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Run Less, Eat More

Ok, so maybe running less and eating more isn't the best advice. But it's what I've been doing lately! I am officially committing to the Run Less, Run Faster Marathon Training Plan. I'll do a post soon on my thoughts on the program, but suffice it to say I'm really excited!

Can you believe that today was my first run of the week? Yes, I realize that it's Thursday. I had my epic hike on Monday, rested on Tuesday, and then fit in an hour of P90x Plyometrics Wednesday. So I haven't been slacking, exactly, but it was definitely time for a run! I decided it would be really smart to run at 11am in the sun. Genius. Still managed 5 miles though, with the three middle at tempo pace. I'll take it.

You might have noticed a distinct lack of eats lately. Mostly because....food choices have been dull. A lot of repeats, nothing too exciting. I'm definitely rotating through the same meals every week and I want a little bit of a change!

GF pizza and salad

Spinach salads with homemade corn chips

Roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes with asian PB sauce

GF spaghetti with rosemary chicken marinara

"Fried" rice with tilapia, egg, onions, and broccoli

Sweet potato fries, fried eggs, and cucumbers

Baked tilapia, corn on the cob, jasmine rice, and broccoli

P.S. I would like to share some amazing culinary advice with you. Don't try to grate baby carrots. You might think it will add some color to a boring salad, but those little guys are small. Grated my little fingers raw! Too. Much. Effort.


Do you ever get in a cooking rut? How do you get out of it?!
I'm usually pretty happy to eat the same foods time and time again, but I definitely feel like my meals (and dinners, especially) are just on a ten day cycle that repeats over and over again!

If you could give ONE piece of cooking advice, what would it be?
I kind of want to be funny here and say, "Just order pizza," but I'll try to actually be helpful instead. My advice would be to read the recipe instructions all the way through before you start cooking. I've started so many things and then gone, "oh, I need that cooked now?"
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Comments

  1. savoryandsavageAugust 4, 2011 at 7:42 PM

    I get into cooking ruts sometimes. It is usually after I have had some kind of stomach bug and I am stuck with a very restrictive diet for a week or so.

    My one piece of cooking advice is to be creative about ingredients and try combinations that seem a bit strange. But I will add one more thing - taste an ingredient before you put it in a recipe especially if you have never cooked with it before.

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  2. ShortSkirtsAugust 4, 2011 at 7:46 PM

    i'm in a bit of a cooking rut, but mostly just because i'm super busy.

    A bit of cooking advice, grilling everything tastes better, and fresh lemon juice adds an amazing amount of fresh flavor. I always keep a bag of lemons in the house.

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  3. ElleAugust 4, 2011 at 8:06 PM

    That is so funny about the baby carrots... I did the same thing earlier this week and had to be so careful not to include my finger tips in the ingredients!

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  4. justmeAugust 4, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    not just a cooking rut just a food rut. i feel like i only eat the same old things.....hate it.

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  5. ChelsAugust 4, 2011 at 8:36 PM

    Your meals actually look pretty amazing to me! Gave me some quick ideas because I know I am in a food rut!!

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  6. CatieAugust 4, 2011 at 8:37 PM

    the sweet potatoes and asian peanut butter sauce looks super yummy! im a vegetarian allergic to tree nuts so i am always looking for yummy meals

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  7. AnonymousAugust 4, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    I spend the school year in a cooking rut and try to experiment in the summers. It's not perfect, but it works okay :)

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  8. JennÊ»s AdventureÊ»sAugust 4, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    I got the eebie jeebies when I saw that grater!! *quiver*

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  9. LisaAugust 4, 2011 at 9:38 PM

    My baking advice (yeah right, as if I have any inside info that you don't already know) would be to buy and use a pizza stone. We use ours so often that it almost never gets put away. I bake EVERYTHING on it - in fact I don't even own a cookie sheet. Not really all that secret, but it's easy clean and easy to use.

    I was thinking that today was already Thursday and I've only gotten one run in this week - glad I'm not alone (though I didn't have an epic Monday hike or a P90X session - okay, I'm s slug).

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  10. CynthiaAugust 4, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    So excited i'm using RLRF for the half and hopefully if I like it will use it for a marathon next year!

    The spinach salad looks delish!

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  11. GracieAugust 4, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    Oooh...one piece of cooking advice? Yu can use whole wheat flour for white flour if you increase the leaving by about 30%.

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  12. FalonAugust 4, 2011 at 10:02 PM

    My middle name is cooking rut. My husband loves to eat the same 5 foods over and over so I usually cave to his routine. Tonight I actually got some random stuff at the store and made a delcious salad while he had spaghetti. I need to do that morew often! those sweet pa-tater fries look yummy!

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  13. Andi FitzAugust 4, 2011 at 10:12 PM

    Your title made me laugh. I feel like that's what I've been doing lately too. I just finished reading the Run Less, Run More book too. I like it! I haven't committed to the training program quite yet though. I tend to rotate the same foods over and over as well, mostly because those same foods are what I'm always in the mood for. Eventually I get sick of them and pick something else to rotate over and over. Cooking advice from me is to pick 7 new dinner recipes via blogs or wherever that you want to try, write down the ingredients before you go to the store, and then you'll have what you need to try some new recipes whenever you find yourself in the mood to cook.

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  14. JuliaAugust 4, 2011 at 10:32 PM

    your food looks so delicious, colorful and healthy! yum! i always feel like I am in a cooking rut...I find something I like and just keep making it. I feel like I get home and I am too tired to think of anything else...haha!

