London marathon is known to be one of the top six world marathons that form the World Marathon Majors competition with a million prize purse. Every year over 40,000 people gather together to run London marathon after having weeks of pre marathon training.
Probably most of us at least once thought of part taking or how astonishing it would be to be able to run 26 miles. The reality is that it is possible if taken in small steps, starting walking 10,000 steps per day or going gym to do simplest cardio twice a week. Not only training plays a role but also a right and balanced diet. There are certain foods that can be consumed before and after aerobic trainings to help you reach your goal, wether its decrease fatigue during work out or just keeping fit and healthy. Here are some of the moroccan dishes that you can consume before aerobic exercise :
Chicken Tagine would be a perfect example of a meal to have before aerobic training . It contains good amount of carbphydrates when potato is added and carbs are the body’s main source of energy. Having a right amount of them is essential to keep you going until the end when working out. The chicken in the tagine is a great source of protein which helps repair muscles and stimulate the production of new muscle and maintains muscle mass.
Moroccan Preserved Lemon Chicken Tagine -Tagine B’djaj
Serves
Preparation time: 10 minutes. (Can be longer if you let the chicken sit and absorb all the flavours.)
Cooking time: 3h40 minutes. (Can be shorter depending on the heat, and on how much chicken you cook.)
Ingredients :
2 preserved lemons, cut into wedges
1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces
1 large onion finely chopped
3 cloves of crushed garlic
30 grams fresh finely chopped coriander
30 grams fresh finely chopped parsley
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
40 ml olive oil
1 pinch of saffron (crumbled)
A handful of olives (15 or so, green or red, preferably red for a pop of colour)
200 ml water
Method:
-Mix the chicken, seasoning, coriander, garlic, onion, and lemon and let the chicken absorbs the flavour for an hour or longer.
2. Grab the Tagine, pour the olive oil in it, and let it heat slowly for 5 minutes.
3. Place the chicken in the Tagine, pour some olive oil on top, cover the Tagine and let it cook for 1 hour undisturbed.
4. After an hour, turn the chicken to the other side and let it cook for another 2 hours undisturbed.
5. After 2 hours, pour some water over the chicken and turn it again and let it cook for another 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, add the olives and let them cook with the chicken for another 10 minutes.
7. Remove the chicken from the heat, and serve it hot with Moroccan bread.
Notes:
You can add any other vegetables such as potatoes, peas or carrots.
Comment below if there are any recipes you would like to see.
Another good option would be Chicken, Sweet Potato and Olive Traybake:
Chicken, Sweet Potato and Olive Traybake
Serves 4
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
400g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 red onions, cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves
Rosemary sprigs
Olive oil
4 chicken thighs
1 jar Amboora Preserved Lemon sauce
100g green pitted olives
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan. Add the sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and rosemary to a roasting tray and drizzle over olive oil, season generously and toss everything together. Roast for 15 mins.
2. Meanwhile, add the chicken thighs to a bowl and add half the jar of preserved lemon sauce and allow to marinate for 15 mins.
3. Remove the tray from the oven and give everything a good mix. Add the chicken thighs and olives to the tray and pour over the remaining preserved lemon sauce. Bake for another 15 mins, until the chicken is cooked through and crispy.
4. Serve with some crusty bread and lemon wedges.
Once you had your carbohydrate and protein rich meal, allow your body to rest 2 hours. However if you had one of these meals over 3 hours ago, give your body a boost by having a snack such as dates - they are are high in natural sugars and potassium which makes them pump your body with energy when eaten 30 minutes prior to exercise.
However after you are done with hour or more of aerobic training of your choice its very important to stay hydrated. However, when it comes to food, it is suggested to have a sustainable snack but make sure to have it within 30 - 45 minutes post work out.
Here is an example of a sustainable snack in moroccan style:
Spiced Energy Bars
Prep time - 5 mins
Cook time – 25 – 30 mins
Ingredients:
150g peanut butter
125ml runny honey
2 large bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g oats
1 tsp Amboora Ras El Hanout
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g chopped dates
50g cashews / hazelnuts / walnuts or any desired nut
20g mixed seeds
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C fan.
- In a large bowl, combine your wet ingredients – the peanut butter, honey, mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, apart from a handful of the mixed seeds. Make sure everything is nicely coated and then press the mixture until a lined baking tray.
- Sprinkle over the remaining seeds and a pinch of salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25 – 30 mins. Cut into bars and enjoy!
Amboora hopes you find these recipes fun and delicious ! And good luck with achieving your goals !
