Runners need to eat well in order to perform, and what they eat can have a direct influence on how they run. The Runner's World Cookbook - Edited by Joanna Sayago Golub - is the perfect combination of performance-boosting nutrients to maximize performance with easy, delicious, and quick recipes. This cookbook contains 150 recipes sourced primarily from the authoritative voice in running itself, Runner's World magazine, along with exciting additional content. These recipes are intended to maximize a runner's performance and enhance nutritional benefits. The book will include two recipe indexes with visual keys for classification at the start of each recipe, with V (for vegetarian), VE (for vegan), GF (for gluten free), and more. The first section of the book focuses on nutritional information and staple ingredients every runner should know, and the second part of the cookbook illustrates how to turn these facts into delicious, quick, and nutrient-boosting meals through delectable recipes. Every recipe will have an easy-to-follow icon system to identify key recipe attributes (i.e., recoveryfriendly; low-calorie; quick and easy), along with a nutrition guide that will offer readers tips on how to make the healthiest choices regarding that particular category of food. Divided by categories (Salads/ Soups/Stews, Sandwiches/Wraps/Burgers, Pizza/Pasta, etc.), these recipes are presented by types of dishes runner can look to for satisfying performance needs in appetizing ways.
If you have followed my journey, you know that the past year I have “dabbled” in running. I still don’t think I qualify as a runner, but my cousin says that if I am not laying on the couch and I am out moving my body, I am a runner.
Ok… I guess that makes me a runner.
Right before Christmas I treated myself to a purchase just for me. I bought this book. Runner or not, I am always interested in working with whole foods and breaking the habit of the “fast food fix” that tends to occasionally plague my busy lifestyle.
The Runners World Cookbook promotes eating well if you run 10 miles a week or one hundred. (A hundred!) It also encourages “eating the rainbow” a colorful array of fruits and vegetables every day. Mmmmmm
The book starts out with explaining healthy antioxidants, carbs, grains, proteins and fats. Then the book breaks down into chapters:
Breakfast Snacks and Smoothies Salads and Dressings Soups and Stews Sandwiches, Pizzas, Burgers Sauces and Pasta Meat and Poultry Fish and Seafood Vegetables Desserts
The recipes look delicious! They are submitted from runners, marathon winners, Olympians, doctors, test kitchens and more. At the top of each recipe is a little paragraph of when is a good time to eat this (pre – run, after run, recovery…. daily….). It also shares how long to prep, how many servings, and of course nutrition values. I also like that each recipe is labeled : V: Vegetarian, VE: Vegan, GF: Gluten Free, Many of the recipes are also accompanied by a photo which I love to drool over! for more of my review check it out here:
Part of me thinks, "Most of this information is on the Internet somewhere. I could just look there for free." I can't bring myself to settle for that, though, when all of it is right here, neatly organized into this beautiful book.
Reasons I will be buying this book: 1. The charts and lists. It gives a easy comparison guide for different grains, fats, and proteins. 2. A basic whole grain pancake recipe, followed by two pages of batter and topping variations - most of which I would have never thought of on my own, and I experiment a lot. I can't wait to try the Speakeasy Special and the Sweet Southerner pancakes. 3. Chicken Not Pie. As a loather of chicken pot pie, I appreciate a recipe that takes everything I would like about it and leaves out the rest. 4. Steel Cut Oatmeal Risotto. This is an example of my favorite thing about this book - they took food I love and made in a slightly different way to make it new and interesting.
This is a great cookbook, divided into many categories for runners, like "prerun" and "postrun," lots of healthy goodies with influences from Paleo, vegetarian, and global flavors.
Very straightforward text. Learned all about the benefits of different foods that I'll forget in a matter of already. Like beta carotene is good for... something. Gosh, I can't even think of a second snarky example.
It is my opinion that cookbooks can be entertaining and amusing. This is not one of them. Everything, you know, still looks and/or sounds delicious and makes me wish I had the patience and wherewithal to feed myself, but I digress.
No, that's not a digression. That's what cookbooks are for.
I knew this was a corporate cookbook going in, still had to give it a shot. After all, one day I might start running again.
