Pear Pressure! Healthy Dessert Recipes for Poached Pears and More!

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Fruit for dessert, when I was a kid I thought this was a fate worse than cleaning my room on a Saturday. Sheez, if I finished my meatloaf and polished off the peas, I deserved a GOOD reward, something sickly sweet like a Hostess cupcake or Bomb Pop. But, alas, my mom, bless her healthy heart, never (okay rarely) bought junk like this. Instead we had homemade ice pops, frozen bananas and the occasional chocolate chip cookie (whoot)!

But then, one day it happened – I gave into the siren song of a golden foil-wrapped pear. Straight from Harry & David, nestled in in a holiday gift basket. Although my rational self was saying “no,” just pass on that fruit for dessert and go straight for the chocolate, I couldn’t help greedily peeling off the sparkling paper and digging in — it was divine, it was to die for and I was completely woozy with pear intoxication. Still, to this day, if someone was to send me a basket of golden foil-wrapped pears, I would be beyond thrilled (hint, hint).

Pears poaching in pomegranate juice.

So, last year for New Year’s Eve, a family friend made poached pears for dessert. I’m not sure exactly what he did to make them so delicious, but they were sublime – easy yet elegant and just the right amount of sweet to top off the celebratory meal without making me feel even more stuffed than I already was. Inspired by these memories of pears past, I created my own recipe for dessert pears – Poached Pears with Pomegranate & Mascarpone Sauce.

If you want the full step-by-step video instructions on how to make this healthy dessert, you got it – I recently made this little poached pear how-to for Austin Fit Magazine online. The recipe is a super star!

Fast, Fit and Family-Friendly Recipes with TheFitFork.com – Poached Pears with Pomegranate-Mascarpone Sauce:

All this talk about pears being so fantastic for dessert (or anytime) and I never mentioned the health benefits. Pears are a great source of fiber and offer important nutrients including vitamin B2, C, E, copper, and potassium. They also contain a significant amount of pectin, a water soluble fiber which is thought to help reduce cholesterol and regulate the body’s use of sugars. Pears are a healthy choice in carbohydrates and provide longer-lasting energy thanks to their low glycemic load — this just means the carbs in pears are slow to convert to sugar before entering the bloodstream.

Poached Pear Bread from Cooking Light Magazine

This recipe for Poached Pear Bread from Cooking Light magazine made me do a double take, and probably you as well! Poached pears were placed right into quick-bread batter before being baked up into a rustic yet refined loaf of bread that, when sliced, reveals a mouthwatering cross-section of pear! Yes, please!

Another wonderfully warm, homey dessert featuring pears is my Cranberry-Ginger Pear Crumble – mmm, this is perfect for a cold winter treat! So, what are you waiting for? Grow a “pear” and get healthy — pears are perfect for dessert!

Do you have a favorite way to eat pears? Maybe for dessert or on a salad? Please share in the comments, I am always looking for new pear inspiration!

Eat Fit in 2014 – $200 MyFitFoods Giveaway

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

It’s a NEW YEAR, a time when many of us start planning for improvements in our health and fitness – eating clean is always at the top of my list. Not only does enjoying healthy, nutritious meals and snacks keep me at a steady weight and help prevent a host of medical issues, it provides the quality fuel I need to perform my best as a runner and general fitness enthusiast. Typically, it’s easy for me to stick to the diet I prefer – lean proteins, low-glycemic carbs and heart-healthy fats. But, that’s because creating new healthy recipes and experimenting around in the kitchen is my passion. The only time I really fall off the wagon is when life gets super busy and over-scheduled – that can be frequently as a mom of three trying to keep a full work and training schedule.

“Life getting in the way” is probably why some studies have shown that only 8 percent of New Year’s resolution makers have “stuck with it” by year end. However, that doesn’t have to be the case when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle — especially when companies like MyFitFoods are around to help us meet our goals. When my schedule is slammed and I’m out and about during a mealtime, it’s easy to say no to (insert gagging noise) traditional fast food knowing I can hit one of the multiple locations of MyFitFoods in Austin to pick up a well-balanced, nutrient-packed, perfectly-portioned meal that also tastes damn good – way better than a (eek) McDonald’s salad.

