Clean Fuel for Dirty Training + Vega Giveaway and Protein Cake Recipe

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

For most people, life winds down to a slower pace in the summer, but not me! Both my work and workout schedules have been in beast mode with several back-to-back business trips and lots of Spartan Race training (dirty training!) to nail a big race goal next weekend. These mental and physical stressors, along with the fact that my three teen boys are all home for the summer and their junk foods is laying around everywhere, should be tempting me to just chill out on the couch with a bag of chips – but I’m staying strong!

But, thanks to Vega® Clean Protein and Vega® Clean Energy (sent for me to test out as part of a Vega campaign), I’ve been able to avoid these temptations and stay in tip-top shape to tackle the obstacles that have literally and figuratively been thrown in my path lately. I don’t always eat vegan, but it’s a nice option to rotate through my diet for variety – and both these new, premium plant-based products from Vega make it easy for me to fuel up and train clean.

In addition to being Vegan Certified, Vega® Clean Protein and Vega® Clean Energy are both Non-GMO Project verified, gluten-free, made without dairy or soy, and contain no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.

To be honest, I’ve gagged on some other brands of plant-based protein – even hidden in blended smoothies. But the Vega® Clean Protein is delicious just shaken up with ice in a shaker bottle – that makes post-workout recovery a snap! Both the Chocolate and Vanilla flavors are a blend of pea, hemp, alfalfa and pumpkin proteins that boasts 25 grams of protein with only 1 gram of sugar – plus it’s got the full chain of amino acids, 4BCAAs, glutamine and also takes care of 20% of your daily iron intake needs. All of this for just 130 calories.

If also the Vega® Clean Protein used it to make this awesome single-serve Orange Chocolate Protein Cake for a clean dessert, bedtime snack or quick breakfast – it just takes 90 seconds! It’s vegan, non-dairy, gluten-free and lower carb!

Instructions: In large mug or small microwave-safe bowl, mix together 2/3 scoop Vega® Chocolate Clean Protein, 1 tablespoon gluten-free baking mix, 1 tablespoon gluten-free, oats, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons orange zest, and 1/3 cup almond milk. Microwave for 60 to 90 seconds until set. Remove and sprinkle with dairy-free chocolate chips, if desired.

On those days when I’m dragging and need a little sumptin-sumptin before a workout, Vega® Clean Energy comes to the rescue. Taken 20 minutes before a run or workout, it’ gears me up for great things thanks to electrolytes, naturally-occurring caffeine from black and green tea and quality carbs to rev the kick start the ole engine with some quick-sourced energy. It comes in two flavors – Berry and citrus tea!

Aside from these certified vegan sports nutrition products, I’ve been getting lots of great virtual support from Vega on their FuelYourBetter.com page. You should check it out too, it’s loaded with training tips, nutritional articles, and fit-focused recipes that will help you attain all your fitness goals – be those in running, triathlon, Crossfit, weight-lifting, yoga, obstacle course racing, paddle boarding, parkour, rock climbing, team sports or attaining all-around general fitness and shaping up for summer! #FuelYourBetter

Being the Instagram junkie that I am (follow me @thefitfork) I also like to stalk Vega’s new @VegaFueled Instagram page. You’ll easily agree that it’s an inspiring page featuring real world people that will make you want to get moving too! Follow @VegaFueled and tag your own photos with #vegafueled and #FuelYourBetter and you may be featured within the Vega community!

In fact, you can enter for a chance to win a Vega Clean Prize Pack that includes 1 tub Vega Clean Protein, 1 Tub of Vega Clean Energy and a Vega Shaker Cup. All you need to do is follow me at @thefitfork and the @VegaFueled Instagram Account and post a workout / fitness photo hash tagged #VegaFueled, #FuelYourBetter and #thefitfork. I’ll randomly pick one winner on 6/30/2016 — No PO #s US/CAN Only.

Try out Vega for yourself! Use discount code VegaFit at the Vega Store and save 20% off and free shipping – one use per customer and valid until 6/30/2016. SHOP VEGA HERE!

Clean Fuel for Dirty Training + Giveaway @VegaTeam #FuelYourBetter #VegaFueled #Fitfluential #Ad

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What are you training for? How are you fueling? Have you ever tried a slack line? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of White Wave. The opinions and text are all mine.

Yoga Workout for Active Recovery + Daily Multi-Vitamin for Wellness!

