Almond Butter Balls

I tried a few different combinations of these balls but this mix seemed to work well for taste and texture, without needing to add extra sugar (the dates provide plenty of sweetness!).

The recipe combines ingredients in a food processor, however you can also grate ingredients finely then combine if you want a bit more texture and crunch. Totally up to you.

This makes a good base recipe that you could then adapt and adjust with different nuts/seeds/nut butters to suit your tastes.

With all of the nuts, seeds and nut butter, these treats contain healthy fats, as well as fibre, vitamins and minerals from the raw ingredients. They are lower in sugar than some other ‘bliss ball’ recipes, however any snacks that are packed with nuts/seeds/dried fruit will be nutrient-dense, but also energy-dense. Great as a small snack at the end of a meal, or something to go with a cup of tea (as an alternative to a sweet biscuit perhaps), but not necessarily suggested as a handful as a snack on their own. If you are an athlete with high energy needs however, enjoy liberally.

Another thing to note - don’t be fooled by similar recipes out there for ‘protein balls’ - the shear size of these snacks means that even though the ingredients contain protein, consuming 1 or 2 serves is unlikely to provide significant protein and the quality of protein is likely to be low (you would have to add a lot of protein powder otherwise, and this is usually not possible). Check ingredients and portion sizes carefully. There will usually be more efficient ways to get your high quality protein in. So although this recipe contains plenty of nuts and seeds, there is no way they could be referred to as protein balls! But nutritious and tasty all the same, and nice for something different!

If you are looking for some pre-workout snack ideas, you will find some in my blog article Best Snacks for Before Exercise to Perform at Your Best.

Almond Butter Balls

Makes ~20

Ingredients:

¼ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup sesame seeds

½ cup dates

¼ cup coconut

½ cup oats

½ cup almond butter

Method:

Combine sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, dates, coconut and oats in a food processer until well combined.  Mix through nut butter.  Using a teaspoon, roll into small balls and place on a lined tray.  Allow to firm up in the fridge, then store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Quick and easy recipes - soup, salad and snacks

Image by Rosanna Faraci

No doubt about it, COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our lives and livelihoods. All of us have different experiences and have been effected in different ways. For many, it has provided an opportunity to consider our own health and well-being and take a closer look at our nutrition choices and habits. This has resulted in a significant increase in home-cooking (including a contagious interest in sourdough baking!) as well as cooking on a budget.

You may have already been searching your favourite recipe sites, or flicking through old recipe books for meal inspiration. If you are looking for more ideas, I have linked in below a few winter-friendly options that are quick and easy to make, and will help to keep your body and brain nourished and content.

These, along with other recipes, are here on my website, or if you are looking for more ideas you will find over 140 meal and snack ideas in Super Food for Performance - currently discounted.

Pumpkin and Pinenut Spinach Salad
Yes, a salad for winter - you can serve it while the sweet potato is still warm. Great with lamb or chicken, or roast some chickpeas with the sweet potato for a vegetarian option.

Dahl

Perfect for a warming lunch or savoury snack. High in fibre and a tasty way to eat lentils!

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Salmon and Ricotta Frittata

Works well for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack - high in protein and a terrific source of calcium.

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Mexican-Style Beef with Sweet Corn Salad

More salad! But you can serve it while the corn is still warm. Mix in some black beans for a plant-based lunch bowl on it’s own.

Banana Bread

One of the most searched recipes right now - a great way to use up extra bananas, and lower in sugar and additives than the standard store-bought varieties.

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

Recovery Smoothie

A great recovery option post-training, especially with more of us training from home right now. Mix it up with your favourite fresh or frozen fruits.

Happy cooking and stay safe. I would love to see your creations, so if you post any of your cooking on your social media please tag me in - (these recipes or your own healthy favourites!). You can find me on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Banana, strawberry and yoghurt muffins

Image above is ‘Banana Muffins’ - the recipe below but minus the strawberries!

