Author Archives: Jennifer FIsher

Edible Bowls! Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale in Tomatoes

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garbanzo bean and tomato salad

 

“The chickpea is neither a chick nor a pea. Discuss.”  Remember when Mike Myers chatted about this the “Coffee Talk” comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live?

The chickpea, also known as a garbanzo bean, is actually a legume that has been around for more than 7,500 years. A popular choice for man Mediterranean and Indian dishes, the little chickpea is packed with big nutrition – an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamin B6 for vegetarians. Vitamin b6 helps to stabilize blood sugar, metabolize foods and make antibodies to ward off disease.

garbanzo beans tomatoes

I came up with this lovely dish for Litehouse Foods and just knew I had to share it here  – it’s perfect for a lunch or light dinner. The cool and crisp salad is dressed with flavors favored along parts of Greece and Italy and packed into a tomato serving as an edible bowl. Did you know the healthy, long-living people of the Mediterranean region eat, on average, nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day? This chickpea salad will get you well on your way to meeting this daily goal.

chickpea salad in tomatoes

Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale Tomato Cups with Feta Dill Dressing

  •  1 ½ cups packed kale or baby kale leaves
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ red onion cut in chunks
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 medium cucumber chopped coarsely
  • 1 (15-oz) can rinsed and drained chickpeas
  • 2 large tomatoes (like Beefsteak variety)
  • ½ cup Litehouse Food’s OPA Feta Dill Greek Yogurt Dressing (plus additional for garnish)
  • 2 grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 2 ounces baby spring lettuce mix

Directions

  1. In work bowl of food processor, add kale, cilantro, onion chunks, lime juice and garlic. Pulse for approximately 1 minute or until ingredients are finely chopped like pesto. Set aside.
  2. In medium bowl, add chopped cucumber, rinsed chick peas and mixture from food processor. Add ½ cup dressing  and mix everything together until thoroughly coated.
  3. Cut large tomatoes in half crosswise and scoop out seeds and pulp with spoon (reserve for another purpose, if desired). Fill tomato cups with chickpea mixture and top with a dollop of dressing and grape tomato half. Serve on top of baby spring lettuce mix. Serves 4.

popsugar nature box hand heart

I have another yummy mention – POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by Nature Box. I received a box full of these nutritious nom-noms in the mail and have been enjoying mixing up my normal afternoon snacking. Being stuck inside working on the computer (and nursing my sprained ribs) is much more tolerable with five bags of healthy snacks like Blueberry Almond Bliss and Lemon Pucker Pistachios.

Check it out for yourself. For a limited time, the POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox will be 50% off!

MHNatureBox_550x550 popsugar

Disclosure: POPSUGAR and NatureBox provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own, and POPSUGAR and NatureBox did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Uno, Dos, Tres! Avocados Three Ways

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box of avocados thefitfork

I recently received a box full of bliss on my doorstep.  So what did the UPS man deliver? No, it wasn’t a new pair of sandals for spring or video game ordered by the boys – it was a case brimming with beautiful California Avocados.  Smooth, velvety goodness ready to nourish my body with healthy fats and essential vitamins and nutrients – now THAT is something worth coming home to! I could wax poetic about the health benefits of avocados all day; surely you remember how many avocados I was eating during my “fat-loading” phase for the last marathon!

avocado arrangement 700

So, each one my new beautiful avocados were perfectly shaped and without a dent, bruise or brown spot – plus, none of them had those awful stringy things on the inside. By the way, the stringiness found in some avocados near the stem end is a result of a younger tree vigorously putting out fruit. As the tree matures, it typically stops producing fruit with this stressed-out, overabundance of cellulose fibers. Unfortunately, you can’t tell from the outside of avocados which ones are strung out – haha!  And, while you CAN eat the stringy fibers, who wants to?

With peak California Avocado season in full swing now through fall (haller-lu-ya) and Cinco de Mayo just days away, what better way to start devouring my stash than with some south-of-the-border inspired avocado recipes.

avocado guacamole

Cilantro-Lime Guacamole Recipe

Simple, smooth and just so darn good that I have been known to eat the whole bowl at one sitting! A perfect dip for chips or healthier options like carrot, jicama, or zucchini sticks.

  • 1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • Garnish (optional) : chopped red onion

Using a fork or back of spoon, mash avocado until smooth with just a few small lumps remaining for texture. Add lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt; stir well to combine. Top with red onion, if desired. Serves 4.

