Creative Recipes Using Leftover Hard Boiled Eggs

Every clean eater needs a quick quality protein source on those days when life’s craziness is out of control. For me, it’s hard boiled eggs to the rescue. Each egg offers 6g muscle-making, hanger-squashing protein and only take about 12 minutes to cook to perfection – and if I meal prep eggs earlier in the week, it’s just a lickity-split matter of grabbing a couple out of the fridge. 

Sometimes, if my meal intentions have changed over the course of the week (impromptu lunch invitations, traveling, post-Easter surplus, or just preference), I may have a few extra leftover hard-boiled eggs waiting to fulfill their destiny. Check out these Creative Recipes Using Leftover Hard Boiled Eggs: Continue reading

Garlic Basil Roasted Baby Artichokes


I know spring is on the way when I see baby artichokes at the market!  They are so adorable, and a bit more tender that more mature vegetables. Garlic Basil Roasted Baby Artichokes

I’m sharing an easy-peasy, spring breezy recipe for Garlic Basil Roasted Baby Artichokes that you can have on the table in under 20 minutes as a side dish or plant-powered appetizer. Read on for all the details. Continue reading

Beef Enchilada Instant Pot Meatballs

The only thing traditional about my meatballs and sauce is the meat – it’s beef.  While Italian spices are nice, southwestern spices like cumin are ground chipotle pepper are twice as nice. And, rather than slaving away all day in the kitchen with a slow-simmer, I’ve cut the cook time into a tiny fraction of old-school recipes thanks to the Instant Pot.  Check out my recipe for Beef Enchilada Instant Pot Meatballs because, yee-haw, it’s what’s for dinner in 30 minutes.Beef Enchilada Instant Pot Meatballs

You know you need this easy Instant Pot dinner recipe in your life, read on!  Continue reading

BBQ Shrimp Kebabs with Pineapple & Kumquats – Foodie Flag Flying for July 4th

July 4th festivities will be firing up through the week . . .and I bet your grill is too! It’s no coincidence that July is National Grilling Month considering 200 million Americans own a grill and 72% plan to put a gas or charcoal grill to use on Independence Day (HBPA data). Personally, I enjoy the freedom from cooking in the kitchen and, while it’s traditional to throw down some burgers, dogs or steaks on the grates, my recipe for Sticky-Sweet Shrimp, Pineapple & Kumquat Kebabs gives you the liberty to let your creative food flag fly.

Pineapple Kumquat BBQ Shrimp Kebabs are a quick and easy grilled dinner solution with loads of flavor!

kumquatsWhile I’ve skewered up shrimp, pineapple and kumquats, it’s your inalienable, edible right to use the proteins, fruit and veggies you like best on a kabob.  However, I highly recommend the kumquats, grilling makes them even more fabulous. However, in the USA, this fruit (that is like a mini orange with edible skin) is in season from November through July – so hurry up and grill some! If you can’t find kumquats, you can substitute orange wedges.

Nutritional and Health Benefits of Kumquats: 

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a serving of eight whole raw kumquats (including peel) has 108 calories. This same serving size is an excellent source of dietary fiber, providing 9.9 grams — more than 25% of the Daily Value for men, and nearly 40% for women. Kumquats are also a great course of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, riboflavin and even calcium (providing almost 10% of the adult daily needs).

Fiber

A diet high in dietary fiber is beneficial to the health of your heart and gastrointestinal tract. Eight raw kumquats provide 9.9 g of dietary fiber. The amount of fiber recommended daily by the Institute of Medicine is 25 g for women and 38 g for men. Dietary fiber also controls blood glucose and insulin concentrations and reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant and is necessary for the health of blood vessels, tendons, ligaments and bones. According to the USDA, eight raw kumquats have 66.7 mg of vitamin C. The National Institute of Health has set the daily recommended amount at 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. Adequate vitamin C is also necessary for proper wound healing.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes vision and is necessary for the health of teeth, skeletal tissue and skin. Eight raw kumquats have 441 IU of vitamin A. According to the Institute of Medicine, men need 3,000 IU of vitamin A daily and women need 2,333 IU. Vitamin A also functions as an antioxidant, protecting your body from free radical damage.

Riboflavin

Kumquats provide the B vitamin, riboflavin, which is a component of various enzymes involved in energy metabolism. Eight kumquats provide 0.137 mg of riboflavin. The daily amount of riboflavin recommended by the National Institute of Medicine is 1.1 mg for women and 1.3 mg for men.

Calcium

Calcium is essential for nerve transmission, muscle contraction and for formation of teeth and bones. The USDA National Nutrient Database shows that eight kumquats have 94 mg of calcium. The Institute of Medicine recommends adults consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily.

stubb's sticky sweet bbq sauce on shrimp kebabs

The little secret that pulls this super easy kabob recipe together is brushing on Stubb’s Sticky Sweet Bar-B-Q Sauce – seriously, why you make your own barbeque sauce when you can buy Stubb’s Legendary Bar-B-Q sauce (available in six different flavors) down at your local market?! The Sticky Sweet Bar-B-Q Sauce is my current infatuation of the moment – it’s got real southern flair, is rich and thick and loaded with brown sugar and gooey molasses.  Plus, I really appreciate how this product and the other sauces, marinades and rubs make it easy to add flavor to a meal while avoiding the fat, calories, or artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors or preservatives often found on the condiment aisle.

stubb's sticky sweet bbq sauce on shrimp kebabs

Looking for a side dish to serve with this tropical take on BBQ skewers? My recipe for Coconut Macadamia Fried Rice makes a pleasing pair-up – it’s been a frequently requested dinner on it’s own at my house.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Fried Rice

 

Cooler of Frozen Sizzlefish

As far as selecting your shrimp, you can grab a bag from the market, but I prefer to get mine from SizzleFish.com because I really trust their commitment to bringing me a responsibly sourced, perfectly-portioned seafood products with no additives or yucky stuff. additives – plus all their products are healthy, high-quality perfectly portioned and have an athlete’s lifestyle in mind! From these shrimp to Coho salmon to halibut and more, their products are vacuum-sealed in individual serving size packets, nestled in dry ice and shipped straight to my door for ultra convenience — I always have a lean protein on hand in the freeer to make a quick and easy dinner!

