As part of our #BeMightyRecycle campaign, we asked you to share your Mighty Meals. Those clever base recipes you can prep once, flex throughout the week with different sides and twists, and recycle what can’t be eaten to help boost Wales to No.1 in the world for recycling.
The challenge? Create dishes that save time, save money, and help power Wales by cutting food waste. From sweet Welsh-inspired bakes to hearty mains, our competition winners proved that delicious meals and sustainable living go hand in hand.
Here are three winning recipes to fuel your training, your busy weeks, and even your sweet tooth. All while giving your base food a second, third and even fourth life and recycling the bits that can't be eaten to create renewable energy to power homes across Wales.
James' Power-Up Pasta Pot – The ultimate carb-loading and family meal
James’ base is a roasted veg tomato sauce – cooked up once and flexed into three meals:
Day 1 - Pasta bowl
A hearty pasta bowl with fresh basil and Parmesan - perfect pre-long run fuel.
Day 2 - Pasta salad
A cold pasta salad with rocket and cherry tomatoes for an easy lunch.
Day 3 - Pasta bake
A comforting pasta bake topped with cheese and homemade breadcrumb topping from stale bread.
Smart food hacks
Stale bread becomes the perfect pasta bake topping.
Herb stalks are chopped into the sauce for extra flavour.
All inedible peelings go straight into the food waste caddy to help power homes across Wales.
James also adapted this meal for his daughter by blending the sauce smoother and adding a little grated cheese on top - she loves it!
Even James’ crazy spaniel gets any leftovers that aren’t eaten, so nothing goes to waste!
Megan's Mighty Marathon Mince - Fuel for your legs, your race – and even the Welsh power grid!
Megan’s base is a slow-cooked lean beef mince with onions, garlic, carrots, celery, tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, stock and herbs. Packed with iron and protein, it’s the perfect fuel for training – and flexible enough to keep you powered all week.
Meal 1 - Long Run Lifeline
Classic Beef Bolognaise with Wholewheat Spaghetti. The training week kicks off with a plateful of iron-rich mince and wholewheat pasta for long lasting energy. Top tip: You can add some lentils if you want the mince to go further.
Meal 2 - Hill Session Hug
Cottage pie. Perfect after a tough hill session. Comforting and loaded with carbs and protein for muscle recovery. Add in some gravy granules and some peas to the mince leftovers. Layer with some mashed potatoes / sweet potatoes / carrots or whatever you have left over. Bake until golden. Top tip: Add some cheese on top for some extra flavour.
Meal 3 - Speedy Square Potatoes
Crispy Potato Squares topped with Beef Mince and Cheese. Great for a quick lunch before a speed session. Cube leftover potatoes, drizzle with oil, add some seasoning and cook in the oven or airfryer until crispy. Top with reheated mince and a sprinkle of cheese. Top tip: Put the cubed potatoes in the microwave for a few minutes before placing in the oven for an even speedier lunch.
Meal 4 - Race Ready Wrap
Mince and Veggie Wraps. Perfect for the night before a big run. Roll the last of the mince into tortilla wraps with some veggies (i.e. peppers, spinach), add grated cheese and a dollop of yoghurt. Top tip: You can keep any leftover wraps in the freezer. They’re so easy to defrost when needed.
Laura's Bara Brith Boost Bakes - The Welsh cwtch in slice form – fuelling runs, recovery and beyond.
Laura’s base is Bara Brith Boost Bakes – a naturally sweet, energy-packed loaf made with dried fruit soaked in tea, wholemeal flour, honey and a pinch of mixed spice.
Low-GI carbs from wholemeal flour, quick energy from fruit and that unmistakable bara brith flavour. It’s basically a Welsh Cwtch... in slice form.
Day 1 – Breakfast Power Slice
Toast a thick slice, smear with peanut butter and top with sliced banana for a pre-long-run breakfast that won’t spike your blood sugar.
Day 2 – Mid-Run Pocket Fuel
Bake the same mix into muffin tins for portable bara brith “boost bites”, which are easy to slip into a running belt for on-the-go energy during the Cardiff Half Marathon.
Day 3 – Recovery Sundae
Crumble leftover bara brith over Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey and chopped apple for a protein-rich recovery dessert, which will be much needed after 13.1 miles!
Smart food hacks
Use over-brewed tea that would otherwise be tipped away.
Choose plastic-free, compostable tea bags so the bag and leaves can go straight into your food waste bin for recycling into renewable energy and fertiliser in Wales.
Repurpose any leftover dried fruit from the back of the cupboard (raisins, currants, apricots etc).
Stale slices can be blitzed into breadcrumbs for a sweet crumble topping on baked apples.
By taking a single base dish and flexing it into different dishes across the week, you save time in the kitchen, cut down on food waste, and keep more money in your pocket. For the bits that can't be eaten - from tea bags and eggshells to veg peelings - they all belong in your food waste caddy where they’re transformed into renewable energy to help power homes across Wales.
Every meal you prep, flex and recycle helps fuel the race to get Wales to No.1 in the world for recycling. Take the Smart Food Challenge today and see how small changes in your kitchen can make a mighty difference.