Grab a Friend Workout & Harvest Snaps #Giveaway

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partner workout

Friends don’t let friends workout alone! Amen. I probably don’t have to tell you, but is so much easier, motivating and just plain fun to work out with a buddy. My friend Valerie reminds me of this – we’ve been meeting up now for at least five years to stay strong and fit and, even though we’re like night and day, we so get each other. Sometimes we’re competitive in a friendly way while other times we’re just plain silly. She knew me when I could only do one pull-up and I remember when she was still in her thirties! Between our busy schedules, we only get to connect once a week – but it’s a pow-wow this one-woman wolf pack really needs.

Neither of us has a serious race or CrossFit competition in the near future, so our training plans are open to interpretation. So, here’s my Partner WOD for the week – hope it inspires you to “Grab a Friend” and workout!

Partner Workout with friend

I also wanted to share my new obsession — Harvest Snaps.  I was first introduced to these healthy snacks at the Dallas Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon and have been hooked ever since.  These sensible baked snacks, featuring snap peas or lentils depending on the variety, have up to 40% less fat, less sodium, more fiber, and higher levels of protein and vitamin B than traditional chips. Plus, all the flavors are gluten-free, non-GMO and have a reasonably lower glycemic index. Oh, and about the flavors – the Snapea Crisps come in Lightly Salted, Caesar, Black Pepper and Wasabi Ranch and the Lentil Crisps come in Tomato Basil and Onion Thyme.  I love them all!

harvest snaps border

SAMSUNG

If you can’t wait to see if you’re one of the two winners who wins a month-supply box containing one bag each of all six flavors, head to the nearest store to pick up a stash. I’m pretty darn sure you will love them as much as me – my two favorite ways to eat them are straight out of the bag (natch) or as non-grain croutons on my daily salad. YUM!

harvast snap salad

GIVEAWAY OVER. To enter the giveaway please follow the Rafflecopter instructions below – there will be two winners!

Hula-la-la! Pineapple Smoothie & Sweet Hawaiian Beef Burgers

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If you’re tired and stressed out, a good drink might put you in a better state of body and mind. One sip of this Pineapple Express Smoothie and you’ll be whisked away via taste buds to a tropical island resort — can’t you just see yourself relaxing in a hammock with nothing to do all day except listen to the sound of the waves roll across the beach?

pineapple banana tea smoothie

The recipe is simple, just blend 6 ounce chilled green tea and 4 ounces pineapple juice with 1/2 frozen banana and 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks. Add liquid Stevia drops and ice, as desired. The paper umbrella is mandatory!

So, if all that loafing around on your imaginary vacation has worked up your appetite, may I interest you in a burger? It is National Hamburger Month, after all! Sure, you could do a “burger” made with chicken, turkey, salmon or even beans – but nothing compares to the meaty satisfaction and siren song sizzle of a real beef burger.

Not that I don’t love all the lean proteins just mentioned (because I do), but when I’m ready to fire up the grill and haul out the buns, this girl wants her hamburger a cut above! Pick your jaw off the ground (you’ll need it for drooling over the recipe later), I’m here to share the news that a beef hamburger now, then and again is actually good for you – lean ground beef is an excellent source of protein, iron, b vitamins, zinc with only about 150 calories and less than 10g fat (depending on cut and cooking method) per 3-ounce serving. You could opt for super lean 95% ground beef for your burger, but I think that grind makes ‘em a bit dry. I often use an 80 – 85% ground chuck for burgers and ensure that I’m allowing the extra fat to melt and drain off.  Sources say that after the fat is cooked off, the beef actually becomes about 10 – 15% leaner (so now the 80% is at least 90% lean, make sense?) and the burger is much more tender.

Beef Buger on Jalapeno Bun

Now, I’m pretty famous in my family for taking my burger bunless, naked in all its God-given glory. Or, sometimes I’ll dress up my burger with everything BUT a bun– check out my recipe for Hot Mess Hatch Green Chile Burgers on Calabaza Squash “Buns.” That being said, I never turn down one of my Dad’s homemade Jalapeno Cheddar Buns or burgers served on a “sweet” bun – like the King’s Sweet Hawaiian Rolls used in the recipe for Mini Hawaiian Burgers from my friends at Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.

beef burger pineapple slidersWith summer on my mind and grilling season firing up, I knew this yummy, kid-friendly, island-inspired recipe for Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers would be perfect for a cooking demonstration I put on last night for a group of families and their elementary-aged children. This particular slider-sized burger was a huge hit, and I wasn’t at all surprised that all but one of my audience members embraced their burger with the lettuce, pineapple, sauce and all! Of course, I had just talked up “trying new things” and “eating an abundance of fruits and veggies”!

