Category Archives: Recipes

3 No-Cook Summer Jicama Recipes + More Yum

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Jicama is a root vegetable that tastes a bit like a mild apple. It doesn't oxidize when cut -- the perfect crunchy ingredient for salads and summer no-cook recipes.

Mister Jicama Head

Mr. Jicama Head!

Have you ever tried jicama? It’s not the prettiest pick in the produce section (in fact, you’ve probably buzzed right by it), but it’s certainly a cool and crispy addition to no-cook summer recipes. Jicama is an edible root from Mexico that resembles a cross between a potato and turnip. Jicama has a thin brown skin that is easily removable with a vegetable peeler and the white flesh inside is crispy, crunchy and very mildly sweet – some say it reminds them slightly of pear or apple mixed with a water chestnut texture. But, unlike pears and apples, a convenient thing about this root is that it doesn’t oxidize when cut open and exposed to air – which means you can prep your dishes well in advance and not worry about the vegetable turning brown.

Another perk of jicama is that it’s pretty darn inexpensive and for just a few bucks you can get one big enough to make several recipes. Or, just cut raw jicama up into sticks and eat like celery sticks with your favorite sweet or savory dip!  Some sweet dips I love to use with jicama are Opadipity By Litehouse Foods Sweet Greek Yogurt Dips  — three flavors including Cheesecake, Strawberry Delight and Vanilla Almond.  Lower in calorie and higher in protein that similar products you’ll find at the store – plus, everything is free of preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.

Berry and Yogurt Jicama Crust Pizza makes a healthy choice for your summer dessert!

Berry  & Yogurt Jicama Crust Dessert Pizza – Perfect for when you need something sweet but are being mindful of your diet. This healthy dessert recipe was first shared on the Living Litehouse Blog, check it out!

Raw Jicima Nachos make a vegan swap for the traditional recipe.

Raw Vegan Jicama Nachos – A meatless, non-dairy take on the quintessential patio happy hour food! Another bonus of this healthy appetizer recipe is that no cooking is required!

Strawberry, Jicama and Jalapeno Confetti Salad is so colorful and healthy!

Jicama Jalapeno Confetti Fruit Salad – This delicious bowl of fruit and jicama is the definition of eating a rainbow! Kicked up with jalapeno, the jicama adds a crisp crunch to all the best fruits of the summer season.

JicamaCheck out Cooking Light for more healthy recipe ideas using jicama — I think this vegetable is going to become one of your new favorites! You’ll also find great tips on how to pick out this root vegetable at the market and how to best store and prep it at home.

 

Arm Balance Yoga

I’ve been working on my yoga practice – I try to do a little bit each day to improve my runner-impaired hip and hamstring mobility (some of the simplest moves are the hardest for me)!  I have lots of fun trying some of the arm balances – they use so much concentration, strength and balance. I’m just waiting to break my face on some of the crash landings!

 

 

3 No-Cook, Vegetarian Summer Jicama Recipes #Fitfluential

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Are you a fan of jicama?  Do you have any favorite jicama recipes?

What is a new fitness-related thing you’ve tried lately?

Jicama is a root vegetable that tastes a bit like a mild apple. It doesn't oxidize when cut -- the perfect crunchy ingredient for salads and summer no-cook recipes.
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Berry & Yogurt Jicama Crust Dessert Pizza
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Indulge your sweet tooth with this healthy option for a light summer dessert.
Course: Appetizer, Salad, Snack, Vegetable
Cuisine: American, Southwestern
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
  • 1 6" diameter jicama sliced into 1/3" thick rounds (there will be leftover)
  • 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 pint fresh blackberries
  • 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
  • 8 strawberries
  • 8 ounces plain Greek yogurt can substitute Litehouse Food's Opadipity Greek Yogurt Dip -Cheesecake or Vanilla
  • stevia to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped or substitute Instantly Fresh brand mint
Instructions
  1. Slice jicama into 1/3" rounds. Rinse berries, set aside to dry.
  2. Mix greek yogurt with stevia to achieve desired sweetness. Spread evenly over tops of jicama rounds.
  3. Top Greek yogurt with berries as desired and sprinkle with fresh mint.

