a tasty dinner – that is easy to make and will replace lost carbs from today’s efforts on the bike or put some fuel back in the tank ready for tomorrows spin out.

for 2 x hungry people you need –

1 x tablespoon of coconut oil, olive oil or similar
1 x red onion – diced
2 x garlic cloves – crushed and finely chopped
2 x sprigs of fresh thyme – or 1 x teaspoon of dried
1 x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
packet of bought vegan – quorn or similar “meatballs” we used spinach and kale – and often use a version made from peas
packet of baby spinach leaves
3 or 4 balls of dried or fresh tagliatelle per person
stock cube – optional
bunch of fresh chopped basil leaves to garnish
grated or soft cheese (optional)

to make –

pre heat oven to 200o c – or per instructions on meatballs packet
spread meatballs onto baking tray and place in centre of hot oven – for around 15 minutes – as per instructions of packaging
bring a pan of water to the boil ready to cook pasta
add cooking oil to large wok, frying pan or saucepan pan over a medium heat
add onion, garlic and thyme hot melted oil to fry for 2 x minutes or until they start to soften – stirring all the time
add chopped tomatoes and half can of water or stock (optional)
bring mix to a boil – reduce heat to a simmer
add balls of tagliatelle to boiling water and cook for around 5 x minutes or to your taste
drain the water from the pasta
remove meatballs from oven and check they are all cooked through
add meatballs and spinach to tomato sauce and simmer from a couple of minutes
to serve there are 2 x options – place pasta onto plates and cover in meatballs and sauce or we tend to add the pasta to the meatballs and sauce – mix up and serve
garnish with basil leaves and grated or soft cheese (both optional)

a hearty low fat dinner – full of much needed carbs to recover or prepare for you next bout of hard exercise – enjoy with a cheeky glass of wine for the full effect