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OWN MY EATS

My Cooking Philosophy

My meal planning philosophy is by no means the most glamorous or even the most scientifically worked out one. I have learned throughout the years that some food types work better than others, but I have never followed a strict eating plan.  By applying a few simple principles, I have always managed to navigate my way to support a healthy diet that allows me to perform at my best.  My philosophy is as simple as the food I cook, but I can assure you that the taste is never compromised.  I have learned to appreciate food in its purest form and find it rather unnecessary to have too many ingredients in one dish.  I include a large variety of fresh vegetables and protein in my daily diet. I believe that the best way to eat is from scratch, meaning home-cooked food in its most natural form.  I limit the amount of refined, processed foods to ensure that I am aware of everything that goes into my system.  As runners, we ask so much from our own bodies.  It is therefore important to feed our bodies well and consume the nutrients we need to be at our best. 

Here are some of my favorite dishes which are simple and quick to prepare.

Dullstroom training camp trout

From the outside, athletes’ training camps may look like a luxury, but in reality, it is a matter of placing yourself in an environment where you can be focused on your training with as little distractions as possible.  Eat, train, sleep, repeat.
For me, Dullstroom is the ideal location to do just that. Although the winter months might be a little bit too cold for my liking, summer months are fabulous. It won’t take long for anyone to work out that trout fishing is big in the small town of Dullies. My husband loves fishing and so this next recipe is a regular one on our training camp dinner table

Method:

  • Clean the trout (if not already prepared by a butcher) by removing the guts but keeping the skin intact.
  • Place the fish on heavy duty aluminium foil.
  • Score the skin of the fish with a sharp knife.
  • Place slices of lemon in the middle and top of the fish.
  • Season to taste with salt/seasoning and pepper( Trout has quite a delicate flavour so you might want to use a stronger seasoning like chilli).
  • Fold foil to cover the entire fish.
  • Place fish on a hot braai or oven and allow to cook for at least 20 minutes.
    Leave the fish on the braai to cook thoroughly until the entire fish is cooked ( until the meat easily falls away from the bone).
  • Remove from the braai and allow to cool down
  • Take time to remove the bones with extra care and cut the cooked meat into small pieces
  • Add to your favourite salad and enjoy.
  • Have you ever tried horseradish? If not, do yourself a favour by adding it to your trout salad. You can thank me later!!!

“I got it from my Momma” Soup

I have fond memories of coming home after school on a cold winter’s day in the Free State, with the smell of moreish soup as I enter the house. My mom’s bean soup has been one of my all-time favourite meals! When I asked my mom for the recipe, she replied: “I have never really followed a recipe. Usually, I just make it on feel.” Eventually, she scribbled down a few notes, and even though I can’t replicate the warmth only your own mother can serve with, the taste was spot on! I hope you will enjoy this as much as young Gerda did, and still do until this day.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag (500g) raw Beans – My Mom recommends Kidney beans or Haricot beans.
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 200g lean bacon, diced
  • 1l boiled water
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional: Cooked, mashed potato for extra thickness.

Method:

  • In a large bowl, cover raw beans in cold water and allow to soak overnight.
  • Strain beans the following day, cover in fresh water, and cook in a large pot until soft. The time it takes to cook beans depends on the type /size of the beans, how long they were soaked, and the age of the beans so make sure to read the instructions on the packaging of with your choice of beans.
  • In a pan, add the bacon, onions and garlic and cook, adding salt and pepper to taste.
  • Drain the cooked beans.
  • Keep 1 cup of cooked beans aside and puree the rest.
  • Add bacon mix, boiling water and whole beans to the puree. Stir and allow to simmer until a thick chunky texture form.
  • Serve for lunch or dinner on a cold day.

