Tidings of Comfort Food & Joy – Grilled Cheese Steak, Bacon Mac, Chicken Soup ‘n More

Today, I am bringing you tidings of comfort (food) and joy in honor of National Comfort Food Day (December 5th). I believe it’s no coincidence that this feel-good food holiday is falling on a Monday. And, not just any Monday, but the day after I struggled through a cold, windy and rainy marathon.

jen-and-jonathan-san-antonio-marathon-2016Honestly, I’m still feeling a little chilled to the bone, depleted, and licking battle wounds, and embracing the opportunity to take a MAJOR rest day, hang out in my PJs and fuzzy slippers, and make comfort food my new best friend.

Y’all know I typically eat reasonably, mostly clean . . . but I’m never going to deny myself food I’m craving for comfort every now and then. Sometimes your body is telling you to eat these things for a reason, other times it’s strictly soul satisfying. Regardless, when you let go of the guilt and give your food worries a rest day, it tastes even better!

Brazilian Grilled Cheese Steak SandwichBrazilian Grilled Cheese Steak Sandwich – This is what happens when a Philly Cheese Steak meets an American Grilled Cheese meets a Brazilian Bauru sandwich? You can thank me later. Recipe originally developed for my friends at BeefLovingTexans.com, and shared for you at bottom of post!

Brazilian Grilled Cheese Steak Sandwich ith Jalapeno Chimichurri is a delicious lunch or dinner that they whole family will love.

Bacon & Blue Cheese Mac – Ahh, most any pasta dish is comforting, but mac and cheese is a like coming home after being away from loved ones for too long. The addition of blue cheese and bacon makes the reunion even better!

Bacon & Blue Cheese Mac

Comforting Chicken & Rice Soup – When it’s drafty and cold, and your feeling run down and even under-the-weather, this easy chicken and rice soup comes to the rescue in a snap. And, while slurping up a big bowl is comforting to the core, it’s also a healthy choice!

Comforting Chicken and Rice Soup

Simply the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies – They are not sugar-free, calorie-free nor carb-free, but these buttery, chewy chippers are a treat worth treating yourself to!

jennifer fisher thefitfork best chocolate chip cookie

Root Beer Float Fudge –  Imagine if you could have the yummy flavor of root beer and vanilla ice cream in fudge format? Well, you can thanks to this recipe I develop a few years back for the magazine Simple & Delicious. While, I wouldn’t eat the whole pan at once, I certainly say CHEERS to a piece for a sweet treat.

2013_07 rootbeer float fudge

So, what is your go-to comfort food? Do you prefer sweet or savory? What are you making for dinner tonight?! Please share in the comments, XOXO- Jennifer 

Tidings of Comfort Food & Joy – Beefy Grilled Cheese, Bacon Mac, Chicken Soup ‘n More
Prep Time
10 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 
Brazilian Bauru meets Pilly Cheesesteak meets an American diner grilled cheese -- this easy pannini style sandwich makes a delicious lunch or dinner.
Course: Dessert, Main Dish, Pasta, Sandwich, Snack, Soup
Cuisine: American, South American
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
for Jalapeno Chimichurri
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teapsoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup Parsley leaves (some tender stems okay)
  • 1 cup Cilantro leaves (some tender stems okay)
  • 1/2 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
for sandwiches
  • 1 1/4 pound top sirloin steak, sliced very thinly
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
  • 4 ounces sun dried tomatoes cut into thin strips
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated or sliced
  • 8 slices bakery sourdough bread
  • 3 tablespoons light cream cheese, softened
Instructions
  1. Pre-make chimichurri by adding all ingredients to small blender or food processor. Pulse on and off in 10 second increments to break up ingredients into coarse sauce. Set aside.
  2. Heat large skilled to medium-high. Add sliced sirloin and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes. Beef will be ready to remove from pan once lightly browned on edges and pink has been just taken off center. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
  3. n same skillet (reserved with a tiny bit of beef fat and bits) add onion slices and cook over medium high, stirring as need, for about 6 to 8 minutes or until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add beef back into skillet with onions along with tomatoes, salt and red pepper flakes; stir to combine.
  4. Meanwhile, heat Panini press or clean skillet to medium-high heat.
  5. Butter outer sides of two slices of bread and layer each side with mozzarella. Place slice of bread, butter side down, on pan and top with ¼ of beef mixture. Add top piece of cheese and bread.
  6. Cook for approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side until bread turning golden brown and cheese melting. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.
  7. To serve, lift up tops of sandwiches and drizzle with chimichurri. Serve hot.

Giant Gluten-Free Cherry Almond Protein Breakfast Cookie

Cookies for breakfast, count me in! A giant-sized, gluten-free Cherry Almond Protein Breakfast Cookie is just what I need to fuel my active morning. Also the beauty of this easy protein cookie recipe is that it is a single-serving and can be made in the toaster oven!

Giant Cherry Almond Protein Breakfast Cookie

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Chocolate Speckled and Seeded Protein Cookie (Single Serve) + Toaster Oven Giveaway

This post and giveaway sponsored by Hamilton Beach, but all opinions and enthusiasm are my own!

I never thought I needed a toaster oven and, boy, was I soooo wrong. I changed my mind when recently developed a recipe for Hamilton Beach that would work in their fancy 4 Slice Easy Reach™ Toaster Oven with Roll-Top Door. Honestly, it was my first time using a countertop toaster since back in my childhood days when this is how I made my buttery, cinnamon toast for breakfast! I love the convenience and quick clean up so much, I’m giving away one of these amazing appliances to one of you (enter at bottom of post).

