Hayden Groves: Summer Recipes to fuel your progress

Cyclist and award-winning chef Hayden Groves shares a collection of seasonal recipes designed to support the demands of training, recovery, and everyday progress, simple meals built for riders who want to fuel better and ride stronger.

From mid ride rice snack to recovery-focused meals after long days in the saddle, these recipes are shaped by the rhythms of cycling and the importance of consistency on and off the bike.

Because progress isn’t only made in the miles, it’s built in the routines, habits, and community that support every ride.

Linguini with Pistachio Pesto

Ingredients: Serves 4

400g linguini
salt
50g Parmesan, finely grated to finish
75g pistachios, shelled and peeled
1 large bunch of basil
100ml extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50g Parmesan, finely grated
1/2 lemon juice and zest

Method:

To make the pesto, preheat the oven to 150°C. Chill the food processor bowl in the
fridge (to keep the pesto as cool and as vibrant green as possible as you make
it).

Toast the pistachios in the oven for 5 minutes, and then allow to cool completely.

Trim off the ends of the basil stalks and discard. Blend the rest of the basil with
the extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and cooled pistachios in the food processor until almost smooth but retaining a little texture. Add the Parmesan and lemon zest and pulse briefly until well combined. Season with lemon juice and salt to taste.

Refrigerate until needed: this you can make in advance and reserve in a covered container for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Cook the linguini in salted water following manufacturer’s instructions, drain, and fold through the chilled pesto. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

Rice Krispie Rival Bar

Ingredients: Makes 12 generous pieces
30g Coconut Oil
30g Agave syrup
Good pinch of Sea Salt
20g Cocoa Powder
180G mini marshmallows
150 g Cocoa Puffs

Method:

In a wide pan over a low heat melt the Coconut Oil & Agave
syrup with a pinch of salt, stir in the cocoa powder

Add the Mini Marshmallows and melt slightly, fold in the cocoa
puffs try to not squash them too much, press into a deep sided tray or dish
circa 15 cm x 25 cm lined with baking parchment

(Takeaway style containers work really, if using these divide the mix between two) Chill until firm and cut into pieces with a sharp knife, and wrap in the parchment that you lined the tray with.Reserve in an airtight container and best eaten within 5 days or freeze for upto 6 months

Garden Pea Risotto

Ingredients: Serves 4
1.75 litres good quality white chicken or Vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
50g butter
1 carrot, 1 stick of celery & 1 medium onion, peeled & finely diced
300g garden Peas (frozen are good here)
2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
sea salt & black pepper
300g Carnaroli or Arborio risotto rice
150ml dry white wine

To finish:
100g Parmesan, freshly grated
75g diced butter
In a pan, bring the stock to a simmer.

Method:


Heat 50g of butter in a heavy-based saucepan with olive oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 1 minute over low heat. Add garlic and a pinch of salt, then cook for another 3 minutes until softened.

Meanwhile, blanch half the garden peas in the vegetable stock for 2 minutes, drain, reserving the stock and blend with a little stock to make a vibrant green pea purée. Stir the rice into the pan with the vegetables and turn up the heat. Toast the grains for 2 minutes before adding the wine. Stir until the wine is absorbed.

Add a ladleful of the simmering stock, stir, and let it simmer until almost all
the stock is absorbed. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking and to
create a creamy texture.

Continue adding the simmering stock a ladleful at a time until the rice is
tender but still creamy, for 16- 18 minutes. Check a few grains; bite one in half and you should see a small white pin dot in the centre. Add the pea purée and adjust with further stock if needed.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining peas (reserving a few for garnish) Beat in the remaining diced butter and Parmesan vigorously, and season to taste.

Cover the pot with a clean tea towel and let it rest for 3 minutes before serving in warm bowls with peas and more freshly grated Parmesan.