A Better Baked Potato

Want to improve your baked potatoes inside and out?  Try brushing the skin with olive oil or melted butter before baking; it'll crisp the skin.  And, don't wrap the potatoes in foil, just prick them all over with a fork and bake at 375°F until tender, about an hour.

You can speed up the baking by starting the potatoes in the microwave for 12 minutes, then brush with the oil and butter and finished in the over for 10 minutes.

And, to add even more "oomph", try sprinkling the potatoes with a little coarse sea salt after brushing them with the olive oil or butter.

Mmm...tasty!

Top Choice Tomato

Spring is in the air.  And, if you're anything like me, the warmer weather makes you long for lots of fresh fruits and veggies.  While our choices in the produce aisle are expanding everyday, there are still quite a few veggies that aren't in season yet, like tomatoes, which are at their peak from summer to early fall.  So, what to do while waiting for prime tomato season?

In the meantime, go for smaller varieties, like cherry, grape, Campari or other vine-ripened tomatoes.  These varieties all tend to be super sweet and are seldom mealy.

Mmm...tasty!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

I don't always get enough protein.  Don't get me wrong - I get enough protein to meet my "normal" day needs, but not always enough on a heavy training day.  Especially here lately when my long runs are approaching 16 to 18 miles and some of my weekday workouts are 6+ miles AND strength workouts.  That takes a lot of energy to push through.

Yes, I do drink protein shakes occasionally, though I'm not the biggest fan of them.  I'd rather have dessert instead!  So, one solution is these protein balls.  They taste a bit like cookie dough and have that chocolate/sweet element I'm so fond of, plus they are easy to mix up and will keep in the freezer for months.  And, when I need an extra hit of protein, I can just grab one of these and be on my way.