Due to these falls I’m very aware how easy to hurt yourself coming off a bike, so in an Olympic year I never ride on the road. Once we went into lockdown, the Olympics were postponed. The month of May brought perfect cycling conditions, so dusted off my bike and got the wheels turning. Lockdown had brought some new freedoms, I was relishing mixing up the ergo and weights sessions with some long rides in the Chiltern Hills. 

On the 21^st May I out for a long ride was having a great day. Passing my house at 168 km and being in that athlete mindset, I wanted to “round it up” to 170 km. It was during these 2 km’s where I got knocked from behind by a van. I ended up on the floor with plenty of cuts and grazes, and a lot of blood coming from my right elbow. 

Luckily being close to home, Rick, my fiancé was with me within 5 minutes, and had me and my broken bike bundled into the car. We made a quick stop at home for me to change out of my torn up cycling kit, and wrap my elbow in tea towels and apply some ice. In the car on the way to hospital, I apparently kept asking the same question over and over, a clear sign of concussion. I had hit my head pretty hard, but thanks to my helmet I was still alive. Rick did add that I was most concerned about the graze on my face, at which point he knew I was okay!

At the hospital I was able to bend and straighten my elbow, wasn’t in that much pain, so thought maybe I had gotten away with a bad cut. However, the X ray showed the fracture and due to it being open, I had to stay overnight on IV antibiotics, as risk of infection was high. The nurses and doctors at the Royal Berkshire in Reading were fantastic and looked after me. This was my first stay in hospital, and was feeling very sheepish about taking up their precious time during the COVID pandemic!

Rick works in medical devices and in his previous job sold implants for upper limb fractures, and along the way has got to know some of the best surgeons. This turned out to be invaluable. He sent copy of my X ray to Professor Adam Watts, a leading elbow specialist, and Adam immediately called him and was able to fit me in for the surgery the next day. Rick drove me three hours up north the next morning as the surgery was to take place at Wrightington hospital, near Wigan. I hobbled into the hospital, as by this point my whole body had stiffen up and I felt like I had gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson. Professor Watts performed my surgery, fixed the fracture with small plates and screws, and I was back home within 32 hours of me having the accident. This speed and efficiency was all down to Professor Watts and his team and our team doctor, Lady Ann Redgrave.

For five days I couldn’t sweat due to the wound, and for the first time in a long time I really didn’t want to train and was happy to put my feet up. My rehab though started immediately. The morning after my surgery I was moving my elbow, as stiffness and loss of range are common in badly managed elbows. For the first three days I was on strong painkillers, something I really don’t like taking. These really do space you out, which isn’t a nice feeling but was necessary for that initial healing period. After three days the pain in my elbow had gone, however I had strained my AC joint (joint in the top of the shoulder) and this was keeping me up at night, so spent the first week sleeping upright on the sofa. Rick was again a huge support, and surprisingly makes a great nurse! Unable to do anything with my right arm for the first two weeks, so cooking, cleaning and cutting up my food were all down to Rick. In the first few days, even summoning him to help me wash and change. Lockdown and now a broken elbow, were a great way to test the relationship before we tied the knot on 22^ndAugust.

Full rehab blog coming soon…

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• Create a daily routine that works for you. Setting an alarm helps keep me and my training in a good routine, which in turn keeps me focused and motivated.

• Create a rhythm to your week. Sometimes it may feel like all the days are merging into one. I am trying to keep a rhythm to my weeks, by ensuring at the weekends I do more weekend-like activities. This can be taking more time over cooking and trying new reipes, watching a film on a Saturday evening and having a lie in on a Sunday. I try to have things planned for the weekend, within the government guidelines, so I have something to look forward to and it separates out the weeks.

• Mix up your training. At the moment all our training is land based, so that does mean a lot of ergos, but to create some variety I have been out cycling and running. I get a similar sense of freedom running or on my bike, as I get when out sculling and this is a great feeling.

• Try something new. It is easy to watch a lot of TV at the moment and this certainly has it place, but I have also wanted to use some of my time to try a new hobby, so I  have just started a paint by numbers project. It’s something I have never done before, and being an impatient person, I thought it would challenge me. I am finding doing jobs around the house and garden satisfying too. Experiment with how to use your time, to help you relax and switch off.

