Friday Favorites: 5 Favorite Recipes

Today, in honor of National Nutrition Month and as part of the "Friday Five" Linkup hosted by Eat Pray Run DC, You Signed Up for What and Mar on the Run, I'm sharing 5 of my favorite recipes right now! 

As marathon training continues, I'm really focusing on my diet to ensure I'm getting all the nutrients I need to support training, recovery, and optimal immune health. Especially in the peak of training, I find it helpful to have a few key recipes or meal choices to stock my pantry and fridge with the ingredients for at all times, that way I have a quick and healthy meal option at all times. These are the recipes I've found myself turning to the most as of late...

(1) Tart Cherry Smoothies - Tart cherries have been shown to promote muscle recovery, so I include them in smoothies in the days before and after long runs, if not more often! I either use Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice (my favorite) or Dynamic Health Tart Cherry Concentrate.

(2) PB & Apple Oatmeal - this is pretty much my go-to breakfast these days, and especially before long runs! It's quick, simple and filling. The fiber from the oats + apple and the protein & fat in the PB make this one breakfast that really energizes me throughout the entire morning.

(3) Grapefruit & Walnut Salad - I recently revitalized this recipe (it was one of my first blog posts!) with new pictures and when I did, I was reminded of why it's one of my favorites! The grapefruit is a great source of immune boosting Vita C and walnuts + avocado provide a hearty dose of healthy fats. And did you know a grapefruit a day is associated with a healthier weight for women? Read more here.

(4) Oven Roasted Veggie Pizza - We've been making a lot of homemade pizza as of late. In fact, in the last week alone we hosted two pizza parties.  I prefer pizza from scratch versus store bought or take-out. This recipe includes oven roasted veggies, but the options for toppings are endless. Just be sure to include plentiful veggies, in honor of National Nutrition Month and all ;) (This recipe is coming soon!)

(5) Colorful Kale Salad - Because in the dead of winter, I turn to my food to brighten my day. Colorful greens, sweet dried fruit and crunchy chickpeas for the win!

As I said, these are a few of my go-to favorite recipes as of late. Hope you will use them as inspiration to "Bite into Healthy Eating" this month!