Recipes

Fuel your running body with the colors of the rainbow and and all the vitamins to match.

In this article, I’ll share the 9 best juicing recipes for runners, collected from reputable juice experts, and adapted for runners.

Very few adults eat as many fruits and vegetables as they need in a day. The CDC reported a survey that found only 1 in 10 adults are eating the recommended portions on a daily basis. 

As a runner, you need even more vitamins and nutrients to sustain your long distance running. When you run, you sweat. When you sweat, you lose hydration and nutrients, which need to be replaced if you want to stay vigilant with your training. 

The Benefits of Juicing for Runners

The go-to for runners nutrition is often carbohydrates and protein. These are both critical for a strong runner, but fruits and vegetables are the underrated nutrition source. 

With just one 8-ounce glass of orange juice, you get your entire Vitamin-C fix for the whole day. That’s impressive. Once you combine oranges with other natural vitamin sources, you’ve just downed a significant portion of your daily vitamin intake in one glass. 

You should be eating 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2-4 cups of vegetables every day. For most people, it’s hard to physically chew and swallow that many food items in a day. When you blend and mix them into a juice, you concentrate the levels of nutrients in one manageable daily portion. 

Running takes a serious time commitment.

Eating healthy requires another time budget. For someone who’s busy with a career and a family, saving time is priceless. The two greatest benefits of juicing for runners are:

• Efficiency
• Maximizing nutrition

Essential Juice Nutrition Guidelines

Just because it’s juice recipes doesn’t mean it’s actually good for you. Here are some guidelines to follow so you can be sure you’re really getting all the benefits you need from juicing. 

Don’t Add Sugar

You’re probably used to buying juices from the store that add a lot of sugar or unnatural flavorings. But all that processed sugar is hard for your body to break down, so it’s best to drink your juice with natural sugars. 

Sweet fruits like bananas, mangoes, and pineapples are the best sweeteners for juicing recipes for runners because they are easy for your body to digest, while still adding important vitamins. 

One Glass a Day is Enough

Here’s another common myth: just because juice is juice doesn’t mean it’s low in calories. 

In fact, many juices are so concentrated in high-sugar fruits that just one glass can have a high-calorie count. If you’re running to lose weight, be careful of what ingredients make up your juice. 

Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, one glass is still enough. Why? Health professionals advise to continue eating fruit and vegetables whole and uncut. 

A lot of produce carries vital nutrients in the peels and skin. If you discard those, you’re missing out on vitamins your body needed. 

While juice is a great way to get daily nutrition, it’s still important to eat plenty of fresh, whole vegetables and fruits. 

The 9 Best Juicing Recipes for Runners

I’ve compiled the 9 best juicing recipes for runners from well-known juicing bloggers below. Since these juicers are not focused on runners, I’ve adapted some of the recipes to give you, as a runner, the right nutrition boost you need. 

Each recipe has the same preparation instructions: remove any peels or seeds, then pop them into the blender until juiced. 

1. Hydration Boost

Ingredients

• 1/2 pineapple
• 1/4 watermelon
• 1 cucumber
• 1 lemon
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece of fresh ginger
• 5 strawberries

This juicing recipe from Reboot With Joe is an excellent recovery drink after a run. It has some of the most hydrating fruits (two types of melons). The pineapple adds natural sweetness, while the ginger and strawberries provide a unique dynamic to the milder fruits. 

If you prefer a lighter taste, leave out the ginger, and enjoy a fresh splash of 100% fruits after a hot run. 

I added strawberries to the recipe to add a healthy dose of Vitamin-C, boosting your nutrient level up a notch. 

2. Immunity Juice

Ingredients

• 2 green apples
• 1 cucumber
• 4 stalks of celery
• 1 handful of kale or spinach
• ½ lemon
• 1 thumb tip ginger

You probably think of oranges when you need a boost of Vitamin-C. But leafy greens have an abundance of the vitamin and should never go overlooked. 

Celery is a powerful digestive aid, while ginger and lemon are always the right combination to avoid cases of the flu and bugs. 

You can boost your immune system through running, but you still need health supplements. That’s why a classic green juice is crucial to drink regularly. 