Cream-free creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 chicken breasts, diced and ready to cook
  • 500g mushrooms (brown or white), washed and chopped
  • 1/2 head medium sized cauliflower, chopped in smaller chunks
  • 750ml chicken stock

Method:

  • In a pan, heat a small amount of oil. Add diced chicken breasts and allow to cook until the chicken is well done, stirring occasionally. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
  • In a large pot, fry the onion over medium heat until softened.
  • Add mushrooms, cauliflower and chicken stock and allow to simmer for at least 5minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
    Reduce the heat and allow vegetables to become very tender.
  • Remove from the heat. Puree the mixture using an immersion blender, or standard blender (in batches) until a smooth, creamy texture forms. Take extra caution when working with hot liquids!
  • Add the cooked chicken pieces after pureeing the vegetables for a chunky texture.
  • Serve with a slice of healthy bread for the real “hangry” ones.

Peas and Love Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1bag frozen peas (750g)

  • 1/2 head medium sized cauliflower, chopped in smaller chunks

  • 1/2 head medium sized broccoli, chopped in smaller chunks

  • 750ml vegetable or chicken stock

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • Optional: Handful of chopped mint leaves

Method:

  • In a large pot, fry the onion over medium heat until softened. Add the stock to the onions.
  • Add Frozen peas, cauliflower, broccoli and mint. Allow to simmer until the vegetables are softened (approx. 15-25minutes).
    Reduce the heat and allow vegetables to become very tender (approx. 15minutes).
  • Puree the vegetables using an immersion blender, or standard blender (in batches) until a smooth texture forms. Please take caution while working with hot liquids!
    Add salt and pepper to taste but try to keep the salt to a minimum as the stock already provides a salty taste.
  • Serve with love xxx
    For extra kudos, add some crumbled feta cheese or bacon bits for a meaty taste.

A very British scoop of Lentil and Orange Soup

Visiting the UK during any time of the year will leave you inspired to cook flavourful, filling and delicious food!!  Oranges don’t grow naturally in the UK, yet they are part of many British dishes. We don’t always realize how fortunate we are in South Africa to have such a large variety of local produce. Here’s one of my favourite meals when visiting my husband’s family in the Northeast of England. My mom-in-law reckons that the best kind of soup is not an exact science, so feel free to adjust the quantities and ingredients to your own preference.

Ingredients:

  • 250g (half a packet) split red lentils

  • 1 medium onion, chopped

  • 1 carrot, peeled and grated

  • 1l hot chicken stock

  • 200ml fresh orange juice

  • ½ teaspoon dried Thyme

  • Grated peel of ½ an orange

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Methods:

  • Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear.
  • Transfer the lentils to a large pot and add the broth.
  • Bring to a gentle boil.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked.
  • Stir in the onion, carrot, and thyme.
  • Cover and cook for 7-10minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the orange juice and orange peel and allow to simmer for approx. another 10minutes.
  • Puree the soup using an immersion blender, or standard blender (in batches) until a smooth texture forms. Please take caution while working with hot liquids!
  • Add salt and pepper to taste but try to keep the salt to a minimum as the stock already provides a salty taste.

Tip: Turn up the volume while listening to songs from Mumford & Sons for some British ambience while you cook!!

Lean and mean Stir Fry

Who doesn’t like a good stir fry? The possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing ingredients. I like to use colourful vegetables that are both delicious and healthy to eat. I tend not to add too many “hidden” ingredients but instead appreciate the natural flavours of the vegetables a little bit more.  The recipes are affordable and very easy to make.  Stir fry leftovers are always great to have and saves me having to think about lunch the following day.

Ingredients:

  • 500g Chicken breast cut into small chunks or strips

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 1 red pepper, chopped

  • ½ can Chopped tomato

  • Handful Green beans, washed

  • 250g Mushrooms, sliced

  • Broccoli, chopped into small florets

  • ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper

  • ¼ tsp Turmeric

  • Chilli spice to taste or 1 chopped fresh chilli

  • 10 drops Tabasco sauce (optional)

  • Salt to taste (optional)

Method:

  • Fry chicken in a heated pan until its nearly cooked through. Stir regularly, add chopped tomato and spices to taste.

