FULL NAME: Michael Nelson Trout
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'2", 235 lbs
BORN: August 7, 1991, in Vineland, NJ
POSITION: Centerfielder
DRAFT: Drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 1st round (25th) of the 2009 MLB Draft
HIGH SCHOOL: Millville Senior High School (Millville, NJ)
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: 7x AL All-Star; 2x AL MVP; 2012 AL ROY; 6x AL Silver Slugger Award; 2014 AL Hank Aaron Award; 2014 AL RBI leader; 2012 AL stolen base leader; 2012 30–30 club; hit for the cycle on May 21, 2013
My morning routine varies and my lifestyle is different from most people’s because of baseball. When we play a night game, I get home at midnight or one in the morning. After I get home, I’ll go right to bed. I wake up around 11 or 11:30, so my breakfast is everyone else’s lunch.
For lunch I really like a salad with lots of greens and a protein like chicken or steak. Ask anyone in the clubhouse how I prepare for a game, they’ll tell you that I’m a big chicken and beef guy. And I love pickles. In my refrigerator, you’ll always find the ingredients to make salads and a simple balsamic vinaigrette.
I try to drink a fresh juice once a day—it’s a good balance for me because I eat a lot of protein and I have to get my vegetables in there too. My favorite fresh juice is a mix of vegetable and fruit. I like kale, ginger, carrots, apples, and oranges. I’m a big beets guy. I have this for lunch or breakfast. Fresh juices are the biggest things now in our clubhouse.
Dinner is often lighter than lunch because our games end so late. I always include asparagus, a side salad, and a protein, like a steak. I also love seafood like crab, lobster, and tuna, and I just started to like sushi.
I recently discovered that I like ginger; it’s good for you and fights inflammation. It’s a tough taste to handle at first, but once you get used to it, it’s really good. I add it to my fresh juices.
I always try to stay hydrated when I’m working out or playing in order to keep my energy up. I know when my body is feeling good and when it’s not. I know if I’m sluggish or slow that day or week, how my body reacts to certain foods. When you put something in your body, you should know how it makes you feel. If your reaction afterward is that you’re sluggish, then you know it was connected to something you ate. For me, it’s important to be my best.
with Aloe, Lemon, and Ginger
SERVES: 1 // PREP: 5 minutes
The aloe helps to maintain the proper balance of alkalinity in your body. Use aloe water, not aloe juice, when making this deliciously revitalizing drink.
1 cup chilled aloe water
1 cup chilled raw coconut water
½ lemon, sliced
1-inch piece of ginger root, sliced
Combine all the ingredients in a jar and infuse in the refrigerator for a minimum of 12 hours. This drink will keep, refrigerated, for up to 4 days. Strain into glasses before serving.
with Pickled Radishes
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 25 minutes // COOK: 5 minutes
Mike Trout enjoys eating a really good steak just as much as he enjoys eating a really good salad, so why not put the two together? The pickled radishes, veggies, and vinaigrette further enhance the robust steak flavors.
1½ cups thinly sliced asparagus
8 ounces grass-fed skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
½ teaspoon smoked salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1½ teaspoons coconut oil
3 cups baby kale
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup thinly shaved peeled raw beets, such as Chioggia (also called candy stripe)
¼ cup thinly shaved red onion
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows on this page)
¼ cup Pickled Radishes (recipe follows on this page)
1. In a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Put the asparagus in the basket, cover, and steam for 30 seconds. Remove the basket and let the asparagus cool while you cook the steak.
2. Rub the steak with the smoked salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the steak and once it starts to brown, reduce the heat to medium; continue to sear on both sides to the desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium. (A skirt steak is best at medium rare to medium. Otherwise it can be tough and chewy.) Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the kale, reserved asparagus, parsley, beets, and red onion. Fold in the balsamic vinaigrette and divide between 2 salad bowls. Add half of the pickled radishes to each bowl and top with steak.
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 5 minutes
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Pour the vinegar into a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 5 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time // COOK: 5 minutes
1 cup radishes, trimmed and quartered
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 sprig fresh thyme
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine ½ cup water, both vinegars, peppercorns, salt, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Put the radishes in a heatproof glass container (like a mason jar). Pour the hot liquid over the radishes. Let stand for at least 1 hour.
2. Once they have cooled to room temperature, store the radishes in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 1 hour 15 minutes
This salad is brimming with fresh flavors in every bite. Making the gorgeous cherry tomato dressing is a cinch. Don’t forget the pea sprouts, which are packed with nutrients and are a snap to add to any dish.
2 cups thinly sliced bok choy or arugula
½ cup pea sprouts
2 tablespoons sprouted lentils (optional)
½ cup Pickled Cucumbers (recipe follows on this page)
4 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat, tough pieces of cartilage removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Roasted Cherry Tomato Dressing (recipe follows on this page)
1. In a medium bowl, combine the bok choy, sprouts, lentils (if using), and pickled cucumbers. Fold in the crabmeat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Divide between 2 bowls and spoon some of the tomato dressing evenly over each salad.
PICKLED CUCUMBERS
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time // COOK: 5 minutes
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, smashed
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup diced cucumbers, unpeeled
1. In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup water, both vinegars, garlic, peppercorns, and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes. Put the diced cucumber in a heatproof glass container (like a mason jar) big enough to hold the liquid and strain the hot liquid over the cucumbers. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
2. Once the cucumbers have cooled, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.
ROASTED CHERRY TOMATO DRESSING
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 10 minutes // COOK: 15 minutes
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon thinly sliced shallot
½ teaspoon coconut oil, melted
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon torn basil
1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Combine the tomatoes, shallot, coconut oil, and salt and pepper to taste on a baking sheet. Broil until the tomatoes are just starting to blister, about 6 minutes.
3. Transfer the tomatoes to a small bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil, and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
SERVES: 2 // PREP: 15 minutes // COOK: 1 hour
This straightforward salad is chock-full of plant protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. A plant-based “cheese” is a great healthy alternative to dairy and should contain just a few simple ingredients. Choose one that is nut-based, like cashew, but also contains nutritional yeast, probiotics, and lemon juice.
2 tablespoons pistachios
4 medium beets, red or yellow or a combination, stems trimmed to 1 inch
½ teaspoon coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vinegar (cider for yellow beets, red wine for red beets)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups baby arugula or beet greens
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette (this page)
2 tablespoons soft cashew cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Arrange the pistachios in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Set the nuts aside until cool enough to handle, then chop.
3. Meanwhile, put the beets in a small baking dish and toss with the coconut oil. Cover the dish with foil and roast the beets until tender, 50 to 90 minutes, depending on their size. Insert a wooden skewer into the thickest part of the beets periodically. The skewer will slide in easily when the beets are done. When the beets are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to peel them. Do not rinse. (Use gloves or slide your hands into plastic sandwich bags for red beets as they will stain your hands.)
4. Cut the warm beets into wedges. Immediately put into a medium bowl and toss with the vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Divide the arugula between 2 salad bowls. (If you have fresh greens from the beets, you can use those instead. Trim the stems, and reserve for another use, then slice the leaves.) Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette over the greens. Add the dressed beets.
6. Roll the cheese into 4 balls and add 2 to each salad. Top with the toasted pistachios. Serve immediately.
