From the first moment I heard Runner’s World had created a cookbook, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Last month, I finally purchased a copy of the Runner’s World Cookbook from my local bookstore and have been cooking up a storm. As National Nutrition Month nears its final days, I wanted to share my thoughts on the cookbook with you, and I’d love to hear yours.

The Runner’s World Cookbook is based on 5 key principles:

• Eat a rainbow of produce every day: This is all about encouraging runners to eat 9 total servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
• Choose the right carbohydrates: Runners should consume 50 to 65 percent of their calories from carbs, and this cookbook focuses on whole grain carbs as the best choice.
• Get the right fats: Fat is an essential part of a runner’s diet, and the cookbook emphasizes unsaturated fats as ingredients.
• Meet your protein needs: Protein helps runners preserve their lean mass and build new muscle tissue after hard runs. The cookbook recommends runners eat at least 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of weight.

One of the things I like most about the Runner’s World Cookbook is that it organizes its recipes using 7 descriptors:

• Pre-run: Foods that provide nutrients needed to fuel a run (to be eaten 2 hours before a run)
• Recovery: Meals that are high in protein and are good for after runs
• Fast: Recipes that are quick to make (in less than 30 minutes)
• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Low calories (400 calories or less)

So did the recipes measure up? So far, I’ve only made 4 of the recipes, but overall, I liked the taste and the quality of ingredients. Everything has been simple to make and healthy yet, tasty. I do think that some of the recipes have needed some additional spices for flavoring, but both Mr. rUnladylike and I have enjoyed what we have eaten. Here’s what I’ve made so far:

• Pork tenderloin with winter vegetables
• Portobello and Asparagus Pasta (I used the Delallo prepared pesto)
• Butternut squash with pecans and cranberries (I omitted the pecans because I didn’t have any in the house)
• Super-easy barbecue pulled pork (I used chicken and made it in the crock pot … the BBQ sauce was delicious.)

Runners on Twitter shared with me that they love the Spicy Sausage and Mushroom Soup as well as the Red Lentil and Black Bean Stew. I’m also dying to make the Chicken-Quinoa Soup.

Overall, I’m really enjoying the cookbook. At times it needs a few touches of creativity and personalization to the recipes to make them taste a bit more flavorful, but overall I would recommend it.

Have you made any recipes from the Runner’s World Cookbook? If so, what are your favorites?