Colette Harris Archives - ��ԹϺ�� Online

5 Athletes on How to Turn Toast into a Power Meal

jversteegh — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Athletes are often told to stay away from simple sugars—like the kind found in white bread—unless they need an immediate energy boost. But after years of exile, the stuff may have a place in the world of sports nutrition after all. , registered dietitian and chef for the Olympic ski team, says that a piece of plain white toast will provide quick energy just as well as any shot block or gel.

But when you aren’t headed to a workout in 30 minutes or less, Tran suggests you use your bread (preferably of the nutty or whole-grain variety) as a vehicle for truly nutritious ingredients. That means the toppings should provide protein and healthy fats. Many athletes have taken that advice to heart, making nutritionally stacked toast a staple in their diets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Mikaela Matthews

U.S. Ski Team freestyle skier prepares toast several times a week for lunch. She tops sourdough bread with two eggs over easy (the runny yolk is key, she says), goat cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper, and smashed avocado. Since Matthews always stocks these staple ingredients, lunch is ready in less than five minutes.

“I usually do my workouts in the morning, so the added protein from eggs helps me recover after a hard gym session, and the remaining fats and carbs help replenish my energy and leave me feeling full and satisfied,” Matthews says. Tran seconds her take, saying she’s crafted a near-perfect balance of the macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fat—that are key for performance.

Avocado Toast with Rosemary and Goat Cheese

2 slices sourdough bread
1/2 avocado, smashed
Goat cheese
2 eggs
Salt
Pepper
Fresh lemon juice

Toast bread, if desired. Meanwhile, fry the eggs until over easy. Top each bread slice with one egg and half the smashed avocado. Sprinkle with goat cheese, salt, and pepper. Add a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice for extra zest.

Stephanie Howe Violett

Ultrarunner and sports nutritionist goes all in by , an especially great base because it’s slowly fermented to make the nutrients in the bread more absorbable, Tran says. If you can’t make your own, snag a loaf from your local baker or farmer’s market.

Before a run, Violett tops her bread with peanut butter, molasses, and a sliced banana. The peanut butter serves as a good source of fat and protein to keep you full, while the molasses adds a few minerals to the mix, like iron, magnesium, and potassium, which support your body during hard efforts, Tran says.

Sourdough Bread with Peanut Butter, Molasses, and Banana

2 slices sourdough bread, homemade or bakery-bought
2 generous tablespoons peanut butter
1 banana, sliced
Molasses

Toast the bread. Top each piece with one tablespoon peanut butter and half the banana slices. Drizzle molasses on top.

Jessie Diggins

As an Olympic cross-country skier, has made fueling a prime focus. She incorporates toast into her diet once or twice every week, usually accompanied by a salad.

Diggins adjusts her meals based on her training routine. Her favorite toast recipe—seedy wheat bread topped with avocado and cheese—comes into play before endurance-based efforts. “If I’m headed out the door for a three-hour ski, I make sure to get a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fats ahead of time so I don’t run out of energy during such a lengthy aerobic activity,” she says.

Tran says this meal is a high-calorie gem, with healthy fats from the avocado and cheese and fiber from the whole-wheat bread providing sustenance throughout the day. To add extra protein to this meal, Tran suggests adding some plain Greek yogurt sprinkled with Italian seasoning, chili powder, or Sriracha.

Seedy Whole-Wheat Bread with Avocado and Cheese

2 slices seedy whole-wheat bread, thickly sliced
1 avocado, mashed
Cheddar cheese, sliced
Hard goat cheese
Salt
Pepper

Toast the bread. Spread avocado evenly on each piece. Place cheddar cheese slices on top. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Rob Krar

is an endurance-running legend, once holding FKTs for both the single and double crossing of Grand Canyon. He’s an almost equally prolific late-night snacker, often turning to bread to stave off post-dinner hunger.

While Krar will try just about any combination, his go-to is a savory concoction that includes tahini and sesame seeds, especially helpful in spurring recovery after long runs and tough workouts.

“If you’re not familiar with tahini, it’s like peanut butter but made with sesame seeds,” Tran says. Combined with whole-grain rye bread, it’s a fantastic way to mix up the usual nut-butter-on-bread combo, while still providing a good source of protein, carbs, and healthy fats, all key for performance.”

Rye Bread with Tahini, Honey, and Sesame Seeds

2 slices rye bread
2 tablespoons tahini sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Sesame seeds

Toast the bread. Slather each piece with one tablespoon tahini. Drizzle the tablespoon of honey across both slices. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top for extra crunch.

Steph Davis

lives for avocado on her toast and opts to let the nutritionally gifted ingredient shine on its own. All she adds to a piece of are avocado, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. While Tran gives this his stamp of approval, he does note that it could use some protein, especially if you aren’t using a bread with a nut or seed base.

“This avocado toast gets you most of the way there for a balanced breakfast. You just need to add a protein source, such as a fried egg on top, to make it complete,” Tran says.

Avocado Toast with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

2 pieces sprouted whole-grain Ezekiel bread
1 avocado, sliced
Olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper

Toast the bread. Split the avocado slices between the two pieces of toast. Drizzle olive oil on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

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The 100 Best Places to Work in 2017

jogles — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

1. Forum Phi Architecture

Forum Phi employees take advantage of their Aspen, Colorado location for outdoor activities. (Brent Moss/Forum Phi)

Location: Aspen, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 21
Average salary*: $65,819
Vacation time: Unlimited vacation days after one year.
Perks: Forum Phridays team-building events: Take a Friday off to hit the slopes, go biking, or do a hut-to-hut trip. Also: Employees who recommend someone for recruitment get a $500 bonus after that new hire’s 90-day review.
What they say: “We have a Forum Phitness Club where staff get together and workout during lunch. It can take many forms—hiking, biking, climbing, gym, skiing. Our facilities are all around us in Aspen.”

*All salaries listed are averages for exempt employees.

2. GroundFloor Media

Ground Floor Media pauses on Thursday's for beer enlightenment from their resident graphic designer. (Stephanie Friday/Ground Floor Media)

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they do:
Number of Employees: 18
Average salary: $93,300
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Annual Outward Bound and other offsite team-building events.
What they say: “Every Thursday at 3:30 we have our weekly Beer Club, and everyone—including clients and agency partners/friends—is invited. We feature beers from a different brewery, or of a different style, and learn from our graphic designer/beer geek.”

3. Avid4 ��ԹϺ��

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 20
Average salary:��Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO��
Perks: Annual paid month-long sabbatical to travel, in addition to an annual all-expense-paid trip to Moab to hike, bike, and climb in the desert.
What they say: “We actively build partnerships with and recruit through numerous organizations that are resources to help us grow a diverse staff population, including: Summer Search, Latino Outdoors, Be Visible, Outdoor Afro, and SW Conservation Corps.”

4. WhippleWood CPAs

Location: Littleton, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 25
Average salary: $87,800
Vacation time: 16 days of PTO available after one year.
Perks: Hero Awards—$110 rewarded to someone on staff who is deemed to have given 110 percent. Also: they have a “Zen Room” on the premises and employees are encouraged to attend “Board Meetings”—“firm-wide breaks to ride longboards in parking lots.”
What they say: “This year we closed the office to race go-karts during tax season.”

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5. Shine United, LLC

Location: Madison, Wisconsin
What they do:
Number of employees: 42
Average salary:��Not provided
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Summer Fridays (partial work days from Memorial Day through Labor Day).
What they say: “Games! Whether at lunch, afternoon, or early evening, playing a game in the common area is a great way to de-stress and spend some quality time with your coworkers.”

6. Pax8

Location: Greenwood Village, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 85
Average salary: $88,579
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: “Three-tap kegerator with bi-weekly voting on what new local brews we should stock it with.”
What they say: “No assholes. No matter how high up the chain you are, if you’re no fun to work with, you don’t last long.”

How I Work

The Salmon Sisters

These two fisherwomen are ocean advocates and clothing designers during the off-season.

These sisters couldn’t resist the call of the sea.

“My dream was to sell seafood, but I realized no job was going to let me take five months off to go commercial fishing.”

7. Room 214

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 33
Average salary: $65,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: In-office culture of giving back to the community, including pro-bono work, volunteer events, and fundraising for nonprofits.
What they say: “Fun events, including Movie Wednesdays in a conference room, or an afternoon running club, or Barre-and-brew nights.”

8. Ergodyne

Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
What they do:
Number of employees: 50
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO.
Perks: Yoga offered twice a week for stress relief and refocusing.
What they say: “Company social hours are planned monthly and sometimes happen naturally. We gather away from our desks, enjoy a cold beer, glass of wine, or turn on the margarita mixer and enjoy some not-necessarily-work-related conversation.”

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9. Power Digital Marketing

Location: San Diego, California
What they do:
Number of employees: 43
Average salary: $77,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Pet-friendly office. Plus: in-office ping-pong table.
What they say: “There is not a day at Power Digital where there are not at least two to three dogs running around.”

10. Young and Laramore, Inc.

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
What they do:��
Number of employees: 48
Average salary: $83,000
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Annual week off between Christmas and New Year’s.
What they say: “We have a company ‘quiet room’ for meditation, prayer, or other mental health breaks during the day.”

11. Charles Cunniffe Architects

(Courtesy CCA)

Location: Aspen, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 19
Average salary:��Not provided
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: On Friday mornings, CCA provides a healthy breakfast by Whole Foods so that folks can eat and enjoy the TECH talk before going into their workday.
What they say: “Stand-up desks and our company bike (for errands and cruising) keep us moving throughout the workday.”

12. Peak Design

Location: San Francisco, California
What they do:��
Number of employees: 25
Average salary: $100,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: “Winter hours” policy lets employees spend the bulk of winter months in Tahoe, “allowing them to access the gnarliest pow-pow available.” And PD’s “work from anywhere” policy encourages employees to work from wherever they feel happiest.
What they say: “People are encouraged to take any trip or adventure they can dream up, regardless of time of year or length of trip. We want our employees to pursue experiences that will make them happy and help them lead exciting and fulfilling lives.”

13. Natural Habitat ��ԹϺ��s

Location: Louisville, Colorado
What they do:��
Number of employees: 56
Average salary:��Not provided
Vacation time: 18 PTO after one year.
Perks: Company ski house in Summit County, Colorado, for employees and their families and friends to use throughout the ski season.
What they say: “[We have] paid travel via ‘site inspection’ trips around the world, joining our nature adventures to experience our product. Site inspection does not count towards PTO and each employee is given a handsome annual travel budget that covers most expenses.”

By the Numbers

Breaking down where the best companies are located, whether or not you can bring dogs with you, and how many of them have kegerators. (Hint: a lot.)

