Category Archives: Recipes

Blackberry Melon Smoothie Bowl – #ILoveSilkSoy

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Blackberry Melon Hemp Smoothie Bowl - thefitfork.com

It’s fantastic there are so many alternative milk options at the market these days, there is seemingly something for everyone! However, it can sometimes become overwhelming to decide which carton to grab, but I can always count on Silk Original Soymilk to be a great option for me and my family.

original silk soymilkOne of the things I love most about Silk Original Soymilk is that no other dairy-free milk brand offers more protein ounce for ounce!  I’m a huge advocate of getting enough protein and portioning it at optimal times through the day – just read my recent post on the #proteinchallenge.  Each 8-ounce serving of Silk Original Soymilk has 8 grams of heart-healthy, plant-powered protein and a creamy, yummy taste.  And because Silk is plant-based, it’s naturally low in saturated fat and has no cholesterol and also has 50% more calcium than dairy milk.

silk ligh vanilla soymilkI also am a big fan of the Silk Light Vanilla Soymilk — so yummy in coffee, tea and smoothies. With that hint of vanilla flavor and fragrance, everything tastes like a treat splashed with a bit of this silky goodness.

Glass of Silk Soymilk

My three active teen boys can drain a carton of milk faster than I can scream “wait, save some for your cereal in the morning!”  That’s why I stock the fridge with multiple cartons and am thankful I don’t have to worry about them filling up on junk beverages like soda, corn-syrupy “juices” and even some of those surprisingly sugary sports drinks.

Ingredients for Silk Smoothie Bowl

I like to use either Silk Original Soymilk or Silk Lite Vanilla Soymilk as the starter for my smoothies – the ingredients that can blend into Silk is only limited by my imagination (and the size of the blender pitcher)!  Today, I’d like to share my take on the latest craze of smoothie served in bowls  — SMOOTHIE BOWLS!  I think you’ll love my creamy Blackberry Hemp Melon Smoothie Bowl that is perfect for a plant-powered breakfast, post-workout snack or refreshing and more mindful take on dessert.

Silk Blackberry Melon Smoothie Bowl

Blackberry Hemp Melon Smoothie Bowl Recipe

  • 1/2  cup frozen and thawed or fresh blackberries
  • 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
  • ½ frozen banana
  • 1 cup cantaloupe cubes (frozen if possible)
  • 1 cup Silk Original Soymilk or Lite Vanilla Soymilk
  • Couple drops of Stevia natural liquid sweetener
  • ½ scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
  • Ice, if needed
  • 1 tablespoon shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
  1. Divide blackberries in half. Use back of fork or muddler to smash up one portion of blackberries into a “sauce.”  Set aside.
  2. Add oats to blender, pulse until ground up and powdery.
  3. Add frozen banana, cantaloupe cubes, soymilk, stevia and protein powder (optional) to blender.  Blend for a minute or so until everything well combined and smooth. Blend in ice if consistency needs to be thicker.
  4. Pour smoothie into bowl and drizzle with muddled blackberries, remaining whole blackberries and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
  5. Serves 1.
Must Make This! Blackberry Melon Smoothie Bowl @LoveMySilk #ILoveSilkSoy #Ad

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If you’d like to try Silk or fall back in love with it again, head over to Silk and nab a coupon before you head off to the store.

p>This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Candied Meyer Lemon Cake with Blackberries – Paleo and Gluten Free Recipe

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Candied Meyer Lemon Cake with Blackberries - Paleo

I never paid much attention to Meyer lemons until recently – I mean a lemon is a lemon is a lemon, right?!  Well, come to find out, not all lemons are created equally. The Meyer lemon is a soft-skinned citrus fruit that looks a lot like a 10-cent lemon, but actually tastes like sweet million bucks.  That’s because the Meyer lemon is actually a lemon crossed with an orange, taking some of the acidic bite. Even though Meyer lemons are more fragrant and sweeter, they’re still a bit tart and better balanced in a recipe.

Meyer Lemon

I got my Meyer Lemons from Friedas.com!

