Wasabi Almond Shrimp Salad Bites + Football #GameChangingSnacks

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. For more Game Changing Snacks, visit Blue Diamond Almonds on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

An interception, a fumble, an unexpected player injury, crazy weather . . . . a (gasp) deflated ball. These are all “game changers” in football. In the blink of an eye, the tables can turn – that’s part of the excitement of being a sports spectator. If you’re having people over to your house this weekend to watch the Big Game, add to the excitement by kicking up your gridiron grub with #GameChangingSnacks !

The same-old football finger foods can get boring – enough with the potato chips, hot dogs and pizza. Whip up some easy (and healthier) snacks) that your friends and family will devour with the lip-smacking satisfaction of a hungry linebacker. You can’t go wrong with a can of almonds on your starting snack lineup, especially one of Blue Diamond’s yummy flavors like Wasabi & Soy or Smokehouse.

You can even become the MVP of football party food by adding plain or flavored almonds to a unique and healthy recipe – one that will have your guests eating like the true champions that they are. I put together this quick and healthy appetizer recipe for Wasabi & Soy Sauce Shrimp Salad Bites – between the veggies and almonds, it’s got a lot of crunch factor not to mention a blast of wasabi “whoohoo” – talk about #GameChangingSnacks ! Low-cal and low-carb, you won’t bust your training diet scarfing down the whole plate.

This past weekend, I had my own “game day” of sorts running the 3M Half Marathon in Austin, Texas. The weather was perfect, the point-to-point course is fast and I was pretty well rested. Alas, there was no PR, I was a good 4 minutes of my best time on this fast course. But, I also didn’t also do too shabby (1:28:12) considering I haven’t be training anywhere near my max and I’m another year older. Perhaps it was those #GameChangingSnacks at the start – a banana and handful of Blue Diamond Almonds!

Also, if you’re looking for other healthy snack ideas for your football party, check my instructions on how to build a Healthy Snack Stadium filled with fruits, veggies, healthy dips and a whole-grain sandwich station. Pop open a few cans of Blue Diamond Almonds in the end zones and you’ll score you a gazillion high-fives!

Wasabi Shrimp Salad Bites w/ Almonds @BlueDiamond #GameChanginSnacks #ad

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What snacks are you making for the Big Game?

Wasabi & Soy Sauce Shrimp Salad Bites with Almonds

Prep Time

15 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Packed with big flavor from wasabi, these cucumber slices are topped with shrimp salad and a crunchy almond. Healthy finger food for your party!

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 12 2 appetizers per person

Ingredients

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder
1 cup frozen pre-cooked small salad shrimp, thawed and drained
2 radishes, chopped finely
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped finely
1/4 cup water chestnuts, chopped finely
2 green onions, bulbs and stems slices finely
1 large cucumber, cut crosswise into ¼” thick slices (24 slices)
24 Wasabi & Soy Sauce” Blue Diamond Almonds (from 6-oz. can)

Instructions

In medium-sized bowl, whisk together soy sauce, yogurt and wasabi powder until combined.
Add thawed shrimp, radishes, bell pepper, water chestnuts an d green onions to bowl, toss gently until coated with Greek yogurt mixture.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of shrimp mixture in center of cucumber round; top with almond. Repeat to finish remaining appetizers.

Recipe Notes

Healthy Snack Stadium + Football Finger Foods for the Win

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

The BIG GAME will be here in a little over a week and my guys have been uncharacteristically fussing about the football-watching party preparations. I have some football players, past and present in my house! What television should we watch – in the game room or downstairs closer to the kitchen? Should we play games like ‘squares’ or have a bean bag toss? And, most importantly, what will everyone eat?!

It’s not JUST going to be (root) beer, Buffalo wings and burgers. It’s impossible to be a healthy food and fitness blogger and not bring a little sumptin’ sensible to the shindig. But I’m not talking about a sad little tray of carrot and celery sticks, instead imagine a nutritious array of nibbles that is as exciting and epic as the BIG GAME itself – a HEALTHY SNACK STADIUM!

I created this masterpiece of munch-worthy goodness for Litehouse Foods – they challenged me to put a healthy spin on the increasingly popular and pin-worthy food displays made for football-watching gatherings. The stands are packed with fruit and veggies and the field is covered in healthy salsas and dips made from Greek yogurt. Guests even get an all-access pass to refuel at a sandwich-making station and dig into sidelines loaded up with whole-grain chips and football-decorated eggs!

Go over and visit Living Litehouse for additional photos and details on how to make this Healthy Snack Stadium (including how to assemble the framework and making pretzel rod goal posts) that will have your guests eating like champions.

While the Patriots and Seahawks rumble on the Super Bowl gridiron, I’ll be serving up even more healthy appetizers alongside my Snackadium. Here are a few ideas for healthy snacks that will make you an MVP on game day, any day and every day!