14. Pellucid Analytics

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:��
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: $190,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Periodic company outings and teams—bubble soccer, bowling, go-karting, indoor soccer team, tennis team, gym group.
What they say: Carbs be damned! On “High Calorie Fridays,” employees gorge on cupcakes, donuts, pastries, and other high calorie treats.

15. Hailey Sault

Location: Duluth, Minnesota
What they do:��
Number of employees: 20
Average salary: $69,391
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Jigsaw puzzle area; employees take turns choosing playlists for in-office music; dogs are allowed; beer (or wine, juice, or water) and bingo on Friday afternoons.
What they say: “We have a life coach for goals.”

16. SportRx

Location: San Diego, California
What they do:
Number of employees: 20
Average salary: $83,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: They regularly send employees on trips to such destinations as Rio, Park City, Mammoth, Mt. Hood, Daytona, and Big Bear to test products.
What they say: “We have massive Nerf gun fights. It gets everyone up and moving, which promotes creativity and bonding.”

17. GeoEX

Location: San Francisco, California
What they do:��ԹϺ�� travel
Number of employees: 56
Average salary: $69,000
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Subsidized employee wellness, including healthy snacks, yoga classes, outdoor fitness classes, and meditation-based stress reduction classes.
What they say: “We have a Cocktail Cart that makes the rounds in the office from time to time, plus an employee curated kegerator.”

18. Bluetent

Location: Carbondale, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 49
Average salary: $71,916
Vacation time: 12 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Bluetent sponsors a weekly HIIT class led by a private instructor and tailored to individual skill levels, as well as a Friday morning yoga class.
What they say: “Flexible time is encouraged to use as needed, such as to walk the dogs, pick up children, take a hike, go for a run, mountain or road bike, fly fish, ski, or snowboard.”

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19. MyRounding

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 31
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Free Ecopasses (unlimited light rail/bus pass) to all full-time employees.
What they say: Annual Halloween costume contest and lunch. “Halloween is a big deal here.”

20. Southwest Michigan First

Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
What they do:��
Number of employees: 19
Average salary: $96,000
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Professional certifications are fully funded, including books, certification fee, prep classes, and paid time off to study.
What they say: “This year, we celebrated ‘40 days of kindness’ leading up to Easter. Each of us drew the name of a team member and secretly did four nice things for them over 40 days. At the end, we celebrated with a team lunch and guessed who our secret person was.”

21. Geocaching HQ

Location: Seattle, Washington
What they do:��
Number of employees: 74
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Makers and builders are allowed to use 10 percent of their time to work on projects that excite and challenge them. “Some even end up on our product roadmap.”
What they say: “We give employees��the choice of either unlimited reimbursement for ski and snowboarding lift tickets or $250 towards outdoor activities. The Pacific Northwest is beautiful and we want to encourage our people to get out and enjoy it!”

22. Mathys+Potestio

(Courtesy Mathys+Potestio)

Location: Portland, Oregon
What they do:
Number of employees: 18
Average salary: $70,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.��
Perks: Annual “summer fun days”—two days of events (i.e. river rafting, wine tasting, trips to the mountains, and picnics) to encourage staff bonding during work hours.
What they say: Cook-offs are big. “We have had contests for salsa, guacamole, and other office-wide events built around food and drink.”

23. Adaptive Sports Center of Crested Butte

Location: Crested Butte, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 16
Average salary: $52,884
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Free ski pass to Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
What they say: “We’re allowed to come into work late on powder days.”

24. The Trade Desk

Location: Ventura, California
What they do:
Number of employees: 381
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 20 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Annual TTD Palooza: the entire company is flown in to Ventura, California, for a week-long retreat—think company-mandated fun built around battle-of-the-bands, karaoke, field trips, and workshops.
What they say: “Lunchtime surfing: We provide a storage area and spare surfboards/wet suits in our Ventura office and have regular surf outings.”

25. TeamSnap

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 112
Average salary: $78,500
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: A “culture of trust” is emphasized. “Everyone is trusted to do their jobs however they feel most capable.”
What they say: “One-minute workouts are a regular thing, where people in HQ take a break to do an exercise.”

26. Drake Cooper, Inc.

Location: Boise, Idaho
What they do:
Number of employees: 51
Average salary: $68,800
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Weekly Share the Love meetings to update staff and get feedback, a monthly chat with the CEO, and an annual offsite one-day planning session.
What they say: “Our office is located on downtown Boise’s primary bike path. We have office bikes and a silver medal from the League of American Bicyclists for our promotion of biking.” Plus, they know how to have a good time: “We randomly provide the team with fun treats like frozen fruit bars, cocktails, or pizza. Like Snow Day Pizza.”

27. Cloud Elements, Inc.

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they do:��
Number of employees: 72
Average salary: $103,717
Vacation time: Unlimited vacation days
Perks: Company sponsored hike and ski days, catered lunches three days a week, and a training, education, and conference budget for employees to expand their learning.
What they say: “Our awesome team is rapidly building connections to the most popular cloud applications that your customers are using. We were named APEX Technology Startup of 2013!”

28. Revelry Agency

Location: Portland, Oregon
What they do:
Number of employees: 26
Average salary: $50,000
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Each employee is required to spend five days in the wilderness with their family; the company pays the cost of the outfitter.
What they say: “Reverly requires team members to commit 100 hours per year in support of LEAP wilderness therapy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.”

How I Work

��ԹϺ�� Filmmaker Aidan Hailey

The Boulderite went from knocking on doors in Paris to editing a feature film.

Aidan Haley got his first internship at a photography agency in Paris.

“Growing up, I’d come home from school and watch Matchstick Productions’ ski films; I idolized them. This past summer, I spent two months in Alaska editing a film for them.”

29. FullContact

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 87
Average salary: $101,759
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Twelve weeks of 100 percent paid parental leave for primary care givers, three weeks 100 percent paid for secondary. Plus: all-company “Truancy Day” encourages employees to “play hooky and head to a local brewery to eat, drink, play, and connect!”
What they say: “They pay us $7,500 to go off of the grid and go on vacation!”

30. 303 Software

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they do:��
Number of employees: 19
Average salary: $70,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: A $50 monthly cash bonus for employees who don’t use their allotted parking spots and bike/bus/walk to work instead, plus a partnership with a local bike shop that includes free maintenance.
What they say: “Every employee has the opportunity to take every other Friday off provided they work 80 hours in the 14 days leading up to it. We call it Flex Time.”

31. Sterling-Rice Group

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 106
Average salary: $107,633
Vacation time: 17 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Company-sponsored athletic and charity events, such as Bolder Boulder, the Ragnar Relay Race, and the B Strong Ride.
What they say: “Our wellness program, SRGThrive, looks at health through a holistic lens that encompasses the physical, financial, mental, and community aspects of health by providing resources in the workplace, such as yoga, massages, and stress-reduction sessions.”

32. EverCheck

Location: Jacksonville Beach, Florida
What they do:
Number of employees: 24
Average salary: $56,772
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks:��Walking meetings. “If the meetings don’t require the use of technology, we take them outside and straight down to the beach that’s just a few blocks away.”
What they say: “We host regular lunch-and-learns. We cater in healthy lunches and one person shares with the team what their day-to-day looks like and how their work adds value to the company’s mission.”

33. N2 Publishing

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
What they do:
Number of employees: 228
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 20 days of PTO after one year.
Perks:��Free fitness classes on-site, free nutrition counseling, and a Care Team for emotional support.
What they say: “Each holiday season our company shuts down for two weeks so our team can spend uninterrupted time with loved ones. The weeks leading up to this end-of-year closing can be very busy, though, so we provide free massages to everyone during this time.”

34. Hanson Dodge

(Courtesy Hansen Dodge)

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
What they do:
Number of employees: 47
Average salary: $97,230
Vacation time: 16 days of PTO after one year
Perks: HD is a “puppy inclusive” workplace (a.k.a. dogs are allowed). “It’s not uncommon to find a pug or English bulldog roaming around the office.”
What they say: “The first Friday of every month is ‘Old Fashioned Friday’ where we end work early and the entire company participates in a cocktail party.”

35. Colorado Outward Bound School

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 34
Average salary: $53,911
Vacation time: 21 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Families are welcome at the office and basecamps, fostering a deep sense of community across generations.
What they say: “Course send-offs: When a course leaves base, all staff participate in a creative send-off with a quick costume change, reading, water balloons, noisemakers, or something else funky to send the crew on their way with a smile.”

36. Polar Field Services, Inc.

(August Allen/Polar Field Service)

Location: Littleton, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 55
Average salary: $80,923
Vacation time: 12 days of PTO after one year
Perks: Daily organized stretching in headquarters and flex hours to allow exercise during work hours. Plus an office garden.
What they say: “Our mission statement is to provide our employees with unique jobs, impressing customers in cool places. Our primary work has been as a subcontractor to CH2M Polar Services which��serves the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Arctic Research Program.”

37. Inntopia

Location: Stowe, Vermont
What they do:
Number of employees: 86
Average salary: $84,000
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Wellness benefits in the form of “money for gym memberships, ski passes, Fitbits, and subsidized vacations at top resorts around the world.”
What they say: “We encourage people to exercise during work hours. We have ski days, raft days, and golf trips. On powder days, work is optional.”

38. Procore Technologies

Location: Carpinteria, California
What they do:
Number of employees: 769
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited vacation days
Perks: “All Hands,” an all-inclusive getaway for the entire company put on every year.
What they say: “We have a snack wall employees are encouraged to use. In the same room there is a big screen TV equipped with video games.”

39. Evoke Entrada

Location: Santa Clara, Utah
What they do:��
Number of employees: 81
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 16 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Company pays for advanced training, such as Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness Symposium, Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, etc.
What they say: “In the field, staff and clients participate daily in Mandatory Fun Time—games and activities that highlight different therapeutic aspects that could not otherwise be seen.”

40. Traeger Grills

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
What they do:
Number of employees: 143
Average salary: $86,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: “We have a full-time, professional culinary team that prepares world-class meals for the company throughout the week. Cooked on a Traeger, of course.”
What they say: “On site masseuses offer free 10-minute massages, periodically.”

How I Work

National Park Ranger Perri Spreiser

Elk sightings and waterfall hikes are all part of a day’s work.

“My office is the Grand Canyon. Mic drop.”

41. Creative Alignments

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 23
Average salary:��Not provided
Vacation time: 14 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Flexible schedules, weekly lunches, and an annual volunteer day where “the whole company goes onsite at a local nonprofit to assist with their needs.”
What they say: “Every year we trek up to Eldora ski resort for a ski day. Team members choose to ski, snowshoe, or clink drinks and eat lunch after playing with snow.”

