Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread Recipe & #R3Summit Recap

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Whew, things have slowed down enough that I can share with you the great experience I had at Prevention’s R3 Summit. Happy to say that I “R3’d” the day away – relaxing, refreshing and reinventing! Some of the highlights for me were getting to spend some quality time with my mom – even though she lives in Austin, most of the time we’re together it’s with all my kids in tow. We enjoyed ourselves at the reception Friday night (I actually drank an entire glass of wine, so it we’re talking wild times) and caught the screening of Resistance, a documentary about antibiotic resistance being perpetuated the medical and agricultural industries.

HA! Cartwheeling at the R3 Summit LAST year!

Saturday we spent the entire day listening to panels on topics like eating clean, loving your age, and more – Andie MacDowell was the featured speaker and she seemed just as lovely on the inside as out. Prior to the event, I was able to “ask” her a question about getting older and it was published in an article on Prevention.com . In that interview and in-person, she mentioned that she likes to do handstands and cartwheels – a lady after my own heart. I would like to challenge her in a handstand-off! Between speakers, Mom and I got our chakra cleared, had our stress reduced with Reiki healing and took part in a few fun workouts. Again, this year, one of my favorite appointments was with the henna artist who painted me up with a beautiful tattoo – I was sad to see if fade away a couple weeks later.

Of course there was food – healthy, healing, good-for-you food. Quinoa salad, yogurt and fruit, almonds, green teas and – fish! One of the companies on site was Wild Planet Foods – they sell sustainably caught seafood (think canned tuna, sardines, anchovies – but YUMMY!) while supporting the conservation of wild marine ecosystems. They were sponsoring a Food Network-style “Chopped” competition using their canned tuna — oh, you know I was SO up for this. Ten of us battled it off to come up with a tuna recipe using a provided array of ingredients – in 10 MINUTES from start to finish. In my mind, I hatched my recipe, execution and plating strategy before we even started (that’s the competitor in me) – my finished product was Tuna & Quinoa Salad with Creamy Lemon Gremolata Dressing . . . . served in scooped out lemons. I must say, it was lovely. When I have time to sit down and recollect my thoughts, I’ll be sure to share the recipe!

So, SAVE THE DATE – I don’t know exactly when, but I imagine the 3^rd annual R3 Summit will be in October 2015 in Austin (editors told me they love, LOVE the health and fitness scene here). Meanwhile, start reading Prevention Magazine – not just the website but a good old-fashioned paper version that is mailed straight to your house! I have conveniently provided you a link to subscribe here and at the bottom of this post. This month’s issue was packed with good stuff – including a bunch of healthy chocolate recipes including this Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread (they called it cake, but I’m not going there) which I recreated with some minor tweaks for you!

Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread Recipe

1 ½ cup flour
1 cup maple sugar (or regular sugar)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup milk (or milk substitute)
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup dark chocolate chips
½ cup crystalized ginger, chopped

Heat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly coat three mini loaf pans with baking spray. Actually, I think lining the pans with parchment paper worked better.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and ginger.
In another bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, olive oil and vanilla extract.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together with spatula until just combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips and ginger pieces.
Bake on center rack for approximately 35 – 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center pulls out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread #Recipe & #R3Summit Recap @PreventionMag

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Prevention provided me free admission and products to attend this event. However, all opinions and commentary are strictly my own.

Improve Vision for Confident Night Driving (and Running) + #Giveaway

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Two rare things I look forward to in one weekend — a bowl full of candy (I shared) and sleeping in an extra hour thanks to the arrival of daylight savings time. However, it takes about a week to convince my body that it’s not going to bed too early or my stomach that I don’t really need another Snickers bar! Eventually, I adapt as we humans do – however, one pesky and potentially dangerous issue will still bother me all through the winter . . . and that is trouble with night driving.

With daylight continuing to shrink until the winter solstice paired with the clock being backed up an hour, I find myself doing more and more night driving – even just picking up the kiddos up from their sports and music practices is now done in the dark. To be honest, I don’t like driving at night. In low light, it’s hard to judge how far away objects really are (if I see them at all) and the glare from oncoming headlights can be blinding (or at a minimum, confusing) – these vision issues can (and have) affected my reaction time and I hate that feeling of driving “on edge,” white-knuckling the steering wheel. Thank goodness, I’ve never had a driving accident at night – however, statistics show that traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during daylight. Scary!