Currently operating in California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois, this company is growing like crazy — check out the location map to see which store is nearest to you. When you drop into MyFitFoods, you’ll see all of their pre-packaged menu offerings on display to either grab-and-go– or heat up and eat in the café area of the store. When I say pre-packaged, I’m not talking about old school frozen meals – these are refrigerated meals made in their local kitchens with freshest produce, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. All the nutrition information, calorie and ingredients are printed right on the label so that you can make the best-informed choices as possible. Also, a “best by” date is on the label in case you want to stock up on a few meals to take home for later.

From breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, you can count on getting a fresh, delicious and nutritious meal prepared with your health in mind at MyFitFoods. The menu is diabetic friendly and there are plenty of options for special diets including vegan, vegetarian and dairy-, gluten- and soy-free. After scanning the menu, it also looks like there are options for devotees of the Paleo diet too. Meals are sold in a range of portion sizes to meet your unique needs – I’m fairly active and am not trying to lose weight, so the Medium size works for me. But, you can get more or less – or buy a Large and share!

Another neat thing about the company is their 21 Day Challenge. On-site nutritional coaches will provide a complementary consultation on how MyFitFoods can help you lose weight, build muscle, increase energy levels and enjoy better sleep quality. Company founder, Mario Mendias, totally gets it – as a past personal trainer, he saw a need to make fit-focused meals for his time-crunched and non-cooking clients who were too often risking their hard work in the gym for a convenient yet unhealthy meal.

To help you make healthy living and eating an easy reality this year, MyFitFoods is letting me giveaway a $200 gift card. The winner can load up for a week’s worth of food at once or grab a healthy meal now and then – there are so many choices at MyFitFoods. Here are some of the yummy, healthy meals I enjoyed this week.

Good Morning Sunshine – With a taste of the southwest, lean ground turkey, converted rice and eggs topped with fresh pic de gallo and a pinch of real cheese. The medium size only has 430 calories and 29g carbs for nearly a pound of food that packs 40g of protein. I feel my muscles growing already!

Ancho Chicken Breakfast Tacos – Eggs and shredded chicken nestled into three corn tortillas along with ancho sauce make a very filling breakfast. The medium-sized dish has 450 calories 55g carbs and 30g protein to satisfy even the hungriest post-workout appetite.

Gimme More Chicken Salad – Thumbs up to this lightened chicken salad that is made with lean breast and Greek yogurt with just a dash of real mayo. Chopped celery, cranberries and tarragon add the finishing touches to the generous scoop that rests on a bed of chopped romaine with lemon wedges. Available in one size, 320 calories, 16g carbs with 28g protein and just 15g of fat which is way less than the fat found in traditional chicken salad.

Beef Fit Up! – It’s no secret I like beef, especially tenderloin. This low-carb dinner didn’t disappoint with sliced beef tenderloin cooked to medium and topped with onions and mushrooms over cauliflower mash and green beans. Here’s my tip for reheating so the beef doesn’t get overcooked: heat the veggies separately on high for a minute or so. Next, reheat the beef alone on the “defrost” button for just about a minute, basically to just take the chill off off rather than cook it. Replate and enjoy! Medium size is more than a pound of food with 450 calories, 18g carbs and 45g protein. I could have shared, but I didn’t.

Cilantro Lime Turkey – This is a light and lively dish that tastes really good; lean ground turkey is seasoned just right and served on a bed of converted rice mingled with cilantro. Broccoli rabe and a refreshing lime slice finish it up. The Medium portion makes a hearty yet healthy meal with 500 calories, 51g carbs and 39g protein.

Enter the Giveaway through the various options below – please note that MyFitFoods is currently operating stores in California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois (so please only enter if you live in one of these states — check out the store map for exact locations):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Roast Beef Tenderloin and Wear Diamonds #Recipe

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

When it comes right down to it, are diamonds really a girl’s best friend? There is no arguing the precious stones are stunning, sophisticated and sparkling. My heart skipped a few beats wearing this pair of red carpet-worthy, yellow and white diamond chandelier earrings from Carranza Jewelers in San Antonio. Even though I basked in the flattery and feel-good that came from having some big bling as my new buddy, I knew I wasn’t building a long-lasting relationship here. After all, were these earrings really going to clear their schedule to listen to my trivial problems, wake up early to cheer me on at a race, or provide me a brutally-honest reality check when I’m getting too self-absorbed? I think not. So while we eventually parted ways (the earrings and me), I offered the invitation that we could hang out every now and then!

