HOME & LIVING
B2 — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD
TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022
Springing into the gardening season
noticeable when not in bloom.
There are named varieties, the
best of which are “lynwood gold,”
“northern sun,” “meadowlark” and
“golden bell.”
WENDY
SCHMIDT
BETWEEN THE ROWS
orsythia is usually the
sign that spring is here
in all its yellow cheerful-
ness. It blooms at the change of
season when winter leaves and
spring arrives. Their judgment has
slipped, or that snow we just had
was fake news. Winter is being a
bit more clingy — a spoiled child
who is trying to stay up later. Face
it: who among us hasn’t bent the
rules?
There are many kinds of for-
sythia, seven species of the genus
oleaceae (the olive family). Some
types and varieties bloom more
prolifi cally, or are of diff erent form
(upright shrub or lax form), most
are about the same color of yellow,
and they vary in size, and bloom
time. None are native as they orig-
inated in Eastern Europe and east
Asia. They grow in zones 5-8;
we need cold tolerant, northern
varieties.
Forsythia need full sun in order
to bloom well, a pH of 6.5 to 7.5,
fertile soil and good drainage. They
are really a plain-Jane plant, hardly
F
VEGGIES
Continued from Page B1
From cancer patient to
nutrition coach
Readers also learn
the story of how the
27-year-old New York City
resident found healing
through running and food
after being diagnosed at
age 14 with Stage III Hod-
gkin’s Lymphoma. Though
she was safely in remis-
sion by her senior year, she
still felt the stigma of being
known as the sick girl. It
was only after running a
5K to raise money for a
local cancer charity that
she fi nally felt completely
healed. “On that starting
line, I felt powerful, in con-
trol of my life, like I hadn’t
before cancer,” she writes.
Years in the making, the
book was born of the Ins-
tagram account and blog of
the same name she started
in 2013 to connect with
other runners of the same
mindset. A communica-
tions student at Fashion
Institute of Technology at
the time, she’d fallen down
the rabbit hole of sports
nutrition books, and wanted
to share.
As she explains on a call
from her apartment in New
York City, “I wanted to
understand the ‘why’ behind
everything I was eating.”
Endurance athletes,
especially females, had
little guidance on food and
nutrition at the time. To
help other runners achieve
their nutritional and athletic
goals, she logged what she
ate pre- and post-workout,
along with simple recipes
that her followers could
make at home.
What she didn’t expect
was that professional run-
ners like Kara Goucher
would soon be among her
biggest fans.
Bildirici was sitting in
her college cafeteria 10
years ago when the Olym-
pian fi rst made a comment
on one of her posts. She
recalls taking a screenshot.
“It was insane!” she says.
“I just loved everything she
embodied.”
Not long after, Goucher
asked if she would do a
cooking demo and talk
nutrition at an upcoming
runners’ retreat in Napa,
California. Bildirici, who
at the time was studying
to become a holistic health
coach at the Institute of
Integrative Nutrition in
Manhattan, of course said
yes, even if she felt some-
what intimidated.
“She told me that she
liked how I made healthy
Simple truths about
gardening
• It takes 5 years to make a
garden. This is due to the time it
takes for plants to get established
(maturity, height, etc).
• The gardener must walk atten-
tively through the garden daily.
• Flowers and vegetables
grow well only in well-worked,
humus-enriched soil. You get a lot
of little roots rapidly.
• Transplant only in late after-
noon, early evening, or on an over-
cast day. The carbohydrates (stored
energy) of the plant is highest at the
end of the day.
• It is a wise gardener who
knows his own weeds.
• Feet ruin good soil struc-
ture. Use stepping stones, paths, or
boards. If you compact your soil,
the roots can’t get air and drainage
can be impaired.
• Pulling out is as important as
putting in.
• Nitrogen and water make
plants grow. Lack of water makes
lower leaves brown. Too much
eating approachable,” she
says.
The experience, Bildirici
says, was life-changing. “I
never felt more at peace in
my life.”
In 2015, Goucher invited
her to speak at a second
retreat in Colorado, and oh,
by the way, would she also
be willing to come early
and cook for her? Bildirici
ended up not only staying
in Boulder but also cooking
for her mentor leading up to
the Olympic Trials in Los
Angeles in February 2016.
“It was scary but a great
opportunity,” Bildirici says.
“So I gave it my all.”
That led to more oppor-
tunities with other Olym-
pians, world champions and
other professional athletes.
In 2018, with her initial
college dream of working
in the music industry a dis-
tant memory, she became
the North American Nutri-
tion Coach for the Adidas
Runners community,
off ering one-on-one nutri-
tion counseling for runners.
