The changing of the seasons typically coincide with changes in my workout schedules.
As the temperature dropped over the past few weeks, I started to shift my outdoor runs to the lunch hour. By the time midday strikes, the temperature has usually warmed up by 7-10 degrees Celsius which is substantial when you are running outdoors!
For example, when I got up this morning it was –3C (26F) and by noon it had warmed up to 9C (48F). As much as I love getting my workout done with in the morning, during the Fall season, I prefer to run outside after it warms up. I do not like the cold, despite being a former Winter Endurance Athlete. ;)
My lunchtime workouts have left me with the big ‘before or after’ question regarding the timing of my lunch: Do I eat lunch before my run or do I eat after my run?
I have been experimenting with eating lunch before or after my run and I have found that when I eat my lunch 30-45 minutes before my run, I have much more energy than if I wait to eat until after. Of course, that makes total sense, but I was almost certain I would get running cramps after eating, but that hasn’t been the case. Sometimes I also ‘split up’ my lunch and have half before my workout and half after. This seems to work well too.
After yesterday’s awesome Avocado-Lime Black Bean Salad, I was inspired yet again to mix it up for lunch. I wanted something fairly light, yet still energizing for my run and this Cinnamon Spice Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad was born…
Cinnamon Spice Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad
A hybrid between raking the leaves in the Fall and sipping a margarita on a tropical beach. Somehow, the flavours of cinnamon and Coconut oil just pair together so wonderfully. Don’t forget the sea salt too; it really makes the flavours pop in this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, divided
Directions: Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick liner. Peel and chop sweet potato. In a large bowl, add the cooked chickpeas, uncooked sweet potato, chopped onion, cinnamon, salt, and 1/2 tbsp coconut oil. Mix well. Spread onto prepared baking sheet and place in the oven at 425F for 36-40 minutes. Remove from oven and place into a large bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp coconut oil and stir well to coat. Add additional sea salt if preferred. Serves 1-2.
I don’t know about you, but 6 ingredient recipes make me happy. Very, very happy.
[Note the onion is missing and I couldn’t fit all the chickpeas and sweet potato on the board so I just grabbed a handful ‘for show’!]
Mix the above ingredients together in a bowl and spread out onto a baking sheet.
It smells like love, puppies, and rainbows mixed with a tropical beach.
Bake for 36-40 minutes at 425F.
Deeply inhale and fill your lungs with the sweet cinnamon and coconut aroma.
Place salad back into a bowl and mix in more coconut oil as it is a bit dry when it comes out of the oven. Sprinkle with more sea salt and serve immediately!
When I made this, I assumed it was a two-serving recipe, but I loved it so much I ate the whole damn thing!
After all, I needed my pre-run fuel. ;)
And boy did I ever have energy on today’s run. Granted, I had to wear my running jacket + gloves to feel *sorta* warm, but it was refreshing once my body warmed up.
After about 30 minutes of digesting, I hit the road.
Side note: I haven’t been blogging about all of my exercise lately, but I have been running on average 19-25 miles per week, with 1-2 complete rest days per week. Right now, I consider myself to be in ‘maintenance mode’; I am not presently training for any races, but I am still running consistently to keep up my ‘base’.
Side Note #2: Remember when I broke my second iPod Shuffle by putting it in the washing machine? Well, I am proud to say that I have been running for about 4-5 weeks now with absolutely NO music and I don’t even miss it much anymore! I never thought I could get used to running without music, but here I am. I find that I get more thinking done too.
The run:
- Distance: 4.16 miles
- Time: 34:10 mins
A delicious snack followed…Healthy Cookie Bites! Aka: Oatmeal in cookie form. ;)
Now that Fall is here and Winter is quickly approaching, do you change up your workouts with the seasons or the time of day that you workout? Do you move inside, put on workout DVD’s, hit the gym, or just bundle up?
[As I typed this post, a notification popped up on my computer telling me that daylight Saving Time ends this weekend….doh!!]
This recipe was delicious! I made it last night, but added in some fresh green beans, butternut squash, and lentils. I also sauteed it instead of baking it in the oven. Yum!! So simple yet so good.
