Cherry Crisp Smoothie Recipe & Achieved a Goal!

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

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 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.

This 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!

Heart-Healthy Beef Meatballs & Oatmeal for Breakfast Steal the Show!

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Yup, I’m making meatballs for breakfast! I see no reason that lean ground beef should just be a spaghetti-taco-burger dinner kind of thing, especially taking into account that eating a higher protein breakfast fills you up and keeps you from binging out on unhealthy snack foods later. Today, in support of the National Heart Month and the upcoming American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women “Wear Red Day” (Feb 7^th), I got to share some of my favorite lean beef breakfast recipes on the Great Day San Antonio show.

Meatballs and oatmeal for breakfast

Unusual sounding but utterly, mouth-wateringly delicious (and nutritious), my recipe for Beef Meatballs & Oatmeal with “Go Red” Raspberry Chipotle Sauce was a hit. This morning meal is made with 96% lean ground beef, a quality protein source that has been certified with the American Heart Association’s Heart Check Mark, meaning it’s a great addition to a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. And, oatmeal is an AHA Heart Check certified whole grain – this heart healthy breakfast is win-win and sure to win over any cardiologist in town!

Lean Beef Meatballs & Oatmeal with ‘Go Red’ Raspberry Chipotle Sauce Recipe

Ingredients for meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef (96% lean)
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Ingredients for oatmeal:

¼ cup raw walnuts, chopped
3 cups water
1 cup skim milk
1 Tbs canola oil
½ tsp sea salt
½ cup golden raisins
1 cup rolled oats
Fischer Wiesser Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (or maple syrup, honey or whatever you like)

Combine ground beef, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and crushed red pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Form mixture in 16 one-ounce mini meatballs. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add mini meatballs; cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and internal temperature 160F degrees.

For the oatmeal, in a medium pot over medium-high, add walnuts and lightly toast; remove to a plate. Add water, milk, oil, sea salt, golden raisins, oats and bring to simmer—but do not boil. Cook oats, for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender.

Serve oatmeal in shallow bowls, topped with four mini meatballs. Drizzle with Raspberry Chipotle sauce and sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Serves 4.

Another healthy beef breakfast recipe I recently shared (and also demo’d during the cooking segment) is my Lean Beef & Egg ‘Barn-Raiser’ Breakfast Bake – a real winner for weekend guests or to make ahead and freeze single servings for those crazy, busy mornings. I know that it’s been a hit at the Texas Beef Council.

Check out the how-to video instructions for both recipes below!

Love at First Bite! Nut Butter Crispies with Cacao Nibs Recipe

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Who doesn’t love a crispy rice treat? I do, but not those prepackaged ones made with corn syrup, white puffed rice and a ton of other ingredients and preservatives I can’t pronounce. Plus, there’s only a scant trace of protein in one of those gooey squares; that means I’ll be crashing lickity-split from my carbohydrate high. What’s a girl got to do to satisfy her sweet tooth and get a little snap, crackle and pop going on? Mix up her own healthier version of this favorite treat from childhood, that’s what! I have a hunch you are going to fall in love with this healthy snack recipe – package them up and give them to your favorite sweetie for Valentine’s Day!

My version of crispy rice treats, Protein Nut Butter Crispies, features puffed brown rice, a 100% whole grain, that hasn’t been enriched or fortified with any weird stuff. A couple scoops of protein powder (you can use any brand or flavor) adds long-lasting energy that is perfect before a workout or to help build back up damaged muscle tissue afterward. Almond butter and honey helps hold everything together with delicious taste while cacao nibs lend an extra dose of crunchiness to this fun-to-eat treat.