Whoohoo! Lean beef is a part of my heart-healthy diet!

Obviously real people make the best friends, but when it comes to taking care of yourself, making good food choices and exercising will never let you down. In fact, these two lifestyle factors will help you stay fit and fabulous for decades to come. Recently, I was at a Circle of Red event for the American Heart Association (in the previously-mentioned earrings) to talk about the benefits of beef and how to incorporate them into a healthy holiday. For the last couple of decades, beef has been an important friend that looks out for my well-being — it keeps me strong for running and working out, has been a go-to protein source for feeding those three hungry boys of mine, and is so versatile it can be served everywhere from a backyard cookout to a black-tie affair.

Three pound beef tenderloin with “countdown” spice rub and roasted for 45 minutes.

Preparing a beef roast for your winter-season celebration is a showy and yet simple way to treat yourself, family and friends — plus, most of the popular cuts (like sirloin roasts and tenderloin) are considered “lean” meaning they have less than 10 grams of fat per cooked 3-oz serving. I’m a huge fan of tenderloin and preparing the biggest one we can find has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. This nutrient-dense cut is hands-down the most tender (duh, hence the name), comes in at 6.7 grams of fat per serving and is rich in a host of vitamins and minerals including iron (which I’ve been told I need more).

I am going to give you the straight-forward, skinny on how to make a super delicious, super easy tenderloin roast that will make you everyone’s new BFF. Aside from an oven-failure or act of God, there is no way this roast can be messed up.

How to Roast Beef Tenderloin

Step 1: Go to butcher counter and ask for a beef tenderloin roast (also called filet); the size depends on your appetite. What you see in the photo is just a little over 3 lbs. but you can get them up to 5 lbs. or even a little more if lots of company is coming. Plan on getting 2 – 3 servings per pound, less for holiday helpings.

Step 2: Prepare a dry rub to coat and season the roast. You can use a store-bought rub or make your own – I have an easy recipe for Countdown Spice Rub that has a nice sweet-spicy-smoky flavor or you can also use 1 part Cavender’s Greek Seasoning to 1 part coarsely ground black pepper. Thoroughly pat on rub, thickly covering every part of the roast. It might seem like you’re using a lot, but you need to create a good crust that will lock in juices — approximately 1/3 cup of a rub covers a 3 lb. roast.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Place roast (fat side up, if any fat is visible) into a shallow, rimmed roasting pan (approximate 2” rim). You can use a rack if desired, but it is really not necessary for tenderloin because it is so lean. Sometimes I will just scrunch up a couple pieces of foil into a “rope” and place under the tenderloin as a throw-away “rack.”

Step 4: Place tenderloin in middle rack of the 350 F degree oven. Do not cover with a lid or foil. Roast for 15 – 20 minutes per pound; that would be 45 – 60 minutes for a 3 lb. tenderloin. I prefer to err on the short time estimation because I can always cook beef more, but I can’t “uncook” overdone meat.

Step 5 : Insert thermometer into the center of the thickest part of the tenderloin. Tenderloin is ready when thermometer reaches 135 F degrees. As it rests on the counter, the internal temperature should rise to 140 – 145 degrees, making it “medium-rare” which is what I would consider optimal for taste and texture.

Step 6: Tent roasting pan with foil and let roast rest on the counter for 15 minutes – this is essential, don’t skip this step! The resting period gives the roast adequate time to seal in the juices that ensure tenderness. Cutting into a steak and having a pool of juice pour makes for a chewy experience – so be patient.

Step 7: Carve meat against the grain using a sharp knife. The thickness of each slice depends on your preference and recipe. Slice into 2” thick filet steaks, 1/2” slices or even paper thin for leftover sandwiches!

