Running Food

Since I am a creature of habit, I tend to eat a lot of the same thing a lot of the time. It makes shopping and preparation easy and tends to condition the body to process the same food on a weekly basis. Every week that I am not traveling, I like to make the following as it allows me to eat for several meals including bringing to work for a quick lunch after a run or workout. There is nothing really remarkable except it’s easy and quick and gives a bunch of alternatives for ingredients so I don’t get bored. It is relatively inexpensive, healthy, colorful and just darn good for you.

• Use giant salad bowl (glass) with lid
• Makes about 4-5 meals/servings
• Dressing: combine 3 parts salsa and 1 part Newman’s Italian dressing
• Keep refrigerated
• Guaranteed fast running times and low calories

Ingredients:

• One head romaine lettuce
• One avocado (ripe but not overripe)
• One red or orange bell pepper
• Grape tomatoes
• Half head of red cabbage
• Half red onion (optional)
• Small/mini can of sweet corn
• Small/mini can of sliced black or green olives
• Small/mini can of kidney, garbanzo or black beans (wash and drain)
• Half jar of artichoke hearts (marinated in water not oil)
• Handful crumbled tortilla chips
• Handful of nuts (pine nuts, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
• Some but not much shredded cheese (cheddar)
• Protein: can of white chunk tuna, sliced broiled chicken breast or diced turkey or ham from deli
• Optional – some boiled elbow macaroni or pasta.

Chop lettuce but use the inner parts not the outer leaves. Chop avocado. Chop bell pepper. Shred cabbage. Thinly slice red onion. Add corn, beans, olives and sliced artichoke hearts. Toss. Just before serving individual portion, add nuts, dressing, cheese and top with crumbled chips. Drink plenty of water with the meal!