Divide the contents of your pan into five bowls for post-workout meals.
Tired? Try this butternut squash and beef chilli. Divide the contents of your pan into five bowls for post-workout meals.
Nutrition: 570 kcal, 30g fat, 40g carbs, 39g protein
Why it works:
1. The vitamin C in capsicum and the zinc in beef mince help suppress the oxidative stress that builds up when you exercise. Working together they speed up muscle repair.
2. Muscle cell damage from a workout raises levels of creatine kinase, an enzyme that slows recovery. The vitamin E in avocado keeps it in check.
3. Flavonoids in the cacao powder and tinned toms provide bucketloads of antioxidants ready to fight free radicals, which cause muscle fatigue.
4. Using 10% beef mince helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A and D from the mushrooms and squash to reduce inflammation.
Ingredients:
4g coriander leaves
15g cumin
20g garlic cloves
250g mushrooms
114g onion
4g paprika
2 red capsicums
100ml beef stock
800g tinned tomatoes
750g 10% fat beef mince
460g butternut squash
15g cacao powder
2½ avocados
Method:
1. In a large saucepan, cook the chopped onion and garlic for 5 mins. Add diced capsicums and mushrooms, and cook for a further 10 mins.
2. Add the mince, tinned tomatoes and spices, and stir well, coating the ingredients. For your last bit of prep, add the stock and 150ml of boiling water. Now cover the pan and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Patience is required here.
3. Take the lid off and stir in the cacao powder before simmering for a further 10 minutes (with the lid off), until you reach your desired thickness. Lastly, top with the avocado and coriander before splitting into five bowlfuls of raw recovery, one for each day of the working week.
