10 seconds, then medium to medium-high speed for 40 seconds.

For more healthy blender recipes, visit blendtec.com/recipes.

Related topics