Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Balls (Low-carb)

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

Low-carb Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Balls are the perfect little, no-cook solution for summer snacking. They store in the fridge or freezer, making them cool and at-the-ready when hunger strikes.

These blueberry chocolate chip cheesecake inspired "bites" satisfy your sweet-tooth with no added sugar. Plus, added collagen gives a protein boost to provide a sustaining snack and post-workout refuel. Super easy, no bake! Low carb and keto friendly.

Blueberries add so much flavor and natural sweetness, plus all those amazing blue and purple food nutrients that you don’t find many other places. I used a (no-sugar-added) berry-flavored collagen (THEFITFORK10OFF) will save you at GreatLakesWellness.com) which amplifies the berry flavor even more, but I’ve made the recipe also with unflavored cohttps://bit.ly/GreatLakesWellnessllagen (and even vanilla whey) and the snack is still just as special. The choice is yours!

Save 10% at greatlakesgelatin.com with code THEFITFORK10OFF — *I used collagen powder from Great Lakes Gelatin — Save with code THEFITFORK10Off*

Cream cheese makes the base of this recipe, along with a little coconut flour (and the previously mentioned collagen powder) to firm it up. Then it’s just stirring in chopped blueberries (fresh or frozen), some chopped sugar-free chocolate chips (or mini chips, if you can find them), setting in the freezer for 10 minutes to set up, then forming into eight little balls.

So EASY, so YUMMY, so BLUE – blueberry and chocolate loaded collagen cheesecake balls are perfect finger food treats for Red, White and Blue celebrations. I’m making a batch for a post-workout snack for an upcoming 4^th of July workout with my fitness boot camp. I like how they are pre-portioned and snack-sized, I can just pop one of the blueberry cheesecake bites my mouth rather than eating an entire chocolate chip blueberry cheesecake!

Each piece has about 100 calories, 4.6g net carb and 4.5g protein. If you want a keto cheesecake balls, make sure you are using full-fat cream cheese (which is what I have in the recipe and nutrition facts)

save 10% Great Lakes Wellness collagen and products with code THEFITFORK10off

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from products purchased through links here — however, price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset operating expenses at The Fit Fork, thank you for your support!

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Collagen Bites

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Course: Snack, workout

Keyword: blueberry, cheesecake, collagen, low carb

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

4 oz. cream cheese softened
4 Tbsp. collagen powder* berry flavored or unflavored
2 Tbsp. sugar-free choclate chips chopped
1/3 cup blueberries fresh or still frozen
1/3 cup coconut flour

Instructions

Coarsely chop chocolate chips and blueberries, add to bowl.
Stir in softened cream cheese, collagen powder* , and coconut flour until combined.
Put in freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. Use hands to roll into one big ball.
Cut this ball in half, and each half into 4 pieces – to make 8 total pieces.
Roll each piece between hand to make into tidier ball.
Keep leftovers in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

I used Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Powder in Berry flavor (discount code THEFITFORK10OFF at bit.ly/ShopGreatLakesGelatin ) but an unflavored collagen or berry or vanilla whey or plant protein powder may be substituted in the same quantity.

Sun-Dried Tomato Blue Cheese Spread | Easy Low Carb

Posted on June 6, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

Sun-dried Tomato Blue Cheese Spread is rich, creamy and bursting with bold flavor! With only three ingredients, it’s a simple, no-cook appetizer that can be made in mere minutes to delight guests who drop by unexpectedly – or to just satisfy your everyday snacking needs!

Only 3 ingredients and even fewer minutes needed to make this easy low carb appetizer. Bold, creamy and amazing on crackers to melted on chicken or steaks, this tomato blue cheese spread will please! No cook, suitable for keto diets, and gluten free. Only 45 calories and 0.6g carb per serving.

This blue cheese and tomato spread is also a flavorful addition to any charcuterie tray, cheese board, and snack tray for low-carb summer entertaining.

Other serving suggestions for this creamy spread is to stir into warm pasta or veggies for an irresistible sauce. Additionally, a dollop of leftover creamy sun-dried tomato spread on a baked potato or over a plain grilled chicken breast creates “next level” yumminess.

The simplicity of this easy blue cheese spread with sundried tomatoes is legit – I mean, it’s REALLY EASY. Almost embarrassingly so, lol! Soften cream cheese and stir in blue cheese crumbles and sun-dried tomato pesto until mostly creamy (but I do like a few little lumps of the blue cheese to remain). Use a little spatula to transfer to a serving dish – the recipe yields enough to fill a 5 or 6-oz standard ramekin. If you want to get fancy, you can garnish with a sprig of fresh basil!