Paleo Blackberry Lemon Cake - TheFitFork.comUse the perfect pucker of Meyer lemons in cocktails, with chicken piccata, in salad dressing, to make a sweeter lemon curd, or alongside fish and seafood – or even better, use them to make my delicious Candied Meyer Lemon Honey Cake with Blackberries (it’s also Gluten-Free). I was inspired by a lemon cake recipe I saw in the Food Network Magazine, but of course I tinkered with it to make it my own! I made this cake to take to Easter dinner at my Aunt’s house — it’s just bursting with spring flavor and a beautiful sight to behold.She’s going to love it.

berry lemon smoothieBy the way, if you don’t have time for cake-making, you can get a quick fix with my Blackberry Lemon Smoothie.

 

 

 

 

Notes about the recipe:

  1. If you are unable to get your eggs to the glossy peak stage, don’t worry the cake will still taste just as delicious (it just won’t be quite as fluffy – it’s a denser cake anyway).
  2. Do not skip the steps of simmering and draining the lemon slices three times. It seems redundant, but you are boiling off the bitterness from the pith and acid from the lemon flesh.  The result is lemon peel that is delightfully tender, edible and yummy.
  3. Feel free to swap out raspberries for the blackberries in the syrup and garnish.

Blackberry Lemon Cake

Paleo Blackberry Lemon Cake - TheFitFork.com
Print
Candied Meyer Lemon Honey Cake with Blackberries
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 
This gluten-free dessert recipe is bursting with flavor - lemons and blackberries make perfect for Easter, graduation and other spring celebrations
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 3/4 cup almond flour (meal)
  • 1/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1 1/2 cups palm sugar divided
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 4 large Meyer lemons or regular lemons will do
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (zest 2 lemons and squeeze juice / slice other 2 lemons very thinly)
  • 6 large eggs (divided separately into 4 yolks (discard 2 yolks) and 6 egg whites
  • 1 pint blackberries divided
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 325 F degrees. Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray top of paper and sides of pan with coconut oil cooking spray (or just rub with coconut oil).
  2. In medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, coconut flour and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, add ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup honey, zest from 2 lemons, 4 egg yolks, vanilla and olive oil. With mixer on medium, beat for 2 – 3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
  4. With mixer on low, slowly add almond flour mixture to egg mixture bowl, beating until just combined (don’t over beat).
  5. In a clean bowl, add 6 egg whites that are at room temperature. With mixer on medium, beat for approximately 1 minute or until foamy. Add in ½ cup sugar and beat on medium-high for another 3 minutes or until glossy peaks have formed.
  6. Scrape ½ of egg white peaks into almond meal and gently incorporate by hand with spatula. Add the remainder of egg whites and stir until mostly combined.
  7. While cake is baking, make candied lemons by adding 2 thinly sliced and seeded lemons to small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, drain water and refill with fresh water on lemons. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Repeat this process a 3rd time to remove bitterness from pith.
  8. After lemon slices have been simmered and drained 3 times, add 1 cup of fresh water, remaining ½ cup sugar, remaining 1/3 cup honey and the juice from 2 lemons. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce to medium and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Use a fork to transfer lemons to plate and let cool. Keep lemon syrup in saucepan and add 1/2 of blackberries. Simmer over medium for an additional 10 minutes, mashing up blackberries with fork.
  10. Remove cake from springform pan, using a knife to loosen sides before unlatching. Transfer cake to serving platter and brush top of cake with blackberry syrup. Top cake with candied lemon slices, fresh blackberries and drizzle with remaining blackberry syrup (or reserve leftover syrup for another use).
Recipe Notes
  1. If you are unable to get your eggs to the glossy peak stage, don’t worry the cake will still taste just as delicious (it just won’t be quite as fluffy – it’s a denser cake anyway).
  2. Do not skip the steps of simmering and draining the lemon slices three times. It seems redundant, but you are boiling off the bitterness from the pith and acid from the lemon flesh.  The result is lemon peel that is delightfully tender, edible and yummy.
  3. Feel free to swap out raspberries for the blackberries in the syrup and garnish.

7 Protein-Packed Breakfast Recipes + #ProteinChallenge

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Have you noticed that for the last couple years PROTEIN has been the big buzzword in food and nutrition?!  Typically, I’m not one to blindly follow trends, especially when it comes to how I’m fueling my body. However, I KNOW from experience that getting enough protein is important to my health and well-being – and also performance and recovery as an athlete.

Jennifer Fisher - Beef Sirloin Steaks

This is about 100 three-ounce servings of beef!

