Welcome to festival month in Edinburgh. Yes, the world’s biggest arts festival takes over Scotland’s capital for this month. There’s also Foodies Festival this weekend at Inverleith Park, with some lucky winners from last month’s newsletter enjoying free entry tickets. I’ll be cycling there on Friday with empty pannier bags, so read on for the August’s article on how to attend a foodie event and stay (relatively) healthy.

Easy Healthy Recipe: Super Seaweed Salad

If you grow your own vegetables, you may be in the middle of a lettuce glut. I love salads, but sometimes it’s nice to try something different. Seaweed is supergood for you, with a wide variety of naturally occurring minerals including iodine, magnesium, iron, calcium and potassium as well as many vitamins. The iodine in seaweed aids metabolic function, including helping maintain a healthy thyroid.

Ingredients

2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed (from a Chinese supermarket)
Big handful of chopped lettuce, mizuna or rocket
2 finely chopped spring onions
½ carrot, shredded

For the dressing

2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp sugar
chopped red chili (to taste)
1 cm grated ginger
clove minced garlic (optional)
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Fresh coriander leaves to taste

• Soak dried seaweed in cold water for 4 to 6 minutes, or as per packet instructions. Drain.
• Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk together. Alternatively make the dressing in a jar with a lid and shake to combine.
• Toss the vegetables in a salad bowl and combine with the drained seaweed (chop the seaweed if it is uncut).
• Stir through the sesame seeds and coriander just before serving. Serve with sushi or as a side for noodles.

How to Have a (Relatively) Healthy Foodies Festival
I’ve been going to Foodies Festival every year for about eight years now, back when it was at Holyrood park. It’s a fab day for anyone who loves food (and who doesn’t?). You might think it’s a Personal Trainer’s nightmare, however I manage to fill my pannier bag and belly every year without compromising my waistline too much.
The first thing is to make sure is that you walk or cycle there. Car parking is a pain in the posterior, and Inverleith Park is right on the Water of Leith, making for an excellent walk. I like to cycle, so I can load up my bike with culinary goodies. Dogs were welcome last year too, however I think fitness pug Coco might find it all a bit distracting…
My favourite bit is the large market of small producers plying their wares. Tastings aplenty, and each year Andy and I end up stocking up on lots of jars of relishes. Perthshire Oatcakes usually have a stall, so I can buy fancy oatcakes in bulk! There are always a wide range of local farmers, and sometimes we even get some venison for our supper. Last year we got some delicious smoked trout from a Scottish loch. I also use Foodies Festival to stock up on locally produced rapeseed oils, fancy balsamic vinegar, and many variations of seasonings. The market stalls are cook’s delight with new locally produced fayre, niche products (usually including Seaveg seaweed) and new products to market. In fact it was at Foodies I first discovered Flavourly (a goody box of foodie treats posted each month).
If you’re stopping for a meal, take a good look around all the food stalls before deciding. Last year I enjoyed a Union of Genius creation, and there are lots of healthy and vegetarian options. Even though Foodies does have its fair share of bars, there are many non-alcoholic drink options and last year a highlight was coconut water straight out of a coconut. If you do opt for booze, have a G & T or fruity cocktail, which tend to be lower in calories.
You can also learn some new culinary skills from the masterclasses; they do get busy so get there early and be sure to book your spot. Make Foodies a culinary adventure and expand your palate not your waistline.
And Finally: Two Sports You Probably Haven’t Seen
This is the bit of the newsletter where you can spend a few minutes watching fitness-inspired videos, in the name of motivation. Thanks to Andrea for this month’s suggestions. First up we have complex choreography on the back of a bike with Artistic Cycling, a lesser known genre of gymnastics.
The second clip is of Radball (Cycleball) which is football played on bikes. The game originated from Germany in 1893 and is more interesting than soccer without bikes, I think. Do you have an obscure sport you’d like to see featured in my blog? Drop me a line. Have a happy and healthy festival month,
 

Tracy 🙂

www.griffenfitness.com

 

You can listen to Tracy Griffen’s Ragged talk on the podcast:

Urban Fitness: It’s A Concrete Jungle Out There