Cleaning up your carbohydrates

Training requires adequate dietary carbohydrates especially post-training.

It’s important to consume a variety of carbohydrates and include sources other than the typical bread and pasta. Brown rice, rolled rye, quinoa, rolled oats, buckwheat, legumes and sweet potato are examples of whole food carbohydrates.

Goal for the week

Include a variety of whole-food carbohydrates this week. If you usually have rolled oats for breakfast, try quinoa porridge or if you usually have a sandwich for lunch try sweet potato and vegetable-based salad.

Recipe

Teresa’s warm salad

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1/2 red cabbage
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 fennel (bulb and stalks)
• 2 red onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp. seeded mustard
• 4 tbsp. mixed nuts and seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaked almonds, pine nuts

Preparation

Cook 1 cup of quinoa with 1 1/2 cups of water in a rice cooker (or in a saucepan on the stove). Quinoa is cooked when it appears slightly translucent and fluffy.

While the quinoa is cooking, wash all vegetables well. Finely chop cabbage, celery, fennel and onions. Peel and finely slice carrots.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, add all vegetables, toss well, cover and reduce heat, allow the vegetables to collapse, stir occasionally and cover.

Juice 1 lemon, place juice into a small bowl then add seeded mustard, a dash of olive oil.

Once quinoa is cooked, place into a large salad bowl, add the slightly cooked/ softened vegetables.

Pour lemon juice dressing and toss well.

Sprinkle mixed nuts and seeds, toss again and serve.

This salad maybe enjoyed by itself or as a side dish with grilled fish, roast chicken or grilled beef.