Trying out some new recipes

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To help Silvain in his aspirations to become an ultra runner I have stepped into the kitchen to help with fueling. I have enjoyed learning about fueling and how ‘eating is training’. We must put the right things into our bodies to ensure we have the outputs that we desire. The food we eat should support training intensity and recovery. At the same time, the food should help to   promote optimal training adaptations.
For example, when the aim is to perform to your highest potential, using the highest effort possible, you will need a sufficient carbohydrates for the duration of your workout and then a substantial post-workout snack of protein, fats, and carbs for your body to recover.
I have come across three general fueling rules for aspiring ultra runners:
  1. Eat more: you are burning way more calories than you were before and you need to replace them
  2. Fight the hunger: all that training will make you hunger but if you are hungry all of the time look at your current diet and see if any changes need to be made. Maybe you need more protein, more food prior to a run, or you need to eat more frequently.
  3. Try and try again: it may take months to figure out what exactly your body needs so feel free to experiment and learn through trial and error. ​
Yummly is my go-to app for finding and saving recipes. I love how it suggests recipes, offers recipes from many sources, and makes it easy to store and organize recipes. I have experimented with protein bars, protein shakes, and protein muffins, all with the hope to give Silvain something that it tasty, uses natural ingredients, and helps him to fuel and recover.
First up, Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies from Laura Fuentes at the Momables website. The version I made swapped the raisins for chocolate chips, because who doesn’t like chocolate? These were made as a last minute decision after coming across this recipe while looking for supper inspiration. They have all-natural ingredients, no refined sugar, extra protein, and are healthy enough to eat as a ‘grab and go breakfast’.
The Good
  • Tasty and satisfying
  • Healthy, but without that ‘I know this is good for me but it tastes like cardboard’ taste
  • A good alternative to a protein bar since they are packable and won’t crumble
  • Quick and easy to make
  • Uses relatively cheap ingredients, all of which we always have on hand
The Bad
  • Too fluffy; not as soft and chewy as Silvain’s favourite cookies.
  • The website does not list the nutritional value for each cookie, making it difficult to know how much protein is in each serving.
The Ugly
  • Nothing, they are definitely on the ‘make again’ list!
Next….. Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie from Dave and Diane at the Homemade Food Junkie blog. After experimenting, and even failing a few times, with smoothies I found this little gem. It is a perfect mix of peanut butter and chocolate and offers 19 grams of protein per 16 oz serving.
The Good
  • Creamy and delicious
  • Only 6 simple ingredients
  • No pre-chopping or grinding needed
  • Who doesn’t like peanut butter and chocolate
  • Huge dose of protein - perfect for after a long run (especially when Silvain is not a big food eater after a run)
The Bad
  • Misses out on the vegetables and fibre that are found in most other smoothies
  • Quite rich in taste and almost too sweet for breakfast
The Ugly
  • Nada, best smoothie I have made thus far!
Finally, Chewy Dark Chocolate Cherry Protein Granola Bars with Chia Seeds, now that’s a mouthful! I made a bit of substitutions with these by swapping dried cranberries for cherries and omitting the millet and using more chia seeds and oats, and then adding hemp seeds. They are one of the great creations from Monique at Ambitious Kitchen. She describes these bars as, “Chewy protein-packed granola bars made with almond butter, protein powder, dark chocolate and cherries! These gluten-free and vegan-friendly bars are the perfect snack or breakfast.” They were a hit with us and with our friends when we packed them for a climbing trip. With 8 grams of protein, 3.7 grams of fibre, and many ways to create variations of the bar, these will be made again for sure!
The Good
  • Packed with protein to keep you feeling satisfied, and to help rebuild and restore muscles.
  • Gooey, chocolatey, and delicious
  • By making them in a cake pan they can be cut into any shape or size you prefer, making it easy to pack them along for adventures.
  • Monique offers easy ways to reduce the calories/sugar, ensure that they are vegan, and other ideas of how to alter them to your liking
The Bad
  • Some ingredients, such as almond butter, pure maple syrup, and dried cherries, can be pricey
  • Take longer to make than the no-bake varieties of protein bars.
  • We aren’t big fans of crispy cereal or millet in our bars so the original recipe had to be altered before we were completely satisfied.
The Ugly
  • There are too many recipes for protein bars out there, this one made the cut but I know that many others are just as good!
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I love this shoe. It got me through multiple treadmill long runs, snowy trail runs, and my first marathon. The shoe was released in January 2017 and is Saucony’s “first ever full-length​ EVERUN™ midsole.” The Everrun is what sold me on them. It gives me the perfect balance of bounce and cushion throughout my entire long run and isn’t bulky.
Some specs from the website:
  • Pronation: None
  • Cushion: Plush
  • Construction Type: Neutral
  • Surface: Road, Track
  • Arch: High, Normal (Mid)
  • Water Resistant: No
  • Waterproof: No
  • Offset: 4mm
  • Heel: 19mm/Forefoot: 15mm
  • Weight: 8.1 oz | 230 g
See more here: https://www.saucony.com/en/freedom-iso/27439W.html
My breakdown:
The Good
  • Lightweight
  • Cushioning that lasts and lasts
  • They have a springy feel to them.
  • Arch support
  • A large variety of color choices
  • Breathable upper
  • Pushes your foot forward as you run
  • The ISO-Fit lacing allows many options for how tight or loose to tie
  • Easy to find in many running stores
The Bad
  • If you run on your toes, like I sometimes do, you will quickly develop holes in the upper (see photo).
  • Retails at a steep CDN$200
  • No medial support, which can cause tired feet to twist or turn
The Ugly
  • Nothing! These shoes came highly recommended to me, and I am highly recommending them to you.
A word on Saucony’s Liberty ISO:
Saucony added some medial support to add stability and titled it the Liberty ISO. Runner’s World magazine named it the Best Debut Shoe for Spring 2018. I look forward to trying out the Liberty once I am ready for my next pair of shoes!
Coming from someone who always has cold hands, I wouldn’t describe these as “extreme” cold mittens. Nonetheless, they’re my go-to mitten for many of my winter activities.
The features and benefits (found on Running Room’s website):My breakdown:
The Good
  • They block the cold, Alberta wind or most of it, at least.
  • You can run in them without getting super sweaty hands.
  • The palm grips allow you to drive, not drop your phone in the snow, open your tea thermos, and much more!
  • A runny nose can be wiped away with the fabric on the thumbs.
  • At a CDN$45 price point, they’re affordable.
  • They’re widely available at most Running Room locations and online.
  • They come in three fun colours (only if you consider black to be fun).
  • They’re not bulky and allow for layering (layering mittens can be a lifesaver).
The Bad
  • The unisex sizing causes those with slender hands and long fingers to buy a size that may fit bulky, just to get the length.
  • The mitt’s material is not touchscreen-compatible.
  • They don’t cover any of your wrist.
The Ugly
  • I keep losing them! I am on my third pair already, making them not as affordable as previously mentioned.
One final note:
Running Room also carries a large variety of gloves and convertible mittens (gloves with a mitten cover). These increase dexterity but at the cost of warmth. I will stick to my mittens for as long as the snow is here, at least.