• ‘Control the controllables.’ Some of us may be finding this situation stressful and the uncertainty of it, can throw us. Some things we will have no control over, no matter how much we want to, so we have to learn to let it go. Instead focus on the things you can control and make an impact there.

• Self-care is paramount. Make sure you are doing something every day that relaxes you and makes you happy. The options for self-care are endless and will vary depending on what works for you. Even if you only have 5 minutes for yourself, prioritise it. It will give you energy and improve your day overall.

Remember, this will end. Stay safe and well.

The post Lockdown tips appeared first on VICTORIA THORNLEY.

Serves: 2-3

Prep: 10 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

2 garlic, grated

Thumb sized piece root ginger, grated

400g tin plum tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 red chilli, diced

2 tsp garam masala, plus extra to serve

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

400g can chickpeas, dried and rinsed

3 big handfuls of spinach, washed

3 tbsp natural yogurt

Fresh coriander leaves, optional

Method

Heat olive oil in deep frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until light golden brown. Add pepper, garlic, ginger, spices, chilli, tomato puree, tin of tomatoes (break them up with spoon) and chickpeas. Add some water if needed. Let it gently bubble for about 5 minutes but it can be left for longer if needed.

Add in the spinach, cover and let into wilt into the sauce for about 3 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the yogurt and sprinkle with a tsp of garam masala and fresh coriander leaves. Goes really well with brown rice and/or naan breads. Enjoy!

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Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 mins

Ingredients

500g lamb shoulder, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large aubergine, diced

1 large courgette, sliced

1/2 butternut squashed, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tbsp ras-el-hanout spice mix

400g can of tomatoes

400g can of chickpeas

200g dried apricots

600ml chicken stock

Handful fresh corriander

120g pomegranate seeds (optional)

Method

Pre heat oven to 160C fan. Heat oil in casserole pan and brown the diced lamb on all sides and then remove from pan and put to one side.

Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Add to the spice mix and cook for a further minute. Now add in the aubergine, courgette, butternut squash, chickpeas, apricots, tomatoes and stock. Tip back in the browned lamb. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover with lid and place in oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour check if the lamb is tender. If not put back in oven for another 20 mins.

Scatter over fresh coriander leaves and pomegranate seeds and serve on a bed of couscous. Enjoy!

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Set a goal

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you need to start to be great”. Setting the goal might sound like an obvious point, but for some setting the goal can be a challenge. You may see an ambitious goal as potentially unattainable, and are worried about failure. Let’s not forget failure and setbacks in life are inevitable, and sometimes actually essential to make progress. In rowing, I have failed countless times but my response to failure is to pick myself up, learn from it and keep moving forwards. Keep focussing on the reward at the end, that feeling of pride and satisfaction you will get when you achieve the goal you have set.

Break it down

Break the goal down into sizeable chunks. If your goal is a long term one, having short and medium term goals is fundamental to keep you focussed every day. Think, “what can I achieve today, this week, this month to bring me closer to my end goal”. I started rowing just under five years before what turned out to be my first Olympic Games, at London 2012. On my first day of training on the World Class Start Programme, I literally couldn’t stay in a boat. I fell in three times. At this point, had I allowed the enormity of my end goal overwhelm me, I would have struggled to move forward. Instead, along with my coach Paul Stannard, I broke things down and set small daily goals. The first being, completing a session without falling in; and I achieved this on day four of training. We continued in this manner and within five years, I found myself on the start of of the Olympic Games. Day by day, keep working towards your dream.

Stay present

Keep coming back to your daily goals. It’s easy to get distracted by how far away from your goal you feel, but by coming back to the present acknowledging what is required today, helps to ensure we make each day count. This is where short term focuses are important. They will help you stay in the moment and do what needs to be done at that time. The small sense of achievement you get from executing your daily goals really helps maintain motivation and momentum. I always have a specific goal for each training session, it keeps me present and accountable as to whether I executed what was required.

Deviation

Life never runs smoothly, things will get in the way of our goals, and there will be both ups and downs along the way. The important thing is to not let these distractions derail us. Tokyo has of course been my long term goal over the past three years, but there have been many situations that have taken me way of course, and down a path I didn’t want to be on; most notably suffering from overtraining in 2018. When situations like this occur, it is important to reassess and change your short term goals to account for the change in circumstance. It doesn’t mean that you can’t still achieve what you set out to do; it just means that you have to recalibrate, to get back on track. Overcoming these challenges only makes achieving our goals even more rewarding.

