Cinco de Mayo Means Guacamole and Limey Drinks #ZestyInADash

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by ConAgra RO*TEL.

We know how to put on a fiesta every weekend here in Texas. But, Cinco de Mayo is an extra special reason to celebrate because five out of seven years the party falls on a work day – and that’s a legitimate reason to tell the boss “adios” and cut loose early to enjoy some patio time. This year, Cinco de Mayo is on a Tuesday which so conveniently aligns with Taco Tuesday, Tostado Tuesday and Guacamole & Tortilla Chips Tuesday. I am a food blogger and thus allowed to make up these extra observances dedicated to food and drink.

There can be no fiesta without guacamole. In these parts, guacamole is not just a healthy dip and satiating snack — it’s an appetizer that draws people together, have you ever seen the mob scene near the guacamole bowl?! Smashed up avocado is also a condiment smeared on everything from eggs and enchiladas to burgers and burritos, and salads and sandwiches – and, of course, devoured right off a dipped chip. You can even serve it up with a super healthy spin by serving it in tomato cups along with mild green chilies! Ole!

There are only four ingredients (plus salt and pepper) in RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac – more time to enjoy the fiesta!

One of the best recipes I’ve found is RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac – it’s so simple to make and gets a zesty (but not too spicy) kick from the tomatoes and green chilies.

I’m keeping things simple this Cinco de Mayo and making Black Bean, Zucchini and Corn Tacos – they are just screaming for RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac! It’s a vegetarian recipe, but even those carnivorous folks in the crowd love it (I think it’s the guac that makes it so satisfying). The beauty of this recipe is that I can sauté the veggies up in a skillet, keep it warm, and then sit back and enjoy the party – no sweating over the grill!

So, what will we all drink? Creamy watermelon smoothies for the kids and the adults will enjoy Bud Light Lime-A-Ritas, a margarita-like drink that isn’t quite as strong. Tequila has never agreed with me, so these perfectly-portioned cans of yum (made with malt alcohol) don’t give me a hideous hangover the next day. That is a GOOD thing to ensure I can fiesta on the Seis de Mayo, too!

Almost Cinco de Mayo! Fast avocado fix @RO_TEL Rockin’ Guac #ZestyInADash #Ad

Click To Tweet

Zest up your fiesta with RO*TEL’s Rockin Guac and Bud Light’s Lime-A-Rita. How are you planning to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Zest Up Your Fiesta – Guacamole & Drinks for Spring Parties

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by ConAgra RO*TEL.

It’s spring and my family has a lot of things to celebrate in the next couple months. Two of the landmark events we’ll be hosting shindigs for are my Dad’s 70^th birthday and my oldest son graduating from high school! And, of course, there’s Cinco de Mayo sandwiched right between and we like to do that up big in Texas.

Brisket tacos are perfectly paired with RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac and a Bud Light Lime-A-Rita!

I need RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac and a Bud Light Lime-A-Rita to go with this taco!

I’m pretty low-key when it comes to entertaining, it’s a safe bet that I’ll be serving up burgers, brisket or tacos in my backyard. I have three super-hungry, carnivorous teen boys, for goodness sake! These casual meals always please crowds, are easy to scale up for a super-sized party, and can be mostly pre-prepped so I’m not stuck in the kitchen cooking while all the guests are having a good time. Nothing pairs better with any of these dishes than a creamy bowl of avocado goodness — hurray for guacamole!

I found this delicious recipe for RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac that will turn up the volume on your taste buds! The blend of tomatoes and green chilies in RO*TEL add a zesty (but not too spicy) twang to the dip that is to die for. It’s so simple to make you can delegate the job to your kids — you may want to chop the onion first, but they’ll love smashing the avocado. Serve this guacamole as a condiment or topping for the entrée or, better yet, as an appetizer – set out a big basket of tortilla chips and a bowl of RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac for a pleasing prelude to dinner.

