Category Archives: No Cook

No-Bake Jam Oat Cups – Lower Carb Snack Idea

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No-Bake Jam Oat Cups are a smart way to satisfy your sweet tooth! Customizable to your mood of the moment, by using any flavor sugar-free jam, jelly, preserves or even smashed fresh fruit like berries or banana.

We all have those times when we need something sweet, and these jam-filled oat cups are easy-to-make, require no baking — it’s really just a few simple steps.

Go ahead ad cave to the craving for something without guilt. Just a little natural sugar from banana, and the rest of this no-bake dessert recipe is put together with smart swaps.

Here are some of the better-for-me ingredients I like to use in this healthy snack recipes and lower carb treats:

.Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Chips (if you need dairy-free, make that swap, too!) https://amzn.to/48kozhq

Sugar-Free Jam (or you can even just use mashed fresh berries)

Eat Garnish Oat & Seed Butter is a great seed-allergy option, but ANY nut or seed butter will work. Use code FITFORK975 to save 10%.

Plant-Based Protein Powder in the crust mixture gives these treats a little more oomph. Clean Lean Protein from Nuzest is my go-to. Save 15% with code FITFORK.

TIPS TO MAKE OAT JAM CUPS

Banana Guidance: “Half of a medium banana” called for in this recipe can be subjective, but it’s about 60g of banana without peel. Or, if you’re eyeballing it, about 3 1/2 to 4-inches in length. However, if you think the mixture looks too sticky (like you used too much banana), just add a few more oats to the mixture, you really can’t mess this up.

Filling Ideas: Sugar-free jam with chia seeds mixed in is what my recipe calls for, but you can test around with other fillings — like smashed banana, smashed berries, tangerine slices, a dollop of nut or seed butter — really whatever floats your boat.

What to Make In: I really recommend silicone muffin cups, this makes them easy to pop out when frozen. Also, bonus, they are reusable. I wouldn’t use paper liners, they get soggy and/or stuck to the treat. You can skip liners all together and freeze in the actual muffin tins, just let soften for a few minutes on counter before trying to remove.

Freezing Step: Don’t skip it! These oat jam cuts need to set up in the freezer for about 30 minutes, otherwise it will just be a big sticky mess. Afterward you can store in the fridge OR freezer, depending on your preference on how to heat them (softer vs harder).

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Note: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission for any sales generated through the link. This helps me offset overhead for The Fit Fork, thank you!

5 from 5 votes
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No-Bake Jam Oat Cups – Lower Sugar and Gluten-Free
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Enjoy a sweet treat with none of the guilt – or baking! For the filling, use the sugar-free jam of your choice or even smashed fruit!

Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 180 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1/2 medium banana, sliced about 60g, after peeling
  • 30 g vanilla protein powder or can substitute a flour
  • ¼ cup nut butter
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • ¼ cup sugar free jam
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/3 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
  • 1 ½ tbs coconut oil
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, mash together banana, protein powder and rolled oats Press into 6 cavities of a regular sized muffin pan lined with silicone liners. Pushing oat mixture up the sides a bit to form an indention for the jam.
  2. Stir together the jam and chia seeds. Place a skosh under 1 tablespoon of jam mixture into indention of oat cup.
  3. Melt chocolate and coconut oil in 30 sec increments in the microwave, stirring between until all chocolate is melted. Pour on the cups, dividing equally. Freeze 25 minutes to set.
  4. Enjoy your treats! Keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes

Nutrition per serving: 180 calories, 12g fat, 11g carb (2g fiber, 2g sugar), 7g protein

Watermelon Raspberry Quinoa Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing

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Summer is nearly here and this Watermelon, Raspberry, & Quinoa Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing is an easy-fix for upcoming pool parties, picnics and patio dining.

 Fully-loaded, this watermelon salad won’t leave you hunger a few minutes later. It’s actually quite hearty with quinoa, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, loads of greens, juicy watermelon and raspberries.

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Why I love this watermelon salad, other that the amazing taste: Fresh ingredients to fuel my adventures, no cooking, stunning as a side dish but hearty enough for a main course (especially if you add some shrimp or salmon!).

