Post-Run Food: Andy's Rotisserie Chicken Chili

One of the best things about running is all the people you meet along the way. One such person for me is Andy Manry. Several years ago, I was at the turnaround point of my weekly long run with my running buddies. We were all standing around Gu-ing up and downing some water that one of the guys had stashed, when this young guy pulled up in his mini-van, hopped out, and headed out on his run. Didn't really think much about it. We downed our water and headed out on the back-half of our run.

Sometimes on the back-half, I'll pick it up a little. Something about finishing faster on the second leg of a long run makes you feel stronger. It was one of those kinds of days. So, I pulled ahead of my group a little. I noticed that young guy that had started out just before us. He was running alone. Watching him run, I thought of one of my running buddies, Rick King. When I first moved to Greensboro, he invited me to join his group on their weekly long run. I did and most weekends ever since, I've been running with the same bunch. It's a great bunch of runners and we've expanded in size over the years many from group members inviting others to join in the merriment. So, looking at this guy ahead of me, I decided to pick up the pace and see if he was a talker. Luckily he was. We had a great conversation. Come to find out, he was basically running the same route we were, but in reverse. So, I told him about our group (The BlueLiners) and that we met every Saturday morning at 7:30AM at the park for our weekly long run. Told him to join us any time. Well, sure enough, the next Saturday, he (Andy) showed up. Andy's really grown stronger as a runner and it's been cool seeing him progress and get faster.

Not only is Andy a great runner, he's a great family man and cook! Andy loves testing out new dishes as well as creating his own. He's started a great new blog called What's Andy Cooking? Andy's really outdone himself with the blog. The recipes are great. He's a budding photographer too! Looking at the mouth-watering photographs is a treat in itself. Be sure to check out the blog and some of his recipes such as Real Maryland Crab Cakes, Homemade Bagels, and Turkey Meatballs. YUM!!

I asked Andy if he'd share a recipe good for runners and he's come through with an awesome dish. I've made this dish and it was a hit with the whole family!! Read on to find out how to make Andy's Rotisserie Chicken Chili.

Andy's Rotisserie Chicken Chili

I am training for a marathon right now. That is not unusual, as I have run 4 marathons in the past 5 years. What is unusual is that I am training in the winter months. I usually sweat out my training in the hot, muggy, disgusting North Carolina summer heat. This year, I decided to train for a spring marathon, which places most of my training in the winter. I have come to the conclusion that I am a much better cold weather runner. Everything from my long runs to my tempo runs have been faster and easier in the cold. Even though I run better in the cold winter months, it doesn't mean that I don't physically get cold! There's nothing better after a long 20-mile run in the cold than a warm cup of this chicken chili!

This chili is low in fat, high in protein and super high in flavor! The poblano peppers provide just the right amount of heat and the chicken, beer, bean combo has all the trappings of a perfect post run recovery meal. It's also perfect for tailgating, camping, or any party or get together. I have actually made this for a teacher appreciation day at my kids school for the last two years. The first year I made this, someone offered to buy the leftovers! That's the ultimate complement! My Dad turned me on to this recipe and I believe it's based on a Southern Living recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 poblano peppers (seeded and chopped)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 14 1/2 oz cans of chili spiced tomatoes
• 2 12oz bottles of beer (I prefer an IPA) you can also substitute chicken stock
• 1 can of navy beans
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 packet of McCormick's White Chicken Chili Mix
• The meat of 1 rotisserie chicken (or one smoked chicken), shredded

Directions:

In a large heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and poblano peppers and saute until translucent, stirring often. You want the veggies to sweat just like you did during your run today.

Now add the tomatoes, beer, navy beans, black beans, chili mix, and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for an hour or more until your ready to eat. If you are going to simmer for more than one hour, cover the pot after 30 minutes.

When you serve this, you can top the chili with your favorite chili toppings or simply leave it plain. My favorite is roasted corn, lime, cilantro mixture. To cook this, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add two cups of frozen corn to the pan. Cook the corn until it begins to sightly blacken. Sprinkle with a little chili powder, cumin, chopped fresh cilantro, salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of two limes into the corn mixture, mix and remove from the heat. Some other popular toppings are chopped green onions, sour cream and cheese. Enjoy!

Thanks, Andy!

Please Sir, May I Have Some More?

When I hear the word porridge, the first thing that comes to mind is that scene in the movie Oliver. You know, the one where Oliver holds up his bowl and asks for more of the nasty looking, lumpy, liquid stuff the children are being served (right before the entire cast of kids break into song).

Jump out of the land of Dickens and into the 21st century and porridge is still around and can actually be a runner's best friend. Basically porridge is a dish made by boiling legumes or grain (usually oats that have been rolled, crushed, or cut) in water or milk. The modern version of porridge are those instant oatmeal packets you probably buy.

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Oatmeal is a great grain. It's packed with nutrients and has as much protein as wheat, but with a higher fat content (the good kind) that helps keep you feeling fuller longer. It also contains almost no gluten which more and more people are having trouble digesting. Another big difference between oats and wheat is that oats retain their bran and germ during processing while wheat does not. You've all seen the Cheerios commercials lauding how they lower your cholesterol. That's because Cheerios are made of oats which are high in soluble fiber which has been shown to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Another benefit of oats is that they have a low G.I. (Glycemic Index). The glycemic index ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on blood glucose levels. Having a diet low in G.I. carbs (the ones that don't spike your blood glucose and insulin levels) has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Foods with a G.I. of 55 or lower are considered low G.I. Ones with a G.I. of 56-69 are considered medium G.I. Ones with a G.I. of 70 or higher are considered high G.I. (White bread is at the top with a G.I. of 100.)

