Beetroot and Walnut Race Week Energy Salad

Why This Recipe Works for Athletes

Beetroot is one of the most evidence-backed performance foods in sport. Its high dietary nitrate content boosts nitric oxide production, which improves blood flow and reduces the oxygen cost of exercise — measurable benefits for endurance athletes. Paired with walnuts (omega-3 fatty acids for inflammation management) and watercress (iron and folate), this salad is built for race week: energising, anti-inflammatory, and light enough to eat without digestive stress. Best served as a lunch in the 2–4 days before a triathlon.

Ingredients

• 250g cooked beetroot (vacuum-packed, not in vinegar), sliced into wedges
• 80g watercress or rocket
• 50g walnuts, roughly broken
• 100g cooked puy lentils (from a pouch is fine)
• 60g soft goat’s cheese or feta, crumbled
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the watercress or rocket in a large bowl as the base of the salad.
2. Add the cooked beetroot wedges and puy lentils on top.
3. Scatter over the broken walnuts and crumbled goat’s cheese or feta.
4. In a small jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. Shake well to emulsify.
5. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, season with salt and black pepper, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Notes

Each serving contains approximately 420 calories, 18g protein, 35g carbohydrates and 22g fat (predominantly heart-healthy unsaturated fat from the walnuts and olive oil). The lentils provide sustained energy release and additional iron — valuable for endurance athletes, particularly females. Substitute the goat’s cheese with toasted sunflower seeds for a dairy-free version. This salad is best eaten at lunch rather than the evening before race day, as the fibre content takes some time to fully digest.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Servings: 1