I love how watermelon is a refreshing and delicious addition to salads, providing a burst of sweetness, hydration and nutrients.  It’s also a smart way to use up leftover watermelon, if you purchased a big one! By the way, check out this post on how to efficiently cut up a jumbo-sized watermelon fast.

Ginger Mint Dressing, so fresh and fragrant!

Let’s talk about the fresh, invigorating, and aromatic dressing. Ginger Mint Dressing is so simple to make with just a quick blast in a personal-sized blender. It’s also a smart way to tackle mint that likes to take over gardens this time of year. Now and then, I pull out my juice to make Ginger Juice (and store in small portions in my freezer). Check out my tips on Juicing Ginger Root. However, if I’m “out of stock,’ for convenience I just rely on bottled ginger juice or the little ginger juice shots you can buy in the fresh juice section of the produce department. 

This Ginger Mint Dressing also makes an amazing marinade for fish and shrimp.

Enjoy!

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

5 from 5 votes
Hydrate and invigorate with this juicy fresh salad featuring watermelon, raspberries and quinoa! The zingy ginger mint dressing is amazing. It’s a stunningly colorful side dish or add shrimp or salmon for a main dish.
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Watermelon, Raspberry & Quinoa Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing.
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

Hydrate and invigorate with this juicy fresh salad featuringwatermelon, raspberries and quinoa! The zingy ginger mint dressing is amazing.It’s a stunningly colorful side dish or add shrimp or salmon for a main dish.

Course: entree salad
Keyword: ginger, mint, quinoa, raspberries, summer, watermelon
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1 cup microgreens of choice
  • 2 cups chopped watermelon
  • ½ cup fresh raspberries
  • 1 cup prepared quinoa
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
Dressing
  • 1 2- oz bottle ginger juice like Suja
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • ¼ cup mint leaves
Instructions
  1. Add salad ingredients to bowl. Then add all dressing ingredients to small blender and process until mostly smooth. If you don’t have ginger juice, you can sub watermelon juice (from the watermelon prep run off) and a ½ teaspoon of finely grated ginger. Pour dressing over salad and gently toss. Best eaten same day as dressed – serves 4 as a side.

Watermelon Salad with Chamoy Dressing + More Spring Recipes

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Note: This post is sponsored by Watermelon.org. However, all opinions, comments and enthusiasm remain my own.

Hello to spring and howdy to watermelon salads! No more hot and heavy soups for supper, the weather is warming up, my mood is lightening up, and my plate is filling up with all the beautiful produce of the season!

Watermelon Salad, watermelon salad recipe, chamoy watermelon, chamoy on watermelon summer fruit salad, summer salad recipes with fruit, cutting watermelon
Making a savory-sweet watermelon salad is life . . . literally life, seeing as how many health benefits watermelon offers including vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. Watermelon is cholesterol-free, fat-free, sodium-free, and has 80 calories per 2-cup serving. It contains nutrients that support heart health, like magnesium (6% DV) and phosphorus (2% DV). Each serving also has 25% DV of vitamin C which is important for growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body.  Perhaps my favorite thing about watermelon (other than the sweet taste and natural energy it provides for my training) is that 92% water which helps me stay hydrated.

Other reason to incorporate watermelon salad recipes into your life is that a watermelon salad is a quick and easy meal fix and completely customizable to suit your personal preferences.
ways to cut watermelon
Quick and Easy. It is NOT as hard or time consuming as you might think to cut a large watermelon. That’s a common objection I enjoy overcoming with friends, family and anyone who gives me drama about cutting up a watermelon. In fact, I’ve done a whole article and video showing my technique for cutting up a large watermelon in about 5 minutes.



If you still are intimidated or unmotivated about cutting watermelon for salads, buying it pre-cut in the produce department is the next best way. While this pre-prepped route is more expensive, you typically get very sweet melon as the produce department tends to pick the best watermelons for their point-of-purchase, prepped containers.
Check out this 30 second tutorial!
mix and match watermelon salad ideas
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Customizable. Watermelon salads can be what YOU want them to be. Today, I’m sharing a recipe for Watermelon Spinach Salad with Chamoy . . .. it totally suits my love for spicy-sweet things and brings me joy.  Chamoy is a Mexican condiment made from dried apricots, chile de arbol, hibiscus flowers, citrus, and other seasonings . . . and trust me, chamoy on watermelon is incredibly tasty and lights up every part of your taste senses.