3. Cardiovascular Health: Beet Juice 

Ingredients

• 4 green apples
• ½ raw beetroot
• ⅓ lemon

This simple recipe from The Edgy Veg is one of the best juicing recipes for runners because beets may make you run faster. There are many studies showing runners who regularly eat (or drink) beets can run faster than those who don’t. 

Beets are a booster for cardiovascular health, which you need for running. If you run long distances or do sprints, your heart is working extra hard to keep you upright and moving. So the beet juice recipe is a critical one. 

4. Purple Juice

Ingredients

• 2 celery stalks
• 1/2 carrot
• 1 cucumber
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 beet
• 1 green apple
• 1/4 head of red cabbage
• 1″ fresh ginger root

The purple juice from Just On Juice is a powerhouse. It’s designed to pack a hefty portion of vitamins into your body in one punch. 

With intense flavors like beets, cabbage, ginger, and carrots, they have to be complemented with milder flavors like apples, cucumbers, and celery. 

For those of you who are always on the go and on your feet, this is a great recipe for a variety of fruits and vegetables, all in one gulp. 

5. Carrot Apple Juice

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 1 green apple
• 1 orange or grapefruit

Carrots are a proven super vegetable. They’re known to promote eye health, immunity, and even low cholesterol. Apples are in most of the recipes listed here because they’re a great source of fiber. Runners need fiber because it regulates blood pressure and helps with a healthy digestive system. 

Whether you use an orange or grapefruit depends on the level of sweetness you prefer. Both are a source of Vitamin-C, but the grapefruit is much more sour. 

Incorporating this juice recipe into your weekly routine will give you an overall health boost in your main nutrition groups. 

6. Ruby Tuesday

Ingredients

• ¼ medium pineapple
• 2 carrots
• 1 small beetroot
• 1 small chunk ginger
• 4 sprigs fresh basil
• ¼ lime
• 1 handful ice cubes

With the Ruby Tuesday by Juice Master, you’ve got sweet (pineapples and carrots), spicy (ginger and lime), and basil. anytime you’re craving a cocktail but want to be healthy, this juice recipe will satisfy your cravings with the spicy and sweet mixture. 

And it’s a gorgeous color to boot. 

Aside from the taste and color, the pineapples give your body a burst of antioxidants, while the beetroot jumpstarts your heart and the carrots provide Vitamin-A for a better mood. 

7. Summer Pear Juice

Ingredients

• 3 pears
• 3 green apples
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 5 fresh mint sprigs
• 1 handful ice cubes

Speaking of light and refreshing, this pear juice from Taste.com.au is perfect after a run in hot weather. Even though it’s not a heavy drink by any means, you’re still getting potassium and calcium from the pears, fiber from the apples, and Vitamin-C from the spinach. 

Mint is mainly a garnish, but it does offer some anti-inflammatory properties. 

8. Healthy Skin Juice (Savory)

Ingredients

• 1 cup white grapes
• 1/10 cup white beans, boiled
• 1 bell pepper
• ½ cup cranberry

This savory juice from Hurom is ideal for you on a crosstraining day, after a weightlifting session or bodyweight workout. 

From the beans, you’ll absorb protein and you’ll satisfy your hunger after a workout. Cranberries are one of the best superfoods – they’re chock-full of antioxidants. The grapes and bell pepper complement the flavor combination while adding electrolytes and vitamins to your diet. 

9. Apple Pomegranate Juice

Ingredients

• 2 Pink Lady apples
• 1 pomegranate 

Adding Pink Lady apples to the Apple Pomegranate Juice from The FeedFeed will add an extra level of tartness to a flavorful combination that only needs two ingredients! 

If you don’t eat pomegranates on the regular, start incorporating them into your meal plan. They’re a miracle source of antioxidants that help with anti-inflammation. 

After a long run, you need to get your circulation back to normal. Pomegranates are a great way to make that happen. 

Many doctors believe pomegranates lower blood pressure. Patients often see a difference in as little as 2 weeks. 

How to Keep Things Fresh in Your Juicing Diet

If you look closely at all 9 recipes, there are many repetitive ingredients that make up a convenient juicing base:

• Apples
• Ginger
• Lemon
• Carrots
• Leafy greens

By keeping all of these on hand in your refrigerator you can easily whip up a batch of juice with very little planning. I recommend drinking one glass of juice, every day in the week. If that seems difficult, work with 4 days a week. 

