I know this isn’t a cooking blog, but besides running
itself, the number one concern and favorite activity of most of the runners I
know is eating. I decided that every now
and then it would be fun to share some of my favorite recipes.
First let me say that since reading Eat & Run by Scott Jurek (If you aren't familiar with the book, you are missing a great read. Check out my review of Eat & Run), I
have been trying to go more vegetarian in my diet. I have been succeeding for
the most part. I have not made the jump to 100% vegetarian yet, but most weeks,
I manage to make about 90% of my diet vegetarian, with maybe only one meal a
week with meat.
I also love Mexican food. Having lived in California for
most of my life, it was considered a staple. On first glance, it is easy to go
vegetarian with Mexican food, just by leaning heavily on the beans and cheese
and taking out the meat from most dishes. However, the tendency is to add in
large amounts of cheese which really piles up the fat content, something I am
also working on. Plus, that is just
boring.
Thankfully, there are many sources of inspiration out there
for how to make vegetarian eating exciting and yummy. These tacos got their
inspiration from a food truck we have around the Lansing area, usually at
farmer’s markets, called Trailer Park’d.
Trailer Park'd at East Lansing Farmer's Market
We stopped by there on the suggestion of one of my running/Facebook friends
(Thanks, Lolo) to try the tacos. They were awesome, but I always have to fiddle
with a recipe to get it just how I like it.
This is what I came up with. They are the best veggie tacos
Jer and I have ever had. As a fair warning, you must be an onion lover to like
this recipe. The prep time is about 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
4 soft taco flour tortillas
1 large red onion
1-2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ripe avocado
1 package shredded coleslaw mix
4 tablespoons feta cheese
¼ cup fresh or frozen corn
¼ cup canned black beans
Garlic salt
Fresh cilantro (you can leave this out if you are a cilantro
hater)
Mexican lime (optional)
Green tomatillo salsa
Directions:
1. Slice the onion into half rings. Put the onion half rings in
a skillet (I like cast iron) that has been preheated with oil and cook over
medium heat to caramelize. (For tips on how to caramelize onions, click here.)
2. While the onion is cooking, put the corn and black beans into a small container and microwave to heat through. Add garlic salt and stir. Then set aside for taco assembly.
3. Check on the onion, stir, and then peel and slice the
avocado into small chunks.
4. Lay out all other ingredients close at hand for the assembly process.
5. When onions are ready, heat the tortilla shells. My
favorite method is over the burner of a gas stove on medium heat until slightly
brown, turning often to avoid burning or the edges catching on fire (If you try
this, be careful, and don’t burn your fingers). My boys could heat a tortilla like this by the time they were twelve, but if you aren’t quite so adventurous,
you can warm them in a hot skillet, on a grill if you have one, or in the microwave
for about 10 seconds. You really lose some flavor, though, if you microwave them.
6. Assemble the tacos as follows: grilled onions, black bean
and corn mixture, tablespoon of feta cheese, cole slaw mix, a squeeze of fresh
lime juice, and five or six cilantro leaves, to taste.
Top off with green tomatillo salsa (or whatever type of
salsa you prefer, but the tomatillo really sets this off). These are best if
served with an ice-cold 12 oz bottle of the runner’s favorite post-run
beverage, and no I do NOT mean Gatorade. Give them a try and let me know what you
think.
(Do you have a healthy runner-friendly recipe you would like to share? If so, contact me to do a guest post!)
Wednesday night I got to meet and run with one of my running
idols, Scott Jurek. He is touring to promote his new book, Eat and Run, which I reviewed in a previous post. For all you non-ultrarunners out there,
let me try to explain how significant this was for me. If you are a road
runner, think meeting, say Bill Rodgers. If you are a golfer, think Tiger
Woods. And for my totally non-running
friends, well, just think meeting Elvis.
For me, it was a big deal.
Meeting an idol is a tricky thing. On the one hand, it is
exciting (Hey, I am meeting Scot Jurek!!), but on the other it carries with it some perils. What if the person
turns out to be not as idol-like as you had hoped? What if the person turns out in some way to be
a jerk? In Scott Jurek's case, not to
worry.