Recipe makes ~18 medium size muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup wholemeal SR flour

1 cup SR flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinammon

¾ cup natural yoghurt

½ cup milk

1 egg

1/3 cup olive oil

2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup chopped strawberries 

 Method:       

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.  Line muffin pans with patty cases or grease with some oil or butter.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients, flours, sugar and cinammon and whisk to remove any lumps.  Combine yoghurt, milk, egg, olive oil and bananas in a separate bowl then add to the dry ingredients. Combine gently until just mixed through, then fold through the strawberries.  Spoon mixture into muffin pans to 2/3 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees C. Leave in the pan for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire rack

Watermelon, feta and mint salad

Recipe from Super Food for Performance in Work Sport and Life .

Sounds like a strange combination, but these three ingredients combine beautifully together, either with a BBQ or as a refreshing salad on it’s own on a hot summer’s day. 

Watermelon is quite low in sugar, and adding the mint provides the additional nutrient benefits of fresh herbs.  A great way to jazz up your summer watermelon.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

600g seedless watermelon, chopped coarsely

100g feta cheese, roughly crumbled

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

Combine all ingredients, serve!

 Vegetarian, Gluten-free

Pumpkin and Pinenut Spinach Salad

Roasted pumpkin is a delicious base for a salad (and lower in carbohydrate than most people think!). If you need a higher carbohydrate option, you could use sweet potato instead of the pumpkin. Combined with feta and crunchy pinenuts, you can have a gourmet vegetarian dinner any night of the week, or a great salad addition to a summer BBQ.

Recipe from Super Food for Performance in Work, Sport and Life.

Serves 4-8

Ingredients:
750g butternut pumpkin, peeled
2tbsp olive oil
40g pine nuts
150g baby spinach leaves
80g feta cheese
Additional 2tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.  Chop pumpkin into small cubes and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Drizzle with the olive oil and turn to coat.  Roast for 30 minutes or until tender and leave to cool.
Towards the end of cooking, place the pine nuts on a baking tray in the over for a couple of minutes to lightly toast, or this could alternatively be done in a small non-stick frying pan on the stove.  Allow to cool also.
Place spinach in a serving bowl, top with pumpkin, pinenuts and crumbled feta.  Whisk additional 2tbsp olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper.  Serve salad with dressing.

Fibre-rich, Low-Fructose, Vegetarian, Gluten-free

Chicken and Avocado Salad

Image by Bec Doyle Photography

An easy salad rich in protein, healthy fats, probiotics and green goodness. This recipe is low in carbohydrate, but could be adapted for training needs by adding some cooked quinoa or brown rice. Leftover salad also makes a tasty lunch option or sandwich/wrap filling.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 continental cucumber, thinly sliced

2 stick of celery, finely chopped

200g mixed lettuce leaves

1 roast chicken, skin removed OR 800g lean chicken breast,grilled/BBQ’ed

3 tbsp mayonnaise

3 tbsp Greek yoghurt

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pepper

Method

Combine cucumber, celery, 1 of the spring onions and lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Remove chicken from the bones and chop roughly, or slice pre-cooked chicken breast.  Mix through salad.  Combine mayonnaise and yoghurt, mix well and dollop on top of salad.  Sprinkle with remaining chopped spring onion.

Fresh Tip

For a portable lunch on the go, use leftover salad as a delicious filling for a wholegrain sandwich, roll or wrap. Line the bread with lettuce leaves that have been washed and dried to create a barrier between the filling and bread to avoid a soggy lunch.

Recipe from Super Food for Performance in Work, Sport and Life

Dahl

Dahl     

Serves 6

A popular vegetarian soup option, dahl is also one of the easiest and quickest soups to prepare. Red lentils don’t require soaking so you just rinse them and add to your soup. This meal freezes beautifully too, so feel free to make double and keep individual serves in the freezer for easy winter lunches.       