Running Day and Hatch Green Chile Trout

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Okay, there’s not real good way to marry up running day and trout in a blog post — unless I say that runners and athletes of all disciplines should be eating fish for it’s abundance of protein, heart-healthy fats and other vital nutrients. Yeah, there ya go, that’s the segue . . . Jennifer Fisher National Running Day 2015 - TheFitFork.com

First off, happy National Running Day! I’ve been running for 25 years and it has been a real blessing in my life. Even though I was the bookworm, shy, non-sporty girl who always won the 600 yard dash in elementary PE, I didn’t start running on a regular basis a year or two out of college. This sorority girl didn’t like to sweat in the 1980s. When I first started running, the sport empowered me, gave me confidence and matured my focus from striving to be the pretty girl to actually being the fierce girl. During early parenthood years, running gave me time alone to collect my thoughts and keep my sanity; running gave me a lift on those days when I was feeling down. As the kids started to get older, I realized that they were watching me run and that I was being a role model they needed.  Running has brought me so many adventures, too many to share, and made my life quite interesting now that I reflect on it. Today, running keeps me focused on a goal (if I feel like it), connects me with my friends and husband and just generally makes me happy – I can’t imagine a day when I wouldn’t and couldn’t be running.

Enjoy some heart-healthy fish and the flavors of the southwest with this easy-to-make, one-dish dinner.

So, here’s the delicious Southwestern Blackened Trout with Hatch Green Chile Medley fish recipe I made for dinner last night, I am a huge fan of Hatch green chile and southwestern spices and this was definitely a winner. The recipe as written is Paleo freindly (if you don’t do corn, swap out for yellow summer squash) — but if you need a little extra sumptin’-sumptin’ to get your motor running, serve the fish and veggies over brown rice. Thank you SizzleFish.com for the awesome fish.

How did you celebrate National Running Day?

Have you ever filleted a fish? 

Enjoy some heart-healthy fish and the flavors of the southwest with this easy-to-make, one-dish dinner.
Print
Southwestern Blackened Trout with Hatch Green Chile Medley
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
22 mins
 
Enjoy some heart-healthy fish and the flavors of the southwest with this easy-to-make, one-dish dinner. Paleo-friendly, swap out form with yellow summer squash.
Course: Main Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: Southwestern
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 3 tablespoons Adams Jalacorno seasoning divided
  • 1 medium medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup peeled and seeded fire-roasted Hatch green chiles, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 4 to 5 ounce rainbow trout filets boned, leave skin on one side
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled questo fresco
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon seasoning in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for approximately 2 minutes or until softening. Add corn, green chiles and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, for another 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. Remove veggie mixture from skillet to bowl. Add remaining olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Dry tops of trout dry (skin left on bottom)and rub each thoroughly with about one tablespoon of seasoning. Place in skillet seasoned side down and sear for approximately 3 minutes. Use spatula to flip over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add veggies back into pan, stir around in remaining skillet bits and serve with chopped cilantro and queso fresco crumbled on top.

Persimmon Avocado Salad with Chili-dusted Shrimp

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This colorful salad is packed with nutrition including heart-healthy fats, vitamins C and A, and lean protein.I picked a peck of “Sharon” persimmons from Frieda’s Produce – I’ve never had one of these curious fruits in my life! This particular “Sharon” type of persimmon is tomato-shaped with a smooth skin of pale orange to orange-red with a sweet, mild flavor and is nearly seedless.  So, I put these pretty little thinks on the counter to ripen like a tomato, but no change . . . for weeks! So finally, I sliced into one and was very surprised to find out how sweet and ready to eat it as it was!