Try mini bowls of RO*TEL’s Rockin’ Guac so guests can walk around and mingle – this way people won’t have to elbow their way in for a chip dunk or (eek) double dip into the community bowl! For easy clean up, you can even use those little plastic condiment cups. In addition to tortilla chips, I like to set out crunchy, fresh vegetables to dip into guacamole. I can’t help it, I’m a vegetable nerd.

Now, you can’t have guacamole without some sort of cool refreshing drink. I’ll serve up my watermelon ginger limeade or virgin mojito mint tea for the kids and the over 21-year-old grown-ups get Bud Light Lime-A-Ritas all the way around! I love these refreshing adult beverages, they totally remind me of a margarita yet aren’t quite as potent, which is a good thing for lightweight little me. Bud Light Lime-A-Ritas come conveniently in a can, meaning no breakable barware outside when things start to get wild– just throw these citrusy sippers into a tub full of ice as they await their ultimate fate. I’m ready to pop the top on one right now and get the party started!

Fiesta Time! Fast avocado fix with @RO_TEL Rockin’ Guac #ZestyInADash #Ad

Click To Tweet

Zest up your fiesta with RO*TEL’s Rockin Guac and Bud Light’s Lime-A-Rita.

Bud Light Lime-A-Rita® is a registered trademark of Anheuser-Busch.

5 Unexpected Ways to Enjoy Grapefruit

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Grapefruit are known for their intense aroma and sharp flavor. It’s hard for me to believe that these jumbo-sized treasures of winter and early spring are not loved by all – because they are definitely one of my favorite seasonal fruits! It’s my guess that these people who say grapefruit are “bitter” or “messy” just don’t know the right tricks of picking out and dealing with grapefruit.

So, let’s start with the picking — to select the most gloriously ripe grapefruit, the skin will range in color from yellow to rosy pink depending on the variety and all types will feel heavy for their perceived size. Grapefruit do not further ripen after being plucked from the tree, so there’s no leaving a grapefruit on the counter to “get ready” – just dig in! If you feel like grapefruits are messy or hard to extract the segments without breaking them up, check out the photo tutorial I put together on how easy it is peel and cut up grapefruit.

I’m also sharing below five of my favorite (and unexpected) ways to enjoy grapefruit that will hopefully convert everyone into fans of the nutritious and delicious fruit!

Creamy Grapefruit Green Tea Smoothie: Get your morning off to a great start with this creamy grapefruit smoothie – the green tea and protein powder will keep your motor running until lunch! Recipe at bottom of post.

Grapefruit Water: Another way to enjoy the pleasant “bite” of grapefruit flavor without actually taking a bite is to add a few slices to your water – the bonus is that it will encourage you drink more water and meet (or exceed) your daily hydration needs! You can also infuse with herbs as desired – I used mint!

Broiled Grapefruit: End your meal with the zing of citrus, broiled grapefruit makes a light dessert option that won’t undo a clean eating diet. Sprinkle a little sugar on top (plus whatever herbs or spices you like) and caramelize under the broiler for about 3 – 4 minutes.This Salted Honey and Ginger Broiled Grapefruit is made by drizzling about 2 teaspoons honey on 1/2 grapefruit and then sprinkling with 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon dried mint — I always use the Instantly Fresh herbs from Litehouse Foods for convenience.

Grapefruit, Avocado and Feta Salad: Another dish so easy-breezy that you don’t really even need a recipe. Simply segment grapefruit (use my directions here) and toss with diced avocado and crumbled feta cheese, herbs or jalapeno peppers if you dare! One of the perk of this dish is that the citric acid in the grapefruit helps to keep the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown – just make sure you “dress” the salad with any remaining juice squeezed from the skin; toss salad gently.

Pink Grapefruit Sorbet – Doesn’t this frozen confection from CookingLight.com look refreshing?! Use as fancy-schmancy palate cleanser between courses or scoop up in frosty bowls. You can even pack this recipe in to pop molds and freeze for pure citrus sunshine on a stick.

5 Unexpected Ways to Eat Grapefruit #Recipes #Citrus #Fitfluential #CLblogger

Click To Tweet

What is your favorite way to eat grapefruit?

