Irish Corned Beef Potato Nachos to Fuel Ninja Leprechauns

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! You probably won’t ever find me sitting in a pub downing Guinness or whisky, but I’ll definitely eat! So today, I’m sharing my crazy, tasty spin on traditional tavern food and Irish Corned Beef Potato Nachos are featured on my menu! Corned Beef Irish Potato Nachos

Those lucky Irish, with their abundance of potatoes! Spuds make a super great fuel choice for athletes, the complex carbs provide healthy energy to help nail workout and run goals. I did a whole blog post on this that you can check out HERE. Add corned beef from the deli, sharp white cheddar and a bit of cabbage should you care, and these nachos will have your taste buds dancing a jig.  Continue reading

10 Sauces that are Awesome (and Easy)!

That old Saturday Night Live skit where Jason Alexander asks for more “juice” at Bob’s Gyros still cracks me up. You like-a da sauce huh? The sauce is good, huh? I get you more . . . because March is National Sauce Month!10 Sauces that are awesome and easy

Seriously though, today I’m sharing 10 of my favorite sauces, from sweet to spicy to savory! Feel free to dunk, drizzle, douse and dip as your heart desires! Most are a healthy way to add tons of flavor to recipes and a few are splurges – because it’s all about balance! Continue reading

Post Workout Snacking #OnAQuest + $25 Visa Giveaway

More than 90 percent of adults snack between meals and that’s a good thing, if done right! Most dieticians recommend eating a couple healthy snacks per day, given overall good food choices are being made. Selecting protein rich snacks can help improve satiety and promote weight loss or maintenance. But for athletes, protein-rich snacks also have an effect on workout recovery and future performance -protein is the fuel that supports muscle repair and growth and provides long-lasting energy throughout the day.20170314_103115-01_resized

Because of protein’s role in these areas, it’s the only macro this number avoiding girl counts. Time and time again you’ve heard me say I aim for 25 to 30 grams at every meal and also the same amount within 30 minutes of an intense workout or long run. However, for snacks after a light workout, in the middle of a regular day, or just because “I’m hungry,” I take the protein consumption down a bit at snack time – 12 to 14 grams per snack is perfect for me. My new favorite protein snack is the Quest Beyond Cereal Bars that I got at Vitamin Shoppe.  Read on to find out more about high-protein snacks and these yummy new bars from Quest. Continue reading

5 Tips to Improve Double Unders  + Giveaway Courtesey XShadyside Pittsburgh Gym

Jumping rope sounds like child’s play, but it’s a fierce workout that requires cardio-vascular endurance, coordination and razor focus. But, if turning the rope in a single rotation isn’t challenging enough, give your game new “ups” with double unders.5 Tips to Improve Double Unders - ideas to help your  jump rope skills take off for Crossfit and other workouts.

Read on to find tips that will help you up your Double Under game . . . and also enter my giveaway (sponsored by a Pittsburgh Gym I’ve partnered with) for a chance to win a $25 gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods to get new gear (like maybe a fancy jump rope). Continue reading

Truffle and Thyme Mushroom Quinoa

Gasp, I didn’t care for mushrooms until my mid-thirties. The simple suggestion of mushrooms sent shivers down my spine as a kid and I think I stubbornly carried that childhood aversion over into middle age. Well, that goodness I tried mushrooms again, over a decade ago. Mushrooms are super healthy, low calorie and high in important nutrients like b vitamins, selenium, copper, niacin, potassium, iron and phosphorous. It’s fine for taste purposes to put raw mushrooms on your salad, but the nutrients are best accessed through the heat of cooking! Truffle and Thyme Mushroom Quinoa is a quick and easy side this that packs major flavor solo or puts a juicy steak over the top.

So today, I’m sharing my easy side dish recipe for Truffle Mushroom and Thyme Quinoa that features sautéed mushrooms with a sprinkle of truffle salt. It’s hard to believe that such a super simple recipe can have such big flavor, but that’s the beauty of mushrooms – they marry with and magnify the flavor of whatever dish they are in. Continue reading