 

Sweet Hawaiian Mini Burgers Recipe

Patties:

  • 1 pound lean Ground Beef
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 canned pineapple slices, drained
  • 12 Hawaiian sweet or small whole wheat dinner rolls, split
  • Lettuce

Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1/4 cup pineapple preserves
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  1. Combine ground beef and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into twelve 1/2-inch thick mini patties. Set aside.
  2. Combine sauce ingredients in small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
  3. Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 9 to 11 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally.
  4. Meanwhile brush pineapple slices with sauce and place on grid around patties. Grill pineapple 4 minutes, turning once and brushing with additional sauce. Remove pineapple, keep warm. Brush burgers with remaining sauce after turning.
  5. Cut each pineapple slice into thirds. Line bottom of each roll with lettuce, top with burger, then with pineapple piece. Close sandwiches. Serves 4. Nutrition Information here.
(Recipe and photo courtesy of The Beef Checkoff www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com)

AvocadOMG | How to Freeze Guacamole

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Happy Cinco de Mayo! I don’t know about you, but this holiday is my fast pass to an ice-cold Mexican beer and bowl full of chips and guacamole. I could eat guacamole all day long, everyday, on eggs, sandwiches, salads — you name it and I’ve probably put some smashed avocado on it.   But sometimes my fresh avocado hoarding outpaces my appetite and they sadly get rotten and brown. There is nothing more distressing than tossing an avocado past its prime, dreaming about the guacamole that could have been. That is, until I found out that it is EASY to freeze mashed avocados and it really WORKS! Whoohoo, viva la guacamole!

Follow this easy recipe tutorial on How to Make Freezer Guacamole (below) and you can enjoy the creamy goodness of avocados without having to hit to supermarket or shake down a tree. You’ll notice that the “specifics” of the guacamole recipe are vague — that’s because everyone likes to make their a little different. I like lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt in my secret but simple guacamole, maybe a few red onions or pico de gallo on top for garnish. Oh, I also am fond of Hatch green chile guacamole – YUM!

freezing avocado guacamole

If you’re looking for some healthy recipes to put all this guacamole on, check out the 100 Mexican Recipes at CookingLight.com for nutritious versions of enchiladas, tacos  y mas!

Chimichurri Halibut Tacos from Cooking Light!

Chimichurri Halibut Tacos from Cooking Light!

 

Edible Bowls! Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale in Tomatoes

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garbanzo bean and tomato salad

 

“The chickpea is neither a chick nor a pea. Discuss.”  Remember when Mike Myers chatted about this the “Coffee Talk” comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live?

The chickpea, also known as a garbanzo bean, is actually a legume that has been around for more than 7,500 years. A popular choice for man Mediterranean and Indian dishes, the little chickpea is packed with big nutrition – an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamin B6 for vegetarians. Vitamin b6 helps to stabilize blood sugar, metabolize foods and make antibodies to ward off disease.

garbanzo beans tomatoes

I came up with this lovely dish for Litehouse Foods and just knew I had to share it here  – it’s perfect for a lunch or light dinner. The cool and crisp salad is dressed with flavors favored along parts of Greece and Italy and packed into a tomato serving as an edible bowl. Did you know the healthy, long-living people of the Mediterranean region eat, on average, nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day? This chickpea salad will get you well on your way to meeting this daily goal.

chickpea salad in tomatoes

Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale Tomato Cups with Feta Dill Dressing

  •  1 ½ cups packed kale or baby kale leaves
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ red onion cut in chunks
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 medium cucumber chopped coarsely
  • 1 (15-oz) can rinsed and drained chickpeas
  • 2 large tomatoes (like Beefsteak variety)
  • ½ cup Litehouse Food’s OPA Feta Dill Greek Yogurt Dressing (plus additional for garnish)
  • 2 grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 2 ounces baby spring lettuce mix

