Running to the kitchen: A cookbook review

I was told by a wise not-so-old vegan that baked tofu would change my world, especially as a new semi-vegetarian.

And she was right.

From the first bite to the last (five days later), I relished the texture and flavor of the baked tofu. Maybe it was my mad skills or the curry powder or the "garnishes" - edamame, brown rice, grape tomatoes and seeds - that made it so great. No matter. I had found a dish, the first in a while, that I didn't mind eating at my desk all week.

I'd love to take credit for the creation but the Brown Rice with Curried Tofu Salad recipe is among 150 in "The Runner's World Cookbook: 150 Ultimate Recipes for Fueling Up and Slimming Down --While Enjoying Every Bite."

Full disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook, for free, in advance, to review but I chose to make the dishes and all opinions are my own.

From the editors: Runners need to eat well in order to perform, and what they eat can have a direct influence on how they run. The Runner’s World Cookbook is the perfect combination of performance-boosting nutrients to maximize performance with easy, delicious, and quick recipes. This cookbook contains 150 recipes sourced primarily from the authoritative voice in running itself, Runner’s World magazine, along with exciting additional content. These recipes are intended to maximize a runner’s performance

The Brown Rice with Curried Tofu Salad was suggested for recovery but I found it to be a hearty and forgiving lunch that I could take to work. It had protein from the tofu, edamame and seeds, complex carbs from the rice and color from the tomatoes. I love curry, and I relished the simplicity of the flavorings that allowed it to shine through.

While I was running around the kitchen (ha - get it), I also made a batch of the Creamy Potato-Spinach Soup. I loved how easy this recipe came together and the volume it made. I served it for an informal dinner with my in-laws and niece, and there was more than enough to go around among four adults and two hungry toddlers.

I did make a double batch that evening so that I could send some home with my mother-in-law + freeze, and we were both happy with how well it thawed and reheated. Another week of lunches for me!

While I've featured lunch/dinner fare of the vegetarian variety, the cookbook has breakfast, snacks and smoothies recipes, meat and poultry main dishes, fish and seafood main dishes and dessert recipes. I have a number of other them bookmarked, too - Chickpea-Pesto Tomato Soup, Grilled Vegetable Polenta Casserole, Sticky Toffee Figgy Cupcakes.

The gorgeous photos, beautiful graphic display have me excited to actually use a cookbook again rather than relying on Pinterest finds. The hardback book without a jacket makes it easy to have in the kitchen while cooking and - bonus - you don't have to worry about causing a $1,000 damage if a drop falls on it.

"The Runner's World Cookbook" (288 pages, Rodale, $26.99) is available in hardback and on Kindle.