Pinning and Planning – Week of February 9 {Dinner Menu}

PinningPlanning RunDMT Pinning and Planning   Week of February 2 {Dinner Menu}A week from today, I will be running in my sixth marathon, the A1A marathon.  Although I’m feeling good about my training and my overall performance, I have been ridiculously ravenously hungry for about two weeks now. Despite nourishing and hydrating appropriately, I don’t know what has changed to cause my hunger development.

Last year while we were all training to be Marthon Maniacs with Disney Marathon followed by Clearwater Marathon, my running partner, Daffodil, sent us daily hydration and nourishing reminders so our bodies would be ready for multiple marathons. I need Daffodil to do that again for me.  (Hint…hint… Daffodil)

Since it’s not Daffodil’s job to be my coach and nutritionist (I honestly don’t pay her well enough for that job.), I read an interesting article at Runner’s World about how much protein runners should eat related to how much your workout.  It’s a quick an interesting read and definitely pin worthy.

Basically, “if you run an hour most days, you need about .6 gram of protein per pound of weight (run more and your needs go up), compared with .36 gram for couch potatoes. That means a 150-pound runner requires 90 grams a day.”  Based on that little tasty little tidbit, I know I am not eating nearly enough protein, which is probably why I feel like I am starving all the time.

The article further sites a study by the University of Missouri which “found that eating a high-protein breakfast (with 35 grams of protein), as opposed to one low in protein (with 13 grams), curbed participants’ appetites later in the day and reduced cravings for high-fat, high-sugar snacks in the evening. that little  curbed participants’ appetites later in the day and reduced cravings for high-fat, high-sugar snacks in the evening.”

Given that interesting protein-packed information from Runner’s World and my marathon next Sunday, there will be lots of lean meats on the menu this week.  Conveniently, fish and Greenwise organic meats are on sale this week at Publix. So, thank you for that Publix. That was very good timing indeed.

Since Chinese New Year is still happening Hot Stuff, I added another Asian-flare dish to the menu this week.  It’s also Valentine’s Day this Friday, but we prefer to stay home.  I’d like to surprise the kids with heart-shaped pizzas for our usual Friday pizza night.  Iron Chef Allan and I will be attending a Yelp Elite Event on Wednesday night, so the Yelp’s Cure to What Ales Ya Event will be our pre-Valentine’s date night, although attending a craft beer event isn’t probably the best idea before a marathon. Let’s hope the beer isn’t what ales me during the marathon.

Here’s what’s on our dinner menu for the week:

S – Grilled Steak and Fritas (Unfried Parmesan Steak Fries) with a mixed greens salad

Meatless Monday – Spinach Lasagna Rolls

T – Lightened Tilapia Picatta

W – Yelp’s Cure To What Ales Ya

Th – General Tso chicken with Steamed Broccoli and brown rice

F – Heart-shaped Pizza for Valentine’s Day

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?  What’s on your dinner menu this week?   What recipes are you pinning and planning?