If you follow my Instagram posts or have been listening to me natter on, you will know I have planted some vegetables in my garden. So yesterday my long awaited courgettes were ready to eat! Not only that but while they were roasting I received a package from my shoe and clothing sponsor New Balance. I still get excited about the latest shoe or trainer from New Balance and this is no exaggeration but I truly think my shoe brand is fab!!
So it really was an afternoon of excitement.... Athletes lives can be quite boring.
Poppy and I chilling and weeding post
run
I planted my courgettes around May time. I put them in small pots to begin with, lovingly watering them everyday and kept them inside so they didn't get too cold. After this I put them in large pots, continuing to water everyday (but just around the roots not the leaves... They don't like that.. They told me). We did have one tragic moment in the Katgette (Katie-courgette) relationship and we lost one of the plants.
They may be little but they tasted
great
On a serious note planting vegetables and getting to eat what I have grown has been really rewarding and very therapeutic!! I also read recently that it's a trendy thing to do, so get to it people.
broccoli went a bit wild
New balance have recently brought out the Vazee range which will replace my staple shoe the 890's. So as I'm sure you can imagine I was eager to try them out to see how they compared. I had been teased with Instagram posts from Emma Coburn and Jenny Simpson and I couldn't wait to try them myself.
New Balance Vazee Pace in
personalised solid grey back pack
I was happily cutting some food for lunch when the new balance parcel arrived. The shoes were contained within an amazing spaceship like backpack made by a company called Solid Grey. Poppy really seemed quite interested in it and would not stop sniffing it and pawing at the straps so I think she was excited too!
Poppy also loves New Balance
Deliveries
The launch of the Vazee Pace also coincides with the "Always in Beta" brand launch. This is almost to be the new motto of new balance and means to be always improving, evolving and pushing. This is basically what is seen as the qualities and attributes that athletes need in order to achieve goals. I stand by these and I'm not being big headed but it is something that I feel I show in my character. Saying that it can also be a curse and this year I may have pushed myself too hard and I have not had the best of track seasons but this is one of the crucial hard lessons in athletics. With Always in Beta in mind I will continue to improve and evolve, and I cannot wait to put things right.
I am Always in Beta
Every time I tell anyone I am growing courgettes they seem to feel the need to then recount their or a family members experience with them. This usually seems to revolve around the fact you get so many you don't know what to do with them and end up eating courgettes for weeks and weeks on end!! So today I am going to share a recipe for a green courgette salad that I will probably be bringing out countless times over the next few weeks to use up my courgette bounty.
It's a great salad because you can mix and match what to put in it, use leftovers and tailor it to what you have on the fridge. You can also increase protein content by adding some sliced chicken or boiled eggs which will keep you fuller for longer. This very loosely based on a salad that was in a free Tesco magazine. I make this at least once a week and it's a great weekend lunch and it does require a bit of prep. But what you can do is make double, keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days and eat for lunch. I have added a few things to make it tasty and changed about the ingredients. It is best served warmish and great with a few grains, couscous or rice to make it more substantial.
Green Courgette Salad
Enough for 2 with some possible leftovers for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
2 medium courgettes
1/2 red onion sliced
25-50g Feta cheese (depending if you like a little or a lot)
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
50g blanched hazelnuts
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
75g of leaves roughly chopped (I find rocket and spinach work really well here)
175g grains or rice (I like to use ready to eat quinoa or freekeh)
choose 1 from-
90g asparagus
OR
90g green beans
OR
90g broccoli
OR
do a mix of them all!!
Choose 1 from-
125g broad beans (usually frozen)
OR
125g frozen peas
OR
125g edamame beans (usually frozen)
Dressing-
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice 1/2 lemon
1tsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
Sprinkle of chilli powder
Other options-
1/2 avocado chopped
1 chicken breast sliced
Boiled egg quartered
1. Preheat oven to 190•C
2. Begin by preparing courgettes and red onion. Trim the ends of the courgettes and cut in half lengthways. Then cut into thick half moon shapes about 2cm thick. Alice red onion.
3. Place courgettes and onion on a baking tray and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 190•C for 20 minutes. Remove red onion and set aside. Using a spatula gently flip the courgettes. They should have browned nicely on one side, if not increase the heat to 200•C. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the chunks. I really like a dark colour on my courgettes (this gives the best flavour).
4. While the courgettes are cooking prepare your green veg. Place pan with an inch of water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Then reduce to gentle simmer.
5. Prepare the vegetables you have decided to use and cut into bites sized chunks. Throw into a steamer basket along with your frozen broad beans, peas or edamame beans. Place this on top of the pan of water, cover with lid and cook for 5minutes of until just tender. (They should still have a good bite and be firm).
6. Remove from the pan of water and set aside to drain and cool slightly with the lid off.
7. Chop herbs, feta and hazelnuts. Throw these into a medium mixing bowl.
8. Whisk or stir dressing ingredients.
9. Add the rest of the ingredients including the lettuce into the mixing bowl. I usually serve this as room temperature. The green vegetables and courgettes just slightly warm but it's also great cold.
10. Pour over the salad dressing and toss well with a large spoon. At this stage also add in grains and optional extras like chicken or egg.
11. Serve in a pretty bowl and dig in.
Feta chunks add such a good sour
tang that lifts the salad
Give it a go you won't be disappointed! Don't worry too much about the exact quantities- mix it up with what you already have. And who knows give it a few weeks and I may be able to supply all the readers of this blog with a free courgette... Stay tuned.
Katie X
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