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

Training is hard. Rest days are harder, often they can be a hard pill to swallow! I hear this from dedicated runners, triathletes CrossFitters, obstacle course racers, weight-lifters and other hard-core athletes all the time. In fact, I often fight the urge to workout 365, even when I know rationally that my body needs adequate time to recover from a hard effort on the track or in the gym. In part, it’s this drive to go balls out regardless of pain and suffering that distinguishes winners from losers on game day. However, keeping this mindset every day of the week can wear you down mentally, tear you down physically and get you stuck in a rut where you’ve plateaued and are no longer making gains.

But who among the athletic elite (and even us regular people just striving to be the best we can be) want to sit around on the couch all day, waiting for some sort of generic mandate of “not moving a muscle” to pass?! That’s not really the best option mentally and physically either. Activities on these light load days should take into consideration your current fitness level and fatigue felt from the previous workout – less volume, less intensity (less than 60% effort) and keeping it fun are the key points! My go-to active recovery day includes a short walk followed by a gentle, stretching yoga sequence to help flush out toxins and encourage mobility so I’ll be ready to go harder the next day! Here is one of my favorite active recovery “Rest Day” Yoga Workouts:

Getting enough sleep (7 to 8 hours would be optimal), rehydrating with plenty of water (check out my post on 50 Shades of Pee) and eating well with a focus on fresh vegetables and fruit paired with lean proteins are also important to workout recovery.

Another important part of recovery is eating right, right?! Most of us are aware that carbohydrates metabolize into the quickly-sourced energy that powers performance and that consuming a protein-rich snack post-workout (in a 3:1 to 4:1 carb to protein ratio) helps repair muscle and tissue taxed by exercise. But what you eat every day, day in and day out, has a profound effect on athletic performance too – you can’t outrun a poor diet!

In addition to eating a balanced diet of lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies and healthy whole grains, I I also take a daily multivitamin to make sure my bases are covered. Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin from New Chapter caught my attention from the hundreds (if not 1000s of different brands out there) because of the way that it’s made. These vitamins are fermented with probiotics and whole foods and gentle enough to take any time – even first thing in the morning on an empty stomach! I’ve never feel woozy or nauseous after taking any of their products.

Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin from New Chapter is ideal for active women because it contains extra nutrients for energy support, stress support†, immune support and bone support.* And, this award-winning vitamin (BEST Multivitamin Award. Delicious Living 2016 Supplement Awards) is Non-GMO Project Verified, made with certified organic vegetables & herbs, vegetarian, kosher, gluten free and has no synthetic fillers. I love how they are equally helpful to the planet as they are to us – all ingredients are mindfully and sustainably sourced!

You can purchase Every Woman’s One Daily Multivitamin at a number of online retailers including Amazon.com– love how I can usually get free shipping and also save by setting up a subscription (because, it really sucks to run out of vitamins)!

Yoga for Active Recovery + #NewChapterVitamins for Everyday Wellness #Ad

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What are your tips for recovery and general wellness for an active lifestyle? Are you racing competing, training or taking it easy this weekend — please share in the comments, I’d love to chat! XOXO — Jennifer

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, care, or prevent any disease.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Live Happy, Live Healthy, Live Now + NOW Foods #Giveaway

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

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This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of NOW Foods.

I think my new “Live Happy, Live Healthy, Live NOW” shirt sums it all up to a T! When a company whose products you already love, loves you back with double-puffy-hearted hospitality, it’s a win-win-win – for me, for them, for YOU! Recently, I was invited to visit Now Foods at their Midwest Operations Facility and Corporate Headquarters in Bloomingdale, IL (a suburb of Chicago) to learn more about their products lines, core values and mission to “enable people to live healthier lives.”

It was a fun and fact-filled two days with a group of other health and fitness influencers. Of course, we naturally had fit a group workout into the festivities and headed over to Lifetime Fitness for a specially developed HIIT workout that targeted 9 body parts to promote Target’s awesome athletic line called “C9.” That serious sweat session was followed by a bit of relaxing yoga and a delicious post-workout smoothie made with nourishing NOW products.

My excitement is bubbling over from seeing with my own eyes how NOW products are made from start to finish and meeting with company executives including Jim Emme (CEO) and Dan Richard (son of founder). Oh, and by the way, please feel free to take a virtual tour of the Midwest Operations Facility yourself!