Directions

  1. In work bowl of food processor, add kale, cilantro, onion chunks, lime juice and garlic. Pulse for approximately 1 minute or until ingredients are finely chopped like pesto. Set aside.
  2. In medium bowl, add chopped cucumber, rinsed chick peas and mixture from food processor. Add ½ cup dressing  and mix everything together until thoroughly coated.
  3. Cut large tomatoes in half crosswise and scoop out seeds and pulp with spoon (reserve for another purpose, if desired). Fill tomato cups with chickpea mixture and top with a dollop of dressing and grape tomato half. Serve on top of baby spring lettuce mix. Serves 4.

popsugar nature box hand heart

I have another yummy mention – POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by Nature Box. I received a box full of these nutritious nom-noms in the mail and have been enjoying mixing up my normal afternoon snacking. Being stuck inside working on the computer (and nursing my sprained ribs) is much more tolerable with five bags of healthy snacks like Blueberry Almond Bliss and Lemon Pucker Pistachios.

Check it out for yourself. For a limited time, the POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox will be 50% off!

MHNatureBox_550x550 popsugar

Disclosure: POPSUGAR and NatureBox provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own, and POPSUGAR and NatureBox did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Uno, Dos, Tres! Avocados Three Ways

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box of avocados thefitfork

I recently received a box full of bliss on my doorstep.  So what did the UPS man deliver? No, it wasn’t a new pair of sandals for spring or video game ordered by the boys – it was a case brimming with beautiful California Avocados.  Smooth, velvety goodness ready to nourish my body with healthy fats and essential vitamins and nutrients – now THAT is something worth coming home to! I could wax poetic about the health benefits of avocados all day; surely you remember how many avocados I was eating during my “fat-loading” phase for the last marathon!

avocado arrangement 700

So, each one my new beautiful avocados were perfectly shaped and without a dent, bruise or brown spot – plus, none of them had those awful stringy things on the inside. By the way, the stringiness found in some avocados near the stem end is a result of a younger tree vigorously putting out fruit. As the tree matures, it typically stops producing fruit with this stressed-out, overabundance of cellulose fibers. Unfortunately, you can’t tell from the outside of avocados which ones are strung out – haha!  And, while you CAN eat the stringy fibers, who wants to?

With peak California Avocado season in full swing now through fall (haller-lu-ya) and Cinco de Mayo just days away, what better way to start devouring my stash than with some south-of-the-border inspired avocado recipes.

avocado guacamole

Cilantro-Lime Guacamole Recipe

Simple, smooth and just so darn good that I have been known to eat the whole bowl at one sitting! A perfect dip for chips or healthier options like carrot, jicama, or zucchini sticks.

  • 1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • Garnish (optional) : chopped red onion

Using a fork or back of spoon, mash avocado until smooth with just a few small lumps remaining for texture. Add lime juice, cilantro and garlic salt; stir well to combine. Top with red onion, if desired. Serves 4.

Avocado Red Onion Pineapple salad

Avocado Pineapple Relish Recipe

I originally made this dish as an experimental side for smoked brisket and turkey; obviously I wasn’t in the mood for coleslaw and other normal barbeque sides. We gobbled it all up and then I made it again for fish tacos and tortilla chips!

  • 1 medium avocado; pitted, scored and flesh removed
  • 2/3 cup diced fresh pineapple
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon finely minced jalapeno
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Score avocado in shell as pictured below and remove or peel and dice. Mix all ingredients in non-reactive bowl and gently toss together. Serves 6.

avocado half

Scoring avocado is the easiest way to prep for salsa & relish recipes.

beef and vegetable stuffed avocados 

Baja Beef Avocado Bowls Recipe

Made last month as part of a “chopped” style competition at a nutrition event (and the winner, natch!), this vibrant and very easy dinner recipe uses the avocado shell and part of the flesh as a bowl – the scooped out remainder is made into guacamole and dolloped on top!  Get the full recipe for Baja Beef Avocado Bowls on my protein for performance post.

So what will I be doing with the rest of my avocados? Come back in a couple days to find out!

Avocados provided by the California Avocado Commission, but all recipes and opinions my own.

I love to live vicariously, please share your favorite way to eat avocados in the comments!