Blue Cheese, Cherry and Pistachio Spread | Low Carb, Keto

Blue Cheese, Cherry and Pistachio Spread is a creamy, dreamy addition to your holiday menu – or even simple snack for every day. Blue Cheese Cherry Pistachio Spread - low carb and keto friendly

As we close out these last few months of the year in high gear, it’s always nice to have a 5-minute holiday appetizer in your back pocket  – and this spread (or dip) is a festive, flavorful and fast winner! Even with a bit of dried fruit, this low-carb recipe can work as a treat for those on the keto diet. Read on to get this keto-friendly and low carb appetizer recipe. Continue reading

Salty Tart Cherry Shooter (with Collagen and L-Carnitine) for Pre & Post Run

When I head out the door for a hot and humid run, I don’t want a lot of water sloshing around in my stomach or creating a pit stop (that’s why I drink most of my water as soon as I wake up and an hour or so before heading out the door). However, I do need a little refreshing pick-me up before hitting the trail, track or pavement, and my Salty Tart Cherry Shooter (with Collagen and L-Carnitine) for Pre & Post Run is a great solution.Salty Tart Cherry Shooter

This 3-ounce drink tastes great and will keep you from feeling bloated with liquids – plus the ingredients are concentrated to provide a boot of nutrients to help optimize your running performance and recovery. Read on to get all the details and easy recipe: Continue reading

Beef and Blue Cheese Monte Cristo with Cherries

Sunday is National Monte Cristo Day (9/17), proving once again that we Americans love to celebrate all things food. The yummy dish reminds me of a collision between French toast and a lunch box ham sandwich – the traditional version, a favorite during my childhood, is made with ham and cheese book-ended between white bread, dipped in an egg mixture and then pan fried or even deep fried (gasp) with raspberry preserves and powdered sugar to garnish! Crazy yum!

Beef Blue Cheese Cherry Monte Cristo

Of course, I’m anything but traditional so today I’m sharing my even more brazen version of this classic sammie – a Beef Blue Cheese Monte Cristo with Cherries! Read on to get all the juicy details and recipe. Continue reading

Memorial Day Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie

This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk.

This Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float only has 250 calories and serves up 22 grams of protein and 87% of your daily requirement for calcium! The sun is out for summer and my blender is back in action making smoothies nearly every day for a quick breakfast, healthy dessert or post-workout refueling. I have so made so many crazy, creative smoothies in my day along with all the tried-and-true classics,  I’m sure my family sometimes wonders if I can come up with a new flavor combo. But, fear not my friends of blended beverages, I can!  Today I’m serving up a Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie, so line up at the counter in an orderly fashion please.

Make this healthy Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float with Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Flavor for just the right amount of natural sweetness.

I know that a Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie sounds sort of decadent, but this one is super healthy. It’s made with Almond Breeze Almondmilk  (Hint of Honey Vanilla flavor), frozen dark cherries, ice, root beer extract and protein powder.  The whole, huge serving has just 250 calories, 22 grams of protein, 87% daily value for calcium and loads of vitamins and minerals – especially vitamins D and E from the almondmilk and vitamin C from the cherries.

Use Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Almondmilk in your cereal as part of a balanced breakfast.

Use Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Almondmilk in your cereal.

Hint of Honey Vanilla Amondmilk from Almond Breeze is the perfect creamy foundation for any smoothie creation – it’s also ideal for drinking cold right in a glass or pairing up with your favorite cereal, oats or granola.  Made from real almonds and sweetened with honey, this alternative to diary milk contains medium chain fatty acids; is lactose, soy and gluten-free; is an excellent source of calcium; and works with vegan and kosher diets. I also love how it has no added processed sugar and only 60 calories per one-cup serving.  Another great thing – Hint of Honey Vanilla Amondmilk from Almond Breeze is available in a 32-ounce, shelf-stable version which means that I can keep my pantry stocked for impromptu smoothie making or take along for travel without worry of refridgeration.  Of course, you can also get the original in the dairy section.

Memorial Day collage thefitfork.com

What is your favorite smoothie combo? Are you remembering someone special this Memorial Day? Please share in the comments – xoxo Jennifer 

Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Slurp right into summer with my healthy, yummy smoothie made with almond milk, cherries, protein power and root beer extract. So refreshing for Memorial Day, Fourth of July or any hot summer day!
Course: Dessert, Smoothies
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 person
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces Almond Milk use Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Vanilla Almondmilk
  • 1 scoop protein powder appox. 1/3 cup favorite brand
  • 1/2 cup frozen cherries
  • 1/2 teaspoons root beer extract I used Zaterain's
  • ice as needed
  • fresh cherries optional garnish
Instructions
  1. Add almondmilk, protein powder, frozen cherries, root beer extract and ice to blender, process until smooth. Pulse in ice until desired consistency is achieved. Garnish with fresh cherry if desired.

Cherry Crisp Smoothie Recipe & Achieved a Goal!

jennifer thefitfork cherry crisp smoothie

I cannot tell a lie, I just love cherries in every form and fashion, including straight-from-the-tree fresh to nestled collectively under a layer of pie lattice and vanilla ice cream. Cherries are a super fruit and studies are suggesting that tart cherries have anti-inflammatory properties, can reduce pain from chronic conditions and even help ease muscle and joint aches after exercise. Tart cherries rank 14 in the top 50 foods for highest antioxidant content per serving size – this is more than other popular powerhouses such as red wine and chocolate. Check out Choose Cherries for lots of great information about the health benefits of cherries

A busy-morning breakfast is anything but the pits when you’ve got the ingredients to make my Cherry Crisp Smoothie. I like to buy a big bag of frozen cherries at Costco so I’ll always have my beloved berries ready – throw in some ground oats and a vanilla protein drink (check out Core Power) and this protein smoothie will be ready in a minute or less.

cherry crisp smoothie thefitfork sq small

Cherry Crisp Smoothie Recipe

  • 2 tablespoons rolled oats
  • 10 ounces vanilla protein shake (like Core Power)
  • 2 ounces cherry juice
  • 15 pitted, frozen cherries
  • 1 drop vanilla liquid Stevia
  • Ice, as needed

Place oats in a blender and pulse until ground into a powder. Add protein shake, cherry juice, frozen cherries, Stevia and a few ice cubes. Blend until smooth, adding more ice until desired consistency is achieved. Serves 1.

oh-cherry-almond-crisp-lThis smoothie is very satisfying and packed with protein, but if you are looking for the real deal dessert, Cooking Light has a delicious recipe for Cherry Almond Crisp. What I love about making “crisps” is that you don’t have to worry about a fussy, fat-laden pie crust – just a sprinkling of grains and ground nuts on top of fruit works wonders! Plus, a little dollop of ice cream or Greek yogurt adds the perfect balance.

 

So, all this talk about cherries has me thinking about “the cherry on top” of my workout week. And, that would be making some documented progress on my Muscle Up skill in CrossFit. For at least a year and a half (off and on), I’ve been working on this most-elusive move and finally, finally made it up to the top of the bar (3x). What I lack in grace, I make up for in grit; I was NOT going home until I hustled my way up there. Still lots of practice needed though!

Do you have a fitness-related goal that has been a long time in the making – like a goal 5k time or getting a pull up? You can do it, just keep after it – and let me know what that goal is in the comments below so I can be your cheerleader!