42. Allagash Brewing Company

(Mat Trogner/Allagash Brewing Com)

Location: Portland, Maine
What they do:
Number of employees: 117
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 18 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Allagash allows a four-day work week for many departments.
What they say: “Employees can submit recipes and brew them for our Pilot Beer Program. Many of these go on to a larger brew production.”

43. VictorOps

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 75
Average salary: $90,493
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Super Job Keep It Up award bequeathed at each CEO-hosted company meeting (winner gets a trophy and a $100 gift card). Employees are also encouraged to give 1 percent of their time to charity through the GiveOps program.
What they say: “Our office is steps away from great running and hiking trails, and we offer in-office massage sessions once a month.”

44. Spawn Ideas

(Courtesy Spawn Ideas)

Location: Anchorage, Alaska
What they do:
Number of employees: 38
Average salary: $77, 681
Vacation time: 12 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Commitment to being a family-friendly workplace: New parents can bring babies to work after family leave and until they crawl (“Who doesn’t want to hold a baby?”). Working parents and employees with aging parents (or even sick pets) get extra flexibility.
What they say: Spawn employees are “perpetual adventurers” in both work and play. “From organized rock climbing classes to ice fishing derbies, we share our love of the outdoors with one another.”

45. Wisetail

Location: Bozeman, Montana
What they do:
Number of employees: 37
Average salary: $54,800
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Weekly organic catered lunches and “random BBQ’s” for the staff to connect and build relationships. Plus: A “Be Well Stipend” offers $60 a month for every team member to spend on wellness “however they see fit.”
What they say: “We like to recognize and celebrate our team, whether it is their birthday or recognition from a client. Our team brainstorms a custom, creative gift or gathering for each person.”

46. Nuun

Location: Seattle, Washington
What they do:
Number of employees: 49
Average salary: $73,000
Vacation time: 16 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Commuter benefits: Staff is incentivized to commute by any means other than a single-occupancy vehicle ��(i.e. bike, walk, run, bus, train, carpool).
What they say: “We ‘runch’ (run at lunch) together almost every day.”

47. Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc.

Location: Glenwood Springs, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 19
Average salary: $65,838
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Silly Hat Day! Chili Cook-offs! Bi-annual meetings with river rafting, skiing, and other outdoor activities! Also: Employee Appreciation Week with games, massages, prizes, food, and “a white elephant party”
What they say: “Work/Life Balance is a core value. Meaning that performance is assessed based on the contribution to the company and employees can work flexible hours (or from home) in order to maintain a work/life balance.”

48. Verified First

Location: Meridian, Idaho
What they do:
Number of employees: 66
Average salary: $70,000
Vacation time: 5 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Movie Day (“We closed the office at noon and rented out a movie theater for the rest of the day!”) and “Treat Yo Self” Day (free coffee, massages, lunch, and swag).
What they say: “We structure our work schedule so that those with kids can be off by 3:30 and have a better work/life balance.”

49. Nemo Design

Location: Portland, Oregon
What they do:
Number of employees: 42
Average salary: $79,000
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Skate Lunch (company pays for skate park rental for employees and friends to skate every Wednesday) and a company wake surfing boat. Because: “We can’t think of a better way to start or end the day than in the water.”
What they say: “Since 1999, Nemo has built a company culture that counters traditional advertising agency norms. In that time, we have grown from three founders to 41 full-time fun-loving, brand-building, skateboarding, marathon-running, turkey-bowling, bike-riding, split-boarding employees that care as much about each other as the work we put into the world.”

50. Powder7

(Courtesy Powder 7)

Location: Golden, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 17
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 5 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: In addition to on-site foosball, a liberal pets-at-work policy, and “surprise powder ski days off,” employees get a month sabbatical after working five years.
What they say: “Employees have access to discounts from their first day of employment, including a fleet of shop skis to be used for free, whenever staff wants.”

51. Haberman

(Courtesy Nicole Haugen/HAB)

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
What they do:
Number of employees: 53
Average salary: $88,000
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: The Dude Ranch (“our organic company garden and CSA”), Dudestock (“our end of season family harvest party”), and the Fun Committee (which organizes an “Oscar party, beer-and-bingo, random happy hours, birthday celebrations, and much more!”)
What they say: “Staff members are able to leave the office at 12:30 on Fridays between Memorial Day and Labor Day to enjoy our amazing summers!”

52. SummitCove Vacation Lodging

Location: Golden, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 47
Average salary: $58,397
Vacation time: Not provided
Perks: Various team-building days, including: a company rafting trip, a Hike for MS team, Highway Clean Up day, and meal prep for cancer survivors.
What they say: “We sponsor up to three children of employees per year to participate in the Keystone Science Camp, a fantastic, outdoor based camp.”

53. Mondo Robot

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 33
Average salary: $92,000
Vacation time: 15 days of vacation after one year.
Perks: Full bar on the premises with 2 micro beers on tap. Plus, an annual company outing “where we rent a school bus and tour local breweries.”
What they say: “We provide a yearly $300 Wellness Benefit to be used toward any type of sports equipment, gym memberships, hiking permits, etc. People are encouraged to go on walks, bike rides, and hikes for their monthly one-on-one meetings with their managers. Regularly scheduled mountain and road bike rides happen at lunch and after work.”

54. Eagle Creek

Location: Carlsbad, California
What they do:
Number of employees: 56
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 20 days of PTO after one year
Perks: Annual week-long horseshoe and cornhole tournament, on-site meditation room and yoga classes, and early-out Fridays.
What they say: “Our employees can attend more than 50 ‘Feed Your Mind’ classes per year. Topics vary from Leadership, Influencing, Time Management, and Presentation skills to more technical classes like Excel and Illustrator.” Plus: “You can bring your dog to work on Fridays!”

55. Ecology Project International

Location: Missoula, Montana
What they do:
Number of employees: 34
Average salary: $44,220
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Summer Float Lunches—inner tubes kept in the basement will appear at will on sunny summer afternoons for a river break in the middle of the workday.
What they say: “From our pro deals to our Commuter Challenge to the ability to take days off with no notice, EPI creates an office environment that encourages employees to be active and take full advantage of our incredible setting in Missoula.”

56. TDA_Boulder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What They Do:
Number of Employees:��29
Average salary: $92,000
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: One powder day per year “to go chase the unexpected storm,” ice cream truck visits on summer half-day Fridays, and TDA matches employees’ donations to their favorite charities.
What they say: “We encourage employees to be—and remain—active by sponsoring sports leagues, having weekly golf outings, and taking hikes.”

57. Workshop Digital

(Brian Dove/Workshop Digital)

Location: Richmond, Virginia
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 27
Average salary: $49,869
Vacation time: Unlimited vacation days after one year.
Perks: Volunteer Fridays—paid time off to volunteer at a charity or nonprofit of employee’s choice.
What they say: “We encourage walking meetings as a practice to get teams outside—the James River and its park systems are literally in our backyard. We also provide unlimited vacation, which has resulted in some amazing trips: Three weeks paddling the Grand Canyon, hiking in Nicaragua, snorkeling in the U.S. Virgin Islands, exploring Japan, and many other trips promoting personal well-being and wellness.”

58. CampMinder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What They Do:
Number of Employees: ��47
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 14 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Community service is a big deal: The company has donated backpacks and school supplies to an underserved Denver school, volunteered at Food Bank of the Rockies, and run a canned food drive.
What they say: “Through CampMinder’s affiliation with the outdoor industry, we are able to offer employees access to Experticity, a provider of pro deals, including steep discounts on over 300 outdoor brands.”

59. SlideBelts

Location: El Dorado Hills, California
What They Do:
Number of Employees: ��28
Average salary: $64,149
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: On-site basketball hoop, foosball, Netflix, ping-pong, and cornhole for employee use at lunchtime and breaks.
What they say: “There are countless things we do on a regular basis to promote fun, such as an annual Halloween costume contest, ice cream truck at the office, Pajama Day with a cereal potluck, unicorn frappuccino taste tests, weekly Fresh Kick Friday contests, and more.”

60. RA Nelson

Location: Avon, Colorado
What They Do:
Number of Employees: ��87
Average salary: $94,847
Vacation time: 14 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: “We offer a yearly scholarship program for employee dependents from 1st grade through college and support physical and intellectual pursuits, including academics, athletics, and the arts.”
What they say: “We are unique in that most of our work is outside. Seventy-five percent of our staff are outside on the job site, in the mountains, overlooking rivers, every day. No one is micro-managed, and everyone has the flexibility to support their personal passions outside of work. We all choose to live in the mountains for a reason and the owners of the company respect, understand, and encourage that.”

61. Outward Bound California

Location: San Francisco, California
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 23
Average salary: $58,406
Vacation time: 19 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Free enrollment in Outward Bound course; opportunity to attend Outward Bound course events in the field and the backcountry; Community Day hikes.
What they say: “Staff strive to complete outdoor activities together outside of work. During the 2016-17 winter, we organized two OBCA ski days in the Lake Tahoe area. In July 2017, five of our administrative staff members, including our Executive Director, ran together in the San Francisco Marathon.”

62. Beach Cities Health District

Location: Redondo Beach, California
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 75
Average salary: $73,037
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Employee garden; family access to ��ԹϺ��Plex fitness facility (with rock wall, basketball court, ropes course, and “Toddler Town imaginary play center”); and “Mindfulness workshops to learn how to live in the present.”
What they say: “As part of our wellness challenges, departments have created outdoor activities (such as hiking, running, canoeing). We also have a community initiative called Free Fitness Weekends where employees can take advantage of free fitness classes that also take place outside (e.g., paddle board yoga, beach boot camp).” ��

63. Zen Planner

Location: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
What They Do:
Number of Employees: ��91
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 18 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Weekly on-site fitness classes (yoga, pull-up progression workshop, bootcamp) taught by team members. Plus: “Dogs in the office every day.”
What they say: “We have a sabbatical program to encourage team members to dream big and live large—life is short and if we only get one shot at this, we want our team members to make the most of each minute.”

64. BSW Wealth Partners

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 21
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Mentorship program, on-site meditation and relaxation groups, and financial support for professional education and development
What they say: “We had four staff members running a half-marathon and one competing in an Ironman in one year. We all train together, provide encouragement, training/nutritional advice, and are extremely supportive in each other’s endeavors.”

65. First Descents

Location: Denver, Colorado
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 18
Average salary: $54,800
Vacation time: 25 days of PTO after one year.
Perks:��“We believe strongly in local community creation. Festive contests, family-style pot luck meals, and ping-pong tournaments abound!” Also: Pro deals with dozens of outdoor vendors.
What they say: “The ‘Out Living It’ mantra drives every facet of our organization—from strategic planning to staff retreats. To be a true leader in Outdoor Behavioral Health, our staff must embrace adventure and mindfulness as a part of their everyday lives.”