For my chamoy watermelon recipe and watermelon salad recipes in general, it’s simple to swap out all the salad ingredients (except watermelon) for the items you prefer or have on hand. For example, instead of queso fresco, use blue cheese. Instead of pumpkin seeds, use pecans. Instead of Chamoy, use a balsamic vinaigrette. You get the idea. In fact, I’ve made a pin-ready chart (above) to give you inspiration for endless mix-and match watermelon salads.

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Tips for Watermelon with Chamoy Salad

  • The yellow flowers are dandelions foraged from my lawn.  All parts of this “weed” plant (except stems which taste bitter) are beneficial to consume, you can even use dandelion leaves in place of or addition to the spinach.
  • Dried apricots are tossed in the salad to enhance the apricot in the chamoy, but any other dried fruit would be equally delicious.
  • Chamoy can be found in the bottled condiment area of Mexican markets or larger grocery stores. You can also make your own (time consuming) or order it online. The consistency varies from very thick to very thin – look for something in the middle. If too thick, thin down a bit with juice from your watermelon! 
  • Leftover chamoy is delicious used as a rim on cocktails or mocktails – watermelon margarita, anyone?!
  • Instead of the wedge presentation, the salad can feature watermelon cubes or watermelon balls
  • The recipe is easy to scale up or down, and you don’t have to get hung up on precise measurements
  • This salad is best consumed right after making to prevent wilting and sogginess..

Find more summer salad recipes with fruit (and watermelon) at The Fit Fork:

watermelon chia summer salad thefitfork.com

Watermelon Quinoa Salad with Salsa

watermelon tomato tajin salad thefitfork.com

Watermelon Jicama Salad with Tajin Honey Vinaigrette

grilled watermelon with balsamic cherry salsa

Grilled Watermelon Wedge Salad with Balsamic Cherry Salsa

And, Watermelon.org always has creative, delicious, nutritious watermelon salads (and 100s of other watermelon recipes).  Here are three fruit and vegetable salads with watermelon that I’ve tried and LOVED:

Watermelon Pomegranate Toss Salad

Red Fruit Salad

Watermelon & Spiralized Cucumber Salad with Shrimp

5 from 4 votes
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WATERMELON SPINACH SALAD with CHAMOY
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

 A big,juicy wedge is dressed up with pepita seeds, crumbled queso fresco, choppedapricots and chamoy sauce, a spicy-sweet Mexican condiment. It’s an amazingwatermelon salad to kick off Spring break, picnics in the park, runningoutside, and dipping toes in the pool season!

Course: entree salad, Side Dish
Keyword: chamoy, mexican food, tex mex, watermelon
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 wedge watermelon about ¼ to1/8 watermelon, depending on size
  • 2 cups chopped watermelon
  • 6 cups baby spinach
  • ½ cup dried apricots chopped
  • ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
  • ¼ cup Chamoy sauce*
  • ¼ cup pepita seeds
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • Optional Edible flowers such as pansies or dandelion
Instructions
  1. To make watermelon wedge, slice watermelon in half lengthwise, then slice that half lengthwise. This will give you a one-quarter wedge. If your watermelon is quite large, you may want to slice this quarter in half (to create a 1/8 watermelon wedge). I guestimate that the total amount of watermelon in the wedge is about 4 cups.
  2. Chop up another 2 cups of watermelon in a bite-size pieces.
  3. Sprinkle washed, dried spinach on platter, place watermelon wedge on top.
  4. Spoon extra watermelon on spinach, around wedge.
  5. Drizzle Chamoy sauce over top of wedge and onto greens.
  6. Sprinkle chopped apricots, crumbled queso fresco, seeds and cilantro on top of wedge and around salad.
  7. If desired, garnish with edible flowers for maximum spring-time effect!
Recipe Notes

*Chamoy sauce is a Mexican condiment sweet-spicy-salty condiment that can be found in most larger grocery stores, from an international market, or you can google the recipe and make your own (it usually features soaked dried: apricots and prunes, hibiscus leave, chile peppers, citrus and more).

