PERFECTLY BALANCED MEALS

Making sure you get a good balance of nutrients and food groups into every meal means more time in the kitchen, right? Wrong! Kate Percy explains

Four 30min recipes that give you a big nutritional bang for your buck!

Ive always taken the view that when training, every mouthful should work in your favour. But this isn’t always practical thanks to the heap of ‘nontraining’ commitments most of us have. So this month’s recipes are designed to give you a nutritional bang for your buck and can be prepared in under 30mins with simple ingredients. All you need is a little shopping prep. Firstly, a super-speedy Rainbow pork and peanut stir-fry, rammed with good quality protein, slowreleasing carbs, healthy fats and minerals. Colour in plant-based foods is not just visually

attractive, it’s also a very useful nutrient indicator. Eating a rainbow of colours every day will boost your intake of all the necessary micronutrients your body needs.

Next up try a Kimchi-style slaw with steak and soba noodles. Made from buckwheat, soba noodles are low-GI to sustain energy levels (and keep you fuller for longer). Loaded with goodness, the garlic and ginger in this dish have an anti-inflammatory effect to promote muscle health.

For fish lovers, try this Spicy tuna and quinoa salad. Make in advance for your lunchbox, or throw together for a quick supper. A delicious combo of crisp vegetables and soft quinoa, finished off with a sweet-sour dressing, provides a good source of sustaining carbs, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Finally, the Trofie with scallops and chorizo aims to bring a little pzazz into your pasta repertoire. A bag of frozen scallops in the freezer and chorizo in the fridge means you can always rustle up something impressive. Simple, nourishing and light on the stomach, this is a great meal to eat the night before a long run or ride.