Keep a diary of progress

This is a great way to see how far you have come, and can help maintain motivation. I keep a daily diary containing a brief summary of my training, and write a more detailed account every couple of weeks. It shows me the improvements I have made, but also any mistakes. When I read it back, it reinforces that I am making progress, shows me how far I have come and what I have learnt.

Accountability

If your goal doesn’t involve others on a day-to-day basis, find someone you can hold yourself accountable to. When in crew boats, I often used my teammates. In the single, it is my coach Paul Reedy. Using a variety of people can help, depending on their expertise. Find the people that work for you. It could be your colleague, partner or friend. It really doesn’t matter. It just need to be someone who knows what your goal is, can ask about your progress and challenge you if they see you are distracted. 

Reward

Recognising your effort and rewarding yourself appropriately is really important! It drives motivation and tops up your energy stores. Often when I return from training camp, I book a treatment at the beauty salon to help me rejuvenate, or I go to my favourite restaurant. Having things to look forward to once you have completed something challenging is a great way to maintain momentum.

I hope these tips help you set goals and achieve them. Remember “you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”. What are you waiting for? Good luck!

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I can safely say, it is by far the most stressful and high pressured racing you can be a part of.

My 2019 season had not so far gone to plan, finishing 7th at the Europeans, 5th at World Cup II and 4th at World Cup III. Due to being diagnosed with over training last season and having to take some time off to recover, it took me longer than normal to find my race speed in the early season. In the most important season of the Olympiad so far, I was on the back foot and had to take a big leap forward if I was at least going to qualify. 

This season the women’s squad came under the new leadership of Jurgen Grobler. Jurgen has coached the GB men since 1991, but this is the first time he has been Chief Coach of the women. His record of coaching crews to Olympic gold medals at every Olympic Games since 1972, shows his incredible knowledge and leadership. This gives me huge confidence in his programme, and my job is to execute it to the best of my ability.

After World Cup III, there were six weeks until the start of racing, the majority of it spent on lake Varese in Italy. This period consisted of a month, where strength and endurance were the focus. Covering a lot of miles and lifting a lot of weights. The next two weeks was all about race preparation. Here the mileage reduces but the volume of intensity increases. I really enjoy this time of year and the process involved, every day and every session has a very specific purpose, and I had to make every stroke count.

The six weeks went really well. With consistent training in the bag, I had found speed and confidence. I knew I would be at my fastest come the World Championships. But how fast compared to the rest of the world, was unknown.

As soon as the regatta started, the racing was far more ferocious than I had ever seen. In the men’s single, scullers were literally racing each other to a standstill in the repecharge, and that was to make the top 24! This intensity of racing, just highlighted what these World Championships meant to all the athletes. For me, the semi final was going to be the big race. A top three finish would put me in the final, but most importantly qualify for the first time in 20 years, the British women’s single scull for the Olympics. The pressure came from wanting to do it for myself, after all the hard work I had put in, but also to do it for the team.

I knew I would be at my fastest come the World Championships. But how fast compared to the rest of the world, was unknown.

I won my heat and quarter final, against some strong opposition. It was important to start the regatta well, and that is what I had done. Going into the semi final, my confidence had grown, and I knew not finishing top three was mine to lose. I had thought about this race numerous times. Semi finals I always find the most nerve racking races, if you don’t get it right, there are no second chances and you aren’t in the fight for a medal. This year the nerves were all consuming. Quality sleep was hard to come by and I could feel the tension through my whole body, but I was prepared. I knew this is how I would feel and more importantly, I knew the best way to deal with it. Coming back to the process of how I wanted to row, would to keep my mind off the consequences of this race. I had a day between my quarter and semi final, meaning there was a lot of time to think, but I just had to keep fighting the unhelpful wanderings of my mind. Netflix provided some distraction!

My sculling in the semi didn’t feel quite as fluid as the first two rounds, but I got the job done and finished 2nd. Qualification was secure, and I was now in the hunt for the medals. As I crossed the line, I felt a huge amount of relief. The realisation that I had qualified the boat, lifted a huge weight off my shoulders.

