4 Paleo Recipes to Fuel Your Workout (2024)

Whether your workout calendar is packed with high intensity interval training, a long bike ride, or a dance cardio class, it's important that you give your body the right type of fuel to power through. That means eating balanced combinations of protein, healthy fat or carbs pre-workout and post-workout to help your body build strength and recover.

The Performance Paleo Cookbook, by longtime nutrition blogger and competitive weightlifter Stephanie Gaudreau, ** offers up flavorful and nutrient-dense recipes. Her smoked salmon and baked eggs recipe looks fit to star in our next Sunday brunch, and those pre-workout pizza burger bites? Perfect for those days you want to lay off the carbs.

Pizza Burger Bites

An easy grab-and-go pre-workout snack, these bites are loaded with protein and healthy fat to stave off hunger. "The protein primes your body with amino acids you'll need for recovery later on, while the fat is used for energy," says Gaudreau. The best news: no utensils are required—and they taste just like pizza.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. sausage
• 1/4 cup chopped black olives
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, garnish
• Tomato sauce for dipping, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together until blended, but don’t overwork the meat—that’ll make for tough meatballs. At this point, take a small pinch of the meat, fry it in the skillet and taste to check the seasoning level. If it needs more salt and pepper, add it now. Form the mixture into meatballs, about 1 tablespoon meat for each. Put these on a plate. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add one layer of meatballs to the skillet. Don’t overcrowd the meatballs because they won’t brown evenly. Fry for about 2 minutes per side so a nice brown crust forms, then place them on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the meatballs. Bake the meatballs for about 15 minutes or until they’re cooked through completely. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with a side of prepared tomato sauce for dipping. If you can't find sausage without a bunch of artificial ingredients, use 1/2 pound fresh ground pork instead. Makes 4 servings.

THE SKINNY: ____ 16g protein, 44g fat, 2g total carbs, 1g net carbs (total carbs minus fiber)

Smoked Salmon Egg Bake

Smoked salmon with cream cheese on a bagel: not always the best idea. So why not get your salmon fix in frittata form? Gaudreau starts with an egg base, which are rich in Vitamin D, choline and folate, and "bumps up the veggie content with zucchini and green onions."

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp. + 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 lb. zucchini, shredded
• 3 green onions (2 oz.), white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 8 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 4 oz. smoked salmon, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch x 8-inch/20-centimeter x 20-centimeter baking dish with 1 teaspoon coconut oil. Now sweat the zucchini and green onions. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Add the zucchini, green onions, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the veggies are wilted and lightly browned. You want most of the moisture to cook off, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let the mixture cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the eggs together with the dill, then mix in the smoked salmon. When the zucchini and green onions are cool, add them to the eggs and stir until everything is well combined. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the center is set and not liquid. Makes 6 servings.

THE SKINNY: 13g protein, 11g fat, 3g total carbs, 2g net carbs

Blueberry Pork Patties

These patties, packed with antioxidant-rich blueberries, will guarantee you'll never crave breakfast sausage again. Fennel and tarragon step up the flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. lean ground pork
• 1/2 cup blueberries, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp. dried tarragon
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine the pork, blueberries, tarragon, fennel, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until everything is well combined but not overworked. At this point, take a small pinch of the meat and fry it in the skillet to check the seasoning level. If it needs more salt and pepper, add it now. Form the meat into 8 small patties. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and melt the coconut oil. Fry the patties for 4 minutes on each side or until completely cooked through.If you can’t find berries or they‘re not in season, frozen blueberries will work. Just chop roughly while still frozen, and toss them in. Makes 4 servings.

THE SKINNY: 19g protein, 28g fat, 3g total carbs, 2g net carbs

Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Want steak for dinner? You got it. This Asian-inflected recipe, Gaudreau's favorite recipe in the book, is just as delicious sliced over salad the next day.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. flank steak
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1” piece ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
• 3 green onions, white and light green parts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 1 tsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil

DIRECTIONS

Combine all the ingredients except for the coconut oil in a plastic zip-top bag or a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Longer is definitely better, up to 24 hours. Remove the meat and pat it dry. Discard the marinade.Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and add the coconut oil. When it shimmers, add the steak, and sear for 3 minutes until a golden brown crust has formed. Flip the steak and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until it’s to your preference, about 4 more minutes for medium.Let rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Cut into thin strips, against the grain (muscle fibers). It’ll be really tender that way.Instead of pan-searing the steak, grill it. Makes 4 servings.

THE SKINNY: 45g protein, 36g fat, 12g total carbs, 11g net carbs.

All recipes reprinted with permission from The Performance Paleo Cookbook, Page Street Publishing Co.

Photo Credit: The Performance Paleo Cookbook