So you may be wondering how much protein is enough and when should I eat it? Well, how much protein you take in depends on your size, age, gender and activity level. Because of my fairly intense fitness routine, I aim to eat about 100 grams of protein per day – that sounds like a lot, but really you’d be surprised at how quickly it all adds up. For example, a 3-oz (deck of cards size) serving of beef has about 25 grams of protein and 8-ounces of Greek yogurt has nearly that much protein too, topped with a sprinkling of chopped almonds or hemp hearts.

I bet many of y’all are already getting enough protein, most Americans do.  However, the timing of protein is one area where many of us fail – it’s best to spread out your protein over the day rather than skimping through breakfast and lunch and over-consuming at dinner.  Experts recommend eating 25-30 grams of protein for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with one or two protein snacks if you have additional needs.

Consuming the optimal amount of protein at the right time helps with weight loss goals by reducing mindless snacking, building muscles after a workout and protecting muscle mass. I think this infographic sums it up nicely.

To get you off to a great start in the morning, I’ve rounded up a week’s worth of protein-rich recipes for breakfast  — from omelets to smoothies, there’s sure to be something that pleases everyone. Seven Protein Packed Breakfast Recipes

 

Recipes starting top left and moving clockwise.

protein challenge2

 

 

 

I would love for you to join me in the 30 Day Protein Challenge, sponsored by The Beef Checkoff -(visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and TXBeef.org). This informative, supportive, step-by-step 30-day plan will help you get a balanced amount of protein at each meal. You’ll learn how take control of your appetite by working your way up to eating 30 grams of protein at every meal for one month. They have lots of great recipe ideas and tools for success!

Protein spread thru day controls appetite – start with my breakfast #recipes and join #ProteinChallenge http://bit.ly/1IEk00a

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What are your favorite ways to start off the morning with protein?

6 Ways Strawberries Aid Athletes + Best Berry Recipes

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Someday I will have a strawberry patch in my garden  . . . I just need to work on getting that garden first!  In the meantime, I’ll continue to visit my favorite produce departments and farmers’ markets, greedily buying up all the plump and pretty berries in my quest for the sweetest and juiciest picks of spring.

Six Ways Strawberries Aid Athletes

Strawberries are not only sweet-tooth satisfying; they are a superfood that should be part of an athlete’s training diet.  I eat strawberries to keep my performance and recovery at a peak – here are the top six reasons why:

  1. An entire cup (about 12 medium berries) of strawberries has only 50 calories and serves as a source of quick energy thanks to healthy complex carbohydrates.
  2. A serving (one cup) of strawberries provides more than a day’s worth of vitamin C. This antioxidant offers a host of important benefits for athletes, including immune system protection and helping the body to recover and repair from intense workouts.
  3. The flesh and seeds of strawberries are a sensible source of dietary fiber, an important nutrient that keeps you from feeling hungry right away and also helps to keep digestion moving along.  Fiber also helps to reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure, according to many studies.
  4. Strawberries are a great source of potassium and magnesium, essential minerals that are lost through sweat. Runners and other endurance athletes (one hour of consistent exercise or more) require more of these minerals to keep electrolyte balances in check. These minerals are also good for bone health.
  5. Strawberries contain a compound called nitrate that has positive effects on blood flow and oxygen around the body. Some studies have shown nitrates can increase the flow of blood & oxygen to the muscles by as much as 7 percent. This can help prevent muscle fatigue, making exercise easier.
  6.  Strawberries contain an antioxidant called quercetin . This plant pigment has been shown to play a role in heart health and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Some scientists studying exercise biochemistry suggest quercetin may enhance endurance and overall athletic performance by serving as an anti-inflammatory agent, improving mitochondrial (energy) function in cells, and boosting the central nervous system with a caffeine-like jolt.

So, enough about how strawberries can benefit runners and other athletes and on to the yummy stuff —  strawberry recipes!  I recently made a quick and easy recipe for Strawberry Blackberry Greek Yogurt Chia Pudding and Shooters for Litehouse Foods. This healthy recipes work as a sustaining breakfast, sensible dessert or nutritious post-workout snack – in addition to the goodness of strawberries, this “pudding” is packed with chia seeds and Greek yogurt for an extra punch of protein.

Berry Greek Yogurt Chia Pudding

For the Strawberry Blackberry Chia Shots, all you do is thin the recipe down with a little extra milk (2%, coconut, almond, soy, etc).  It’s a refreshing alternative to a smoothie!

