The Running Chef

A year ago, I wrote about the challenges of writing a recipe. That post involved the tradition of an Irish stew and why I struggle to meet the cultural expectations of certain dishes. However, that’s part of the reason why writing recipes with a focus on nutrition makes recipe writing so much more complex.

While battling to ensure each recipe meets its macronutrient requirements, some key ingredients might need to be overlooked, such as rich, buttery ghee, in this easy midweek butter chicken. Yet, there’s also the science behind nutrition, and a bunch of ingredients that I might not have been familiar with a little over a year ago when I first started running. I might call myself the running chef, but I’m still learning and trying to understand the complexities of writing a recipe.

An Outdated Knowledge of Nutrition

I hold a degree in sports and exercise science, which gives me a solid understanding of sports nutrition. Unfortunately, the last time I focused on the science behind sports nutrition, at least beyond a calorie, was over ten years ago. So, I’ve either forgotten many of the key elements of it all, or the science behind sports nutrition has evolved, leaving my knowledge outdated or flawed.

This lack of up-to-date knowledge has left me with a lot more research to do when writing a recipe. Up until now, the most I’d thought about the food I consumed was the basic concept of calories in vs. calories out. I’d never really considered the role of macronutrients such as saturated fat on performance. Or the benefits of consuming enough B vitamins.

As a result, I’ve had to make changes to some of my tried-and-tested favourites, such as this chicken and filo pie. I prefer a crispy filo top to the original puff pastry, but the lack of copious butter is something I’ve had to adjust to, from a taste perspective.  

Recipe Writing & A Tale of Cultures

In my “Challenges of Writing a Recipe” post, I discussed the difficulties of meeting cultural expectations. It’s an issue we’ve experienced at work, and one that often sees celebrity chefs land themselves in trouble. And with good reason, most of the food we eat is based on cultural tastes and preferences. An inauthentic recipe has the potential to harm many people who strongly identify with their cultural foods and recipes.

That said, fusion cuisines are prevalent, and ingredients from diverse cultures are combined with cooking techniques from around the world. Breaking with tradition, these combinations sometimes work. Cajun chicken pasta went viral a few years ago and has since remained a favourite of cookbook chefs everywhere. Yet, some chefs have faced accusations of cultural appropriation. During the “jerk rice” scandal, Jamie Oliver faced criticism for his use of the term jerk. Jerk is considered a cooking technique, but Oliver used the term to describe his flavouring of his rice in a complete misunderstanding of culinary and historical traditions.

For me, this presents an issue. There’s a thin line between creating something new and unique from two beautiful cultures and offending a marginalised group. This is a problem since turning some of the best, well-known recipes into a running-friendly recipe may involve some adulteration of the cultural norms. I try to keep this to a minimum where possible, but it isn’t always practical.

Personal Tastes and An Allergy to a Superfood

There are foods I refuse to eat, such as salmon, for no reason other than a severe dislike. It’s ironic, since oily fish, such as salmon, are rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Growing up, we didn’t eat a lot of fish, and I’ve only recently found a liking for seafood with the help of prawns and this harissa-grilled sea bass.

Unfortunately, I can’t eat some things due to a food allergy. I first experienced the symptoms a few years ago when preparing a lamb recipe served with a walnut yoghurt. Within minutes of eating a couple of walnuts, my lips and cheeks had swollen to what felt twice their original size. I felt weak and struggled to breathe. A few months later, a similar incident occurred after I accidentally ate a Brazil nut. Since then, I’ve avoided all nuts, which is unfortunate since I used to really enjoy almonds, especially a Toblerone.

Like salmon, nuts are also a good source of healthy fats and magnesium. I can enjoy all these benefits from sunflower seeds, but having an entire food group, especially one as beneficial as nuts, limits my creative prowess when it comes to nutritional recipes.

Recipe Writing: Three Issues Wrapped Up by Experience

I’m confident that I’m a pretty decent cook, after all, it’s my job. Yet, I don’t understand some of these nutritional ingredients, such as spirulina, despite its numerous benefits for endurance runners. For me, combining cooking and nutrition is a journey, and one I’m still learning a great deal about. Even as I write this, spirulina appears to be something I would need to research and utilise more.