Plant-Based Post Workout Meal for those who want to try out a wholesome, filling and nutrient-rich recovery after a high-intensity interval training. Let's take the fuss out of elaborate meal charts to manage weights and have some fun making some quick, uncompromisingly delicious food.
To create an easy to make and a nutritious post-workout meal I worked with the awesome team from @FuelFitSG @FuelFitSingapore with @berni_ong and @sauditan for a Facebook LIVE cooking demonstration.
Just click the link to see the recording of the session: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=326961982039770&id=321788924517387&sfnsn=mo&d=n&vh=e
According to @fuelfitsg @FuelfitSingapore one of the secrets to "weight-management" is "portion sizes". While I cook to ensure you get a balanced workout meal, let's find out more about how much we should eat!
My mnemonic to remembering how to structure such a meal is:
”1.2.3.4 x 2 be 100% FuelFit”
Having moderate carbs, high protein, good fats are important elements to a good Post Workout Meal, but the ratio of "Protein: Carbs: Fats" addresses only "macronutrients" needed for recovery and the “micronutrients made up of vitamins and minerals are largely ignored. Vitamins are organic compounds like Vitamin (A, C, D, E, K, and B’s), while minerals are inorganic substances that naturally occur in the Earth’s surface or water.
Consider including both macronutrients and micronutrients:
Having moderate carbs, high protein, good fats are important elements to a good Post Workout Meal, but the ratio of Protein: Carbs: Fats addresses only "macronutrients" needed for recovery and the “micronutrients made up of vitamins and minerals are largely ignored. Vitamins are organic compounds like Vitamin (A, C, D, E, K, and B’s), while minerals are inorganic substances that naturally occur in the Earth’s surface or water.
Include cooling foods, probiotics and alkaline elements:
The meal should include elements for a happy gut and counter the higher levels of acids created in the body while exercising. Therefore, it is imperative to include high fibre and alkaline foods to the meal.
Here is a MEAL FRAMEWORK for ONE PERSON
1 tbsp Coconut Oil
2 tbsp Greek Coconut Yogurt @raglanfoodco
3 tbsp Vegetable (Mushroom + Spinach)
4 tbsp Legume (Pigeon Peas)
4 tbsp Ancient Grains (Barnyard Millets)
100 grams Textured Protein or Tempeh @angiestempeh
Let's make this now. The following recipe feeds 2 people.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 cup Pigeon Peas + 2 Cups of water (Soak: 1-2 hours, Time: 30 mins , Cook: low flame)
1 cup Barnyard Millet + 2 cups of Water (Time: 5 mins, Cook: low flame)
200 Grams Mushrooms (Quartered)
200 Grams Spinach (Washed, drained, remove roots, keep stems)
200 Grams of Chickpea Tempeh (slice it into 4 strips)
1 Tsp Turmeric
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper Powder
1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1/8 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1/8 tsp Asafoetida eaves
1/2 inch Fresh Ginger
2 tsp Lemon/Lime Juice
2 Green Chillis (chopped)
Himalayan Salt to Taste
Recipe:
Before you go for your workout session, soak the legumes. If you are using legumes such as Red Kidney beans or chickpeas then you will need to soak overnight. For this recipe soak 1 cup of Pigeon Peas for 1 to 2 hours maximum. Soak in plenty of water as pulses will soak up the water and increase in size. It is recommended that you use a large bowl for soaking. Soaking as a process in cooking beans, lentils, legumes helps the digestive system break it down easier. Cooking and soaking times vary depending on the type of legumes and how old they are (the older they are, the longer you should cook them).
All plant-based meals have to include legumes like lentils, beans and pulses as it is a vital ingredient to constitute proteins that are rich in vitamins, minerals and soluble fibre. Since they are low in the glycemic index they make you feel full for longer and are a sustainable agricultural choice.
After your work out. Throw out the soaking water from the soaked Pigeon Peas. This is important as legumes cause flatulence. Flatulence is a by-product of the bacteria in the large intestine break down the carbohydrates in the legumes.
Now let's start cooking:
Take a saucepan, add the drained Pigeon Peas to the pan along with 3 cups of water, 1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder, 1/2 inch Fresh Ginger, 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder, 1/2 tsp Himalayan Salt. Cover and let it cook for 30 minutes on low flame.
Take another saucepan, add 1 cup of the Barnyard Millet along with 2 cups of water. Let it cook for 5 minutes on low flame. Cover and let it steep in its own steam. Fish out the ginger pieces before serving.
Slice the chickpea tempeh into 4 strips. Take a flat frying pan and let it heat. Add the tempeh to it and let it brown, turn the strips around. Brush 1/2 tsp of coconut oil on the strips so they brown evenly. Take them out and keep aside. Mix the Spinach and Mushrooms together, before serving.
Wash and clean the Spinach. Let it drain out the water in a colander. Wipe the mushrooms with a kitchen towel, do not wash or rinse it. Quarter the mushrooms. In the same flat frying pan add 1/2 tsp of oil and fry the Mushrooms for barely 2 minutes. Do not salt it. Cook on high flame. Take it out. In the same pan with high temperature add the spinach and sautee for barely 2 minutes. Add salt to it. Take it out and keep aside.
Tempering the spices: In the same flat frying pan add 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Splutter the Mustard Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Curry Leaves. Switch off the flame/heat. Add the asafoetida to the pan with 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder and Kashmiri Chilli Powder. Let it bloom. Add a dash of salt to the hot oil.
Chop the green chilli, remove seeds if you don't like spicy. Add it to the lemon juice.
How to serve for 1 person:
Per Person Serve: Remember "1.2.3.4 x 2 be 100% FuelFit”
On a plate or bowl serve 4 Tbsp of the cooked millets, 4 Tbsp of the cooked pigeon peas, 3 Tbsp of the spinach and mushroom vegetable, 2 Tbsp of the coconut yoghurt, place 100 grams (2 toasted strips) of Tempeh. Now gather the tempered spices on the pan. Carefully spoon 1 Tbsp of it with the coconut oil and drizzle all over the meal.
Drizzle over the lemon juice, green chilli mixture over the meal. The green chilli is optional but does increase the vitamin C along with the lemon juice. The lemon juice will increase the alkalinity to the meal.
Enjoy the good health.
Think Natural. Eat Better. Be Happy.
Photo & dumbbell credits: @charu.shah.photography
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