Guest Post by Cassie Corbett
Working out has never been my favorite thing to do.
In fact I downright hate doing it. All the same, I do it anyways because it’s important and I always feel amazing afterwards. There are only a few things that motivate me to work-out; my love for pasta, skinny jeans, and post-workout snacks. That’s right, I’m motivated by food. There is nothing wrong with this as long as I am smart about it and don’t go overboard on calories just because I went for a run that day. This was difficult for me at first but I think I was able to pull together a pretty good collection of post-workout snacks that are full of nutrients and low on calories while still being tasty. Most of these don’t require any cooking so they are easy to grab and go.
Try some of my favorites!
1. Baked Apple with 1 Teaspoon of Brown Sugar
Ok, so this one does require cooking but I swear it is worth it. I even make this one for an after dinner dessert sometimes. To make, preheat the oven to 350 and cut an apple in half and cut out the core. You can use any kind of apple you like but Granny Smiths are my favorite. Sprinkle some brown sugar on the open face of the apple, put it on some form of bakeware, and bake for about 10 minutes or until the brown sugar starts to caramelize. I think this beats regular apples any day and can also be made when you have a sweet tooth craving but don’t want to eat a candy bar.
2. Sliced Turkey Breast and 1 Banana
As long as your turkey breast is precooked this one doesn’t require lengthy time in the kitchen and can be portioned out beforehand. I recommend real turkey breast as opposed to sandwich meat. Not only does it taste better but it’s also better for you and contains more protein.
3. A Cup of Low-Fat Yogurt with a Handful of Granola
If you like, you can substitute the granola with berries or Grape Nuts. I myself prefer granola because I enjoy the sweet crunch.
4. English Muffin and Peanut Butter
You can either toast your English muffin beforehand or not. I recommend using organic peanut butter because I think it has a better texture and taste. Feel free to experiment with different spreads such as almond butter or even a thin layer of Nutella.
5. Hardboiled Egg and Piece of Fruit
There are probably as many different directions to hard-boil eggs as there are to skin a cat but they all have the same basic end result. I hard-boil eggs but putting a few eggs in a pot and covering them with a few inches of water. I bring the water to a rolling boil and then cover the pot and remove it from the heat. I let it sit for 13 minutes and then plunge the eggs into cold water to prevent them from over cooking. This method usually works pretty well for me and they peel rather easily. Pairing a hard boiled egg with a piece of fruit such as a peach or a plum is a great way to get a bit of protein after a workout.
What is your favorite post-workout snack?
About the Author: Cassie Corbett is an aspiring chef who dreams of one day being the star of her own cooking show. When she’s not experimenting in her kitchen or forcing herself to work out, she writes for World Kitchen who supplies cookware. To keep on what she is doing follow her on Twitter.
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I always tell people that if they want dessert they should bake apples or pears with cinnamon – no need for sugar because when you bake them, their natural sugars ooze out! Scrumptious.
The turkey snack idea is good. I like to pair it with a little tapenade and a lettuce boat or two! 🙂