Category Archives: CrossFit

Cauliflower and CrossFit

Posted on by
5

crossfit clean woman

Okay, doing this whole 2014 CrossFit Games Open has been a real challenge for this runner who likes to cherry pick her WODs. I’m the one who won’t do the heavy squats because “I’m saving my legs for a race” or substitutes pull-ups for muscle-ups because “they are more fun and I can actually do them.” I’m made it through four of the open workouts with just one left this weekend, and let me tell you every weakness has been exposed –but my spirit hasn’t been broken.  For every double-under I tripped over and weighted lift I buckled under, I made up for with pretty-darn good abilities on the bar and lots of endurance. Really the failures (although I really can’t call them that) only put a burr in my britches to become proficient in the skill.  Check back next week for a full report on the whole experience.

thefitfork cauliflower

Now onto the food! If you’ve been on Pinterest or crossed paths with a Paleo food fanatic, you’ll well aware that the once neglected cauliflower has been elevated to king of the cruciferous vegetables.  This big white vegetable is no longer looked upon as your grandma’s cauliflower, boiled and bland. Today you’ll find smashed cauliflower, riced cauliflower, cauliflower in muffins, soups and curries – and even cauliflower pizza crust.

My kids think cauliflower looks like a human brain and I tell them that’s because it’s a really smart food to put on their plates. High in dietary fiber and low in calories, this versatile veggie is packed with beneficial vitamins (including vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese) that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

While you can get crazy with cauliflower, sometimes simple healthy recipes are the best. My recipe for “Oh Yes” Oven-Roasted Cauliflower will be gobbled up by everyone in the family, even the pickiest kids! Creamy and slightly sweet when roasted, my husband took a bite and exclaimed about it’s deceiving decadence — “it tastes like butter!”

baked cauliflower florets

“Oh Yes” Oven-Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

  • 1 large head cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt
  • ¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.
  2. Remove outer leaves from head and thoroughly wash cauliflower.  Use a knife and/or hands to break up cauliflower into approximate 1-inch pieces.
  3. Add florets into bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with chili powder and garlic salt; toss to distribute evenly.
  4. Place cauliflower on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425 F degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until beginning to turn light brown.
  5. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for 2 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4.

Cooking Light always does a great job on making my favorite vegetables even more delicious. Check out this recipe  gallery that is blooming with 21 of their inspiring cauliflower recipes – you won’t know where to start!

cooking light cauliflower recipes

Cherry Crisp Smoothie Recipe & Achieved a Goal!

Posted on by
16

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!

Thai Something New – Recipe & CrossFit Games Open

Posted on by
13

Even though I’ve shared my recipe for Thai Chicken Noodles in the past, it may be new to you! Spicy and super-speedy to make, this globally-inspired recipe is one of my husband’s favorite meals! He always eats his heaping plateful with chopsticks for the “full immersion” experience. I’m not quite as dexterous so I just scarf it down with a fork – that way I’ll be the first back to the stovetop for seconds.  I’m competitive like that! What a fun surprise when a friend Facebooked me to say this healthy recipe was featured in the current issue of Taste of Home magazine.

Thai Chicken Spaghettti

Look who’s in the February issue of “Taste of Home” magazine!

Really, it’s quite a nutritious meal, made with ground white meat chicken breast and whole grain noodles. The veggies include sliced red bell peppers and julienned carrots (hmm, the original also includes red onion) – I like to buy the carrots already “matchstick” cut to save time.  Oh, and there’s Sriracha sauce, natch  —  I’ve been using this now oh-so trendy red chile sauce (aka, what my kids call Thai ketchup) for years.

Thai Chicken Noodles Recipe

Thai Peanut Chicken Noodles by Jennifer Fisher

  • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼  cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 4 tsp. Sriracha Asian hot chili sauce
  • ¼ cup dried red pepper flakes
  • 12 ounces uncooked multigrain spaghetti noodles
  • 1 lb lean ground chicken breast
  • 1 ½ cups julienned carrots
  • 1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced thinly
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ½ cup chopped unsalted peanuts
  • 4 green onions, chopped

In a small bowl, whisk the first six ingredients until blended. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook chicken, carrots, pepper and garlic over medium heat 6 – 8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, breaking up chicken into crumbles; drain.