*Recipe from Super Food for Performance in Work, Sport and Life                                              

Ingredients:                                  

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tsp cumin, ground

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

½ cup red lentils, rinsed

400g tinned diced tomato

1½ cups vegetable stock

2 tsp lemon juice

Chopped coriander and Greek yoghurt to serve (optional)

Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or non-stick pan. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes until soft, add the cumin, garlic, ginger and lentils and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until soft (you may need to add more water/stock, especially if you like a thinner-style soup).

Add the lemon juice and process in a food processor if desired. Serve with finely chopped fresh coriander and natural Greek yoghurt.

Fibre-rich, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free (if gluten-free stock is used)

Six of the best carbohydrate foods to improve your training and performance

Not all carbohydrate foods are equal.  For athletes, it’s not just about eating mounds of rice and pasta.  The quality of your carbs counts.  Smart carb choices can help athletes to feel great and perform at their best.  You can get more nutritional value from your fuel foods with selective choices.  It could be as simple as wild or brown rice sometimes instead of white all the time, or choosing a wholemeal pasta.  Or a wholegrain mix such as the one pictured above. 

Here are 6 of my favourite carbohydrate foods for athletes, to boost nutrition, health and performance.

Sweet potato

Sweet potato is a terrific carbohydrate source for training and energy levels.  Sweet potato has a lower glycemic index than white potato (remembering white potato is still good for you too!).  Sweet potato contains more carbohydrate than white potato, but lower in carbohydrate than rice, pasta, and many other grains (for example, the carbohydrate content of white potato is ~12g/100g cooked, sweet potato ~15g/100g cooked, brown rice ~30g/100g cooked). More benefits - fibre, vitamins such as Vitamins A (beta-carotene) and C, and taste!

Barley

Not a fancy expensive ancient grain, and when you think of barley you may be reminiscing about your grandmother’s lamb and barley soup!  But barley is now back in vogue and for good reason.  Barley is a low GI wholegrain, packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre.  Barley, like oats, contains beta-glucan, a soluble type of fibre applauded for its heart health benefits. 

Super versatile, barley goes well in soups, casseroles, breakfast dishes, cold in salads and great in risottos – there is a great Barley Risotto recipe in my book Eat Right for Your Life.

Sourdough rye bread

If you love to eat bread, make it sourdough.  Research is showing that sourdough bread, although it still contains gluten, can be more easily digested than regular wheat-based breads.  Try to select fresh baked sourdough from a local bakery and experiment with the different varieties to see what works for you – rye or spelt are terrific options for nutrition and low GI energy pre-training.

Bananas

A banana is the perfect portable pre-training snack – just enough carbs to fill that space in your tummy and give you an energy boost for the session ahead.  On their own, or part of a recovery smoothie or fruit/yoghurt/granola mix, bananas are a winner.

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn is a sneaky source of nutritious carbohydrate, also packed with nutrients and fibre, and a similar carbohydrate content to white potato at ~13g/100g cooked.  Great in salads, soups, main meals or a cob of corn as a snack.

Oats

One of the cheapest and best carb options around are oats.  A small amount goes a long way and can keep your engine running for hours.  Rich in fibre and nutrients, and with a surprising protein content, you can find more detailed info in one of my more popular blog posts Oats vs quinoa for health, energy and performance.

Sorry if I’ve missed your favourite, there are plenty of great carbohydrate-rich foods out there!  Performance isn’t just about carbs though - plan your meals and snacks to meet your day-to-day, training and performance nutrition needs.

