Kiwi, Apricot and Feta Salad with Hemp Honey Dressing #NOWwellness

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Now Foods via Mamavation.

One of the best things about summer is the abundance of amazing fruit at every turn. Watermelons, berries, stone fruits, and exotic discoveries like golden kiwis! While everyday green kiwis are pretty darn good, the golden kiwi is especially exceptional. It’s a bit bigger and bursting with supersized flavor – so sweet! My recipe for Gold Kiwi, Apricot & Feta Salad with Honey Hemp Dressing takes advantage of the season’s best offerings – and a yummy salty-sweet taste!

If you’re not familiar with hemp seeds, let me introduce you! Hemp seeds have so many nutritional benefits – this superfood is an excellent source of heart-healthy fats, is a complete protein providing all eight amino acids, and is rich in numerous vitamins and other essential nutrients. A tablespoon or so a day is the perfect nutrition boost for everyone, but an especially great option for those following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. I’ve used NOW Real Food® Organic Toasted Hemp Seeds in my fresh and fit recipe – this seeds are lightly toasted and sprinkled with sea salt to enhance their nutty flavor.

Gold Kiwi, Apricot & Feta Salad with Honey Hemp Dressing Recipe

1 large golden kiwi
2-3 apricots, depending on size
2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbles
3 tablespoon NOW Real Food® Organic Toasted Hemp Seeds (divided)
1 tablespoon Ellyndale Naturals™ Premium Avocado Oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Cilantro or parsley for garnish

Peel kiwi and chop into small bits. Peel and seed apricot and chop into small bits.
To small bowl, add chopped kiwi, chopped apricot, feta cheese crumbles and 2 tablespoons of the hemp seeds. Gently stir until combined
Divide mixture and press mixture into two 6 ounce ramekins. Place small plate on top of ramekin and invert quickly; gently tap to remove fruit.
In small bowl, whisk together avocado oil, lime juice, honey and cumin until combined. Drizzle over top of salads and garnish with fresh herbs. Serves 2.

Here are some other wholesome ingredients from NOW Foods that I have been enjoying this summer in my healthy recipes:

Tri Color Quinoa – I’m a big fan of quinoa, especially on those nights when I’m making a meat-free meal. This product in the wholesome LivingNOW line features a pleasing blend of white, red and black quinoa and is certified organic and made in a dedicated gluten-free, allergy-friendly facility. Quinoa is a great source of protein and iron, making it a hearty and healthy meal when mixed with seasonal fresh produce. One of the easy salad dishes I like to make in the summer is my recipe for Triple Berry Quinoa Salad – it would be perfect for the 4th of July!

All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour – Have gluten allergies? You can get out your mixing bowl and start baking again. This gluten-free baking flour uses ingredients that are free of gluten and eight of the most common food allergens. The texture is surprisingly light and fluffy, making it perfect for cookies, coffee cakes, bread and more!

Ellyndale Organics™ Coconut Oil Infusions – Enjoy the rich taste of coconut oil (along with the health benefits) AND a punch of garlic with this oh-so-yummy oil. It’s great for sauteeing thanks to a high smoke point, but it’s also good on salads and . . . wait for it . . .POPCORN made in the microwave with a brown paper bag

Ellyndale Naturals™ Premium Avocado Oil Did you know Prevention Magazine named this versatile oil to their list of “100 Healthiest Packaged Foods” — it’s all the healthy monounsaturated fats and Vitamin E! Perfect for sautéing and stir-frying thanks to the high smoke point of approximately 520°F! Avocado Oil is ideal for high-heat cooking such as sautéing and stir-frying – or just drizzle on your salads and other raw dishes for butter-rich deliciousness.

Kiwi, Apricot & Feta Salad with Hemp Honey Dressing @NowFoods #NOWwellness

Click To Tweet

Stock up on these Pantry Staples:

What is your favorite fruit of summer? Have you ever tried hemp seed, how did you use it? Please share in the comments below! XOXO -Jennifer

Eat Like a Viking – 7 Culture Based Diet Cookbooks

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Some parts of the world just get it right when it comes to eating for optimal wellness — the common denominator of these international diets seems to be seasonal produce, regional lean protein and heart-healthy fats, all with a local flavor spin. Check out these “lifestyle diet” cookbooks based on international cuisines in a story i recently curated for Mode Media:

Have you ever tried one of these “diets” — what did you think” Please share in the comments below, XOXO Jennifer

This post was sponsored by Mode Media.

