Meal ideas and recipes for marathon runners from a Dana-Farber Nutritionist

Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, a senior clinical nutritionist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, American College of Sports Medicine certified fitness specialist, and former member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team shares her favorite recipes for all stages of marathon training.

During marathon training:

Breakfast
• Warm oatmeal (½ cup dry) prepared with low-fat milk or unsweetened almond milk (¾ cup – 1 cup), topped with fresh berries and chopped nuts of choice

• Overnight oats: Combine ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ milk or almond milk, pinch of cinnamon and a dash of vanilla extract. Store in an airtight container overnight in the refrigerator. Top with fresh fruit and/or nuts & seeds in the morning

• Veggie omelette: Fill with diced vegetables of your choice. Enjoy a slice of whole grain toast topped with avocado on the side.

Morning Snack
• Apple slices dipped in almond butter (or nut butter of choice)

Lunch
• Spinach salad with grilled chicken or roasted chicken breast topped with quinoa, cherry tomatoes and roasted pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.

• Mediterranean Salad: Mesclun greens topped with roasted chickpeas, cucumbers, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts and feta cheese. Add a hard boiled egg for additional protein. Drizzle with Greek dressing.

• Soups are an easy way to get all your nutrients in one dish! Look for soups with colorful vegetables, lentils and lean meats.

Afternoon Snacks
• Carrot sticks, cucumber slices or pepper strips dipped in hummus. Try roasted red pepper or sun dried tomato hummus for extra flavor!

Dinner
• Lemon baked cod over 1 cup of quinoa or brown rice. Fill half of your plate with sautéed green beans or vegetable of your choice!

• Turkey Tacos: Fill corn or whole wheat tortillas with ground turkey breast, diced avocado, tomatoes, black beans and lettuce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and cilantro.

Dessert
• Dark chocolate squares (1oz, at least 70% cocoa)- source of magnesium!

Recipe from Stacy:
Sweet Potato Chicken Stew: A healthy weeknight meal for your busy training schedule
Serves 4

Ingredients:
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” cubes
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Directions:
• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Stir in broth, tomatoes, beans, and paprika. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Scoop out 1 cup of stew and puree in a blender. Return puree to the pot.
• Add chicken and simmer until heated. Add the salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Week of marathon:

Breakfast
Scrambled eggs with cheese and whole wheat toast. Add a small smoothie on the side:
• 8 oz milk (low fat, fat free or dairy free)
• ½ cup bananas
• ½ cup blueberries or strawberries

Lunch
• Pasta Salad: Whole wheat or gluten-free pasta with shredded carrots, broccoli and chickpeas. Add chicken, salmon or tuna for protein! Toss with dressing of your choice.

Afternoon Snacks
• Cheese stick with carrot sticks and hummus.
• ½ cup cottage cheese drizzled with honey
• Rice cakes with almond butter

Dinner
• Baked salmon served over a bed of roasted asparagus. Add baked or mashed sweet potatoes. Enjoy a small salad on the side!
• Grilled bison burgers: Build a burger using whole wheat buns, lettuce, tomato and red onion. Add an arugula salad topped with thinly sliced pears, walnuts and lemon vinaigrette.

Dessert
• Homemade frozen yogurt:
o Blend ½ cup low-fat or fat free plain yogurt with 4 cups of frozen fruit (makes 4 servings)

Learn more about the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team’s mission to conquer cancer.