Think squid belongs in an aquarium rather than on a fork? Well, consider this: a 100g serving of calamari provides more than 15g of protein, despite containing just 90 calories and 1.4g of fat, making it one of the leanest muscle fuels available. It’s also extremely low in mercury – a toxic substance commonly found in seafood that can be poisonous if ingested in large quantities. Add squid rings to a chorizo and chickpea salad for an energy-enhancing pre-workout lunch.
Ingredients
2 red peppers, sliced / 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained / 1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped / 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped / 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped / 50ml olive oil / 300g squid, sliced into 1cm rings / 100g chorizo, sliced / Juice and zest of half a lemon
To make
Grill the peppers under a medium heat until they’re slightly charred.
Mix the peppers, chickpeas, parsley, chilli and garlic in a large bowl and set to one side.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat until it’s smoking. Add a splash of olive oil and stir-fry the squid for around 30 seconds.
Scatter the chorizo over the squid and continue to cook for another 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and add to the bowl of peppers.
Season with salt and pepper, dress with lemon juice, zest and remaining oil, and serve.
Squid is also high in energy-giving vitamin B12 and bone-strengthening calcium.
Chickpeas are a great source of metabolism-boosting manganese and filling fibre.
Red peppers are full of vitamins A and C, which help repair the cell damage caused by intense training.