Not only did I get a chance to tour the facilities, but also got to participate in some fun and educational sessions including a presentation by the lovely Dr. Wendy Bazilian on Food Tribes (more about this in an upcoming post) and impact these different diet choices (like Gluten-free, Paleo, Vegan, etc) have on athletic performance. It was also fun to partake in a DIY session where we made our own Aromatherapy Bath Soak and also Exercise Equipment Cleaning Spray using very versatile and pesticide/herbicide free Now Essential Oils. So, to recap my amazing experience, I want to share with you three awesome things I learned about this honest, totally-transparent and quality-focused company that started out way-back-when in 1968 as a simple health food store. Also, make sure to read through to the end, they are generously sponsoring an enormous giveaway of products for one lucky reader to win! 1) NOW Foods makes and sells nearly everything on my shopping list! Seriously, I think this company makes almost everything I need to support my healthy living . . . except fresh fruit and vegetables. Not only does Now Foods make a vast array of vitamins, supplements and sports nutrition products (how I first found them), but they also have an impressive selection of personal care and wellness items, essential oils, healthy foods and even natural pet care products! Even though this large company produces so many different items, each individual product is very thoughtfully and carefully made — it’s as if each came from a single-focus boutique operation. There is just that much passion among the employees at this company that has been recognized as one of the “101Best & Brightest” to work in the nation!

Over here to the left, a couple of the protein powders that started my love affair with NOW Foods. Oh, and their food lines is amazing and so many of their products, from BetterStevia™ (it really is better) to gourmet, small-batch Ellyndale Foods™ to , are the foundation for many of my healthy recipes on the blog including my Kiwi, Apricot and Feta Salad with Hemp Honey Dressing (I used their organic hemp seeds and avocado oil for this yummy summer dish). Also, the Living Now™ line up is has a nice variety of tasty, junk-free products that make it easier and more convenient to keep a gluten-free diet. We also had an interesting and informative “oil tasting” led by the adorable and talented Executive Chef in their corporate test kitchen. Apparently, there is a proper way to appreciate the flavor of oils (think wine tasting) and I slurped in little bits of various oils one at a time, from pumpkin seed and almond to olive and sesame, and let them slowly wash over my tongue! At the end of this taste-test, I have very moist lips as a whipped up a homemade berry salad dressing using the macadamia nut oil. We also made to-go salads for our travel home that day and packed our jars from a rainbow array of produce, nuts and healthy grains – of course, I went straight to the Organic Tri-Colored Quinoa from NOW Real Food™ , one of my favorites ( because, when meat isn’t on the menu, this near-celebrity-status seed offers a complete amino acid chain). 2) NOW products are a blessing for my body and budget Now Foods products are both affordable AND high-quality — gasp, I know! These two factors are important to so many of us trying to live, role model and share our passion for the “fit life.” It’s such a common assumption in the natural health food and supplement industry that the more expensive, the better — not so! In fact, many times (not always), an expensive product is actually quite cheap in quality and just jacked up with a big marketing budget. But NOW Foods never tries to trick you into thinking that you’re getting something you’re not. They don’t waste money (which is ultimately your $) on overkill advertising because they are confident that their products always stand up to the test – literally!

My reaction at the hotel to my bags full of NOW products! High quality AND affordable, whoohoo!

Just one example, I can get NOW Whey Protein Isolate for double the amount for half the price (okay, that’s a generalization, but the point is it’s a very good deal) as many other brands I’ve tried – plus the macros are spot on in my opinion, as opposed to many of the other protein powder options out there. Same goes for product after product in their collection of hundreds (if not thousands) of different items. NOW also maintains a highly efficient, low-error operations facility that helps keep costs down. And, because NOW is privately-owned, they don’t have to jack up prices to please profit-margin focused shareholders – actually, NOW wants to please YOU, even if that means a little less moola in their own pockets 3) NOW Tests to be the Best

Learning some of the high-tech testing that goes on at the $40M lab at NOW.

So what did I just mean when I just said in #2 that “products always stand up to the test”? I mean that NOW is highly committed to quality and bringing you the cleanest, safest products. Their 263,000 square foot facility is widely regarded as one of the most scientifically-advanced in the natural products industry. The $40+ million lab of this privately-owned company is simply amazing and is nearly unmatched both nationally and world-wide. I could tell from the giddy grins on the otherwise serious chemists, bio-scientists and other laboratory professionals’ faces that the NOW lab was THE place to be. Not only does NOW test the quality of their finished products, but they also monitor and maintain quality all through the entire manufacturing process which starts with product development and receiving raw ingredients from vendors and ends with storing in appropriate thermostatically-controlled environments and shipping out from a precision-inspired, highly-streamlined warehouse. They also keep samples from each batch of products for a lengthy six years to ensure that if there ever is a problem, they can identify and correct immediately. I really appreciate that NOW is very transparent about the make-up of their natural products, ingredient lists and macros for nearly everything on their website. Plus, with all this testing I’ve described – I am 100% confident I’m getting what’s sold. Plus, they stand by their products if there ever is a rare, rare, rare exception. The overwhelming majority of NOW products certified organic and non-GMO, those few that aren’t are always in the pipeline to meet those standards as soon as viable in the ingredient sourcing process. Feel free to read more about the Must Use Ingredients and Must NEVER Use Ingredients. Join the twitter chat on June 16th (9PM EST) to learn get into the conversation — follow @NOWfoodsand #NOWgetfit Enter my giveaway for a huge haul of NOW products, the same two huge bags of items they sent me home with! It’s so much stuff, I can’t even describe it all – but it’s a bit of everything (probably $200+ at least) and you won’t be disappointed! USA only! Thank you FitFulFocus.com for the photo of loot, because I was so excited to try everything that I forgot to snap a pic! Don’t miss #NOWGetFit Twitter Party 6/16 9pm EST w/ me @NowFoods and @Fitfluential #ad a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giant Gluten-Free Cherry Almond Protein Breakfast Cookie

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

Cookies for breakfast, count me in! A giant-sized, gluten-free Cherry Almond Protein Breakfast Cookie is just what I need to fuel my active morning. Also the beauty of this easy protein cookie recipe is that it is a single-serving and can be made in the toaster oven!

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25 Tasty Ways to Top a Sweet Potato – Quick Ideas!

Posted on May 22, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

Wondering “what to do” when it’s meal time and a sweet potato plus a few minutes is all ‘ya got? Get your finger off the panic button; I sharing 25 ways to top your ‘tater in 10 minutes or less that will squash your hunger in a wholesome, healthy way.

The good news is that a sweet potato is a very nutritious base for your meal, packed with complex carbohydrates for sustaining energy and a mega dose of vitamin A , more than 400% RDA for a medium spud. Sweet potatoes are also an abundant source of other vitamins and minerals like potassium and dietary fiber. Tired of traditional orange sweet potatoes? Add a punch of unexpected color to dinner with a purple sweet potato! According to the USDA, these vibrant veggies have up to 4x the antioxidant powers of a regular white spud.

The downside is that traditional “baking” or “roasting” a purple or orange sweet potato can take up to an hour. But again, don’t fret! Use the microwave to fix up your sweet potato in a flash. Wash and dry your sweet potato and rub the outside with a dab of oil olive and season with salt. Use the tines of a fork or small paring knife to jab little holes all around to allow air to escape during the cooking process (and prevent a ‘tater explosion)! Microwave cooking time varies widely depending on the size on the potato and power of your machine. I suggest starting with 4 minutes, setting your microwave to high. Turn the tuber halfway through and if still firm, continue to cook in 1 minute increments until soft and yielding.

All topping suggestions below start with a microwave “baked” sweet potato and are for one serving, but feel free to double, triple, quadruple or otherwise multiply for a crowd.

Plain Jane: Fluff pulp of sweet potato, drizzle with 1 tablespoon quality olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Sloppy Joe: Add ¼ pound cooked ground beef to ¼ cup tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon onion powder and dash of chili powder. Heat until warm and add to sweet potato.

French Onion: Sauté ½ sliced sweet onion in teaspoon of olive oil 6 to 8 minutes until caramelized, add splash of beef broth and stir until heated. Add to sweet potato and top with shredded Gruyere cheese.

Honey Mustard Sweet Potatoes: Whisk together 2 teaspoons each of Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar and drizzle on baked sweet potato. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.

BBQ Brisket & Beans: Chop up a couple slices of leftover beef brisket and ½ cup cooked pinto beans. Stir in 3 tablespoons of barbeque sauce. Heat mixture in microwave, pile on potato and top with pickles and sliced onions.

Chicken Verde Enchilada: Add ½ cup shredded rotisserie chicken to 2-ounces drained diced green chiles (from can), ½ cup green enchilada sauce and ½ teaspoon ground cumin. Heat mixture in microwave, spoon over sweet potato, and top with light sour cream.

