If you do a quick Google search for “mango smoothie”, you’ll end up with a list of disappointingly low protein smoothies. Nearly all of the recipes have added sugar and extra fruit added that make for a super sweet blend. Which is okay if that’s what you’re wanting, but…. For us masters athletes (35+), including active women in peri-/postmenopause, we gotta pump up the protein to work with our hormone flux and aging bodies to preserve muscle and more importantly, if we’re looking to build muscle. Quick side note when I mention “building muscle”: You don’t have to envision the physique of Arnol ..read more

Enjoy this TRULY quick and easy meal idea from our Dietitian Becca. — Dina ——— How many times have you scoured the internet for “quick/easy dinner ideas” only to find countless options that are anything but what they claim… 20-minute easy dinners that actually require 2+ grocery trips and hours of your time once you factor in prep, cook and clean-up? I am not here for that, and when I tell you this recipe is EASY and FAST, I promise to deliver! Sweet potato “boats” are one of my go-to lunch options, but who am I to limit you from spinning the idea for breakfast, dinner, or even a snack? Here’s ..read more

It may not be immediate intuitive, but your food environment can be a huge help (or not so much) for your meal planning and food decision making process. I like to lump this into our philosophy of ‘Design Thinking’ and ‘Systems Design’ as it relates to habits and an environment that supports (ahem… or not so much) our nourishment patterns. And welcome to the scene WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). The basic premise here is to do a fresh assessment of your kitchen, food pantry, and anywhere you stash beverage and food items. Then make various improvements that ultimately better support yo ..read more

Becca provides us a flavorful soup concoction that includes heart healthy ingredients and loads of DELISH. Ya’ll gotta try this one!! —Dina ——- You may have heard of popular “heart health” diets like DASH or the Mediterranean eating pattern.  If you look at different diets that support heart health, they have more in common than not.  You’ll see a focus on whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, leafy green vegetables, and fat sources from olives, olive oils, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and avocado. If you are generally eating a variety of foods represented by all major ..read more

I’m not going to incite a debate here as to whether chili should or should not have beans. But according to the Google Machine…. [Just Kidding. You do you and hey, if you want to put cocoa or beans or broccoli or beer in your chili, go on and do that.] But really, chili is super versatile and you truly can be experimental. Aside from adding something like grasshoppers, I think it’s hard to mess up a chili.     Here’s one of my “go to” throw togethers that is relatively easy to prepare and delish on the palate. Ingredients: 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil small white or yellow on ..read more

Often ignored is the importance of asking many thoughtful “Why” responses to weight-focused and health-related goals. Enjoy this insight from Dietitian Becca and dig deeper into the genuine reasons behind your personal goals. —Dina ——————- I attended a conference several years back, and still remember a concept introduced by one of the speakers.  She labeled a concept that I and other dietitians often speak to conceptually, but I love the term she used – “weightless why”.  This simply represents identifying the why behind any weight-based goals, in this example, but can be applied to ..read more

You might be wondering… why take the time to bake a bar when there are a zillion packaged bars out there? For starters (and obvious to some of you who like to do #homemade), it tastes better. Secondly, you can opt to modify with a few personal touches to make it more appealing to your palate. But for a banana-based bar, you also get to use up some of those seriously spotty-brown bananas that are delving into the category of “way past done”. An important additional benefit, especially as of late, is that making your own bars are way less expensive than buying most any decent store-bought bar (d ..read more

There’s a whole lot you can do with creative drink recipes that don’t include alcohol as a primary ingredient. Kristin shares some reasons to go lighter on the booze, along with a tasty non-alcoholic drink recipe in this post. —Dina Alcohol consumption in The United States is on the rise. In 2021, the average American consumed 2.51 gallons of ethanol, the alcohol in wine, beer and spirits, compared to 2.15 gallons in 1995. Have you noticed? We are inundated with messages about alcohol. It is linked to sports and cultural events, sponsorships and product placements, our social media platforms a ..read more

We are big proponents of protein pancakes and anytime you add in pumpkin and pumpkin spice to a recipe, we are bound to be HAPPY dietitians over here. We’re welcoming our new Mechanic to the Team, Becca, and delighted she has a protein pumpkin pancake recipe to share. —Dina ———— I don’t know about everyone else, but my love of pumpkin (spice, in particular) extends well beyond PSLs and the all-things-pumpkin displays at Trader Joe’s to kick off the change of season. Admittedly, I stock up on TJ’s pumpkin spice (the best price I’ve found!) and sprinkle it on oats, yogurt and pancakes year-round ..read more

This recipe is hot off the stovetop from our Sport Performance Dietitian, Kristin. Can you all say drooling and happy belly?? Cuz that’s what’s happening with this creation! —Dina —————— As a single working Mom of a teenager, I’ve watched our grocery budget explode over the past 3 years. Eggs, meat, fruit, dairy, snacks, and just about everything else has become so expensive (I know, I sound like my grandparents). But seriously, when did a loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread cost eight dollars?! I am always looking for delicious (has to be delicious), less expensive ways to feed my family. M ..read more