Use leftovers (that is, if you have any!) to make a yummy steak salad, steak pizza or steak sandwich. Last night’s dinner was a Tenderloin Panini with Mascarpone and Truffle Pesto – it’s really not as much of a recipe as it is a creation, but I’ve tried to list out the details for you below:

Tenderloin Panini with Mascarpone and Truffle Pesto Recipe

2 slices sourdough bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon truffle pesto (or substitute preferred pesto)
2 – 3 ounces of tenderloin, sliced very thin
Handful of baby spinach

Heat skillet to medium-high. Brush outsides of bread with olive oil. Spread mascarpone on inside of one slice and pesto on inside of remaining slice. Add beef and spinach between bread. Pan grill for 2 – 3 minutes on each side or until bread is golden brown and toasty.

Serves 1.

The roasting techniques I have described for a tenderloin are very similar other roasts, including sirloin roasts and rib roasts. I think Cooking Light magazine does a really great job of explaining how to cook a large bone-in roast like a standing rib roast — plus, some good recipes found here too including this Rosemary Dijon Crusted Standing Rib Roast.

Oh, F-word | Bacon-wrapped Salmon Kebabs with Sriracha-Orange Glaze for Dinner

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

Oh, F word. And by “F word” I mean fat. Seventy two hours into my quest to eat 180 grams of healthy fat a day for 10 days is proving harder than I imagined. I’m doing this as a fat-loading phase of a marathon nutrition plan. I’ve had avocado, almonds and eggs. I put real cream in my tea. I was thinking whole plain Greek yogurt would be yummy, but am finding it actually hard to find at the grocery store. Everything is marketed as fat-free, low-fat, reduced-fat or I-can’t-believe-its-not-fat! I did find one large carton of yogurt that had nearly half its calories made from creamy goodness, but the expiration date was looming. Conspiracy!

Eggs, avocado and cheese only got me 1/9th of the way to my 180 gram fat goal.

I was planning a fabulous beef dinner crisped up in rendered fat, but keep forgetting to pull the roast out of the freezer. That will happen this weekend, but I still needed dinner inspiration for tonight. With salmon and bacon on hand, it didn’t take long to realize that these two high-fat proteins would pair up like fine wine and Cheetos (really, try it). With salmon rich in heart-healthy polyunsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids and the bacon sputtering with a hefty dose of (one might argue) less-healthy saturated fats, it only took a mere bamboo skewer to bring together these two opposing forces of dietary fat. You can call the fat combo “naughty and nice” or you can call it “yin and yang,” but why not just make this recipe for Bacon-wrapped Salmon Kebabs with Sriracha-Orange Glaze and call it a damn good thang?!

Bacon-wrapped Salmon Kebabs with Sriracha-Orange Glaze Recipe

8 ounces wild-caught sockeye salmon, skin off
6 slices of hardwood smoked bacon
Zest from one orange
Juice from one orange
¼ cup tamari
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
¼ cup orange marmalade (all-fruit, no added sugar)
6 6-inch bamboo skewers

1) Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 10 minutes to prevent burning.Cut salmon into 6 equal-sized strips. Thread onto skewers. Wrap skewered salmon with one slice of bacon.

2) Heat grill pan to medium-high heat. Pan grill kebabs for approximately 4 minutes on each side (including sides), for a total of approximately 16 minutes or until bacon is crisped and salmon cooked through.

3) While kebabs are grilling, prepare glaze by adding juice, tamari, Sriracha and marmalade into a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute, stirring once, or until heated through.

4) Remove kebabs from heat and brush with glaze. Sprinkle with orange zest. Use any remaining glaze on the greens, noodles, rice or whatever you are serving*

Serves 2.

When I made the greens, I just kept the rendered fat from the bacon in the pan because I (ahem) wanted it. But, drain off if you wish.

I served these Bacon-wrapped Salmon Kebabs with a version of my Kicked-up Orange Cashew Kale. Heck yeah, the cashews add a little extra crunch and healthy fat. Instead of kale, I used a 10-ounce bag of mixed greens (turnip, collard and mustard). By the time it cooks down, that big bag (which isn’t all yet in the pan above) serves just the two of us. Convenient because I still can’t get my kids to eat cooked greens; pretty sure I wouldn’t as a teenager either.

My Marathon Menu – Why I’m Eating Heaping Helpings of Healthy Fats

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

A modified “fat before carbs” diet has me blasting past Batman. But, will my extreme fat-loading work for the marathon?