Stir in peanut butter mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 3 -5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve with spaghetti. Top with peanuts and green onions. Serves 6.

crossfit rowing

Now, here’s where the crazy “try something new” comes in – I signed up for the 2014 CrossFit Games Open . For the last three years, I’ve been doing a little CrossFit here and there (BVM CrossFit), to make me stronger as a runner, not exactly to be a more competitive in the sport of CrossFit.  CrossFit is “functional fitness,” after all, and my function in life is to run – run races, run errands, run myself ragged!

I have dramatically improved my strength, especially my core and upper body. My back no longer hurts when I run a marathon. I’ve challenged myself in ways I never thought I would, and probably no one would believe it to be true of little ole me unless they saw it with their own eyes (hello rope climbing, pull up marathons and sled pulling) But, as for the legs, they are sort of scrawny and built for distance more than deadlifts.  Workouts (err, make that WODS) with lots of Squats, Thrusters and other heavy lifting that demand hefty lower body strength have been a literal pain in the rear for me.  What I have in endurance and bodyweight skills, I lack in strength. That doesn’t keep me from trying, but it does keep me from moving for a few days sometimes!

crossfit how do you stack up

Now, don’t get excited — you’re NOT going to see me on TV in the CF Games, not even in the Master’s Division. The Open is just for anyone crazy motivated enough to take on the workouts; the top scorers move on to regional’s and then those winners advance to the much hoopla-d finals.  I am just hoping to push my limits and see how the dust settles out around after the 5 Open workouts that start later in February. To be able to finish the workouts as Rx’d would be a win for me! According to the infographic above, just being average will be quite an achievement, forget about those top three beasts . . . . . I’m in a lot of trouble here people! At least there is a week to recover between workouts! Keep you posted.

So, is anyone else out there crazy enough to have signed up for the CrossFit Games Open?  How’d it go?

Beef & Blue Cheese Mushroom Buttons & Burpees

Posted on by
7

With the Big Game this Sunday, there is guaranteed to be some snacking going on ‘round these parts. The kids always insist on a big bucket of popcorn and a bag of M&Ms – oh, don’t act like you don’t know how awesome it is to mix the two together. My recipe for honey caramel almond popcorn also satisfies that craving for salty-sweet goodness in a healthier way.

paleo beef stuffed mushrooms

The grown-ups are going to want something a little more substantial to snack on, shall we say . . . . something beefy? A beef and blue cheese stuffed mushroom recipe from my peeps at Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner is the inspiration for one of our Super Bowl snacks – these little babies are delicious and bursting with umami flavor thanks to the lean ground beef and robust blue cheese. The only swap I have made is to replace the whole-wheat bread crumbs with almond meal thus transforming them into gluten-free, Paleo-friendly (for those who do some dairy) finger foods. If you’re worried about having more than one of these delicious little buttons; don’t fret — they are surprisingly low in calories and fat.  Click here for the nutrition guidelines (doesn’t take into account I swapped out the bread crumbs for almond meal).

beef and blue cheese stuffed mushroom ingredients

thefitfork beef bluecheese mushroom single

Beef & Blue Cheese Mushroom Buttons Recipe (Gluten-Free & Paleo-Friendly)

  • 1/2 pound Ground Beef, 93% lean or better
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 36 to 40 small button or cremini mushrooms (about 1-1/2 to 2-inch diameter)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil (for brushing)
  • 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 3 tablespoons minced chives
  • 1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning blend
  • Minced fresh chives (optional)

cooking beef stuffed mushroom recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove and reserve stems from mushrooms. Brush mushroom caps with olive oil and season with salt; set aside. Mince stems to yield 1/2 cup; discard remaining stems.
  2. Combine Ground Beef, minced stems, blue cheese, bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons chives and steak seasoning. Spoon beef mixture evenly into mushrooms.
  3. Place stuffed mushrooms on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 375°F oven 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional chives, if desired.

 

Clapping Push-up Burpees

Clapping Push-up Burpees

Okay, now that I’ve lured you in with the food, it’s time to talk BURPEES.  Even if you hate burpees, you have to love what they do for you – this exercise works every muscle group you’ve got and gives you a cardio workout to boot. Sometimes, if I’m stuck in a hotel or the weather is too bad to even get to the gym and treadmill, I’ll just knock out some burpees instead of a run. I think I get more wiped out doing the burpees! Just when I think I’m getting bored of burpees, I find a new variation to liven things up — push-up burpee, lateral box jump burpee, high tuck jump burpee, burpee to pull-up, and on and on!

Fitfluential burpee challenge

Check out the 1000 Burpee Challenge through Fitfluential. You could be in the running to win a great prize from Under Armour if you show your progress on Instagram with the hashtag #FFBurpee.  I’m committing to 50 a day for 20 days. Today, I made it through 50 clapping push-up burpees, it was fun — am I weird?  Maybe, but my friend Valerie definitely is- this is what happens if you go on a trip with her — BURPEES ON THE AIRPLANE!

burpees in aisle of plane

Burpees on a plane! This really happened!

Relish the Day! Bourbon Cranberry Apricot & Pecan Relish Recipe

Posted on by
10

After getting three kids out the door with special class party snacks, finishing a running workout of mile repeats in this relentless humidity fest which is central Texas and hitting the grocery store with my daily list, you’d think I’d be too bogged down to celebrate National Cranberry Relish Day. But no way! I really relish all the nuances of this sweet -tart dish that makes not just  a great side dish but also is a superstar salsa for chips, crave-worthy condiment on wraps, and tasty topping for Greek yogurt.  Sometimes I wonder why people only make this recipe during the holiday season?!

There are so many versions of cranberry relish and everyone seems to have a favorite. Some like molded cranberry sauce right out of the can while others prefer the texture and taste of fresh relish. We have a family recipe for raw cranberry relish that’s been around forever — I can’t remember a Thanksgiving without it! Basically, its fresh cranberries, sugar and an entire orange (unpeeled!) thrown into a food processor and pulsed. I guess back in the day, Grandma just chopped it up with a knife, old-school style.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - bourbon cranberry apricot pecan relish

My recipe for Bourbon Cranberry Apricot and Pecan Relish is inspired by the not overly-sweet tang of this beloved family recipe, but adds some new and exciting ingredients — err, namely the bourbon!  The brief cooking process burns away all of the alcohol content, so you don’t have to worry about getting your little ones loopy!  However, if you’d rather not use the liquor, simply substitute ounce-for-ounce with more orange juice.

Here’s an interesting fact that my kids figured out – cranberries bounce! Apparently, small pockets of air inside the fruit make them bouncy and buoyant (that’s why they float when harvested in the bogs). It’s also why you will hear them popping in the sauce pan.

Bourbon Cranberry Apricot and Pecan Relish Recipe

Only six ingredients, so simple!

Only six ingredients, so simple!

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 2/3 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
  • 2 ounces bourbon whiskey
  • 2 ounces fresh orange juice (from medium orange)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (from medium orange)
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup pecan pieces
  • Garnish: fresh mint

In a large saucepan, bring all the ingredients (except pecans and mint garnish) to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes; let cool. Stir in pecans.  Serve warm, room temperature or cold – it’s good every way!

Serves 6 – 8.

jennifer handstand rings

So, as I mentioned earlier, my workout today was 5 mile repeats. And, thank goodness, it was not my “One-Derful” WOD which includes not only mile repeats but also lots of other tough stuff.  With Thanksgiving coming later this year, I didn’t realize that my marathon (Dallas) was just over 2 weeks away. I guess I’m going into taper mode and I am completely NOT ready for the marathon.  But I never am.  So what do my friend and I like to do after we run? We always take crazy pictures at her CrossFit box (BVM CrossFit) – I’m sure you’ve seen some of them before.  Nothing like walking around in a handstand with one of your legs stuck in a gymnastic ring. I added some sparkly disco lights to distract from my lack of flexibility!