Appetizers: 10 Easy and Elegant Ways To Top Crackers

Make a a quick and healthy appetizer platter with these 10 Easy and Elegant Ways to Top Crackers.May and June are party season at our house, maybe even more so that the winter holiday months! With my son’s graduation party and a Father’s Day cookout book-ending a couple family birthday celebrations, book club, and a baby shower, I need lots of easy but elegant entertaining ideas! Plus, you know me – I always want to put a healthy spin on all my appetizer recipe creations.

Finn Crisp Crackers are baked with whole grains and fiber, making them a nutritious foundation for all sorts of toppings.

Nothing more beautiful and brimming with good taste and nutrition than topping FINN CRISP crackers with healthy toppings like low-fat cheeses, fresh fruits and veggies and nuts. I used these delicious thin crispbreads, which are baked with whole grains and fiber, as the foundation for ten different flavor combinations. Choose a sweet topper, a savor topper or a sweet-savory topper – there is a well-dressed cracker for everyone at your party.     

Top Row (left to right)

  • Aged White Cheddar Cheese, Sliced Dried Apricots, Balsamic Syrup
  • Peanut Butter mixed with Soy Sauce and Sriracha, Matchstick Carrots, Minced Red Onion, Shredded Chicken
  • Low-fat Cream Cheese, Halved Blackberries, Fresh Mint
  • Avocado Slice, Garlic Salt, Pickled Jalapenos, Sriracha Sauce
  • Low-Fat Herb Cheese Spread, Marinara Sauce, Roasted Garlic Cloves

Top Row (left to right)

  • Low Fat Cream Cheese, Red Onions Pickled in Beet Juice, Pistachios
  • Mozzarella, Pepperonis, Italian Herb Seasoning
  • Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chips, Granola, Sea Salt
  • Low-Fat Cream Cheese, Pesto Sauce, Sliced Grape Tomatoes
  • Lemon Curd, Blueberries, Mint

These Next Level Cracker Toppings are an easy yet elegant appetizer for a party, celebration or just snacking!The fruit-topped crackers where some of my favorite, but every appetizer was good and not a single one left!

Easy Appetizer -- Crackers with spread and fruit toppings.

Cream Cheese, Blackberries and Mint on Whole Grain Crispbread Blueberry Lemon Curd Crostini

FINN CRISP provided me products to create these recipes, however all content and opinions are my own.

What are your great ideas for creative cracker toppings?

Muscle-Making Orange Mango Protein Drink with Ginger #TryAboutTime

ProHydrate from About Time is a Stevia-sweetened  sports drink with 20g protein and 95 calories.I always refuel after longer runs and intense workouts with a protein-rich recovery snack or drink. However, in the oppressive Texas heat, I often feel a tiny bit nauseous and my brain signals tell my appetite to take a hike. But, I know I just have a 30 minute window to  get in some fluids, carbs and healthy protein to rehydrate and help repair/build muscle – what’s a girl to do?!

ProHydrate from About Time makes a great recovery drink after run.

No watch today, but I know it’s “About Time” fomr my ProHydrate!

Well, I have a new “go-to” strategy to gas up my tank! Prohydrate from About Time is the perfect solution – it’s ready-to-drink, loaded with whey protein isolate and has a light, refreshing taste – more like a crisp, cool sports drink than a heavy protein shake. In addition to the protein (the perfect amount for post-workout),  the 12-oz. beverages are sweetened with Stevia adding just 3g carbohydrates and 95 calories to your intake. To help my body process the protein, I also add a healthy complex carb alongside Prohydrate, usually a banana or other piece of fruit.  Two other things to love about this new product from AboutTime.com  – it’s gluten-free and has no artificial colors or flavors.

 

Benefits of Ginger - TheFitFork.com

Of course, Prohydrate tasty really great swigged straight from the bottle – Raspberry Lemonade and Orange Mango are flavorful and #onfleek !  But, another great idea is to add some pressed ginger juice for a whole host of additional preventative and restorative benefits.  Athletes will appreciate how ginger eases up inflammation and muscle pain for those days when you need a little extra TLC after working out. Ginger also helps combat nausea – like when that burpee cash-out on the WOD has you running to a bucket.  And, if that isn’t enough, ginger boosts the immune system, protects against many types of cancer and relieves migraines.

Adding ginger to your sports drink will help reduce inflammation and improve digestion after a workout.

Making the ginger juice is really simple. If you’ve got a juicer, just throw in a bunch of this gnarly-looking root and process – voila, spicy-strong ginger juice! If you don’t have a juicer, you can make “ginger water” by cutting up slivers of ginger root and place in a pot covered with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce and simmer for 30 minutes or until at least half of the water has evaporated. Pour through a strainer into glass jar to remove ginger pulp.  To add to your Prohydrate, I would suggest starting with 1 teaspoon of the pure ginger juice or 1 tablespoon of the “ginger water” – stir into the drink, taste, and then add more depending on your preference for the “pow” factor of ginger!

