March is National Nutrition Month. Last week, I introduced you to my friend Kyle Pfaffenbach, a performance nutrition consultant for the Brooks Beasts Track Club, who shared lots of guidance on how we can use nutrition to help our running performance. Today, Kyle is helping us take those learnings one step further by sharing his thoughts on the 10 best foods for runners … and challenging us to make recipes using these ingredients. I’ve been in the kitchen this month testing out some run happy recipes, and I’m sharing 2 today that use some of these ingredients.

The 10 Best Foods for Runners

Sweet Potatoes

Whole Wheat Pasta

Quinoa

Salmon

Eggs

Mixed Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios)

Radishes

Tomatoes

Apples

Mixed Greens (spinach, spring mix, arugula)

Why should we eat these 10 foods for runners?

According to Kyle, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta and quinoa are high in complex carbohydrates and help runners by filling our muscle glycogen stores, which is a major energy source during high intensity workouts and races. Kyle recommends a higher percentage of complex carbs in the days leading up to a race (aka carb loading), which can maximize glycogen stores and contribute to improved performance.

Salmon, eggs and mixed nuts provide quality protein, which is critical for recovery and providing our muscles with what they need to recover from and adapt to training stress. Kyle says that salmon and eggs represent complete high quality proteins, meaning they contain all 9 essential amino acids in ample amounts.

Finally, radishes, tomatoes, apples and mixed greens provide the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to keep our immune systems strong and metabolic processes optimized. Kyle says that while there is nothing performance enhancing about these foods, every balanced diet requires a lot of fruits and vegetables and are an important part to every runner’s diet.

Run Happy Recipes

I don’t know about you, but eating a plain bowl of quinoa or a whole tomato on its own isn’t all that appetizing. So, I took the Brooks Running team’s challenge to come up with a few recipes using some of Kyle’s 10 foods for runners. I’m no chef, but I’m pretty happy with 2 recipes I created.

Grilled Apple, Fig & Goat Cheese Sandwich with Balsamic Mixed Greens
Run Happy ingredients featured: Apple, mixed greens, radishes

Servings: Makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 apple (Choose your favorite kind. I use a gala apple.)
• 3-4 dried figs, finely chopped
• 1 ounce goat cheese
• Honey (enough for drizzling)
• 2 slices of cinnamon raisin bread (I use the flourless sprouted grain cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread)
• 1-2 cups mixed greens (spinach, spring mix, etc.)
• Sliced cucumber
• Sliced radish
• Balsamic vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Directions

• Peel the apple using a vegetable peeler. Slice half of the apple very thinly into large, circular pieces. You will only need half of the apple for 1 sandwich. Reserve the other half for later (squeeze a little lemon juice on it before storing to prevent it from turning brown), or simply double the recipe and make 2 sandwiches.
• Spread a half ounce of goat cheese onto each slice of cinnamon raisin bread. Drizzle the goat cheese with honey.

• Place the sliced apple onto both pieces of bread (the honey will help keep them in place). Drizzle one side with a little more honey, and place the chopped figs onto that slice.

• Press both pieces of bread together so that the apples and figs touch. Place the sandwich onto a non-stick skillet that has been heated to medium/medium-low. Toast on each side for 90 seconds each, watching carefully not to burn the raisins on the outside of the bread.

• While the sandwich is heating, place 1 to 2 cups of mixed greens on a plate. Toss with the cucumbers, radishes and balsamic vinegar.
• When the sandwich is done grilling, cut it in half with a large knife and serve with the mixed green salad on the side.

Nutrition Information (Sandwich only): 420 calories, 6 grams fat, 11.5 grams fiber, 70 grams carbs, 12 grams protein, 46 grams sugar, 572 mg potassium

Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes
Run Happy ingredients featured: Tomatoes, quinoa, mixed greens (spinach)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole grain quinoa uncooked (I use Eden Organic)
• 1 and ¼ cup chicken stock (I use Kitchen Basics unsalted)
• 4 large firm, ripe tomatoes
• 4 slices nitrite/nitrate-free all natural bacon (such as Applegate)
• ½ cup onion finely chopped
• ½ cup zucchini finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ cup Portobello or baby bella mushrooms, stems and gills removed, finely chopped
• 2 cups spinach
• ¼ cup scallions, green part only, chopped
• ½ tablespoon fresh thyme
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons grated parmesan (use freshly grated or Sartori brand … I LOVE Sartori)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees (or broil setting).
• Prepare the quinoa according to package directions, using chicken stock instead of water. Omit any salt if package directions call for it. Set aside.
• Slice the stem/top off each tomato using a paring knife. Carefully hollow out each tomato using the paring knife to cut a circle around the pulp and seeds and using a spoon to scoop out the pulp and seeds. The tomatoes should look like tiny cups or bowls. Place the tomatoes cut-side down on paper towels to let drain.

• Meanwhile, cook the bacon according to package directions on a skillet over medium heat (this should take about 6 to 8 minutes, turning once). Once cooled, finely chop the bacon.
• In the same skillet, use the bacon fat to sauté the onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini and thyme until soft and tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the spinach, green onion and bacon and cook until the spinach is wilted. (For a lighter version, cook in a different skillet with just 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil.)

• Add the quinoa to the vegetable and bacon mixture and stir until combined. Stir in ½ cup of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove the tomatoes from the paper towels and place them cut-side up on a baking sheet that is lightly oiled (to prevent sticking). Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Scoop the quinoa mixture evenly into each tomato cup. Sprinkle the top of each stuffed tomato with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Broil the stuffed tomatoes for 30 seconds or until the cheese is melted. Remove and serve immediately.

If you are someone like me who enjoys tomatoes in recipes but not eating whole tomatoes, an easy spin on this recipe is to chop up 2 tomatoes (pulp and seeds removed) and sauté them with the other vegetables above, creating a quinoa and vegetable side dish instead of the quinoa inside the tomatoes. Or, you can follow the instructions above but use a red bell pepper instead of a tomato for the “cup.” Roast the pepper for 10 minutes cut-side down on 400 before stuffing it with the quinoa.

Note: You will likely have extra quinoa mixture left over. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator and eat for lunch with grilled chicken the next day or serve as a side dish with another meal.

Are these 10 foods for runners part of your diet? Do you have any recipes you love that use some of the 10 foods for runners featured here? If so, share your recipes in the comments.