You may be wondering, “Just what are cacao nibs and why should I be eating them?” Cacao nibs are little pieces of cacao beans that been have roasted, hulled and prepped for the chocolate-making process. While I like to think of them as “nature’s chocolate chips,” cacao nibs don’t really add any sweetness to a recipe. In fact, they are a tad bitter (in a good way) and have a slightly nutty flavor with chocolate undertones. Here are some other good things to know about cacao nibs:

Cacao nibs are abundant with magnesium, a mineral needed for in excess of 300 biochemical reactions in the human body including muscle and nerve function and maintaining a steady heart rhythm.
Unlike chocolate bars, cacao nibs pack in a lot of fiber in a small serving – one ounce of cacao nibs has nine grams of fiber.
Cacao nibs are rich in iron, a necessity for the production of red blood cells — and a good thing for women, runners and other athletes who need more iron (up to 30% more) than the average Joe. One ounce of raw cacao nibs provides six percent of the daily recommended value.
Cacao nibs provide more antioxidant benefits than eating the darkest chocolate bar around. You’ve probably heard that the darker the chocolate, the better – experts suggest picking a bar with as much as 70% cacao (it can take a while to get used to the less sweet taste). Since cacao nibs are the basis for chocolate candy (after being ground into a paste and mixed with sugar and milk solids), you’re skipping all the unhealthy stuff and going straight to the unsullied source of nutrients..
Get creative with cacao nibs! You can eat cacao nibs straight out of the bag, mix them into oatmeal or sprinkle on Greek yogurt – or mix in cacao nibs into any of your recipes for baked goods.

Protein Nut Butter Crispies with Cacao Nibs Recipe

2 cups puffed whole grain brown rice cereal
2/3 cup (2 standard scoops) chocolate protein powder
¼ cocoa nibs
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup honey (I like Wholesome Sweetener’s Fairtrade Organic Honey )
Optional: 2 Tbsp. chocolate candy-covered sunflower seeds

Place puffed rice, protein powder and cocoa nibs in a medium-sized bowl and toss together until combined.

Warm almond butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds so it’s more malleable. Spray spatula with baking spray and scoop out warmed nut butter on top of dry mixture. Drizzle honey on top of this and stir everything until combined. Mixture may be a bit crumbly, that’s okay.

Using hands, form mixture into approximate 1 ¼” diameter balls, packing tightly. Repeat process with remaining mixture.

If desired, lightly press tops of nuggets into candy-coated chocolate sunflower seeds or another topping of choice.

Makes 18.

Healthy Dessert Recipe | Broiled Grapefruit with Feta & Balsamic Syrup

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Fruit for dessert or a sweet side dish, nom-nom-nom! I’ve been on a poached pear kick and before that it was figs. This summer my fruit fetish was focused on the fuzzy, ripe peach. The nearby (Fredericksburg, Tx) peach orchards are famous and I actually still have a huge haul of peaches that I prepared for the freezer. I pull out a few of those peaches when I need a little taste of sunshine summer in the middle of winter.

Some of the ingredients for my favorite citrus salad!

Citrus is another favorite fruit of mine and its peak season is winter! Oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and more – I had all of these citrus fruits in my backyard growing up. I wish I would have taken better advantage of the bounty! A mixed citrus salad is one of my favorite sweet side dishes; I could eat it every day. Check out the healthy dessert recipe I recently whipped up. It may sound like a strange combination of ingredients but, trust me, it’s insanely good – Broiled Grapefruit with Feta & Balsamic Reduction .

Broiled Grapefruit with Feta & Balsamic Reduction Recipe

2 large Ruby Red grapefruit
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon balsamic reduction (store bought or homemade)

Directions:

Preheat broiler on high.
Slice grapefruit in half crosswise. To prevent wobbling in the pan, slice a small amount of peel off the bottom of each half, taking care not to cut up into the flesh.
Use a paring knife to cut around segment edges for easier eating when done.
Sprinkle tops of grapefruit with even mixtures of the salt, pepper, brown sugar and feta cheese.
Place 4-inches under broiler; broil for approximately 3 – 5 minutes until tops are beginning to caramelize and feta is slightly melting.
Remove from broiler and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

Serves 4.

I ran the nutrition on this healthy dessert recipe – I’ll think you’ll love that it only has 43 calories per servings (!) and is packed with nutrients.

There are many other reasons to sing the praises of citrus. I know that the abundant vitamin C and other nutrients in citrus fruits are beneficial to my well-being. Vitamin C has been shown to offer protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.

