Powerful Purple Foods & Sweet Potato String Fries Recipe

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

Powerful good, those purple foods! No, no, not chemically-colorfied candies and goodies, but natural, wholesome fruits and vegetables from Mother Nature’s edible rainbow. If you’ve been passing up purple foods in the produce section, judging them too weird or trendy, it’s time to circle back! Load your basked from the prolific selection of purple foods available today including healthy-diet darlings like purple sweet potatoes (one of my favorite), purple cauliflower, purple carrots and long-time favorites such as purple grapes, eggplant, plums, berries and more.

Fittingly it’s a “P” word that makes purple foods so healthful – polyphenols! Purple fruits and vegetables are filled with polyphenols, important plant-based micronutrients which researchers say may help prevent degenerative diseases (like certain cancers) and protect your heart and overall cardiovascular health. One of the most abundant polyphenols in purple foods is a sub-classification named anthocyanins. Also found in foods like cocoa, nuts, olive oil and tea, anthocyanins are health-promoting, natural chemical compounds that aid in cell protection and healing. Nutritionists recommend include purple fruits and vegetables into your diet at least 4 to 5 days a week alongside dark green, orange and yellow foods for maximum benefits.

I love the Purple Asparagus from Friedas.com, it’s noticeably sweeter than it’s green siblings.Developed in Italy, the the large spears are purple-burgundy toned with a a creamy white interior.

Another one of my favorite foods with the good-for-you purple hue is a purple sweet potato. This dark tuber is royally delicious and once reserved only for the feasts of Incan kings in Peru. These days, purple potatoes reign supreme in the supermarket and, according to the USDA, can have in excess four times the antioxidant power of traditional white potatoes. Plus, potatoes of any color are such a great source of nutrition for athletes including complex carbohydrates to provide energy for workouts and potassium, iron, and other nutrients to help keep a hard-working body in balance. Eat them just like you would any other potato!

I also like to spiralize a purple sweet potato (or finely slice) my purple sweet potatoes and make healthy string fries. The easy recipe is featured below along with a few other links in my recipe collection that are popping with the power of PURPLE! Enjoy!

Here are two other recipes to try!

Purple Cow Protein Smoothie

Tuscan Grilled Eggplant

Powerful Purple Foods and Why You Should Eat Them #recipe #InspireTasteLove

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What is your favorite purple food? What are you doing this weekend, any races or events?! Please share in the comments below — xoxo, Jennifer

Purple Sweet Potato Fries

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Purple sweet potato fries make a healthy side dish to your entree or a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Baked and not fried!

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large purple sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
Wash and dry purple sweet potato. Use spiralizer or mandoline to create string-sized pieces -- or, alternately, julienne very finely. Place on large rimmed baking sheet.
Toss sweet potato strings with olive oil, bake at 400 F degrees for about 15 minutes, using a spatula to toss around halfway through baking.
Crumble blue cheese on top while sweet potatoes are still warm.

Paleo Carrot Ginger Gazpacho – Some Bunny Loves You

Posted on March 6, 2016 by Jennifer FIsher

Each time I enjoy my recipe for Lemony Carrot Ginger Gazpacho, I want to kick off my sandals and run through the green lawn shouting “whoohoo!” That’s because this light and lovely chilled soup captures the essence of spring, and I live for the spring . . . and summer. Warmer weather calls for cooler food and this chilled soup is a twist on gazpacho, a classic Spanish recipe. For my version, I’ve added carrots, ginger and a coconut water base to help with hydration. Perfect for a light lunch, Easter brunch or way to start your pool-side dinner – save a few cucumber slices for your eyes so you can feel like a pampered spa guest.

When I serve this Lemony Carrot Ginger Gazpacho to my family, I smile and say “some bunny loves you!” That’s because I know how much wholesome, healthy nutrition in packed into each spoonful of this chilled soup– loads of lycopene, vitamin K, potassium and dietary fiber to mention a few benefits. Plus, you get all the healing benefits of ginger – it helps tame digestive issues, reduces inflammation, boosts the immune system. Plus, I personally adore the zingy taste – you can add more or less fresh ginger depending on your preference.