The first time I made this, I CHOPPED oil-packed sundried tomatoes by hand . . . but quickly realized that I could just purchase a sundried tomato pesto and save so much time and mess. Do what you prefer – just don’t use the dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes though – they don’t add as much flavor and incorporate as well into the spread.

As I hinted, this recipe is low carb by nature – use full-fat cream cheese (which I did) if you are looking for a Keto cheese spread with the lowest possible carb yields. Each serving of this easy keto appetizer (about ½ ounce) has 46 calories, 4.4g fat, 0.6g carbohydrate and 1.4g protein.

This post contains affiliate link.

5 from 2 votes

Sun-Dried Tomato Blue Cheese Spread | Keto, Low Carb, Gluten Free

Prep Time

3 mins

Total Time

3 mins

Course: Appetizer, party, Snack

Keyword: blue cheese, cream cheese, pesto

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 45 kcal

Ingredients

4 oz. full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 Tbsp. sun dried tomato pesto from jar

Instructions

Soften cream cheese and blue cheese on counter for 15 minutes. Mix together cheese along with pesto in bowl until mostly smooth, but some lumps of the blue cheese is wanted. Keep chilled until serving.
Serve with crackers or bread. Also great melted into warm veggies, noodles or a spoonful dolloped on a baked potato or over a simple grilled chicken breast or steak.

Recipe Notes

Strawberry Chipotle Salmon and Quinoa Salad

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by SitkaSalmonShares.com. However, all content, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own.

Sweet and just a little bit spicy! That sums up my personality and is also a flavor profile I love.

Sweet and lightly spicy, this southwestern inspired strawberry chipotle glazed salmon is delicious and nutritious atop a quinoa salad packed with strawberries, spinach and avocado. Can be made ahead and also great for meal prep.

Jump to Recipe

Strawberries play perfectly with the smoky heat of chipotle peppers in my new fish recipe – Strawberry Chipotle Salmon on Strawberry-Avocado Quinoa Salad. Not only is it a 30-minute recipe, but a flavorful and nutritious salmon recipe you’ll have on repeat all summer long.

Visit the Pin Story for video steps.

I used wild Coho salmon from a fisherman’s co-op I love and trust – SitkaSalmonShares.com (jump below to get an amazing discount code). Coho salmon is a healthy, clean sources of protein with amazing nutritional benefits.

Coho salmon and other Alaskan seafood Save $25 at SitkaSalmonShares.com with code: FITFORK — *Save $25 at SitkaSalmonShares.com with code: FITFORK*

Coho salmon is leaner than the omni-present Sockeye salmon you most typically see in the grocery store and also offers the highest amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, of all wild Alaska species. These essential fatty acids are important for brain health during all stages of life. I like to purchase my salmon with the skin on, primarily because that’s were a large concentration of the omega-3s are found. It’s the brownish fatty layer between the skin and flesh – don’t scrape it off, EAT IT to optimize the nutritional benefits of Coho salmon.

This strawberry chipotle salmon recipes is very easy, you don’t even have to make the quinoa salad if in a rush. The glaze is simple a no-sugar-added strawberry preserve* mixed together with soy sauce and chopped chipotle peppers in adobo (or a chipotle paste for no chopping and thus even more convenience).

*Note: For the strawberry preserve or jam, there are options based on your dietary preferences. For example, I used a stevia-sweetened jam, but there are jams sweetened with honey, juices and different sweetener substitutes. You can also use a traditional strawberry jam or preserve, if you’d rather.

Stawberry -Avocado Chipotle Quinoa salad

The strawberry quinoa salad is equally easy to whip up. I like to prepare my quinoa in advance so that it has time to cool to at least room temperature. Then it’s just a matter of tossing in the chopped strawberry avocado quinoa salad ingredients.

And, shaking up strawberry chipotle dressing in a jar.

This inspired by the southwest quinoa salad is holds up well and can even be made the day before – or meal prepped and put into jars! For best results, stir in the avocado right before serving.

Serve the strawberry chipotle salmon filet atop the sweet-spicy quinoa salad. Or, you can also “chunk” up the salmon and stir into the salad. Tasty served warm, room temperature OR cold – making it an excellent meal prep salmon salad recipe.

