Eggs-celent! Cotija Corn and Avocado Egg Salad

Posted on April 18, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Traditional egg salad can be a bit boring, but I’ve added a fiesta of flavor to one of my new recipes for the Lighthouse Foods blog. It’s Cotija, Corn and Avocado Egg Salad – and yes, it’s amazing as it sounds! Mexican crumbling cheese, corn, tomatoes, diced avocado and other fresh and healthy ingredients are added to coarsely chopped eggs. Instead of old-school mayo, the recipe is lightly dressed with Creamy Cotija Cilantro Dressing – it’s one of my favorites and also insanely good on fish tacos.

This nutritious egg recipe is perfect served solo, atop a salad or between a couple slices of your favorite bread.

It’s also so good in tomatoes, oh you know how I like to scoop out vine-ripe tomatoes and fill them with yummy things – Guacamole and Bacon Stuffed Campari Tomatoes are coming to mind!

Quick and easy egg recipe is one way I’ve been sticking the 30-day Protein Challenge at BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com — the goal is to aim for 30 grams of protein optimally timed between three meals. You can look forward to less hunger and mindless snacking to help you get that leaner body! It’s not too late to sign up for free and get all the tools you need to succeed, plus daily tips to keep you on track. Come back next week and I’ll share my upcoming beef kebob recipe with you!

Taking the shells off eggs can be a frustrating and tedious job. Here’s an egg-peeling tip you don’t want to miss:

TheFitFork.com refueling after the Capitol 10k race.

Refueling with beef and eggs after the Capitol 10k Race — I came in 1st Age Group and 3rd Masters.

How much protein are you eating per day? What are your favorite sources? Please share in the comments below:

Eggs-celent! Cotija Corn and Avocado Egg Salad + Egg Peeling Tip #CLBogger #ProteinChallenge

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Bold and Sweet Almonds + Trail Run Tabata

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond

Almonds are little powerhouses of nutrition and one of my favorite snacks on the go. I love to use them in recipes (like for granola) too! A handful of these crunchable, munchable nuts are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and heart healthy fats. Almonds are one of the most abundant sources of protein, fiber, calcium, niacin and vitamin E when it comes to tree nuts. So, you’re nuts if you don’t eat this nut!

If you’re wondering what a handful serving is, it’s an ounce or about 23 nuts. This ounce of almonds has 163 calories, 6 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat – but, don’t worry about the fat. The fat found in almonds is monounsaturated fat, the kind that is beneficial for your body – like olive oil. This kind of fat has been linked to reductions in cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and a myriad of other problems.

A recent study from Spain suggests that eating almonds and other nuts can keep you from gaining weight. After 28 months of a diet with or without nuts, the test group who ate nuts at least two times per week was 31 percent less likely to put on pounds than the group who never or rarely ate nuts. One reason may be that the fats and protein in almonds and other nuts curb hunger longer that other food choices, leading to less mindless snacking throughout the day.

While I never tire of almonds, sometimes it’s always fun to add a little extra flavor. But sweet or savory flavor, that’s hard to decide! Blue Diamond Almonds has so many varieties of roasted almonds dusted with flavor – Honey Dijon and Honey Cinnamon are two of my newest favorites. One flavor is bold and the other is sweet as honey – sorta like me!

The six-ounce cans are perfect for popping open when friends drop by – or for dropping in your purse for nearly a week’s worth of snacking. That’s one thing I love about almonds is that you can keep them on-hand for refueling in a gym bag, purse, desk drawer or glove box without worry of spoilage. Take almonds on vacation! Another place I like to carry along my Blue Diamond Almonds is on a hike or trail run – perfect for nipping “hangries” in the bud!

Speaking of trail running, I have a fun/tough workout that combines running with a series of Tabatas. Have fun and don’t forget to eat your almonds!

Trail Run, Tabata and Refuel Post Workout with @BlueDiamond Almonds #Ad

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Tell me your thoughts about almonds, trail running and Tabata training in the comments below.

Immunity Boosting Yoga Poses and Vitamins #AirborneHealth

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Airborne®. I have been compensated with free product but the opinions are mine.

You may already be familiar with Airborne®, it’s the brain child of an inventive teacher who was looking for a way to support her immune system. She worked in collaboration with nutrition experts and herbalists to develop an immune system supplement that has become very popular with all types of people in all types of situations.