Quick question – is coconut oil supposed to taste like coconut? The one I have doesn’t – I could have used any other oil and it would have tasted the same. I was kinda looking forward to that tropical taste :-/ But was still very good!
I definitely need to switch up my workouts with the seasons. In spring, winter and fall I tend to stick to running outside for the majority of my exercise. But come summer in Australia and its 40*C days it’s far too hot even at 4am to run outside. So I purchase a gym membership for summer and enjoy spin classes, swimming, and some light running on a treadmill in air conditioning.
When it’s too hot to breath, don’t expect me to run ;-)
I am so jealous of your cold weather! It’s 90 degrees in the shade on Guam and I miss seeing my breath =)
Can’t wait to try the chickpea, sweet potato salad. I am so addicted to other things you post. (VOO, salt and vinegar chickpeas, etc!)
Happy Holidays!
Maria
So delicious! Thanks for the healthy inspiration. I’ve been great about cooking healthy meals this year, but have fallen off of the exercise wagon :( I belong to an awesome gym, and I’ll go to classes once a week or so, but I’m just not as motivated as I used to be. I’d love to get back into running!
Angela,
I just happened to stumble upon your website and I want to say it’s making me see that the way I have been going about looking at food and exercise has been so wrong. I have always had such a love/hate relationship with food, I never listen to what my body needs I just gave it what I think I “should” be eating. I have restricted so much in the past and binged other times, I cannot remember a time where I have just said I like my body. Never have I been comfortable in my body, and I want to be so desperatly. Im just not sure the steps I need to make to get to that place. I know I need to let go of these complusive feelings but it is so hard to change this way of thinking. You have proved that it is possible but what do you think would be the first step I need to take to being at peace within my skin? Thank you so very much.
-samantha
This recipe was delicious! I made it last night for dinner for my family and they loved it. I used a butternut squash instead of sweet potato and it was perfect!
Thank you! You are such an inspiration and I enjoy reading your blog.
Great recipe – can’t wait to try it. I’m not a fan of coconut though. Is there something you suggest substituting for that?
I made this recipe tonight. Excellent. I love recipes with minimal ingredients, but ones that compliment each other so well.
You always display that interesting branch sort of spoon/fork in your final picture. Where did you get it from and what is it made out of?
OMG, OSG!! So good. I’m calling it the best healthy meal I’ve ever made, not to mention this is this first time I’ve ever come home from work excited about leftovers! You rock, Ange!
Hi Angela!
I want to make this recipe for our “Friends Thanksgiving” coming up but I have a question. I don’t normally cook with coconut oil, does this harden after a while. I wanted to serve this as a room temp salad and was just wondering if I made this the night before, if the coconut oil will harden up on me. Maybe I should use olive oil instead? Let me know what your experience is with the oils. Thanks!
P.s – friends thanksgiving isn’t for a week and a half, so no rush on an answer!
Meghan. P.s – your recipes are great!
I just made your AH-mazing cinnamon sweet potato chickpea salad and b/c I didn’t have all the ingredients you mentioned I improvised, to say the least! I didn’t have onions but everything else so I was looking around my kitchen and found a red bell pepper, chopped dates and carrots! Which bumped up the flavor train that much more! Thanks for the inspiration!
I calculated the calories in the recipe at 786 for what you call a 1 service salad…don’t you think that is a lot of calories for one meal???
Well, that’s up for the individual to decide of course. You can make as many servings as you wish!
Oh. My. GOSH. I made this yesterday for lunch and it was so easy and SO DELICIOUS!! I’ll be having it again tomorrow :)!!
Hi, just wanted to say that cooking with coconut oil over 350 F will denature it, therefore you will not obtain all of the nutritional benefits from the oil. It’s best to add to the food afterwards, and let it melt on its own!
This was AMAZING and delicious.
Ingredients are on hand and I needed something simple for a wintery rainy California night!! I have it in the oven as I write this and I must say it looks and smells delicious!!
Okay this is so good!!!!!
I just came across this recipe on Pinterest and made it for dinner. Holy moly, it’s so delicious!! The flavors all work so well together. This will be my new go-to dinner. Love it! Thank you!