Watermelon Raspberry Quinoa Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Jennifer FIsher

Summer is nearly here and this Watermelon, Raspberry, & Quinoa Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing is an easy-fix for upcoming pool parties, picnics and patio dining.

Fully-loaded, this watermelon salad won’t leave you hunger a few minutes later. It’s actually quite hearty with quinoa, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, loads of greens, juicy watermelon and raspberries.

Why I love this watermelon salad, other that the amazing taste: Fresh ingredients to fuel my adventures, no cooking, stunning as a side dish but hearty enough for a main course (especially if you add some shrimp or salmon!).

I love how watermelon is a refreshing and delicious addition to salads, providing a burst of sweetness, hydration and nutrients. It’s also a smart way to use up leftover watermelon, if you purchased a big one! By the way, check out this post on how to efficiently cut up a jumbo-sized watermelon fast.

*Ginger Mint Dressing, so fresh and fragrant!*

Let’s talk about the fresh, invigorating, and aromatic dressing. Ginger Mint Dressing is so simple to make with just a quick blast in a personal-sized blender. It’s also a smart way to tackle mint that likes to take over gardens this time of year. Now and then, I pull out my juice to make Ginger Juice (and store in small portions in my freezer). Check out my tips on Juicing Ginger Root. However, if I’m “out of stock,’ for convenience I just rely on bottled ginger juice or the little ginger juice shots you can buy in the fresh juice section of the produce department.

This Ginger Mint Dressing also makes an amazing marinade for fish and shrimp.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

5 from 5 votes

Hydrate and invigorate with this juicy fresh salad featuring watermelon, raspberries and quinoa! The zingy ginger mint dressing is amazing. It’s a stunningly colorful side dish or add shrimp or salmon for a main dish.

Watermelon, Raspberry & Quinoa Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing.

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Hydrate and invigorate with this juicy fresh salad featuringwatermelon, raspberries and quinoa! The zingy ginger mint dressing is amazing.It’s a stunningly colorful side dish or add shrimp or salmon for a main dish.

Course: entree salad

Keyword: ginger, mint, quinoa, raspberries, summer, watermelon

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup microgreens of choice
2 cups chopped watermelon
½ cup fresh raspberries
1 cup prepared quinoa
¼ cup crumbled feta
¼ cup sunflower seeds

Dressing

1 2- oz bottle ginger juice like Suja
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
¼ cup mint leaves

Instructions

Add salad ingredients to bowl. Then add all dressing ingredients to small blender and process until mostly smooth. If you don’t have ginger juice, you can sub watermelon juice (from the watermelon prep run off) and a ½ teaspoon of finely grated ginger. Pour dressing over salad and gently toss. Best eaten same day as dressed – serves 4 as a side.

Pumped Up Protein Popcorn

Posted on May 5, 2023 by Jennifer FIsher

Pump up snack time with Protein Popcorn! Adding protein powder to air-popped popcorn is a clever (and crunchy) way to boost your daily protein intake!

Looking for a healthy snack that will sustain you? Try adding protein powder to popcorn for a tasty, low-cal, high-protein snack with lots of fiber. Get the recipe at thefitfork.com

Popcorn is a whole grain and can be a great snack option when prepared yourself in a healthy way (meaning without the fat, excess salt and additives found in most store-bought options). Whole grains like popcorn contain important nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are beneficial for our health.

Here’s the honey cinnamon version I made with collagen protein powder!

I personally like the “bang for budget” popcorn offers both your food expenses (it’s a very low-cost snack) and your calorie budget (3 cups of popped plain popcorn looks like a big serving, but has under 100 calories). This recipe makes two 3-cup servings. Nutrition per 1 serving is 120 calories, 8g protein 2g fat 16g net carb (based on the protein powder, cooking spray, and spices I used — may vary slightly for your products).

Turning plain air-popped or plain microwave popped popcorn into “Pumped Up Popcorn” is quick and easy.

Pick out your protein powder of choice. You can use any type of protein powder, meaning protein source (whey, casein, collagen, pea protein, other plant-based proteins, and blends. You can also experiment with unflavored or protein powder or a flavor. For each batch, you’ll use 2 tablespoons of powder – for this batch I used an honey cinnamon collagen protein powder from Great Lakes Wellness.