I recently discovered EyePromise, a line of natural eye health supplements featuring the nutrients zeaxanthin and lutein. These two ingredients are carotenoids that make up the macular pigment—the area of the eye responsible for protecting vision. While small amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein are found naturally in foods like leafy greens, corn, eggs and red, orange and yellow peppers, most of us would never eat enough to see improvements in eye health – that’s where the convenience of a scientifically proven product like EyePromise vizual EDGE™ comes in. I have to tell you, before finding out about EyePromise, I never even stopped to consider taking a pill to help improve my night vision. But, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I take a mutli-vitamin to fill in any gaps in my dailiy nutrition and I take supplements to help my sports performance and recovery, so why have I not been doing something proactive for my eyesight?

Driving and accidentally harming another person isn’t the only concern I have with my vision and being on the road at night. For good reason, I’m also worried about hurting myself (again) while running at night. What an awful fall I took almost exactly this time last year when I was out running at 9pm by myself, I split my chin open (requiring stitches) and gave myself a concussion – I was really lucky I didn’t break my jaw with the angle and force of the fall. Even though there were street lamps on and lots of bright stars overhead, I just didn’t see the unevenness between a pair of sidewalk pavers.

Gain Confidence #NightDriving *& Running with @eyepromise_ZV +#giveaway #ad

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On behalf of EyePromise, I am hosting a giveaway for Night Driving Confidence Kits – 3 of my readers will win one! Each kit, designed to make you feel more comfortable on the road and night, includes a car emergency tool/flashlight, headlight towel, EyePromise sport bag, coupon for EyePromise vizual EDGE and more! Simply enter through the Rafflecopter app below:

This post and giveaway is sponsored by EyePromise. While I have received compensation and products in exchange for my time, the review, opinions and editorial comments are completely my own.

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#SlowCookerMeals – Ancho Mama’s Pot Roast Recipe & Tacos!

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Taught a class on economical cuts of beef last night – ground beef immediately comes to mind when the word “budget” is tossed around. However, top sirloin and chuck roast are both versatile cuts that can stretch your family’s food allowance and still give you that “mmmmmm” satisfaction that comes along a nice, hearty and yet healthy beef dinner.

I’ve been in slow-cooker mode for the past few weeks and want to remind you about my giveaway for a programmable slow cooker from Hamilton Beach – this modern convenience will transform your life. I broke in this bad boy with Honey Balsamic Chicken (with 3 recipes) earlier this week. Typically when I pull the slow cooker out of the cabinet, I think of time-honored comfort foods like a fork-tender, juicy pot roast.

A chuck roast is THE cut of choice when it comes to fall-apart, fork-tender deliciousness. This budget-friendly hunk of meat may look intimidating, but there is no way you can mess it up with any type of liquid-based, low-and-slow cooking method like braising or the slow cooker. Chuck roast in the slow cooker will rock your world, just add some chopped up veggies, a little broth, the spices you like and then WALK AWAY. IT’S JUST THAT EASY. I now reclaimed the time I need to manage my crazy life and workout routine — and even indulge in frivolous hobbies like gardening, reading and catching up with friends.

If you love southwestern foods, you’ll be all over this slow cooker recipe for Ancho Mama’s Pot Roast. Ancho is just a dried poblano pepper – this flavor profile adds a mild heat and smoky flavor to recipes. For convenience, I buy ground ancho chili powder at the market – you can usually find the McCormick brand on the spice aisle.

Ancho Mama’s Pot Roast Recipe for Slow Cooker (aka Crock Pot)

1 2 ½ to 3 lb boneless beef chuck pot roast
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 16-ounce container salsa (I used fresh salsa from produce dept.)

Trim fat from meat and cut down, if needed, to fit into 4 qt. slow cooker.
Add onion and corn to slow cooker and top with meat.
Sprinkle garlic, chili powder, pepper, and salt over meat. Pour salsa over spices.
Cover and cook on low heat in slow cooker for 8 – 10 hours or on high heat for 4 – 5 hours.
Transfer roast to rimmed baking sheet and shred. Top with strained corn, onion and salsa mixture.
Serves 8

So how can you serve this delicious dinner – well, one night we usually have it over rice and the next night is TACO NIGHT! You can’t beat the leftovers on this recipe for tacos, quesadillas or mixed into a breakfast hash.