Orange Mango Ginger Sports Drink

About Time Protein Pancakes - TheFitFork.comAbout Time has so many other great products that fit in with my lifestyle – for example the AUX Pre-Workout Drink designed to increase metabolic performance and promote rapid recovery is great and so is are the protein pancake mixes – I made these eye-popping Tart Cherry Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes from a big tub of the mix.

If you want to find out more, join in the Twitter chat on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 9 pm ET. Following the hastag –  #TryAboutTime and @_TryAboutTime 

 

What nutrition products do you use to recover from a workout? Please share in the comments!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of About Time.

Delicious Fun – Fit Foodie Race Weekend – Austin 5k

For the second year, I’m excited to be an ambassador for Cooking Light & Health’s The Fit Foodie 5K Race Weekend (look for me about 25 seconds into the video)! This three-day event (Mueller Lake Park in Austin, Texas on June 12-14, 2015) is filled with delicious bites and sips, cooking and fitness demonstrations from acclaimed talent, a Sunday Morning Sweat Session featuring Yoga and Pure Barre, and a delicious brunch – not to mention the 5k race! Seriously, it’s an event that speaks to all of my passions and I think you’ll love it too!

Join me for Cooking Light and Health's Fit Foodie 5k Weekend in Austin June 12 -14.

Another thing I love about the event is that it supports a great cause. A percentage of ticket and merchandise sales benefit the American Diabetes Association, whose mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

I ran this race in 2014 and it was so fun! Oh, and did I mention that I WON?! Fist Bump!

I ran this race in 2014 and it was so fun! Oh, and did I mention that I WON?! Fist Bump!

Weekend Schedule (attend one or all):

Friday, June 12: VIP Cocktail Party: Kick off the 5K Race Weekend, and indulge in delicious sips and bites while mixing and mingling with editors of Cooking Light and Health, and your fellow Fit Foodies at the VIP Cocktail Party.

Saturday, June 13: Fit Foodie 5K and Finisher’s Village:  Will you run for food? I know I will! Lace up your sneakers and hit the scenic 5K race before crossing the most delicious finish line ever! Enjoy food and beverage samples (there is tons of food last year), as well as fitness and culinary demonstrations straight from the pages of Cooking Light and Health.

Sunday, June 14: Sunday Sweat Session and Brunch: Yoga and Pure Barre Presented by Fabletics. This one-hour workout is designed to offer an exciting fitness challenge that builds both outer and inner strength. After the morning workout, attendees are invited to toast their weekend successes and enjoy a brunch by a celebrity chef.

Calories Burned, Calories Earned!

Calories Burned, Calories Earned!

Tickets are priced at $55 per event, or $155 for the whole weekend.  But if you use the discount code FITFORK you can get a 10% off advance online ticket sales! To purchase tickets, go to: www.fitfoodierun.com

Be sure to follow The Fit Foodie Race Weekend on Facebook at  or on Twitter and Instagram at @FitFoodieRun for the latest news, contests, and promotions! 

If you’ve ever run The Fit Foodie 5k (whether Austin, Fairfax, Chicago or San Diego) let me know what you loved most in the comments below!

Pesto, Spinach & Roast Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms – Vegan #MeetChef

Thanks to Gardein for introducing me to their Gardein The Ultimate Beefless Ground and for sponsoring today’s post.

Making a big stuffed mushroom for dinner is so satisfying and pairs so well with beef!  But, what if you’re not into beef as much as I am and are looking for a vegetarian or vegan option? You should check out The Ultimate Beefless Ground from Gardein – it’s amazing! Being the beef girl that I am (who also does meatless meal, too – variety is the spice of life),

Pesto, Spinach and Roast Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms are made with Beefless Ground and makes a satisfying vegetarian or vegan dinner.

I was skeptical of the product. I had a carnivorous family member coming over for dinner who is making some changes in diet and lifestyle and I wanted to put this meatless product to the ultimate test.

Prepping a meatless dinner is super convenient with Gardein Beefless Ground.

Prepping a meatless dinner is super convenient with Gardein Beefless Ground.

I created a recipe for Pesto-Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms and used The Ultimate Beefless Ground as the primary protein source – I served up the dish and didn’t say a word about the ingredients.  I thought was absolutely delicious and studied the face of my guest – what was he thinking?  Well, I got complement after complement on my recipe and when I finally broke the news that we were having a #MeatlessMonday meal, jaws dropped. Everyone gave the The Ultimate Beefless Ground from Gardein a thumbs up on taste and texture. And, as the chef, I have to say it was so simple to make —  I just tossed the beefless ground in my skillet with a little olive oil, spinach, pesto sauce and vegetable broth and within about 2 to 3 minutes, my portabella mushrooms were ready to stuff!