  • Add vegetables and continue cooking on high heat. Add water as needed to avoid the chicken burning/ sticking to the pan.

  • Make sure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked before removing from the pan. 

  • Allow to cool and use clean cutlery to dish up.

Beef is best 

For a stir fry higher in iron, you can use thinly cut beef strips to allow for quick cooking time. When cutting beef, remember to cut against the grain to make strips more tender.

You will need:

  • 500g Beef strips cut into thin strips
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped/minced
  • 2 tbsp. Roasted sesame seeds to garnish

Method:

  • Heat a small amount of oil in a large pan over medium to high heat.  Add beef strips, onion and garlic and allow to cook until beef is browned. Stir regularly, add all other vegetables including kidney beans and stir until vegetables are tender.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste
  • Remove from the heat and add sesame seeds to garnish. 

Surf’s up

  • 500g Prawns from a trusted retailer, peeled and prepared
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • Green pepper, thinly sliced
  • Broccoli, chopped into small florets
  • ¼ cup raw unsalted cashew nuts
  • 1 tbsp. ginger, freshly chopped
  • 1 chilli, freshly chopped or dried chilli flakes
  • MSG-free fish spice, or salt to taste
  • Lemon Juice

Method:

  • In a heated pan, fry the onion, green pepper, and broccoli until tender (approx. 3-5mins).
  • Add cashew nuts, ginger, chilli and spice.
  • Add a splash of water if more moisture is needed.
  • Add the prawns and allow to cook until prawns are pink and cooked through (approx. 3-5minutes).
  • Remember that prawns are very quick to cook. Overcooking will cause a rubbery texture, so make sure to check regularly.
  • Remove from heat, allow to cool. Add a few drops of lemon juice and enjoy!!

Lock-down Salad

Every cloud has a silver lining – even if it involves less time spent in nature. When lock-down restrictions lifted, we treated ourselves to a fantastic dinner in a beach bar to celebrate the return to normality. Somehow, the meal we had represented the feeling of freedom, and until this day, “Lock-down Salad” remains one of my favourite salads to make.

Ingredients:

  • 250g Chicken breast cut into small chunks or strips
  • 250g Prawns from a trusted retailer, peeled and prepared
  • 1x Romane Lettuce Head, rinsed and cut into large pieces
  • 2 x hard boiled Eggs
  • 1x avocado, thinly sliced or diced
  • Handful grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1x freshly chopped chilli
  • Salt to taste (optional)
  • Lemon Juice
  • Tabasco sauce (optional)

Method:

  • Fry chicken in a heated pan until its cooked through. Add the prawns and allow to cook until prawns are pink and cooked through (approx. 3-5minutes).
  • Remember that prawns are very quick to cook. Overcooking will cause a rubbery texture, so make sure to check regularly. Add water as needed to avoid the meat burning/ sticking to the pan.
  • Add chilli and salt to taste.
  • Allow to cool while preparing the salad:
  • In a large bowl add lettuce leaves and avocado
  • Cut hard boiled eggs into quarters and place on top
  • Add the chicken and prawns
  • Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and lemon juice
  • Add Tabasco sauce to taste

Race day Staple meal – Chicken and Rice

I might need to rephrase this to – WELL COOKED, PLAIN AND SIMPLE Chicken and Rice.

Like many runners, I have spent far too much time trying to look for the perfect pre-race meal on google.  It seems simple, but for many reasons, it isn’t! “What do you eat before a race” is a regular discussion amongst runners.  There are so many different opinions and ideas which is telling of the fact that one correct answer that works for everyone doesn’t exist.  I can’t speak for everyone else, but I can tell you what works for me:

My go-to meal before races and big workouts is a generous portion of white Basmati rice with a well-cooked (home-cooked if possible) chicken breast. I try not to add any strong spices or creamy sauce, but a small amount of tomato sauce added to the rice makes it just perfect. I often have these meals in the days leading up to, as well as the night before a big race. I find it very easy to prepare and widely available wherever I go.