There’s not much that sours my mood more than buying fruit that isn’t ripe. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to pick out ripe citrus fruit. Look for fruit that are firm and heavy for their size, with bright, colorful skin. You can store citrus at room temperature for several days; beyond this, keep in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Throw a few oranges or tangerines in your gym bag, they don’t need to be chilled, come in their own wrappers and will give you energy before or after your workout.

Go eat your citrus, people!

A Real Breakfast! Artichoke & Spinach Blue Cheese Baked Eggs

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

This year I plan to start off every morning (okay, most mornings) with a healthy breakfast served on a real plate. I usually stay up too late and always wake up before dawn, making me so groggy and disoriented that the best I can often do for sustenance is a grab a protein bar or slurp a smoothie. While protein bars and smoothies are actually quite nutritious options for grab-and-go fuel, I aspire to slow down enough in the morning to actually have a conversation with the kids, give some attention to the dog, tune into current events (what year is this?) and enjoy a morning meal with all my senses. Then, after being properly fed, I can hit my errands, workouts and to-do list hard!

Pretty sure some eggs were eaten before (and maybe after) this workout at Ladybird Lake!

The incredible, edible egg is always one of my top choices in real breakfast food. Even on the busiest weekday mornings, it really doesn’t take that long to whip up a quick scramble or even microwave a 1-minute ramekin omelet. With just a little planning on Sunday night, a big breakfast casserole can be baked ahead and portioned out for the rest of the week. I plan to be a better planner – I promise!

This is a gorgeous recipe for Blue Cheese & Artichoke Baked Eggs I created for the blog at Lighthouse Foods. Typically baked eggs are doused in heavy cream before sitting in the oven, but I reduced the fat in this type of egg dish by using the company’s OPA Blue Cheese Greek Yogurt Dressing which is, not surprisingly, light, tangy and healthy! Served in individual gratin dishes, this healthy egg recipe is elegant enough to serve to company. Please visit the Living Litehouse blog for more gorgeous photos, but today I’m going to treat you to the full recipe right here, right now!

Blue Cheese & Artichoke Baked Eggs Recipe

Baking spray
3 to 4 ounces washed baby spinach
½ cup Litehouse Food’s OPA Blue Cheese Dressing (so good!)
2 Tbsp diced red onion
1 Tbsp sipped fresh chives
16 grape tomatoes
1 (7.5 oz) jar of quartered marinated artichoke hearts
8 large eggs
2 oz blue cheese crumbles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Lightly spray 4 ramekins or 2 gratin dishes with baking spray. Divide spinach evenly among dishes.

3. Drizzle even portions of blue cheese salad dressing over spinach and sprinkle with red onion.

4. Slice grape tomatoes in half and drain liquid from jar of artichoke hearts. Place tomatoes and artichokes around perimeter of dishes.

5. Gently crack egg over top of spinach mixture, taking care not to break yolk. Repeat for remaining 3 ramekins. If using 2 larger gratin dishes, use 2 eggs per container. Sprinkle tops with chives.

6. Place dishes on a rimmed baking sheet and place on center rack of oven. Back for approximately 20 minutes or until egg whites have set and yolk has achieved desired level of doneness.

7. Remove from oven and sprinkle tops with an even portion of blue cheese crumbles. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

egg skilled with beef eggs potatoes

My “Top of the Sirloin” Steak, Sweet Potato and Breakfast Bake is a proven winner, especially with my Paleo pals who can’t seem to get enough! I love how cheerful the sunny-side up eggs look atop this dish which is sautéed, baked and served in a country cast iron skillet.

Why not ditch the drive-thru and make your own yummy sunrise sandwich at home? My Spinach, Turkey & Egg Breakfast Sandwich offers loads of nutrient dense ingredients. Cook up the egg anyway you like – scrambled, poached, fried or in the handy-dandy Hamilton Beach breakfast sandwich maker!

Oh, and I can’t forget the Steak, Egg & Avocado Breakfast Sandwich – the day will be a win-win-win thanks to these three powerhouse ingredients.

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