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

I’m a big fan of protein, if you haven’t noticed. Eating enough protein is how I stay lean and support my active lifestyle. But, it doesn’t do your body any good to skimp on protein in the morning and through lunch and the afternoon. It’s so important to eat protein for breakfast, from the time you go to bed through morning is the longest time your body goes without fuel – you need to but quality gas back in the tank so you don’t crash and burn. But, most Americans consume 2/3s of their daily protein at dinner – that’s whacked out!

Last year I discovered About Time Protein Pancake Mix – it’s a hearty, healthy breakfast solution that offers 21 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber for about 290 calories. And, it still has that sweet, indulgent taste that so many of us crave! For me, this pancake mix offers an optimal serving size of protein – I strive to consume 20 – 30 grams during each meal (and snacks). Actually, I learned firsthand from nutrition researcher, Dr. Heather Leidy, that eating adequate protein in the morning can help curb unhealthy snacking later, even much later, in the day.

Thinking outside the box, I decided to use my Chocolate Chip Protein Pancake Mix (Cinnamon Spice also available) to make delicious baked donuts – Banana Chocolate Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting, to be exact! Super simple to make, the easy recipe is basically just mix, an egg, a mashed banana and splash of milk. I’ve also done a healthy peanut butter frosting that is optional. Make a batch of these donuts ahead of time and ration out through the week – I think they are also the perfect choice for a post-workout or bedtime snack.

Also, don’t miss the recipe for Tart Cherry & Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes I’ve featured in a past post.

Keeping fueled up with About Time at the X Games 2015.

About Time also offers a wide range of additional products to support optimal nutrition. I enjoy their protein powders and always keep a stash of About Time Whey Protein single serves in my gym bag and/or purse (along with a shaker) so that I can whip up something nourishing on the spot.

Recently, at the XGames in Austin, I was so happy to have a packet of Birthday Cake flavor secretly hidden in my backpack so that I could avoid the not-so-healthy look food truck food fare that was being offered. Things to know about this protein powder à For 100 calories you get 25 grams of cold-processed, micro-filtered 100% whey protein isolate available in seven flavors. Also, there are no artificial sweeteners, no growth hormones and the protein powder is lactose and gluten free and non-GMO.

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts + my XGames Meal @_tryabouttime #tryabouttime #ad

Click To Tweet

TWITTER PARTY: #TryAboutTime Twitter Party on Tuesday, June: 16 at 9pm EST! Hope to chat with you there!

What is your go-to protein food for breakfast? Please share in the comments below! XOXO — Jennifer

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of About Time.

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

18 mins

Start your morning or finish your workout with Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting -- an easy breakfast recipe to make muscles!

Course: Breakfast, Snack, Worout

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 mini donuts

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups About Time Protein Pancake Mix Chocolate Chip Flavor
1 large egg
1 medium ripe banana mashed
1/4 cup milk of choice or water
1/4 cup natural peanut butter may substitute another nut butter
2 tablespoons milk of choice more if needed to achieve desired consitstency
1/4 teaspoon powdered stevia more or less to taste
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. In large bowl, mix together pancake mix, egg, mashed banana and 1/4 cup milk. Spoon into mini donut baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or oiled. Bake for 8 minutes or until set and turning lightly golden brown. Remove donuts from pan and let cool on wire rack.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together peanut butter, milk and stevia until a frosting consistency has been achieved. Frost tops of donuts with mixture and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Body Boosting Fitness Shake and Bodyweight Leg Workout

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Bowflex Body.

Anytime someone says creamy, indulgent-tasting shakes are good for me, they have my rapt attention. That’s why I was ready to find out more about Bowflex Body, a line of premium nutrition products that inludes a vanilla fitness shake mix along with “boosters” (including chocolate) to mix in depending on my protein, energy, or fat-burning needs for the day.

As a meal replacement option, the Premium Vanilla Fitness Shake (with booster or not) is a convenient and safe way to ensure most of us are getting the optimal nutrition needed to power through until the next meal. I’ve swapped out a shake for a full meal at lunch or dinner a few times a week and had great results in leaning out. But, typically getting lean and dieting for weight loss is not an issue for me, often I’m trying to fill in the gaps in my day where I need extra quality calories (without the junk) – like after a workout or before bed.

