Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Head over to Core Power to check out my post on Guacasuperfood! Five Reasons Avocados are a Super-Fuel for Athletes. Of course, I adore guacamole, but this nutrient-dense fruit also makes a rich and creamy addition to smoothies or spread on sammies – it’s also a heart-healthy swap for some of the fats used in baking! Avocados are also a good source of fiber and protein and pack an array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – find out exactly how they can help you as a runner, triathlete, CrossFitter, mountain climber, yogi, gymnast or other active person at CorePower.com.

Meanwhile, dig into my recipe for these super easy, super yummy Southwestern Shrimp & Avocado Starters –they are “starters” because once you start eating, you won’t be able to stop. That’s okay – they’re good for you! These amazing appetizers will be the hit of your holiday party spread — you could also present them in disposable condiment cups if you don’t have enough tiny bowls or would prefer to avoid clean-up.

Southwestern Shrimp & Avocado Starters Recipe

1 large avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
1/3 cup mixture of roasted corn with red peppers*
18 roasted or grilled shrimp*
18 unbroken tortilla chips
Garnish: cilantro sprigs

In small bowl, mash together avocado, lime juice and garlic salt. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of this guacamole mash into 1 ounce condiment cups. Sprinkle a bit of the corn mixture to top of avocado and then top with one shrimp, tail side up. Set a single tortilla chip behind this for scooping out the remaining guacamole once the shrimp is eaten. Repeat steps for remaining appetizers. Makes 18 appetizers.

*I used thawed Green Giant Honey Roasted Corn in the steamer bag and grilled shrimp from the take-away food section of the market for convenience.

Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes #CLblogger #SnackNation

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If you’re looking for other small bites for your soiree, these Holiday Appetizers from Cooking Light make a statement and are sure to keep the conversation going!

I also want to let you know about a great service that delivers healthy snacks to your home or office – Snack Nation. My box couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time, as I was about to gnaw my arm off in hunger desperation. I tore into the box and it was brimming with sensible snacks including long-time loves (Quest Bars, Krave Jerky and Pirate Booty) and some new favorites (Bare Fruit and Rip Van Waffles). Perhaps what I appreciated more than the snacks, was the fact that this company gives back to end world hunger through their HUMAN donation program – each delivery is matched by a one month’s supply of nutrient packs delivered globally to people facing malnutrition. If you’re looking for a unique holiday gift (and one that’s also healthy, tasteful and socially conscious), you really need to check out this fantastic home snack delivery service – plans start out at just under $30 a month and you can sign up for a free trial.

So, tell me, how many AVOCADOS do you eat per week?

What is your favorite healthy packaged snack food?

Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Mash + More Healthy Recipes

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Call me a clairvoyant, but I know you’re making sweet potatoes sometime in the next week. Everyone eats sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving Day, it’s the law. Even though my Kale & Caramelized Onion Sweet Potato recipe was a huge hit at home, I really don’t like to make the same recipe for dinner twice in the same month! So, tonight, I decided to cauliflower-ify my favorite tuber – and yum, yum, yum! Gosh, now what am I going to come up with for Thanksgiving dinner?

Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Mash Recipe

2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 pound cauliflower florets
3 tablespoons milk of choice
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (or Instantly Fresh Parsley)

Peel and cut sweet potato into 1 ½ -inch chunks.
In large pot with steam basked, steam sweet potato and cauliflower with 1 inch of water in bottom of pot. Vegetables will be ready in about 10 – 12 minutes, or when fork tender.
Place in large bowl and mash the potato and cauliflower with the milk. Stir in the Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt and pepper. If too thick, add milk 1 tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Serves 4 – 6

Here’s the Kale & Caramalized Onion Sweet Potatoes I was mentioning.

Last year, I made this recipe for Sweet Potato Skillet Stack with Srirracha Orange Glaze – delish!

Of course, you know Cooking Light knows how to do up a sweet potato right, check out this gallery for additional inspiration.

Best Side Dish Ever Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Mash #Thanksgiving #CLblogger

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So, how do you like to eat sweet potatoes best?