Pick your jaw up off the ground, you read my headline correctly. I’m about to kick off the “fat-loading” phase of my two-week endurance sport nutrition plan. For the next 10 days, I will be purposefully eating foods rich in high-quality fats in preparation for optimal performance at the Dallas Marathon. I’ve blogged here and at several other sites, including the Tabata Times, about this new “fats before carbs” pre-race fueling practice that is being endorsed by many cutting-edge sports nutritionists. Please check out these posts, because I list some sample menu plans. Now, before you start clucking your tongue and waving your finger, know that I won’t be scarfing down pints of Haagen-Dazs and baskets of chili-cheese fries. I’m not planning on weight gain, moving into my yoga pants 24/7, or getting gunked up with harmful trans-fats. But, 65 percent (that’s not a typo!!!) of my daily caloric intake for the next 10 days will come from high-quality fat sources, including healthy oils, nuts, meats, avocados, whole milk, cheese, eggs, and fatty fish fats — in a greater ratio than I normally eat. I currently consume about 30 – 40 percent fat in my diet, so this will be a noticeable change. Based on my average, 2500 calorie a day diet, I estimate that I will be eating 16,250 calories from fat over the next 10 days (or 180 grams per day – is this even possible?) Not sure, but I’m ready to try!

An example diet that includes good fat-loading choices on left. Good carb-loading choices on right.

So, why am I feasting on fat in order to run a faster marathon? During this fat-loading phase, I will be training my body to better tap fat stores as a more immediate source of fuel, which will hopefully spare my glycogen reserves to be called upon during the later miles of the race – in other words, it will hopefully prevent me from “bonking” or “hitting the wall” as early as I do (which is typically around 20 miles for me and most other people). With all this fat and comparatively so little carbohydrate, I admittedly might feel a little sluggish for the next week and a half of training. But, since I am in taper phase and my mileage and speed have been reduced, I don’t expect to suffer too greatly in the process.

There may be bacon involved, just sayin’.

The flip side of this somewhat extreme nutrition plan is that in the last three days prior to the marathon, I will switch from a high-fat diet to a high-carbohydrate diet. The high-carb phase of the plan is pretty similar to the traditional “carbo-loading” that endurance athletes have embraced for years! Seventy percent of my calories will come from high-quality carbohydrates (including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) to ensure that my glycogen tanks are as topped off as possibly on marathon morning. The expected outcome is that I’ll feel perky, peppy and ready to race — and have enough glycogen stored and held onto as a “reserve tank” to see me to the finish line.

Planning my menu for the next couple weeks will be like solving a culinary algebraic equation, but a fun challenge — I am a food nerd, after all! Before it’s all said and done, I’m sure that I’ll have downed a couple dozen eggs, a couple quarts of guacamole, some salmon and at least a couple of prime steaks with all that sought-after (and actually good-for-you) fat marbling. But, do I have to give up my daily salad? While a bunch of lettuce is definitely not high in fat, I’m going to keep on eating my beloved spring lettuce mix because it’s a healthy habit I crave and, in the scheme of things, a plate of lettuce makes virtually no dent in my daily calorie allowance. However, I’ll be dressing it with some extra olive oil to reach that 65% fat goal. So, please come back to TheFitFork.com in the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some new recipes I have been pinning and tearing out of magazines for inspiration – of course, I’ll be tweaking them with my own personal spin. Right now, these three recipes are on my immediate to-do list for healthy high-fat feasting:

This is my famous breakfast hash — I’ll make it without the sweet potatoes this week.

From FitSugar.com – Baked Avocado Eggs

From Cook’s Illustrated: Vaca Frita, yeah — that’s right – Fried Cow!

thefitfork.com

The Fit Fork

Category Archives: Nutrition & Wellness

Pear Pressure! Healthy Dessert Recipes for Poached Pears and More!

Eat Fit in 2014 – $200 MyFitFoods Giveaway

How to Roast Beef Tenderloin and Wear Diamonds #Recipe

Oh, F-word | Bacon-wrapped Salmon Kebabs with Sriracha-Orange Glaze for Dinner

My Marathon Menu – Why I’m Eating Heaping Helpings of Healthy Fats