In their new book, two runner friends – one a fit mum and trained chef, the other an Olympian who loves her food – explain how to watch your times and weight drop by nourishing your hardworking body with unprocessed whole foods, local fresh produce and organic meat. Bonus: the recipes are delish!
When deciding what to eat to eat well, it’s best to look at the full picture, including where the food came from, how it was grown, how much it was processed, how it tastes and, most importantly, how it makes you feel. For us that means eating a varied diet that includes meat, veggies, fruit, cultured dairy, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. We seek out organic and local ingredients as much as possible and enjoy eating with the seasons, since food picked at its peak not only tastes better, but is also more nutrient-dense.
We don’t eat meat every day, but we do believe it is healthy to include on a regular basis. In many of our dishes, the veggies shine and meat becomes the loyal side companion. As much as possible, we try to get our meat from trusted local farmers who care about the planet. The free-range chicken, beef and lamb we buy is expensive, but our philosophy is to eat less meat – though at a better-quality – for maximum nourishment.
Moroccan Lentil Salad
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 cup dried green lentils, sorted and rinsed
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
3 medium carrots, peeled and grated
2 cups loosely packed chopped kale, stems removed
1/2 cup chopped toasted pistachios or almonds
1/2 cup chopped dried Turkish apricots
1/4 cup pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
1 Tbsp. Ras el Hanout (Moroccan spice blend, available at specialty grocers and Mediterranean grocers)
1 cup uncooked couscous, prepared according to package instructions (or saute pureed cauliflower in olive oil for 3 minutes as a substitute for couscous)
Place the lentils in a medium pot, add the salt and cover with 2-3cm of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender but not mushy, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Place the carrots, kale, nuts, apricots, olives and Ras el Hanout in a large salad bowl. Add the couscous and lentils and toss until evenly combined. Add two-thirds of the dressing, toss and taste. Add more dressing to taste, if needed.
Cover the salad and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
Adapted from Run Fast, Eat Slow: Nourishing Recipes for Athletes by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky. Published by Rodale in August. For more recipes, pick up the November edition of Runner’s World Australia & New Zealand.