Strawberry Blackberry Chia Shots

And, speaking of refreshing, how about a scoop of Roasted Strawberry Coconut Milk Sherbet on a warm spring day?

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - roasted strawberry coconut mile sherbet 1

My Strawberry Greek Yogurt Tart (with Paleo Chocolate Crust) has always been a big winner in the spring and is a gorgeous addition to an Easter dinner, graduation or other special celebration.

strawberry yogurt pie

6 Ways #Strawberries Aid Athletes + My Best Berry #Recipes #Fitfluential #YUM

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What is your favorite way to eat strawberries?

Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes with Berry Burst Topping #MealtimeSolutions

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Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes - Horizon Products

June 2103 Jon and Davis LakehouseIn the morning, my three teen boys are as hungry bears coming out of hibernation. You don’t want to mess with them until they’ve gotten their paws on some food. I always try to offer a breakfast that will power them from early morning straight through to lunch. Pancakes are a favorite, and over the years I’ve found different ways to add a little more substance to these typically carb-laden morning meal.  For example, I’ve done protein powder in pancakes,Paleo pancakes and alternatives to sugary syrup.

Products from Horizon help me make yummy goodness for my children – I can rely on the taste and quality of the ingredients time and time again, which just takes more worry out of my day!  One meal solution I came up with for breakfast is an easy recipe for Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes (with Creamy Berry Burst Topping). 

Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes - TheFitFork.com

horizon super sqeezeThis quick recipe uses a new Horizon product the whole family is loving these days – Super Squeeze Mixed Berry Burst. While these little squeeze packets are perfect for lunch boxes and gym bags, the also make a fabulous swap for syrup on pancakes and waffles. Made with wholesome ingredients like organic skim milk, organic berry puree and organic can sugar, each pouch provides 5 grams of protein and is a good source of calcium. The other cool thing about these single-serve packets is that you can just pop off the lid and squirt as much or as little as desired. Even little toddler hands can be in charge of this fun job!

Chocolate PAncakes with Cottage Cheese and Horizon Berry BurtsIn addition to the 5 grams of protein coming from the Super Squeeze, I’ve also pumped up the pancakes with protein from Horizon Low-Fat Cottage Cheese.  Cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein and calcium, and while many kids can’t stand the texture, I’ve run it through the blender to be super smooth and creamy. Blended with cocoa powder and a bit of stevia sweetener, it actually tastes like a decedant cheesecake!  I’ve used a traditional convenience pancake mix as my base, but if you are following a gluten-free diet, just swap in a gluten-free baking blend with a teaspoon of baking powder. Bite of Chocolate Cheesecake Pancake - TheFitFork.com

Find out more about Horizon’s New Super Squeeze Mixed Berry Burst and their other delicious, family friendly products by following them on Twitter, Facebook , or the Mealtime Solutions Board on Pinterest.

Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes w/ @Horizon_Organic Berry Burst Topping #MealtimeSolutions #ad

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What is your favorite topping for pancakes?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organics. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes - Horizon Products
Print
Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes with Berry Burst Topping
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
4 mins
Total Time
9 mins
 
This breakfast recipe is a easy mealtime solution that uses low-fat cottage cheese in pancakes and milk-based berry burst packets from Horizon as a topping.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups milk (2%, almond, coconut, etc)
  • 2/3 cup Low-Fat Cottage Cheese I used Horizon Organic
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon liquid stevia can substitute 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 1/2 cup complete pancake mix type that only requires water to make
  • 1 box Horizon Super Squeeze Mixed Berry Burst 4 squeeze packs
  • 1 cup fresh berries raspberries, blackberries, sliced strawberries, etc.
Instructions
  1. Add milk, cottage cheese, cocoa powder and stevia into blender. Blend for approximately 30 seconds until ingredients are combined and smooth.
  2. Pulse in pancake batter until combined, taking care not to over blend. Heat skillet to medium, add approximately ¼ cup batter in center of skillet and cook for 2 – 3 minutes or until bubbles appear on top and edges have set. Use spatula to flip pancake over and cook for an additional minute or until cooked through. Repeat for remaining pancakes (makes approximately 16 pancakes).
  3. To serve, stack 4 pancakes on a plate and squeeze one packet of Horizon Super Squeeze Mixed Berry Burst on top. Top each stack with ¼ fresh berries.