Creamy Grapefruit Green Tea Smoothie

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Get your morning off to a great start with this creamy grapefruit smoothie – the green tea and protein powder will keep your motor running until lunch! Recipe at bottom of post.

Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

1/2 large grapefruit
1/2 cup green tea
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop vanilla or unflavored protein powder
1 - 2 packets stevia if desired
ice as needed
1 teaspoon hemp seeds

Instructions

Use serrated spoon to remove flesh from ½ of grapefruit, add to blender. Squeeze any remaining juice from grapefruit shell into blender. Add green tea, milk banana, and protein powder to blender; blend until smooth. Add ice, as needed, until desired consistency achieved. Garnish with hulled hemp seeds.

Recipe Notes

Tuna Avocado Toast with Tangy Lemon Crema #BeeHealthy

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

It’s a New Year and I’ve made a pledge to continue yet another year of striving to be the best me I can be. I’ll stay on this path (although there are always a few detours) by making nutritious food choices, exercising in some way every day, stepping outside my comfort zone with personal challenges and just being at peace with myself. While I don’t have a lot of resolutions (sounds so shaming), I do have one oath of an epicurean nature to make – never make a rash judgment that prevents a delicious healthy food trend from meeting my mouth.

What delicious healthy food trend, you ask? I’m talking about avocado toast, the creamy and crunchy hookup that has been buzzing all over the Internet. I’ve seen avocado toast in some form or fashion on every social media channel imaginable in the last few months, but I dismissed the toast and topping as not protein-rich enough for my diet (although I don’t mind eating an entire avocado in one sitting – wink, wink).

But then, I had a moment of clarity yesterday while trying to come up with a quick healthy meal from the pantry – what about tuna fish?! I always keep a few cans of tuna from Bumble Bee Seafoods to elevate salads, sandwiches and simple ingredients into yummy and healthy meals. For example, my recipe for Fiesta Tuna Quinoa Salad is still a make-ahead favorite for a whirlwind week as is my Speedy Salad Nicoise.

Tuna is a simple (and frugal) way to add a host of nutrients to your diet, including lean protein, healthy fat, and important vitamins and minerals. I’m a fan of the single-serve, 2.5 ounce pouches of Bumble Bee® Premium Albacore Tuna and Light Tuna because the packages don’t require a can opener, messy draining, or any cooking!

Make Waves, Get Raves – Tuna Avocado Toast w/ Tangy Lemon Crema #recipe #BeeHealthy #CG #Ad

Click To Tweet

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Tuna, Avocado & Radish Toast with Tangy Lemon Crema

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

2 mins

Total Time

12 mins

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

4 slices rustic artisan bread your favorite variety
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 2.5 oz pouch tuna, drained I used Bumble Bee Albacore Tuna
1 radish sliced thinly and then quartered
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp red chile pepper sauce more or less to taste
Pea Shoots for garnish

Instructions

Lightly brush tops of bread with olive oil and set under broiler until lightly brown on top. Remove from oven and set aside.
Cut avocado in half, remove seed and score flesh inside of skin. With a spoon, scoop out one half of the scored avocado and add to bowl with lemon juice, garlic and sea salt. Mash together very well. Add in the other half of scored avocado and mix lightly to combine – this will keep a chunkier texture.
Spread equal portion of avocado mixture on the top of each toast. Top each toast with just a little over ½ ounce of tuna fish and sprinkling of radish slices.
In another small bowl, wish together Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest and hot pepper sauce until incorporated.
Drizzle lemon crema over tops of toast and garnish with pea shoots.

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

Click To Tweet

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?

thefitfork.com

The Fit Fork

Tag Archives: avocado

Cinco de Mayo Means Guacamole and Limey Drinks #ZestyInADash

Zest Up Your Fiesta – Guacamole & Drinks for Spring Parties

5 Unexpected Ways to Enjoy Grapefruit

Tuna Avocado Toast with Tangy Lemon Crema #BeeHealthy

Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes