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I've gotten a lot of questions about how I eat to fuel an ultra as a Paleo athlete. I thought it might be helpful for people looking for answers if I wrote a meal plan based on typical meals I eat in the week leading up to a race.
Whether or not the meal plan I've outlined below will work for you depends on how you eat in your daily life.
Do you eat the Standard American Diet? You're welcome to give my eating plan a try, but it's unlikely it will work well until your body learns to use fat as fuel. For a greater understanding of fat burning vs. sugar burning, this article gives a good explanation.
I also recommend reading It Starts With Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig and The Paleo Athlete by Stephanie Gaudreau. While I found some of its advice outdated, I also learned a lot about fueling from Loren Cordain's The Paleo Diet for Athletes.
Are you just starting a Whole30? It typically takes a couple of weeks for your body to adapt to the changes in your diet. Be patient with the process and go easy in workouts. I don't recommend starting this way of eating if you have your A race in the next 3 weeks.
Have you been avoiding processed carbs and grains and feel you are fat-adapted? My way of fueling should work best for those who fall into this group, but everyone is different. Maybe you don't like chicken, or you're allergic to onions, in which case you'll need to substitute something else.
Do you eat Vegan or Vegetarian? You can sub organic tofu or lentils for the protein in any meal (full disclosure - I haven't tried it myself). If you currently rely heavily on grains for fuel, your body may need to learn to use fat as fuel before this type of eating will work for you. The Whole30 folks have options for you if you're interested.
Below I've listed four days worth of meals I typically eat leading up to an ultra. This is what works for me. You may have success following this plan, but everyone is different. Keep experimenting until you find what works best for you.
At least four days before my long run/endurance event I make sure I am carb loading, Paleo style. That means eating starchy vegetables two or three times a day. The ones that pack the most punch are sweet potatoes, butternut squash, beets, rutabaga and parsnips.
My favorite packed-with-carbs recipe is Velvety Butternut Squash from Well Fed. It makes a big casserole dish full and we nosh on it all week.
Cooking takes time. I love it and can spend hours in the kitchen making wonderful recipes, but I've kept things super simple here so those of you with little time can benefit. My best time saving tricks:
- Frozen veggies: A few minutes in the microwave and they're ready.
- Raw veggies: Sliced bell peppers, cucumbers, jicama, snap peas, celery and baby carrots are quick to prep and portable.
- Make ahead: On Sunday evening, I shred rutabaga, roast sweet potatoes and beets, boil eggs, cook a couple of different meats, chop onions, slice cucumbers and bell peppers, and make batches of food for the week.
- Buy prepared foods like roast chicken or hit a hot food/salad bar when you don't feel like cooking. Just check the ingredients carefully.
I am a huge fan of Melissa Joulwan and her Well Fed and Well Fed 2 cookbooks. I highly recommend both, whether you are Paleo, Vegan or Standard American Diet. Her veggie recipes are particularly outstanding (you will probably moan audibly) and she offers many helpful shortcuts to make your life easier.
With each meal I include:
- a palm to 2 palm sized portion of protein (meat, seafood, poultry or 3-4 eggs)
- good fats like half an avocado
- LOTS (2-4 cups) of veggies (starchy and green)
Below I've given you a protein, fat, green vegetable and starchy vegetable suggestion for each meal. I don't always manage to eat a starchy vegetable at each meal. Sometimes I skip the green veggies or eat a little less protein depending on how active I was that day. Feel free to experiment with different combinations.
I'm
not a nutritionist or a medical professional of any sort. This is how I
eat to fuel my runs. It may or may not work for you. Please consult
your doctor before you take the drastic step of eating the real food
listed in this post instead of packaged, processed stuff with
preservatives because that would be the prudent thing to do (is this a suitable legal disclaimer?).
DAY 1 (4 days before your event)
Breakfast
Protein: 3-4 eggs OR ground meat with 2 eggs on top
Fat: Coffee blended with coconut milk (the cooking oil I fry my eggs in counts too)
Green veg: Some fresh or frozen spinach or any leftover veggies I have
Starchy: Rutabaga hash (shredded rutabaga + chopped onions + spices cooked in coconut oil, ghee or olive oil)
Lunch
Protein: Bunless burger or any leftover meat I have on hand
Fat: Homemade mayo on my burger and/or guacamole for dipping my veggies
Green veg: Raw veggies like sugar snap peas, baby carrots, bell pepper strips, jicama
Starchy: 1/2 sweet potato, a couple of handfuls of blueberries & strawberries
Dinner
Protein: Shrimp or Chicken Curry Bowl (sautee onions & veggies of choice in coconut oil, add shrimp/chicken, stir in 1-2 tsp green curry paste or curry powder, add 1 cup coconut milk, simmer 'til hot).
