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.
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.
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… […]
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 […]
If someone had told me 6 months ago that I’d do a DIY marathon as training for my 50k, followed by a run (well, more of a painful walk) the following day, I would have laughed. And that laugh would have been a loud, verging on hysteria. But on Saturday that’s just what I did. But I’m getting ahead of myself… It’s been a strange week. My facet joints in my lower back have sorted themselves out and I’m back to doing core work. But it was still the case that on Wednesday I had one of the worst runs […]
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, […]
I’ve done it now. Yep, really done it. I’ve signed up to my first ultramarathon – the Chiltern Challenge 50k with XNRG. I did this pre-London Marathon thinking I’d build on all the training I’d done for that. But now, after 2 weeks of doing some shortish runs and being on the ‘see food’ diet, I’m not feeling my fittest. The food was good. There was cake. Since booking, I’ve been in denial. It was only last week I counted the weeks till the day. No, not freaking. No. No, really, I’m not! 10 frigging weeks to go! So much […]
Review of Grand Union Canal Half: To celebrate 10 years of the Grand Union Canal Half, Purple Patch Running added in a spring ‘special edition event’. This race is otherwise always run in the autumn. This is a point to point race from Cowly in Uxbridge to Cassiobury Park in Watford. I’d decided to run this as a training run and my final 10 mile plus run before the London Marathon. And I’m so glad I did – the sun and heat were brutal. The race was a 10am start and I managed to get a lift with friends from […]
The miles are upping and I’m focusing a little more on nutrition. As part of this, I’m getting back to cooking food with flavour that can also support recovery – homemade baked beans fits the bill. I make a big batch of this stuff to have for breakfasts and after long runs to help with recovery and also to keep me happy. I throw in some garlic and chilli to give it a bit of a kick.
There are hundreds of recipes out there for corn fritters. This one works fantastically with a lovely salsa – great to add some avocado if you’ve got some.
Ahhh…ANZAC Biscuits … the story goes that the mothers, wives and girlfriends of ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, WW1) would make these to send to the troops. They were good for shipping as they didn’t spoil. Little chance of them spoiling as they went down a treat post-race with friends from my running club – after a 10 mile race through mist and fog. These are little bits of goodness and great for replenishing your energy stores post-race. They’re easy to make and oh so good!
Snacks can be tricky particularly if you’re looking for something healthy and tasty that requires minimal effort. This is why roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds are so good. Dare I say it, but it’s only possible to eat so much humus. Roasted seeds are a great snack full of lots of things we all know we should be eating, good oils and protein. I make this about once a week – generally I’m using the oven for something else so very little hassle for great rewards. You could even use these as part of a trail mix