Flavourful Fuel
Take to your bike confident in the knowledge that a delicious (and effortless) meal awaits your return.
More women are cycling than ever before, and whether you are using your two wheels to commute or explore, there is a very good chance you'll find yourself with serious post-ride hunger pangs.
Eat Bike Cook, is a celebration of the female cycling community with womens' food diaries, chronicled with delicious, easy-to-follow recipes created by Fi Buchanan, which are charmingly illustrated by Kitty Pemberton-Platt.
There are quick, up-and-at-'em breakfast ideas to charge you up pre-ride, energy-boosting back-pocket snacks to keep you going strong while you're on the road, and wonderfully restorative main meals to share with friends once you've crossed the finish line. While the book provides useful nutritional information and advice, the tone is inclusive and laid-back, aiming to provide delicious dishes and inspiration for all cyclists of all levels.
KITTY'S OMURICE WITH CHEESE AND SPINACH
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
For the omelette
2 large free-range eggs
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
50g meltable cheese such as Gruyère or Cheddar, grated
For the rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1⁄2 medium onion, finely chopped
100g cooked brown rice
12 spring onions, very finely chopped
100g baby spinach, larger stems removed
1 tbsp soy sauce
This is a perfect post-sport protein and carb lift as it can be prepared pretty instantly from basic ingredients. We've used spinach and spring onions here, but any greens will work. Traditionally, in Japan, a smiley face is drawn on the omelette in ketchup, which I heartily recommend as a delicious serving suggestion.
First, beat the eggs well in a medium bowl, then add the chives, salt, and mix. Set aside.
Now for the rice. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook on a medium heat until fragrant and translucent, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the rice, spring onions and spinach, turn the heat to low, put the lid on, and let the spinach steam for 5 minutes. Stir well, add the soy sauce, then take off the heat and set aside.
Whilst the rice is still hot, heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Let it get medium-hot (you want the egg mixture to sizzle as it hits the oil), then stir the mixture and add it to the pan, swirling it, so it covers the base evenly. Scatter the cheese evenly over the egg mixture.
Working quickly, arrange the hot rice mixture in a neat even line across the top third of the omelette. Using a spatula, gently bring the bottom part of the omelette up over the top of the rice, then roll the omelette away from you so the top third is on the bottom and the omelette is sealed. Finally, slide it off the edge of the pan and onto a plate and eat immediately.
Eat Bike Cook: Food Stories & Recipes from Female Cyclists by Kitty Pemberton-Platt, with Fi Buchanan, £10, available here.
Photography by Alan Donaldson