Autumn is my favourite time of year to be a runner. Crisp air, Mother Nature’s tree top artwork, and comfort food at its finest. The following recipes will keep you well fuelled pre & post run, celebrate all the festive flavours of fall and won’t sabotage all your hard work on foot. From My Happy & Healthy Kitchen to Yours, ENJOY!
Curried Pumpkin Slow Cooker Stew *Vegan & Gluten Free
Warm up after a long autumn run with a bowl of hearty and healthy stew.
2 cups (500 mL) vegetable broth
1 (398 mL) can coconut milk
1 cup (250 mL) pure pumpkin puree *not pumpkin pie filling
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, well washed and chopped *skin on
1 turnip, well washed and chopped *skin on
2 parsnips, well washed and chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) quality curry powder
2 tsp (10 mL) minced fresh garlic
1 tsp (5 mL) each; ground turmeric, ground cumin and sea salt
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cardamom
Pinch chili flakes *or more to taste
4 cups (1 L ) chopped fresh kale or Swiss chard
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped pitted dates *optional
1/4 cup (60 mL) red quinoa
Garnish (*optional) chopped fresh mint and chopped fresh green onions
Stir together first three ingredients in slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients (except for kale, red pepper, dates and quinoa) and stir well. Cover and cook on high heat for 4 hours (*or on low heat for 7 to 8 hours). Remove lid and stir in kale, chopped pepper, dates and quinoa. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes or on low heat for an additional 45 minutes or until quinoa is cooked. When ready to serve, garnish with mint and green onion. Makes about 8 cups (2 L).
Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins with Spiced Molasses Cream Cheese Icing
A sweet & nutritious autumn inspired treat.
½ cup (125 mL) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
½ cup (125 mL) fancy molasses
1/3 cup (75 mL) brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (375 mL) dark buckwheat flour
¼ cup (60 mL) green pumpkin seeds
3 tbsp (45 mL) each; ground flax seed, hemp seed and chia seeds
1 tbsp (15 mL) ground ginger
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2 mL) each; ground cloves and allspice
Pinch salt
1 ½ cups (375 mL) pure pumpkin puree *not pumpkin pie filling
Spiced Molasses Icing *optional
2/3 cup (150 mL) softened cream cheese
2 tbsp (30 mL) each; icing sugar, softened butter and fancy molasses
¼ tsp (1 mL) vanilla extract
Generous pinch of ground ginger and ground cinnamon
Garnish: Additional pumpkin seeds
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Beat together oil, molasses, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix until well combined. Spoon batter evenly between muffin cups. Bake in center of preheated oven for 25 to 30 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with little crumb. Cool completely on wire rack. Icing: Beat together all ingredients until well combined. Spread icing evenly between muffins and garnish with pumpkin seeds. Makes 12 muffins.
Did you know? Despite the name, buckwheat is not wheat. It is a fruit seed related to rhubarb. Dark buckwheat flour is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and high in dietary fiber. It is also rich in essential vitamins and minerals like zinc and copper. Although buckwheat itself is gluten free, it is often milled in factories that are not gluten free – this is important for people to know who suffer from Celiac disease.
Charmaine Broughton-Dunn is a trained chef, cooking instructor, and food writer for a number of national publications. She is an avid runner (completing dozens of marathons and triathlons) and is a very proud ambassador of Mizuno Running. Charmaine has appeared on City Line, Toronto’s Breakfast Television and is a regular guest on Rogers Daytime sharing her love of food and cooking.
Most importantly; Charmaine is the mother of two active boys, Tyler & Colgan. Charmaine understands the importance of preparing healthy wholesome dishes all while keeping budget and time in mind. Follow Charmaine on twitter @runnercharb www.charmainebroughton.com