Most oatmeal has a G.I. around 40-55. Be careful, though. The G.I. can increase to over 70 with some instant oatmeal packets after all the sugar has been added. It's best to stick to rolled oats, quick-cooking rolled oats, or steel-cut oats. When using these varieties, you're in control the of the "extras" that are added.

Instant oatmeal is the variety found in those convenient packets to which you add milk or water and heat in the microwave for a minute or so. Instant oats have been precooked and are usually only eaten as cereal. There's nothing wrong with instant oatmeal, but like I mentioned earlier, some brands can contain a lot of extra sugar (and sodium), so be sure to check the label. Quick-cooking rolled oats are a better choice, because you can control the "extras." Quick-cooking oats get their name because they are rolled into thinner flakes that only take about 5 minutes to cook. Rolled Oats (G.I. = ~50) are created by a process invented by Quaker Mill way back in 1877. This process steams the groats (the hulled grain) which are then flattened by rollers to create the oat flakes. These take about 15 minutes to cook. And finally there's steel-cut oats (G.I. = ~42). A steel-cut oat is basically a whole oat grain cut in half. In this process the groats are sliced in half by steel blades. These take the longest to cook (about 30 minutes), but you should give them a try. They have a nice chewy, nutty flavor.

Because oatmeal has a low G.I., the carbohydrate is released into your bloodstream slowly. That's good because it will keep your energy levels consistent and help keep you from having cravings later in the morning. Low G.I. foods can help prolong physical endurance too.

As a runner, that consistent energy means you're less likely to crash during your run. Ever eat something like a Poptart before a run? If it was a short run, you were probably fine, but if it was a longer run, did you run out of steam? That loss of steam is due (in part) to not providing your body with a good fuel source that will last for the long haul.

Note: High G.I. carbs do have a place in your training. They help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise. A good 4:1 ration of simple carbs and protein within 30 minutes after your workout will help refuel your carb stores. Why is that important? Replenishing your carb stores and your protein will help with quicker and more complete muscle repair and recovery (you won't be as sore the next day).

So whether it's the quick variety or the longer-cooking kind, oats are a great food for runners. If you have a sensitive tummy on runs, you may want to use water or skim milk instead of 2% milk. My favorite way to eat oatmeal before a run is with a handful of chopped almonds or walnuts and a drizzle of honey on top. For a post run recovery snack, sometimes I'll add a heaping spoonful of Greek yogurt to help create that 4:1 (carbs/protein) ratio needed for quick muscle recovery.

So, if you haven't had them in a while, pick yourself up some oatmeal. Experiment with the various varieties and see which one end's up your favorite. BON APPETIT!

Special Training Recipe from Renowned Chef Stefan Czapalay

RunnerDude's Blog is honored with a special guest—Chef Stefan Czapalay. Chef Stefan, is one of Canada’s premiere culinary activists and is well known for his strong convictions about supporting local producers and providing his guests with dishes made with fresh ingredients.

His nationally acclaimed restaurant, Seasons in Thyme, on Prince Edward Island, was awarded three stars from “Where to Eat in Canada”, Four Diamonds from CAA/AAA and widely recognized as one of Canada's most innovative restaurants. He is a member of the Research Chefs Association, the Canadian Culinary Federation, La Chaîne de Rôtisseurs, the Opimian Society and a charter member of Cuisine Canada.

Not only is Chef Stefan an awesome chef he's also a runner. On July 28th 2010, Stefan will turn 45 years old and will attempt to run the Canadian Death Race (a 126 km race) in 18 hours.

I asked Stefan is he would share one of the recipes he's created as a training food for his running. Read on to learn how to make Chef Stefan's Butternut Squash Soup.

Eating nutritiously doesn’t have to be difficult. I do a bit of work each Saturday and then I'm set until Tuesday. This recipe is so easy and the squash can be substituted with either carrots, parsnips or sweet potatoes….or a combination of all. When I do my long Sunday runs, I get back home and in 60 seconds I have a cup of this steaming hot soup which I sip on while stretching. I can feel my body soaking in the vitamins, and it warms my core. In summer I increase the OJ and thin the soup a bit more and drink it cold. I also take it cold on LOOOONNNNGGG runs as my stomach can handle it.

Butternut Squash SoupPrep time 5 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Approx 150 calories per serving12 servings

Ingredients
1 Butternut Squash Cut in large chunks
1 small onion cut in small dice
1 stalk of celery diced ( not a bunch)
½ tsp curry powder
¼ tsp ginger powder
750 ml chicken Stock
250 ml orange juice
2 tbsp olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
250 ml water if needed

MethodHeat olive oil in a heavy bottom sauce pot. Add celery and onions with spices and gently sauté without adding color until aromatic. Approx 2 minutes. Add Squash and liquids and turn heat to med-low. Gently simmer for 30 minutes ( until squash is tender) Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Puree with an immersion blender…..or mash the heck out of it with a whisk!

Chef's notes
I used to make this with cream and butter, but this is equally delicious and has very little fat. Yes you need salt! 70% of our sodium comes from prepared foods. Using a bit of sea salt in this dish brings out the flavours and has no adverse health affects!

Be careful peeling Butternut squash as its very hard. Cut it in half where the skinny part starts to balloon out so its more manageable. Use a serrated bread knife for hard items like squash or melons and cut in a sawing motion. While you have the celery out, cut the rest of the bunch in sticks and put in a Tupperware for healthy nibbling.

Refrigerate soup and when needed, heat in a coffee cup in the microwave.

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All squash are not the same size so you may need to add a bit more liquid. Water or more of the low sodium chicken stock work well. I use Campbell’s chicken stock in this recipe.