How I Work

Gear Designer Nancy Hoo

Meet the woman behind your favorite Arc’teryx trail running kit.

Nancy Hoo, a marathoner and designer for Arc'teryx, is working hard to create your favorite base layers.

“People ask me, ‘How do I become a designer?’ I say gain all the knowledge you can.”

66. Buzz Franchise Brands

Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 35
Average salary: $81,608
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Monthly fun activities designed to get employees out of the office during work hours to unwind and bond: go-karting, adventure ropes courses, Top Golf, and happy hours
What they say: “Our office space includes a café, phone booths for private calls, various conference rooms, ping-pong and pool tables, a workout room, bright colors, and more! We also host a Toys for Tots drive in during the holidays, and include our customers, asking them to leave toys on their porch during the week, so our technicians can pick them up.”

67. Backbone Media

Location: Carbondale, Colorado
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 44
Average salary: $65,836
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Staff has a fleet of eight cruiser bicycles to share and use for commuting around town.
What they say: “In the winter we have a powder day clause: Employees can go skiing in the morning as long as they get to the office by 1 p.m. and get all their work done. In the summer we go on weekly staff mountain bike rides, dubbed ‘Dirty Thursdays.’”

68. Greater Yellowstone Coalition

Location: Bozeman, Montana
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 26
Average salary: $57,400
Vacation time: 15 days after one year.
Perks: Outdoor “Culture Committee” excursions, generous paid time off benefits, customizable flex-time and telecommuting policies.
What they say: “We combine traditional meetings with hikes, walks, sitting around campfires, and Wiffle ball games. We also host a week-long cycle tour through the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and staff are encouraged to participate by biking or assisting along the route.”

69. Wilderness ��ԹϺ�� at Eagle Landing

Location: New Castle, Virginia
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 22
Average salary: $20,000
Vacation time: 5 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Employee-of-the-month bonuses, “Staff Happiness” days (“where we get to spend a work day doing something fun outside”), and regular campfire outings at New River Gorge.
What they say: “As a staff, we do a lot of team-building exercises and learn to how to work together as well as improve our communication.”

70. Carmichael Lynch

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 280
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 18 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: In 2016 alone, the agency logged more than 1,000 hours of volunteer work.
What they say: “We do our best to encourage healthy, active lifestyles and access to the outdoors through agency bikes, rooftop yoga, free local fitness classes, agency locker rooms with showers, a discounted on-site massage program, agency-sponsored intramural teams, and a treadmill desk.”

71. IDX Broker

Location: Eugene, Oregon
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 54
Average salary: $78,245
Vacation time: 15��days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Catered gourmet lunches, on-site video game arcade, company-issued Nerf guns and ammo.
What they say: “IDX is a proud, active member of our vibrant community in Eugene. As we continue to build new relationships, we’ve also strengthened our partnership with McKenzie River Trust, which protects and cares for special land and rivers in Oregon.”

72. Cairn, Inc.

Location: Bend, Oregon
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 17
Average salary: $35,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO.
Perks: Office-sponsored gear closet; “4:00 Beer Fridays”; remote work policy that allows employees to work from home two days per week.
What they say: “Four times a year we gather up the team to get outside together for a group activity. We can be found participating in a trail clean up, fat-biking in the snow, or touring Central Oregon caves.”

73. Foundant Technologies

Location: Bozeman, Montana
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 59
Average salary: $64,000
Vacation time: Unlimited vacation.
Perks: $1,200 personal development perk for team members; free yoga at a studio within walking distance of headquarters; local trainers host fitness boot camps for team members.
What They Say: “Foundant has an unlimited time-off policy that can be used year-round. Some choose to take advantage of the great skiing Bozeman has to offer, others use it in the fall during hunting season, and others use it in the summer for all of the awesome hiking, fishing, and other recreational offerings. Part of our culture is to get out and enjoy Montana however works best for the team member.”

74. The Frontier Project

Location: Richmond, Virginia
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 33
Average salary: $67,399
Vacation time: Unlimited vacation days after one year.
Perks: Project Well—a monthly program designed to challenge employees to think differently about health/wellness, nutrition, sleep, financial well-being, community engagement, and professional development.
What They Say: “Many of our employees do creative work. As such, they’re encouraged to get out and do what they need to do in order to recharge.”

75. Voyageur Outward Bound School

(Theo Theobald/Voyageur Outward B)

Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
What They Do:
Number of Employees: 37
Average salary: $55,000
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: A paid “Service Flex Day” enables team members to get involved in a cause of their choosing (i.e. helping at food shelf, Women’s March, Save the Boundary Waters, etc).
What They Say: “At Outward Bound, it’s less about work/life balance. Because our work is outside and often in the areas and places that our staff are passionate about, we work to have a work/life integration. We work to have an inspiring mission and constantly ask our staff what could be better—then ask them to help create that.”

76. Montana Wilderness Association

Location: Helena, Montana
What they do:��
Number of employees: 23
Average salary: $47,551
Vacation time: 16 vacation days after one year.
Perks: A Commuter Health Challenge provides monetary incentives for green commuting or exercising. Also: “staff retreats in beautiful locations.”
What they say: “Staff are encouraged to spend four��workdays a year connecting with the wild places. ‘Trail Days’ lead to resiliency and improve our knowledge of the places we seek to protect. All staff are eligible to participate and people get paid to hike!”

77. Namaste Solar

(D Scott Clark/Namaste Solar)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 157
Average salary: $71,147
Vacation time: 5 vacation days plus 15 flex days
Perks: Weekly road bike rides, periodic acupuncture and massage sessions, yoga classes, seasonal softball and bowling leagues.
What they say: “We have a solar array on our office building, and offer a substantial employee discount for residential solar on their homes.”

78. Digital Operative, Inc.

Location: San Diego, California
What they do:��
Number of employees: 31
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO.
Perks: Game room with foosball, corn hole, musical instruments, “and board games!”; wellness room (equipped with yoga mats, neck rollers, kettle bells and “an essential oil diffuser”) includes a quiet space for meditation.
What they say: “We compete in Spartan races or mud runs together as a team and offer working remotely at any time to all employees to promote a healthy work/life balance.”

How I Work

Alpinist and Trauma Nurse Anna Pfaff

The fine art of balancing two high-adrenaline jobs.

“I have two lifestyles—not two careers—but I’m happy with the path I chose. Isn’t that the point?”

79. Taptica

Location: San Francisco; New York City; Tel Aviv;��London;��Tokyo;��Beijing;��Seoul
What they��do:
Number of employees: 17
Average salary: $143,000
Vacation time: 14 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Ping-pong tables, team-building “fun days,” unlimited bonuses, and in-office happy hours.
What they say: “We have an annual international company retreat: Open to all employees, all expenses paid.”

80. Ska Brewing Company

Location: Durango, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 72
Average salary: $53,000
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: “FREE BEER!” Also: Ska and Avery Brewing companies co-founded “BoulDurango,” a six-day road biking charity event challenging brewery employees to ride from Boulder to Durango or vice versa.
What they say: “Each employee receives two shift beers after they are done working their scheduled shift. This encourages employees to hang out at the brewery with their co-workers outside of working hours.”

81. SheerID

Location: Portland, Oregon
What they do:
Number of employees: 38
Average salary: $104,908
Vacation time: 15 days��after one year
Perks: Fund-raising and planting trees for the McKenzie River Trust; flexible work schedules; “achievement celebrations” when goals are reached.
What they say: “Whether it’s happy hour, holiday parties, spontaneous lunch BBQs, retirement parties, days at the lake, hiking, rock climbing, or kids movie nights, SheerID loves taking an afternoon off and getting the team together for a good time.”

82. Tendril

Location: Boulder, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 111
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: On-site masseuse twice a month; zero waste initiative that involves recycling and composting with the aim of creating zero waste.
What they say: “A standing initiative at Tendril is to turn as many one-on-one meetings as possible into walking meetings. We also offer a commuting challenge with prizes in the summer to encourage people to walk and bike to work.”

83. New Belgium Brewing

Location: Fort Collins, Colorado;��Asheville, North Carolina
What they do:
Number of employees: 783
Average salary: $86,300
Vacation time: 14 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Local Grants Program “serves and connects with the communities where we sell our beer. Since 1991, we’ve donated $8 million.” Also: one hour of PTO for every two hours volunteered.
What they say: “There are regular opportunities to join a running or cycling club, and coworkers are encouraged to bike to work by being given a bicycle on their one-year anniversary and by having on-site showers and covered bike parking.”

84. Apto

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 83
Average salary: $84,574
Vacation time: Not provided
Perks: “Powder days” policy lets employees take day off at last minute in winter and on beautiful off-season days, too
What they say: “We hold Monthly Town Halls where employees submit anonymous questions and leadership answer them honestly and thoroughly. It creates a culture of transparency, trust, and accountability.”

85. Ascent360, Inc.

Location: Golden, Colorado
What they��do:
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: $91,000
Vacation time: 15 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Annual pool party picnic for employees and their families. Also, once-a-year Habitat for Humanity group build project
What they say: “We offer an annual company ski trip, Ragnar Trail Run, hump day hikes, and often employees take advantage of lunch time hikes/runs/bike rides around the area and use our in-office shower after.”

86. EPTDESIGN

(Courtesy EPT Design)

Location: Laguna Beach, California; Pasadena, California
What they��do:
Number of employees: 40
Average salary: $81,236
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Flexible work schedules. Also: Staff landscape architectural services for Habitat for Humanity, and design and construction drawings for low-income home projects in Orange County.
What they say: “In 2001, EPTDESIGN began our travel incentive program called TREK, which stands for 'Travel, Renewal, Exploration, Knowledge'��and offers two employees per year an additional 40 hours and a $3,000 stipend to complete a study trip.”

87. Toad and Co

Location: Santa Barbara, California
What they��do:
Number of employees: 55
Average salary:��Not provided
Vacation time: 20 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Loyalty program that rewards employees for years of service: “The rewards are meant to inspire active lifestyles and range from a custom surfboard to paid sabbaticals and even trips to Telluride and Nepal.”
What they say: “We have an on-line library of industry pro deals that keep our employees well equipped; each employee is also given an annual stipend to purchase Toad and Co product. We also have two stand up paddle boards at the office to get out on the water.”

88. BCF Agency

Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
What they��do:��
Number of employees: 42
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 20 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: Annual company lip-sync battle! Twice-a-year canned food drive! Office competitions! (“Our office competitions get pretty serious. Easter egg hunts, derby races, and piñata whacking are just a few.”)
What they say: “We strongly encourage an environment where the idea is king—where it doesn't matter who comes up with something or how ‘senior’ the person is. We passionately believe that the best ideas often come from the most unexpected places.”

