FULL NAME: Giancarlo Cruz-Michael Stanton
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'6", 245 lbs
BORN: November 8, 1989, in Panorama City, CA
POSITION: Right fielder
DRAFT: Drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 2nd round of the 2007 MLB Draft
HIGH SCHOOL: Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks, CA)
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: 4x NL All-Star; 2017 NL MVP; 2017 NL RBI leader; 2x NL Silver Slugger Award; 2x Hank Aaron Award; 2016 Home Run Derby Champion; 2x NL home run leader
I feel the difference in my body when I wake up or when I have to do physical activity all day after I have eaten poorly. If I don’t eat right I feel like I am dragging, especially when I have a couple of bad meals after eating right for an extended period. I feel the difference for sure.
My breakfast is a veggie shake or some protein, so my metabolism and body are working the right way in the morning. I don’t have much of a routine other than just keeping my diet clean. I don’t like to eat until a few hours after I wake up because I’m not hungry. So I’ll drink all my greens. I have a big container of nutrient-dense powdered greens; I just add water and drink it. It has just about everything you need. I also make smoothies with similar ingredients. I put some pineapple and strawberries in there with spinach and almond milk.
In my refrigerator you’ll always find a lot of fruit, and pineapple is my favorite. Pineapple, grapes, and some good watermelon are the best. You’ll also find plenty of kale, spinach, and beets—for meals and for juices.
Before games I have granola in almond milk with cinnamon because it’s filling but not heavy. The cinnamon is great. It adds a little sweetness without the sugar.
I made a huge transition recently to eating mainly fish and eliminating meat. My body doesn’t necessarily respond poorly to meat, and I loved eating it, but I much prefer the long-term benefit to my body from eating fish. I could eat salmon every day—either grilled or baked. Baked is probably my favorite because I like that texture.
Besides eating smart, I also practice hot yoga—I love the challenge of lengthening my body and strengthening my mind. I practice yoga mostly in the off-season. It’s important to be limber and to balance strength. And it’s hard! I go to a studio because I like being next to people who do it all the time. I’m amazed by other yogis who barely even sweat, while I’m sweating buckets. And I meditate after. The instructor says to think about the reasons for being here and all that, and to just let it all out. So, when difficulty and adversity come into my life, such as not having a good game, I try to put it in perspective and think about people who have it way more difficult in life than I do. I don’t take anything for granted, and I know I have to keep working hard. I also know when I gotta chill out, and I understand that some things are not the end-all-be-all.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 15 minutes, plus 1½ to 12 hours soaking time for rice // COOK: 55 minutes
Not to be confused with Yogi Berra, this yogi bowl originated in India. khichadi (“food from the gods”) is the ultimate wellness food. Easily digestible, it gives your body a break and helps it detox. It offers a great base of lentils and brown rice with aromatic spices. Take a deep breath, exhale, and savor every bite.
1½ teaspoons coconut oil
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger root
1 tablespoon grated garlic
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped tomato
¼ cup split red lentils
¼ cup short-grain brown rice, soaked
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
NOTE: Split red lentils do not require soaking.
1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds.
2. Add the tomato, lentils, rice, and 2 cups water and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until smooth and creamy.
3. Season with salt to taste and divide between 2 bowls. Top with cilantro.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 15 minutes // COOK: 10 minutes
Wild salmon is Giancarlo Stanton’s favorite fish because of its satisfying taste and healthful omega-3s. Whether you make it for lunch or as an easy weeknight dinner, it’s a guaranteed home run.
2 (4-ounce) skin-on wild salmon fillets
1½ cups (½-inch) diced zucchini
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups baby spinach
½ ripe avocado, sliced
1 tablespoon hemp hearts
1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 inch of water to a low simmer. Add the salmon, cover, and cook the fish until it is opaque in the center, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on thickness. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, lift off the skin, and let the salmon cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, parsley, dill, lemon juice, and oil. Gently break the salmon into chunks and carefully fold it into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Arrange a bed of spinach in 2 wide salad bowls. Place the salmon mixture on top. Lay half the avocado slices over each salad and sprinkle with the hemp hearts.
MAKES: 8 bars // PREP: 15 minutes, plus 1 hour to chill // COOK: 10 minutes
This deliciously nutty and naturally sweet energy bar (pictured on this page) will help satisfy your next snackable moment. Refrigerated individually wrapped bars are an easy grab-and-go treat.
¾ cup almonds
½ cup walnuts
1 cup dried black Mission figs, stems removed, chopped
½ cup dates, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Arrange the almonds and walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 7 to 9 minutes, until they just start to brown. Let cool before transferring to a food processor, then pulse until coarsely ground (you should have about 1¼ cups). Put the nuts in a large bowl.
2. Put the figs and dates in the food processor and blend, scraping down the sides, until a paste forms, about 2 minutes. Add the paste and cinnamon to the bowl with the nuts and use your hands to knead the ingredients into a dough.
3. On a parchment-lined sheet pan, press the dough with your hands into a 4 x 4-inch square and refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into 8 bars (1 x 2 inches). Wrapped in wax paper in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container and refrigerated, the bars will keep for about 3 months.
with Baked Wild Salmon and Cilantro Garlic Sauce
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 15 minutes // COOK: 15 minutes
The jicama adds a refreshing burst of sweetness, and the garlic sauce with cilantro provides a wonderful tangy topping to the salmon.
2 (¼-inch-thick) slices of red onion
2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted
2 (4-ounce) skin-on wild salmon fillets, deboned
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups baby arugula
½ cup thinly shaved peeled jicama
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Pickled Jalapeños (recipe follows on this page)
2 tablespoons Cilantro Garlic Sauce (recipe follows on this page)
1. Preheat the broiler to high and set a rack 6 inches from the heat source.
2. Arrange the onion in a single layer on a small baking sheet and toss with 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil. Broil, turning the slices halfway through, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer the onion to a cutting board and coarsely chop (you should have about ¼ cup).
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Rub the salmon with the remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake, skin-side down, for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness, until opaque and firm to the touch.
5. In a medium bowl, combine the arugula, jicama, red onion, champagne vinegar, olive oil, and pickled jalapeños. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Divide the salad between 2 bowls. Top each salad with a salmon fillet and a dollop of cilantro garlic sauce.
PICKLED JALAPEÑOS
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 5 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time // COOK: 5 minutes
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon coconut sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup sliced jalapeños (see Note)
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, bring ¾ cup water, both vinegars, sugar, and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and then simmer for 2 minutes. Put the jalapeños in a large heatproof glass container (like a mason jar). Pour the hot liquid over the jalapeños. Let stand for at least 1 hour.
2. Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, store the jalapeños in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.
Note: For a milder level of heat, boil the jalapeños in water for 5 minutes and drain them before pickling.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 10 minutes
2 cups packed fresh cilantro sprigs (about 1 bunch)
4 small garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
In a high-powered blender, combine all of the ingredients and process until smooth.