The final was now the fun part, the hunt for a medal. Going into it I was ranked 4th, based on times from the previous rounds. At 1250m I was lying half a length down on the American Kara Kohler, who was in the bronze medal position. I made a move to try and get my bow ball ahead. It was a risky move. The energy I put in, risked me not getting to the finish line, but I would deal with that in the last couple of hundred meters! I gave the race everything I had but Kohler had enough to hold me off and I finished 4^th.

Yes, 4^th is probably the worst place to finish. However, once my initial raw emotions had settled down, and I had recovered from the physical exhaustion, I was proud of my performance. My coach Paul Reedy and I, had found a lot of speed in a short amount of time, delivering four high quality races, over eight seriously intense days.

I am far from content with 4^th as I do this to win medals, but knowing I had given the preparation and performance everything I had, I could put my head on the pillow that night and sleep well. I am now in a solid starting position for the Olympic year, and there is lots of fuel for my fire.

As a British team we qualified 10 out of the 14 Olympic class boats. Tokyo, the British are coming!

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Serves: 2

Preparation: 15 mins

Cooking: 40 Mins

Ingredients

2 x tbsp olive oil

2 x chicken breasts

1 tbsp cajan spice mix

1 tbsp flour

1 egg

100g breadcrumbs

2 x ciabatta baps

2 small sweet potatoes

2 tsp paprika

1 x avocado

Method

Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Slice the sweet potatoes into wedges, drizzle with olive oil and the paprika. Spread onto baking tin and roast in oven for 40 mins until soft in the middle.

Use a rolling pin to bash and flatten the chicken breasts. Whisk one egg in a small bowl, put flour and 100g breadcrumbs on two separate plates. Sprinkle the cajan spice mix over the chicken breasts. Now dip each chicken breast first in the flour, then the egg shaking off any extra and finally cover in breadcrumbs.

Heat a large frying pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Place the chicken breasts in for 2 and a half minutes each side till they are browned. Then remove and place on oven tray and put in the oven for roughly 20 minutes or until cooked through and juices run clear.

To assemble lightly toast the ciabatta baps, smash the avocado and place that on each of the baps. I like to add some salad and a sliced tomato. Then place the crispy chicken breast on top. Serve with the paprika spiced wedges. Enjoy.

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Over the course of 2018, I was studying to become a Health Coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN). IIN talks about wellbeing in an interesting way. They use the idea of primary and secondary food. Secondary food is what is on our plate and primary foods are such things as, enjoyable physical activity, an inspiring career, fulfilling relationships, effective stress management and good sleep quality. The more balanced these factors are, the closer to overall wellbeing we can be. Someone can eat all the superfoods in the world, but if they are chronically stressed and overworked their wellbeing will suffer.

Finding a good lifestyle balance, can be a challenge, but think about the progress you can make, and don’t always look for perfection. Assess your daily habits and behaviours and ask; do these habits aid or hinder my happiness and wellbeing? Below are some key “primary food” areas, that I find, help me stay balanced. Remember, wellbeing is a journey, not a destination.

Stress management

“Busy and stressed” is a common answer, a lot of people give to describe their current life. This “stressed” state we can often find ourselves in, has an impact on mental and physical health.  You only have to look at how the body responds to stressors or a perceived threat, to see how the mind and body are inextricably linked.

The autonomic nervous system has two components: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. It is the sympathetic nervous system the triggers the well-known “fight or flight” response. When the body senses a stressor, the reaction to it, is well orchestrated. Certain hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, are released to change a number of autonomic nervous functions, including an increased heart rate and slowed digestion, to give the body a burst of energy and strength. As hunter gather’s, the “fight or flight” response was a survival mechanism, providing us with energy to run from predators. Today, stressors can be environmental, such a work deadline, or psychological, such as persistent worry about losing your job. Unfortunately, for many people, these stressors can be constant throughout the day. Due to this mind and body connection, research has suggested that chronic stress can contribute to many illnesses – e.g. high blood pressure – and can decrease immunity.

The parasympathetic nervous system can be seen as our safety net, if given the opportunity to kick in. Once the stressor or danger has passed, it calms the body down, creating a “rest and digest” state, allowing the body can relax and repair. Ideally, we want to exist in this state, more than the former. Here are some practices that I find helpful to reduce my stress levels.

