Post Workout Protein

As we both row, we both exercise nearly every day, whether that be a run, going to the gym or rowing itself. To do this and still keep up the energy we need to go about our (extremely busy) student lives, we have to make sure our diet is quite high in protein.

Quite a few of our friends resort to the good ol' powdered protein shake which, despite containing a very concentrated dosage of it, aren't all that great for your health and are also not too cheap to come by.

Here are 2 examples of protein-filled, healthier options that can be made for before or after exercise and work on a student budget easily. 


Tuna & Sweetcorn Pasta

This is a great energy booster for lunchtime when you've worked hard in the morning but want to stay fueled for the afternoon as the pasta provides a great slow-release energy (especially if wholewheat) and only needs a few core ingredients.

As both the tuna and sweetcorn are tinned, they will keep for a very long time and so can be bought in bulk and the beginning of term (especially if your parents are willing to do a big starter shop for you!) There are also some great salad options for tuna and the combination of the two can also be fuel-efficient when accompanied by a baked potato.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

100g Wholewheat pasta £0.95 for 500g
1 can of tuna £3.50 for 4
1 can of sweetcorn £2.45 for 4
3-4 tbsp of Mayonnaise (or plain yoghurt if you're fussy, it's all about the moisture) £0.40 for 500ml
A good helping of ground black pepper 

This recipe is pretty self-explanatory, especially as students where pasta is a staple to our easy-fix diet. My main point in this is showing the ease of which such a fueling meal can be created and with very basic ingredients.

I also can't emphasize enough the importance of ground pepper as a seasoning for nearly every meal you'll ever make. A small, glass black pepper grinder can be found in most supermarket spice aisles (I think it's about £2 from Tesco), and a couple of grinds of that can liven any meal (including a dodgy takeaway). 


Feta & Tomato Quinoa

Although at first glance this seems like just a light salad, for those in the know (myself included) quinoa is another fantastic source of protein, and is almost mince-like in both its texture and the way in which it fills you up.

Feta itself is quite pricey but if you instead look for 'Salad Cheese', you are likely to find a very similar flavour but for half the price. Neither of us are massive fans of strong cheeses and Feta is a great example of a mild cheese with a carrying flavour that really zings up a meal.

If you can, buy quinoa in bulk as it is slightly more pricey than pasta. If you have a local Costco or Bookers, head on down to there before the start of term and sweet talk your parents -using the endless merits of quinoa- into buying a large quantity of it. It may sound like a large amount, but the amount of easy salads and warm dishes that can be created using it are endless.

Any vegetables you have lying around in the back of the fridge can be whacked in this to add fibre for more longer lasting energy. This is optional if you want it to be a quick job, but perhaps for an evening meal would be an interesting variation.

Ingredients

100g/1 cup of quinoa £1.98 for 300g
75-100g of feta/salad cheese £0.75 for 200g
3-4 tbsp of sun dried tomato paste/pesto £2.20 for 190g
Any vegetable of your choice

Recipe

• Chop up the vegetables into small but relatively similar sizes, season them, and put them in the oven to grill for a maximum of 10 minutes at 180 degrees.

• Check them after about 5 minutes and shuffle them around as it is mainly the top that the heat is concentrated on and different vegetables tend to be done at different times (For a great guide on different vegetable cooking times click here).

• Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the packet, make sure all the water has been absorbed and the grains are light and fluffy before lightly draining.

• Once cooked, cut up the feta into cubes and stir it in with the paste.

• Add vegetables and serve warm.

• Nom!

Complimentary tune: Happy Shiny People - R.E.M a great post- or pre- workout feelgood tune to match the feelgood food you'll soon be tucking into.


Tip of the day: Before you start a supermarket shop, go straight to the reduced or special offers area and see if you can plan your meals around that. Often if you go at the end of the day, there will be a lot more offers available to you as they want to get rid of the more perishable produce. Be flexible with your shopping.

---C