Persimmons look like a tomato, but had a sweet, fruity taste.

persimmonsHealth and Nutrition Benefits of Persimmons:  This sweet and pulpy fruit is packed with a variety of health benefits. For example, the “divine fruit” provides nearly 80% of the daily value for vitamin C and is a good source of fiber.  Persimmons are  high in other vitamin and mineral content including vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin B6 along with manganese, copper, potassium and phosphorous.  Benefits from the range of these nutrients have been linked to reduction in certain types of cancer, improved eye health, lowered blood pressure, relief from digestive issues and more. A serving of persimmon (100 grams) has 70 calories and almost no fat.

Back to my persimmon windfall . . .  I wasn’t really sure how to eat persimmons, outside of slices. Though about grilling some (and still may), but then decided to pair up with the best avocados from California  – because everything is awesome with avocado! Am I right?! BTW, California avocados are in season right now and so much better than the ones exported from across the border year-round. Persimmon Avocado Salad with Shrimp

Holding plate of persimmon avocado saladHope you enjoy my recipe for Persimmon Avocado Feta Salad with Chili-dusted Shrimp and Lime Vinaigrette –it tastes as yummy as it is colorful. Plus, it’s a light, healthy Paleo-friendly dish (omit the cheese if you must) providing lean protein from the shrimp, vitamin A and C from the persimmon, and heart-healthy fats thanks to creamy, dreamy avocado.

 

 

 

Persimmon Avocado Salad with Spicy Shrimp #LimeDressing #Fitfluential

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Side Angle Revolved Pose Yoga - Jennifer Fisher - TheFitFork.com

Have you ever tried a persimmon before?  

How many avocados do you eat per week?

What are you doing to be active this week? 

Please share any or all in the comments below! xoxo Jennifer 

This colorful salad is packed with nutrition including heart-healthy fats, vitamins C and A, and lean protein.
Print
Persimmon Avocado Salad with Shrimp
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
This colorful light and healthy and packed with nutrition including lean protein, heart healthy fats and vitamins A & C. Perfect for a Paleo dinner on the patio!
Course: Main Dish, Salad
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
  • 2/3 pound arge shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tbsp ancho chile powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oli
  • 1 Sharon persimmons cut crosswise in ¼” slices
  • 1 avocado, peeled and cut in slices
  • 2 tbsp crumbled Feta cheese
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
for dressing
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Pat peeled and deveined shrimp dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with chile powder and salt, slightly rub in.
  2. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring. Shrimp will be done when they have turned pink and are no longer translucent. Take care not to overcook. Transfer shrimp to plat to cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, slice persimmons and avocado and arrange on plate. Sprinkle with feta and cilantro and top with cooled shrimp.
  4. To make lime vinaigrette, add all ingredients for dressing into small jar and shake until emulsified.

Last Minute Ideas for Grill – Burgers, Bananas & More Recipes!

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LaI’m not a plan-aheader. I used to make lists, follow detailed workout schedules and fret about the future. I’d also worry what we were going to eat days in advance — not that meal planning is a bad thing, actually it’s awesome. It’s just right now, where I am in life coupled with how busy my family is, there is just no telling who will be home for dinner when.  So typically, I just wing it knowing that if I keep lean meats in the freezer and fresh produce in the fridge, I can always whip up a quick and reasonably healthy meal out on the grill. Lucky to be in Austin where I can pretty much grill year-round.

Showing folks how to grill (indoors) at Whole Foods with Sarah from Mix 94.7 !

Showing folks how to grill (indoors) at Whole Foods with Sarah from Mix 94.7 !

Grilling is one of my cooking methods; I’ve taught classes on it and you could say I flip for it! Not only does it make beef, chicken, fish and all the veggies (and fruits) taste fantastic, it’s a healthy way to prepare food because you are not adding any additional fats.  However, research has shown that meats cooked over high heat can cause carcinogens to form — but there are easy ways to keep grilling safe. Namely, marinate if possible to create an “invisible” barrier, clean the grill grates, par cook thicker cuts in microwave, prevent and flare ups of fire by cooking over medium heat – these will all help carcinogens heterocyclic amine (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from forming. However, if you do get crispy bits, don’t freak – just cut that part off.