My initial impression of him, as he stepped out to address
the crowd gathered for the fun run 5k at Playmakers, was "Dang, he is a
lot taller than I had imagined." I think he had mentioned that in his
book, but I was still surprised. I am thinking he is easily over 6 ft., but
then again, I am small, so anyone over 5'7" is tall. The next impression I
had was of how down-to-earth he seemed. After a few pre-race introductions, we
posed for a group picture. Someone suggested that he lie on the ground in front
of the group. Although the pavement was undoubtedly quite hot (it was in the
90s), he only hesitated for a half beat before he gamely stretched out in front
of us on the ground for a series of pictures, still with a genuine smile on his
face.
During the run he did something that I thought was
super-thoughtful. He started at the beginning and went out with the leaders,
giving the group a chance to spread out. Then he turned around and ran back
through the crowd of runners, taking time to greet and talk to every runner,
smiling the whole way, sometimes even posing for pictures. I was running with
my friend Jessica. When he got to us, he even suggested the best way for
Jessica to get the picture of the two of us running.
Back at the store, after the run, he spent a lot of time,
just mingling and talking to people. He was so accessible to anyone who wanted
his time. He must have posed for over a hundred pictures and never stopped
smiling. He has a natural grace and thoughtfulness about him
that seems to come through in every interaction.
Finally (the run was at 7 and the talk at 8:30), we all
milled into Playmakers, where it was wonderfully cool, to wait for his presentation. There was a group of probably close to 300. It was an interesting collection of people, as was evidenced in
the Q/A session following the talk. Some people were there because they were
ultrarunners who were fully aware of Scott and his achievements. Then there
were the road runners and beginning runners who may or may not have been
familiar with his running resume. Some knew of him because of his appearance in
the book Born to Run. Others were local vegans and vegetarians (some who were
also runners) who were there because of their interest in his choice to follow
that lifestyle as an athlete.
He began the presentation with a short video that told a
little about him. It was a longer version of the book promo video that I had
posted with the book review. It was no doubt helpful for those who did not know
his history and background and who had not yet read the book.
He began by telling us how glad he was to be back at
Playmakers, which he quipped is the "Bass Pro Shop of Running
Stores." Then he thanked everyone for helping make his book #7 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list. Next he discussed Micah
True (Caballo Blanco) from Born to Run,
who had just died a few months ago. He told about going down to help search and
referred the audience to the great New York Times article that I had mentioned in my follow-up post on True's death. Then, rather than
taking a moment of silence, which he said was not True's style at all, he led
us in his famous celebratory yell that he does at the start of every race he runs.
His presentation was short because he said he did not want
to rehash stories from the book. Instead he opened the floor to questions and
answers from the audience, so he could talk about the things we might want to
know. As mentioned before, the questions
reflected the interests of the audience, everything from questions about
training, hydration, and electrolytes to questions about how he makes it
through the long runs mentally, to questions regarding his vegan lifestyle and
habits. He answered each one fully, patiently, and with a sense of humor. He
also answered many questions by referring the audience to articles that he had
written in case they wanted a longer or more detailed version of the answer.
He ended the talk by mentioning some of the charity work he
is involved with. He gave information about supporting the Caballo Blanco Memorial Fund to help continue the work that True was doing for the Tarahumara in Copper
Canyon. He also mentioned some charity work he is involved in helping get eye
surgery for Ethopians. To help raise money for this, he had some very
cool shirts for sale at the event and promised there would be more available on his site in the future. He mentioned that although his visit at
Playmakers was a free one, many of his appearances are not and that the funds
being raised are being donated to the charities that he believes in.
At the end of the event, he did the obligatory book signing
that comes with this type of tour. This is another spot where his incredible
patience, good nature, and thoughtfulness again shone through. It was already
after 9:30 when the talk ended. The line for the book signing very quickly
snaked down one side of the store, across the front, and back up the other side
of. As we all waited in line,
he popped out several times to remind us of things he had forgotten to say in
the talk, but also once to assure everyone that he would stay until the very
last book had been signed. That was pretty gracious considering he still had to
drive back to Grand Rapids when the event was over.
