“Eat & Run” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012) a memoir by ultra-running champion and veganism advocate Scott Jurek, left, is a platypus of a book — part personal story, part training manual, part recipe book, part philosophical treatise — that combines to tell a mind-blowingly inspirational tale.
Jurek, with writer Steve Friedman, richly describes how a young life spent watching his mother endure the ravages of multiple sclerosis filled him with existential questions that he answered on the trail and in the kitchen. Jurek chronicles seemingly superhuman exploits as he dominated 100-mile-and-longer races for more than a decade, but his story should speak to anyone seeking to live life as fully as possible.
Chuck Plunkett: 303-954-1333 or cplunkett@denverpost.com
Re-Run Incan Porridge
From “Eat & Run”: “Quinoa is one of the first grains humans ever cultivated and used in cooking. It has a dense, earthy flavor and is one of the few grains with all nine essential amino acids, so it’s perfect for a dish like porridge – hearty, basic, and satisfying in an almost primal way. When I learned about quinoa, it helped me appreciate the many ancient foods and cultures that could enrich my life, if only I made room for them. Make it the night before, so you can warm it up to eat before a long morning run. A great mixture of carbs, protein, and fat, this porridge is sweetened with fruit and cinnamon. Replace the vanilla with almond or hazelnut extract for a nutty variation.”
Ingredients
1 cup dried quinoa, rinsed and drained2 cups water1 cup almond milk or your favorite nondairy milk1 ripe pear, cored, quartered, and finely sliced, or 1 banana, sliced¼ cup dried coconut flakes3 tablespoons Udo’s Oil 3-6-9 Blend½ teaspoon sea salt or 1 teaspoon light miso½ teaspoon vanilla extract1½ teaspoons ground cinnamonGarnish: Raisins, apple slices and chia seeds or your favorite nuts
Directions
Add the quinoa and water to medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa turns translucent. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and cool for 5 minutes.Place the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor, and mix for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth. Combine with quinoa.To warm refrigerated porridge: Pour the porridge into a small pot and warm on very low heat for 5 minutes (you may omit the Udo’s Oil from the mixture and stir it in after the porridge is warmed).
