“I accumulated a lot of recipes and thought, why don’t I just make a cookbook? It’d be cool to have a cookbook at 19—why not?”

Sophomore Jamie Hegg is a sport and exercise science major, member of Seattle University’s Track and Field team, and now, a self-published author.

Hegg’s unsurpassable passion and talent for cooking came to fruition this past week when she published her cookbook. “Don’t Run Hungry”—a collection of many trials both in and outside the kitchen.

For Hegg, it all began in elementary school as a pastime with friends— cooking for each other during a time in which Hegg describes herself as a “sugar addict.” Baking for friends quickly progressed into baking for anyone and everyone.

Gathering inspiration from her mom, Instagram food bloggers, and cooking shows like “Chopped” and “The Great British Baking Show,” Hegg decided to create her own platform for food. What started as a food blog quickly transformed into a full-blown cookbook. Armed with a high-quality camera and a plethora of recipes, “Don’t Run Hungry” began. The process, however, proved trickier than she expected.

“Creating recipes and taking photos was the fun part,” Hegg said. “I did all the technology myself, which was time-consuming and took a lot longer than I had anticipated. I only had online chat to help, which was difficult.”

She originally intended to finish the cookbook within three months, but ended up taking a total of nine months. Hegg was able to complete it and says she definitely sees herself creating more cookbooks in the future. She described the process as “a learning experience in which she has become more efficient.”

Flipping through the various pages of Hegg’s cookbook, one might be led to believe Hegg is a full-time food blogger or cook herself. This is not the case—more like full-time student and student-athlete. How does one do it? It’s no easy feat, but Hegg doesn’t seem to have many issues balancing the day’s demands.

“I do a lot of meal prepping,” she said. “I also use cooking as a study break. If I’m hungry and can’t think or read any longer, so I’ll cook some rice and roast some veggies.”

As a student athlete, Hegg is armed with knowledge of not just how the body functions but how it best metabolizes food. She has been able to incorporate both savory and sweet into her daily routine to prepare for practice, perform her best, and recover from the day’s demands.

“Being a student-athlete has motivated me to create healthier recipes because I am literally addicted to sugar,” Hegg said. “And while I need it, I can’t eat cake and ice cream every night as much as I’d like to. But I was like, actually, maybe I can… if I sub out some of the ingredients and use natural sugars that can be used for recovery.”

She tries to incorporate a protein, vegetable, and grain into every single meal and surprisingly found that lots of her favorite sweets are perfect for post-workout recovery. But how can students and athletes alike become just as involved in the process as Hegg, a seasoned veteran in the field of cooking?

“Find people you like on social media, like a food blogger, and see what they’re cooking,” she said. “If they can do it, you probably can too.”

“Don’t Run Hungry” definitely remains a motto to live by—whether you’re a runner, student, both, or neither, the satisfaction of cooking a quality meal cannot be undermined. If you’re left wondering what kind of recipes Hegg included within her new cookbook, it might be helpful to consider her favorite food.

“Chocolate and peanut butter,” Hegg said instantaneously “It cannot be beat in any form.”

If you’re looking to get your hands on Hegg’s newest creation, check out her website at dontrunhungry.com or her Instagram at @dontrunhungry— you—and your taste buds—will not
be disappointed.

Nicole may be reached at
[email protected]