When signing time came, he took the time to again greet each
person individually and to pose for yet another picture. You could tell he really wanted
everyone that had come to see him to be happy. When I left, somewhere around
10:15, he was still signing. We took a quick trip over to Taco Bell for a few
bean and cheese burritos, and when we drove back past Playmakers, well after
10:30, you could see him through the window, still in their signing.
For me, this was a really great experience. His personality
is even more engaging in person than it is in the book, and I have even more
respect for him, not only as one of the best ultrarunners of all time but also
as an outstanding human being. If you get
the chance to head out to one of his events to meet him, I highly recommend
that you do so. His book tour schedule is listed on his site at http://scottjurek.com/eatandrun/events/. And, if you have not yet read his book, what are you waiting for?
"We strive toward
a goal, and whether we achieve it or not is important, but it's not what's most
important. What matters is how we move toward the goal. What's crucial is the
step we're taking now, the step you're taking now." Scott Jurek, Eat and Run
I love books about running. Several shelves in my book cases
are devoted to my fairly extensive collection of running books. On those shelves are many that I have read
multiple times and that are like old friends. In those books, especially the
memoirs and biographies, I often find things I can relate to and stories that
inspire, but there is no book on my shelves right now that has had more impact
than the one I have just finished reading. I am referring to Scott Jurek's new
book , Eat and Run, which was just
released this past Tuesday.
Many times I have tried to explain, either to my road
running friends or to non-runners, why I love trail running and ultras. This
book expresses it so eloquently. If anyone wants to really understand the heart
and soul of ultrarunning, it is all here in this wonderful book.
Those of you who have read Born to Run, may already be familiar with Scott Jurek. If you are
not, let me give you a quick bio from his web site:
Scott Jurek's outstanding competitive resume includes
victories in nearly all of ultrarunning's elite trail and road events,
including the historic 153-mile Spartathlon, the Hardrock 100, the Badwater
135-mile Ultramarathon, the Miwok 100K, and—his signature race—the Western
States 100 Mile Endurance Run, which he won a record seven straight times. The
Washington Times named him one of the top runners of the decade, Runner's World
awarded him a Hero of Running and Ultrarunning Magazine named him Ultra-Runner
of the Year three times. In 2010, he set a new US all-surface record in the
24-Hour Run with 165.7 miles—6.5 marathons in one day—for which he was named
USA Today's Athlete of the Week.
Scott is a truly amazing endurance athlete and has been one
of my running heroes since I first saw him in the Race for the Soul video that I told you about in an earlier post.
Although I had pre-ordered a copy of the book from Amazon, I
could not wait for it to arrive. I drove down to my local Barnes and Noble and
bought the only copy in the store. I thanked my lucky stars there was one
available and headed home. I was already anticipating a good read because I had
read (and loved) the excerpt from it printed in Trail Runner magazine, called "The Wisdom of Hippie Dan."
Expectations were high, but the book exceeded them in all areas.
First let me give you the basics about the book. The book is a memoir of Jurek's life from
childhood and his beginnings as a runner, through his climb to ultramarathon
greatness, to the present. However, it is not just about running. Scott's
approach to life is thoughtful and holistic, and thus his story is as well. The
book is as much about nutrition and spirituality (his becoming a vegan and
searching for a better understanding of himself and life in general) as it is
about running, as these three things are the essential essence of who he is --
it would be impossible to look at running in his life without also looking at
these other things. At the end of the
chapters, which mostly focus on the running, there is a section of training
tips and a vegetarian recipe for any readers who may be interested in exploring
that area.
This book will not just appeal to runners and ultrarunners.
There is something in this book for everyone who has ever strived and
questioned, been the underdog, doubted themselves, dealt with adversity,
decided to live more deliberately, attempted to live with integrity by bringing
action in tune with principles, and searched for one's limits. If there is any
doubt that a non-runner could enjoy the book, let me tell you this. I started
to read a portion of the first chapter to my husband, who has never run a step
in his life (unless someone was chasing him). He was so interested that I ended up
reading the entire book aloud to him
because he didn't want to wait for me to finish it so that he could read it
himself. He loved it as much as I did.
