Random thoughts, used to be about running
Random thoughts, used to be about running
Baked sweet potato with haloumi, red onion, spinach and a few drops of chilli sauce – it’s a fab combo of flavours and textures. It’s quick and easy to make and is one of my go to meals. For me, baked sweet potato tastes indulgent – sweet and a little creamy. And they’re full of good stuff for runners – Vitamins B6, C and D, iron, magnesium, potassium and high in beta carotene. They’re versatile – bake them, boil them, mash them – up to you.
I love a good bit of quinoa and quinoa with courgettes is a fab combination of flavours and texture. Now I don’t go for the superfood hype and instead subscribe to the Michael Pollan school of thought – Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
Fruity flapjacks are tasty any time! These are simple, cheap, and quick to make with the possibility of endless variations. Try with other dried fruit and nuts? Or leave them out and dip in melted choc once they’ve cooled a little? So many choices. I made these for what should be called #runningclubcakefest2017 and they went down a treat. I managed to bring none home with me! Given them a try and let you know if you do a variation on this.
May Roundup: Ah, that time of year when it hits 16 +, it’s sunny, running equals pools of sweat and distinct tan lines… fun times… (and well, the tunes, I couldn’t help myself). Now, I’m well aware that my friends in Australia will laugh at me. Growing up, we’d put our jumpers on once it hit about 20 or 21 degrees. Very occasionally in winter it might get really cold and dip below double figures. Yep, I’m from Brisbane so a little sub-tropical and where they sensibly start Parkrun at 7am – even then you need to take water, wear […]
When training doesn’t go to plan … I’m training for the XNRG Chiltern Challenge, a 50k race in July. This was how I fared last year … I was slow, so very very slow. There was pain, there was sobbing, but I finished. I laugh every time I see this photo. You can read how it went in detail here. I’m doing this race again because I have a point to prove to myself! But over the Easter weekend, about a month ago, I tweaked my back … again. This time is was soft tissue damage in my lower back – […]
Sweet and spicy nuts – these for me are a real, lovely with a glass of something bubbly. But after all the miles I’ve put in this year, and on second thoughts, I think these would also make a fab trail mix. There’s a lovely combination of sugary, salty, spiced, goodness. And it’s all a little retro! This year I made these for a friend of mine and will be making more for drinkies and celebrations over the next couple of weeks. Sweet and spicy nuts are easy to throw together and so well worth the effort. So here goes… […]
Ahh, sweet potato cake, what’s not to love. I love the humble sweet potato as you can see by the related recipes. But rarely is it used in sweet treats or desserts and this seems a real shame. Sweet potatoes are a great source of fibre as fully of vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, selenium, most of the B vitamins and vitamin C. And they’re packed full of beta-carotene. And this cake is delicious. It’s rich and moist with the spices giving it a depth of flavour. Give it a try and let me know how you get on. […]
Chickpeas, feta, coriander with a hint of chilli in one bowl – it works for lunch, for dinner, for BBQs. This salad is lush with a fantastic combination of textures and flavours. And chickpeas are truly kick arse when it comes to nutritional value with a good serve of protein, fibre and lots of other goodies. I’m a fan of pulses and love the humble chickpea. I buy them dried, soak overnight and then cook in big batches. This way I can bag up portions and stick in the freezer for future use. I think they taste a lot better this […]
I’m chuffed. Yesterday I ran 4.9 miles as part of the Thames River Relay. I beat my predicted time by over 45 seconds per mile! Post-ultra, I decided I wanted to get faster so I’ve been doing self-styled speed sessions over the last month. While there are still improvements I can make, seeing such rapid progress is encouraging. And the race, it was followed by a picnic to end all picnics. My running club knows how to put on a great spread. It was an early start with leaving home at 6.30 for a 7am pick-up. I’m not an early […]
Sweet potato and black bean salad is quickly becoming one of my summer staples! And with the combo of flavours and textures, you’ll be wanting more. I’m a huge fan on sweet potatoes. Most important for me is that they have a fantastic flavour and texture. Second to this is they’re full of the good stuff – potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin B6 which supports energy which is something I need when training. And feel free to leave the skins on as it gives added fibre and beta carotene and lots of other good stuff – just top […]
What is it about runners and cake? I was never much of a lover of cake but I have eaten more since I started running than I did in my entire life before running. Combine this with my fondness for trying out recipes that are simple but offer an interesting mix of flavours, here comes Tamarind Date Cake. This cake is surprisingly light and full of flavour. I got some excellent feedback from my running group at our biannual #cakefest – so give it a try. Now for the cardamom seeds – if you have a mortar and pestle, […]
In March, I was lucky enough to be invited to an event hosted by Science in Sport (SiS) on nutrition and fuelling for marathon day. The key lessons from that session can be found here. Now the marathon is done, I thought it would be useful to update on how it went. And how it went on the day? I would’ve like a faster time but given a 5k seemed a long way on New Year’s day, I’m happy with the outcome. You can read more here.