Get the recipe for Coconut Macadamia Nut Fried Rice here!

What are you grilling for the 4th of July weekend?  Have you ever had a kumquat? Do you like a spicy, sweet or vinegary BBQ sauce? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer    

BBQ Shrimp Kebabs with Pineapple & Kumquats
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
1 lb jumbo shrimp with tails on, peeled and deveined (approximately 24 shrimp) 2 cup fresh pineapple chunks 24 kumquats (or orange slices/ wedges with peel on) 1 cup Stubbs BBQ Sauce Sweet & Sticky flavor (divided equally into 2 bowls) Garnish, toasted unsweetened coconut
Course: Fruit, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Caribbean
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound jumbo shrimp,, peeled and deveined (approximately 24 shrimp) I use 4 individual packs of wild gulf shrimp from Sizzlefish.com
  • 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
  • 24 kumquats (or orange slices)
  • 1 cup Sweet BBQ Sauce (divided 1/2 cup & 1/2 cup) I used Stubb's Sticky Sweet Bar-B-Q Sauce
Instructions
  1. Use 8 metal skewers or soak 8 bamboo sticks in water for 10 minutes. .
  2. On each skewer, thread on 3 shrimp, 3 pineapple chunks and 3 kumquats in alternating pattern.
  3. Place skewers on grill heated to approximately 400 F degrees, cook for approximately 2 minutes, brush sides with bbq sauce and then grill for 1 additional minute.
  4. Flip skewers, brush with additional bbq sauce and cook for approximately 2 more minutes or until shrimp are pink and no longer translucent.
  5. Discard bbq sauce used for brushing on shrimp. Sprinkle kebobs with coconut and serve with rice and remaining ½ cup bbq sauce for dipping or drizzling.

5 Easiest Ever Almond Ideas for Holiday Party

Blue Diamond Almonds on treeTime to get serious about last minute holiday preparations; it’s the final countdown to Christmas! I still have some shopping and wrapping to do, cookie baking with the kids, and prepping for my contributions to the huge family feast on Christmas Eve — oh and the brunch I’m hosting on Christmas Day.

Enjoy family movie night with Pop Secret popcorn and this genius container hack for serving up the snack!In between all this, we’re squeezing in a Star Wars movie marathon of past prequels and sequels – even though we’ve seen these classic flicks numerous times, it’ll be good to be fresh for the new Star Wars – The Force Awakens.

So, we’ll need snacks – lots and lots of snacks, and preferably healthy things to nosh and nibble on that won’t make a mess in my media room! Almonds are one of my go-to choices for healthy appetizers and snacks – they punch a nice little pack of protein and are great source of other nutrients, especially iron, vitamins A and C, and dietary fiber. Another great thing about almonds (Blue Diamond Almonds are my favorite) is just how easy they are to incorporate into entertaining.  Today, I’m sharing five fun and easy ways to crunch and much on almonds this holiday season – and into the New Year, too!

  1. Simply eat almonds straight out of the can (or fancy serving bowl). I’ve never seen a soul walk past delicious almonds and not stop to pick up a few! A one-ounce serving (about 23 almonds) pairs perfectly win a light cocktail or glass of sparkling water.Almonds for Holiday Entertaining
  2. This idea is for the kids (of any age) – Almond Lover Gingerbread Men! To keep it easy, use store-bought cookies and simply melt a chocolate chip on one hand (or pipe a dot of frosting) and press down gently with an olive. Use a piping bag filled with frosting to decorate with a little edible bow!Almonds for Holiday EntertainingEasy Almond Lover Gingerbread Men
  3. This is one of my favorite snacks with almonds — Almond Chocolate Apricot Bites! Just layer up the three ingredients (melt the chocolate chip if you want to be fancy so that all the ingredients stick together) and, viola, a yummy 20-calorie treat in mere minutes.20 Calorie Apricot Almond Chocolate Bites
  4. Chocolate Almond Popcorn – could this be easier?! Air pop some kernels and then, while still warm, top with your favorite flavor of Blue Diamond Almonds and chocolate chips. Toss together so the chocolate slightly melts – it’s like being at the movie theater and dumping candy into your big tub, but healthier!Popcorn with Chocolate Chips and Almonds makes a healthy salty-sweet snack!
  5. Almond Lover Cookies are a favorite with my boys and only take a few minutes to whip up a batch and 12 minutes to bake – if short on time, double up a batch the week before and keep in the freezer!jennifer fisher- thefitfork- almond lover cookies

What are your stress-free ways to enjoy almonds, aside from straight out of the can?! Oh, and have you seen the new Star Wars movie yet — just a thumbs up or down, no spoilers! Let me know in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer 

This post was sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. However, all comments, ideas and enthusiasm are my own.