To optimize taste and health benefits, please use fresh ginger and not ground ginger, bottled minced ginger or ginger paste. A little knobby length of ginger will stay fresh in your produce bin for a couple months and if you have the right grater, it’s easy and mess-free to get what you need. Not trying to sound infomercial-y, but this Dual Gage Grater is a must-have for ginger, garlic, turmeric, citrus zest, hard cheeses and such it’s only $3! The two sides each have a different grate size and the “V” shape catches all the teeny-tiny shavings so they don’t fall all over the counter or plate – you simply tip over into the bowl and scrape off. Plus, after you rinse off and dry, it slides back into itself for easy storage.

This recipe works for many diet types including Paleo, vegan, vegetarian, raw, sugar-free, gluten-free and more. Also, if you’re a meal-prepper, this soup that doesn’t’ need to be reheated makes a nice alternative to the standard make-ahead fare for grab-and-go healthy lunches and quick dinners. Keep refrigerated in tightly sealed mason jars or plastic containers for up to five days and transfer to a lunch box with ice-pack. Enjoy. Linking up with The Fit Foodie Mama and Running on Happy – please check out!

Are you a gazpacho fan? Do you prefer warm weather or hot? Did you run a race this weekend or have a competition? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

Lemony Carrot Ginger Gazpacho -- Paleo

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 15 mins

This chilled soup is a light and lovely prelude to any spring meal -- Paleo, sugar-free, vegan, vegetarian, raw and low-sodium.

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup, Vegetable

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups sliced carrots (about 4 large carrots)
1 cup cucumber chunks, peeled and seeded (about ½ large cucumber)
1 15-oz can no-salt added diced tomatoes (don’t drain juice)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (plus extra for garnish)
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger more more if you like "ginger spicy"
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
12 ounce unsweetened coconut water
garnish lemon zest, snipped mint, unsweetened shredded coconut optional

Instructions

Add sliced carrots to microwave-safe dish and add ½-inch water to bottom. Top with lid and microwave for approximately 3 minutes or until steamed and tender, but not mushy. Remove from microwave and add to colander, rinsing with cold water. .
Add carrots, cucumber, tomatoes with juice, onion, ginger, vinegar, lemon zest and lemon juice to blender. Pour coconut water on top and process until smooth, adding more coconut water if needed (or sub water, if can empty).
Can serve at room temperature, but tastes better if chilled for several hours prior. Garnish with additional lemon zest, snipped mint and unsweetened shredded coconut.

Life of Party! 5-min Blue Cheese and Orange Gingersnap Appetizer

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Invited to a holiday party, you dutifully ask “can I bring anything,” fully assuming the host will not want you to risk ruining her celebratory spread of nibbles and noshes. But this time (gasp) you to “it would be so lovely for you to bring an appetizer or dessert . . . if it isn’t too much trouble.”

You’re thinking –

“It really IS too much trouble, why’d I have to open my big mouth.”

As I see it, you have several options to this potluck-ish predicament. First, you could skip the party and save yourself the trouble. Second, you could show up empty-handed and blame it on the dog or dropping your dish on the way to the car. Third, you could attempt a fancy recipe seen in a gourmet cookbook and spend precious free-time hours in the kitchen with no guarantees of the results. Fourth, you could grab anything left on the store shelf like a bag of chips and onion dip and end up looking like an uninspired slacker. Or, fifth, and the obvious winning choice – make this proven to be insanely delicious app in a snap — Gingersnap Blue Cheese & Orange Bites.

