The Orlando Pride back line is in good hands with Ali Riley and Toni Pressley. Both defenders have had impressive careers that have taken them around the world, ultimately landing in Orlando where their friendship began.
Ali and Toni have thwarted many an attacking effort as part of Orlando’s back line, however the similarities between the two stretch beyond their soccer prowess. Upon Ali’s arrival in Orlando, they immediately recognized a shared passion for cooking and the creative outlet it provides. This passion begat Girls Gone Veg, their wildly entertaining vegan cooking show.
Toni has been a vegan since 2016 at which point she went cold turkey diving head-first into vegan food and recipes. Though admitting to a learning curve, she immediately noticed a positive impact.
“I was sleeping better, I leaned out a lot, I was less sore,” she reflected. “My muscles were better recovered and ready to take on the next day. I also feel overall lighter in general, even mentally.”
Ali was a little later to the game. She has experimented with everything from no sugar to paleo as she thought “how can I run faster, how can I be stronger, leaner, and more powerful.” After earning a health coaching certification, she strengthened her understanding of the “wellness properties” of food. And after meeting Toni, vegan food became a constant in her diet. She is now a self-proclaimed flexitarian, often eating vegan while still enjoying the occasional meat, fish, or egg, etc.
Launching Girls Gone Veg ‘made sense’
With so many excellent recipes between the two of them, Ali and Toni knew from the get-go that creating a cookbook together was inevitable. After a meeting with former NFL star Brandon Marshall (his I AM ATHLETE channel would become the platform for their cooking show), their aspirations evolved. It became clear that a cooking show would be a wise business move and an exciting new venture.
After meeting with Brandon and understanding his brand, there was little doubt that I AM ATHLETE would be the perfect place to launch Girls Gone Veg. The support and capital that came with the platform, as well as the male allies they’ve gained in the process have been invaluable.
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Girls Gone Veg extends well beyond a standard cooking show. There’s laughter, quality conversation, a few cocktails, some excellent dance moves, and at the end of it all, a delicious vegan meal you’ll want to try making at home. Ali and Toni manage to make eating vegan seem not just doable, but enjoyable.
I AM ATHLETE allows Ali and Toni to make the show their own, whether that means playing drums and singing or having meaningful conversations about social injustice. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t have to look far for special guests.
“We have a lot of friends and teammates who are so interesting, and we think they have great stories and important ideas to share with everyone,” Toni said. Beyond that, the I AM ATHLETE podcast and brand has also helped us to get some really cool guests.”
Ali and Toni are inspirations on the field, and many an aspiring young athlete looks up to them for their strength, grit, power, and pure talent. And though soccer continues to be the dominant force in their lives, these women are well-rounded, fascinating humans whose talents and intrigue stretch well beyond the soccer world.
Girls Gone Veg is the perfect opportunity for people to understand the complete person behind these athletes while being thoroughly entertained in the process. So mark your calendars!
Fridays at 12 pm EST, the episodes go live. Mix yourself a vegan cocktail, and settle in for an exciting mix of storytelling, cooking, and laughter-inducing fun.