Westside LA Team In Training - Winter 2009 Marathon & Half Marathon Team

Archive for the ‘cooking’ Category

I’m definitely a morning person, and I’m a huge fan of breakfast breads and muffins.  A dozen blueberry muffins have been known to disappear from my kitchen in a matter of days, and don’t even get me started on the gigantic treats behind the pastry case at Coffee Bean.  Unfortunately, those whoppers at the Bean will set you back 39 grams of sugar and 24 grams of fat.  Now I know we’re all burning a ton of calories on our long runs, but these are a blood sugar crash waiting to happen and I guarantee you’ll be hungry again in an hour or so.

This is where one of my favorite recipes comes in.  It’s a thick, chewy, dense banana bread that is totally satisfying and gets most of its sugar from mashed bananas.  The rolled oats also add a healthy dose of whole grains.  This banana bread is great for breakfast, or for a late afternoon pick-me-up if you need a little sweetness before your evening run.  If you want more protein, add some chopped walnuts or pecans.  If you have a sweet tooth, throw in some semisweet chocolate chips.  For this version, I added some slivered almonds on the top.  I bring a slice to work, microwave it for about 20 seconds, then add a thin smear of peanut butter on the top.  Hope you enjoy!

Banana Oatmeal Bread

Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Ingredients:

3 large ripe bananas (the browner the better)

3/4 cup buttermilk*

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup rolled oats (instant oatmeal will probably work too)

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

*You don’t have to buy buttermilk!  To make 3/4 cup, put 3/4 Tb white vinegar in a measuring cup, then fill to 3/4 with whole milk.  Stir, and let set for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan or a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

In one bowl, mix the bananas with the buttermilk, sugar, egg, and oil, then add the oats.  In another bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, and baking soda.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and quickly stir them together.  Fill the muffin tins or loaf pan about 2/3 full.  Add slivered almonds to the surface.  Bake until golden brown and springy when pressed lightly with a finger, about 25 minutes for muffins or about 35 minutes for a loaf.  Remove from the pan and set on a rack to cool.

I was comfortable in the kitchen long before I was comfortable in running shoes, so I’m excited to share some healthy recipes and tips to keep you fit and fueled during this race season. I’m not a professional chef or dietitian, but I’m sharing foods that give me energy and that I like to eat when I’m training. Many of you are probably starting to feel the voracious hunger that comes with running, and it’s not that uncommon for some runners to actually gain weight during the season. Luckily, with a few bits of food knowledge, it’s easy to stay on track and meet all of your fitness goals. I have some basic tips for those of you just getting acquainted with your kitchen, but let’s start with a recipe:

Mary’s 20-Mile Veggie Frittata (serves 4)
I made this frittata last season on the Saturday afternoon before our 20-mile long run (though you don’t have to run 20 to enjoy it).  The long distances were making me ravenous, but afterward I was too tired to stand on my feet at the stove and cook something nutritious. It resulted in me eating more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches than I care to count, so for the 20 miler I decided to plan ahead. This is a great weekend recipe because you can throw in all of the vegetables sitting in your fridge leftover from the week. The eggs give you tons of protein, the veggies provide nutrients and gorgeous color, and whole grain rice or pasta adds the volume to really make it a satisfying lunch. Feel free to substitute any vegetables you have handy, I just chose the ones that are in my kitchen right now. I use a mix of eggs and egg whites because it gives the flavor of egg yolks without all of the calories. But if you’re happy eating all egg whites then go for it!

Ingredients:
4 whole eggs and 4 egg whites
1/2 cup brown rice or whole grain penne, cooked according to instructions
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium sized yellow onion (about 1/2 cup), chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (any variety)
1 handful of spinach
1/4 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt or fat-free sour cream
1 tsp salt plus extra for vegetables
1 tsp pepper
2 Tb basil (chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an oven-safe dish (I use a 9″ glass pie dish) with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook the pasta or rice according to package instructions, and let it cool.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan. When the oil is hot, add onions, red bell pepper, and salt (about 2 shakes from a shaker). Cook for about 4 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally, then add the zucchini and mushrooms. Cook for another 6 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, add the spinach, and let cool for about 10 minutes.

While the vegetables cool, whisk together the eggs and egg whites in a large bowl. Stir in the yogurt or sour cream, salt, and pepper. Once cool, stir in the vegetables and pasta (Note: if you add them too soon, the hot ingredients can scramble your eggs and you’ll lose the texture you want). Once all ingredients are incorporated, pour the mixture into your greased baking dish.

(Before)

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the frittata is firm around the edges. It may be slightly runny in the center, but that’s ok! Remove from the frittata from the oven, and turn on the broiler. Broil for about 2 minutes, until the whole frittata is cooked through and the top is golden brown. Top with chopped basil, and serve. Or refrigerate overnight, and serve the next day!

Tip: Do NOT walk away from your broiler when the frittata is inside. I’ve burned many a promising meal by losing track of time while broiling. It really only needs about 2 minutes. You can also leave the door open about an inch to lower the heat.

Happy eating everyone!!!