RECIPE: Rice balls so good you’ll devour them on recovery days, too

If you have a longer race on the books this season, you’ll need to start developing fuelling strategies, and the earlier you can start trying out foods while running, the better. Eating on the run doesn’t come naturally to many, and anyone who has encountered GI distress during a race knows how quickly it can derail an otherwise strong performance.

These simple and tasty rice balls were developed by renowned coach and ultrarunner Jason Koop. In his book Training Essentials for Ultrarunners, he shares that his culinary creations “have the taste, texture and convenience that make them a go-to favourite for several of my athletes.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bacon and Egg Rice Balls

(makes about 12 rice balls)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice

2 eggs

2 strips bacon

2 oz grated Parmesan cheese

salt to taste

Directions

Cook the rice, and scramble and cook the eggs.  Cook the bacon–drain excess fat and chop.

Combine the rice, eggs, bacon, cheese and salt in a large mixing bowl. Scoop small portions into sandwich bags and tie the ends off.

Sweet and Salty Rice Balls (Vegetarian)

(makes about 12 rice balls)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice

2 eggs

2 Tbsp honey

1–1.5 Tbsp soy sauce to taste

Cook the rice, and scramble and cook the eggs. Combine the rice, eggs, honey and soy sauce in a large mixing bowl.

Scoop small portions into sandwich bags and tie the ends off.

Take a baggie or two of these rice balls along on a long training run and start to develop a repertoire of food that works for you while you run. As Koop writes: “Even the best foods are useless if they stay in your pocket…you have to like how they taste, how they smell, how they feel in your mouth and how easy they are to unwrap and get down your throat.”