Save 10% on Great Lakes Wellness with code THEFITFORK

Extras Tip: Get the basic recipe for protein popcorn recipe (shared at end of post) and upgrade with your special touch by mixing in a pinch, dash, teaspoon, or tablespoon (depending on the ingredient) of EXTRAS. These extras could include (but are not limited to):

Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
Cookie Spices like Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, even Cacao Powder
Savory & Spicy Spices like Chili Powder, Cumin, Italian Seasoning, Turmeric, Garlic Powder
Granulated Sugar Substitutes

Popcorn Making Tip: You can make this protein popcorn recipe in a counter-top air-popper, a microwave-popper, or even a brown paper bag in the microwave (yes! Add the ¼ cup kernels to a larger lunch-sized brown bag, fold down top, and microwave for 3 minutes or until popping becomes infrequent and sporadic).

Fun Fact: Popcorn has a volume expansion of over 25 times, so 1 tablespoon of kernels yields 1.5 cups of popped corn.

PUMPED UP PROTEIN POPCORN

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

3 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Make a quick and easy snack that will keep you filled up thanks to protein and fiber! Easy to customize with flavors and mix-ins of your choice!

Course: Snack

Keyword: popcorn, protein powder

Ingredients

1/4 cup popcorn kernels (4 tablespoons) yield 6 cups
Cooking spray of preference two 3-second dispenses
2 tablespoons protein powder or collagen powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Extra Mix-Ins of Choice, see notes

Instructions

Prepare no-oil-added popcorn via the method of your choice: air popper, microwave popper, or even brown paper bag (see recipes notes).
After popcorn has popped, work quickly and divide into two batches while still hot.
Spritz each bowl with a 3-second spritz of cooking spray of choice, tossing the bowl to coat evenly as you do so.
Quickly sprinkle half the protein powder, salt and any other mix-ins on each batch. Toss well for maximum sticking. If needed, do another quick spritz of cooking spray to encourage fall-off powder to stick on.
Ready to serve in the two bowls, or toss together in one big bowl for sharing-style.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition: 120 calories, 8g protein 2g fat 16g net carb per serving (makes about 2 servings, 3 cups each)

Popcorn making tip: make microwave popcorn in a brown lunch bag, simply add the ¼ cup kernels to a larger lunch-sized brown bag, fold down top, and microwave for 3 minutes or until popping becomes infrequent and sporadic

Optional Mix-In Ideas:

- Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

- Cookie Spices like Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, even Cacao Powder

- Savory & Spicy Spices like Chili Powder, Cumin, Italian Seasoning, Turmeric, Garlic Powder

- Granulated Sugar Substitutes

Rest, Relax, and Reset – Top Spring Health & Wellness Products

Posted on April 5, 2023 by Jennifer FIsher

This post sponsored by Babbleboxx

After a whirlwind winter season (with a running or fitness event nearly every weekend paired with loads of family activities), I totally need a break!!!

babbleboxxofficial sent me a box full of products for a “Spring Reset.” Head over to thefitfork.com to read more about it all, but in a nutshell:
Vorrtman Wafters, Wonderbelly antacid, Kennisngton Books, Elysium Health

I’d love to be at a beach right about now (that will happen in June), but a staycation at home is what I’ll have to make the most of! So thankful for finding new Health, Wellness and Relaxation products to help me reset, refresh, and renew!

Suspense books "On the Line" and "Those Empty Eyes" from Kennsignton PRess

Kicking back on the couch to reach a book is pure heaven, and something I don’t get to do much due to a crazy, busy life. However, reading is a healthy escape and scheduled distraction from the stress of everyday life. In fact, a 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that recreational reading can reduce stress as much as 68%.

Recreational reading relaxes your muscles and lowers heart rate, but I’m not going to lie – the suspenseful new books from best-selling authors, Charlie Donlea and Fern Michaels, got me on the edge of my seat from start to finish! Lol, but in a GOOD WAY! Both books, Those Empty Eyes by Charlie Donlea and On the Line by Fern Michaels, were suspenseful but fun and exciting to read . . . and live vicariously in the action while sipping on an iced-tea safely at home!