Avocado Red Onion Pineapple salad

Avocado Pineapple Relish Recipe

I originally made this dish as an experimental side for smoked brisket and turkey; obviously I wasn’t in the mood for coleslaw and other normal barbeque sides. We gobbled it all up and then I made it again for fish tacos and tortilla chips!

  • 1 medium avocado; pitted, scored and flesh removed
  • 2/3 cup diced fresh pineapple
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon finely minced jalapeno
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Score avocado in shell as pictured below and remove or peel and dice. Mix all ingredients in non-reactive bowl and gently toss together. Serves 6.

avocado half

Scoring avocado is the easiest way to prep for salsa & relish recipes.

beef and vegetable stuffed avocados 

Baja Beef Avocado Bowls Recipe

Made last month as part of a “chopped” style competition at a nutrition event (and the winner, natch!), this vibrant and very easy dinner recipe uses the avocado shell and part of the flesh as a bowl – the scooped out remainder is made into guacamole and dolloped on top!  Get the full recipe for Baja Beef Avocado Bowls on my protein for performance post.

So what will I be doing with the rest of my avocados? Come back in a couple days to find out!

Avocados provided by the California Avocado Commission, but all recipes and opinions my own.

I love to live vicariously, please share your favorite way to eat avocados in the comments!

Strawberry Greek Yogurt Tart w/ Gluten-Free Crust

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Is there anything that a strawberry dessert doesn’t make better? Not only do these beautiful berries make both sweet and savory dishes sing with the flavors of the season, just the smell of them lifts my mood for the better. Plus, it has only 202 calories per slices (with 12g fat, 16g net carbs, and 7g protein).

Chocolate Yogurt Tart with Strawberries - TheFitFork.com

This recipe for Strawberry Chocolate Greek Yogurt Tart (with Gluten-Free Coconut-Almond Crust) is made in honor of my mom on a past Mother’s Day. Read on to get the recipe and find out why I picked strawberries over other berries — you’ll be surprised.   Continue reading →

Triple Berry Red Quinoa Salad Recipe & Beach Bod Workout

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Berry Grain Salad

Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, oh my! With the season turning warmer, berries are finally starting to have a delicious ripe flavor. Nothing worse than a middle-of-winter, unripe, white-bellied strawberry, am I right?! I’ve been known to put a berrry or two atop my salads so I came up with this beautiful Triple Berry Red Quinoa Salad to take advantage of a bounty of berries.I think you’ll love it as a light lunch or side dish; in fact, you could even make a heartier meal of this salad by adding some shrimp, fish or other lean protein. Actually, the recipe starts off with a pretty decent amount of protein thanks to the red quinoa. Quinoa is an ancient grain that is not only high in protein (14g per serving) but also a good source of dietary fiber (7g per serving), plus it is gluten-free and popular with vegetarians and vegans. Oh, and it’s easy to store, easy to cook and has a satisfying crunch.

Quinoa Berry Salad with Lime Viniagrette

Triple Berry Red Quinoa Salad Recipe

  • 1 cup red quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pint strawberries
  • ½ pint blueberries
  • ½ pint raspberries
  • ¼ cup minced red onion
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh jalapeno
  • ½ cup Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette*
  • 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  1. Add quinoa, water and salt in medium pot, bring to boil. Cover and let simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.
  2. Spread out cooked quinoa on baking sheet and set in refrigerator for 15 minutes for quick cooling.
  3. Meanwhile, wash, drain and dry berries. Chop strawberries and cut blackberries in half if they are large.
  4. In large bowl, add cooled quinoa, berries, red onion, jalapeno and dressing (*see note about dressing below); stir to combine.
  5. Serve sprinkled with feta cheese.
  6. Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.

*I love the convenience and taste of Litehouse Food’s Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette – it’s also a certified organic product and I’ve noticed that it’s one of the dressings (out of their dozens) that most stores stock.  If this is not available in your area – order online!  Or, make fresh by blending ½ cup fresh or frozen berries with ¼ cup champagne vinegar, ¼ cup fresh lime juice and 1 tablespoon honey. After this mixture is pureed, slowly blend in ¼ cup canola oil and continue blending until emulsified.

berry storage container

I love this “berry keeper” container / colander!