Cranberry Recipes for Thanksgiving Feasts + Health Benefits

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Foodie.com.

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without cranberries on the table and I’m happy to be sharing a collection of cranberry recipes I put together for Foodie.com – you’ll find healthy cranberry recipes for Thanksgiving and the remainder of the holiday season.

If you’ve wondered why we mainly eat cranberries in the fall, it’s because they are in season October, November and December – the primary holiday meal making months! However, this sweet-tart berry has so many health benefits that I like to eat them year round. Many of these health benefits are attributed to the phytochemicals known as proanthocyandidins found in cranberries – this compound in cranberries inhibit bacteria from adhering and multiplying in the body – that’s why drinking cranberry juice is a natural remedy for urinary tract infections. Cranberries may lower incidence of cancer; studies show polyphenolic extracts from cranberries diminish the growth of prostate, lung and esophageal tumor cells – cranberries have the highest level of this powerful antioxidant than 20 fruits and vegetables tested. As an athlete, cranberries are also a great source of natural carbohydrates to fuel workouts.

So, how can you enjoy cranberries year round when the store shelves are cleared out at the New Year? You can freeze fresh cranberries to use later in sauce, relish and other recipes. If you’re in a hurry, simply place original packing inside a heavy duty freezer bag and freeze for up to one year. If you have more time, I’d suggest rinsing and drying the cranberries and then freezing in a single layer on a baking sheet before placing in an airtight container. This allows you to grab a handful at a time without the berries being clumped together.

Best Ever Healthy Cranberry #Recipes for Thanksgiving @Foodie #sponsored

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Do you have a favorite cranberry recipe? Please share!

Off the Hook Flavor! Coho Salmon with Cranberry Jalapeno Compote

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Sizzlefish, I received products to review. However, all opinions, editorial comments and recipes are my own.

Sizzlefish recently sent me an impressive assortment of fish and seafood to incorporate into my November menus — sable fish, salmon, trout, scallops and more. Honestly, I couldn’t decide which fish to fry first (speaking metaphorically, of course), so I pulled the Coho salmon out of the pre-portioned, individually-packaged pile. That’s one thing I appreciated right off the bat, the fact that each serving is single-serve (less waste) and measured out to be exactly 4 ounces (no guesswork). As a connoisseur of all proteins, I know that a 4 ounce serving of beef, chicken or fish protein gives me around 25 grams of protein which is the optimal amount for my body to take on at any one feeding.

For quite some time now, I have made a conscious effort to increase the amount of protein I’m eating and pair that with as much fresh seasonal produces as I care for. However, I haven’t eliminated all grain and starchy carbs from my diet, because after experimenting around with Paleo and such, I really feel like I need some quality carb fuel to keep me where I want to be as an athlete. That being said, the powers of protein have done great things for me including speeding up my recovery time, leaning me out and boosting my brain power (okay, jury still out on that one)! Everyone knows I love beef, that’s no secret – but when it comes to getting enough quality Omega-3 fats, even a Texas rancher would say – go eat some fish! My husband and I eat at least two servings of Omega-3 rich fish per week and you should too! I think you’ll love this fall-seasoned recipe I created this weekend – Coho Salmon with Cranberry and Jalapeno Compote.

Coho Salmon with Cranberry and Jalapeno Compote Recipe (serves 2)

½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
¾ cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper (omit if you don’t like spicy)
2 tablespoons Jalapeno jelly
2 4-ounce portions of Coho Salmon (might I suggest Sizzlefish?)
½ lime, juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon pepita (pumpkin) seeds, optional

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
On stovetop, add orange juice, cranberries, jalapenos, and jalapeno jelly to small saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer, stirring frequently, for approximately 5 -7 minutes until cranberries have popped and cooked down.
Meanwhile, place thawed salmon, skin side down, on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, scoop a generous serving of the cranberry compote atop salmon. Sprinkle with pepita seeds, if desired.

Note – skin may be removed from salmon after cooking, but at least try to eat the darker flesh next to the skin because where A LOT of the good-for-you fats are found.