For more performance nutrition info, check out my blog page.  You can also leave your details at http://www.lisamiddleton.com.au/thoughts-index/ if you would like me to send you freeperformance nutrition updates and recipes, plus you can fllow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Salmon and Ricotta Frittata

Image by Bec Doyle Photography, from the book Eat Right For Your Life, Wilkinson Publishing

Looking for a protein-packed lunch or easy dinner?  Eggs can be prepared in so many ways and this delicious frittata combines the protein from eggs, salmon, cheese and milk to make a filling dish.   The salmon adds healthy omega-3 fats plus calcium, so along with the cheese and milk, this dish will help you to meet your calcium requirements.  If you don't tolerate lactose well, use a lactose-free milk and mix in some tasty cheese instead of the ricotta.  You could also add some leftover roast vegetables, or serve with a delicious big green salad.  Leftover frittata is great for breakfast or snacks the next day too!

Salmon and Ricotta Frittata

Serves 4

 Ingredients:

2 tsp oil

2 spring onions (scallions), sliced

100g/3.5 oz baby spinach leaves

400g/14 oz tin of salmon, drained and flaked

100g/3.5 oz low-fat ricotta cheese, crumbled

6 eggs, whisked

1/3 cup (80ml) low-fat milk

1 tbsp chopped dill

½ cup/50g low-fat cheese, grated

 Method:

1. Heat the oil over a low heat in a non-stick fry pan with a heatproof handle, add the spring onions and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the drained salmon and crumbled ricotta, stir gently so it is evenly spread over the bottom of the pan. 

2. Whisk the eggs lightly, combine with the low-fat milk pour into the pan and continue to heat on low until the eggs are almost cooked, being careful not to burn the base of the frittata.

3. Sprinkle with chopped dill, grated low-fat cheese and salt/pepper to taste then place under a pre-heated grill until the cheese is melted and the frittata is cooked through. Serve with a green salad.

This recipe is from my book Eat Right For Your Life.  If you love healthy recipes, I have a new book due for release later this year also, all about performance nutrition.  Plus don't forget to leave your details here on my blog page so I can send you more recipes and performance nutrition info in the meantime.  You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram, where I put lots of photos of dishes eaten at home and out and about.

Nicoise Salad

Image by Bec Doyle Photography from the book Eat Right For Your Life

Nicoise salad is one of my favourites, light but protein-rich and great for an easy dinner on a hot night or a portable and filling lunch.  The dressing works well for other salads too.  This recipe is from my book Eat Right For Your Life.

Nicoise Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500g/1 lb baby new potatoes, quartered

200g/7 oz green beans, topped and tailed

1 medium red (Spanish) onion, sliced thinly

150g/5 oz mixed lettuce leaves

250g/9 oz cherry tomatoes

400g/14 oz canned tuna in oil, drained, flaked

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters

½ cup/90g seeded black olives

3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and cut in half lengthways

 Dressing

Combine ¼ cup/60ml of lemon juice with one crushed clove of garlic and 2tsp of Dijon mustard (add 60ml olive oil also if desired).

Method

1. Steam potatoes and beans until just tender, drain and allow to cool.

2. Combine onion, lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl. Top with potatoes, beans, flaked tuna, eggs, olives and anchovies. Serve with dressing on the side.

For more recipes like this, sign up to my free newsletter here. 

Lamb salad with chickpea, spinach and mint cous-cous

Image by Bec Doyle Photography from the book Eat Right for Your Life, Wilkinson Publishing.

Looking for a salad to serve on Christmas day?  For this recipe the salad is served with lamb, but it goes just as nicely with roast turkey or a BBQ!  It can be made ahead of time, but here is a quick tip - add the spinach and mint at the last minute!  Look closely at the picture above - your salad will look a lot greener than this as I tried to be clever and freeze the cous-cous mix for our photo shoot day and soon realized that spinach doesn't freeze so well and ends up a limp soggy mess.  So do a better job than me and you will have a fresh, vibrant and tasty salad! 

For more Christmas eating ideas, have a read of my blog post Christmas eating for athletes - tips to eat well through the festive season and leave your details on my Thoughts page for nutrition news and recipes sent directly to your email.

Or if you are looking for a last minute gift idea, I have copies of my book Eat Right for Your Life available at a special Christmas price of $10.  Contact me via the Get In Touch tab on my website to order copies. 