Ingredients:

For the chicken, you will need:

  • Raw plain chicken fillet cut into small chunks.
  • Dash of olive oil (not required when using a non-stick pan)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fry chicken in a heated pan. Stir regularly and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Make sure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked before removing from the pan.  Add water as needed to avoid the chicken burning/ sticking to the pan.
  • Allow to cool and use clean cutlery to dish up.

For the rice, you will need:

  • Basmati Rice
  • Water
  • Pinch of salt

My rule of thumb is to use least two cups of water for each 1 cup of Basmati rice. Refer to the individual instructions if you prefer a different variety of rice.

Methods:

  • Place the rice in a large bowl. Add the water and bring to a boil (approx. 10mins)
  • Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for another 10mins.
  • Remove from the heat and drain rice.
  • Leave to stand for 10minutes. Fluff up the rice using a fork.
  • Add the chicken and optional tomato relish for taste.

Roasted Butternut and Beetroot

Roasted vegetables are always a good idea. We like to keep things simple, so try this three-ingredient healthy recipe next time you fancy something different without the need for a Michelin star.

You will need:

  • 1x medium sized butternut, diced (we prefer them peeled, but you can dice them as you like)
  • 1x raw beetroot, diced
  • 100g Feta cheese

Method:

  • Preheat  oven to 180degrees C.
  • Place the vegetables on a layer of tin foil in a roasting pan. You can use non-stick spray to avoid sticking to the foil or leave as is if like the burnt bits. Crumble feta cheese over the vegetables. Place into the oven and allow to bake for 25-35 mins until veggies turn soft.
  • Remove from the oven and serve with any protein of your choice.
  • Alternatively: Wrap veggies and feta in a secure tinfoil parcel and place on the braai. Be sure to leave it on for long enough as the veggies usually take longer to cook than steak or boerewors.
  • Leftovers can always  be used to make a delicious salad the next day.

Colour Me UP

Salads are made to bring colour to our plates and nutrients to our lives! It is incredible how the simplest of salads can turn your  plate into a delicious, and nutritious feast!! We often assume that salads are just a bunch of leaves with little taste but that is not how we do it on ownmyrun.

We have added our secret healthy salad dressing recipe too.

For the Salad:

Ingredients:

  • Chopped up lettuce leaves of your choice 
  • 2x Grated Carrots
  • 1x can Whole kernels corn or 1 cup freshly cooked corn kernels.
  • 1x diced avocado
  • 1x diced Red Pepper
  • 1 cup raw Broccoli, finely chopped
  • 1x Handful Cherry tomatoes, halved

For the dressing – Mix together:

  • 100ml Plain yogurt (full fat, low fat or fat free)
  • 2x tbsp Balsamic vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1/4cup Finely chopped raw onion (optional)

Method:

  • In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients including salad dressing.
  • Serve for lunch or dinner with your favourite dish.
  • To make this into a meal, add smoked salmon, grilled chicken or beef strips.
  • Bon appetit!!!

Cauli Rice

Cauliflower is high in nutrients, antioxidants and fibre, and with a low-calorie count, it makes the perfect rice alternative to any meal.

You will need:

  • 1x Cauliflower head, washed
  • 50ml Coconut Milk
  • Pinch of salt

Method:

  • Cut cauliflower into chunks.
  • In a food processor, pulse cauliflower in batches until granules form (about the size of rice grains).
  • No food processor? Don’t worry. A normal handheld grater works – just remember to clean up afterwards!
  • Add the cauliflower rice and coconut milk in a pan and cook lightly (5 – 10mins). Add a pinch of salt.
  • Allow to cool and serve with mince, chicken or stir fry.
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