Then, watch while your runs become more energetic. Your skin and mental health will improve from all the vitamins, and you’ll find your love for running renewed.

Our Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos are perfect for Taco Tuesdays or meal prep on Sundays! This simple shredded beef cooks up juicy and flavorful in the pressure cooker and can be used for many recipes besides tacos.

Ever heard the phrase “will run for tacos”? We have, and we couldn’t agree more!

There’s nothing like fueling up after a great run with healthy homemade tacos, and our Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos are a perfect for weeknight dinners or weekend meal prep meal to stay fueled, especially when you’re in the midst of a heavy training plan and don’t have loads of free time to spend cooking.

These shredded beef tacos have everything you want: juicy shredded beef, crunchy fresh veggies, and creamy avocado. Plus they’re balanced with everything you need: protein, carbohydrates, and fresh vegetables.

Read more for tips on how to make our Instant Pot shredded beef tacos and how to get tender and juicy beef with your pressure cooker.

How to make Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos

Our Instant Pot shredded beef is pretty easy to make, but it takes some time to cook. But the time it takes to cook it is worth it! This shredded beef is full of flavor and can be used for many recipes, not just tacos.

While some Instant Pot recipes call for browning beef before cooking it, I haven’t found that this makes a difference when cooking in a pressure cooker. It makes a big difference when roasting meat in the oven or slow cooking, but not so much with pressure cooking meat.

So you don’t have to brown the meat before adding it to your pressure cooker, plus it saves time not searing/browning your beef beforehand!

For this recipe, you’ll simply add your boneless beef short ribs to the pressure cooker, top with your chopped poblano pepper and cilantro, then pour over the beef broth mixed with your garlic and spices. Then cook and shred!

Since I don’t eat a lot of spicy food, I kept the heat down in this recipe by using mild poblano peppers. But if you want more spice with your taco meat, swap the poblano pepper for 1-2 jalapeño peppers for more spice.

You can even use 1 poblano pepper and 1 jalapeño pepper if you want a little bit of spice but not too much. Play with the recipe a little bit and see where you want your spice level.

Using natural pressure release with your pressure cooker

In this recipe, I specify natural pressure release for your beef taco meat once it’s done cooking in your pressure cooker. Don’t skip this step, it’s important!

Using natural pressure release when you cook meat in a pressure cooker helps to keep the meat more tender and juicier. If you use the quick pressure release method right after cooking your beef, it will end up more tough.

Natural pressure release means that you allow the pressure in your Instant Pot to release by itself naturally. It takes longer than a quick pressure release (where you open the valve to release the pressure quickly), but it results in taco meat with better texture.

Serving your beef tacos

When you’re ready to assemble your tacos, use whichever tortilla you love! You can easily make this recipe fit special diets by using different kinds of tortillas: high-fiber tortillas, grain-free tortillas (like the ones from Siete), homemade tortillas, gluten free tortillas, or regular ones if you love those.

We love using the uncooked refrigerated flour tortillas since they have minimal ingredients in them and they are more fresh. They only take about 1 minute to cook on a skillet or griddle, so they’re super easy and they taste so much better than pre-cooked tortillas.

If you want to give the uncooked tortillas a try, you can find them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store usually by the cheese and butter. They’re worth the little bit of extra effort to cook them.

This Instant Pot shredded beef is also amazing in other recipes besides tacos. You can skip the tortillas and make burrito bowls with rice and beans – one of my favorite ways to eat this beef!

How to store your shredded beef

Once your shredded beef is cooked, you can let it cool and store it in an airtight container for about 3 days.

You can also create taco meal prep bowls with this beef as well! Fill each meal prep dish with brown rice, beans, and shredded beef. When you’re ready to eat your meal prep taco bowl, add diced fresh tomatoes, avocados, and lettuce!

This Instant Pot shredded beef will also freeze well. You can freeze leftovers in one portion in a freezer bag, or divide it into single portions to freeze for easy grab-and-go meals.

