The Rights Fits is about Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion. We rarely delve into the realms of healthy eating/cooking, as so many healthy living bloggers do. I’m sorry if you came here hoping for recipes with protein powder, almond butter, and GOJI berries! Not that there’s anything wrong with those recipe-filled blogs. I read them daily for ideas myself! I just am not quite as creative in the kitchen as people like Jen from Peanut Butter Runner or Jenna from Eat, Live, Run. Don’t get me wrong, I feel that I eat a relatively healthy diet, and maybe someday I will go down that route of sharing more about my daily eats on here...With that in mind, this week’s post for Friday’s Favorite Fit is...well, actually it's a recipe- a recipe for runners!
This is my go-to recipe for carbo-loading before a long run. If you’ve been reading for awhile, you might know that Dustin and I usually love a Punch Pizza before our long runs. Punch Pizza is a Minneapolis chain that serves up fresh Neapolitan style pizzas for a good price. The pizzas are light with a very thin crust and with fresh ingredients. And they are made super fast- just 90 seconds!
But sometimes, Punch Pizza just isn’t an option…maybe we already went there earlier in the week, or maybe we just don’t want to wait in line on a warm summer night. (I love Punch, but some nights the line is out the door and around the building!) On those nights, we turn to THIS recipe for our pre-long run meal. It’s light and it’s easy. There’s not any cream or much cheese, or anything that might upset the tummy. I have a bit of a sensitive stomach, so this is perfect for me on a Friday night (like tonight) before a twenty mile training run the next morning.
This recipe is originally from the Food Network (Find it HERE), and it was brought to me by my speedy friend Kelly. You remember Kelly? She’s the one who ran a 3:25 at the Newport Marathon!
Yep. She’s fast. And another fascinating fact about Kelly is that she is a really good cook. And she eats this meal the whole week leading up to a marathon. This recipe is simple enough for those of us who aren’t culinary artists like Kelly, but yet it tastes good enough that you could probably fool a few people into thinking that you are!
It requires just a few simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen:
- ½ pound of cappellini (I used thin spaghetti)
- 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into bite sized chunks
- Red pepper flakes (I add a lot!)
- Salt
- Chopped fresh basil
- Optional grated parmesan for topping
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is golden.
Crush the tomatoes into the skillet.
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Add the zucchini and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt.
Meanwhile, cook the cappellini according to the package directions.
Drain and add to the sauce along with the basil; toss to coat. Top with parmesan.
Serve with a small green salad and fresh bread, and you’ll be ready for your long run on Saturday morning!
I am enjoying a big plate of this pasta right now, while I drink plenty of water to hydrate for tomorrow’s 20 mile run. You can bet that I’ll be toting my Nathan fuel belt filled with ice-cold Nuun. We do have two support stops planned for the long run (thanks to those awesome volunteers!) and there will be water fountains along the way, but with temperatures near 90 degrees tomorrow, I feel more comfortable with a little extra hydration on hand. I’ll fill up the pockets on my belt with 2-3 GU’s, some chapstick, a few dollars in case of an emergency, and maybe some paper towels/tissues, (anyone else ALWAYS have a running nose when running- even when its 90 degrees?).
I’m ready!
*Are you running a long run tomorrow? How far? Good luck!
P.S. I used this zucchini that my friend Penny gave me from her garden. It was enormous! I had enough to make some coconut zucchini bread as well (this recipe).
