good eating guide

Ian's Tasty Treats

How clean do you really eat?

Reading this you have obviously got to be concerned with your health. I personally got into bodybuilding, not only to build myself up but also to be healthy. When I first took up a barbell, I said to my Dad ‘I want to still be training when I am 70 years old’ and I still think that to this day.

Along with my new life of working out came the health conscious diet. Out of the window went sweets, fish and chips, pizzas and other foods kids like. I must have driven my Dad mad! From 16 years old I dropped them all like a bad habit.

Clean eating has got to be the way for a health conscious individual. If it’s gains you want, you have to put in the best possible nutrients. Half measures will just not do! I am not saying live like a monk and never have these things, but keep it to a minimum. Once a week a cheat meal will not do you any harm, but rubbish foods 2-3 times a week will. You will not look your best or perform your best. To top that, you will also be wasting your time in the gym. If you are really serious about your gains, the way you look and your health in the future – read on.

Just what is healthy clean eating?

For a start you must eat foods in as natural a state as possible. Tinned foods are out, they have been in tins for so long they have lost all their nutritional value. Most of them contain preservatives, and sugar and salt, which you just don’t need. Keep away from processed meats, and high fat meats like lamb, pork, mince and other like rubbish.
Keep away from sugar loaded cereals, also supermarket bread is way out, so many chemicals, salt, sugar and preservatives, you would be better eating the bag! Even chicken, meat and fish in supermarkets is a high volume food, mass-produced and loaded with drugs and crap, and low in nutritional value.
It seems like I’m giving supermarkets a bad rap here. They are fine for normal people, but for the health conscious who want to look their best, they are not tops.

Please ensure you use all organic ingredients.

BREAKFASTS

High carbohydrates-High Protein- Start your day right!

PUKKOLLA
(based on a Jamie Oliver recipe)

This serves you for nine breakfasts.

Mix together in a large container:
16oz oats
2oz of fine ground bran
4oz of dried finely chopped apricots
4oz of finely chopped Dates
4oz of Walnuts
4oz of broken up Almonds
4oz of Raisins

Shake container up to mix together. The night before weigh out 4oz per person. Grate 1/2 an apple per person in with the Museli and mix. Put milk on and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning place a serving of yoghurt on top and ENJOY!

MUSTARD, EGGS AND CHEESE

Place a small amount of oil in a pan and heat. Whisk up 3 eggs per person and add to pan. When 90% cooked add 1oz of Mature cheddar cheese. Cook till the cheese melts and add some mixed herbs and a spoon of mustard. Serve on two slices of thick whole-wheat organic bread.

OATCAKES

Make your oatcakes the night before.

Mix in a large bowl:
5oz oats
2oz chopped dates
1 sliced banana
1oz of raisins
2 egg whites

Add enough water to bind, not to make sloppy. Mix well and place in a large flat dish, something like a lasagne dish will be fine. Microwave for 10 minutes. Take out and leave to cool and set. Remove from the dish and cut into 6 pieces. In the morning grill or toast in a toaster.

MEALS AND SNACKS

These are based on a Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian diet. Remember all organic, no processed foods.

CHEESE AND EGG BAKE

Serves 4

Grate 4oz of mature cheese and one onion and mix together. Lightly butter 10 slices of whole-wheat bread. Lightly butter a baking dish around 12 inch by 10 inch. Mix 3 eggs and 400ml of goats milk together in a jug. Now cut bread into triangles and lay one layer of bread around the dish butter side up and then cover with a layer of cheese and onion. Then place other layer of bread over the top and then more cheese and onion and then more bread. You should get 3 layers of bread and two layers of cheese and onion. Pour the milk and egg mixture over and press down to soak it up. Leave for 10 minutes while you warm the oven at gas mark 6. Place in the oven for around 40 minutes or until brown. Serves 4 or can be cut and stored to take to work.
Great warm or cold.

OMLETTE

Serves 1

4 egg whites and 1 yolk whisked up. Add in a pre cooked chopped baked potato (no skin), mushrooms, corn, peppers and onions to taste. Cook in a microwave till solid, stirring occasionally. Place a large spoon of cottage cheese on top and cook for a further 1-minute. Serve on a slice of whole-wheat bread.

MUSELI AND COTTAGE CHEESE

Serves 1 or 2

4oz of museli, 8oz cottage cheese, chopped apple and a handful of grapes, mix well. This is great for taking to work, split into two meals or for the larger appetite it will make one meal.

CONVENTIAL FOODS

CHICKEN AND PINEAPPLE STIR FRY

1 chicken breast per person
3oz rice per person
Chop chicken breast into small cubes and stir-fry in a small amount of pineapple juice. From a tin of organic pineapple chunks. Add chopped mushrooms, onions and peppers. When 90% cooked add pineapple chunks and finish off.
Serve with 3oz of rice.

BROWN RICE GRATIN

Boil 4oz of brown rice. While the rice is cooking prepare:
1 chopped onion (red)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 carrot cut into thin strips
1 courgette (sliced)
3oz baby corns sliced lengthways
2 tbsp of sunflower seeds
4oz grated mature cheddar cheese
2 tbsp of bread crumbs

Lightly grease a large ovenproof dish with butter and put to one side. Then melt a small amount of butter in a pan and cook onion until soft. Add the garlic, carrot, courgette and corns and cook for about 5 minutes or until veg is soft.

Combine the drained rice and sunflower seeds into the pan, add also a spoon of mixed herbs to taste and a little black pepper. Then add 1/2 the cheese. Stir around for about 1 minute. Spoon the mixture into your oven dish and top with cheese that is left and the breadcrumbs. Cook in a pre-heated oven at gas mark 4 for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is golden.

REMEMBER TO USE ALL ORGANIC INGREDIENTS!!

TURKEY MINCE

Serves2

8oz-turkey mince cooked in a tin of organic tomatoes. Add organic baked beans, onions, mushrooms and peppers. Serve on 3oz of rice per person or pitta bread. 2 pockets per person and a small salad.

BEAN AND APPLE SALAD

Serves 4

Cook 8oz of new potatoes and then quarter them.

Drain an 8oz can of kidney beans.
Chop a red baking apple.
Chop 1 yellow pepper and shred a load of lettuce leaves.
Mix in a large bowl with a wooden spoon, careful not to break the potatoes up.

Make this dressing:
1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
2 tbsp of olive oil
1.5 tsp. of mustard
1 garlic clove (crushed)
0.5 tsp. of mixed herbs

Whisk together and pour over the salad and mix again.

TOMATO AND PASTA SALAD

Serves 4

6oz of pasta shapes and cook until tender but still firm. While these are cooking place 1 half of the yellow pepper under a pre-heated grill. When they begin to char take out and place in a plastic bag and leave for a few minutes.
When cooked peel the skin off, cut into strips and put to one side. Chop 2 courgettes and cook in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until cooked but still crunchy.
Drain and cool under cold water and put to one side.

Chop 4oz of cherry tomatoes.
Chop 1 red onion.
Now drain the pasta and place all ingredients into a large bowl.

Make this dressing:
4tbsp of olive oil
2tbsp of red wine vinegar
2tsp of fresh lemon juice
1tsp of mustard
1/2tsp of caster sugar
1/2tsp. of mixed herbs
Mix well together and add black pepper to taste.
Mix into salad and mix with two wooden spoons