Green veg: I add broccoli and/or green beans and spinach in my curry bowl
Starchy: Velvety Butternut Squash
DAY 2 (3 days before your event)
Breakfast
Protein: Frittata with spinach, red bell pepper, onion
Fat: 1/2 avocado or homemade mayo + Franks' hot sauce atop frittata
Green veg: I use broccoli or spinach in my frittata
Starchy: Shredded rutabaga hash, strawberries
Lunch
Protein: 1 can wild sardines and/or hard-boiled eggs tossed in salad
Fat: 1/2 avocado, cubed into salad
Green veg: A big salad. I like red peppers, cukes, arugula. Try different combos.
Starchy: A big helping of roasted beets
Dinner
Protein: Pan-fried chicken thighs with onions, garlic and lemon OR a grilled steak
Fat: Olive oil or ghee to cook chicken and spinach
Green veg: Sauteed spinach, garlic and pine nuts
Starchy: 1/2 - 1 sweet potato OR Japanese sweet potato fries (if you have any leftovers these are great cold in your lunch salad)
DAY 3 (2 days before your event)
Breakfast
Protein: Ground pork or turkey sauteed with apples and cinnamon + scrambled eggs
Fat: Coffee blended with coconut milk or 1/2 avocado
Green veg: optional, sometimes I skip them or eat a few forkfuls of kimchi
Starchy: I count the apples above as my starch here.
Lunch
Protein: Leftover chicken thighs or steak
Fat: 1/2 avocado or olive oil and vinegar dressing on salad
Green veg: Big salad with veggies
Starchy: Roasted beets in my salad
Dinner
Protein: Ground beef, onions, spices, roasted spaghetti squash, tomato sauce
Fat: Large handful of olives or 1/2 avocado. I also use olive oil to cook my squash & greens.
Green veg: Frozen broccoli or spinach, I mix mine in with the sauce
Starchy: 1/2 - 1 sweet potato, a couple of handfuls of blueberries & strawberries
DAY 4 (the day before your event)
Breakfast
Protein: Leftover frittata or 3-4 hard boiled eggs
Fat: Coffee blended with coconut milk (or make homemade mayo and make deviled eggs!)
Green veggies: fresh or frozen spinach, sauteed or some kimchi
Starchy: Velvety Butternut Squash
Lunch
Protein: Leftover ground beef, spaghetti squash, sauce
Fat: Drizzle of olive oil over spaghetti squash or 1/2 avocado
Green veg: Frozen broccoli microwaved or baby carrots, celery, bell peppers
Starchy: Leftover roasted beets
Dinner
Protein: Salmon cakes (I use oregano instead of rosemary)
Fat: Coconut milk in the green beans below, homemade mayo on my salmon cakes
Green veg: Green beans sauteed with garlic, spices, coconut milk (from Well Fed)
Starchy: Roasted root veggies - I like a mix of parsnips, butternut squash and carrots, cut into one-inch cubes, tossed with melted coconut oil and a little kosher salt and roasted at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done to your liking.
SHOPPING LIST* (approximate amounts. I'm sure I've left something out ...)
eggs - 2 dozen
avocados - 3 or 4
rutabagas - 2-3 medium
onions - 2 or 3
green onions - 1 bunch
Raw veggies: bell peppers, baby carrots, celery, jicama, snap peas, cucumber
garlic - 2 heads
apples - 2 small
sweet potatoes, Garnet or Jewel - 3-4
Japanese sweet potatoes - 2
butternut squash - 2 large
spaghetti squash - 1 medium
beets - 3-4 medium
parsnips - 4 or so
carrots - 1 bunch
blueberries - 1 pint
strawberries - 1 quart
spinach/arugula or other fresh salad greens of your choice
ground beef - 1 lb
ground turkey or pork - 1 lb
chicken thighs OR a steak
shrimp - 1/2 lb
wild sardines in water - 2 cans
wild salmon - 1 15 oz can
kimchi - try it!
green beans - 1 lb
lime - 1
frozen broccoli
frozen spinach or kale
coconut milk - 3-4 cans
tomato sauce - look for sugar free, I like Rao's or Amy's Family Marinara
green curry paste or curry powder
olives - 1 can
mustard
coconut oil (unrefined)
olive oil and/or ghee (clarified butter)
vinegar (to make your own salad dressing)
slivered almonds
Frank's Hot Sauce
If making homemade mayo, also buy:
dry mustard (if you don't already have some)
light olive oil (not extra virgin, it will be too bitter)
1 lemon
*In compiling this list, I'm assuming you have some spices on hand already, like paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, ginger, cayenne - not 100% essential, but it can make the difference between your food being bland or mind-blowing!