Lamb salad with chickpea, spinach and mint cous-cous

Serves 4 as a main

1 cup/185g dry couscous

300g/10.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained

100g/3.5 oz spinach leaves

2 tbsp chopped mint

¼ cup/42g dry roasted almonds, roughly chopped

¼ cup/30g cranberries

3 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

Extra oil for cooking

600g/1.3 lb lamb filet or lean lamb steaks

Salt and cracked pepper

Low-fat Greek yoghurt

1. Cook the couscous according to packet instructions and allow to cool.

2. Stir through the chickpeas, spinach leaves, mint, almonds and cranberries. 

3. Combine the lemon juice and oil, drizzle over the salad and stir to combine. 

4. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and cracked pepper. Heat oil in a pan and cook lamb for 3-4 minutes each side, or until cooked to your liking. Rest for 5 minutes.

5. While the lamb is resting, place the salad onto warmed serving plates then slice the lamb and serve with the couscous salad and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Recover like a champion - what top Australian athletes eat after training and competition

Salmon Patties Image by Rebecca Doyle from Bec Doyle Photography (from the book Eat Right for Your Life)

Ever wondered what your favourite sportspeople eat after training or competition?  Elite athletes have specific nutrition and hydration goals post-exercise to ensure they recover for their next session or event.  An athlete's recovery meal will be tailored to meet the specific need of the sport, and the goals and preferences of the individual.

We have heard from Lisa Weightman, Olympic marathon runner, in a previous blog post and gained an insight into her approach to nutrition Marathon Running Nutrition - with Rio-bound Olympian Lisa Weightman.  Lisa mentioned that her favourite recovery meal is her mum's salmon patties, and she was generous enough to share the recipe with us (hope she checked with her mum!! Recipe further on).   These salmon patties contain all the components that are important for athlete recovery, and believe it or not, they are not even dairy-free or wheat-free or low-fat or 'free' anything else, they are just nourishing home-cooked food.  Plus they tick all the boxes for recovery, providing the key nutrients: 

Protein

Carbohydrate

Healthy fats

Vitamins/antioxidants

What do some of our top Australian athletes eat?

There are plenty of great options that can make the perfect recovery food.  It's great to understand the theory about the nutrients required post-exercise but the meal also needs to taste good if an athlete is going to choose it regularly as a recovery option. It was great for Lisa to share her favourite post-run meal with us, and this got me thinking about other athletes from different sports and what they personally choose for recovery.    So I asked them!  Here are the favourite recovery meals from some of Australia's best athletes, if you want to know more about the athlete simply click on their name:

Todd Blanchfield - Professional Athlete at Melbourne United Basketball Club and Emerging Boomers Australian team

Favourite recovery meal: Grilled chicken with rice

Todd has a great understanding of foods for recovery and makes sure his organized with food ready to go after training and games.  He is handy around a BBQ, which is a great way to cook meat, chicken and fish for a quick and easy meal after training.  Combine with vegetables or salad and some sweet potato, corn, rice or quinoa for re-fuelling.

Alexander Carew – Australian 400 metre runner

Favourite recovery meal: Burritos

Track athletes train hard and need to recover well.  'One of my favourite post-training meals is making burritos, a great one to add a variety of vegetables to the daily intake.

It's a great option because it's simple to prepare and easy to make lots. Sometimes it's hard to predict exactly how much you'll need after a day of training, so this meal you can always go back for seconds (and thirds) if that's what your body requires! And if you're not a bottomless pit, like I am, you may even have enough for lunch tomorrow! 

My favourite race day food is protein pancakes (1 egg, cup of oats, a little water and a scoop of Sustagen Sport). But that's normally pre-race.'

