Sometimes Carbs

Here are some great options for your post-training meals: you can add these to any of the Anytime recipes to pack them full of enough energy to boost you after a workout.

This list may seem simple, but referring back to it makes it easier to keep your post-training recipes interesting by mixing things up and swapping one Sometime Carb for another. This way you won’t get bored!

Feel free to play around with flavours and textures. Fried onion, garlic and ginger are fantastic added to any of these Sometimes Carbs, as are spices like paprika, curry powder, ground cinnamon, cayenne and dried chillies. Fresh chopped herbs like coriander, parsley, dill, basil and chives can also be stirred through to boost the flavour.

Legumes (by which I mean beans, peas, lentils) are Sometimes Carbs, therefore you would normally have them as part of your post-training meals. However, legumes are also a really good source of protein (as well as being high in fibre, vitamins and minerals), which makes them a great choice for vegetarians. Therefore, if you are a vegetarian, you should consider these a protein.

Healthy eating is not complicated. It’s more that we can lack inspiration or motivation to constantly come up with new things to eat. I understand that completely, and I hope that I am helping to remove any tedium from the process and make choosing a balanced nutritious meal easier.

We are in this together. Clanship all the way!

Sweet Potatoes – Four Ways

I love sweet potatoes: they are high in fibre, the antioxidant beta-carotene, and a whole host of vitamins and minerals. They are naturally sweet and, unlike regular potatoes, they count as one of your five a day. What’s not to love! With these four methods below, there’s no excuse for not eating them.

Average portion = 1 large sweet potato

MASH

Peel the sweet potate and cut into small chunks. Put into a pan with enough water to cover, and a pinch of salt if you like. Simmer until soft (stick a knife in to check if you’re not sure – when it slides through, it’s ready). Remove from the heat and mash immediately, adding butter and a splash of goat’s milk if you like, and seasoning with salt, pepper, and any other spices such as nutmeg or cinnamon. It won’t be completely smooth but should have a good creamy texture. Taste and add more seasoning if you want.

CHARGRILLED

Peel a medium sweet potato and cut into 1cm rounds. Grill in a hot pan with a teaspoon of oil for 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper.

FRIES

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180∞C/gas 6. Peel the sweet potato or scrub with a vegetable brush, and cut lengthways into long thin wedges, like fries. They don’t have to be perfect – the more wonkily they’re cut, the better they’ll taste. Line a roasting tray with foil. Put the fries on the tray and drizzle over some rapeseed oil, then season with salt and pepper and any other seasoning you like (paprika is good). Mix together with your hands, making sure the potatoes get nicely coated, and roast for 30–40 minutes, turning if necessary, until they are crisp and caramelized at the edges and soft and juicy within.

BAKED

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180∞C/gas 6. Peel the sweet potato or scrub with a vegetable brush. Line a roasting tray with foil. If you like, you can rub the potato with a little rapeseed oil and sprinkle it with salt. Bake in the hot oven for around 45 minutes to an hour – the time will depend on the size of your potato. Remove and slice into your potato, mashing and seasoning its flesh with salt and pepper. Delicious with a dollop of goat’s yoghurt with some horseradish mixed into it.

Quinoa

Although it’s cooked like a grain, quinoa is actually a seed. If you want to add extra flavour to your quinoa, use 240ml of vegetable or chicken stock instead of water when cooking it.

1. Rinse 90g of quinoa and put into a pan with 240ml water and a pinch of salt.
2. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 15–20 minutes.

Great with: Roasted Vegetables with Feta and Seeds Recipe, Seared Seabass with Spicy Red Pepper Salsa Recipe.

Brown Rice

A wholegrain, unprocessed brown rice is nuttier than white rice, more filling and requires a longer cooking time.

1. Put 100g brown rice into a pan with 500ml water and a pinch of salt.
2. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 35 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit in the pan with the lid on for 10 minutes. This helps it absorb the last of the liquid that is in the pan, making it light and fluffy when you serve it.

Great with: Salsa Chicken, Thor-red Salmon.

Hulled Barley

Barley is an amazing wholegrain and has always been popular in the Nordic countries. It’s very high in fibre, vitamins, mineral and antioxidants. So mix it up, and try hulled barley instead of rice.

1. Soak 100g of barley overnight in water.
2. Rinse the barley, then put into a pan with 500ml of water.
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, until tender.

Great with: Seared Seabass with Spicy Red Pepper Salsa, Cajun Goat’s Milk Yoghurt Chicken.

Rice Noodles

These can range from thin vermicelli noodles, to thicker round noodles and flat ribbons. Always read the packet instructions, as the cooking methods may vary: the steps below are for dried vermicelli.

1. Place 50g of rice noodles in a medium heatproof bowl and pour 500ml of boiling water over them. Cover with a clean tea towel or a plate to stop the steam escaping.
2. Stir the noodles every couple of minutes to loosen them up.
3. When the strands have separated and the noodles are soft, they are ready (around 4–5 minutes). Drain thoroughly.

Great with: Tangy Stir-fried Tofu & Vegetables.

Black Turtle Beans (great source of protein for vegetarians)

These beans are so versatile and they’re also high in fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. You can add aromatics such as half an onion, a bashed garlic clove, a stick of celery, a bay leaf, or a dried chilli to the water when cooking, for added flavour.

1. Soak 100g of black turtle beans overnight (or for at least 8 hours).
2. Drain the beans and rinse in fresh water.
3. Put into a pan with 500ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for an hour, until tender.

Great with: Spicy Chicken with Halloumi

Green Lentils and Brown Lentils (Great source of protein for vegetarians)

A wonderful source of carbohydrate and protein, lentils also contain calcium, phosphorus, iron and B vitamins – and they count towards your five a day! Green and brown lentils retain their shape, but tend to take longer to cook than other varieties – though they can be pre-soaked to reduce the cooking time. As with the black beans (see page XXX), you can add extra aromatics to the water for additional flavour.

1. Rinse 100g of lentils of either colour, then drain and place in a pan with 400ml of water.
2. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

Great with: Roasted Tuna Steak and Mixed Vegetables, Chicken & Golden Cauliflower Rice.