For more on fueling for an ultra, including what I eat during a run, go here.
I hope you find my suggestions helpful. Happy eating and good luck in your racing and training. Enjoy the journey!
I have had mixed success with fueling on the Whole30 Program.
Below I recount my personal experiences running long distances on this diet. I based my evaluation on three major runs: 44 miles at Bull Run Run, a 21-mile training run dubbed Kerry's Death March and a 50K race at Capon Valley.
First things first: I would not recommend racing in the
first 14 days of the Whole30 program. Almost everyone experiences very low energy and lackluster workouts during this period as the body adapts from using carbohydrates to fueling with fat.
Let's start by analyzing my DNF at mile 44 of Bull Run Run 50 Miler. It fell on Day 28 of my Whole30. While my body had adapted to using fat as fuel, I
believe the diet itself was not to blame, rather, I failed to properly carb-load in the days leading up to this race.
The Carb-Loading Fail. My meals for three days prior to my race (by pure accident) included almost all low carbohydrate vegetables:
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Brussels sprouts
- Jicama
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Salad greens
I should have been adding fruit to my meals and eating high carb veggies such as:
- Sweet
potatoes
- Winter squash
- Beets
- Parsnips
What I Used as Race Fuel. Below is my race nutrition. My energy was steady all day.
- A blend of sweet potato puree, applesauce, apple juice and coconut milk
- a couple handfuls of dates
- half a banana
- LARABARS (5 or 6), Lemon and Cherry Pie flavors
The Good. Here's what I noted about how I felt during Bull Run Run vs. typical past ultras.
- I
never felt like I was bonking.
- No bloating or sloshing. In fact, I can't remember a race where
my stomach felt better.
- Even
energy throughout the day. It was different than the sugar "highs" I
used to get on gels and junk food - but notably, the lows that
accompanied them were also absent.
Alkalinity and Acidity. If you scroll down to the bottom of this discussion, you'll find some interesting answers on severe cramping during endurance running. Based on the pain/sensations described, this is exactly what I experienced during Bull Run Run. I've never cramped that badly before, to the point of being unable to walk.
In short, my low carbohydrate intake left my pH too low going into the race. That resulted in horrific cramping - and nothing I ate or drank during the race could have remedied that. The die had been cast.
Success on Kerry's Death March Training Run. KDM is a wonderful and very tough 20+ mile loop in Shenandoah National Park. It has significant climbing and is ideal for Laurel Highlands 70 training. I completed this leisurely-paced 5+ hour run and felt AMAZING all day long, with steady energy throughout. In addition to the fuel I used at Bull Run Run, I ate a burger in a lettuce wrap at Elkwallow Wayside. It's possible this additional protein and fat contributed to my overall success.
Middling Results at Capon Valley 50K. I ate sweet potatoes like they were going out of style in the two days leading up to this race. I added dried apricots and cranberries to my fuel quiver, and I ate some bananas and orange slices at the aid stations. Again, I'm not certain my results here can be attributed to my diet alone. I had pain in my right hip during the entire race as a result of a new climbing technique I implemented at KDM. Furthermore, my legs were still fatigued because I hadn't tapered. In the last miles, when I'm usually raring to get it done, I did a lot of walking and frankly didn't care a bit about my time.
We Are All An Experiment Of One. My ultrarunner friend Katie (read her Whole30 report)
has had really strong runs using the sweet potato puree + applesauce + coconut
milk blend. Katie PR'd by an hour at Bull Run Run (she was on Day 28 of the Whole30, like me). She has gone from mid-packer to making the podium at a couple of races. Keep your eyes peeled for It's up! Katie's ultra fueling post to learn about all of her fueling secrets.
