I had always thought about health and how to be a better athlete from a selfish viewpoint; how to be fitter or stronger. Then I realised that if I’m doing it, why not share my recipes with everyone? Anything that gives people ideas, energy and positivity around food, health and wellness makes me happy; it’s a way to connect with fans. A lot of fellow athletes became interested in the recipes too and now I’m partnering with my Orlando team- mate Toni Pressley. We’re writing a cookbook and making a cooking show called Girls Gone Veg; check it out @wearegirlsgoneveg on Insta and former NFL player and TV personality Brandon Marshall’s I am Athlete platform.
"I didn't know it was possible to eat vegan food while also getting all the nutrients you need as an athlete"
It’s all vegan recipes but you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy them. It’s a mix of my healthy, sugar-free, paleo meals and Toni’s very rich and traditional southern crowd-pleasing recipes. It’s a cookbook for people who want to cut out meat once a day, a few times a week, and just want to start getting into plant-based food. I’ve loved creating it because I didn’t know it was possible to eat fun and delicious vegan food while also getting all the nutrients you need as an athlete.
It's really important right now to have female voices, female faces and athletes out there. I also have a show on Just Women’s Sports: it’s called Off the Ball with Ali Riley and I interview and do a fun challenge with my team-mates. Marta was my first guest and we talked about her life, her music, the progress of women’s soccer in Brazil and how she barbecues meat for all her friends, even though she’s a vegan.
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We got her playing the cavaquinho – the Brazilian guitar – and the accordion. She’s so much fun. These are the things that give me so much energy and I think the world can only be a better place by hearing the stories of these brilliant women. It’s so cool to see them, to empower them and to be able to brag about them, as well as letting fans get to know us a little bit better as they get a glimpse into our lives. We, as women athletes, are so complex and we have so many things going on, and so it’s just a valuable chance to share that with the rest of the world.
Marta has won the FIFA Best Player award six times and so I asked her if she can still improve, and she’s like, “Every day – every day I can learn things.” I love that. Especially for us 30-somethings, seeing someone like Marta still so motivated and open to learning really proves you can always get better. She’s a great team-mate, she works so hard. She’s not a forward who’s just walking up there, waiting for the ball. She does it all. And we have so much fun together off the field too.
The recipe this time is for a jackfruit taco that I actually made for Marta. It’s super easy – just put your favourite taco seasoning on it and sauté it. It’s so good and such a great alternative to meat, and it’s so filling. Try this vegan recipe out on your pulled- pork-loving friends and see what they think!