She was 24.
On a cold and rainy day
that October, to mark 10
years since her cancer diag-
nosis, she also completed
an Ironman competition
in Louisville, Kentucky,
to raise thousands for the
Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society.
“It was important to not
have cancer defi ne me,” she
says.
Keeping it simple
With her star rising, Pen-
guin Books reached out
to see if she wanted to do
a book. Feeling she had
all the right people in her
corner, including world-
class runners Colleen
Quigley and Emma Coburn
in addition to Goucher, she
said yes. When she started
writing it in 2020, the pan-
demic made it easy for her
to meet deadlines, as well
as experiment in the kitchen
with new recipes.
Putting pen to paper in
such an evergreen fashion,
she says, also aff orded her
the opportunity to share her
cancer story more widely
for the fi rst time, “without
crying all the time.”
“So many people have
gone through something like
this,” she says. “And when
I was sick, I just wish I had
someone to look up to.”
While nutrient-rich veg-
etables play a starring role
in her cookbook, Bildi-
rici says “Running with
Veggies” focuses not so
much on what’s healthy or
unhealthy but on the impor-
tance of whole foods in
addition to plenty of veg-
water makes a dead plant. Be
careful of over-watering.
• Shallow watering leads to a
build up of salt.
• Never fertilize a dry plant —
you will burn it.
• If you don’t know what you
want, you’ll never achieve it.
• Gritty soils do not hold nutri-
ents. Feed half as much twice as
often in sandy soil.
• When using perlite, wet it fi rst
so the dust doesn’t get into your
lungs.
Garden Chores
• Asparagus and rhubarb roots
should be planted as soon as the
ground can be worked.
• Plant beets, carrots, parsley,
and parsnip seeds outdoors.
• Start seeds of tomato, pepper,
and eggplant indoors to give them
a head start.
• Clean up old iris foliage before
new growth begins.
• Apply sulfur to the soils
around acid-loving plants such as
azaleas, rhododendron, holly, and
dogwood. Use a granular formula-
tion at the rate of 1/2 pound per 100
square feet.
Take a moment to enjoy
this happy time of year. Happy
gardening!
gies. She also is a huge fan
of keeping it simple, with
recipes that can be prepared
quickly using very basic
ingredients.
She doesn’t want to
spend her entire day in the
kitchen and knows you
don’t, either. As such, “I’m
not going to ask you to head
to the specialty health store
for teff powder. I know
where everyone is coming
from. If it’s not easy, you’re
not going to cook it.”
Breakfast recipes include
one for overnight oats with
a mixed berry chia jam
that’s perfect for people
who are bleary-eyed in
the morning, or are trav-
eling to a race but only
have access to a hotel mini
fridge. You’ll also fi nd a
gut-healthy brown rice bowl
topped with kimchi, avo-
cado and fried egg, and
peanut butter and banana
pancakes made with oat and
almond fl ours.
For drink lovers, there’s
an entire chapter on every
runner’s quick-fi x beverage
— smoothies — but with
this added nutritional boost:
All include at least one veg-
etable and a healthy fat like
avocado or tahini to balance
the fl avor and texture.
Packed with mouth-wa-
tering photos, the book
also serves up more than
a dozen grain and noodle
bowls enhanced with nuts,
spices and sauces, and
almost as many “plates”
— a category that includes
everything from tacos to
vegan meatloaf to veggie
burgers and even a couple
of fi sh dishes.
Because all work and
no play is no fun, the cook-
book also includes portable
“adventure snacks” you can
stick in your backpack to
fuel all diff erent kinds of
activities — think bars, trail
mix and no-cook date bites.
Her plant-based desserts are
made with natural sweet-
eners like maple syrup and
dates, which can help run-
ners replace their glycemic
stores after a workout.
All, Bildirici says, refl ect
what you might fi nd in her
kitchen or on her dinner
table on any given night.
It’s also representative of
how she cooks for her ath-
lete clients, “and even when
I’m having people over for
dinner,” she says.
And if you’re not partic-
ularly athletic? The book is
for you, too, because good
nutrition isn’t just for run-
ners and other athletes. It
plays an important role in
everyone’s lives.
“It’s for anyone who
wants to get in the kitchen
and eat a little healthier,”
Barbara Eckstein/Contributed Photo
Forsythia is one of the fi rst shrubs to bloom in the spring.
she says, even if you don’t
follow the recipes to a T.
People are always
looking for that magic
superfood, Bildirici says,
but it’s really about a
holistic lifestyle. Part of that
is changing the way you
think about food and your
relationship with it.
“You have to reach for
the right foods, and have
them ready in your fridge
to go.”
