Hasselback Baked Pears with Gingerbread Streusel and Easy Gingerbread Latte

This post is sponsored by McCormick® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Ahh, childhood memories of gingerbread are some of the sweetest in my life – both the taste and aroma evokes those holiday “feels” of comfort, togetherness and well-being . . . with a pinch of anticipatory excitement. I’m also a sucker for any type of warm fruit dessert. So, with a twist on tradition, I’ve created a holiday dessert offering it all — Hasselback Baked Pears with Gingerbread Streusel. It’s also gluten-free and Paleo, if those are dietary concerns. Baked Hasselback Pears with Gingerbread Streusel

The yummy blend of McCormick® spices used to create the gingerbread streusel topping also upgrades any morning coffee routine with festive flair – I’ve also included the how-to for a quickie Gingerbread Latte, read on to get the holiday recipes: Continue reading

No-Bake Maple Pecan Protein Cheesecakes | Low-carb, Gluten-free

Feeling those fall flavors vibes today with my Maple Pecan Breakfast Cheesecakes! These no-bake, mini cheesecakes are lower-carb, higher protein, and offers 75% of your recommended daily calcium needs. Maple Pecan Protein Cheesecakes -- are a protein-packed, low-carb option that is healthy enough for breakfast or a smart dessert!

Sure, these adorable protein cheesecakes could be a healthier autumn dessert option, but honestly the nutrition breakdown on them is just so good (257 calories with 10g fat, 24g protein and 10.6 net carbs.), that I’ll jump out of bed early to make sure I get one before they disappear! Read on to get this protein cheesecake recipe and all the yummy details. Continue reading

(No Bake) Peach Chia Almond Protein Cheesecake

Eating cheesecake for breakfast is just fine by me, especially if it’s my no-bake Peach Chia Almond Protein Cheesecake. Also, just fine by me – personal-sized, portion-controlled, no-bake cheesecakes, like this these! Peach Chia Almond Protein Cheesecakes are a lower-carb, protein-packed option for a quick breakfast or healthier dessert!

It doesn’t take long to make a batch of this lower-carb breakfast recipe the night before, for grab-and-go morning meals. Or, eat for dessert as a healthier cheesecake option packed, with no added sugars other than from the fruit and packed with protein thanks to cottage cheese and protein powder. Read on to get the friendly for meal prep breakfast recipe: Continue reading

Margarita Protein Mug Cake and My Visit to Optimum Nutrition HQ

This post is #sponsored by Optimum Nutrition however all opinions, comments and enthusiasm remain my own.

So, a few weeks ago, I was invited to head out to Chicago to visit the Optimum Nutrition headquarters. I was pretty excited about this because 1) I’m a fan of their products for all phases of my workout and running nutrition (including my own recipe creation) and 2) my inner food nerd can’t resist an invitation to get a behind the scenes look at how the research, development, manufacturing and marketing stages are executed for various brands.Jennifer thefitfork.com Optimum Nutrition HQ

Read on to see what I thought about the whole trip, learn about some of their new products, and also get an easy-peasy Margarita Protein Mug Cake recipe that I created in honor of the trip (and the following Mexico trip I barely got home in time to make!): Continue reading

Cinnamon Mocha Marathon Energy Bites – Running Fuel

Have you thought about what you’re eating for race day fuel? So many winter marathons about to go down in January and February including Walt Disney World Marathon, Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona, Chevron Houston Marathon, Austin Marathon and more. Plus, trail running season and obstacle course racing season (like Spartan Race) will be ramping up soon. It’s time to start thinking about what tasty yet effective running snacks to pack in those hydration packs, running belts and shorts pockets.Cinnamon Mocha Energy Bites for Marathon

Today, I’m sharing a Cinnamon Mocha Marathon Energy Bite recipe I made especially for 2019 race day badassery. Read on for more! Continue reading