Magnesium is abundant in a few key food groups, including whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, and dark leafy greens. Like we said on Monday in our magnesium overview, athletes are at risk of a magnesium deficiency if they underconsume these types of foods. Never fear, though. By using these recipes, and others like them, you can fill your plate with nutritious foods full of magnesium, which is essential for more than 300 bodily processes.
Tweet this post to enter our FASTCHEW giveaway! These Five Recipes Will Provide Your Magnesium (And Taste Good!): http://bit.ly/1JLTMvG via @SaltStick #30SaltyDays
This post is part of our #30SaltyDays summer campaign, in which we hope to educate YOU about the benefits and science behind electrolytes. Follow the campaign with the hashtag #30SaltyDays on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the SaltStick blog. We’re offering our brand new product, SaltStick FASTCHEWS, as a GIVEAWAY for participants. More information here: http://bit.ly/1Rz0avu. (Before you read this post, check out Monday’s post, detailing everything you want to know about magnesium.)
Let us know which recipe you enjoy most!
1. Sunflower Seed Pesto: As we pointed out in Monday’s post, sunflower seeds are extremely high in magnesium, with about 11 percent of your daily needs in a ¼ cup serving. They’re also packed with other essential minerals, such as phosphorous, copper and manganese, as well as several B-vitamins. Like most nuts and seeds, they’re pretty dense on the calories (that same ¼ cup serving contains more than 200), so eat them sparingly. Luckily, you don’t need much for some great benefits. Try mixing sunflower seeds with basil to create delicious sunflower seed pesto. Serves 8. Contains 42 mg of magnesium, about 11 percent of your daily needs.
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
1 small garlic clove
2 cups (packed) arugula leaves
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Directions
Rinse sunflower seeds, put in a small bowl or jar, and add cold water to cover seeds by 1 inch. Cover; soak overnight at room temperature. Drain and rinse seeds.
Purée sunflower seeds, garlic, arugula, basil, oil, honey, and lemon zest and juice until smooth. Season with salt. Thin pesto with water if too thick.
Recipe from Bon Appetit.
2. Scrambled Eggs with Sunflower Seeds: With sunflower seeds providing so much magnesium, why stop at one recipe? This protein-packed breakfast makes a great way to start your day. We encourage you to add whatever vegetables you like, including spinach, bell pepper, mushroom and onion for some extra nutrients. The flax seeds add a healthy dose of fiber. Serves 2. 44 mg of magnesium per serving, or 11 percent of your daily needs.
Ingredients
3 tbsp sunflower seeds
Salt
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp flax seeds
1 tbsp butter
4 oz (100g) Mozzarella Cheese, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
Optional sides:
4 bacon slices
Toast bread
Fresh chives
Directions
Place sunflower seeds and salt into a hot dry skillet, on medium heat and let them toast stirring from time to time so they don't burn. Add sesame seeds and flax seeds and give them a stir. Immediately add butter and let it melt. Add Mozzarella slices and stir to combine.
Add whole eggs and gently stir and cook until slightly underdone. Remove from heat. The eggs will continue to cook in the hot skillet. Add freshly ground black pepper.
Serve with toast bread, bacon slices, greens, whatever works better for you. Bread and bacon can be made before preparing the eggs.
Recipe from Home Cooking Adventure.
3. Cuban Black Beans and Rice: This recipe is a smorgasbord of delicious and nutritious ingredients. Black beans, of all legumes, contain the highest amounts of magnesium per serving (60 mg in ½ cup), and paired with rice provide a full spectrum of proteins and complex carbohydrates. Add in some bell pepper for Vitamin C content, oregano for immune-boosting antioxidants and radishes which aid digestion and help ward against infections. Serves 8. 75 mg of magnesium per serving, or 18 percent of your daily needs.
Ingredients
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 radishes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
¼ cup fresh cilantro
Directions
Cook the rice according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans, oregano, and 1 cup water. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the vinegar. Smash some of the beans with the back of a fork to thicken. Serve over the rice. Top with the radishes and cilantro.
Recipe from Real Simple.
4. Kale and Almond Salad: What’s better than one magnesium-packed ingredient? Two magnesium-packed ingredients! Both almonds and kale (as well as all dark leafy greens) are excellent additions to an athlete's diet because of their high magnesium content. This dish combines the two, as well as a slightly-Asian-style vinaigrette. Eat immediately, or store overnight for slaw that makes a great addition to any sandwich. Serves 4. 51 mg of magnesium per serving, or 13 percent of your daily needs.
Ingredients
1/2 pound kale
1/2 cup Marcona almonds crushed (about 2.5 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons vincotto (or honey)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Black pepper
1 ounce Pecorino Romano
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Directions
Thoroughly wash the kale in a large bowl until there's no sediment settling at the bottom. Remove the tough parts of the stems by grabbing the bottom of the stem with one hand and pulling and stripping the left parts from the stem with the other hand. Place the kale in a salad spinner and dry thoroughly.
Use a sharp knife to cut the kale into a chiffonade (thin ribbons) and then add it to a bowl along with the crushed almonds.
In a small glass bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sherry vinegar, shallots, vincotto, Worcestershire sauce, salt, sesame oil and black pepper. Pot the dressing over the kale and. Toss to coat.
You can serve the salad right away, but letting the salad rest in the fridge for a few hours lets the flavors meld and mellows the bitterness and harsh green edge that kale can have. When you’re ready to serve the salad, just use a vegetable peeler to shave some Pecorino Romano onto the salad and toss together.
Recipe from PBS.
5. Chocolate Almond Hearts: We couldn’t make it through the entire
#30SaltyDays campaign and not mention dessert! Not only is this recipe delicious, it’s super easy to make. Prep and cooking time take less than 20 minutes, and it’s definitely worth it in the end! Serves 4. 34 mg of magnesium per serving, or 8 percent of your daily needs.
Ingredients
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted
1 (2-ounce) chocolate bark coating square, melted (The darker the chocolate, the better)
Directions
Dip almonds halfway in melted chocolate, pointed ends down. Lay 2 almonds side by side, pointed ends down and touching, on wax paper, forming a heart shape. Let stand until firm.
Recipe from MyRecipes.com.