Sitka Salmon Shares: Save $25 on most shares with code: FitFork

Thank you Sitka Salmon Shares for the amazing wild Alaskan salmon for this Coho salmon recipe. This “community supported fishery” seafood delivery is one of my favorite ways to keep my freezer stocked with premium fish and seafood that supports my active lifestyle. Owner-partner fishermen (and women) hit the cold Pacific waters around Alaska to responsibly source the best and tastiest Alaskan seafood. I I’m all about having quality proteins on hand so we won’t run out and eat junk. Order a Premium Share today and save $25 on your order with my code: FITFORK (It’s SOOOOO worth it).

Creamy Coconut Lime Salmon Skillet is another one of my favorite Sitka Salmon Shares recipes using Coho salmon. This thai-inspired salmon dinner comes together on the stove top in just 15 minutes and is suitable for low carb diets.

5 from 3 votes

STRAWBERRY CHIPOTLE SALMON ON QUINOA SALAD

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Calories: 498 kcal

Ingredients

For Fish:

1 1 lb. boneless filet Coho salmon skin on
3 tablespoons no-sugar-added strawberry preserves
2 teaspoons Low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

For Salad:

2 cups cooked quinoa from 2/3 cup dry
1 medium avocado chopped,
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 cup packed chopped fresh spinach
½ cup diced red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For dressing:

¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons no-sugar-added strawberry preserves
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Pat salmon filet dry and place skin side down in rimmed baking dish.
Mix together preserves, chipotles, and soy sauce and spread across top of fish.
Bake for about 20 minutes until fish flaky. Keep a close eye so that glaze doesn’t burn. Use a spoon to redistribute any run-off glaze halfway through baking and again when removing from oven.
While fish is baking, toss together salad ingredients.
Make dressing by shaking up dressing ingredients in jar. Mix into salad.
Serve fish atop quinoa salad, either warm, room temperature or cold! All ways delicious.
If desired can “chunk up” the salmon and mix into the salad.

Recipe Notes

Sheet Pan Chile Lime Spiralized Hash Browns

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

Sheet Pan Chile Lime Spiralized Hash Browns are baked, not fried, and make a yummy potato side dish for any meal of the day!

[Sheet Pan] Spiralized Chili-Lime Hash Browns . . . and easy, economical and nutritious potato side dish for any meal of the day! And, oh yeah, AMAZINGLY delicious.

Easy, economical, and a nutritious food choice to fuel an active lifestyle – plus bonus, this fun sheet pan hash brown recipes is a big hit with the entire family. The added flavor comes from a simple drizzle and toss with butter, olive oil, and spices before baking.

Making this sheet pan recipe is a time and sanity saver. There is NO standing over a hot, grease-spitting skillet flipping hash brown patties one by one.

Plus, it’s fun to prep potatoes using a spiralizer to make long, twisty potato strands – get the kids to help with this portion of the chili lime hash browns.

Also, check out my Pinterest Story for video step-by-step.

Pro Tip #1: If you don’t have a spiralizer (I love my s piralizer attachment for the Kitchenaid Mixer), a similar result can be achieved with an i nexpensive manual spiralizer, shredding potatoes with a food processor, or grating with a simple box grater. That last box grater option will give you an arm workout too!

Pro Tip #2: After spiralizing or grating, rinse off potatoes in a bowl of cold water to remove the excess starches. You can skip this step, but the potatoes will be gloppy and less crispy (but still taste just fine).

Pro Tip #3: Line the baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. This recipe will stick to pan otherwise.

Pro Tip #4: You can adjust the chili spice level up or down depending on the preference of your family.

Pro Tip #5: Use an approximate 10” x 15” rimmed baking sheet and don’t overfill it. Use the amount of potatoes called for in the spiralized potato recipe. Too many spiralized potato strands and the hash browns will not bake up crispy.

Pro Tip #6: Don’t try to flip or stir the potatoes during baking. They WILL get crispy on top and bottom and lining the pan with parchment will keep them from sticking.

Pro Tip #7: Sheet pan potato recipes like these spiralized chili lime hash browns are very versatile and work for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner!

Reduce food waste by roasting the “potato butts” that are remnants after spiralizing. They look so funny, but taste just as yummy!

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission on sales, however price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset expenses to keep The Fit Fork going! Thank you!