Mindfulness and meditation – I was introduced to this by our team psychologist, Chris Shambrook in 2016. I first used it for performance means, something to help achieve the best possible mindset, on race day. After a couple of months, I also started using it as a tool to combat stress. There is now a lot of studies into the health benefits, physical and mental, of mindfulness and meditation. It takes practice and consistency but positive effects can be seen in a matter of weeks. My favourite apps for guided meditation are Calm and Headspace.

Yoga – I touched on the benefits of yoga in my cross training article. Similar to meditation, but yoga combines movement, so you can kill two birds with one stone. Yoga’s benefits include, reducing stress, aiding good sleep, reducing cortisol levels (one of the stress hormones), lowering blood pressure and lots more.

Self-care – Self-care is effectively taking time for you and doing things that help you relax, as well as giving you energy. One of my favourite self-care rituals is going for a relaxing massage or facial. Sometimes, simply taking time to experiment with a new recipe, and enjoying the process of cooking, is a huge stress reliever. For someone with a sedentary job, self-care could be making time for a 30 minute run, 3 times a week. This could help clear their mind and increase their productivity. Experiment with what self-care looks like for you.

Fulfilling relationships

Spending time with people who give you energy, instead of taking it away, is really powerful. I am lucky to work daily, with like-minded people. It is safe to say the majority of rowers, are driven and motivated individuals and training alongside my team mates fills me with positive energy. This is also true in personal relationships. Having supportive friends and loved ones, with whom I share common passions and interests, I find essential to my wellbeing.

Social life and community

Researchers in the US performed a meta-analytic review into Loneliness and Social Isolation as risk factors for mortality(ref1). It concluded “substantial evidence now indicates that individuals lacking social connections are at risk for premature mortality.” Harvard University also found that when separated from each other, humans find themselves in the psychological stress state “fight or flight”(ref2).

Being part of your local community and having regular social time with friends, are great ways to combat any feelings of loneliness.

Ways to stay connected:

• Schedule dates in the diary to meet friends for dinner. When at the table, put phones away and be present.

• If you haven’t heard from a friend for a while, send an email or text and check in to see how they are.

• Volunteering. This can be a great way to connect, with new people in your community. Also helping others less fortunate than ourselves, can be extremely rewarding and humbling.

• Attend local social events. Meet and socialise with new and old friends.

Inspiring career

We spend most of our time at work, so finding a job we love is important. As a full time rower, I know how fortunate I am to do what I love every day. Post rowing, finding a love and passion for my next career is high up on my priority list. Don’t stop searching for that perfect job. Sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith. Start that business idea you have, or apply for that dream role, you never know, it may just work out!

Enjoyable physical activity

I am sure the majority of you reading this article, appreciate the positive effects, physical activity can have. I spend most of my day training but when I get the opportunity, I really love walking. When out sculling, I rarely look and fully take in my surroundings, as I am focused on the job at hand. However, when walking, be that down the river in Henley or through the forests and into the Chiltern valley, I can really appreciate nature and the sense of freedom I get. Even if you exercise regularly, try mixing things up, be that the mode of exercise or where you do it and see what new feelings it can stir up!

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Greek Yogurt, Fruit and Homemade Granola

This has all you need in a breakfast. The Greek yogurt provides a good amount of protein and healthy fat with no added sugar. Be aware of ‘low fat’ yogurts, they often contain added sugars; always read the label. I often buy frozen fruit, as its cheaper and due to being frozen at the time of picking, retains more of its nutrients. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. The fruit will give your immune system a kick start, with an abundance of vitamins and minerals. My homemade granola contains oats, that release energy slowly throughout the morning and the nuts are full of fibre and healthy fats.

Fills about a 1 ½ litre food jar

Prep: 5 mins

Cooking: 45-50 mins

Ingredients

400g Rolled oats

80g Almonds

50g Pecans

50g Hazelnuts

60g Mixed seeds

20g Candied ginger or 2tsp ground ginger

3 tbsp coconut oil

7 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Mixed raisins and sultanas

Method

Mix together all ingredients apart from raisins and sultanas ensuring the coconut oil is in liquid form.

Bake for 45-50 mins at 160 degrees fan or until lightly toasted and golden. Mix in the raisins and sultanas. Serve the yogurt topped with the fruit and crunchy granola.