So many things to love about Gingersnap Blue Cheese & Orange Bites – the taste is insane with “pows” of sweet, spicy, pungent, salty and zesty citrus tastes with every bite. You also get pretty much every texture in the textbook too – crunchy, smooth, juicy and chewy. But, drum roll, one of the most amazing things about this appetizer recipe with a complex flavor profile yet simple presentation is that it can be made in 5 minutes or less. You don’t need a culinary school certificate to make this easy and elegant appetizer recipe — in fact, you don’t even need to know how to cook!

I originally made this hors d’oeuvre recipe for Litehouse Food as a way to feature their deliciously rich and creamy Artisan Reserve Center Cut Blue Cheese.

Life of the party! 5-min Blue Cheese and Orange Gingersnap Bites with personality! <img class=”media-image” src=”https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWgsddYUYAAexyf.jpg:large” data-height=”550″ data-width=”696″ style=”margin-top: 0px;…

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Looking for more quick, easy and healthy nibbles for your party? Check out Cooking Light’s gallery of Top Rated Party Appetizers!

What is your favorite 5 minute appetizer? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Blue Cheese and Orange Gingersnap Bites

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Razzle dazzle holiday guests with this 5 minute appetizer that mixes and mingles orange segments, blue cheese, honey and crunchy ginger cookies into a festive flavor experience worth celebrating any time of the year.

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 36 appetizers

Ingredients

36 2" diameter gingersnap cookies
5 ounces center cut blue cheese, coarsely crumbled or cut into 36 chunks
5 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or "Instantly Fresh" Mint from Litehouse Foods

Instructions

Lay gingersnaps out on serving platter. Top each with an orange slice and chunk of blue cheese. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with mint.

Pomegranate, Blue Cheese and Quinoa Caviar – Easy & Elegant Holiday Appetizer

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to refocus on the remaining festival of eating that spans now through the New Year! There is more noshing and nibbling packed into the next 30 days than perhaps in the whole calendar year! With invited (and quite possible uninvited guests) dropping by with holiday cheer and hungry appetites, I like to have a few simple yet show-stopping appetizer recipes at my fingertips so that no one is disappointed.

My recipe for Blue Cheese, Pomegranate and Quinoa “Caviar” is an easy yet elegant addition to any gathering, whether you need sophisticated snacks to headline a cocktail party or as a prelude to a full-scale dinner party. Or, perhaps as an “I’m not cooking tonight” mini meal to enjoy with a bottle of wine in your fuzzy slippers after everyone heads home!

One of the treasures of this holiday hors d’oeuvres recipe is pomegranates. Pomegranates on their own are a quite festive fruit, the little arils inside resemble ruby-red jewels and taste decidedly more precious. When paired with a pleasingly pungent blue cheese and the almost nutty texture and taste of quinoa, you get a taste experience that I can describe no other way than Manheim steamroller for your Mouth – a modern orchestra of fa-la-la flavor!

While this holiday appetizer looks like it spent all day getting ready for a food glamour shot, it’s actually embarrassingly easy to make. All the ingredients are just tossed together in a bowl and then molded into a standard 6-ounce ramekin dish. If you’d like to do individual servings, mold with a mini melon baller or cookie dough scoop.

I’ve served this Christmas and New Year’s Eve party recipe on one of my favorite cracker; the nearly paper-thin wafers from 34º Crisps. However, you can use the cracker of your choice or even serve a dollop atop an apple or pear slice.

If you have leftovers, a big spoonful or two of Blue Cheese, Pomegranate and Quinoa “Caviar” is fantastic on a steak salad – especially with the Pomegranate Blueberry Vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Pomegranate, Blue Cheese, Quinoa “Caviar” + Cracker Topping Madness #HolidayFood

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PS – Need some other easy cracker-topping ideas? I’m your girl, I have a gazillion combinations of goodness. Here is just a sampling of my madness — 10 Easy and Elegant Ways to Top a Cracker.