Hubz had several great training runs and his recovery after hard efforts was amazingly quick. He remarked several times in amazement that he had little or no soreness after seriously tough runs. However, he bonked hard just past the halfway point at his 100 mile race this weekend and was not able to recover. Furthermore, while his energy was good and steady up to mile 50, it differed significantly from energy he got in the past from his Gatorade + Carb BOOM! mix. Even before he bonked, he said he "just didn't have another gear."
In Conclusion, I feel unsatisfied with my evaluation of the Whole30 diet on just three big runs. I will continue to experiment with my ultrarunning fuel as well as the ratio of fat + protein + carbs in my daily diet. I'll tinker with the sweet potato blend, adding more coconut milk. I'm going to try using gels again and a few new products. Does anyone have a non-sugary fuel they use with success?
More:
My life has changed. I feel like a new person since going on the Whole30 Program. Click the link to read about what the Whole30 diet entails, this post is long enough already.
Why Do This? I've been "leaning" Paleo for awhile now. I have several ultrarunning friends whose brains I've been picking. Honestly, I thought the Paleo diet was just a little over the top. I figured I could eat healthy but still have my homemade bread, good cheese and Ben and Jerry's in moderation.
Well, there's the rub. I could not. Sugar had me in its clutches. Day after day, I failed at resisting its siren call. I failed completely at moderation.
The tipping point was when I discovered that my good friend Kris had done the Whole30. Now, Kris is a Wisconsin girl. She loves her coffee with cream, and good cheese, and she's not one to follow fads. She had nothing but great things to say about her results.
A week later I took the plunge. It was only for 30 days, for Pete's sake!
Below I share my observations and results. Please excuse my rambling style. I tend to get carried away when I talk about it.
I sleep incredibly soundly. It's kind of like going under anesthesia.
No more mid-afternoon slump. In fact, I
have an inordinate amount of energy. I may have to quit coffee, because
even 2 small cups in the morning is revving me up!
My moods are steady. No more crankiness. I'm more even-keeled, more patient. Same with Hubz.
Lean. It's not a weight loss diet, but within the first week I
noticed I had lost inches from my stomach, where it usually is the last
to go. Over the 30+ days, I lost nearly 10 pounds. Oh, and I never, ever went hungry.
Seasonal allergies have improved. A few times I had a bit of a runny nose, but it was a far cry from the sneeze-fests and nasal drip misery
that I often have this time of year.
Stronger fingernails and toenails that grow much more quickly.
Nose breathing vs. mouth breathing. I breathe almost exclusively through my nose now, even when running. Hubz had been a mouth breather since being diagnosed with asthma as a teenager. No more.
Food tastes better. My taste buds have changed. Every meal is exclaim-out-loud tasty. The flavors I couldn't taste before are singing. Before the Whole30, Hubz detested coconut and I didn't care for almond butter.
Some female stuff went away which I was really happy about. Ladies, if you want the gory details email me and I'll pass them along.
Overall
Feeling of Well Being and Happiness: I didn't have any aches, pains or injuries so I
don't have any dazzling testimonials like my friend Katie, whose year-long shoulder pain and chronic eczema disappeared, but I
SIMPLY FEEL AMAZING.
Kombucha is delicious. Experimenting with new spices, vegetables, meats and sauces was exciting. Through the Whole30, I've discovered many outstanding new favorite recipes.
Was It Hard? Actually, no. Perhaps because Hubz and I did this together, it was a thrilling, shared adventure. Once I committed to the
plan, I really didn't miss, crave or get
tempted by anything. There was one morning when someone made toast and
it smelled like the most delicious food ever. But honestly, that was it.
Additional Thoughts:
The toughest part was resisting deeply ingrained habits, like wanting to crack open a
beer on a warm, sunny day and lounge in the backyard. On the other hand, I didn't find it hard
to go to our post-run Tuesday night pizza joint and order steak instead,
and drink club soda with lime. Putting my drink in a nice glass helped me feel like it was still a treat.
I had serious reservations about how hard it would be to quit
milk/cream in my coffee so I started drinking it black about 4 days
before officially starting. That worked alright, but then I discovered
coconut milk. Blend some with a small amount of coffee, voila! Delicious
and full of good fat!
Hubz, in his own words:
1.)
I like a program that expects you to follow it verbatim with no room
for cheating, mistakes, or excuses. Screwed up? Start over.
2.) Starting on Day 3 and continuing through about Day 7 or so, do not keep any loaded weapons in the house. I'm just sayin'.