ALMOND
BERRY
OVERNIGHT
OATS
SUPERGREEN
PASTA
Pasta is a favorite dish for run-
ners because it’s a good source of
carbohydrates. This recipe swaps
traditional wheat pasta for penne
made from brown rice. Instead
of tomato sauce, it’s topped with
a fresh-tasting chimichurri-like
green sauce. It’s fantastic.
To make almond Parmesan,
blend 1/2 cup raw almonds, 1/2
teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons
nutritional yeast and 1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder in mini food proces-
sor until fi nely ground.
For sauce
Once you make the berry
jam, this carbohydrate-rich recipe
takes a minute to prepare for the
next morning. Soaking the oats
overnight makes them easier to
digest, because it helps break
down their natural enzymes. I
used unsweetened almond milk
and a combination of raspberries
and blueberries for the jam.
For oats
1 cup unsweetened nut milk
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon unsweetened
natural almond butter,
for garnish
Raspberries and blueberries,
for garnish
Chopped toasted almonds,
for garnish
For jam
2 cups fresh or frozen
mixed berries
1/2 lemon, zested
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 navel orange, zested and juiced
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup water
Prepare jam: In a small sauce-
pan, combine berries, lemon zest
and juice, orange zest and juice
and chia seeds. Add water and
bring to boil. Reduce heat and
allow to simmer for 20 minutes,
stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and mash
fruit with a potato masher or
wooden spoon. Allow to cool for
20 minutes, or until mixture is
thickened. Store in an airtight con-
tainer in fridge for up to one week.
Prepare oats: In a small
saucepan, heat nut milk until
simmering. Meanwhile, place 2
tablespoons jam in a pint-size
mason jar.
Top with oats, chia seeds,
cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Pour
warm milk over the top and stir
to combine. Cover with a lid and
place in the refrigerator overnight.
Before serving, stir the oat mix-
ture again, then top with almond
butter, fresh berries and toasted
almonds.
Serves 1.
1 cup packed spinach
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup raw walnuts
3 tablespoons each fresh
parsley, cilantro and mint
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
For pasta
8-ounce package brown rice
penne, lentil penne or
any plant-based pasta
1 1/2 pound head of broccoli,
cut into fl orets
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1-2 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons each roughly
chopped fl at-leaf parsley,
cilantro and mint, for garnish
1/2 cup almond Parmesan,
optional
Make sauce: In the carafe of
a high-speed blender, blend
spinach, garlic, walnuts, herbs,
olive oil, vinegar and water until
well combined. Season with salt
and pepper, then set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bring a large pot of salted
water to a boil, add the pasta and
cook for 2 minutes less than the
package instructions advise.
Meanwhile, line a rimmed bak-
ing sheet with parchment paper.
On the prepared baking sheet,
toss the broccoli with avocado oil
and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes, tossing half-
way through, until golden brown
and crisp-tender. When fi nished
roasting, remove broccoli from
oven and allow to cool slightly.
Drain pasta, lightly rinse and
transfer to a large bowl. Add the
green sauce, roasted broccoli
and baby spinach to the pasta
and toss together. Garnish with
chopped mint, parsley and
cilantro, and sprinkle with almond
Parmesan, if using,
Serves 4.
CHILI-SPICED
SALMON WITH
MANGO SALSA
Professional runner Kara
Goucher contributed this fami-
ly-favorite recipe for salmon. “It
fuels my body with good protein
and lots of healthy fats,” she writes,
making it an excellent dinner
choice after a hard workout
session. The mango salsa is also
terrifi c with tortilla chips.
For salsa
1 mango, pit removed,
peeled and diced
1/2 medium red onion
1/2 red bell pepper, cored,
seeded and diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and
fi nely diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Sea salt to taste
For salmon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 4-6 ounce skin-on salmon fi lets
Coconut rice, to serve
Make salsa: In medium bowl,
combine mango, onion, bell
pepper, jalapeño, cilantro and
lime juice. Season with salt and
set aside to marinate while you
prepare the fi sh.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parch-
ment paper.
In small bowl, mix together gar-
lic powder, onion powder, paprika,
chili powder, cumin and salt.
Place fi lets on the prepared
baking sheet and sprinkle each
one with the spice rub. Bake for
15 to 20 minutes on the middle
rack, or until fi sh is opaque,
cooked through and fl akes easily
with a fork.
Place fi lets on a serving platter
and top with mango salsa. Serve
with coconut rice.
Serves 4.
— All recipes from “Running on
Veggies: Plant-Powered Recipes
for Fueling and Feeling Your Best”
by Lottie Bildirici
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