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Meal Prep for Champions

Last Sunday, I ran a half marathon and finished in the top 3 of my group woooo! I will say that this [small] victory was not easy. After a looooong week of subbing spin classes in addition to my own regularly scheduled ones, lifting, squeezing in some long runs, and working full-time, my body was tired - both mentally and physically. Believe me, come go-time, my legs were feeling it, and by mile 10, I wanted nothing more than to lay down on the side of the road in the fetal position. But I finished strong and that's what matters!


So when I got home, I decided to reward myself with a brownie (or a few). These weren't just any brownies. They were made with healthy ingredients, including black beans, and no sugar! They were the best reward dessert without the guilt!

SO delicious my mouth is watering again just thinking about it. I made a huge batch of these to last all week (that actually only lasted about 2 days). Huge shout out to Chocolate Covered Katie for the recipe


Ingredients

  • 1 can black beans (drain and rinse)

  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder

  • 1/2 c quick oats

  • 1/3 c pure maple syrup or honey

  • 2 tbsp organic pure coconut sugar (or omit and increase maple syrup/honey to 1/2 cup)

  • 1/4 c coconut or vegetable oil

  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 - 2/3 c chocolate chips (or organic superfood cocoa bites)

Recipe


Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips/cocoa bites in a food processor, and blend until smooth. Stir in the chips/cocoa bites and pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Cook 15-18 minutes, then let cool 10 minutes before cutting. If they don't look done, put them in the fridge overnight to firm up. This awesome recipe makes about 12 brownies. I didn't even notice the difference in taste and they're obviously way healthier than regular brownies. You're welcome.


I am gearing up for another race next weekend and, per usual, won't have much time (or energy for that matter) to cook healthy meals every night. Plus, who wants to do that every day? Not me. So I decided to try out some new recipes that my taste buds have confirmed are delicious!


Spaghetti Squash.


Total prep time: 25-30 mins. This was super easy to make and was delish!


Ingredients:

  • spaghetti squash

  • olive oil

  • sweet onion

  • sun-dried tomatoes

  • can peas

  • fresh broccoli head (small)

  • minced garlic, pepper (optional)

Recipe:


There are different ways you can cook spaghetti squash - check out this link for different ways and do whatever is easiest for you. I cooked it in the oven for about 45 minutes. Make sure you remove the seeds beforehand. Meanwhile, cut up some sweet onion and the broccoli head. Cook the sweet onion, broccoli, peas, and sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil in a pan. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and peas in last. Add pepper and minced garlic to taste. When the spaghetti squash is done, let cool then scrape out the inside with a fork. Top it with the veggies (I also added cooked chicken for more protein) and eat up (or save for later)!

I ate this after my race too (after the brownies of course) and I must say, it was quality carb-free/guilt-free comfort food that I will definitely be making again.

So yummy and easy to make!

Cauliflower Crust Veggie Pizza with Ricotta Cheese.

I have already made this twice since! Disclaimer: No, it is not a substitute for pizza. If you want pizza then just go eat pizza (it's fine, it won't kill you). Just try not to eat it every day. I have been meaning to try this recipe because I love cauliflower (and all things veggie) and it is so good. SO GOOD. The tricky part is not overloading the "pizza" (because let's be honest, it's not pizza, it just looks like it) with toppings like I did, pictured below, (but whatever #NoRegrets) and making sure you get out all the moisture from the cauliflower before you bake it into a crust.

Ingredients

  • medium head cauliflower

  • 2 eggs

  • tomato sauce (small can)

  • oregano

  • ricotta cheese

  • parmesan cheese

  • olive oil

  • Veggie toppings of your choice: grape tomatoes, black olives, green pepper, etc.

Recipe


Pre-heat oven to 400 F. Cut the cauliflower head into florets and add them, in batches, to a food processor. Pulse each batch until the cauliflower turns into a rice-like texture. Put into a bowl lace the rice cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, letting it cool for a few minutes after but fluffing the "rice" every so often. Put into a towel or paper towel and twist, getting out the moisture. I didn't do this well-enough the second time around and the crust ended up falling apart when I ate it. Add in the eggs, spices, and a generous amount of Parmesan cheese (if you LOVE cheese like me, you may want to go a little overboard with the amount) and mix together. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and press the dough-like texture onto the baking sheet and spread in a circle - pushing the edges up. Try to keep the dough about 1/3-inch thick, and a little thicker around the edges if you'd like a traditional crust shape. Bake the crust for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is firm and golden-brown. In a pan, cook veggies of your choice in olive oil. Remove the crust from the oven when it's time and add the sauce, ricotta cheese, and your toppings of choice. Bake 5-10 minutes (cook until the cheese is bubbly).



I paired this with some Cabernet and mmmmmmmmm. A repeat for sure. I saved the leftover pizza for lunches during the week. It was a little soggy, but still so good reheated! Who says you have to compromise taste and flavor to eat healthy!? Not meeee. Try out these recipes and you'll see that you don't have to! Stay fit, friends!


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