Pesto Spinach & Roast Garlic Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Each ½ portion of the beefless ground (on its own) has just 80 calories with 12 grams of protein and no cholesterol or transfat. It’s also gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and kosher.  In addition to my easy stuffed-mushroom recipe, this plant-based protein is excellent in everything from tacos to chile to pasta or crumbled on nachos. All Gardein products are found chillin’ in the freezer aisle at your favorite grocery store.  Save yourself a dollar with this coupon (available for download until May 31, 2015).

Mushrooms ready for the oven!

Mushrooms ready for the oven!

The roasted garlic I used in the recipe is so insanely good and easy to make. Roasting in the oven takes the bite out of garlic and gives it a milder, sweeter taste. The recipe is simply to take peeled garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400 F degrees for about 20 minutes, turning once. You’ll definitely want to make a big batch and use in salads, on pizza, mash up as a paste to marinate!

Roasting garlic is super easy and takes out the bit, leaving a mellow and sweeter flavor that is great in so many recipes

If you are looking for other vegan and vegetarian dinner options, you will like my Teriyaki Chick’n Chop Salad.

Pesto, Spinach & Roast Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms - Vegan
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Pesto, spinach and mellow roasted garlic come together in a delicious portabella mushroom that makes an easy dinner for meatless monday or when you need a vegetarian or vegan recipes. Uses The Ultimate Beefless Ground from Gardein.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Beefless Ground plant-based protein From Gardein
  • 2 cups fresh spinach packed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted garlic or can use minced from jar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable stock
  • 1/4 cup basil pesto store bought vegan or regular based on your diet needs
  • 2 large portabella mushroom caps rubbed clean
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cherry tomatoes for garnish
Instructions
  1. In medium skillet, add spinach, beefless ground, garlic and vegetable stock. Saute over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until protein crumbles are cooking and spinach is wilting.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in pesto sauce, coating everything.
  3. Brush outsides of cleaned mushrooms with olive oil. Stuff gilll side high with half the mixture each. Top with a cherry tomato and extra garlic, if desired.
  4. Bake in 400 F degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until mushroom is softened and juicy.

Plyometric Power Workout – How To Increase Your Vertical Jump

Whether you want to up your game in basketball or volleyball, or just need to grab stuff off the top shelf without dragging out the step stool out, a vertical jump workout will help you catch that big air you crave.

verticle jump plyometric power workoutWhile many traditional vertical jump workouts focus on heavy lifting in the weight room with exercises like Bulgarian Squat Jumps, Box Squats and Deadlifts, you can still get enviable gains with explosive plyometric bodyweight exercises. And, the beauty of this type of workout is little or no equipment is needed, so it can be done anytime, anywhere!  Just grab a jump rope and exercise box (or curb) for this workout. Do this this Power Plyo Vertical Jump Workout once per week and enjoy some newfound oomph in your vert!

Here are the details for the above exercises:

Jump Rope: Warm up with jump rope for 2 minutes to get blood pumping and help activate muscles used in jumping. Only do warmup once, not at the top of each set.

Three Sets of Exercises Below (2 minutes rest after each set)

Depth Jumps: Step off box or bench and, upon landing, explode upward immediately. Reach arms overhead to increase lift and land softly back down on ground in athletic position. 10 reps / 3 sets

180 Squat Jumps: In an upright position, squat down slowly until your knees are flexed to almost right angles. Jump explosively without locking out knees, and rotate body quickly to land facing the opposite direction.  10 reps / 3 sets

Tuck Jumps: From standing, lower into a squat position and then jump as high as possible while bringing knees up and in toward chest.  10 reps / 3 sets

Lateral Box Jump Burpees: Stand to the side of box and jump laterally, leaping over it. Upon landing, drop to a full burpee with an upward jump finish.  10 reps / 3 sets

Walking Lunges: From upright with hands on hips, step forward with one leg and drop hip until back knee is almost touching ground. Keep torso erect and ensure front knee stays above front foot. Drive forward and extend up position. 10 reps (each side) / 3 sets

Single-Leg Box Jump:  Stand facing approximately 18-inches way from box with feet shoulder-width apart. Jump on box with one leg, using bent-elbow arms to help drive upward. Fully extend body at top of box and then softly jump backward with both legs to starting position. 5 reps (each side) / 3 sets

I finally have my Workout and WOD Gallery back in working order, so head over to nab some new ideas for your fitness routine!

Check out my workout gallery for new exercise and wod ideas to add to your fitness routine.

So, what’s your favorite explosive lower body exercise? (I just giggled when I typed that)