Salsa Verde Spinach & Corn Rice Poppers |Appetizer

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

This post sponsored by Sam’s Fresh Salsa, however all comments, content and enthusiasm remain my own!

I could make a meal out of appetizers, couldn’t you?! Especially munching on these Salsa Verde Spinach & Corn Rice Poppers – they are super satisfying and the perfect prelude to a summery southwestern meal or hearty snack to pair with happy hour drinks on the patio.

Delicious baked rice balls loaded with cheese and veggies are perfect for dunking in mild salsa verde! The secret to maximum flavor is also using the salsa as part of the cooking liquid in the rice! Surprising low cal and lower carb -- 56 calories and 6g carbs per piece. An appetizer and snack that makes everyone happy!

These little two-bite nibbles are basically rice balls loaded with veggies and cheese (win-win), with even more winning from the secret ingredient – Sam’s Fresh Salsa Verde.

Not only are the spinach and corn poppers paired with Sam’s Fresh Salsa Verde for dipping, the foundational ingredient – rice – is prepped using Salsa Verde as part of the cooking liquid! It’s a flavor hack you’ll want to replicate time and time again, not just with these rice balls, but any night you are making a rice side dish! Rice becomes tender and ready for consumption as it absorbs boiling liquid. Water is standard (and oh-so-boring), but rice prepared in salsa as the cooking liquid is just simply amazing and so easy (swap up to half the water for salsa) – there’s no need to add garlic, spices and this and that – all those flavor boosts are already in the salsa!

Rice hack! The secret to maximum flavor is also using the salsa as part of the cooking liquid in the rice! — *Flavor boost! Sam’s Fresh Salsa Verde is used as part of the cooking liquid for the rice!*

After the “next level” salsa verde rice has been prepped, it’s just a matter of quickly sautéing spinach and corn and mixing together with the rice along with a mixture of queso fresco and mozzarella for double cheesy goodness! I use a silicone cookie scoop (or spoon) to made generous tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture and then bake for 30 minutes!

corn and spinach for rice poppers -- veggies always a great addition to any appetizer. — *Get some veggie goodness in this delicious appetizer recipe!*

By the way, as decadent as this rice appetizer sounds, loaded with rice and cheese, each popper is very reasonable – each with 56 calories, 2.2g fat, 6.3g net carb, and 2.6g protein.

Of course, these rice ball poppers are best served with a side of this salsa verde for dunking. The fresh green salsa has that tangy, limey taste that pairs so well with the tomatillos and lots of garlic – yum! I really appreciate these new salsas from Sam’s Fresh Salsas, they are completely farm fresh with a clean label – no preservatives, nothing artificial. In addition to the Salsa Verde, there is a Cantina Medium Salsa and Watermelon Jicama Salsa. you can purchase Sam’s Fresh Salsa at: ShopRite, Acme, and Safeway or ask your store to stock it!

Sam's Fresh Salsa Verde perfect for all your southwestern-inspired recipes — *I love Salsa Verde because it’s tangy and loaded with garlic and mild tomatillos — not too spicy!*

You can also learn more about Sam’s Fresh Salsa at SamsSalsa.com on Facebook and Instagram!

Salsa Verde Spinach & Corn Rice Poppers

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

rice cooling

10 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Delicious baked rice balls loaded with cheese and veggies are perfect for dunking in mild salsa verde! The secret to maximum flavor is also using the salsa as part of the cooking liquid in the rice! Surprising low cal and lower carb — 56 calories and 6g carbs per piece. An appetizer and snack that makes everyone happy!

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Southwestern

Keyword: corn, mexican food, nibbles, rice, salsa, spinach

Servings: 24 balls

Calories: 56 kcal

Ingredients

2/3 cup uncooked white or brown rice
1 cup water
2/3 cup verde salsa highly suggest Sam’s Fresh Salsa
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup frozen corn kernels thawed
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup crumbled queso fresco
2 large eggs whisked
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Add rice, water and salsa to medium pot and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer and add lid. Cook rice according to time on package instructions, or until liquid has been absorbed. Remove lid and set aside to cool to room temperature. To speed process, you can pour rice out on baking sheet and stick in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F when rice almost done cooling.
Meanwhile, add olive oil to skillet and sauté spinach and corn for approximately 3 minutes until warmed and wilted. Remove from heat.
Add cooled rice to large bowl along with spinach-corn mixture. Stir together. Next stir in egg and cheeses and season with salt and pepper.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet.
Use a tablespoon (I found a little cookie scooper works well) to create approximate generous 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Set balls on baking sheet.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until cheese bubbling and turning lightly golden brown on tops.
Remove from oven and serve warm with additional salsa verde.

Recipe Notes

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

Low Carb Lemon Coconut Bites with Collagen- Keto, Gluten-Free

Posted on April 3, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

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Oooh la-la-la, lemon! Low-carb Lemon Coconut Bites are a quick, no-bake treat to make that taste just like little morsels of creamy cheesecake.

Low Carb Lemon Coconut Bites are no-bake, delicious and suitable for keto and gluten-free diets. Also uses collagen powder for added protein and wellness benefits!

Sublimely sweet-tart, low-carb and suitable for keto and gluten-free diets, these two-bite dessert bites are easier to manage portion size than slicing a wedge from the whole lemon cheesecake. Only 108 calories, 9g fat, 2.2g net carb, 5g protein per lemon coconut ball.

https://bit.ly/GreatLakesWellnessI incorporated lemon-lime collagen powder from Great Lakes Gelatin as a way to add protein, keep the carb count low and “dough” firm enough for shaping into balls. Plus, I get a boost from al the health benefits of collagen. As an older athlete, I use it for joint support and workout recovery, but also appreciate all the extra benefits it brings to hair, skin, nails . . . and even sleep.