Yield: 8-10 servings

Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos

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Our Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos are perfect for Taco Tuesdays or meal prep on Sundays! This simple shredded beef cooks up juicy and flavorful in the pressure cooker and can be used for many recipes besides tacos.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 - 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs or beef country ribs
• 1 medium poblano pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, minced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Your favorite tortillas (whole grain, gluten free, etc.)
• Your favorite taco toppings: black beans, red cabbage slaw, pickled onions, cotija cheese, avocado, additional cilantro, etc.

Instructions

1. Place the beef short ribs in the pressure cooker and add the diced poblano pepper, chopped cilantro, and minced oregano.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, cumin, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
3. Pour the broth mixture over the beef in the pressure cooker and close the lid, lock it, and set the valve to closed.
4. Set to cook on high heat on "Meat" setting for 35 minutes.
5. Once the beef is done cooking, turn off the "keep warm" feature if your pressure cooker has it. Allow the pressure to release naturally (this takes about 25-30 minutes).
6. Once the pressure has been naturally released from the Instant Pot, remove the beef onto a cutting board and shred it, then return it back to the juices in the pot.
7. Stir the beef with the cooking juices, use a slotted spoon or fork to add the shredded beef onto your preferred tortillas and top with your favorite taco toppings!
8. Store leftovers with a bit of the juices in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge, or freeze it for later.

Notes

Nutrient calculations are an estimate and are for the beef only and doesn't include the tortillas or toppings you choose.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10 servings

Serving Size:

@1/2 cup shredded beef
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 329Total Fat: 28.6gSaturated Fat: 11.8gSodium: 278mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 15g

Looking for a flavorful and healthy recipe for fueling your body after an active day? Our Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta is a balanced meal with healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and lean protein. This is a delicious healthy chicken pasta recipe that will add some variety to your meal plan and will refuel your working muscles.

Need a little more variety in your running meal plan? We created this Healthy Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe inspired by Mediterranean flavors that’s perfect for runners looking for a balanced but flavorful meal.

Our healthy chicken pesto pasta recipe is a well-balanced meal that has healthy fats, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates to fuel your next run, and help with recovery!

This healthy pasta recipe is pretty easy to make, and we include a delicious pesto recipe so you can make your own!

Its one of the dishes featured in our Marathon Training Meal Plan, which you can download for free at the end of this post!

So whether you’re in marathon training or simply looking for a delicious, nutritious dish…read on!

If you have food allergies, we also provide some easy swaps to make this recipe fit your food allergies, and we share some options for cooking the chicken without a grill if you don’t have access to one.

Read on for tips on making this healthy chicken pesto pasta!

How To Make Our Healthy Chicken Pasta Recipe

There are 3 parts to this amazing recipe: preparing your pesto, preparing the chicken, and preparing the pasta. You can do all these things simultaneously, so the prep and cooking time for this recipe should only take about 30 minutes or less.

1. Prepare your pesto first while you heat your water for pasta and preheat your grill. The pesto will only take about 5 minutes to make in a small-ish sized food processor.
   
2. Season and grill your chicken. Cooking the chicken over medium heat will take about 10 minutes (or 12-13 minutes if they are larger).
   
3. Once the water is boiling, cook your whole-wheat pasta.
   
4. Assemble everything! Combine the pasta, pesto, chicken, marinated artichokes, and fresh tomatoes together and serve.

Our recipe card with complete instructions and ingredients is at the end of the post!

We like to grill with chicken breasts that are smaller and cut/portioned to cook evenly so most of them will cook in the same time.

If you have chicken breasts that are rather thick, you can cut them in half horizontally or pound the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap (or in a plastic bag) to make them uniform thicknesses for easier grilling.

Cutting the chicken breasts in half or pounding the chicken isn’t absolutely necessary for this recipe, but we find that it makes cooking a bit faster and easier!

How To Cook the Pesto Chicken Without a Grill

Grilling the pesto chicken in this recipe makes it taste amazing, but if you don’t have access to a grill, you can cook this in the oven instead.

To cook the chicken in the oven, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the bottom of a glass 9×13 baking dish and season the chicken as listed in the recipe.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 18 minutes. Remove the foil and check the chicken, it will likely need a few minutes more if they aren’t small chicken breasts. If you’ve cut the chicken breasts in half or pounded the chicken, 18 minutes might be plenty of cooking time.

