Recipes

Did you know that steaming and sautéing dark leafy greens can also improve iron absorption? Supporting your iron intake isn’t just about adding one or two iron-rich foods each week—it’s about enjoying a variety of iron-containing foods to help meet your daily needs.

Endurance athletes, in particular, may benefit from higher iron intake, as increased training volume and certain types of exercise place greater demands on red blood cells, which rely on iron. Try this iron-rich bowl to help support your iron needs and overall performance and health.

Ingredients:

• quinoa or farro
• beets
• salmon
• oranges
• spinach
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa or farro according to package instructions. Season with salt, pepper, and a small drizzle of olive oil.
2. Scrub beets. Leave the skins on for extra nutrients! Chop into 1″ cubes. 
3. Steam beets in a vegetable steamer until desired softness, about 20 minutes.
4. Place salmon on a cookie sheet with a piece of foil underneath ready to wrap. Season with salt, pepper, and place a lemon or orange slice on top. 
5. Wrap salmon in foil and place bake at 375 for about 12-14 minutes or until no longer translucent in the middle. The cook time will need to increase or decrease depending on the size of fillet.
6. While salmon is cooking, steam the spinach in the steamer you steamed the beets in. Steam until desired wilt-ness. Season with salt, pepper, and an orange squeeze.
7. Serve with a sliced orange on the side and place each component in a bowl for a nice presentation!

Tips:

• Add avocado for healthy fats, your favorite dressing for extra flavor, hot sauce, salt, pepper, orange squeezes or any other seasoning you like. 
• Buy pre-cooked beets to save time
• Buy smoked salmon to save time
• Use lemon instead of orange for a different flavor profile while still getting the vitamin C.