Heart and Health

With the SPAR Women’s Race ahead of us, Elana shares her delicious vegetarian carbo-loading recipe for challenge day success

Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, podcast founder and radio presenter, has been a passionate supporter of the SPAR Women’s Challenge Jozi for many years. Her journey with this inspiring race began nearly 20 years ago. Since then, she has been a vibrant part of this event, driven by her love for the outdoors and the opportunity to support various charitable initiatives.

For Elana, this year’s Challenge theme, #ChooseYou, resonates deeply. “We all have a #ChooseYou theme within us, whether we are participating in the race or not,” she shares. “It’s about choosing to help others, which in turn helps us. Charity is a skill that you learn, and it’s vital to choose someone else, knowing that someone will choose you too.” Elana practices this philosophy in her daily life, teaching her four children to help others and making charity a daily act, even in small ways, like sharing her lunch with colleagues.

Elana’s vegetarian carbo-loading recipe for the SPAR Women’s Challenge Jozi is inspired by frequent questions from friends and fans about her pre-race meals. She highlights the ease and nutritional benefits of her recipe, noting, “It’s easy to make and perfect for the night before the race to keep you full and energised.” For non-vegetarians, she suggests adding pork or stir-fried chicken to the dish for a hearty alternative, encouraging participants to get creative with their ingredients.

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Elana also praises SPAR Signature Select, which she included in her recipe for added crunch and flavour. “You can’t go wrong with SPAR Signature Select. It’s versatile and adds that special touch to any meal,” she says.

Elana uses the SPAR Signature Select chilli crunch sauce.

Her partnership with SPAR has profoundly impacted both her personal and professional life. “SPAR is more than a grocer; they are a family-focused organisation that supports numerous causes, aligning with my values,” she explains. “Working with them has shown me how to be a change-maker, and their commitment to service and community inspires me daily.”

Elana’s involvement in the SPAR Women’s Challenge Jozi is a testament to her dedication to empowering others and making a positive impact. Her message to women looking to make a change is simple: “Start with choosing yourself and your community. Positive change begins with small acts of kindness that ripple outwards.”

Join Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp and many others in the SPAR Women’s Challenge Jozi, embrace #ChooseYou, and enjoy her delicious vegetarian carbo-loading recipe featuring SPAR’s Signature Select.

 

Elana’s vegetarian carbo-loading pea tagliatelle

A plate of Elana’s pea tagliatelle

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 200g SPAR fresh peas
  • 200g SPAR fresh beans
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 600g fresh tagliatelle
  • handful mint, chopped
  • 50g parmesan grated
  • any SPAR Signature Select sauce of your choice

Method:

Cook the peas and beans in salted water for 2 to 3 mins. Drain and plunge into iced water. Cook the garlic in oil for 1 min, then add the drained peas and beans for a further 2 mins. Remove from the heat.

Cook the tagliatelle until al dente, drain and add to the pea mix. Toss, season and add chopped mint and any SPAR Signature Select sauce of your choice. Serve with grated parmesan.

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