Also, check out these 23 slow cooker meals from Cooking Light — I love this collection of recipes that represent a healthy, balanced eating plan. Easy to make comfort food CAN be good for you!

What would you do with the time saved by preparing dinner in a slow cooker? Please share in the comments.

Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Fall baking season is upon us! While I strive to eat nutritiously, I can still enjoy a little lovin’ from the oven thanks to a few healthy recipe swaps. My recipe for Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins will satisfy any sweet tooth but without nearly as much sugar as bakery shop treats. Because these healthy muffins are sweetened with just a bit of Stevia and the natural sugars found in bananas, the only real naughtiness is in the chocolate chips. But then, who ever said chocolate is bad for you? Quite the contrary with the company I keep. Also, to keep these muffins light, I omitted oil for Greek yogurt (extra protein) and unsweetened applesauce.

Tips, I like to use “mini” chocolate chips because they spread out better in the batter and also allow fewer to be used with still the same indulgent effect. Also, you’ll want your bananas to be as ripe as possible – I’m talking so ripe that the banana peel is black. When the bananas on my counter get to this state of super sweetness, I just peel them and toss them in the freezer for future baking and smoothie recipes. Another tip, if you’re using paper liners, set the liner in the muffin tins and then spray the paper with a mist of baking spray – the muffins will fall out effortlessly when ready to eat.

Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

4 very ripe bananas, mashed
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (6-oz carton)
¼ cup milk of choice
10 packets Stevia (or 1 tsp. liquid Stevia)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup egg whites
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips*

*Save extra chocolate chips in bag to sprinkle on top before baking, if desired.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
In large bowl, mash together bananas. Mix in applesauce, Greek yogurt, milk, stevia vanilla and egg whites until combined.
In separate bowl, stir together salt, baking soda, baking powder, all-purpose flour, and whole wheat flour.
Beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients a little at a time. Once combined, pour in chocolate chips and stir in by hand.
Spay muffin tins with baking spray or use paper liners. Fill muffin cups 2/3s the way up and sprinkle top of batter with a few extra mini chocolate chips, if desired.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until tops are turning lightly golden brown and center is set with prodded with a toothpick. If using mini muffin pans, reduce baking time 5 – 7 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen.

If this recipe appeals to you, you’ll probably like my “Better For You” Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, a delicious take on everyone’s favorite quick bread. I had this one published a while back in Country Woman magazine.

My Famous Salad Recipe & More Favorites (Like Pandas)

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Hey, I’m just back from my vacation to Washington, DC and have lots of interesting, historical, and presidentially-inspired food discoveries to share. However, I want to recreate and “health-ify” some of the recipes at home first, so today I will leave you with one of my favorite moments in the Smithsonian – getting to see Julia Child’s kitchen! Whoot, whoot!

Because I’ve been eating out for the last week and not making new healthy recipes at home, today I’m sharing a recipe that’s been a real superstar for me – Tropical Fusion Salad with Spicy Tortilla Ribbons. It’s been featured on the COVER of Taste of Home magazine and in a number of their cookbooks. This summer, they have the recipe running in the June/July issue of their sister publication (and one of my favorite reads), Simple & Delicious.

Below is the glamor “cover” shot! You can check out my previous post to get the full recipe – this almost no-cook recipe is perfect for these hot dog days of summer when it’s just plain miserable to turn on the oven. It’s also super nutritious too – black beans, avocado, papaya and more! While my recipe instructs baking the tortillas in the oven to crisp them into strips, you can easily crunch-ify them in the microwave or just crumble up some chips as a no-sweat alternative.

I just can’t resist sharing this photo — the kids and I were so lucky to get to see the panda baby toddle about. He was so cute and endearingly uncoordinated to watch climb over fallen tree trunks or roll down the grassy hill!

Talk to me, leave your thoughts in the comments below.

What no-cook recipes do you like to make for dinner?
What is your favorite thing to do in Washington, DC?
Have you ever seen a baby panda bear?

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Category Archives: Uncategorized

Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread Recipe & #R3Summit Recap

Improve Vision for Confident Night Driving (and Running) + #Giveaway

#SlowCookerMeals – Ancho Mama’s Pot Roast Recipe & Tacos!

Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

My Famous Salad Recipe & More Favorites (Like Pandas)