Main meal recipes

Thai basil chicken with rice noodles

Thai basil has a distinctive taste, similar to European sweet basil*, but with a much more pronounced aniseed flavour. You can buy it in most oriental supermarkets, but if you do not have one near you, then just use the standard European variety - not quite as authentic, but delicious all the same. This meal is great because it is packed with goodness but is very versatile. It is fresh and healthy, and provides a really good balance of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals. I prefer to use free-range organic chicken thighs for this dish - the meat is darker, juicier and contains more iron.

Conchiglioni with roasted tomato sauce

Conchiglioni are basically enormous pasta shells – you can find them on the pasta shelf of most supermarkets. The conchiglioni and the tomatoes have a low glycaemic index, making the dish ideal for the night before a big workout. In fact, this is one of my favourite pre-race meals as it is so light on the stomach. The tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and B vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorous and calcium) and are also a good source of fibre and the antioxidant lycopene (good for fighting disease). The cheese adds a little protein to the dish. I like to slow roast tomatoes at this time of year because it gives them a lovely deep flavour. You could use any pasta in theory, but conchiglioni is really best suited for this dish, as the sauce gets caught inside the shells – you can eat each shell with a little basil leaf and a piece of feta… simple and delicious!

Frisee salad with oven-roasted walnuts, Parma ham and buffalo mozzarella

An ideal simple and delicious midweek treat, this salad is packed with flavour and nutrition and is substantial enough for a main meal. Walnuts are a great superfood, high in omega-3 fatty acids* and antioxidants; the tomatoes are a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants and of course, the parma ham and mozzarella add both flavour and protein. Cracking walnuts is quite a therapeutic exercise, but it is much easier and just as healthy to buy them ready-shelled. You will really notice the difference if you focus on quality ingredients for this salad - buy buffalo mozzarella rather than standard mozzarella and use nice tasty vine tomatoes.  Mop up the juices with some crusty fresh multi-grain bread.

* Said to reduce susceptibility to cardiovascular disease and to improve brain power and concentration

Venetian polenta with baby shrimps

If you have ever been lucky enough to visit Venice, you are likely to have come across schie con polenta, a delicious dish of baby shrimps from the Venice lagoon, sautéed with garlic and parsley and served on a bed of soft polenta. Well, we cannot get hold of them in the UK very easily, so my version of the dish uses any type of small shrimps that I can get hold of. My fishmonger supplies vacuum packs of tiny, brown shrimps which are cheap and perfect for this dish. Otherwise, just use a pack of peeled frozen shrimps from the supermarket - the smallest ones you can find.

Warm salad of seared tuna with white beans

Fresh tuna is really delicious and is particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, protein and minerals. In fact, it is so good for you, it would be impossible to list all the reasons why in a small space... It is very important to buy it really fresh and use it on the day you buy it. Also, don't overcook it as it will turn into a tasteless rubber lump! Wait until the pan is really, really hot and just sear it on both sides for a minute or so. If you can't get hold of fresh tuna, a piece of salmon fillet is a good alternative. The white beans are good for endurance and are a nice alternative low G.I. carbohydrate to rice and pasta. They are also a good source of fibre, protein, potassium, iron and other minerals... we really should eat them more often.

Griddled tuna steak on a bed of spiced cranberry couscous with mango and avocado salsa

This meal just oozes flavour. It is packed with nutritional value and is equally good either before or after a workout. The salsa contains a wide variety of vitamins and the couscous is a good low-fat, medium G.I. carbohydrate. It goes without saying that fresh tuna is one of the better sources of omega-3 fatty acids - good for your heart and good for your brain.

Lebanese couscous salad with griddled vegetables and a spiced yoghurt sauce

I often make a large amount of this salad and keep it in the fridge to snack on when I am training. It keeps for two to three days in the fridge and the flavours seem to improve over this time. It is not only packed with vitamins from the herbs and vegetables, but the couscous is a good low-fat, slow-burning carbohydrate. If you are planning to go to the gym after work, put a tub of this in your lunch box. It also makes a good vegetarian evening meal, or an accompaniment to a piece of grilled chicken or lamb chop.   

Chicken mango wraps with salsa and rocket

There is something very convivial about sitting at the table and assembling your own wrap. You put in exactly what you want, you eat it with your fingers (yes, you will definitely need napkins or kitchen towel with this meal!), and there is always the temptation to pile on too much delicious spicy chicken and fresh salsa, which means you invariably end up with the whole thing falling apart on you. This dish is a great way of eating a whole variety of fruit and green vegetables, with the added benefit of good, low-fat protein from the chicken.

Algerian chicken tagine with apricots

I adore North-African tagines. Best eaten with plain couscous, a slow-burning carbohydrate which is ideal for training, they are really easy to cook, temptingly aromatic and they make the kitchen smell gorgeous. A tagine pot is nice to have but not a necessity - any good heavy-bottomed casserole dish will do. Hot and sultry summer's evening or chilly autumn night, this dish is equally appealing, conjuring up dreams of exotic holidays. The combination of chicken with apricots and fresh coriander provides a good balance of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals and the addition of the couscous balances the meal perfectly.

Moorish lamb kebabs on a bed of saffron rice with dried cranberries

This dish always reminds me of summer evenings in the garden, although our great British weather sometimes dictates that these evenings are few and far between. Luckily, these kebabs are just as good cooked on a griddle or under the grill inside. They are delicious served with a quickly made yoghurt sauce, chilli sauce or some harissa. The basmati rice is a good low G.I. option for a training diet and the dried fruit, nuts and spices not only add vital nutrients but also a taste of the exotic. You can use brown or white basmati rice for this dish, and if you do not have time to soak the rice, make sure you rinse it well until the water is clear and cook it for a little longer.