So, what are your favorite things to put on a cracker? See if you can surprise me! Share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Pomegranate, Blue Cheese and Quinoa Caviar

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Course: Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 appetizer servings

Ingredients

2 ounces Artisan Reserve Blue Cheese (Crumbles or Center Cut) or blue cheese of choice
1/3 cup pre-cooked red quinoa
1/3 pomegranate arils (1 tablespoon reserved) pomegranate arils (1 tablespoon reserved)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped walnuts

Instructions

Add blue cheese crumbles, cooked quinoa, pomegranate arils and vinegar into small bowl, stir gently to combine.
Transfer to 6-ounce ramekin dish and use back of spoon to tightly pack down.
Place serving plate on top of ramekin and quickly invert.
Carefully lift up ramekin, leaving mixture in mold form.
Sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme and walnuts along with reserved pomegranate arils.
Serve with crackers, apple slices or on a salad.

Paleo Butternut Squash Crab Bisque + Start of Holiday Shopping

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

I love me some soup in colder weather and finally it feels like autumn has arrived in Austin – so bring on the soups, bisques, broths, stews, chilies, cioppinos and other steaming hot heaven in a bowl. A soup that always catches my attention when I’m out running errands is the Butternut Squash Crab Soup from Whole Foods – I indulge in a to-go carton every once in a while but I’d be so much happier if it was more Paleo-friendly. So, out with the dairy cream and in with the coconut milk, it’s an easy swap that keeps my recipe for Paleo Butternut Squash Crab Bisque a rich and creamy winner.

Enjoy a nice, big bowl for dinner – or pour into a thermos for lunch at work or a warming treat in the football fan stands. If you can’t find or afford the crab, small salad-sized shrimp from the frozen aisle make a pretty darn good substitute.

Also, with the holidays coming up, I want to share with you a fabulous gift idea for the women in your life — like a mom, sister, special aunt or best running friend. Even though it seems waaaay to early to start holiday shopping, it’s really not — the craziness of the season sneaks up so fast and I hate to be scrambling for last-minute gift ideas. So, how about a piece of gorgeous, artisan-made jewelry from Songa Designs?! I’m totally loving this Bella & Bling cuff bracelet, it’s a little tough and a lot pretty — and better yet, it’s made with natural fibers and reclaimed stones by women in Rwanda who built up this business to self-empower and create a better life. Be part of this circle of extraordinary women and check out the lookbook — if you’d like to order,use FITFORK15 at checkout for 15% off through Dec. 16th.

LOVE: Paleo Butternut Squash Crab Bisque & @SongaDesigns Cuff

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Soup or salad — or both? Have you started holiday shopping yet? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Paleo Butternut Squash Crab Bisque

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 10 mins

Warm up with a mug full of this delicious crab bisque brimming with the natural sweetness of apple along with my favorite winter squash.

Course: Appetizer, Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 med sweet onion, chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled & chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 16-oz package (16-oz) package frozen butternut squash cubes, thawed
1 15 to 16 oz can full fat coconut milk
1 cup seafood stock
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
12 oz lump crab meat
Garnish: minced Italian parsley

Instructions

Add coconut oil to large stock pot and heat over medium heat.
Saute onion and apple for 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring constantly.
Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add butternut squash, seafood stock, coconut milk, and cinnamon; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Blend with immersion blender until smooth, and season with salt, black pepper and cayenne – adding more or less, to taste.
Stir in lump crab meat and continue to simmer soup for approximately 5 minutes or warmed through.
Garnish with chopped Italian parsley and additional sprinkle of cayenne.

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Tag Archives: appetizer

Powerful Purple Foods & Sweet Potato String Fries Recipe

Paleo Carrot Ginger Gazpacho – Some Bunny Loves You

Life of Party! 5-min Blue Cheese and Orange Gingersnap Appetizer

Pomegranate, Blue Cheese and Quinoa Caviar – Easy & Elegant Holiday Appetizer

Paleo Butternut Squash Crab Bisque + Start of Holiday Shopping