Healthy Snacks and Food for Fitness to fuel your Sporting Goals
The London Marathon was the springboard for the new sporting season. Inspiring many to don their shoes and get outside, to take on a new fitness challenge. Spring and Summer see a number of sporting events and challenges that spike the interests of fitness enthusiasts – marathons, triathlons, tennis, cricket, cycling tours and many more. With all this activity, the body’s energy reserves will need to be topped up to the max, so to help you stay energised, we’ve put together a guide to some of our favourite healthy snacks, meals and food for fitness – perfect for keeping you going during your challenges.
Breakfasts
Start the day off right with our quick and easy breakfast recipes, perfect for pre or post-workout:
Fuelling Pink Lady® Breakfast Smoothie
When speed is of the essence, this sweet and satisfying smoothie has a good macro balance to keep you going during your early morning routine without overloading you. Packed with banana, oats, ground almonds, chia seeds, whole milk, and of course, a Pink Lady®, just blend this combination for a fuss-free, filling breakfast.
Light and Fluffy Pink Lady® Apple Pancakes
For something a little more indulgent to replenish your energy stores, these light and fluffy pancakes will drag those energy levels back up post-exercise. To make them, all you need is plain flour, 2 Pink Lady® apples, 2 eggs, whole milk and 50g of unsalted butter. Why not complement the pancakes with delicately sliced Pink Lady® apple and some delicious honey for a double hit of natural sweetness.
Pink Lady® Apple Bircher Muesli
The beauty with this recipe is that it can be made in the morning or the night before meaning you can wake up smug and snug knowing you have extra time in bed. Combining rolled oats, Greek yoghurt, milk, Pink Lady® apples and juice, runny honey and garnished with blueberries and flaked almonds, the flavours and textures will be bursting to give you a boost.
Snacks
These healthy snacks can be enjoyed any time for a little boost:
Apple, Raspberry and Almond Energy Bar
Nutritious, tasty and a little slice of indulgence after a workout, these bars make for the perfect treat to refuel with. A great balance of protein from eggs and nuts, and carbohydrates from fruit, these bars can be enjoyed pre or post workout and can be made in bulk.
Pink Lady® Apple, Oat & Cinnamon Energy Balls
A perfect little ball of energy, these healthy snacks will keep those batteries charged during your training. A combination of oats, runny honey, ground cinnamon, almond butter and some grated Pink Lady®; rolled into a ball, once blended, and coated in some desiccated coconut for added texture and taste. These can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in a container, so you can dive in all week during your training to keep those energy levels at maximum.
Lunches/Dinners
Delicious and filling meals that can be enjoyed at lunch or dinner during your regime:
Thai-style Rice Salad with Chicken, Apple and Mango
For something light, yet filling, this dish can be enjoyed pre or post workout, with a nice macro balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat which you can tailor to your training requirements. With all of the delicious flavours, including some sweetness and goodness from our Pink Lady®, you can substitute the chicken in this dish for any meat, vegetarian or vegan protein substitute. This won’t make it a vegan meal though, so be sure to check the ingredients for your dietary needs.
Apple and Moroccan Giant Couscous
Served as either a perfect side or base for a lunch or dinner, this versatile and quick combination is carbohydrate heavy, making it a great post-workout meal to refuel. Combining the sweet raisins and diced Pink Lady® with African spices, herbs and a healthy hit of chilli, you could easily add a protein source of your choice and turn this into a fully-fledged meal, making it the perfect food for fitness.
If you’re not carb-loading for a long period of cardio, but looking to balance out an evening meal, then this fresh salad is on point. Juicy chicken breasts, mixed with crunchy cos lettuce, fine beans, tomatoes and onion are all finished off with a zingy lime and honey dressing and some caramelised slices of Pink Lady®. A fresh, light and wholesome meal that can be enjoyed before or after your workout.
So whether you’re in training for the London Marathon or any one of the many sporting events over the next few months, this of recipes re[resent some great healthy snacks and food for fitness so you can keep your energy at the right levels to achieve your training goals.