It’s once again taper week! Today I shake off my holiday weekend vices (aka big gulps and fro-yo). I’m trying to keep my Nalgene filled with water and glued to my hand to stay hydrated (and avoid any Diet Dr. Pepper cravings). My schedule for this week is/has been:
Sun – 6 mi
Mon – 2 mi
Tues – 3 mi
Wed – 4 mi
Thurs – AM yoga
Fri – AM yoga + 2 mi shake-out after work
Sat- AM yoga
Weekly mileage: 17
Sun – Race Day!
Today, let’s talk a little about carbo-loading.
2-3 days prior (so Thursday and Friday for me) you should up your carbohydrate intake to increase your storage of glycogen (glycogen is your body’s most easily accessible form of energy). I never go all out carbo-loading with pasta dinners or bagel breakfasts, but I do enjoy eating more sweet potatoes and Japanese yams guilt-free. Plantain chips are not recommended for a low-carb diet, however, these are perfect for pre-race “carbo-loading.” I’ve got these prepped and ready to be my go-to snacks for the end of this week. If you’re just looking for something to dip and scoop, these baked plantain chips (not fried) provide a healthy alternative to regular potato chips.
How to pick your plantains: unripened plantains are starchier, and ripened plantains have higher sugar content. Green plantains = firmer, yellow = stickier. I opted for unripened plantains to ensure that they were easier to cut.
Paleo Plantain Chips
From Fed and Fit
INGREDIENTS:
2 plantains
2 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil
Pink Himalayan sea salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut off the ends of the plantain, and make 3 shallow slits, just through the skin (this will help to peel the plantain).
- Peel the plantain and then cut into thin slices.
- Toss the plantain slices with the melted coconut oil, lay out on the baking sheet, and sprinkle with the salt.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Once golden brown, remove from heat, let cool, and eat!