No-Bake Protein Brownies with Real Strawberry “Sprinkles”

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Satisfy your sweet tooth in a lower-carb and protein-boosted way with this easy recipe for No-Bake Protein Brownies with Real Strawberry “Sprinkles.”

It’s a seemingly decadent strawberry chocolate brownie is actually a homemade brownie protein bar that is low in sugar and higher in protein. Macros for each generous slice of this homemade protein brownie: 219 calorie, 16g fat, 14g carb (6g net carb), 8g dietary fiber, 12g protein.

 Almond meal, unsweetened cocoa powder, and protein powder make the low-carb, protein-rich base that is held together by sugar-free syrup (or the sticky sweetener of your choice like real maple syrup or honey). There is no need to bake this homemade protein brownie, you simply press into the pan (I used a 1/8th sheet pan size with dimensions of about 9” x 6” – you can also use an 8”-diameter cake pan).

I came up with this chocolate protein powder recipe idea at the beginning of the year, as I was clearing out all our holiday treats but still craving a healthy sweet treat – I’m a chocolate lover for sure! You can use most any variety of chocolate protein powder (for example whey or plant-based).

I use Clean Lean Protein in Rich Chocolate flavor, a plant protein powder from Nuzest that is easy to digest, has a great texture, and can work with most types of diets including keto, gluten-free, paleo and more.

Here’s a don’t-miss-deal: you can always save 15% at Nuzest HERE with my code FITFORK

What makes this fudgy protein brownie extra special is the rich chocolate ganache topping. Making a ganache (a shiny thin layer of chocolate icing) seems so fancy and like you need major chocolatier skills – but it’s easy. The standard ganache formula is 2:1 chocolate to heavy cream. So, for a heaping ¼ cup chocolate chips, that would be 2 tablespoons of cream. It’s as easy as putting both in a microwave safe small bowl and heating at 70% power for about 1 minute, and stirring quickly afterward until smooth and glossy (return to microwave in 15 second increments if not melted thoroughly).

And, the strawberries on top! I’m calling them sprinkles – I took freeze-dried strawberries and coarsely crushed them before sprinkling on top of the still-warm ganache. You could substitute any other type of freeze-dried fruit, or swap out for nuts, seeds, and/or coconut.

Nuzest Plant-Based Protein Powder - save 15% with code THEFITFORK15

These no-bake protein brownies should be placed in the fridge for 30 minutes to set up before slicing. Store any leftovers in the fridge too, for up to 1 week. ENJOY!

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Note: This post contains affiliate links.

5 from 6 votes
Satisfy your sweet tooth mindfully with this easy recipe for No-Bake Protein Brownies with Real Strawberry “Sprinkles.” Deliciously chocolate and seemingly decadent dessert or snack, but only 219 calories, plus low carb with 6g net carb, and 12g protein.
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No-Bake Chocolate Protein Brownies with Real Strawberry “Sprinkles”
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: brownies, chocolate, fudge, protein powder
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 219 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup chocolate protein powder
  • ¼ cup sugar-free maple syrup or can sub real syrup, just more carbs
  • 3 to 4 tbsp water
Topping
  • 2 ounces sugar free chocolate chips about heaping ¼ cup
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • ½ to 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries* or other freeze dried fruit (or nuts, seeds and coconut for a swap)
Instructions
  1. In bowl, mix together almond meal, cocoa powder and protein powder. Add syrup and 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until combined and making a cohesive dough. If too crumbly (like because of super thick syrup, mix in the additional 1 tbsp water).

  2. Press dough into approximate 9” x 6” rimmed pan. In ramekin, add chocolate chips and cream. Microwave for 1 minute on High. Stir until smooth and spread over top of protein mixture. Place freeze-dried strawberries in plastic bag and crush with bottom of cup or rolling pin until coarsely powdered. Sprinkle of chocolate topping. Set in fridge for 30 minutes before cutting into 6 squares.