3.) I had to force myself to eat for the first 3 or 4 days. No appetite.
4.) Eating large amounts of healthy fats does not make you fat. It makes you skinny. Go figure.
5.)
For the first 7 to 10 days, don't expect to have much energy. I had to
drag myself to the gym during this period and once there, I spent
considerable time just drifting around.
6.) Don't be surprised if you find yourself in front of a pastry counter just staring. Just don't touch.
7.) I love coconut milk with a small shot of pineapple juice.
8.) Hair - think I grew some new ones topside. Not many, but who's counting?
9.) Nails - less brittle.
10.) Sardines, spaghetti squash, and Marinara sauce is NOT breakfast. But it can be Meal 1.
11.)
Don't snack - I'm still working on this one. Don't count calories. Eat
3-4 squares a day - protein, fat, veggies, small amount of fruit - every
meal.
12.) Club soda in a rocks glass looks like corn liquor...once the bubbles are gone.
13.)
Peeing. Apparently the prostate gland is a big fan of the Whole30
program. Don't be surprised if you get a call from your local firehouse
asking you to ride shotgun on the pumper truck.
More:
Paris. C'est fantastique!
Even in August, with hordes of tourists, we loved Paris.
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| At Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte |
We walked until our hearty ultrarunner legs nearly fell off.
We ate cheese, pastries, baguettes, tartines, omelets, ice cream, falafel, French toast made by a real Frenchman, and pretty much anything that was set before us. We drank wine at every meal but breakfast (I'm pretty sure we never drank wine with breakfast).
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Cheese. Not the stuff we get here in America,
REALLY FREAKING GOOD CHEESE. |
The weather was a refreshing, welcome change from the heat and humidity we left behind. The first few days, it was so cool I was wishing for more than my lightweight sweater. It was like Fall, but with long days -- the sun didn't set til nearly 9:30 p.m. Quite possibly, the best of all possible worlds!
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Jardin du Luxembourg. Love the way the French inter-plant flowers.
|
As luck would have it, my cousin Pam knows the city like the back of her hand and has created a website with perfect sight-seeing walks. Want to stroll around tasting French gourmet cuisine as you go? She has a free app for your smartphone: 7 La Semain du Gout. If you're lucky enough to be traveling to Paris, check it out!
This trip was special because I got to spend time with my parents, brothers, sisters-in-law and niece, as well as my cousins. My cousins used to spend a month or so each summer with us in Kansas, so it was like old times (except nobody tied anyone to a broomstick or locked them in the neighbors' dog kennel).
Another highlight: we got to watch our beloved alma mater, the Kansas Jayhawks, play basketball against a French team. Sadly we witnessed their first ever international loss, but it was a great game.
I'll leave you with a few more photos from the trip. Be forewarned, they may cause sensations of hunger, wanderlust and Francophilia.
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Rock Chalk Jayhawk! (what, don't you take
all your family photos in a parking garage?) |
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Fun Run participants just before the run. Note Jeff Reed representing the VHTRC in the blue shirt!
(Photo from Pacers Facebook page) |
Since my earliest forays into ultrarunning, I've admired Scott Jurek. He was the real deal -- winning Western States 100 Miler year after year (7 times in a row!). He was a class act who stayed at the finish line of every race to cheer for every last finisher.
When I heard he was in town to promote his book
Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness, I jumped at the chance to see him in person. On a warm Friday evening, I donned my brand new red running dress and took
my life into my hands the Metro over to Arlington to do a Fun Run with him.
 |
Talking with Scott in the wildflower garden before the run.
(Photo from Pacers Facebook page) |
I got the nerve up to approach him before the run and get a photo. Good thing I did, because he was swamped afterward and it was hot and muggy. I would have looked a sight in a post-run photo.
He asked what ultras I had run, and I mentioned Bull Run Run 50 Miler. He had run
Bull Run Run in 1999, shortly before he went on to win his first Western States. "That's the VHTRC race," he said, smiling. I was pretty thrilled that he knew our little club by name!
 |
| Me and Scott Jurek. He's an amazing ultrarunner and gracious, too. |
The run itself was anticlimactic. I didn't try to jockey for position at the front. We ran a section of the paved Custis bike path (sadly, no singletrack trail), ending at Pacers in Clarendon. Pacers had a nice spread for us: fruit, veggies, hummus and some baked goodies. Scott hung around outside and chatted.
 |
Michael Wardian and Scott making plans to run the next day.
