June 2013

Pasta, my popular go-to super food made hundreds of different ways

Bacon – a super food only because it’s a super big hit with the taste buds

Recently, Daphne, my 7-year-old daughter, asked me to name my favorite food. Without giving my answer much thought, I replied, “pasta.” I turned the question around, asking Daphne what she likes to eat best. “Bacon,” she said. I immediately asked if I could change my answer, as I was reminded how much I love bacon, too.
But meat of the pig is an indulgence, not my everyday life- and exercise-fuel. To keep me running strong—whether on the road or doing errands—I turn time and time again to these five foods.

Vanilla Chobani Greek Yogurt is as close to dessert as you’ll find in a super food

1. Greek yogurt. Packing twice the protein-punch as regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is delightfully thick yet creamy smooth. There are days I have to stop myself from eating it morning, noon, and night: a hearty helping of vanilla flavor in my morning smoothie; a few spoonfuls of vanilla (again) with granola for a snack; plain flavor mixed with some fresh herbs and spices as a topping for grilled chicken. While training for the Vancouver Marathon, my go-to recovery meal after weekend long runs was two slices of homemade French toast with some maple syrup and a heaping spoonful of vanilla Chobani.

Fresh or frozen champagne mangoes are nutritious and delicious

2. Mango. I eat this vitamin-packed tropical fruit both fresh (yum: the mere thought is making me drool on my keyboard) and frozen. Trader Joe’s frozen chunks are a key ingredient to my daily smoothie. When champagne mangoes were in season this spring, I chopped them up over Greek yogurt and sprinkled it with shredded unsweetened coconut. Almost as tasty as ice cream (almost).

Kale is probably so hard to chew because it’s packed with nutrients

3. Dark, leafy greens. When you meet me at a race expo or mother runner party, let me know if I have kale or spinach stuck in my teeth: I eat them so often it’s amazing I haven’t sprouted a fuzzy white tail. Spinach is another key component of my, you guessed it, morning smoothie. (What can I say: I’m a creature of habit when it comes to the first meal of the day!) And I love the hearty crunch, robust taste, and nutrient-dense quality of kale. Every other week or so I splurge on a Bistro Kale Salad from Trader Joe’s. No fuss, just lots of chewing.

4. KIND bars: When my good friend Stacey told me she gets free KIND bars where she works, I seriously considered getting an office job. These bars of nutty goodness are sweetened with honey and are available in a seemingly endless choice of flavors. (Psst: They are in our swag bags of our Mother Runner parties. My faves are Almond Coconut —the perfect blend of sweet and savory for a mid-afternoon snack—and Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt. More tasty than a candy bar, and offering up the health benefits of nuts, like omega-3 fatty acids.

Pick your flavor – KIND has a variety of yummy flavors, all great for sustaining mother runners

5. Pasta: Yeah, it all comes back to pasta. As my family would tell you, it’s my go-to thing to make for dinner, whether I’m in carb-loading mode or not. (I just try to eat more modest portion sizes when I’m not staring down a double-digit run or race the next a.m.) I have a variety of recipes in my repertoire, including this simple, hearty one with white beans and broccoli rabe; baked pasta; and all’amatriciana, which makes this the perfect marriage for me and Daphne—it’s pasta + bacon.

The best of both worlds – pasta and bacon