  3. Store leftovers in air-tight container in fridge for up to 7 days

Recipe Notes

Small Batch Hummus to Serve One or Two

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Buying a big tub of hummus can seem like such a commitment, especially if you’re snacking solo or with a just friend or two.  My Small Batch Hummus recipe is perfectly proportioned so that you can finish it off in two sittings (or one snack session if super hungry) – or share it with a buddy and have no leftovers clogging up the fridge!   

Small Batch Hummus - Cooking for One

Exciting News:

This small batch dip (or spread) is featured in my upcoming cookbook, Cooking for One for Dummies (which can be pre-ordered now, ships on March 7, 2023)

Plus, when you make homemade hummus, you’re in total control of the ingredients – there’s no weird preservatives, additives, or yucky stuff.  Plus, you get all the benefits of chickpeas, they are abundant in dietary fiber and also a good source of plant protein, iron, folate and other essential nutrients.

It’s fast, it’s easy, there is no cooking – you start with a can of chickpeas. Of course, you can make your own chickpeas, but that adds a lot of time and hassle to what is an easy-peasy snack recipe for one or two.

skin on chickpeas
Gently rub any remaining skins off your chickpeas for smoother hummus.

After draining the chickpeas (a legume sometimes referred to as garbanzo beans), pour them out onto a clean dishcloth or paper towels and lightly rub dry. In addition to drying the chickpeas, the other goal here is to remove any lingering skins. The light patting dry will encourage stragglers to fall off, simply pick the skins out and discard. The skins will do no harm if they end up in your hummus, it will just be not quite as smooth and creamy.  

Then, it’s just a matter of whipping everything up in a food processor or blender. Since this is a small batch appetizer recipe, a mini food processor or personal sized blender will work best.

How to Serve Small Batch Hummus

  • Simply paired with raw veggies like carrots, celery, radishes, squash rounds are my favorite way to eat hummus.
  • Serve with pita wedges for dipping, smear on crackers, or spread on slices of toasted baguette.
  • Elevate sandwiches, wraps and quesadillas by spreading around as part of the filling.
  • Get creative and toss with hot pasta or zoodles for an instant chickpea sauce.
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Leftover Chickpeas in Can? While this homemade hummus for two uses just half a can of chickpeas, don’t throw the remainder out — you have options. First, you could easily double the homemade dip recipe, it scales up beautifully (however, do note the capacity of your mini food processor and use a bigger processor or blender, if needed). I also have another “1/2 can chickpea” recipe — Air-Fryer Crispy Chickpeas for One which also make a fabulous, heathy snack or salad topper.

Air Fryer Crispy Chickpeas for One a=is a quick, easy and healthy snack with lots of dietary fiber plus protein, iron, and folate.

Make both the Small Batch Hummus and the Air-Fryer Crispy Chickpeas for Ones and kill off the whole can at once making healthy snacks.

This post contains affiliate links.

5 from 9 votes
Small Batch Hummus - Cooking for One
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Small Batch Hummus
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Make just enough homemade hummus to get your through a couple health snack sessions — or to share with a friend. Easy, healthy, and homemade, a fantastic snack and spread to add to your active lifestyle. Lots of dietary fiber and a good source of plant protein, dietary fiber, iron, folate and other important nutrients.

Course: appetizers, dips, snacks, spreads
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: appetizer, chickepeas, dip, garbanzo beans, snacks, spread
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup canned chickpeas drained and rinsed (about half a 15.5-ounce can)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil plus an additional 1 teaspoon for topping, if desired
  • 1½ tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp garlic or garlic paste
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients in a personal-sized blender or mini food processor; process until smooth. If the consistency seems too pasty or thick, blend in 1 teaspoon of water at a time until desired texture is achieved.
  2. Transfer the hummus to serving bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika.
Recipe Notes

NOTE: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in fridge for up to 4 days.
VARY IT! Extra chickpeas from can be kept in an airtight container in fridge for a few days and added to salads, soups, and wraps

LEARN MORE! This small batch dip (or spread) is featured in my upcoming cookbook, Cooking for One for Dummies (which can be pre-ordered now, ships on March 7, 2023)