Adidas nutrition coach Bildirici shows readers how to put their best foot forward in the kitchen and beyond in this vibrant debut collection of plant-forward recipes. When she was diagnosed with cancer at age 14, Bildirici took to running as a way to cope and quickly found, after switching to a nutrient-dense diet, that what she ate directly impacted both her body and endurance. Informed by the author's health journey and the eponymous blog that grew from it--and supplemented with a number of recipes from world-class athletes--Bildirici's book focuses less on what's "healthy" and "unhealthy" and instead emphasizes the importance of using minimally processed ingredients and "lots of vegetables." Most of the offerings are plant-based, with a handful of pescatarian options--including a protein-packed fish taco bowl recipe from professional mountain bike racer Kate Courtney. A meal guide for endurance athletes offers such snacks as roasted garlic green hummus and an anti-inflammatory beet mango smoothie, while a standout breakfast marinates carrots in a caper brine mixture for a smoky loxlike flavor on toast. Other innovative fare includes a jicama and radicchio chopped salad (jicama's great for the gut, Bildirici notes) and a pecan-crusted halibut with an antioxidant-rich pomegranate glaze. Way more than just fuel, these recipes are as loaded with nutrients as they are flavor. Agent: Steve Toha, Folio Literary. (Dec.)

Bildrici, a triathlete and nutrition coach, includes more than 75 recipes in her debut plant-based cookbook, which is tailored specifically to athletes though it also has general utility. Bildrici provides sample menus for both endurance athletes in peak training and the everyday health-conscious person. Recipes are broken down into useful categories: mornings, smoothies, bowls, plates, "On the Side," "Adventure Snacks," sweets, and condiments/dressings. Bildrici's inventive use of fruit to sweetness is a highlight, in recipes for a tahini-date smoothie and baked pumpkin quinoa. The addition of chickpeas and butternut squash to the "Southwestern Vegetable Slow Cooker Chili" was unexpected but a nice touch, and her "Spanish Potato Omelet" (or tortilla) makes a quick and filling dinner. Plants are at the center of the cookbook, but it does include a number of recipes with fish. There are also recipes formulated by athletes and trainers. VERDICT Bildrici's beautifully photographed book will be a welcome addition to any cookbook collection.--Lacy S. Wolfe