Look for Those Empty Eyes on Amazon or in an Indie Bookstore

Look for On the Line on Amazon or in an Indie Bookstore

Voortman Bakery sugar free cookies and wafers

Oh, and the new Zero Sugar Mini Wafers from Voortman® – LOVE!!!! These yummy, bite-sized, zero-sugar wafers have no artificial flavors or colors, no high-fructose corn syrup and are sold in resealable, snacker-friendly stand-up bags. Vanilla and Cocoa Zero Sugar Mini Wafers are new and delish, and I’m also a fan of the Zero Sugar Mini Cookies in Iced Oatmeal and Shortbread.

Voortman Bakery zero sugar cookies and wafers — *Cookie time with* *Voortman®, a zero sugar and better-for-you snack!*

Also, taking care of my digestive health is a priority this spring. I do have an issue with reflux and indigestion and have for a long time, ugh! Typically, it’s only in the middle of the night (but sometimes when working out) and triggers for me are eating too much at dinner, or eating bothersome foods like coffee, tomato sauce, spicy foods – and even some healthy foods like broccoli.

I’m proactive about my digestive issues, avoiding these triggers as much as possible – but sometimes life just gets in the way (like I really want that pizza for dinner!) or reflux just pops up unexpectedly from stress. I take over-the-counter antacid products, but was always concerned about the label ingredients – talc, dyes, gluten and other allergens, synthetic sweeteners and more.

I’m so thankful to have found Wonderbelly Antacid™! It fights heartburn, acid indigestion and a “meh” belly with the same effective, active ingredient as many of the leading brands yet doesn’t have the yucky ingredients I had been questioning and wary of in the mainstream products. I’ve tried the new Fruity Cereal (which you can find exclusively at Target) as well as the Strawberry Milkshake flavor. I keep a bottle in my medicine cabinet, by my bedside (and even a few in my purse) at all times!

Special Deal:Text your receipt to 507-652-5235 to receive $5 back on your Wonderbelly purchase – Now available in select Target stores and on Target.com!

Also during my reset week, I decided to take a closer look at my overall health and how I’m doing as keep getting more seasoned (I’ll be 56 in July). I took a home test from Elysium Health – their Index- Biological Age Test. It was super simple to take at my convenience. After abstaining from food or drink for 30 minutes, I just left a saliva sample in the provided test tube and then dropped in the mailbox. Within the month, I will receive a report with test results covering 10 different aspects of aging that are analyzed through my DNA.

Elysium Health - Index, a biological age test to take at home and mail back

This data from Elysium Health will help me understand various markers on how I’m aging – because every person’s aging journey is unique. You can’t just measure aging chronologically – it’ really has more to do with how your body performs and functions. The Index biological age test will report scores on how my brain, heart, metabolism and other systems are performing and also provide evidence-backed suggestions on how to incorporate healthier habits and optimize my lifestyle for maximum longevity. I feel like I’m already doing pretty well at the aging game, but I’m super curious to see what my test results say! When you know better, you do better – and I want to live to 100 years, happy and healthy!

Special Deal: If you use code GETINDEX50, you can save $50 on your own Index test from Elysium Health.

Note: this post contains affiliate links.

Lemon Chia Seed Protein Snack Cake with Collagen

Posted on March 24, 2023 by Jennifer FIsher

Lemon is flavor favorite of mine, especially around spring when I’m looking for a light, bright, sweet-tart taste so yummy for treats!

A light, bright, yummy snack cake featuring collagen protein. Only 142 cal per slice and 10g protein. This Lemon Chia Seed Protein Cake a treat for a healthy dessert, post workout snack or even breakfast.

My Lemon Chia Seed Protein Cake is a no-guilt option that is easy to whip up and offers 10 grams of protein, along with 12g net carbs, and6g fat for 142 calories per serving.

This lemon protein cake is great for a healthy dessert, post-gym snack, or anytime you are craving something sweet put looking to keep your lower-carb and strong. High protein low carb desserts like this Lemon collagen cake also makes a great breakfast.