Greens, Eggs & Ham: Add one teaspoon olive oil to skillet and sauté 1 cup fresh spinach and 2 ounces chopped cooked ham until wilted and warm. Transfer mixture to baked sweet potato. Add egg to skillet and poach or “fry” in baking spray sunny side up. Add egg on top of ham and greens mixture, season to taste.

Tuna Nicoise: Top baked sweet potato with 3 ounces canned albacore tuna, chopped olives, green beans, tomatoes and hard-boiled egg slices. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.

Sweet Bunny: Sauté ½ cup shredded carrots and ½ cup shredded parsnips with 1 tablespoon butter, teaspoon brown sugar and splash of orange juice. Top with Greek yogurt and pea shoots.

Beef Chuck Wagon: Mix together 3 ounces shredded cooked beef (like chuck roast), ¼ cup thawed frozen corn, ¼ cup cooked beans, ¼ cup salsa and reheat in microwave until hot. Add to potato and top with cheddar cheese and jalapeno slices.

Unique Greek: Stir together ¼ cup cottage cheese with ¼ cup plain Greek Yogurt, adding a dash of garlic salt and splash of lemon juice to taste. Top with a salad of sliced cucumber, red onions, chopped tomatoes and sliced black olives.

Turkey Meatball Marinara: Heat 3 to 4 prepared turkey meatballs as directed on package, place on baked sweet potato. Douse with heated marinara sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Hella Cauliflower Hummus: Add 1 cup of cauliflower florets to baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 400 F degrees for 10 minutes. Add generous dollop of hummus to baked sweet potato and top with roasted cauliflower.

Pesto Zoodles & Chickpeas: Spiralize a small zucchini (or julienne chop) and microwave with ½ cup cooked chick peas in microwave until heated, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons prepared pesto and top on potato.

Garden Guacamole: Mash together ½ avocado and ¼ cup thawed frozen peas, season with garlic salt and splash of lemon juice. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped red onion. Dollop on baked potato and top with chopped tomatoes.

Peanut Thai Shrimp: Thaw 3 ounces pre-cooked, deviend shrimp. Quickly sauté in 1 teaspoon olive oil along with ½ cup shredded carrots and 2 tablespoons chopped red onion until just heated. Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon peanut butter and Sriracha sauce to taste. Add mixture to potato and top with additional peanuts if desired.

24-Hour Diner Breakfast: Top baked sweet potato with one scrambled egg, 2 slices of bacon and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Broccoli Cheese Please: Add 1 cup steamed broccoli over baked sweet potato and top with ½ cup “light” broccoli cheese soup from deli or jar. Add shredded cheddar and chopped green onions to garnish.

Mojo Black Bean Mango: Make relish of 1/3 cup chopped mango, 2 tablespoons chopped red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno and juice of ½ lime. Add ½ cup cooked black beans to sweet potato and top with relish.

Blue Cheese Buffalo Chicken: Mix 3 ounces chopped rotisserie chicken with 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce. Add to top of baked sweet potato and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until cheese melting. Serve with celery sticks.

Feta Orange Crush: Scoop out pulp of baked sweet potato, mix with 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Top with 2 tablespoons Feta cheese crumbles and 2 ounces of mandarin orange segments, broil for 1 minute until cheese bubbling. Top with chopped mint.

Maple Salmon Pecan: Top baked sweet potato with 4 ounces cooked salmon chunks, 2 tablespoons pecan pieces and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Enchilada Sauce Y Mas: Top sweet potato with grated pepper jack cheese and shredded pork. Pour generous amount of warm enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with pico de gallo.

Coconut Curry: Stir together 1/3 cup Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon coconut “butter,” 1 teaspoon honey and ¼ teaspoon each curry powder, cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes. Top sweet potato with 1 cup of favorite steamed veggies and pour on sauce.

25 Tasty Ways to Top a Sweet Potato #Recipes #Fitfluential

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What is your favorite way to top a sweet potato? Which of these ideas do you like most?! Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

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Category Archives: Nutrition & Wellness

Clean Fuel for Dirty Training + Vega Giveaway and Protein Cake Recipe

Yoga Workout for Active Recovery + Daily Multi-Vitamin for Wellness!

Live Happy, Live Healthy, Live Now + NOW Foods #Giveaway

25 Tasty Ways to Top a Sweet Potato – Quick Ideas!