Cilantro Lime Guacamole – 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 and to use as a spread on your sandwich. If you have leftover guacamole (yeah, right!) or just want to make extra in advance, check out my blog post on How to Freeze Guacamole.

Nutty Slow Cooker Snack Mix – Snack mix is a perennial party favorite, my recipe uses a slow cooker (really!) to make the process stress-free and super tasty. I like to add lots of nuts to my snack mix for healthy fats and extra protein. A sure bet!

Football Deviled Eggs – Are these the cutest eggs ever? And, the good news is you will not go to hell for incorporating them into a healthy diet – eggs are a great source of protein and essential vitamins. I’ve used Greek yogurt instead of the traditional mayo for a slimming swap-a-roo!

Healthy Gridiron Grub #recipes + Super Snack Stadium for the win! @litehousefoods #football

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Football Deviled Eggs

Prep Time

20 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Put your healthy stack stadium over the top with these fun and tasty football deviled eggs -- a fun finger food for the Big Game! Touchdown!

Course: Appetizer

Servings: 12 people (2 each)

Ingredients

12 large eggs boiled
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce or more to taste
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
bunch chives

Instructions

Peel eggs lengthwise and scoop out yolks; set whites aside.
In small bowl, mix together yolks, yogurt, mustard, sriracha sauce, salt and pepper.
Spoon mixture into empty cavity of eggs.
Snip and cut chives with knife into approximate ½ pieces; each egg half will need four pieces (96 pieces). Place 3 chive slices crosswise along egg filling and cross with one piece lengthwise.

Lettuce Party! 8 Healthy Appetizers for New Year’s Eve

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Ring in the New Year without all the “oh I shouldn’t have eaten all that” guilt. Whether watching the ball drop in Times Square at home in your jammies or hosting an elaborate cocktail party, all your clean-eating resolutions can start early thanks to my eight healthy appetizer ideas – each under 100 calories!

Apricot Almond Chocolate Bites – It’s hard to believe that this little trio of tasty goodness has only has 20 calories, but it’s true! Plus, dried apricots are rich in iron, so there are no worries about having a few!

Mini Gorgonzola Cheese Balls – Each little ball of bold, beautifully creamy cheese has just 85 calories – even less if you substitute fat-free cream cheese for the gorgonzola. You can check out the full recipe along with variations I put together for the Living Litehouse blog.

Lime Coconut and Basil Roasted Chickpeas – With 95 calories for ¼ a cup (a handful), you get loads of Thai-inspired taste plus a bonus of fiber and protein.

Southwestern Shrimp and Guacamole Starter – You’ll say “ole” to this avocado and shrimp pairing, especially when you find out it only has 55 calories (and that includes licking the little cup).

Hatch Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms – Mushroom caps are the perfect healthy vessels to be stuffed with delicious ingredients — that’s because mushrooms sop up flavors like little sponges, have virtually no calories, and are packed with tons of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Each one of these succulent, almost meaty (although no meat – vegetarian recipe) mushroom caps has only 67 calories!

Baked Root Vegetable Fries – A fantastic substitute for traditional chips or fries, these root vegetable “fries” are baked in the oven and have only 53 calories per serving. If you add in 1 tablespoon of a light dip (I like the OPADIPITY line by Litehouse Foods made with Greek yogurt), you add only another 35 calories, bringing the grand total up to 88 calories.

Grape, Blue Cheese and Walnut Bites – This recipe was inspired by a much-requested fall fruit salad with the same ingredients. No official recipe to follow, just skewer up a single grape, small hunk of blue cheese and raw walnut half on a little toothpick for a big explosion of flavor — only 30 calories each!

Veggies-‘n-Dip Cup – Another “no-recipe” recipe, just place 1 tablespoon of your favorite light dressing (again, I used OPADIPITY Greek Yogurt Ranch) into a condiment up and add in the veggies of your choice. This fun finger food assortments has only about 50 calories per cup, depending on your exact dressing and produce selections.

Lettuce Party! 8 Healthy Appetizers for New Year’s Eve #NYE #Fitfluential

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What are you doing for New Year’s Eve? What do you reach for first when it comes to party food?

Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Head over to Core Power to check out my post on Guacasuperfood! Five Reasons Avocados are a Super-Fuel for Athletes. Of course, I adore guacamole, but this nutrient-dense fruit also makes a rich and creamy addition to smoothies or spread on sammies – it’s also a heart-healthy swap for some of the fats used in baking! Avocados are also a good source of fiber and protein and pack an array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants – find out exactly how they can help you as a runner, triathlete, CrossFitter, mountain climber, yogi, gymnast or other active person at CorePower.com.

Meanwhile, dig into my recipe for these super easy, super yummy Southwestern Shrimp & Avocado Starters –they are “starters” because once you start eating, you won’t be able to stop. That’s okay – they’re good for you! These amazing appetizers will be the hit of your holiday party spread — you could also present them in disposable condiment cups if you don’t have enough tiny bowls or would prefer to avoid clean-up.