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  15. AnonymousAugust 4, 2011 at 10:34 PM

    Gosh I feel like I am always eating the same things, I just get comfortable eating the same dishes and forget to explore lol

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  16. Christina @ The AthletarianAugust 4, 2011 at 11:23 PM

    I get in a cooking rut all the time, but to be honest, I don't mind it! I am a pretty simple eater and enjoy eating really easy things. I don't even cook all that much if I don't have to, especially in the summer! I like quick sandwiches, fresh fruit and veggies, pita "pizzas" that only require a microwave, cereal, and yogurt bowls. I could seriously live off those things!

    I'm probably not the best to ask about cooking advice since I am currently not doing very much of it!

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  17. XaarlinAugust 4, 2011 at 11:50 PM

    Yes! Run less, eat more! I like it!!!

    All the food you posted looks amazing. I'm hungry now and shouldn't eat anymore because it's late. My cooking advice is don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients. I've done enough out of cook books to be able to piece something together that is really tasty (like Thai and Indian influence) but still make
    It simple.

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  18. Margot (fasterbunnyblog)August 4, 2011 at 11:59 PM

    Haha. Love run less eat more.

    Hmmm cooking advice: There are a lot of super cheap foods in the grocery store that are pretty delicious and often ignored! (lentils, split peas, rice...etc....that taste amazing if you put them in broth, with spices, tomatoes, etc...).

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  19. VanessaAugust 5, 2011 at 12:09 AM

    I think my answers to both questions are pretty much identical to yours. I tend to eat the same things (during the day) for weeks at a time. Then I get tired of it, move on, and stick with the new thing for weeks. I'm a creature of habit.

    As far as other cooking advice goes, I would say that it's ok to experiment once you feel more comfortable in the kitchen. Adding "a dash of this and a pinch of that" can make for some pretty legendary dishes. =)

    BTW, I'm SO guilty of not reading a recipe through all the way.

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  20. CaitlinAugust 5, 2011 at 3:33 AM

    okay, LUV that spread and especially the pizza!!! ummm, my cooking rut is ongoing, anything more than dialing the micro or placing an order sadly. i need any and all cooking tips! :P

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  21. Running RicigAugust 5, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    hahaha! I've tried to grate baby carrots too. Definitely learned from that mistake!

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  22. LauraAugust 5, 2011 at 9:14 AM

    ...your food has been way more interesting than mine this week!!

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  23. AnonymousAugust 5, 2011 at 9:16 AM

    I've been in such a food rut lately too. I'm trying to climb out of it by buying new cookbooks and digging out some of the oldies-but-goodies. On the upside, your plates are still pretty colorful!

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  24. Siobhan McCarthy.caAugust 5, 2011 at 9:29 AM

    Your food looks so yummy! But your poor fingers!

    I definitely go through food ruts where I get boring and make the same things. That's when I usually bust out a cookbook and make something completely out of the norm!

    My advice- get crazy in the kitchen and experiment! Be creative, and go for it. Your stomach will love you for it and you will feel so accomplished!

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  25. Happy Healthy RunnerAugust 5, 2011 at 10:13 AM

    Haha ohh you crack me up. I definitely am guilty of starting cooking and then getting to a point and going OH CRAP I was supposed to do that first?!

    Hmmm my advice - homemade pizza kills takeout pizza... so so good! everyone should make homemade pizza AT LEAST once (and then you will be hooked, I PROMISE)

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  26. TriciaAugust 5, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    I pretty much thrive on routine. I eat the same thing week after week...and I'm ok with it.

    :)

    yeah that makes me sound pretty boring

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  27. UnknownAugust 5, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    ugh always! have you noticed my posts have been bare of food! This winter I honestly would make a big batch of stir fry on Monday night and eat it for lunch every day that week and some dinners....can you say major repeat offender?!

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  28. kristenAugust 5, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    I'm totally game for the Run Less, Eat More plan. Let's write a book...

    My two bits of cooking advice:
    1- follow the recipe closely the first time, then tweak it to your liking after that.
    2- make sure you have the ingredients BEFORE you start cooking. (ugh- forgot that with a cake once(

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  29. AnonymousAugust 5, 2011 at 12:49 PM

    My training group goes by the Run Less, Run Faster plan. I LOVE IT.

    Cooking advice: Try out ONE new recipe a week - and always try it a second time (because it's always easier the 2nd time and usually tastes better!).

    ReplyDelete
  30. Rachelle WardleAugust 5, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    Doesn't look like a rut to me. Your food looks delcious as always. Love how pretty it looks. You put my toss something in a bowl and call it a meal dinners to shame. :)

    Cooking advice: Set the timer on the oven. :):)

    ReplyDelete
  31. AnonymousAugust 6, 2011 at 12:30 AM

    haha i never read a whole recipe, or follow it all the way. i get in ruts all the time, but i dont mind repeating meals. i only cook for myself but usually cook 3 servings so that i will have leftovers and dont have to cook every day

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  32. Jess A @cajunrunnerjessAugust 6, 2011 at 7:49 AM

    Your food looks always so delicious!!

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  33. MelissaAugust 7, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    I love to make a huge amount of yummy food and then have an easy and delicious dinner every night. If you add things in then you can sort of make it different. It takes too much effort to cook a meal each day! So...I like my ruts :)

    And those sweet potatoes look soooo good right now!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Monika @ Monika's MilesAugust 11, 2011 at 7:58 PM

    FYI - this is now starred in my google reader. I plan on cooking all of this. SUCCESS!

    ReplyDelete

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