In our series #RUNNINGFOOD we give you practical tips for runners’ meals; we’d like to start with a few breakfast inputs. Proteins, carbohydrates and good fatty acids: a good breakfast includes all three main nutrients. Depending on the goal, point of time and taste, you can choose your favourite version.
Two categories, two priorities
Breakfast is the most important meal oft the day. Thus, you should not skip it. It has even been shown in studies that people who skip breakfast eat more during the day than people who had had scrambled eggs for breakfast. Breakfast haters could for example prepare a shake instead.
High-protein breakfast
A high-protein start of the day keeps you full in the long run and covers a good share of the daily protein requirements. Those versions are appropriate on rest days or after a run. Combine them with whole grain bread or cooked potatoes.
Breakfast shake
Ingredients:
150 g lowfat quark
100 ml milk/ soy milk/ natural joghurt
1 banana
100 g fresh or frozen berries, ex. raspberries, blueberries, strawberries
1 teaspoon of cocoa
3 tablespoons of oatmeal
1 tablespoon of flaxseed
2 teaspoons of chia seeds
Optionally: agave syrup to sweeten the shake and/or 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Preparation:
Put the chia seeds and flaxseed into a glass, add triple the amount hot water, let it rest for 10min. Then, put all ingredients into a mixer, mix – done!
Mediterranean scrambled eggs
Ingredients:
2 eggs
a little bit of milk
½ onion
½ zucchini
50 g feta cheese
a handful of fresh herbs, like rosemary, chives, thyme, oregano, basil
sea salt, pepper
a bit of butter
Preparation:
Whisk the eggs with some of the milk. Chop up the onion and the zucchini. Heat up some butter in a pan. Brown the onion and the zucchini and then pour the egg/milk blend over it. Add the feta cheese. Season with the herbs, salt and pepper. Let it thicken at a low temperature. Turn over with a spatula and let it brown a little on both sides. Serve with a bit of whole grain bread, if required.
Breakfast quark base mixture
(can be prepared for several portions and then stored in the fridge)
Ingredients:
500 g lowfat quark
500 g natural joghurt, 1.5%
200 g grainy cream cheese
½ TL teaspoon of fresh vanilla powder
agave syrup to sweeten, if required
Preparation:
Blend all ingredients, sweeten if required and store in a bowl or jar in the fridge.
For a delicious breakfast, jazz up this blend with fresh fruit and grains/seeds, ex.
* flexseed
* pumpkin seeds
* hempseed
* buckwheat
* chia seeds
* almonds
* oatmeal
Carbo breakfast
Before a competition or an exhausting day: With carbohydrates you can start the day fully loaded. Before a competition or an intense training session, you should reduce the proteins or skip them completely, as they can cause an upset stomach. Porridge or bread with butter and honey are ideal in those cases. Either is a good choice, everyone has to decide for themselves which one they prefer. In all other cases, however, a combination out of carbohydrates and proteins is recommended, as it keeps you full longer. Furthermore, proteins provide you with an important dosis of amino acids needed for recovery and muscle building.
Porridge
Ingredients for 1 portion:
200 ml milk (or half milk/ half water)
ca. 50 g oatmeal
one pinch of salt
1 piece of fruit
Optionally: cinnamon, honey
Preparation:
Pour the milk into a pot, add the oatmeal, make it cook. Add a pinch of salt. Let it simmer for a little while, jazz it up with a piece of fruit of your choice, and a little cinnemon or honey, if required.
Spelt semolina with glazed apples and natural joghurt
Ingredients for 4 portions:
500 ml Spelt drink or milk
125 g Spelt/whole grain semolina or wholemeal spelt flour
2 tablespoons of cocoa
30-50 g agave syrup
2 pinches of vanille powder
2 apples chopped up in thin slices
2 tablespoons of raisins
2 tablespoons of chipped almonds
2 tablespoons of honey
Optionally: 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
500 g joghurt or soy joghurt (unsweetened)
Preparation:
Make the spelt drink boil in a pot. Add the semolina and the cocoa, stir with a whisk. Add the vanilla powder and sweeten with the agave syrup, if required.
Heat up some water in a pan. Sauté the apple slices in the pan for a little while. As soon as the water has evaporated a bit, add the raisins, almonds and honey and brown the mixture. Put it on top of the prepared semolina, add the natural joghurt to finish off with.
Whole grain bread with grainy cream cheese
Ingredients:
2 slices of whole grain bread (spelt or rye)
200 g grainy cream cheese
6 basil leaves
fresh chives
2 tomatoes
4 slices of cucumber
salt and pepper
Preparation:
Spice up the grainy cream cheese with salt, pepper and finely chopped herbs. Spread it on the bread, add cucumber and tomato on top.
This blog entry was written by Ingalena Schömburg-Heuck, running.COACH Gold prescription coach, sports scientist and German champion (2010) in half marathon.