Courgette pasta millefeuille with a tomato salad

Courgettes are delicious, easy to cook, low in calories with a good amount of vitamins A and C, plus folic acid and potassium. This is my healthy version of a millefeuille - a traditional cream cake available in patisseries in France made with layers of puff pastry and custard cream. I swap the layers of pastry with fresh lasagne sheets, and the custard cream with griddled courgettes, peppers, feta cheese and a basil dressing. Much easier to make, lower in fat, much more sustaining and can be eaten warm or even cold. You can replace the courgettes with griddled aubergines if you like.

Fillet of salmon with green couscous

Every delicious mouthful of this meal will do you good. High in protein, low in saturated fat and cholesterol and a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a great food to incorporate into your regular diet. The couscous is only "green" because it is packed with healthy green vegetables and herbs. It looks enticingly fresh on the plate against the pink salmon.

I am becoming a great fan of cold-pressed rapeseed oil. It has a distinct yellow colour and is a great alternative to olive oil. It is reported to be one of the most heart-friendly oils available, containing more omega-3 and less saturated fat than olive oil, plus vitamin E. It can't match the peppery, fruity flavour of olive oil for salad dressings, but it is especially good for frying. It can be heated to a high temperature without losing its flavour and will crisp up foods beautifully - great for cooking salmon.

Penang prawn curry with fragrant steamed Jasmine rice

Thai curries are quick, easy, healthy and really delicious. The trick to a Thai curry is to create the perfect harmony of heat, salt, sweet and sour by using a basic mix of coconut milk, fish sauce, curry paste, lime and sugar. You can make your own curry paste if you have the time and the inclination, but it is really easy to buy good ready-made pastes. If you have an Asian store nearby, you will find the ingredients will be cheaper and very authentic, but you should find everything you need in your local supermarket too. This curry is absolutely crammed with nutrition - peanuts, prawns, green and red vegetables and basil. What's more, the aromas are so tempting, you'll want to eat it straight away...

Thai green fish curry with rice noodles

This dish is healthy, good energy food and quick and easy to make. Most rice noodles have a low G.I. factor (meaning that they are a good source of slow burning carbohydrate) and all you have to do is soak them in boiling water for a few minutes. This curry is equally good with strips of chicken thigh or breast, beef or meaty vegetables like aubergines.

Fragrant Thai hot and sour prawn soup (Tom Yam Goong) with noodles

Tom Yam Goong is a wonderfully chilli-hot soup which combines the sweet, sour, salty and hot characteristics of Thai cooking perfectly. Add rice or buckwheat noodles for a higher carb ‘runner's version'. The soup is refreshing, tastes exotic and is surprisingly easy to make. The noodles are high in low G.I. slow-burning carbohydrate, the broth is full of antioxidants and will increase your sodium intake if you need to replace lost salts after a sweaty workout. The prawns are an excellent source of protein and minerals such as selenium, iron, zinc and magnesium.  You can add extra vegetables such as peppers or mange tout if you like.

Linguini with mussels, chilli, white wine and crème fraîche

This dish is equally good with clams, which, along with mussels, are really high in iron. Iron levels get depleted during hard exercise so it is really important to keep them topped up, especially if you are a woman. Preparing the mussels may seem a bit of a chore, but it only takes 10 minutes and can be quite therapeutic.

Spaghetti with fresh herbs

Sometimes the simplest things are the best. In Italy, pasta with fresh herbs is cooked as a staple dish, rather like beans on toast in Britain! Not only is this one of the quickest dishes to make, it is great food for endurance: high in low G.I. carbohydrate, light on the stomach, plenty of vitamins from the herbs and garlic, plus a little protein from the cheese. Anchovies are really high in sodium, so adding these is a really good way of naturally increasing salt intake after a hot and sweaty workout. Good herbs to use are flat-leaved parsley, basil, chives, mint, marjoram, oregano... whatever you can lay your hands on. A good standard is 100g spaghetti per person, 125g for the larger appetite.

Quick seafood paella

This delicious Spanish paella is very easy to make, excellent for training and is a complete balanced meal in one dish. If you can't get to the fish shop you can use frozen seafood quite successfully, just use what is available. Spanish paella rice is a short-grain rice, which is a relatively high G.I. carbohydrate. This means that it is digested quickly into your system and therefore very good to eat if you have just had an intensive workout as it will help your muscles recover as quickly as possible. To make this dish more suitable for endurance, just use low G.I. rice, like Basmati instead and add a can of chickpeas or butter beans at stage 4 of the cooking.

Chickpea and flageolet bean soup

This soup is a meal itself, it is very easy to make and is great for endurance. Beans and pulses are a very healthy alternative low G.I. carbohydrate to rice, pasta and couscous. You can experiment with different types of bean - flageolet and chickpeas work well, but you might want to try butter beans or borlotti beans. This soup does taste better if you leave the beans to soak overnight, but quite frankly, unless you are cooking for a special occasion, life is too short to soak beans - a good quality tin is fine.

Pork tenderloin and chorizo kebabs with a lamb's lettuce salad

Lamb's lettuce has tender, dark, oval leaves and a lovely tangy flavour. It is also rich in vitamin A and C, iron and folic acid. If you can't get hold of it, use spinach or watercress instead. Although I absolutely love pork, I try not to eat it too often, as it is pretty high in cholesterol. The same goes for chorizo, but it is used sparingly in this recipe and it does make for the most delicious kebabs. When you thread the kebabs, make sure the bread is next to the chorizo so that the juices run into it - it is really mouth-watering, if a bit indulgent.