If the chicken needs more time to cook, remove the foil and cook again in the oven for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is firm or the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Can I Use Store Bought Pesto In This Recipe?

Making pesto at home is really rewarding: you have the freshest ingredients in your pesto that are hand chosen by you!

But if you don’t have the time to make your own pesto or you’re having a hard time finding some of the ingredients, you can definitely use pre-made pesto from the store.

If you’re using store bought pesto, check the ingredients to make sure you find one that has few (or no) preservatives in it and is made with natural ingredients.

What Swaps Can I Make If I Have Food Allergies?

If you have food allergies, here are a few swaps you can easily make in this healthy chicken pasta recipe to accommodate!

• If you can’t have gluten, use a whole grain gluten free or grain free pasta that fits your diet. Some great options are brown rice pasta, corn or quinoa pasta, or chickpea or lentil pasta.
  
• Pine nuts can be replaced with roasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds if you have tree nut allergies.
  
• Can’t have dairy? Dairy free parmesan works great in this recipe as well! We love the Violife brand of dairy free parmesan.

Yield: 5 servings

Healthy Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta

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Looking for a flavorful and healthy recipe for fueling your body after an active day? Our Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta is a balanced meal with healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and lean protein.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Homemade Pesto

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan 
• 3 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 3 cups loose packed fresh basil leaves, washed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Whole Wheat Pesto Pasta

• 1 Tablespoon oilve oil
• Dash salt
• 8 ounces whole wheat thin spaghetti (or gluten free pasta)
• 1/4 Tablespoons homemade pesto

Grilled Presto Chicken

• 1/4 cup homemade pesto (or jarred pesto if you don't have time to make your own pesto)
• 5 medium-sized chicken breasts (about 1 pound chicken in 3 ounce portions/breasts), cut in half horior pounded if they are large
• Seasonings: salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder

• 1 (12 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes, washed and halved

Instructions

1. Fill a 2-quart saucepan 3/4 full of water, add your olive oil and a sprinkle of salt to the water and heat for your whole wheat pasta.
2. Prepare the pesto: place the pine nuts and parmesan cheese in a small food processor and process until it forms small crumbs.
3. Add the basil, salt, and garlic, and process again until it's finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of your processor, add the olive oil, and process again for about a minute until your pesto is a sauce but still has some texture (it's not completely pureed). You may have to stop a time or 2 to scrape the sides of your processor to make sure everything gets mixed.
4. Set aside the pesto. This makes about 3/4 cup of pesto, you'll only need about 1/2 cup for this recipe, so you'll have some pesto left over for other recipes.
5. Prepare the chicken: Heat your grill, scrape/clean the grates, and oil the grates. Depending on the outdoor temperature, it may take 5-10 minutes to warm up. Once it's about 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C, turn it to medium heat.
6. Once the pesto is done, prepare the chicken: sprinkle each side of the chicken breast with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, then spread about 1 teaspoon pesto on each side of the chicken breast.
7. Grill the chicken over medium heat on your pre-heated grill for about 4-5 minutes on each side. If the chicken breasts are large or thick, you may need to grill another 4 minutes to cook completely.
8. When the water in your saucepan begins to boil, add your whole wheat pasta and cook according to package directions.
9. Strain the water out of the cooked pasta and set aside, adding a little more olive oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking while you prepare the other ingredients.

Putting it all together

1. Toss 1/4 cup pesto into the pasta, add salt and pepper to taste. Add the drained artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes.
2. Divide the pasta onto 4 plates, add 1 sliced grilled chicken breast, and garnish with aa few basil leaves and additional grated parmesan.
   

Notes

I love fresh tomatoes in this recipe, but you can lightly roast or saute the tomatoes if you like before adding them to the pasta.

If you don't have the time to make your own pesto, pesto from a jar works great, instead!

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Please note nutrition information is an estimate only and may change depending on your choice of ingredients

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

5

Serving Size:

1/5 recipe
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 480 Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 886mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 9gSugar: 6gProtein: 35g

Looking for more meal ideas to fuel your run training?

Grab a free copy of our Marathon Training Meal Plan below!