NUTRITION
Discover a leaner you by playing around with the principles and recipes of the paleo diet
The paleo diet goes back to caveman times (more on paleo on page 31) and is a nutritional strategy that’s all about the natural – about grass-fed meat, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and healthy fats such as nuts and seeds. This is said to reduce inflammation, balance blood glucose levels and keep you feeling fuller for longer. The paleo diet tries to avoid carbohydrates in the form of processed sugars, grains, pulses and beans, root vegetables and potatoes, as well as salt and dairy. Despite not being a huge fan of these types of diets that restrict important food groups such as wholegrains, they can pay off at certain times of the season, like if you’re looking to become leaner. Also, I thoroughly
enjoyed the challenge of coming up with four delicious recipes that not only ticked the paleo box, but also provided good nutrition for the highly-active triathlete. Apologies in advance for the odd illicit pinch of salt or knob of butter!
First up, there’s Hungarian Goulash Soup with Herby Paleo Dumplings. Warming and comforting to support your winter training and, again, a great source of protein and healthy fats. Prepare on a Saturday to tuck into after your Sunday morning bike ride.
Next, it’s always worth making the time for pancakes. These divine American-style gluten-free Paleo Banana and Blueberry Pancakes are light, fluffy and packed with protein, healthy fats, potassium and vitamin C. They’re perfect for post-workout muscle recovery.
Next, we have a very quick and easy Cauliflower ‘Rice’ Stir Fry with Chicken and Toasted Cashews, loaded with your five-a-day, fibre, good fats and protein. All I can say is that this converted all of the sceptics! The team literally polished it off before we had time for the group photo!
Finally, if you’re looking for something new to pop into your feed pouch, then try these Paleo Nutty Bites. A crunchy, yet melt-in-themouth combo of mixed nuts, dates and figs, bound together with an egg white, they’re packed with the good stuff and refined sugar-free. Enjoy!