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Lexie Brown Shared Her Pregame Playlist With espnW

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By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie

Second-year WNBA player Lexie Brown is off to a solid start this season, with 10 points in the Minnesota Lynx’s game against the Chicago Sky on Saturday. The Duke grad, who’s the daughter of former NBA guard Dee Brown, gave us the rundown on the music that gets her going pre-game.

“Before games, when I’m getting ready, it’s chill vibes only! It helps me get locked in and focused,” Brown told us. Currently on repeat: “Losing” by H.E.R.

“But once I step on the court to shoot and stretch, its turn-up time. Anyone who knows me knows that I dance everywhere. So we gotta play something I can dance to before game time. It loosens me up and relaxes any nerves I have.”

Her current playlist:

View the story on espnW.

espnW: Lexie Brown Cooks Up Some Baked Ziti for National Pasta Day

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What athletes eat: WNBA player Lexie Brown’s baked ziti family recipe

By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie

Lexie Brown helped to lead the University of Maryland to two Final Four berths before transferring to Duke, where she finished out her college career. This year, Brown was drafted by the Connecticut Sun — and after recently finishing up her rookie season, she’s ready for some time off, and a little more time to splurge with meals, too.

Brown shared an old family recipe she made on a recent trip to catch up with some former teammates. But she’s clear that she’s far from a pro in the kitchen. “If anyone knows me they know that cooking isn’t my strong suit. When I master something, it’s kind of a big deal,” she says. “Baked ziti is definitely a dish I have mastered, so I was excited to make it for them. The recipe is super easy and doesn’t take much time at all.”

Day and time: Dinner on a visit to see some old teammates at Duke

Place: Durham, North Carolina

What I’m eating: Baked ziti

Why I’m eating it: Baked ziti is one of my absolute favorite meals ever. Any time my mom asked me what I wanted for dinner I always asked for it. No matter what. I wouldn’t recommend a plate of baked ziti before a big game or tough workout, but it’s great for right after! I made this on a visit to some old teammates. They had definitely had a long, hard week of workouts so I wanted to treat them!

Whose recipe: My mom’s (and my grandma’s before that)

The recipe:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
2 14.5-ounce cans of tomato or marinara sauce
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, grated
1 pound ziti
One 15-ounce tub of ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sauté until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until browned.

Drain off almost all of the fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture. Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a simmer and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove 3 to 4 cups of the cooked sauce to a bowl to cool down.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add some salt. Cook the ziti until not quite al dente.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a bowl, mix 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, eggs and some salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).

Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps). Add the cooled reserved meat sauce and toss to combine.

Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta and the remaining sauce and mozzarella.

Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before sprinkling with chopped parsley to serve.

View the story on espnW.

Meggie Dougherty Howard Heats Up the Grill with espnW

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What athletes eat: Soccer star Meggie Dougherty Howard’s grilled balsamic chicken and veggie kabobs

By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie

Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard is in just her second year of professional play, representing the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. But the University of Florida All-American is no stranger to high-level soccer. Dougherty Howard has represented the U.S. in national competition on both Under-15 and Under-23 teams.

Chicken and veggies are Dougherty Howard’s go-to pregame meal, so she shared with espnW one of her recent favorite Pinterest finds — perfect to send off summer and embrace the remaining weeks of grilling weather.

Day and time: Saturday night in the summer

Place: Avalon, on the Jersey Shore

What I’m eating: Grilled balsamic chicken and veggie kabobs

Why I’m eating it: I love to grill, especially in the summer when the weather is nice outside, because it’s a great way to make a quick meal that’s full of flavor. I try to incorporate a lot of colors in my cooking, so I love that this recipe uses a variety of vegetables and is packed with nutrients. On lighter training day, I’ll pair the kabobs with a side salad. When I’ve had a heavier day and my body needs more calories, I’ll serve the chicken and veggies over brown rice.

Whose recipe: I do a lot of browsing on Pinterest for new food to cook, and that’s where I found this recipe.

The recipe:

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, cubed
2 peppers, cubed (I used red and orange)
1 onion, cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced

For the marinade:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dry basil

Combine the ingredients for the balsamic glaze and add half of the glaze to the cubed chicken in a bowl. Let it marinate while chopping the vegetables.

Chop the veggies, then assemble the kabobs, alternating between veggies and chicken.

Grill the kabobs on medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes each side. Brush on the remaining balsamic glaze for the last 2 minutes of grilling. Serve with cooked rice or salad.

View the story on espnW.

USA Volleyball’s Kelsey Robinson in espnW

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What athletes eat: Team USA volleyball player Kelsey Robinson’s full-power breakfast bowl

By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie

Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson is used to living out of a suitcase. This spring the 2014 world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist was in five countries in five weeks competing with the women’s national team in the Nations League.

But continent hopping and jet lag don’t slow down the self-declared foodie and travel addict, who keeps a food and travel blog, called Nom & Play.

Robinson shared her go-to power breakfast, which she adapts to suit her current locale. “When I’m in California I use fresh avocado or maybe some leftover salsa from tacos we’ve had the previous night,” she says. “If I’m living and playing in Istanbul, I’ll use tomatoes, cucumbers and a lot of herbs. It’s fun to keep this recipe dependent on the local ingredients you have.”

Day and time: This is my go-to breakfast when I have any morning free from training.

Place: Toyota, Japan, for the FIVB Volleyball Nations League

What I’m eating: Egg breakfast bowl

Why I’m eating it: What I love most is that this provides me with sustainable energy throughout the day. It has the big four that I try to incorporate into every meal: protein, fat, fiber and greens!

While I typically like to make a big portion for mornings off, you can totally make it before a morning practice or weights session and it’ll power you through.

Whose recipe: This was the first dish my fiancé ever cooked for me, and needless to say I fell in love with him right then and there. Obviously I had to steal the recipe and tweak it to make it my own (and a little better).

The recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
2 to 3 eggs
3 to 4 slices bacon
Diced onions
Your choice of greens (or leftover salad)
1/2 avocado
Turmeric
Salt
Pepper
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Tapatio

Optional add-ins: 
Black beans
Sweet potatoes (diced or shredded and cooked, or leftover)
Steamed beets
Prosciutto

Boil quinoa to cook (I usually do this the night before and store it in the fridge, but you can also do it in the morning). Chop or grate and cook sweet potatoes if using.

Melt coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook until crispy. Remove from pan and cook onions in leftover bacon fat. Add greens to saute briefly, then crack eggs into pan and cook. Season with salt and pepper.

When eggs are almost cooked, add the quinoa so it can heat up if you made it the night before.

Combine quinoa and eggs in a bowl, topping with bacon, turmeric, tapatio, avocado and your choice of other ingredients. I like to add sweet potato hash browns, beets or even leftover salad.

Read the story on espnW.