Somehow, they forgot to invite me. |
We gathered inside the store and Scott spoke about his upcoming race in South Africa for charity, what he eats, how he trains and how he became a runner as a result of cross-training for Nordic skiing in high school.
One thing he said that resonated with me: To run an ultra you've got to be "hungry."
It's so true. You may possess the training, fitness and ability to run 100 miles but you may not even make it 50K if you aren't focused on your goal. There are always excuses to DNF, and unless finishing truly matters to you, you're likely to succumb to those excuses.
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| Eat & Run - two thumbs up! |
He also mentioned that he was looking forward to one day retiring from racing, and perhaps running the VHTRC Massanutten 100 Miler. How exciting it would be to have him toe the line!
I bought my book, tried on two pairs of running shoes and went for short test runs outside, browsed every item in Pacers (including the mens section) and got through Chapters 1 - 3 while waiting for the line for Scott to sign it. It was worth it.
And now, I can't put the book down. I'm captivated by his life story, his training, his races and his advice on running. His writing style is open and honest and right away, you feel like you know him. There are also a lot of great suggestions on how to become a better runner.
Though I'm not a vegan or vegetarian, I don't find his references to how he came to be a Vegan trite or sanctimonious. As someone who enjoys good food and cooking, I'm finding it interesting.
At the end of each chapter he includes a tasty-sounding recipe, and I'm looking forward to trying a fair number of them. I'll report back on my results!
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| Foie gras & chocolate, Bloody Mary gelatin, Macarons filled with beet mousse. |
Someone had a birthday.
In celebration, I checked off one of those life list
Grand Plans: Dinner at The Inn at Little Washington.
It was the most delicious, delightful, creatively presented food I've ever eaten.
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| Beet Salad, extraordinary |
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| Carpaccio of Herb Crusted Baby Lamb with Caesar Salad ICE CREAM! |
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| Maine Day Boat Scallop Sautéed with Tomato Gnocchi, Capers, Brown Butter and Lemon
|
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| Macaroni and Cheese with Shaved Black Truffle |
By the time the main course arrived, I forgot all about taking photos. But I recovered my senses when dessert arrived.
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| 7 Deadly Sins dessert plate |
There's really nothing more I can add.
If you ever have the opportunity to eat at this gastronomical wonderland, seize it.
And remember to make your reservations far in advance.
We've been exploring Virginia wine country in earnest this fall. We're enjoying this new shared hobby immensely, and Hubz is developing a discerning palate. The other day we rented Sideways - an amusing flick for anyone who's ever gone wine tasting.
Hubz was bowled over by the delicious lunch I made out of our Thanksgiving turkey leftovers and the bottle of Virginia wine we were drinking. He insisted I post it on my blog, so I had him type a mini guest post blurb.
Pay attention you culinary aficionados. I am going to share with you a
palate-pleasing pairing that might be a bit unorthodox.
Enjoy!
Cheers,
TC
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| I topped mine with avocado and shredded Monterey Jack. Mmm! |
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| Sour Cherries |
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| Cherries with pits removed |
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| Cherries and sugar, boiling |
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| Cherries, cooling |
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| In the blender. Forgot to snap a shot when I added the yogurt. |
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| Pouring the chilled yogurt and cherry mixture in the ice cream maker |
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| Almost done! |
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| I always fail to take photos of the finished product in a pretty dish. |
Sour Cherry Frozen Yogurt (recipe adapted from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop)
3 cups fresh sour cherries
3/4 cup sugar (I used a little less)
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt (original recipe called for 1 cup, so taste as you add)
3 drops almond extract (measure carefully, this is potent)
Remove the pits from the cherries, and dump them in a medium saucepan with the sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cook until cherries are soft. The aroma will nearly kill you.
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. To hasten the process stick the pan in a wide, shallow dish half-full of cold water.
Puree the cherries and their liquid in a blender with yogurt and almond extract until smooth. Chill for at least 2 hours. Then freeze in your ice cream maker. If the mixture is really well-chilled, it only takes about twenty minutes (it won't freeze as solid as store-bought, because it doesn't have all those chemicals).
Spoon it into the container you'll store it in and stick it in the freezer so it can firm up a bit more. I recommend taking plenty of tastes during this process.
Don't have an ice cream maker? You can simply freeze in a container, and stir every half hour until it freezes. The texture won't be quite as smooth, but I doubt you'll care.