Simon Clarke - Professional Cyclist, Cannondale Pro Cycling

Favourite recovery meal: Tuna and rice

Road cyclists burn a lot of energy, and recovery nutrition is especially critical for heavy training phases and multi-stage events.  Many professional teams have their own private chefs, but meals don't necessarily need to be complicated.  With timing being important for recovery, quick and easy works well, or try to prepare ahead of time.

'My favourite post stage race (ie. Tour de France) recovery meal is a protein shake made with half rice milk and half water, then a bowl of rice with a tin of tuna and a little bit of balsamic glaze for taste'.

Glenn Manton – Speaker, Author and Athlete (various sports, from AFL to bobsled!)

Favourite recovery meal – Banana smoothie

'I can't begin to describe how much I enjoy eating (not drinking) my banana smoothie post training. It weighs more than most of the weights I lift!'

'Clean, fresh, organic and healthy' is how Glenn describes his vegetarian-style approach to nutrition, he loves to eat tasty and fresh food.  Glenn's smoothie is no ordinary banana smoothie - it's a giant!  Glenn is aware of including some protein and carbohydrate and likes to mix it up.  His standard ingredients include a non-dairy milk base like almond milk or rice milk, bananas, granola, nut butter, mesquite powder and a vegetarian protein powder. 

If you want to learn more about Glenn's approach to fitness, nutrition and overall health and well-being, check out his, and other athlete, programs at Better Body 12 weeks.

Leigh Montagna – Professional Athlete at St Kilda Football Club, Director of Football - Boost Sport

Favourite recovery meal - Pizza (healthy-style) 

'Good mix of fats, carbs and protein, and easy to get down as a snack straight after a game.  I try to go for the higher protein toppings like chicken.  My motto is "if you deserved it, treat yourself"....not every week but more likely after a win!  

'My next proper meal post-game is never the same. I might go out for dinner or have something in the fridge, anything from burritos, to a chicken dish or a pasta.  It just depends what I feel like. I really sharpen up and eat healthy the rest of the week in the lead up to the next game.'  

Jessica Morrison - Athlete at Mercantile Rowing Club and VIS Rowing (previously AIS Swimming)

Favourite recovery meal: Smoothie (oats, FC milk, yoghurt, honey & chia seeds) & scrambled eggs on toast. 

Typically rowers burn a lot of energy in morning training so recovery nutrition needs are high.

'My smoothie takes two seconds to make, I enjoy it while I am making eggs. It's instantly satisfying & eggs provide good sustenance & I like something warm with a bit of protein after training. Sometimes I'll make the smoothie with chocolate milk & would normally have all of this after a morning row.

I eat to train, not train to eat!'

Madi Robinson - Athlete at Melbourne Vixens Netball Club and Australian Diamonds Team member

Favourite recovery meal: Varies!

Madi is super passionate about good nutrition and knows the benefits that eating well can bring for health and performance (check out Madi's great website by clicking on her name).

'Straight after a game I have a protein shake and two rick cakes with peanut butter and banana.  I then have my main meal within 2 hours of the game for home games and this can be:

Chicken burger with salad

OR

Fish or chicken with veggies (beans, broccoli, sweet potato) cob of corn

OR

Sweet potato - with chicken, beans, spinach & salad

To rehydrate, I have an SOS rehydrate sachet after matches to help replenish my fluid losses.  I sweat a lot and change dresses at half time so its important I not only get the right food into my body but also fluid as well to recover'.

Jessica Rothwell – Australian Race Walker and Accredited Practising Dietitian

Favourite recovery meal – Oats with yoghurt, fruit and toppings

Jess is a hard-working athlete, and knows a bit about nutrition being a dietitian herself.  Note the use of herbs and spices in her recovery meal.....

‘My favourite breakfast after a morning training session is milky soaked salted oats, heaped with natural yoghurt, blueberries, cinnamon & sprinkled with nuts & seeds.

I like to alternate the blueberries with grated apple or banana & use nutmeg, cocoa, vanilla bean or mint depending on the fruit! For additional energy I will add in tahini, honey or more nuts!