89. Turner

Location: Denver, Colorado
What they��do:
Number of employees: 40
Average salary: $81,812
Vacation time: 15 vacation days after one year.
Perks: “Recess” activities, organized group volunteer outings, and comp time.
What they say: “Employees are encouraged to engage in ‘sweat working platforms’ with clients and journalists. Our staff skis, cycles, and sails with journalists and clients; we also do yoga, spin, and barre classes on a regular basis with editors.”

90. Balihoo

(Courtesy Balihoo)

Location: Boise, Idaho
What they��do:��
Number of employees: 33
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO.
Perks: Parking and gym stipend; bike room on premises; monthly chair massages.
What they say: “After five years, employees take a mandatory sabbatical with pay and bonus for two weeks.”

91. The Honest Kitchen

Location: San Diego, California
What they do:��
Number of employees: 45
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 10 days of PTO after 90 days.
Perks: $60 a month toward fitness memberships and massages; discounts on pet insurance; organized charitable giving on a monthly basis through Pawlanthropy.
What they say: “Working with our dogs helps us get outside for brisk walks twice a day. Not only do we get to work with our best pals, but we have a more balanced work day.”

92. Red Frog Events

Location: Chicago, Illinois
What they do:
Number of employees: 67
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO after one year.
Perks: Month-long, fully paid sabbatical after five years with company; catered family lunch every Monday; office bar and craft beer fridge.
What they say: “There are no required office hours for Red Froggers. Work schedules are very flexible, and every employee is allowed one work-from-home day per week.”

93. Deschutes Brewery, Inc.

Location: Bend, Oregon
What they do:
Number of employees: 526
Average salary: $79,781
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Employee stock ownership program. Plus: “Yoga in our private event space, a company bike share for off-site meetings and to get around our campus, and a horse shoe pit on-site.”
What they say: “We donate $1 per barrel of beer that we sell—$374,000 this year—to nonprofit organizations that support environmental, family service, youth, and arts programs within our distribution footprint.”

94. CCY Architects

Location: Basalt, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 33
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 15��vacation days
Perks: Annual wellness allowance of $850; annual education allowance for continuing education, conferences, and community leadership programs; Friday “Beer30” events—a weekly in-office happy hour.
What they say: “Collaboration is our day-to-day working style—our design studios are open (we’ve never had a private office at CCY)—and that approach carries over to our other working relationships.”

95. Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

(Camara/Arapahoe Basin)

Location: Dillon, Colorado
What they do:
Number of employees: 68
Average salary: $69,875
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year
Perks: Access to ample pro deals for gear and apparel (both winter and summer); ski passes (allowing employees to ski nearly everywhere in Colorado for free); twice weekly yoga classes.
What they say: “We hold the occasional weekly staff meeting on the ski hill and encourage employees to ski or snowboard to and from. During ski season we encourage year-round staff to ski in order to understand the product we are offering.”

96. C1S Group, Inc.

Location: Dallas, Texas
What they do:
Number of employees: 27
Average salary: $89,767
Vacation time: 16 days of PTO after one year
Perks: Remote work policy allows employees to work from home two��days per week; summer hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day; breakfast tacos every Friday.
What they say: “Everyone got a FitBit Blaze for Christmas and we had weekly step challenges during our Biggest Loser Competition to see who walked the most. Winners were posted in the kitchen and got a $20 gift card. Lots of good trash talking!”

97. Rustic Pathways

Location: Chardon, Ohio
What they do:
Number of employees: 76
Average salary: $54,234
Vacation time: 16 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: “My Rustic Pathway” program helps employees chart a career path—“whether it is always with us or with another company…and that provides our team the opportunity to be the best version of themselves.”
What they say: “Cyclone Winston caused major damage to much of Fiji, and our community partners were hit hard. Following the storm, the RP Foundation (the philanthropic arm of Rustic Pathways) raised $35,000 and we were able to provide food and supplies to remote areas that had yet to receive aid.”

98. Infinite Energy

Location: Gainesville, Florida
What they do:
Number of employees: 318
Average salary: $91,748
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Half-mile walking trail��along perimeter of company campus; cross-fit style fitness area complete with heavy ropes, kettle balls, and tires. Plus: “We also have a ping-pong table.”
What they say: “We have a casual dress code and host events including Olympic games, picnics, chess lessons, and chili cook-offs. We have an on-site gym, full-time personal trainer, and extensive wellness programs. And we even give away a total of $100,000 in prize money at our holiday party each year to 11 winners.”

99. EMC Research, Inc.

Location: Irving, Texas
What they do:
Number of employees: 47
Average salary: $73,865
Vacation time: 10 vacation days after one year.
Perks: Costco membership. Plus: in-office composting.
What they say: “March Madness competitions!”

100. DryCase

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
What they do:
Number of employees: 20
Average salary: $30,000
Vacation time: 5 days of PTO after one year.
Perks: “Cookout Friday’s” (with a prize bequeathed to the “chef of the month”); mini basketball court in the back of the office; pool table. Plus: They like to party. “Anything we can celebrate, we do.”
What they say: “We have a skateboard-friendly warehouse/office space. Keeps the blood flowing and makes it easy to get around.”

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5 Places to Chill, Detox, and Get Your ��ԹϺ�� On

cthompson — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes we all need an escape hatch from our overly connected lives. To fill that demand, a multitude of wellness vacation spots have popped up around the world. Here, we’ve picked a few of our favorites, from the Sonoran Desert to the Himalayas to the lush jungles of Costa Rica.

Canyon Ranch

Tucson, Arizona

Visitors to�� can rejuvenate under the desert sun while hiking amid saguaro cacti. Take a pottery session to unleash your creative juices, or choose from a variety of and consultations on nutrition, meditation, and self-awareness. More than 40 classes are available, and all are included, along with meals, in your room rate. From ; three-night minimum.

Anada

Narendra Nagar, India

Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, combines the traditional practices of Ayurveda and yoga so guests can experience the full range of healing arts. Whether you’re visiting for a brief stint or taking��in sites of the Ganges River valley and sal forests, allow a few days for detox treatments that address the whole body. From .

Golden Door

San Marcos, California

sits on a sprawling 600-acre property dotted with orange groves, Zen rock gardens, and roji gardens. With a maximum of 40 guests per week, you’ll feel like you’re in your own private wellness paradise. Stay for up to seven days to experience the spa’s mind and body wellness program, which includes guided hikes along 30 miles of private trails, fitness activities like yoga and archery, personal training sessions, daily massages, and guest lecturers. Guests don’t even need to ; each day, Golden Door provides freshly laundered shorts, warm-ups, T-shirts, a terry robe, sandals, and a yukata (a casual cotton kimono). Private rooms can be reserved for .

Red Mountain Resort

St. George, Utah

Roll adventure and relaxation into one awesome week. Guests at have on-site access to personal training, nutritional assessments, and massages. The resort is minutes from Snow Canyon State Park, home to 7,000 acres of redrock canyons and cliffs. Pay for a guided hike through nearby Zion National Park, or choose from a variety of other , including rock climbing, kayaking, canyoneering, and communing with wild horses. From .

El Silencio Lodge and Spa

Bajos del Toro, Costa Rica

is situated between the Juan Castro Blanco and Poas Volcano National Parks, in Costa Rica’s central volcanic range. Many of the resort’s activities embrace the country’s natural beauty, including hikes to the Las Gemelas waterfall and strolls through 500 acres of private cloud forests, with a stop at the resort’s hummingbird garden. A three-night stay in a suite under the Cloud Forest ��ԹϺ�� package starts at .

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An Honest Guide to Sports Gels

jversteegh — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0000

During a long trail run or intense ride, replenishing energy stores is key. But to do so during your effort requires products that can be opened, eaten, and processed swiftly and simply. That means traditional bars or fruit are off the table. Enter the sports gel, packets of quick-digesting sugars to provide a burst of energy as you fatigue during longer efforts. These aren’t just everyday snacks: Gels are specifically designed to be consumed 15 minutes prior to starting your race or every 30 to 45 minutes throughout. (And always wash them down with water.)

Because we’re constantly putting ourselves through hours-long runs, rides, hikes, and more, we know a good or bad gel when we taste one. Our staffers surveyed upwards of 15 flavors from four different brands, and, frankly, we can’t recommend many of them. We’ve sacrificed our taste buds, subjected ourselves to severe cases of dry mouth, and endured bizarrely textured mouthfuls of syrupy stuff all in the name of creating a foolproof roster of gels that are actually good. Don’t stray from this list��and you’ll be rewarded with midrace fuel that tastes good and gets the job done. (Spoiler: If you see peanut butter or chocolate on the shelf, grab it.)

Hammer Gel

(Courtesy Hammer Nutrition)

Peanut Butter

If you’re a peanut butter lover, try Hammer’s gluten-free . Its taste and texture resemble a spoonful of the real thing straight from the jar.

Our Thoughts

“It was like eating a big glob of Skippy, which is fine by me. This, with some water after, is definitely my fave.” —Jenny Earnest, assistant social media editor

“Physically, I felt much more alert and energetic.”��—Mitch Breton, video curator

(Courtesy Hammer Nutrition)

Peanut Butter Chocolate

Add a little chocolate , and even our most gel-averse testers go for it.

Our Thoughts

“I am usually not a gel person, but this got me through a trail run without a sugar crash.” —Erin Berger, associate editor

“This is everything I want at mile 20.” —Carly Graf, assistant editor

(Courtesy Hammer Nutrition)

Nocciola

The tastes more like frosting than any sort of workout fuel, making for a welcome treat when you’re pushing hard.

Our Thoughts

“Before my workout, my legs were groaning for a tempo day, but I had this 15 minutes before starting, and not long thereafter I was ready to put some metal in my pedal. I definitely credit Hammer’s gel for the boost.” —Aleta Burchyski, copy editor

“It’s super thick, which is definitely great in some ways, but just be sure to have a full supply of water at the ready.” —C.��.

Clif��Shot Energy Gel

(Courtesy CLIF)

Razz

The makes it easy to get down quickly between strides and prevents the dry-mouth syndrome that can follow thicker gels.

Our Thoughts

“Equally fruity and delicious. I took it right before a three-mile hike. I usually feel lethargic and slow for the first mile or so; this time, I was immediately off at a good pace.” —M.B.

“I’m typically sort of turned off by fruity flavors, but this one tasted like raspberry candy.” �̧.��.

Chocolate

Gooey with a distinct, not-too-sweet chocolate flavor, made fans out of our testers.

Our Thoughts

“It’s super thick, which I like, almost like eating a spoonful of Nutella.” —Ben Fox, assistant editor

“After this experiment, I’ve come to realize that there is a difference between thick, icing-like sport goos, which are delicious in chocolatey flavors, and translucent gels.” �̧.��.