Why? (I smile as I
start the paragraph this way because "why?" is a question that Scott
never stopped asking throughout the book.) What makes the book and the story so
captivating? Well first, Scott is a person that many people will be able to
relate to on several levels.
Scott is an underdog of sorts who overcame and achieved. His
childhood was difficult. His mother was ill, diagnosed with MS at an early age,
when Scott was quite young. His childhood and adolescence was full of worry,
working and caring for his siblings and his ailing mother. His father was
hardworking but stoic. Scott was the "Pee Wee," the wimp, the picked
on kid, the sidekick to the natural jock.
To watch the transformation of this unlikely athlete into a world class champion
is incredibly inspiring and gives hope to all of us that anyone can accomplish
great things if they approach them carefully, with passion, perseverance, and
determination. His father's advice,
which is a key mantra in Scott's life, "Sometimes
you just do things," will be something that will no doubt pop into
every reader's head at some point in the future when things get tough in
running or in life.
A second thing that I love about the book is his honesty on
so many levels. He is honest about his failures and shortcomings. He could have
packed the book with the stories of only his successes, but he also talks about
his failures, the races he didn't win or sometimes didn't complete, and the
times he struggled physically and mentally. He talks about the ambivalence of
the situation with his family, his moments of selfishness, and his moments of
questioning and self-doubt in an honest way that has to be respected.
I also love the balance he continually seeks between being a spiritual person
and being a competitive athlete. He will be poetically describing the beauty of
the Colorado Rockies one minute and the next be discussing his strategy for
turning out his headlamp to trick his competitors in an effort to win the race.
One moment he is appreciating the simple grace of the Greek people and the next
running like hell as he passes a competitor to demoralize him and discourage a
counter-attack.
This is something that many trail and ultrarunners can
surely relate to. We love the spirituality of the experience, but it is a race. If we were only
interested in the spirituality, we would run the trails and not venture into
the race situation. He does such an
outstanding job of showing how the appreciation for the beauty, the reflection
on the meaning, and the competitive aspect can all flow in and out of each
other as part of the total experience.
Another fascinating aspect of the book is watching the
evolution of Scott's desire to live deliberately. He is very Thoreau-like in his approach to
life, which is how the vegetarian/vegan aspect comes into play. Part of his
quest to live more deliberately and also to excel as a runner led him to a
concern with what he was putting into his body. This led him to his decisions
to become vegetarian and later vegan, which is something that he believes in
passionately. Again, the honesty comes into play here. He is honest about his
evolution to the full vegan he is today. He talks about how in the early stages
of his transformation, he would sometimes still stop at McDonald's for chicken
sandwiches or sausage and egg biscuits.
He recognizes that we may not all desire to switch to a vegan lifestyle,
but he does invite us all to think a bit more carefully about what we decide to
put into our bodies and the effect this has on our lives.
If you have ever considered making changes to your diet,
Scott's book will definitely be an inspiration.
I had actually been contemplating this idea for several months, and just
the Hippie Dan excerpt had been enough to convince me to give it a try. I have
been almost meat free for the past month (with just a few exceptions -- we need
to empty the freezer). I can't wait to try some of the recipes that Scott has
provided in the book. (I will be
reporting back on my progress on this plant-based athlete thing over the next
few months.)
Finally, I love the
relationship in the book between Scott and his friend Dusty. I have always been
a sucker for the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid style guy friendships, and
their unlikely and quirky friendship was a high point of the book for me.
I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed by this
book. If I could choose only one running book to have with me on a desert
island, this would be the one.
If you are still in doubt about whether you might want to
read the book, check out this video promo:
I am so passionate about this book that I have decided to
have this as my June giveaway. (That extra copy I ordered came in handy!) Click here to visit the Through a Running Lens Facebook page for details on how to enter. Contest end Friday, June 15th.
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(P.S. If you do decide to order the book from Amazon, I would be very grateful if you remembered to click through one of the links to the book on this site.)