Easy to keep in a gym bag and shake, shake, shake after a workout.

These easy-to-make shakes have become a staple in my post-workout nutrition plan. It’s so important to take in a protein-rich mini-meal within 30 minute of an intense workout or long run. It’s also key that that the meal or shake have a bit of carbohydrates to help the body efficiently process the protein – Bowflex Body makes it so easy! After finishing the “Murph” CrossFit WOD (1 mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 pushups 300 squats and a final 1 mile run) on Memorial Day, I knew my muscles were going to be screaming for some tasty TLC. I brought along my mixer filled with a scoop of the Premium Vanilla Fitness Shake along with the Rich Chocolate Booster AND the Peanut Butter Protein Booster. I’m greedy like that!

Start Shaking It Up, Here’s How:

Premium Vanilla Fitness Shake: Start with this powdered mix as your base and blend into water or your milk of choice. The instructions say use 8 ounces of liquid, but I’ve used 8 ounces of unsweetened almond milk and 8 ounces of water and it still tastes great (and my mind thinks I’m getting more). You can also throw a scoop into morning or post-workout smoothie if you like frozen beverages. Not only does it taste super creamy and delicious, but for just 125 calories, you get 15g high quality protein, 5 g prebiotic fiber, only 5g sugar and 16 potent antioxidants including acai, goji, pomegranate, mangosteen, spinach, kale and more. It is also lactose free, soy free, low sodium and low fat.

Rich Chocolate Booster for Fat Burning: Toss in one of these 10-calorie packets to kick up your metabolism with Garcinia cambogia, green coffee bean, African mango and cocoa exacts.

Peanut Butter Booster for Muscle Management: Add a packet of this booster to help grow, maintain and provide workout recovery benefits to your muscles. This advanced protein formula gives you an additional 10g on top of the 15g already in each serving of shake.

Mixed Berry Booster for Extra Antioxidant Benefits: This refreshing mix-in gives the already vitamin and antioxidant-loaded vanilla shake an extra one-two punch of protection with blueberry, raspberry and strawberry extracts blended to help fight free radicals.

Two BowFlex Body Energy Products worth checking out:

Berry Pomegranate Pre-Energy: This tasty mix gets you revved up for your workout without the crash of sugar-loaded coffee or energy drinks. It works great for either aerobic or anaerobic activity and has just 80 mg of caffeine with theanine, an amino acid from green tea that helps prevent caffeine jitters and “crash.”

Passion Fruit Daily Energy: Designed to take every day, if needed, this formulation helps with focus, aerobic performance and sustained energy when you need a little extra oomph! Like the Pre-Energy formula this Daily Energy has jitter- and-crash free caffeine from the amino acid theanine found in green tea – just less at 50mg.

You really need to try Bowflex Body nutrition products yourself to discover the fat-burning, health-boosting benefits I’m raving about. Use the discount code BOWFLEXSHAKE to receive 20% off your order along with free shipping and handling. A sampler pack is also available. Bowflex has a 30-day, 100% guarantee on their products, so you really don’t have anything to lose — except maybe that muffin top or a bad case of the “hangres”! Get more details on the ingredients used in these fitness products and check out the FAQ for answers to common questions. Also, visit BowFlex Body on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and connect — they also have a great blog.

Body Boosting #BowFlexBody Fitness Shake + Bodyweight Leg WOD @BowflexBody #BeFitForLife #Fitfluential #Ad

Click To Tweet

Also, I am sharing a bodyweight “leg day” exercise that you can do anywhere, no gym required. Have fun!

Kick up leg day with this no-equipment-needed workout of bodyweight exercises.

What “Booster” benefit are you most interested in — burning fat, increasting protein, or upping antioxidants? What is your favorite bodyweight leg exercise? Please share in the comments! xoxo Jennifer

Apricot Chocolate Almond Energy Bars – Superfood for Superheroes

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds.

Oh Batman, did you not eat your superfoods today?

Runners and obstacle course athletes need superfoods to perform optimally – you know, to run faster than a speeding bullet and jump tall things in a single bound. Not one single wall or hurdle got in my way the other weekend at Spartan Race (recap to come) and nor could Batman beat me to the finish line of a local 5k, probably because I was fueled up with some really good super food energy for superheroes!