Chocolate Overnight Oats

This is delicious and so easy to make. Prepare it the night before, so it’s literally waiting in the fridge for you in the morning. I often make a big batch, as it keeps in fridge for a few days. A sweet, chocolatey slow release energy breakfast. Feel free to add any toppings you like. My favourites are pumpkin seeds for texture, fruit for sweetness and nut butters, because they are delicious!

Servings: 3-4

Prep: 10 mins

Ingredients

200g oats

500ml milk (of your choice)

2 ripe bananas

2 tbsp cacao powder

Method

Whizz in food processor the milk, bananas and cacao powder then add to the oats in a container and mix. Leave overnight in the fridge.

Blueberry and Acai Smoothie – with a spoon

This is so tasty and full of so much goodness! Acai berries have so many health benefits and for centuries have been heralded as a healing, immune-stimulating, energy-boosting fruit, full of antioxidants. The berries here add more vitamins to the party! I like to serve this with my homemade granola and some Greek yogurt.

Servings: 2

Prep: 10 mins

Ingredients

250ml almond milk

250g mixed frozen berries

1 banana

1 tbsp nut butter

3 tbsp acai powder

Method

For this you need a powerful blender. Add all ingredients and whizz up until they are a thick but smooth consistency.

Good Old Porridge

Basic but always a winner! Porridge is especially great in the winter, to warm you up from the inside but I love it so much, I eat it all year round. For variety, the toppings you can add are endless. Some of my favourites are flaxseeds for a dose of Omega 3, creamy almond butter and raisins. I also like to cook it with chopped banana in, so the banana softens and becomes extra sweet.

Servings: 1

Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

50g porridge oats

150ml milk of choice

Method

Porridge can be made in the microwave if time is tight, but in a saucepan on the hob is best. Combine ingredients in small pan and heat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, ensuring it doesn’t catch to the bottom of the pan. Cook until warmed through and to desired consistency – about 5-6 minutes.

Chocolate Soaked Chia Seeds

Another breakfast you can prepare the night before. Chia seeds became really popular after the book “Born to Run” was released and their amazing health and energy benefits were explained. The book is based on the Tarahumara, “the running people”, a Mexican tribe of “super” athletes, who run 50 to 100 miles at a time for enjoyment and who eat large amounts of chia seeds. In this simple recipe there are 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and that contains 10 grams of fibre, 6 grams of protein, 12g of carbohydrate, 9g fat, 5g of omega 3 and 1.5g of omega 6. They also contain a lot of important minerals, such as manganese, selenium, iron and calcium. Chia seeds are one of the most nutrient dense foods on the market. I add Greek yogurt and my homemade granola to this for a healthy start to the day.

Servings: 1

Prep: 5 mins

Ingredients

2 tbsp chia seeds

140ml milk (you can use any type of milk though, coconut or almond)

1 tbsp cacao powder

Method

Put ingredients in a jar with tight fitting lid and shake well then leave overnight in the fridge.

The post My Go-to Breakfasts appeared first on VICTORIA THORNLEY.

Serves: 2

Cooking time: 70 mins

Ingredients

Stuffed sweet potato:

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 small red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

About 12 cherry tomatoes, sliced

3 tsp chipotle paste

Splash of apple cider vinegar

1 can of black beans

Salt and pepper

Small handful fresh coriander, chopped

Yogurt:

6 tbsp full fat Greek yogurt

Juice of ½ lemon

Guacamole:

1 ripe avocado

4 sundried tomatoes

1 tsp lime juice

Optional:

Cheddar cheese, grated

Method

Place the sweet potatoes in the oven at 180 degrees and cook for about 60 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp coconut oil in frying pan over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle paste and black beans. Cook until tomatoes and onions have softened, about 10 mins. Then add the apple cider vinegar and season with salt and pepper. After another few minutes remove from heat.

When sweet potatoes are cooked, slice in half and scoop out flesh, leaving the skins. Mix the flesh in with the bean mixture and then pile it back into the skins.

Mix the juice of the lemon into the Greek yogurt. Mix the guacamole ingredients together. If liked, sprinkle the stuffed potatoes with a little grated cheddar cheese and pop back in oven to melt. Finally place yogurt and guacamole on top and sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander. Enjoy!

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