Sheet Pan Spiralized chili Lime Hash Browns make an easy, economical and delicious side dish for any meal -- breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Sheet Pan Spiralized Chile Lime Hash Browns

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

Course: Breakfast, brunch, dinner, Side Dish

Keyword: potatoes, sheet pan, side dish

Ingredients

2 lbs. Russet potatoes washed
3 Tbsp. butter melted
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
Grate or spiralize potatoes with skin left on.
Dunk prepped potatoes in cold water, drain, and pat dry on a dish cloth.
Line approx 10"x15" rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet. Spread out potatoes on pan.
In bowl, melt butter and stir in olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, salt and garlic powder, parsley. Drizzle over potatoes and toss around with spoon or hands. Spread potatoes back out into even layer.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (WITHOUT stirring or flipping), or until browning. If you would like them extra, extra crispy, turn OFF oven and let pan sit in oven for another 10-15 minutes.

Paleo Blackberry Almond Tart (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Lower Carb)

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

Jump to Recipe

Fresh blackberries, yum! Nothing says toes-in-grass summer dessert more than a berry tart and that’s what I did with a recent windfall of plump, juicy blackberries!

My Paleo Blackberry Almond Tart is also gluten-free, vegan-friendly, made lower carb with some sweetener swaps. It’s a healthy berry dessert recipe that fits with so many dietary eating patterns!

Blackberries are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and a variety of other health promoting nutrients. If this, plus their sweet taste, isn’t enough motivation to eat them, check out the blackberry macros: just 6.1g of carbs 0.7g of fat, and 61.9 calories (plus, surprise – 2g protein)!

This is a super simple recipe, and starts with super-fine ground almond flour and coconut flour crust made without dairy, egg, or high calorie sweeteners (instead I used granulated Monk Fruit sweetener to moderate the carbohydrates and make it a (not LOW) but lower carb blackberry tart).

After baking the crust in an 11” Tart Pan, the fresh berries are simple tossed with a little more sugar substitute along with lemon juice and lemon zest. It’s popped back into the oven for 30 minutes until the berries are nearly bursting with juices.

Or, check out the Pinterest Story on how-to make this paleo blackberry tart with video demonstration.

Best served warm, as is – or with the creamy topping of your choice. I used a non-dairy yogurt mixed with lemon curd.

Each serving of this Paleo Blackberry Tart has 309 calories, 22g fat, 24g net carb (39 total with 15g fiber), and about 7g protein.

Do you have a favorite healthy berry dessert or Paleo blackberry recipe?! Please share – in need inspo for the rest of my fresh blackberries (which, BTW, were about $0.80 per pound where I picked them up!!!! A super deal!)

Also, another perfect blackberry recipe for summer entertaining: Skinny Blackberry Nectarine Margaritas!

Skinny Blackberry Nectarine Margarita and Virgin Smoothie Option

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission on any sales, however price to you remains the same. Proceeds help to offset operating expenses for The Fit Fork — thank you!

5 from 8 votes

BLACKBERRY ALMOND TART (PALEO, GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN, LOWER CARB)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

This delicious berry recipe is simple and perfect for summer entertaining!

Course: Dessert

Keyword: blackberry, blueberry, gluten free, paleo, tart

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 309 kcal

Ingredients

1 ½ cup super fine almond flour
½ cup coconut flour
1/3 cup cup-for-cup sugar substitute like Monk fruit or stevia
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup coconut oil melted
½ tsp vanilla extract
4 to 5 cups fresh blackberries
¼ cup cup-for-cup sugar substitute like Monk fruit or Stevia
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 ounces toasted almond slivers

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Mix together dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, sugar substitute, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon. Mix in coconut oil and vanilla. Mixture will be crumbly, use hands to shape into ball.
Set ball into middle of non-stick tart pan (11”) and press down and around with fingers until flattened and going up sides of tart pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until turning golden on top.
While crust baking, in bowl toss together blackberries, sugar substitute, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Remove crust from oven and pour fresh berry mixture over rust. Return to oven and bake for 30 to 35 additional minutes, or until fruit starts to bubble.
Remove at top with toasted almond slivers. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

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Category Archives: Recipes

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Balls (Low-carb)

Sun-Dried Tomato Blue Cheese Spread | Easy Low Carb

Strawberry Chipotle Salmon and Quinoa Salad

Visit the Pin Story for video steps.

Sheet Pan Chile Lime Spiralized Hash Browns

Also, check out my Pinterest Story for video step-by-step.

Paleo Blackberry Almond Tart (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Lower Carb)

Or, check out the Pinterest Story on how-to make this paleo blackberry tart with video demonstration.