Southwestern Shrimp & Avocado Starters Recipe

1 large avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
1/3 cup mixture of roasted corn with red peppers*
18 roasted or grilled shrimp*
18 unbroken tortilla chips
Garnish: cilantro sprigs

In small bowl, mash together avocado, lime juice and garlic salt. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of this guacamole mash into 1 ounce condiment cups. Sprinkle a bit of the corn mixture to top of avocado and then top with one shrimp, tail side up. Set a single tortilla chip behind this for scooping out the remaining guacamole once the shrimp is eaten. Repeat steps for remaining appetizers. Makes 18 appetizers.

*I used thawed Green Giant Honey Roasted Corn in the steamer bag and grilled shrimp from the take-away food section of the market for convenience.

Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes #CLblogger #SnackNation

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If you’re looking for other small bites for your soiree, these Holiday Appetizers from Cooking Light make a statement and are sure to keep the conversation going!

I also want to let you know about a great service that delivers healthy snacks to your home or office – Snack Nation. My box couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect time, as I was about to gnaw my arm off in hunger desperation. I tore into the box and it was brimming with sensible snacks including long-time loves (Quest Bars, Krave Jerky and Pirate Booty) and some new favorites (Bare Fruit and Rip Van Waffles). Perhaps what I appreciated more than the snacks, was the fact that this company gives back to end world hunger through their HUMAN donation program – each delivery is matched by a one month’s supply of nutrient packs delivered globally to people facing malnutrition. If you’re looking for a unique holiday gift (and one that’s also healthy, tasteful and socially conscious), you really need to check out this fantastic home snack delivery service – plans start out at just under $30 a month and you can sign up for a free trial.

So, tell me, how many AVOCADOS do you eat per week?

What is your favorite healthy packaged snack food?

Batch o’ Hatch Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms & Other Filled Fungi

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

I came to love mushrooms later in life. Why I avoided them for so long, I’ll never know. Well, actually I do know – I found these fungi that pop up from decomposing organic material to be disturbingly earthy. A playground friend reinforced my concerns by telling me that mushrooms grow in the spots where frogs pee (this is NOT true) and too many childhood stories ended with a sympathetic character dying at the hand of a poisonous mushroom.

But, now that I’m (ahem) more mature, my taste buds finally won out over my worries – although, you’ll still never find me foraging through the woods popping wild mushrooms in my mouth, willy-nilly. What I do love about mushrooms, however, is their meatiness and amazing umami taste. Umami is our fifth taste receptor which sends off sirens of delicious, savory satisfaction when foods rich in naturally-occurring glutamates and ribonucleotides co-mingle (this is science, people). The reason why mushrooms, beef, red wine, Parmesean, blue cheese and Worcestershire sauce all go together wonderfully in one combination or another is that they get the umami action going exponentially. Mushrooms are also like little sponges that soak up the flavor profile of any given recipe – mild and mellow, bright and lively, exotic and unexpected – you get the idea!

Today, I’m sharing an easy recipe for mushrooms stuffed with kale, pepper Jack cheese, green chiles and a sprinkling of queso fresca. It will be raining Hatch green chiles (from New Mexico) here in Austin for the remainder of August and my recipes for Hatch chiles keep popping up like (errr) mushrooms. I originally made these Hatch Chile Stuffed Mushrooms to serve as a side with my Strip Steak with Roasted Hatch Relish – these little guys would also work well atop a salad or as appetizers. And, if you have leftovers (and that’s a big IF), chop them up and put in your omelet the next day!

Hatch Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms Recipes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 large (2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter) white mushrooms (1 lb)
1 large Hatch green chile, seeded and coarsely chopped (about ½ cup)
1 cup packed chopped kale
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup shredded pepper jack
½ cup crumbled queso fresco
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pull stems from mushroom caps to create space for filling. Finely chop stems and set aside.
In medium skillet, sauté chopped stems and Hatch green chiles over medium heat until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add kale, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté together for another 2 – 3 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes and then toss with pepper jack cheese.
Mound mushroom filling in mushroom caps, pressing gently to pack in as much as possible. Top with a sprinkle of queso fresco cheese. Bake in middle of oven until mushrooms are tender and cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Serves 8 (2 each)

Looking for some other stuffed mushroom ideas?

Check out my recipe for Beef and Blue Cheese Mushroom Buttons (left) or another favorite recipe hearty enough for an entree – Greek Beef and Kale Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms.

A stuffed mushroom recipe from Cooking Light that looks delish is Pepita Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms – it’s next up on my must-make mushroom list!

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Tag Archives: appetizers

Wasabi Almond Shrimp Salad Bites + Football #GameChangingSnacks

Healthy Snack Stadium + Football Finger Foods for the Win

Lettuce Party! 8 Healthy Appetizers for New Year’s Eve

Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes

Batch o’ Hatch Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms & Other Filled Fungi