Here are some great grilling recipes for a last-minute BBQ bash! Enjoy!

Sirloin Cobb Kebab - Your favorite entree salad on a stick!

Sirloin Cobb Kebabs with Ranch Viniagrette

jennifer fisher - grilled bananas - main photo option1

Grilled Chocolate Raspberry Banana Boats

Mojo Chicken Breast and Grilled Citrus -- perfect for spring and summer entertaining.

Mojo Chicken Breasts with Grilled Citrus

Seared Steak and Mango Thai Noodle Salad

Seared Thai Steak Salad

Grill apricots to magnify their flavor and toss on an easy dale salad!Grilled Apricot Kale Salad (add grilled shrimp to make this one an entree)

Beef Burger Bonanza

Enjoy ALL the burgers with this round up of unique hamburgers – and, BTW, I have no guilt about eating one now and then.

Last Minute Healthy Grilling Ideas for a Backyard Bash – #Burgers & More #Fitfluential

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What are you grilling today?  Please share in the comments!

Memorial Day Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie

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This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk.

This Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float only has 250 calories and serves up 22 grams of protein and 87% of your daily requirement for calcium! The sun is out for summer and my blender is back in action making smoothies nearly every day for a quick breakfast, healthy dessert or post-workout refueling. I have so made so many crazy, creative smoothies in my day along with all the tried-and-true classics,  I’m sure my family sometimes wonders if I can come up with a new flavor combo. But, fear not my friends of blended beverages, I can!  Today I’m serving up a Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie, so line up at the counter in an orderly fashion please.

Make this healthy Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float with Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Flavor for just the right amount of natural sweetness.

I know that a Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie sounds sort of decadent, but this one is super healthy. It’s made with Almond Breeze Almondmilk  (Hint of Honey Vanilla flavor), frozen dark cherries, ice, root beer extract and protein powder.  The whole, huge serving has just 250 calories, 22 grams of protein, 87% daily value for calcium and loads of vitamins and minerals – especially vitamins D and E from the almondmilk and vitamin C from the cherries.

Use Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Almondmilk in your cereal as part of a balanced breakfast.

Use Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Almondmilk in your cereal.

Hint of Honey Vanilla Amondmilk from Almond Breeze is the perfect creamy foundation for any smoothie creation – it’s also ideal for drinking cold right in a glass or pairing up with your favorite cereal, oats or granola.  Made from real almonds and sweetened with honey, this alternative to diary milk contains medium chain fatty acids; is lactose, soy and gluten-free; is an excellent source of calcium; and works with vegan and kosher diets. I also love how it has no added processed sugar and only 60 calories per one-cup serving.  Another great thing – Hint of Honey Vanilla Amondmilk from Almond Breeze is available in a 32-ounce, shelf-stable version which means that I can keep my pantry stocked for impromptu smoothie making or take along for travel without worry of refridgeration.  Of course, you can also get the original in the dairy section.

Slurp into Summer with Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie @almondbreeze #ad

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Memorial Day collage thefitfork.com

What is your favorite smoothie combo? Are you remembering someone special this Memorial Day? Please share in the comments – xoxo Jennifer 

This Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float only has 250 calories and serves up 22 grams of protein and 87% of your daily requirement for calcium!
Print
Cherry Vanilla Root Beer Float Smoothie
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Slurp right into summer with my healthy, yummy smoothie made with almond milk, cherries, protein power and root beer extract. So refreshing for Memorial Day, Fourth of July or any hot summer day!
Course: Dessert, Smoothies
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 person
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces Almond Milk use Almond Breeze Touch of Honey Vanilla Almondmilk
  • 1 scoop protein powder appox. 1/3 cup favorite brand
  • 1/2 cup frozen cherries
  • 1/2 teaspoons root beer extract I used Zaterain's
  • ice as needed
  • fresh cherries optional garnish
Instructions
  1. Add almondmilk, protein powder, frozen cherries, root beer extract and ice to blender, process until smooth. Pulse in ice until desired consistency is achieved. Garnish with fresh cherry if desired.