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

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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.

Grilled Apricot Kale Salad #SaladRevolution

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

If you don’t pay attention, you might miss apricot season – that would totally be the pits! This small, delicate stone fruit is at its peak from May through mid-June and is such a tasty little treat. A cup of sliced fresh apricots has less than 80 calories and provides a natural, unprocessed source of complex carbohydrates — the “good “ kind of carbs that give your body and brain quick energy for doing stuff – fun stuff like running, yoga, CrossFit and playing with your kids along with necessary evils like folding laundry, vacuuming . . . uh, and thinking rationally while stuck in rush-hour traffic.

When greedily hoarding selecting apricots at the grocery store or farmers’ market, keep in mind that this stone fruit doesn’t ripen with sweetness any further after picking. Look for fruit that is moderately soft but not squishy, unblemished and lightly scented with that famous fragrance. I usually gobble up my fresh apricots right away, but they will stay fresh on the kitchen counter for a couple days – after that, stick them in the fridge to give them a couple extra days of edible enjoyment.

Y’all know I love my grill and decided why not throw some apricots on there and see what would happen. Fabulous, good, yummy things happened as my apricots, brushed only with olive oil and sprinkled with a tiny bit of sea salt, softened and caramelized to perfection. I ate some right off the grates and had a few with my Greek yogurt for dessert – but the highlight of my fruit grilling was the Grilled Apricot and Feta Kale Salad with Organic Raspberry-Lime Vinaigrette I created for my friends at Litehouse Foods.

So many vibrant colors and healthy ingredients to swoon over in this salad including kale, raspberries, Marcona almonds, feta and more. Perfect for your late spring and summer entertaining or wow them at a pot luck. Add some shrimp or chicken to make this an entrée salad. Definitely a timely and soon-to-be-trending salad! Share your innovative salad recipe and tag @litehousefoods and #SaladRevolution on Instagram, they’ll send you a $1 off coupon good on their fit and fresh dressings, cheese, dips, and herbs.

I’ve been taking a break from the roads every now and then and heading to the trails — they are so gorgeous this time of year in Austin and we have 20+ miles of trails in my neighborhood!

Try my Grilled Apricot and Kale Salad and join in the #SaladRevolution @LitehouseFoods #Fitfluential #EatClean

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Do you like to run or hike on trails? What is the biggest challenge for you — location, terrain, allergies, critters, etc?

What is a unique ingredient you like to put on salads? I’m ALWAYS on the hunt for new ideas, so please share in the comments.

Crowing About Parmesan Roasted Sunchokes — Tastes Like Artichoke Dip!

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

You might walk right past Sunchokes in the market, they are knobby, gnarly and not a vegetable that jumps out with color and leafy flash and says “buy me, buy me!” Some call this tuberous root a “Jerusalem Artichoke,” however they are not at all related to the artichoke – although they do have a strangely similar taste that could be described as a little sweet, a little nutty and quite crunchy when served raw. It’s super simple to slice Sunchokes up thinly and sprinkle on a salad.

Another easy way to prepare this unusual veggie is oven-roasting — what root or tuber doesn’t benefit from a toasty turn under high, dry heat?! I toss Sunchokes in olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese and the final result is a cross between oven fries and artichoke dip! OMG, so good and so much healthier than the traditional party-night artichoke dip that has a ton of cheese, mayo and other heavy ingredients.

I like to try new things, it makes life more exciting! Like learning the crow yoga pose earlier in the year and getting up enough nerve to balance on a picnic table! Sunchokes can be an exciting and unusual addition to your healthy diet (they are obviously gluten-free, Paleo friendly and are low on the Glycemic Index making them a good choice for diabetics. Sunchokes are also a great source of iron, potassium and thiamin. They are also low in calories (60 calories for 4-ounces) and high in fiber. If you want to learn more about Sunchokes or can find them at the store, just ask your produce manager – or check out Friedas.com for nutritional information and more recipes.

Parmesan Roasted Sunchokes – OMG, Tastes Like Artichoke Dip! #Fitfluential #Recipe

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Have you ever tried Sunchokes? What did you think? Share in the comments!

Parmesan Roasted Sunchokes

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem Artichokes) are easy to oven roast with Parmesan and garlic, making a delicious and healthy side dish in less than 30 minutes. Serve with the dip of your choice as an appetizer or alongside a burger!

Course: Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 pound Sunchokes scrubbed and sliced into 1/3" chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F. Scrub the Sunchokes under cold running water and slice 1/3-inch thick.
Add Sunchokes, garlic and olive oil to bowl and toss until coated. Add Parmesan cheese and shake bowl until
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, or until Sunchokes are turning golden brown on the outside and tender inside.

5 Protein Packed Snacks + Enlightened #Giveaway

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Giveaway for ENLIGHTENED Crisps and ENLIGHTENED Ice Cream at the end of post, read on!

Whether filling your tank before a gym session or taking a snack break to ward off the dreaded midday energy lull, small, protein-rich meals are tasty ways to keep on going—and going. You’ve been hearing me talk about the protein challenge and aiming for 20 – 30 grams of protein per meal or snack. It’s not that fruit, whole grains, or even the occasional indulgent treat don’t have a place in the well-rounded diet, but, gram-for-gram and ounce-for-ounce, protein-packed snacks provide longer-lasting energy than their burn-and-crash high-carbohydrate counterparts.