If you’re heading out for some weekend warrioring, it’s not realistic to stick a bunch of kale and quinoa or even a beef tenderloin (I’ve tried) into your backpack. But, there are plenty of superfoods that can take the rough and tumble of nearly any outback course – almonds are one! Stick a pouch of almonds in your bag, and you’ll have a sustaining snack when you need to fuel up the tank. Personally, I love the Blue Diamond Sea Salt Almonds and Blue Diamond Dark Chocolate Almonds (the latter are dusted in cocoa, not dipped — so no worries of melting).

Almonds are going to pump up your super powers by offering protein and heart-healthy fats. One recent study suggest that almonds might help athletes mobilize more previously reserved carbohydrates rather than breaking down fat as an energy source during intense exercise. This means you might not “hit the wall” – have you ever seen a superhero hit the wall? I think not. Almonds are also a great source of energy-boosting manganese and copper, minerals which minimize the damage free radicals can do to the mitochondria that power our cells.

For quick energy, I like to pair almonds with a the concentrated complex carbohydrates that come from dried fruit – again, an easy, mess-free food to pack in your bag for races, hikes and expeditions of epic proportions. Dried apricots are a personal favorite because they are high in iron –an impressive 41% DV for a cup. Anemia, or even a moderate iron deficiency (a surprisingly common problem in athletes), can make a superhero feel tired, hinder athletic performance, work capacity and lessen VO2max.

If you want something a little more “fancy” than almonds and dried fruit, it’s not hard at all to make your own energy bars with ingredients like nuts, apricots, feel-good chocolate and dash of salt for extra electrolyte balance. My no-cook recipe for Apricot Chocolate Almond Energy Bars can be whipped up in the food process in less than 10 minutes. Stick them in the freezer for 30 minutes to cut precise bars if you’re into perfection – you can also roll them up into balls and carry along for race fuel. And, they taste really, really good! If you’d like to make these more abundant in protein, like if you think you might me skipping a meal or have intense workout recovery need, just swap out the almond meal (although keep the ground up chocolate ones) and swap measure-for-measure with your favorite brand of protein powder.

Also, depending on how strict your interpretation of Paleo diet is, these should fit in your diet — definitely Paleo-ish and made with whole foods. Drop the chia seeds and protein powder if these rub you the wrong way.

Superfood for Superheros! Apricot Chocolate Almond Energy Bars save the day! @BlueDiamond #Ad

Click To Tweet

Have you ever tried to make homemade energy bars? What flavor and how did it turn out, please share in the comments!

Apricot Chocolate Almond Energy Bars

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

40 mins

This no-cook recipe for Apricot Chocolate Almond Energy Bars are great to grab for breakfast, a sensible snack or for pre and post workout fuel.

Course: Breakfast, Snack, Worout

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 bars

Ingredients

1 cup dried apricots about 20
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Blue Diamond Almonds these are "dusted" not coated in chocolate, use sea salt flavor if you can't find.
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup cup almond meal (or protein powder
1/4 cup palm sugar ie coconut sugar
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt optional
2 - 3 tablesspoons coconut oil
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Line and 8 or 9 inch baking pan with plastic wrap, and set aside.
Pulse Blue Diamond Chocolate Almonds (these are dusted chocolate almonds, not chocolate coated) in food processor until coarsely ground, leave in work bowl.
Add in coconut, apricots, almond meal (or protein powder), palm sugar, chia seeds and sea salt in food processor and process until apricots chopped and well combined with other ingredients.
Drizzle and pulse in coconut oil one tablespoon at a time until mixture begins to stick together when pinched between fingers. The amount of coconut oil you need to use will depend on the size of apricots and whether you used almond meal or protein powder as a binder.
Gently pulse in mini chocolate chips. If using regular sized chocolate chips add them to step 3.
Firmly press the apricot mixture into the baking pan, using the flat surface of a measuring cup or drinking glass to create a flat even layer.
Place pan in the freezer for 30 minutes, then remove and cut into 12 rectangle bars or roll up in balls (size of your choosing). Keep in an airtight container and store for up to one month in the fridge.

thefitfork.com

The Fit Fork

Category Archives: Nutrition Tips

Kiwi, Apricot and Feta Salad with Hemp Honey Dressing #NOWwellness

Eat Like a Viking – 7 Culture Based Diet Cookbooks

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting

Body Boosting Fitness Shake and Bodyweight Leg Workout

Apricot Chocolate Almond Energy Bars – Superfood for Superheroes