I enjoy this because its nutrient dense, providing nearly all 5 food groups, delicious & versatile! The dairy is helpful for maintaining my lean muscle mass, bone health, refueling & very hydrating.  

Bircher muesli is also convenient to transport in a portable container if you’re on the go & making a big batch is an effective way of saving time!’

Prue Rothwell – Cyclist with National Road Series team Bikebug – NextGen Racing

Recovery meal - Colourful vegetable/rice/protein bowl

Prue is passionate about wholefood nutrition, cycling and farmers' markets, a great combination for optimal recovery for an athlete.

'After a milk based recovery drink/yoghurt, when I’m ready for something more substantial I generally throw together something that is quick and colourful… a bowl of rice, 2x boiled eggs, cottage cheese, grated carrot, kohlrabi, beetroot, purple cabbage, leafy greens and chilli sauce…..plus some tuna or kangaroo if I want to add some meat!'

So many choices.....

As you can see, there is not one perfect recovery meal, a range of different foods can combine to create the right balance.  If you are keen to learn more about recovery and the best recovery foods you can have a look at one of my other blog posts Eat your way to muscle recovery - 5 of the best post-training meals. If you train early in the morning, pre-breakfast, then you may want to read about some of the more breakfast-specific recovery options at Best post-run breakfasts for recovery vs weight loss.

Or you can try Lisa Weightman's mum's recipe below!

Salmon Patties

Makes about 10 patties

Ingredients:

1 x 415g/14 oz can of salmon, drained and mashed with a fork

1/4 tsp salt

Cracked pepper

2 tbsp chopped parsley

½ medium onion, chopped

2 cups/400g cooked rice

White Sauce

55g/2 oz butter

1/3 cup/50g self-raising flour

1 cup/250ml low-fat milk

Coating

Cornflake crumbs

2 eggs, whisked

Olive oil for cooking

Method:

1. Make the white sauce by melting the butter over a low heat in a small saucepan and adding the flour. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from from heat and gradually add the milk while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Return the pan to the heat and stir continuously until thick.

3. In a large bowl place the white sauce, salmon, salt and pepper to taste, onion, parsley and rice, mix together. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and leave in the fridge overnight.

4. Roll the mixture into patties and coat with egg then roll in Corn Flake crumbs.

5. Cook the patties in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil and serve with steamed vegetables.

Mexican-style beef with sweet corn salad

Image by Bec Doyle Photography, recipe from Eat Right For Your Life

Having a BBQ this weekend?  Why not try this quick and easy Mexican beef, a great way to spice up your regular steak.  The salad is fresh and filling and also takes very little time to prepare.  Perfect for entertaining, or a quick weekday dinner. 

Mexican-style beef with sweet corn salad

Serves 4

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

½ tsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp olive oil

600g/1.3 lb lean beef rump steak

2 corn cobs

1 red capsicum (pepper), chopped

½ red (Spanish) onion, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

¼ cup/10g fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

 1. Combine the cumin, paprika, chilli flakes and olive oil in a shallow dish.  Add the steaks, turning to cover in the spice mix. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes.

2. To make the salad, remove the outer green leaves from the corn cobs and BBQ, steam or microwave the corn for 4-5 minutes or until kernels are cooked through, allow to cool. Once cooled, carefully cut the corn from the cob and place in a bowl. Combine the corn, capsicum, red onion, avocado and coriander leaves. Stir through the lime juice and set aside.

3. Grill or BBQ the steak and serve with the sweet corn salad.

Note: For the marinade, you can substitute a 35g/1.2 oz packet of taco seasoning for the cumin, paprika and chilli flakes.

- This recipe, plus other BBQ friendly meals, is from my latest book Eat Right For Your Life, why not pick one up or order online as a Christmas gift for a food-loving friend!

- If you like this recipe, you can subscribe to my free newsletter at the bottom of this page for more nutrition updates and recipes, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.