Off the Hook Flavor! Salmon with Cranberry Jalapeno Compote @sizzlefishfit #sponsored

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Try Sizzlefish for yourself — use discount code TRISIZ for $10 off order!

What is your favorite type of fish?

Sweaty with Chance of Meatball (& Wilted Greens) Stew + Tabata WOD

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Yes, I realize that I’m opening every blog post this month with “it’s still hot in Austin.” Even as a huge fan of warm weather, I’m starting to get sick of it too. So, what do I do? I make soup and stew! Nothing like slurping up a piping hot bowl of my Wilted Greens, Beans & Meatball Stew after a run in near 90 degrees or a no air-conditioning CrossFit WOD. I’m not being snarky, I’m being serious – I’m not going to let Mother Nature infringe on the length of my soup season. And, good news, the weathermen are predicting a cold front . . . . we’ll be dipping down into the upper 70s for the high this weekend. HA!

Looking forward to Austin’s upcoming “cold front” !!

While my Chipotle Squash & Chickpea Soup is always yummy, the soup in my pot this week is a delicious, easy and super healthy Wilted Greens, Beans & Meatball Stew that I first created for Litehouse Foods. The beauty of this recipe is that you can use whatever winter greens you have on hand like spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens or Swiss chard – use a mixture, that’s even better. It’s always sad to say my temporary goodbyes to vine-ripe tomatoes and zucchini as the sun fades out on summer, but the farmer’s market will be brimming with all of these vitamin-packed, nutritious winter greens. According to the USDA, dark leafy vegetables are plentiful in potassium, manganese and iron. Not to mention, they are all a good source for vitamins A, C, K and E as well as calcium, folic acid and fiber. So eat up!

Wilted Greens, Beans & Beef Meatball Soup Recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup chopped carrot
8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
6 cups beef broth
1 15-oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Garlic (or fresh chopped)
1 tablespoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Parsley(or fresh chopped)
1 tablespoons Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Chives (or fresh chopped)
1 ½ teaspoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Thyme (or fresh chopped)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Parmesan rind (dry end from wedge optional)
8 cups of coarsely chopped mixed winter greens (spinach kale collards chard)
24 pre-cooked “mini” or “party size” lean beef meatballs
Garnish: shaved Parmesan cheese if desired

In 6-quart Dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and mushroom and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened and lightly caramelized.
Add broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add beans, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, pepper, and parmesan rind. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add one half of mixed winter greens to pot; stir for 2 to 3 minutes to allow leaves to “wilt” down thus providing room for remaining greens. Add remaining greens and continue to stir and cook down for approximately 2 minutes.
Cover pot with lid and keep heat on low. Reheat meatballs according to manufacturer’s instructions in microwave or oven. When reheated, drain on paper towels, if needed, and add to stew. Use a spoon to remove any remnant of the parmesan rind.
To serve, ladle among four bowls and top with shaved parmesan cheese if desired.
Serves 4

Please visit the Living Litehouse blog for lots more yummy and convenient recipes that will work with your healthy lifestyle.

To help you work up a sweat, I’ve got a Tabata workout that will definitely make you earn that piece of cornbread with your soup. If you’re not familiar with the Tabata concept, it’s basically 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest and then repeat, repeat, repeat for four minutes. Tabata workouts are meant to increase the capacity of both your aerobic and anaerobic systems – do a couple per week and you’ll be a machine! However (disclaimer), my Tabata workout kicks it up from 4 minutes to 15 minutes – I must really like to suffer. If it’s too much for you, please stop and catch your breath with extra rest in between exercises.

Tabata #WOD + Recovery Wilted Greens & Meatball Stew #Recipe #EAT #Fitfluential

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So, would you rather drink a smoothie on a cold day or have soup on a hot day? What is your favorite soup?

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Category Archives: Nutrition & Wellness

Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes

Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Mash + More Healthy Recipes

Cranberry Recipes for Thanksgiving Feasts + Health Benefits

Off the Hook Flavor! Coho Salmon with Cranberry Jalapeno Compote

Sweaty with Chance of Meatball (& Wilted Greens) Stew + Tabata WOD

Wilted Greens, Beans & Beef Meatball Soup Recipe