(Courtesy CLIF)

Mocha

Chocolate and coffee for taste and performance.

Our Thoughts

“Knocked three seconds off my typical stationary-bike mile pace, despite too little sleep and too much red wine the night before. The bonus 50 milligrams of caffeine was everything.” —A.��.

“Maybe it was just placebo, but I felt like I got a decent hit of energy from this one.” —C.��.

Honey Stinger Organic Energy Gels

(Courtesy Honey Stinger)

Chocolate

The of the bunch and naturally caffeinated with green tea extract for an even greater energy boost.

Our Thoughts

“The chocolate doesn’t overpower the flavor of the honey, so it’s more like the classic Honey Stinger with a hint of chocolate.” —B.F.

“I live for chocolate, and this one was the richest of the bunch.” —C.��.

(Courtesy Honey Stinger)

Fruit Smoothie

Grab if you want a gel that doesn’t flirt with classic dessert flavors as much as the chocolate and peanut butter varieties. Plus, this one has added electrolytes to prevent cramping and a blend of natural fruit flavors.

Our Thoughts

“I had it before a workout and assumed I was in for a regular Thursday lunch workout—until I looked at my stats and saw that I’d set a PR.” —A.��.

“If you’re really into sour-sweet candy as fuel, this one’s for you.”�̧.��.

Hüma Chia Energy Gel

(Courtesy Huma Gel)

Huma Plus: Berries and Pomegranate

Only go for if you’re in the mood for über-sweet.

Our Thoughts

“I have a very high tolerance for the sweet stuff, so this didn’t overwhelm me, and it provided nice contrast to my typical icing-like flavors.” —C.��.

“I realized when heading to the gym at lunch that I forgot to eat breakfast, so I greatly appreciated this gel’s generous serving size.” —A.��.

Strawberries

A that tastes just like fruit puree.

Our Thoughts

“Just like salted strawberry puree, right down to the texture, which is much easier to get behind than the usual gluey gel consistency.” —A.��.

“I preferred this thicker texture to all the others I tried, and it tasted decently of raspberries, though a little sweet.” �̧.��.

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The Best Savory Snacks to Boost Your Performance

jversteegh — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Believe it or not, sugar fatigue is a thing. We love our candy-like sports chews and gels that resemble icing, but eventually we crave a heartier, more savory alternative. Brands have started to notice this shortcoming and are stepping up to fill the void. They’re putting power foods like nuts, whole grains, and chickpeas into their snacks to provide a balanced set of nutrients and to give your taste buds a break.

But which ones are best? Great question. We asked our staffers to take a break from training for ultras, going on 50-mile death rides, and spending entirely too many hours at the crag to sample five brands and a variety of flavors and then score each snack on a scale of one (awful) to ten (great). Here are our nine favorites.

#9. Clif Organic Energy Food Pizza Margherita

(Courtesy CLIF)

Although the texture can take some getting used to, lets you take the always-delicious taste of pizza with you on trail runs or hikes.

Average Score: 5.8

What We Love: “Sometimes you just want to fuel with real food, and this is darn close.” —Aleta Burchyski, copy editor

What We Didn’t: “Reminds me a little too much of elementary school Lunchables.” —Nicholas Hunt, assistant editor

#8. Clif��Organic Energy Food Sweet Potato with Sea Salt

(Courtesy CLIF)

Filled with sweet potatoes and sunflower seed butter, gives you the ultimate balance of quick-digesting carbs and protein for those slow-burn endurance activities.

Average Score: 6

What We Love: “Pretty good. Salty. Tastes great after a long ride.” —Paul Trotman, accounting manager

What We Didn’t: “The texture is a bit too much like baby food.” —Will Palmer, copy editor

#7. Mediterra Savory Bar with Kale, Apple, Quinoa, and Almonds

(Courtesy Mediterra)

You can smell apples as soon as you tear open the package, but is balanced by oregano and sea salt. A hint of cashew butter keeps you satisfied for longer than most energy bars.

Average Score: 6.4

What We Love: “Interesting flavor combo. I love it, and great texture, too.” —N.H.

What We Didn’t: “Love this flavor. But seeing how this is a savory bar, I wasn’t prepared for how sweet it was.” —Colette Harris, editorial fellow

#6. Sheffa Everything Savory Bar

(Courtesy Sheffa)

Like eating an everything bagel in cracker form, is perfect if you’re looking for something truly savory as you recover. Chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and olive oil give the bar its crunchy texture, no artificial ingredients required.

Average Score: 6.75

What We Love: “Good savory snack. I would buy it.” —Jenny Earnest, assistant social media editor

What We Didn’t: “A little too much of everything. I wanted more subtlety.” —Petra Zeiler, deputy art director

#5. Sheffa Rosemary Savory Bar

(Courtesy Sheffa)

This bar combines rosemary with brown rice, quinoa, millet, and amaranth for a that satisfies serious salty cravings after a big effort.

Average Score: 7.1

What We Love: “Delicious. Similar to a cracker. I could snack on these all day long.” —P.Z.

What We Didn’t: “As an energy bar alone? No. But with wine and cheese? Yum.” —Svati Kirsten Narula, assistant social media editor

#4. Kind Sweet & Spicy Roasted Jalapeño Bar

(Courtesy KIND)

For some, had just the right amount of spice, while others wanted more heat. Pumpkin seeds, almonds, and jalapeño up the flavor without adding much sugar.

Average Score: 7.5

What We Love: “Nice subtle spice. Much more would be overkill.” —Christopher D. Thompson, visual producer

What We Didn’t: “Where’s the jalapeño?” —N.H.

#3. Larabar Organic with Superfoods Turmeric, Ginger, and Beet

(Courtesy LARABAR)

The of dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, beet powder, turmeric, and ginger is smoky and spicy. It’s perfect for anyone with tough dietary restrictions since it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and non-GMO.

Average Score: 8.3

What We Love: “I wouldn’t call it a real savory bar, but it’s a case study in how to do turmeric and ginger right.” —A.��.

What We Didn’t: “Ginger was strong, but I’m not sure there was any beet. Maybe I didn’t recognize it?” —Madeline Kelty, deputy photo editor

#2. Kind Sweet & Spicy Sweet Cayenne BBQ Bar

(Courtesy KIND)

offers ten grams of plant-based protein—far from common in sports products. Staffers still can’t quite figure out how this bar, which tastes just like a barbecue smokehouse, is totally meat-free.

Average Score: 8.9

What We Love: “My brain thinks I’m eating ribs, but I’m not. So that’s an extra healthy bonus.” —C.D.T.

What We Didn’t: “Reminds me of a baked Lay’s potato chip.” —M.K.

#1. Mediterra Savory Bar with Kale, Pomegranate, Quinoa, and Almonds

(Courtesy Mediterra)

Made with a blend of pomegranate, kale, almonds, pea crisps, and quinoa, easily took the top spot. It combines the best flavors of the anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet into one bite-sized snack.

Average Score: 9.5

What We Love: “Nice hint of tart sweetness without the bonk of a sugary snack. This plus a can of wine would be everything for a sunset hike.” —A.��.

What We Didn’t: “Wanted a little more pomegranate flavor.” —P.Z.

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5 Women Scientists You Should Know

jversteegh — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

It’s time we are able to rattle off the names of more female scientists than simply Marie Curie. From Rosalind Franklin’s discovery of the molecular structure of DNA to Katherine Johnson’s mathematical prowess that helped launch the first American into space, we are only beginning to learn about and acknowledge the many major contributions of female scientists.

So here are five more you should know. To highlight these women, we teamed up with designer , who earlier this year created , a series of posters celebrating unsung women of science. We added to her list five women who discovered some of our most widely accepted scientific theories, explored new frontiers, and conducted game-changing research. Two are still alive and doing so today. Many were among the first women to enter their fields, and all have paved the way for a new generation of women scientists to leave their marks on the world.

(Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya)

Kalpana Chawla

Astronaut (1961–2003)

Even as a child, knew she wanted to fly. She dreamed of becoming an aerospace engineer, often asking her father to take her for rides in the planes that belonged to flying clubs in her native India. Classmates remember Chawla��pointing to the sky and telling them, “I’m going to fly.” After earning a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado in 1988, she finally got her wish in 1997. As a crew member on the STS-87 Columbia, Chawla became the first Indian-born woman and the second person of Indian descent to travel into space. On January 16, 2003, Chawla and six other astronauts entered space aboard the STS-107 Columbia for a 16-day science and research mission. On February 1, the spaceship broke apart as it reentered Earth’s atmosphere, killing everyone aboard 16 minutes prior to landing. At the time of her death, Chawla had logged 30 days, 14 hours, and 54 minutes in space.

(Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya)

Dijanna Figueroa

Oceanographer

Dijanna Figueroa has made a career of exploring the mysteries of the deep. In 2005, she was featured in James Cameron’s documentary , which follows Cameron and NASA scientists as they explore the some of the deepest parts of the ocean and learn about the unique life forms that inhabit those spaces. Recently, Figueroa has become an advocate for STEAM education—adding art and design to the science, technology, engineering, and math equation. She’s spent more than a decade teaching STEAM to grades K–8 in the greater Los Angeles area, formerly served as global director of the National Geographic Society’s Green STEAM program, and has advisory roles with many STEAM nonprofits. If that isn’t enough, Figueroa is a committee director for , an organization of scientists conducting high-level research that addresses the needs of the global community.

(Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya)

Florence Bascom

Geologist (1862–1945)

Florence Bascom was the first woman geologist hired by the , the first woman geologist to survey Mount Desert Island in Maine (in 1919), and the second woman elected to the . But Bascom broke barriers well before she started her fieldwork. She earned several degrees at the University of Wisconsin before petitioning for admission to Johns Hopkins University, which had only accepted one woman before her. Although Bascom, like other female students of the time, had to sit behind a screen in the corner of the classroom to avoid distracting male students, she became the first woman to receive a doctorate from Johns Hopkins, in 1893. She is for studying the rocks of the Piedmont region of Maryland and Pennsylvania and creating a comprehensive guide to the geology of the Mid-Atlantic region.

(Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya)

Rose E. Frisch

Biologist (1918–2015)

Studies on women’s health still lag behind what exists for men, but Frisch was conducting groundbreaking work on the topic when it was still a taboo. In the 1970s, Frisch was one of the first to study women and how their weight affects fertility, co-authoring a paper in 1974 showing that women’s menstrual cycles can cease if they lose as little as 15 pounds. This also to the discovery of leptin, a protein that’s foundational to understanding processes like metabolism, puberty, and pregnancy—not to mention everyday functions like burning energy, eating, and exercising. Frisch continued her research at the , and today her theories on fatness and fertility are widely known and accepted. Her son Henry Frisch, a professor of physics at the University of Chicago, says his mother never dwelled on the sexism in the field, though she earned much less than her male colleagues. “She was determined to understand these key biological issues in women’s health,” he says. “Nothing was going to stop her.” Today, women who hope to become mothers as well as athletes often to turn to Frisch’s work to help them better understand their bodies.

(Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya)

Inez Fung

Professor of Atmospheric Science

Inez Fung’s main focus at the University of California, Berkeley, is climate change. She studies the changing patterns of precipitation by studying East and South Asian monsoons and how trees access water in California’s dry summers and cool the atmosphere. By studying precipitation changes, Fung can begin to understand what influences the location, timing, and intensity of precipitation—and improve our projections of how that could change in the future. “It’s very important for us living on Earth enjoying the biosphere, enjoying the outdoors, to know how things are changing and to understand why things are changing,” says Fung. She is also the founding director of the . “I think nature is always smarter than me,” says Fung. “When I think I’ve got it, there’s another puzzle that nature presents to me.”

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How to Meal Prep Like an Elite Athlete

oharlow — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

After a long day with lots of mileage and hard efforts, the last thing any athlete wants to do is head home to cook an extravagant meal. But all too often, quick options are unhealthy. To feed their bodies right, the elites rely on having ingredients ready to go ahead of time so they can turn around nutritious dishes in just minutes.

Meal prepping doesn’t have to be a long and labor-intensive process. Stick to these guidelines from the pros, and you’ll be eating like them in no time.

Sara and Ryan Hall

Professional Marathon Runners

“As a professional athlete, you are expending so much energy in training that you are always in energy-conserve mode,” says Sara. Add to the mix four kids, and having an efficient meal-prep strategy becomes even more critical.

To avoid turning to convenient but less healthy dishes in a time crunch, the Halls always keep a stocked kitchen. They buy rice, lentils, and complex grains in bulk; use prewashed and chopped vegetables to save time; and always keep a few fillets of fresh-caught and wild Alaskan salmon, cod, and halibut in the freezer. Their overarching rules: Keep it mostly natural, and eliminate the processed stuff.

Favorite Meal Prep–Friendly Recipe:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
1 small yellow pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1 jar (25 ounces) marinara with herbed pasta sauce
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 can (14 3/4��ounces) traditional pack Alaska salmon, or 8 to 10 ounces skinless, boneless salmon (canned or pouched), drained and chunked
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta

Directions: In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook, stirring often, for five to seven minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and chile flakes, and cook, stirring often, for one minute. Add pasta sauce, capers, olives, and basil. Heat until hot, then fold in salmon; reduce heat to low while pasta is cooking. Cook pasta according to package directions, then toss with one cup of the sauce. Top with extra sauce.

Mikaela Shiffrin

2014 Olympic Gold Medalist in Slalom

She may be a winter athlete, but . “There isn’t really a long enough period of time where I’m not either training or racing to feel like I can just let my diet slip,” says Shiffrin. “It’s important to have my meals planned out, especially if I don’t have someone who can cook for me, because it’s easy to let that slide.”

Rather than fall victim to the frozen microwave meal, Shiffrin takes time every week to plan out her meals. She then visits the grocery store to load up on power foods such as milk, eggs, cheese, orange juice, and fruit.

Her weekends are less busy, so that’s when Shiffrin preps many of the week’s meals. “I have a couple good chicken recipes that are easy, and I like them as leftovers,” she says. “Beyond that, it’s really easy to boil a box of pasta and make a salad or cook up some veggies to go with the chicken, so making some simple, healthy meals is not too difficult.”

Favorite Meal Prep–Friendly Recipe:

Ingredients

1 box farfalle pasta (Shiffrin uses )
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cups edamame, frozen shelled beans
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup pecorino cheese, shredded
Coarsely ground black pepper

Directions: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add edamame and garlic to the pan and sauté for one minute. Add pasta water, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and garnish with cheese and coarsely ground black pepper. Makes seven servings.

Juliana Buhring

Ultra-Endurance Cyclist

Living on the Italian coast means Buhring has fresh fish at the ready, making it one of her dietary staples. Her fish is always accompanied by heaping amounts of vegetables (they comprise almost 75 percent of her diet), most of which she grows in her own garden. Right now, Buhring is adding homegrown zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers to her lunchtime salads and omelets. Since she follows the ketogenic diet, Buhring also eats a fair amount of healthy fats like those found in cheese, eggs, avocado, olive oil, and nuts.

“My diet is pretty simple, but it’s extremely healthy,” says Buhring.

Buhring isn’t one for cooking in bulk or preparing a week’s worth of meals at once. She goes to the grocery store once a week but cooks nearly every day. She also avoids recipes, preferring to spontaneously decide what she’ll cook that day and almost always chooses to make her own meals, regardless of any time crunch. “If you can make it yourself, it’s always better than buying it already made, because you don’t know what kind of shit they put in it otherwise,” says Buhring. She also believes you have to find healthy food that’s enjoyable for you to eat. If you hate what you’re eating, you won’t stick with it for very long. “You have to find the balance between what’s healthy, but also what’s enjoyable; otherwise you’re going to hate your life after a certain point.”

Favorite Meal Prep–Friendly Recipe: Caprese Salad with Avocado Slices

Ingredients

3 tomatoes
1 8-ounce container mini mozzarella balls
Olive oil
1 avocado
Thyme and oregano to taste

Directions: Slice tomatoes and mozzarella and combine in a large bowl. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. Next, slice avocado and add to the bowl. Add more olive oil if desired and season with spices like thyme or oregano.

Laurenne Ross and Tommy Ford

Olympic Skiers

Although these two take great care to prepare healthy and wholesome meals, they don’t spend hours in the kitchen. After intense five- to six-hour training days, they find that stir-frying some vegetables and meat, blending a simple sauce, and pouring it all over a bed of grains is quick, easy, and nutritious.

Above all, Ross and Ford are adamant about using fresh, high-quality ingredients. To that end, they’ve learned to love the grocery store and farmer’s market, going up to three times a week. They cook daily breakfasts like gluten-free pancakes; oats with nuts, seeds, cashew butter, and goat’s milk yogurt; or eggs with sweet potato, kale, and bacon. They prep the sides, sauces, and bases for lunches and dinner ahead of time.

Ross and Ford often throw sweet potatoes, beets, or other veggies in the oven while cooking dinner so they’re ready to eat the next day. They’ll make extra rice to keep a full Tupperware. “When I make sauces, I like to make a pretty big batch and have them in the fridge for the week so we can spice up any meal while still keeping it it simple to make,” says Ross.

Favorite Meal Prep–Friendly Recipe: Black Rice Protein Bowl

Ingredients

1 to 2 cups black rice (makes enough for a week)
1 small red onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
1 to 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
1 sweet potato (The darker orange the better—more nutrient rich.)
1 orange bell pepper or 1/4 cup chopped peppers
1/2 cup broccolini heads and stalks, chopped
1/2 cup eggplant, cubed
1 cup kale, cut into small strips
Protein of your choice (Ross and Ford recommend chicken or fish.)
Black pepper to taste
1 egg per meal
Avocado oil to taste
1 cup arugula per meal
1/2 avocado, sliced

Directions: Cook the black rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, sauté the onion and garlic in one tablespoon of Ghee over medium heat; add ginger, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Once onion is translucent, add the sweet potato and sauté for a few minutes while covered. Add pepper, broccolini, eggplant, and kale one at a time and cook until they’re soft but not soggy. Add ghee as needed. When veggies are mostly cooked, add your choice of protein and cook until done. (Cook protein separately if you’re planning to save the excess veggies for later.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Fry egg (or two) over easy in ghee or avocado oil. On a plate or in a bowl, pile arugula, black rice, protein, vegetables, and fried egg. Add avocado slices or olive oil if desired.

Tim Olson

Ultrarunner

“The way we eat is one of the biggest factors in my training and racing,” says Olson. “I use organic food to fuel my body for running, racing, working, and playing with kids. I try to put quality fuel in my body. That said, I like a good snack like anyone, so we’ll have some coconut ice cream and gluten-free beer on hand as well.”

The Olson family cooks most of their own meals and prepares food every day. While he tries to stock up on necessary items at the store once a week, Olson and his wife both enjoy cooking often, so they usually end up making an additional trip.

They make big batches of snacks like kale chips, always have smoothie ingredients available like berries and kale, and often bake grain-free, sugar-free muffins with hazelnut flour. They’ll almost always make extras of their meals to have leftovers for the next day.

“Just the other day, we had friends over for dinner. We made grain-free/dairy-free eggplant lasagna. We slice up eggplant, whip up some cashew cheese, and make a tomato sauce with grass-fed beef. We made extra so we had plenty for the week,” says Olson.

Although Olson loves making his own food, he also recognizes that he sometimes needs a little help. That’s where (RAD), a meal delivery service that brings organic and local food to athletes’ homes, comes into play. Contents of the RAD box vary by season and depend on what local farmers have available each week, but everything inside is already prepared. The Olsons’ box typically contains fish (salmon, trout) and meat (bison, chicken, turkey), and because Tim is open to experimenting with food, the owners of RAD sometimes include beef tongue or oxtail in his box. Favorites include turkey meatballs made with chickpea flour and chia pudding with berries.

Favorite Meal Prep–Friendly Recipe: Avocado Vinaigrette over Brussel Sprout Slaw (Recipe courtesy of Kelly Newlon, )

Avocado Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon mustard (Dijon or whole grain)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
Pinch of cracked black pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 avocado
1/2 cup fresh herbs. (The Olsons use a combination of parsley and basil.)

Directions:��Add all ingredients��to a blender and mix on high to a smooth consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Brussels Sprout��Slaw

1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 medium carrots
1 red bell pepper
1/2 red cabbage
2/3 cup lightly packed fresh herbs, like parsley and basil

Directions: Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, carrots, pepper, and cabbage. Using the shredder blade on a food processor, run each vegetable through one at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the processor. Empty into a large bowl. Rough chop the herbs and add to the bowl. Add one cup of the avocado vinaigrette and mix gently yet thoroughly. Add more dressing if desired. Either store in fridge or dress just before serving. Add the protein of your choice.

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The Best Stroopwafels, According to Us

oharlow — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Transform a delicious European dessert into performance fuel? Sounds like a great idea to us, and evidently a bunch of energy food companies agree.

Everyone from to to to has their own take on the traditional stroopwafel, giving the classic treat a fitness twist by adding an energy syrup—filled with fast-acting carbs, amino acids, and electrolytes—between the two waffle wafers. They’re delicious, under 200 calories, and have only about ten grams of sugar apiece. For a quick hit of energy, you can eat them 20 to 30 minutes before starting your workout. But their easy-to-process sugars mean the waffles also function like energy gels, so you can eat them midrace, too.

