My food philosophy is shaped by both of my parents. My dad, an Italian immigrant, brought me up in the European food tradition – where whole, nourishing, close-to-the-earth foods are made from scratch, enjoyed over a communal table, and without labels or restriction. Growing up, my dad made the most amazing dinners for us with restaurant-quality presentation and attention to detail – and I (naively) assumed that was just how every family ate! He would make me fresh bread with olive oil for an after school snack, and we would eat olives from the jar together in the kitchen.
My health-conscious mom introduced me to how the foods you eat can affect how you feel, and how different foods can have different healing and health-promoting properties. And she led by example – as a lifelong exerciser and someone who always stocked our pantry with products from Whole Foods and natural markets. I’m forever grateful for both of these influences.
Since becoming a runner 13+ years ago, I’ve seen firsthand how food can be used as both a tool – and a detriment – to runners. Runners already receive a ton of messages about how lighter = faster and how achieving “race weight” is a key part of achieving PRs. I want to contribute a different message – encouraging runners to focus on how the foods we eat make us feel (vs. what they make us weigh), and how plentiful, nourishing food is the cornerstone of productive, sustainable training. I also want to encourage runners to think of themselves as athletes. Athletes don’t diet and exercise – they eat and train.
I am not a Registered Dietitian and don’t offer specific nutrition advice or counseling. I simply enjoy sharing wholesome, nourishing recipes from my home kitchen designed to support your training – and to make you feel good.
If all of that resonates with you, you’re in the right place. I hope you’ll make a few of my recipes and share them with others you think might benefit. Happy, well-nourished running is infectious!