Running – Disney – COOKING? I review my absolute favorite cookbooks for runners!
I may not be a professional chef, but I do enjoy making tasty and healthy dishes! My cooking wasn’t always great. On my own, I am pretty clueless; I overseason and overcook, it’s not great guys. But with the help of a good cookbook, I can make some amazing things!
When I started running long distances, I realized I needed to fuel my body with proper nutrition. Being a more frugal lady, I couldn’t afford to buy pre-made meals or paid nutrition services. Thus, my cooking hobby began! This was a good thing because cooking ended up becoming one of my favorite hobbies. I’ve bought many cookbooks, but these three are the ones I always come back to! Keep reading for my Absolute Favorite Cookbooks for Runners!
- Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook: Over 100 Gluten-Free Recipes to Help You Shine from Within by, Juli Bauer
- Run Fast. Eat Slow. by, Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky
- Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. by, Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. These products are linked because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases.
Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook: Over 100 Gluten-Free Recipes to Help You Shine from Within
Juli Bauer is the brainchild behind Paleomg.com. She is a self-proclaimed “cross-fit junkie” and is dedicated to being active and healthy. Years ago when I first started cooking “paleo” style, she was my go-to blog for great recipes. I’m not paleo anymore, but I still love her! On her blog, she constantly posts about her workouts, fashion, and cooking, but I’m obsessed with her cookbook!
Everything I have made out of her cookbook has been SO GOOD! Seriously, my favorite recipe is “Lechon Asado (slow cooker Cuban pork)”. The pork is packed with flavor, and the best part is it’s made in the slow cooker (my favorite appliance)! I also make her “Tostones (Fried Green Plantains)” and “Pico de Gallo Salad” to go with it and it’s TO DIE FOR!
No joke, I had an appetizer at the Jungle Skipper Canteen in The Magic Kingdom (sorry, random Disney story here) called Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas. It came highly recommended at the time (this was a few years ago). I promptly freaked out after tasting it because it was just like what I’d made from Juli’s cookbook! I was proud of myself for being able to cook something SO good!
Run Fast. Eat Slow.
Shalane Flanagan is an accomplished long-distance runner. She has won many American running records and was the women’s first-place finisher at the 2017 New York City Marathon. She is an American treasure!
Flanagan and Kopecky met in college where they both ran cross country. Kopecky went on to work for Nike before becoming a nutrition coach. The two joined forces to create the ultimate cookbook for runners: Run Fast. Eat Slow. Theirs was the first non-paleo cookbook I purchased, and it remains my favorite!
In the book, they connect all their recipes with running and why nutrition is important for runners. Not to mention the food tastes GREAT! Yes, the book is geared towards runners, but anyone who is looking for healthy, not overly complicated recipes should check it out.
Speaking of easy recipes… Soup is my favorite one-pot stop for simple and delicious meals! Run Fast. Eat Slow. has some great soup recipes! One that I find myself making regularly is the “Flu-Fighter Chicken and Rice Stew”. It’s simple and full of good for you ingredients! I make it year-round, flu season or not!
Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.
Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. is Flanagan and Kopecky’s follow-up to their original New York Times Best Selling cookbook. In this edition, they make simpler recipes for busy athletes. The layout and style are very similar between the two books, and that’s fine by me! This second book is just as great as the first, filled with super tasty creations!
Recently I made their “Thai Quinoa Salad” and fell in love! It is packed full of flavor thanks to all the fresh herbs, plus it is crazy healthy! I can’t believe it took me so long to try making it considering that I constantly have that page in the cookbook open on my counter. Within the recipe, they lay out a foolproof method for making quinoa, and I’ve referenced it many times! Try it out! Also, the leftovers just get better each day as the flavors meld!
Bonus! Rise and Run
A newer addition to Flanagan and Kopecky’s great cookbook line up is Rise and Run! It’s all about breakfast foods! If you love their other cookbooks, this is also a total winner!
Cooking might not come to mind when you think of running, but there is a definite connection! The cleaner you fuel your body, the more optimally it will perform! With my favorite cookbooks for runners, I know I can always make something great! =)
Don’t forget to read Time-Tested Gear for Superior Distance Running to help you reach your goals!
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Love this post! I’m not really a “runner” but I do run hahaha! I don’t run long distance, just 2 miles a day. But I also love to cook, these cookbooks are perfect.
Thank you! 2 miles is great! They really are the best cookbooks =)
Your food looks delicious! I also love Paleomg, I think she’s great!
Thanks for sharing your favourite cookbooks. I will check them out and see which one I like the best. I’m sure they’re all filled with delicious recipes, whether you’re a runner or a walker.
I had no idea there was a such thing as cookbook for runners… good to know and good info here, thanks!
This is a great resource for runners….it’s been nearly 5 years since I ran my last marathon, and it wasn’t easy to figure out what to eat! It seems to get harder and harder to fuel properly and recover, especially as we get older! Thanks for sharing this!!
These all look so good! I need to get more healthy recipes into my weekly meal plan. Thanks for sharing!