We sampled four brands (about three flavors each) to determine which waffles reign supreme. Here are the eight winners, ranked from good to great.

#8. Rip van Wafels Dark Chocolate Sea Salt

(Courtesy of Rip Van Wafels)

People loved the chewiness of and its brownie-like taste—just enough sweetness to give you an energy burst without being so rich as to leave you lethargic. The only quibble: Some tasters would have liked a little extra sea salt to combat the sweet.

What to LOVE: “Yum. Not overwhelming or too sweet.” —Amy Silverman, photography editor

What to Watch For: “Soft texture, but more generally sweet than sea salty.” —Chris Thompson, visual producer

#7. UnTapped Maple

(Courtesy of UnTapped)

This waffle, with its��authentic and , was a hit. Made from pure, single-ingredient, organic maple syrup, it’s the waffle��to bring��on your next hike or camping trip if you like the taste of pancakes drizzled in maple syrup.

What to LOVE: “I love maple. This is subtle but tasty. Of course, I’ll always want more.” —Erin Ladd, marketing manager

What to Watch For: “Not a huge fan of the crumbly texture, but the flavor is nice.” —Wes Judd, assistant editor

#6. Rip van Wafels Honey & Oats

(Courtesy of Rip Van Wafels)

One of our top picks, , described as a “classic waffle” by ��ԹϺ�� staffers, kept us coming back for seconds thanks to the perfectly balanced sweetness of honey with nutty oats. We suggest bringing these on your next big run or ride to satiate your sweet tooth without going overboard.

What to LOVE: “This is definitely for those with a sweet tooth, which is perfect for me. Oh yes, bring on the honey.” —Olivia Harlow, editorial producer

What to Watch For: “Good texture, but strong honey taste.” —Trish Hug, production services account manager

#5. Honey Stinger Organic Gingersnap Waffle

(Courtesy of Honey Stinger)

Perfect for those wanting a zippier flavor with a little bit of spice rather than something strictly sweet. Our only complaint? More ginger, please!

What to LOVE: “This tastes like Christmas.” —Erin Ladd, marketing manager

What to Watch For: “Just enough ginger to leave you wanting more ginger.” —Aleta Burchyski, copy editor

#4. UnTapped Raspberry

(Courtesy of UnTapped)

Reminiscent of some of our favorite childhood snacks, most of us will take along for adventures that conjure our earliest outdoor memories. The raspberry gives the right dose of sugar, but the waffle itself feels hearty enough to balance it out.

What to LOVE “This tastes exactly like a raspberry Nutri-Grain bar.” —Olivia Harlow, editorial producer

What to Watch For: “Tastes fake, more like a Pop-Tart.” —Amy Silverman, photography editor

#3. GU Energy Caramel Coffee Stroopwafel

(Courtesy of GU)

Although had a harder texture than others, the caramel and coffee flavors helped make up for it. It contains a balanced mix of amino acids to combat fatigue and electrolytes to replenish the ones we lose when we sweat. This waffle also contains 20 milligrams of caffeine.

What to LOVE: “All the goodness of coffee, but with a not-too-sweet hit of caramel.” —Erin Ladd, marketing manager

What to Watch For: “Hard and chewy. Not fun to eat.” —Wes Judd, assistant editor

#2. Honey Stinger Organic Strawberry Waffle

(Courtesy of Honey Stinger)

Honey and strawberry create a harmony of fruity and sweet flavors��while boosting the healthy carbohydrate levels for energy when you need it most.

What to LOVE: ”Strawberry Shortcake would approve.” —Aleta Burchyski, copy editor

What to Watch For: “A little sweet, but definitely one I’ll keep around.” —Colette Harris, editorial fellow

#1. Honey Stinger Gluten-Free Chocolate Mint Waffle

(Courtesy of Honey Stinger)

Turn to this flavor to change up straight sweetness and get a refreshing hint of mint. This waffle is also gluten-free, yet you wouldn’t know it from the texture.

What to LOVE: “Pleasant. Tastes like eating an ice cream cone once you’re done with the ice cream.” —Chris Thompson, visual producer

What to Watch For: “More cocoa than chocolate, but I dig it.” —Aleta Burchyski, copy editor

The post The Best Stroopwafels, According to Us appeared first on ��ԹϺ�� Online.

How to Make a Great Camp Meal

oharlow — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Nikki Fotheringham, editor of and author of , wants to help campers make flavorful foods easily, many miles into the backcountry. Here’s what she suggests.

#1. Divide Your Fire

To get a fire going quickly, Fotheringham suggests using birch bark, because it’s coated in a highly flammable oil. Toss the newspaper used for wrapping ingredients into the fire alongside the birch bark to strengthen it.

Fotheringham suggests dividing the fire pit into two sections. Designate one side only for cooking. This allows you to regulate the fire’s temperature and ensures you won’t run out of coals before your food is fully cooked. The fire won’t lose its heat��because you can scrape more coals to the cooking side if necessary, and it won’t get too hot��because you can easily push excess coals away from the food.

#2. Create Your Menu

Whole foods like meat and vegetables won’t spoil if you know how to plan your meals and properly store your food. “You can eat as well as or better than at home,” says Fotheringham of cooking while camping. With planning and the right ingredients, backcountry adventurers can make their own bread, pizza, and much more.

Plan your meals. At a minimum, plan what you’ll cook every night for dinner. If you can plan two to three meals a day, that’s even better. “Plan dinners so you have leftovers for lunch,” says Fotheringham. “You may not always be able to stop for that meal.”
Properly store your food. “Cheese can last for three days if you freeze it first,” says Fotheringham. Wrap frozen cheese and meat separately in newspaper, pack it in the middle of your pack surrounded by clothing, and keep it out of sunlight for maximum refrigeration. Chicken keeps for two days, and most other meats last for three. Be strategic with your fruit and vegetable purchases as well. “Pack green tomatoes so by the time you eat them they’ll be ripe,” says Fotheringham.
Individually bag dry ingredients. Fotheringham puts ingredients like pancake mix and powdered milk for pancakes or flour and salt for pizza dough into individual Ziplocs for every meal. This helps campers keep track of how many meals they brought and makes it easy to organize ingredients when it’s time to prepare a meal.
Pack versatile foods. Pack fruits and vegetables that double as snacks and dinner ingredients. Eat carrots plain, or use them for coleslaw or in a stew. Use potatoes in potato salad; roast them in foil; or clean, fry, and add salt to the skins for a satisfying snack. Don’t forget your fruit. “Nothing is more efficient than eating an apple or orange while on the move,” says Fotheringham.

The One Recipe You Need: Camp Bread

Campfire Bannock

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oil
1 cup water

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and enough water to form a firm dough that doesn’t stick to the hands. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Divide into six portions, and flatten each with your palm to form disks. Select a long, thin stick and clean off the end with a knife. Form the dough around the stick.

Scrape some of the coals from the fire onto the edge of your fire pit. Hold the stick over the coals, turning frequently until your bannock is brown and cooked through.

You can also fry the dough in lard, bacon fat, or oil in a pan and sprinkle with sugar as a treat.

(Courtesy of Nikki Fotheringham/Green Moxie)

The post How to Make a Great Camp Meal appeared first on ��ԹϺ�� Online.

How to Stay Warm

oharlow — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Don’t rely on your fancy tent and minus-15-degree sleeping bag to keep you warm in the backcountry. Sure, those things help, but your comfort, possibly even your survival, comes down to the basics: the clothes on your body. Sounds simple, and it is, if you know the general principle behind layering. We spoke with professional ski mountaineer about her apparel system, gear hacks, and love affair with wool.

#1. Dress for Head-to-Toe Warmth

It’s better to have layers you can remove rather than thick single pieces you can’t. Start with a solid base layer for your legs and upper body, then add different jackets, midlayers, pants, and cold-weather accessories from there. Remember your toes and head: These extremities can be responsible for lots of heat loss, which will make the rest of your body frigid, too.

#2. Warm Your Lower Body

O’Neill suggests full-length tights for your legs. This base layer should be made of a wool-synthetic blend, which combines the warmth and anti-stink properties of wool with the durability and wicking of synthetic. On top of that, use a Gore-Tex or windproof touring pant, depending on the conditions. If it’s wet and cold, go with the Gore, which has top-notch waterproofing capabilities. Use a simple wind pant if conditions are warm and dry. If it’s really cold, sandwich a pair of puffy pants with wool or synthetic fill between the two.

#3. …And Your Upper Body

O’Neill covers her torso and arms with two wool shirts—a crewneck under a quarter-zip top. Make sure whatever you pick feels good against your skin so it can double as pajamas. “Taking off your base layer is the quickest way to get cold,” says O’Neill.

She layers a lightweight, windproof zip-up hoodie over those base layers, followed by a mini puffy filled with either down or synthetic fill. Go for down if you’re in a cold, dry climate and synthetic, which dries much faster, if you’re camping in the wet.

On top of it all, O’Neill wears a Gore-Tex shell. If it’s super frigid, she caps it all off with an oversized, hooded down jacket.

#4. Remember Your Hands and Feet

To keep hands warm, pack several types of gloves with varying thickness, including thin liners; thicker, dexterous ski gloves; and heavy down mittens.

Bring along plenty of wool socks, too. O’Neill tucks a thick pair into her sleeping bag so she always has something dry for bed. Bring at least two more pairs than you think you’ll need, and store them separately and in dry places, just in case.

Durable shoes are also a must. “I carry down booties,” says O’Neill. Compressible down booties with a hard sole that cinch at the top keep snow out and feet warm.

#5. …And Your Head

Avoid the pom-pom, says O’Neill—it can catch on tent zippers. Instead, bring a simple fleece-lined cap that covers your ears and fits under your jacket hood.

Other Tricks for Beating the Cold

Fill half-liter water bottles with warm water. On every trip, O’Neill brings at least one half-liter bottle to fill with hot water and put in the pockets of her down coat or the foot of her sleeping bag.
Speaking of sleeping bags… Buy the right one. If you’re camping in winter, you’ll want one rated to below the temperatures you think you’ll encounter. Here are some of our favorites, rated down to zero degrees.
Bring hand and foot warmers. O’Neill packs these into her first-aid kit, but for emergency purposes only. “Don’t count on them,” says O’Neill. Bring them just in case.
Dry your socks in your sleeping bag. Wool dries fast when paired with body heat. If your socks get soaked during the day, tuck them into the foot of your sleeping bag at night. They’ll be dry by morning.

The post How to Stay Warm appeared first on ��ԹϺ�� Online.

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