By the way, I got yet ANOTHER kitchen gadget when out shopping the other day, I just can’t help myself. This little “berry keeper” preserves the freshness of delicate raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and other small fruits (or veggies), meaning no more rotten waste. The inside stackable tray layers berries to keep them from bruising and also serves as a handy little colander.

rinse strawberries

Resealing lids attach to the top and bottom so that moisture can be drained from either end. The dial on front is an adjustable vent that regulates air coming in and out of the container and extends the edible life of produce – a guide tells whether it should be open or shut for each specific fruit.  Anyway, I highly recommend this kitchen gadget and I don’t ever expect it will be stashed in my junk drawer with the regrettable impulse buys.

 

Okay, my parting share for the day is a workout I created for Core Power Protein Shakes.  It’s an outdoor workout you can do at the beach or really anywhere. The beach is my all-time favorite place to be and I hope that when I grow up (or retire), I get to relocate to a tropical island!

beach workout

So, what is your favorite exercise to do on the beach (lifting a cold drink doesn’t count)?

 

 

Girls’ Night In – Trop50 Raspberry Acai Sipper with Coconut-Mint-sicles

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You’re invited over to work up a sweat to old-school aerobic DVDs and Girl s CrossFit WOD. After well, enjoy healthy refreshments including a delicious mocktail made with Trop50 Raspberry Acai!

Oh, it’s always good to get together with my girlfriends. However, we’re not the head-out-to-a-bar types or even really much of book club babes, but the one thing we have in common is that we all like to run, workout and reward ourselves with healthy refreshments!

denise austin

My idea of a fun “Girl’s Night In” is inviting my besties over for some fun, maybe putting in a retro workout DVD like a Denise Austin or Jane Fonda – oooh, break out the leotards and leg warmers. However, though my friends don’t care, hosting at my house might mean having to clean up and move the furniture around for our lunging, lifting, buns-of-steel fun. So, instead I’m recommending we meet up for “Girl’s Night In” at the CrossFit box, no sweaty men allowed.

After the old-school aerobics, we’ll kick up the fun with a girl-powered workout – oh, I don’t know, maybe something like this Girls’ Night WOD below:

women's crossfit workout

As for refreshments, there will be no heavy lifting – just some fresh veggies and dip, some deviled eggs and easy to make smoothies and drinks featuring Trop50 Raspberry Açaí juice.  I was very excited to learn that Trop50 has the great taste and goodness you expect from Tropicana, but with 50% less sugar and calories and no artificial sweeteners. Each 8 ounce serving has loads of antioxidants, more than a day’s worth of vitamin C and is a good source of vitamin E — all for only 50 calories and 10 grams of sugar.

rasperry acai sipper with coconut mint ice Check out the gallery of drinks at the top of the post that feature Trop50 Raspberry Açaí along with some healthy smoothies I like to make at home. Although whipped up without alcohol, these drinks still taste special and celebratory without the next-day headache and regrets. While the “idea” of an adult beverage sounds appealing, my body always rebels – I try to remember that everything I eat or drink is either fueling performance or feeding disease.

Here’s a special sipper I’ve developed with Trop50 Raspberry Açaí. It’s so light and refreshing after a workout and I love how it’s keeps the fun in motion  — dip and swirl the frozen pop around and enjoy! Pre-freeze the “mint cubes” the night before and playing bartender will be a breeze.

Trop40 raspberry acai drink

Raspberry Açaí Sipper with Coconut-Mint-sicles Recipe

  •  2 10 -12 oz bottles coconut water
  • Mint springs
  • 10 small wooden skewers
  • 2 tbsp. colored cocktail rim sugar
  • 1 59-oz bottle Trop50 Raspberry Açaí

Pour coconut water evenly into 10 large ice cube molds, small ice pop molds or small Dixie cups. Top with mint leaves. Place in freezer for about 1 hour until firm enough to hold wooden skewer or ice pop stick upright. Continue to freeze until solid.

Wet the rims of 10 glasses; dip rims in cocktail sugar. Pour beverage evenly among glasses (just under 6 ounces per glass). Remove mint pops from molds and place one in each drink. Garnish with additional mint, if desired.  Serves 10.

coconut mint ice cubes

Coconut Mint-sicles for your Girls’ Night In drink!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more inspiring ideas, visit the Trop50 collection on Foodie.com

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Trop50 via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Trop50.