Well, I was super excited to find out that Airborne recently launched a new product called Airborne® Everyday Immune Support Plus Multivitamin , a new product that is designed to provide immune support 365 days a year. This Multi Vitamin gives you everything you’d expect in a quality, comprehensive multi-vitamin plus the perks of our Airborne proprietary blend of immune support. These vitamin supplements come in three forms – chewable, easy-to-swallow pills and delicious gummies. I’m a fan of the assorted fruit-flavored gummies – who doesn’t want to take a tasty gummy in the name of health?! I’m giving away three bottles of the gummy variety – just enter at the bottom of the post.

As an athlete and busy mom, I’m always looking for a way to support my immune system. A poor diet, lack of sleep, stress and even over-training are just some of the strains on your immune system. Training too little isn’t great for performance nor is training too much – I always found the latter ironic! But it’s a good reason to slow down and take care of yourself! One way I take care of myself is by taking Airborne® Everyday Immune Support Plus Multivitamins – I get all the daily vitamins I need to supplement my diet along with a little immune system support.

I also think yoga is a great way to relieve stress and thus boost immunity – many of the poses open up the heart and stimulate other organs in a way that can benefit your immune system. Here is a routine of 6 yoga poses you can do to relax and improve your immunity and overall health in the process. Now, I’m not an expert yogi by any means, just a runner and busy mom who likes to use yoga as a resource in her tool kit for healthy living – so if you see a tight-looking hamstrings or a stiff back, I’m still a work in progress! And, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact your doctor or a fitness professional before starting a new workout routine.

Half Wheel Pose – Push hips up as far as possible.
Headstand –Both tripod or forearm balance works. Hold for no more than 10 breaths.
Headstand Modification – Try this variation if you are still learning the headstand.
Camel – Use yoga blocks if too difficult to reach hands to floor or heels.
Plow – Roll back as far as possible. If toes won’t touch floor, rest them on block or chair.
Child – Relax! I like to turn head to each side for several breaths.

To enter giveaway for three bottles of Airborne® Everyday Immune Support Plus Multivitamins, please use the rafflecopter app below:

How do you relieve stress and stay well during your busiest days of the week?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Zest Up Your Fiesta – Guacamole & Drinks for Spring Parties

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by ConAgra RO*TEL.

It’s spring and my family has a lot of things to celebrate in the next couple months. Two of the landmark events we’ll be hosting shindigs for are my Dad’s 70^th birthday and my oldest son graduating from high school! And, of course, there’s Cinco de Mayo sandwiched right between and we like to do that up big in Texas.

Brisket tacos are perfectly paired with RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac and a Bud Light Lime-A-Rita!

I need RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac and a Bud Light Lime-A-Rita to go with this taco!

I’m pretty low-key when it comes to entertaining, it’s a safe bet that I’ll be serving up burgers, brisket or tacos in my backyard. I have three super-hungry, carnivorous teen boys, for goodness sake! These casual meals always please crowds, are easy to scale up for a super-sized party, and can be mostly pre-prepped so I’m not stuck in the kitchen cooking while all the guests are having a good time. Nothing pairs better with any of these dishes than a creamy bowl of avocado goodness — hurray for guacamole!

I found this delicious recipe for RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac that will turn up the volume on your taste buds! The blend of tomatoes and green chilies in RO*TEL add a zesty (but not too spicy) twang to the dip that is to die for. It’s so simple to make you can delegate the job to your kids — you may want to chop the onion first, but they’ll love smashing the avocado. Serve this guacamole as a condiment or topping for the entrée or, better yet, as an appetizer – set out a big basket of tortilla chips and a bowl of RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac for a pleasing prelude to dinner.

Try mini bowls of RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac so guests can walk around and mingle – this way people won’t have to elbow their way in for a chip dunk or (eek) double dip into the community bowl! For easy clean up, you can even use those little plastic condiment cups. In addition to tortilla chips, I like to set out crunchy, fresh vegetables to dip into guacamole. I can’t help it, I’m a vegetable nerd.

Now, you can’t have guacamole without some sort of cool refreshing drink. I’ll serve up my watermelon ginger limeade or virgin mojito mint tea for the kids and the over 21-year-old grown-ups get Bud Light Lime-A-Ritas all the way around! I love these refreshing adult beverages, they totally remind me of a margarita yet aren’t quite as potent, which is a good thing for lightweight little me. Bud Light Lime-A-Ritas come conveniently in a can, meaning no breakable barware outside when things start to get wild– just throw these citrusy sippers into a tub full of ice as they await their ultimate fate. I’m ready to pop the top on one right now and get the party started!

Fiesta Time! Fast avocado fix with @RO_TEL Rockin’ Guac #ZestyInADash #Ad

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Zest up your fiesta with RO*TEL’s Rockin Guac and Bud Light’s Lime-A-Rita.

Bud Light Lime-A-Rita® is a registered trademark of Anheuser-Busch.

East-West Shishito Pepper and Mushroom Saute

Posted on April 11, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Food science nerd alert – I’m talking about umami again. You know, our fifth taste receptor, the newfound “delicious essense” those Japanese waxed so poetically about in the 20^th century. It’s all about the high concentrations of glutamates and nucleotides found in certain foods and how combing these foods creates a meaty, savory crave factor that is just really hard to describe in words. In fact, research has shown that pairing up glutamate and nucleotide rich ingredients magnifies their joint umami effect up to 8 times as much. I’ve found that using a few umami-rich ingredients in healthier recipes is an easy way to create an amazing and indulgent-seeming eating experience.

There was so much umami going on at the beef-centric Live Fire event I attended this week at with friends from BeefLovingTexans.com), I wish I could have taken all of you to this meat extravaganza at the famous Salt Lick in the Texas Hill Country. Did what I had to do as a food blogger and made all the rounds to taste meaty, marvelous dishes from chefs from all over Texas. It’s amazing how versatile beef is – not only are there a zillion cuts to choose from (I even tried tongue), beef can be served up to conjure up a fond memories. Over the night, I felt like I had been at grandma’s house getting a hug from comfort food ( with the pimento cheese grits with burnt ends brisket) to being on an exotic vacation (with the Thai NY strip satay with green mango salad).

Find out more about umami from this past blog post, no need to rehash it all here. I’ve also curated a handy collection of essential umami pantry staples for Mode.com, check that out too! Some of the first foods people mention when asked about umami are steaks, mushrooms, red wine, fermented sauces and aged cheeses. It’s true, all these are delicious pairing. However, did you know that as far as vegetables go, mushrooms don’t have a monopoly on umami. Lot of other veggies are high in umami, including sea vegetables (like kelp), mushrooms, corn, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, winter squash, green beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard and kale.

Check out my vegetable-packed recipe for East-West Shishito Pepper, Mushroom and Corn Saute. Almost all the ingredient are umami-rich and it tastes super “meaty” just on it’s own – but I’ve used as a topping for brisket tacos and steak, and it was pure heaven.

East-West Shishito Pepper and Mushroom Saute

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

15 mins

This easy saute of mild peppers, mushrooms, corn, and onions will rock your socks off with bold umami taste! Great as a vegetarian dish but also fantastic atop a steak or beef taco.

Course: Condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Southwestern

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups chopped shishimo peppers or other mild green pepper or other mild green pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 ears corn peeled and shucked
2 cups sliced baby bella mushrooms
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions

Heat olive oil in large skilled over medium-high heat.
Add peppers and onion and saute for 2 minutes, or until softening.
Add thawed corn and mushrooms to pepper mixture and continue to saute for another 3 minutes.
Add soy sauce and stir until vegetables coated, cook for about 30 more seconds.
Sprinkle with cilantro and serve as a side, on a salad, steak or taco.

Recipe Notes

This easy saute of mild peppers, mushrooms, corn, and onions will rock your socks off with bold umami taste! Great as a vegetarian dish but also fantastic atop a steak or beef taco.

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Author Archives: Jennifer FIsher

Eggs-celent! Cotija Corn and Avocado Egg Salad

Bold and Sweet Almonds + Trail Run Tabata

Immunity Boosting Yoga Poses and Vitamins #AirborneHealth

Zest Up Your Fiesta – Guacamole & Drinks for Spring Parties

East-West Shishito Pepper and Mushroom Saute