I've only made about 5-6 recipes from this book so far, but I loved them all. I look forward to making more recipes out of this book.
I love that it breaks down which recipes are good for pre-run and recovery; which ones are quick - organized, easy ingredients to find, and yummy. Plus the pictures are good.
I love the fact that all recipes have a label that recommend for which kind of workout they are good. Also all recipes contain nutritional information. I haven’t tried all the recipes, nor all of them stand out as “I need to make this one”, but overall it’s a great resource for proper nutrition for runners. Lots of ideas!
This is my favorite cookbook by far -- the one I know I can choose a new recipe from and find a winner every time. I've made 41 of the 150 recipes so far and there's only one I wouldn't make again (blueberry oat smoothie had a weird consistency, but I still gave it 3 of 5 stars). Everything else I have loved and my husband and kids have loved too. The recipes use whole foods, are not complicated, and often take 30 minutes or less. The book has gorgeous photos and helpful nutrition information, and it is organized well, both by the type of dish and whether it's a good pre-run or recovery meal, for example. This book isn't just for runners though -- I recommend it to anyone who wants to make healthy, flavorful meals. Some of the recipes can be found online, but I still recommend buying the book.
Haha! Two down, four more to go! This cookbook was a gift from a friend when I mentioned my hunt for the Runner's World cookbook. I've very much enjoyed the range, scope, and nutritional information this book contains. Each recipe includes nutritional statistics (surprisingly lacking in many cookbooks) along with blurbs for every single recipe. Highly recommend! Especially the very first breakfast recipe - the super healthy muffins with just about every grain you can think of. Also very much enjoyed the chicken quina recipe.
Again, talk to your doc before making any major diet changes.
I rarely give out 5 stars but this book earns it with it's easy recipes, outlay complete with top page tabs like "prerun" "recovery" "gluten free" and "low-calorie".
Vegan recipes included!
Don't forget to check out the great info at the front of the book talking about grains and healthy oils to add to your foods.
Check it out. More cookbooks in the future will have this kind of layout.
If you are looking to make some tweaks in your training and lifestyle changes, this would certainly be an essential tool to have. It has my full endorsement. Thanks Runner's World, for the advanced review copy. The book is due out October 1st
This cookbook is fully of delicious-sounding, healthy and easy recipes. Half, if not more, are vegetarian. Recipes are from Mark Bittman (love him) and other Runner's World contributors. I've seen many of these in the magazine over the years, including one of my all-time favorites, the melon-mango smoothie. Can't wait to put this one to use!
I was disappointed with this purchase because it's lacking pictures. I'm a big reader, I don't need pictures really, but I assume cooking books should include a picture of the meal you're doing. not bad recipes, nice system to know when to eat the food but a lack of pictures left me disappointed, wouldn't recommend
This book is full of good, healthy stuff with dietary considerations tagged at the top of each page. Recipes from celebrity cooks like Mark Bittman and regular RW contributors. I tried the Creamy Cocoa Oatmeal and two other recipes and loved them. A good choice for public libraries or people who love cookbooks!
I've gone through this book multiple times and I keep hoping something is going to jump out at me, some dish is going to sound better the next time I look, but, no.
There is only ONE recipe from this book that made it into my kitchen, the Salmon with Chili Aioli sandwich. It's quick, delicious, has omega-3s and sweet, spicy sriracha. Yum.
I'm not a runner, but this cookbook makes me want to be one. Even without any explanation of why certain foods are great for runners, these recipes make sense. I only found a few keepers, but I would love to own this book, and test out more.
This book is going to be excellent. Lots on heat to like. I've already tried the Asian Noodle Salad and the Coffee-Cocoa Smoothhy. Both tasted great, Plus the book has me thinking more about nutrition. It's all very accessible, which helps too.
A lots of recipes in every category--pre run, recovery, fast prep, low calorie....just not my cup of tea due to the long list of ingredients (even in the "fast" recipes). I jotted a few ideas down, but most were too complicated for my distaste of cooking!
Eventually I may move this up to a 5, but for now I haven't actually TRIED the recipes but they look awesome, and I loved the way it was organized and tagged!