I used Collagen from Great Lakes Wellness, my discount code will save you 10% – THEFITFORK15off

I’m a big fan, and have used it for years to optimize my wellness and boost my protein intake at the same time. If you ever have any questions about using collagen powder in recipes, shoot me an email.

TIPS FOR MAKING LEMON CHIA SEED CAKE WITH COLLAGEN :

I used a standard 9” round cake pan, but you can substitute an 8” square pan, or a 12-count cupcake pan (standard size, not jumbo)
Fresh lemon juice gives a bolder, brighter flavor. One larger lemon yields about ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) fresh juice, which is what this recipes calls for. However, in a pinch, you can substitute bottled lemon juice and skip the lemon zest (or use a dehydrated lemon zest).
Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 5 days, or “meal prep” by packaging up individually in zip-top baggies and stick in the freezer for a thaw, grab-and-go breakfast or snack on your busy days.
Lemon protein desserts can be customized into the citrus dessert of your choice by swapping out lemon juice for lime juice, grapefruit juice or orange juice in the cake and glaze parts of the recipe.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Lemon Chia Seed Protein Cake with Collagen

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

25 mins

A light, bright, yummy snack cake featuring collagen protein. Only 142 cal per slice and 10g protein. This Lemon Chia Seed Protein Cake a treat for a healthy dessert, post workout snack or even breakfast.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, workout

Keyword: cake, chia seeds, collagen, high protein, lemon

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 142 kcal

Ingredients

3/4 cup gluten-free baking flour
1/2 cup unflavored collagen powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup granulated stevia blend
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 large eggs
¼ cup almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil

Glaze:

1 tbsp collagen powder
2 tbsp stevia blend preferably powdered
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat oven 350F.
Mix together dry cake ingredients: flour, collagen, baking soda, stevia, and salt, and chia seeds.
In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, yogurt, lemon juice and oil. Pour into dry ingredients; stir until smooth.
Pour batter into standard 9″ cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, invert from pan.
In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients. Use a fork to make small prices in cake for glaze to settle. Pour glaze over top. Cut into 8 slices.; Enjoy!
Note, if using an 8" square pan, baking time will be the same. IF using 12-count cupcakes, reduce time to 15 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Watermelon Salad with Chamoy Dressing + More Spring Recipes

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Jennifer FIsher

Note: This post is sponsored by Watermelon.org. However, all opinions, comments and enthusiasm remain my own.

Hello to spring and howdy to watermelon salads! No more hot and heavy soups for supper, the weather is warming up, my mood is lightening up, and my plate is filling up with all the beautiful produce of the season!

Watermelon Salad, watermelon salad recipe, chamoy watermelon, chamoy on watermelon summer fruit salad, summer salad recipes with fruit, cutting watermelon — Making a savory-sweet watermelon salad is life . . . literally life, seeing as how many health benefits watermelon offers including vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. Watermelon is cholesterol-free, fat-free, sodium-free, and has 80 calories per 2-cup serving. It contains nutrients that support heart health, like magnesium (6% DV) and phosphorus (2% DV). Each serving also has 25% DV of vitamin C which is important for growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. Perhaps my favorite thing about watermelon (other than the sweet taste and natural energy it provides for my training) is that 92% water which helps me stay hydrated.

Other reason to incorporate watermelon salad recipes into your life is that a watermelon salad is a quick and easy meal fix and completely customizable to suit your personal preferences.

ways to cut watermelon — **Quick and Easy. It** is NOT as hard or time consuming as you might think to cut a large watermelon. That’s a common objection I enjoy overcoming with friends, family and anyone who gives me drama about cutting up a watermelon. In fact, I’ve done a whole article and video showing my technique for cutting up a large watermelon in about 5 minutes.

If you still are intimidated or unmotivated about cutting watermelon for salads, buying it pre-cut in the produce department is the next best way. While this pre-prepped route is more expensive, you typically get very sweet melon as the produce department tends to pick the best watermelons for their point-of-purchase, prepped containers.

Check out this 30 second tutorial!

mix and match watermelon salad ideas — *Pin this for later!*

Customizable. Watermelon salads can be what YOU want them to be. Today, I’m sharing a recipe for Watermelon Spinach Salad with Chamoy . . .. it totally suits my love for spicy-sweet things and brings me joy. Chamoy is a Mexican condiment made from dried apricots, chile de arbol, hibiscus flowers, citrus, and other seasonings . . . and trust me, chamoy on watermelon is incredibly tasty and lights up every part of your taste senses.