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Keep Low-carb Lemon Coconut Bites are as easy as mixing up a few easy ingredients, rolling into balls, and storing in the fridge to snack on whenever the urge for something sweet comes on (they are sugar free)! Just a tiny bit of turmeric is the secret ingredient that gives a natural yellow color!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links (don’t forget to use my Great Lakes Gelatin Discount Code). I may make a small commission from generated sales, but price to you remains the same. Thank you!

5 from 4 votes

Low Carb Lemon Coconut Bites with Collagen

Prep Time

5 mins

chill

25 mins

A two-bite treat that is friendly for keto and gluten-free diets — creamy, citrusy and easy-peasy to make! Incorporates collagen powder for extra protein and wellness benefits.

Course: Dessert, Snack, workout

Keyword: coconut, collagen, lemon

Servings: 10 bites

Calories: 108 kcal

Ingredients

4 oz. full fat cream cheese softened
1 tbsp. full fat sour cream
½ cup super-fine almond flour
2 tbsp. coconut flour
¼ cup Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Lemon-Lime Flavor*
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut divided

Instructions

Mix together cream cheese and sour cream until blended. Next stir in almond flour, coconut flour, collagen powder, and 2 tbsp. shredded coconut (sprinkle remainder of coconut on a plate. Now, place “dough” in fridge to firm up for 25 minutes. Remove and make approximate 1 tbsp. balls by rolling between clean hands. Then roll in coconut to stick on top, repeat with remaining dough. Makes 10. Store leftovers in air-tight container in fridge for up to 1 week.

Recipe Notes

*You can substitute plain unflavored collagen and add 10 -20 drops liquid stevia and ¼ tsp. lemon extract to the recipe instead.

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Cinnamon Peanut Butter Egg White Chips – Low Carb, Gluten Free

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Jennifer FIsher

Egg white chips, I’ve heard rumor of them . . . sometimes they are called cloud chips and popular with the keto and low carb diet fans.

Whether you call it a chip or cracker, I call this low-carb snack super yummy! Made from egg whites, peanut butter powder, cinnamon and stevia this keto-friendly recipes has almost no carbs or fat and a good source of protein. So addictive, you'll love them for entertaining or as a grab-and-go snack after a workout. 50 calories, 1g net carb and 8g protein per 12-chip serving.

I googled “how to make egg white chips” and found an assortment of savory takes on this low carb snack. The method on how to make egg white chips seemed time consuming, requiring them to be made in mini muffin tins and pulled out one by one (ugh, I’m thinking SO MUCH STICKING).

I also couldn’t find any type of egg white cloud crackers that were sweet . . . in a low carb sweet way. Everything was just salty, herby, cheesy — I have a sweet tooth and want a sweet egg white chip.

My solution to both the time consuming making process AND the lack of sweet egg white chips was to just come up with my own recipe and own way of making these keto snacks.

Just shake up egg white, PB powder, cinnamon and stevia in a jar, pour out on baking sheet!

A little protein powder, cinnamon and stevia blended into the egg whites was easy enough, especially just all dumped in a mason jar and given a vigorous shake to combine. After baked crispy this tasty flavor combo reminded me of some popular cereals — like Captain Crunch mixed with Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Cut the egg white chips into squares BEFORE they are done baking.

Common factor here is the CRUNCH. If you can pour the egg white mixture thinly enough in a big sheet pan, and par bake, cut into squares, flip and continue baking you can get the crunchiest little bites of YUM! This process of cutting them in the pan eliminated the tedious process of cooking all these cinnamon egg white chips in muffin pans.

A serving of these cinnamon peanut butter egg white chips have just 50 calories for TWELVE chips. Also, just 1g net carb and and welcomed little protein boost of 8g. If you don’t eat them all in one sitting, the leftovers can be stored in the fridge (air-tight container) and then re-crisped in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then let cool down some.

These cinnamon peanut butter "chips" are made from egg whites and powdered peanut butter, baked and then cut into squares! Crispy, yummy, addictive -- only 50 calories, 8g protein and 1g net carb per serving of 12 crackers.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Egg White Chips

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

29 mins

This creative "chip" is made from egg whites — almost no carbs or fat and a good source of protein. So addictive, you'll love them for entertaining or as a grab-and-go snack after a workout.

Course: Appetizer, Snack, workout

Keyword: eggs, keto, low carb, sugar-free

Servings: 4 servings (12 chips each)

Calories: 50 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup 8oz 100% Egg Whites
¼ cup peanut butter powder (like PB Fit) or almond powder, if preferred
20 drops liquid Stevia more or less, depending on sweetness preference
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Generously coat 10” x 15” rimmed cookie pan with cooking spray, paying extra attention to corners/sides.
Add all ingredient to jar with lid and shake vigorously until combined. Pour out onto baking sheet, the entire surface should be thinly covered.
Bakes for 15 minutes total but in 3 stages: First bake for 5 min, then remove and make slices with knife (6 rows short side, 8 long side for 48 pieces). Second, return and bake 5 MORE min, Third, remove and carefully use flat spatula to pull up pieces and flip over and then return to bake 5 min MORE, or until golden and crispy.
Remove and let cool 5 minutes. Store in air-tight container. If needed, crisp back up in microwave for 30 seconds or so when eating leftovers.

Recipe Notes

Makes 48 chips. A serving of 12 chips has 50 cal, 0.8g fat, 1g net carb, and 8g protein

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Category Archives: Snack

Salsa Verde Spinach & Corn Rice Poppers |Appetizer

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Balls (Low-carb)

Sun-Dried Tomato Blue Cheese Spread | Easy Low Carb

Low Carb Lemon Coconut Bites with Collagen- Keto, Gluten-Free

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Egg White Chips – Low Carb, Gluten Free