Dinner after the hot mineral soaking and drive home through the forest

First course
An Electrolyte Drink
-
A bottle of sparkling mineral water
juice of a lemon and a lime
spoon of dulse flakes
fresh mint
some prunes
spoon of coconut oil
few spoons of coconut cream
blended

Second Course
Zucchini noodles with fresh tomato sauce and cashew shiitake cream
-
Zucchinis negotiated via the mechanism of a spiraliser
Beautifully red Roma tomatoes chopped with rosmary
Delightful red capsicum with parsley
- Creme
handful of soaked organic raw cashews
olive oil
tsp of miso
salt
water
3 organic dried shiitake mushrooms
-
Noodle layered with tomatoes, tomatoes, caps and creme with pieces of dried shiitake on top and a sprinkle of dulse.

Third Course
Raw mango lime cheecake

- crust
Activated brazil nuts
3 medjool dates
lime juice
salt
handful of fresh walnuts
spoon of coconut oil
- creme
raw organic cashews soaked 24 hours
3 fresh mangoes
lime juice
1/4 coconut cream
4 spoons of coconut oil
2 medjool dates
a few spoons of lucuma powder
-
topped with slices of mango

Hydrating love

I bought a big slab of fresh seedless conventional watermelon from the Italian supermarket, and blended it with sparkling mineral water and some mint from the garden. Lovely, wet, satisfying.

Today I followed a recipe

No substitution, invention or omission. It was really good and definately satisfying after a run.
--
"Lemon-Lime Recovery Drink" by Brendan Brazier (p127, Thrive)
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/4 lime (actually I did omit this just because I didn't have any but I bet it would add another level)
4 dates
2 cups of water
1 tsp agave nectar
1 tbs hemp protein
1 tsp ground dulse flakes
1 tsp hemp oil
1/2 tsp lemon zest
in a blender, process until smooth
"approximately four parts carbohydrate for every one part of protein...this is the ideal ratio to help speed recovery immediately after exercise"

Delightful drink

This is light and really lovely, while secretly replenishing your electrolytes.

-- in a blender blend together
handful of herbs (parsley, sorrel, thyme, mint)
1 lemon (skin cut off), or just the juice i you prefer
1 tsp raw honey
pink salt
2 cups of water

-- This drink is also very very lovely, adjust amounts to taste
1-2 tbs grated ginger
2 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp raw honey
1 lemon
2 cups of water
pink salt
-
please note that there are many suitable replacements for honey if you don't wish to use it. I think it's one of the most incredible things ever and cherish it's taste and healthful properties but I respect the choice not to use it - fresh dates, agave, fruit or stevia are some other options to play with.

Electro blend

After all that research and thinking, i was compelled to put electrolyte knowledge into action.
--
2 tsp coconut oil
1 whole lemon (Brendans recipes are just the juice but I don't mind pith, makes it more intense though)
1 tbs grated Ginger
3 cups filtered water
3 tsp raw honey (Miellerie lake peddars nectar)
and himalayan salt
I suggest playing with quantities to find your own taste levels, especially as Ginger can be quite intense. Anyway I'm inspired to include more electro jazz to my daily food wonder. Happy experimenting!

Electrolytes

Electrolytes are salts with electricity conductive properties. Throughout our body tissue, fluid, and blood, electrolytes conduct charges that are essential for muscle contraction, heart beats, fluid regulation, and general nerve function.
-- Brendan Brazier author of The Thrive Diet (from Thrive, the vegan nutrition guide to optimal performance in sports and life, page 286)

Electrolytes consist primarly of the minerals chloride, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. The balance of electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs.
If the electrolytes in our system are low the absorption of water will be inefficent and will eave us feeling dehydrated, when we drink too much water we can also flush the remaining electrolytes out. So achieving balance is important, drinking adequate (but not too much) pure energised water and replenishing our salts regulary.
A very good source is dulse (purple seaweed), which comes in flakes from your health food shop and can be easily added to your drinking water, it's a bit like a purple confetti party in your drink bottle.
They are also present in other seaweeds, Celtic sea salt, Himalayan Crystal salt, citrus fruits, and homemade 'sports' drinks (which unlike commercial ones don't have unneccesary refined sugar and chemicals).

In Brendan Brazier's book he offers a few delicious and nutritionally considerate recipes for sports drink alternatives. I often just add dulse to my water bottle, or if really dehydrated I drink warm salty water with a squeeze of lemon and a tiny bit of maple syrup (for glucose). Young coconut water (if you can access it) is an incredible source of electrolytes.

--
Electrolyte Sports Drink with Ginger (thrive, p122)
'the young coconut water provides the electrolytes, while the agave nectar delivers an easily digestible form of slow release carbohydrate. The Ginger helps minimise inflammation.
1 lemon
2 cups of water / coconut water
1 tbs agave nectar
1/2 tbs grated fresh Ginger
sea salt to taste
blend
--
Lemon-Lime Sport Drink (thrive, p123)
juice 1/2 lemon
juice 1/4 lime
3 dates
2 cups water
1 tbs agave nectar
1 tsp coconut oil
sea salt to taste
process in a blender until smooth