For my chamoy watermelon recipe and watermelon salad recipes in general, it’s simple to swap out all the salad ingredients (except watermelon) for the items you prefer or have on hand. For example, instead of queso fresco, use blue cheese. Instead of pumpkin seeds, use pecans. Instead of Chamoy, use a balsamic vinaigrette. You get the idea. In fact, I’ve made a pin-ready chart (above) to give you inspiration for endless mix-and match watermelon salads.

Tips for Watermelon with Chamoy Salad

The yellow flowers are dandelions foraged from my lawn. All parts of this “weed” plant (except stems which taste bitter) are beneficial to consume, you can even use dandelion leaves in place of or addition to the spinach.

Dried apricots are tossed in the salad to enhance the apricot in the chamoy, but any other dried fruit would be equally delicious.
Chamoy can be found in the bottled condiment area of Mexican markets or larger grocery stores. You can also make your own (time consuming) or order it online. The consistency varies from very thick to very thin – look for something in the middle. If too thick, thin down a bit with juice from your watermelon!
Leftover chamoy is delicious used as a rim on cocktails or mocktails – watermelon margarita, anyone?!
Instead of the wedge presentation, the salad can feature watermelon cubes or watermelon balls
The recipe is easy to scale up or down, and you don’t have to get hung up on precise measurements
This salad is best consumed right after making to prevent wilting and sogginess..

Find more summer salad recipes with fruit (and watermelon) at The Fit Fork:

watermelon chia summer salad thefitfork.com

Watermelon Quinoa Salad with Salsa

watermelon tomato tajin salad thefitfork.com

Watermelon Jicama Salad with Tajin Honey Vinaigrette

grilled watermelon with balsamic cherry salsa

Grilled Watermelon Wedge Salad with Balsamic Cherry Salsa

And, Watermelon.org always has creative, delicious, nutritious watermelon salads (and 100s of other watermelon recipes). Here are three fruit and vegetable salads with watermelon that I’ve tried and LOVED:

Watermelon Pomegranate Toss Salad

Red Fruit Salad

Watermelon & Spiralized Cucumber Salad with Shrimp

5 from 4 votes

WATERMELON SPINACH SALAD with CHAMOY

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

A big,juicy wedge is dressed up with pepita seeds, crumbled queso fresco, choppedapricots and chamoy sauce, a spicy-sweet Mexican condiment. It’s an amazingwatermelon salad to kick off Spring break, picnics in the park, runningoutside, and dipping toes in the pool season!

Course: entree salad, Side Dish

Keyword: chamoy, mexican food, tex mex, watermelon

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 wedge watermelon about ¼ to1/8 watermelon, depending on size
2 cups chopped watermelon
6 cups baby spinach
½ cup dried apricots chopped
½ cup crumbled queso fresco
¼ cup Chamoy sauce*
¼ cup pepita seeds
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Optional Edible flowers such as pansies or dandelion

Instructions

To make watermelon wedge, slice watermelon in half lengthwise, then slice that half lengthwise. This will give you a one-quarter wedge. If your watermelon is quite large, you may want to slice this quarter in half (to create a 1/8 watermelon wedge). I guestimate that the total amount of watermelon in the wedge is about 4 cups.
Chop up another 2 cups of watermelon in a bite-size pieces.
Sprinkle washed, dried spinach on platter, place watermelon wedge on top.
Spoon extra watermelon on spinach, around wedge.
Drizzle Chamoy sauce over top of wedge and onto greens.
Sprinkle chopped apricots, crumbled queso fresco, seeds and cilantro on top of wedge and around salad.
If desired, garnish with edible flowers for maximum spring-time effect!

Recipe Notes

*Chamoy sauce is a Mexican condiment sweet-spicy-salty condiment that can be found in most larger grocery stores, from an international market, or you can google the recipe and make your own (it usually features soaked dried: apricots and prunes, hibiscus leave, chile peppers, citrus and more).