In addition to regulating blood sugar and moderating hunger, protein-rich snacks play a vital role in the recovery diet of an athlete. After an intense workout, race, or competition, it is imperative to top off taxed muscles with foods plentiful in protein. Well-timed protein intake employs amino acids to rebuild damaged muscle tissue while encouraging the hormone activity needed to stimulate muscle growth. A study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that 20 grams is the optimal amount of post-workout protein to maximize muscle growth.

This focus on protein isn’t strictly for strength athletes. While runners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes have long known that eating carbohydrates during and immediately preceding hard efforts helps to replenish energy-providing glycogen stores, newer research shows that combining these carbohydrates with a wallop of protein nearly doubles the insulin response—meaning even more energy can be stored in the body along with all the muscle-making perks. The general wisdom from sports nutritionists is to consume a 1:3 to 1:4 protein-to-carbohydrate mini-meal within a 30-minute window of exercise.

So, to help you pump up your training diet, I’m sharing five of my favorite protein-packed snacks—one for every day of the workweek. Each option is easy to make, free of meat-based protein, and completely portable. Just toss one of these snacks into your gym bag, backpack, or mini-cooler and get after it. There’s a hearty, healthy, and protein-packed reward at the end of your efforts. Your taste buds will thank me while your muscles will thank you.

Check out these protein-rich snacks I developed for a feature in Austin Fit Magazine last spring :

1) Garliky Chili Chickpeas

2) Lucky Lime Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

3) Greek Yogurt with Hemp Hearts & Berries

4) Blueberry Flax Microwave Mug Muffin

5) Chocolate Java Almond Truffles

Often, there aren’t enough minutes in the day to make a homemade snack. That’s why I have a few go-to food brands that share my mindset for healthy, tasty and protein-rich snacking. One favorite is Enlightened from Beyond Better Foods – they don’t just make snacks that are better in a “less bad for you” way, but actually ARE better. Their ice cream bars found ME one day when I was walking down the frozen aisle – normally I eat Greek yogurt sweetened with stevia for dessert to get the extra protein and skip out on the sugar, but the creamy and delicious ENLIGHTENED Ice Cream makes a sensible treat – each flavor (think Fudge, Coffee, Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl) has under 100 calories and just 3 -5g sugar and 7 – 8g protein. I just finished off a box of Sea Salt Caramel bars and they were pure heaven.

Just recently, the company put out a new snack item that I’m really excited about – ENLIGHTENED Crisps. These savory, crunchy morsels are actually made from broad beans (aka – the fava bean which is actually a legume) and come in awesome flavors like Sriracha, Garlic Onion, Sea Salt, BBQ and more. Each bag has just 100 calories, lots of fiber and 7g protein – plus they are free of gluten and soy. You can’t go wrong eating beans (well, unless you go overboard)! Beans are loaded with fiber, folate and magnesium, and research has shown these legumes can actually help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of certain cancers.

So, who’s ready for some ENLIGHTENED snacks?! Five of my lucky readers will win a sample pack of the ENLIGHTENED Crips as well as free product coupons to pick up ENLIGHTENED Ice Cream at your local market. Just enter in the Rafflecopter App below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bold and Sweet Almonds + Trail Run Tabata

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond

Almonds are little powerhouses of nutrition and one of my favorite snacks on the go. I love to use them in recipes (like for granola) too! A handful of these crunchable, munchable nuts are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and heart healthy fats. Almonds are one of the most abundant sources of protein, fiber, calcium, niacin and vitamin E when it comes to tree nuts. So, you’re nuts if you don’t eat this nut!

If you’re wondering what a handful serving is, it’s an ounce or about 23 nuts. This ounce of almonds has 163 calories, 6 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat – but, don’t worry about the fat. The fat found in almonds is monounsaturated fat, the kind that is beneficial for your body – like olive oil. This kind of fat has been linked to reductions in cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and a myriad of other problems.

A recent study from Spain suggests that eating almonds and other nuts can keep you from gaining weight. After 28 months of a diet with or without nuts, the test group who ate nuts at least two times per week was 31 percent less likely to put on pounds than the group who never or rarely ate nuts. One reason may be that the fats and protein in almonds and other nuts curb hunger longer that other food choices, leading to less mindless snacking throughout the day.

While I never tire of almonds, sometimes it’s always fun to add a little extra flavor. But sweet or savory flavor, that’s hard to decide! Blue Diamond Almonds has so many varieties of roasted almonds dusted with flavor – Honey Dijon and Honey Cinnamon are two of my newest favorites. One flavor is bold and the other is sweet as honey – sorta like me!

The six-ounce cans are perfect for popping open when friends drop by – or for dropping in your purse for nearly a week’s worth of snacking. That’s one thing I love about almonds is that you can keep them on-hand for refueling in a gym bag, purse, desk drawer or glove box without worry of spoilage. Take almonds on vacation! Another place I like to carry along my Blue Diamond Almonds is on a hike or trail run – perfect for nipping “hangries” in the bud!

Speaking of trail running, I have a fun/tough workout that combines running with a series of Tabatas. Have fun and don’t forget to eat your almonds!

Trail Run, Tabata and Refuel Post Workout with @BlueDiamond Almonds #Ad

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Tell me your thoughts about almonds, trail running and Tabata training in the comments below.

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Category Archives: Nutrition & Wellness

Apricot Chocolate Almond Energy Bars – Superfood for Superheroes

Grilled Apricot Kale Salad #SaladRevolution

Crowing About Parmesan Roasted Sunchokes — Tastes Like Artichoke Dip!

5 Protein Packed Snacks + Enlightened #Giveaway

Bold and Sweet Almonds + Trail Run Tabata