Single Serve Chocolate Speckled and Seeded Breakfast Cookie for Toaster Oven can be made in a conventional or toaster oven! It's also gluten-free and nut-free, plus sugar-free and dairy free without the chocolate chips.  268 calories and 16g protein for this jumbo, giant cookie!

Chocolate Speckled and Seeded Breakfast CookieThe recipe I made for Hamilton Beach was a single serve breakfast cookie Chocolate Speckled and Seeded Breakfast Cookie, a much healthier option than the sugar and butter on white bread treat I would cook up as a kid. Fresh baked from the toaster oven, this cookie is packed with flavor and nutrition thanks to whole grains, seeds, and just a smattering of chocolate to soothe a sweet tooth. The entire huge cookie has just 268 calories and 16g protein – plus it’s gluten-free and nut-free plus sugar free and dairy-free (if you don’t use the chocolate chips). Get the full recipe on Hamilton Beach Every Day Good Thinking blog

Chocolate Speckled and Seeded Breakfast Cookie - TheFitFork.com

So, what’s so awesome about a toaster oven?  Well, for one thing, it doesn’t heat the whole house up, and that’s a major concern here in Texas! But you still get that fresh-baked, crispy texture on foods that the microwave just can’t deliver – the little slide out tray will accommodate so many healthy food options – broil salmon, roast asparagus, bake eggs, make muffins and, yes, even make toast! It fits four slices of toast or even a 9” pizza! A smaller appliance is also so convenient when just preparing a meal for one or two people and works well in a dorm room, RV, cabin, office kitchen or other places where space is tight. Plus, the 4 Slice Easy Reach™ Toaster Oven with Roll-Top Door has several unique features including a removable roll-top door than makes it super easy to clean up!

Hamilton Beach 4 Slice Easy Reach™ Toaster Oven with Roll-Top DoorEnter my giveaway to win a handy-dandy 4 Slice Easy Reach™ Toaster Oven with Roll-Top Door , just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below:

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

D’oh! Nut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Bites

Nut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Bites are a healthier way to satisfy a sweet tooth while helping mend muscles after a run or workout.Yes, I have been guilty of eating REAL cookie dough and a lot of it. Once as a kid, my indulgent grandmother let me eat as much as I wanted while my annoyed mother looked shaking her head and telling me I was going to get sick. So, what happened? I barfed . . . mothers are always right. While I still like to make “real” chocolate chip cookies for the family now and again, I try to stay out of the dough (as much as I can). My recipe for Nut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Bites is a healthier option with no raw eggs, no gluten, and no added sugar except for a few chocolate chips.

jen and dough boyWith less than 100 calories and almost 5 grams of protein, one these yummy little no-cook treats also make a sensible alternative to eating that whole chub of cookie dough and turning into the Pillsbury Dough Boy (but, darn if he isn’t the cutest thing).

Your sweet tooth will be satisfied with the smattering of chocolate chips, but you can also omit these from the recipe.

 

Nut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Bites are a healthier way to satisfy a sweet tooth while helping mend muscles after a run or workout.I’ve added a whey protein powder for sustained energy, muscle-making and to prevent that sugar crash that comes with eating too many sweets. The protein also makes this no-bake recipe a great choice for your post-workout or run recovery snack.  You can use your favorite brand of protein powder, but note that it may change the nutritional info depending on the brand and exact ingredient list.

Nut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Bites are a healthier way to satisfy a sweet tooth while helping mend muscles after a run or workout.

Also, I used Nuttzo  Seven Nut & Seed Butter which is my nut butter of choice – again, you can sub in whatever almond butter, peanut butter or other nut butter you like, but I highly recommend this one because it is packed with so much extra wholesome goodness.  Save 20% on your order with my discount code FITFORK-20 at Nuttzo.com.Nut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Bites

jen finish area spartan beast dallas editI’m making an extra batch this week to take along on our road trip to Spartan Houston!  It has been raining buckets all over Texas so it looks like it’s going to be ANOTHER wild, wet and super muddy course. If you’re thinking about running an upcoming Spartan Race (check calendar here), there is a new limited-time discount code SPRING20 you can use at checkout to save 20% .

Admit it, do you eat raw cookie dough? Have you ever run an obstacle course race, which one? Please share in the comments below — thanks, XOXO, Jennifer 

Nut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Bites
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Course: Dessert, Snack, Worout
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18 servings
Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup protein powder (2 scoops)
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup gluten free oat flour
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds *Omit if using nut butter blend already including this
  • 1 teaspoon flax seeds *Omit if using nut butter blend already including this
  • 1/2 cup nut butter of choice
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon liquid stevia more or less to taste
  • 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Add protein powder, almond meal and oat flour in bowl; stir to combine. Stir in chia seeds and flax seeds (if using a nut butter that already includes these seeds, simply omit these ingredients).
  2. Add nut butter, 2 tablespoons of almond milk and stevia to bowl. Use spatula to combine well; mixture should be a bit crumbly, but hold together when pinched between fingers. If too dry, add additional almond milk a teaspoon at a time.
  3. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
  4. Roll approximately 1 tablespoon between palms of had to form ball; repeat with remaining dough.

Sensible Sweets | Salted Pistachio Chocolate Cookie Recipe #Paleo

The big news about being a semi-finalist in the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest has had me in the mood to crank up the oven for some cookie making. By the way, have you voted for my Spicy Beef & Sweet Potato Samosas?  It’s an easy 1x vote through Thursday, June 27th  — look for the recipe and my name (Jennifer Fisher).

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - salted pistachio chocolate cookies

Okay, back to the cookies. While I love the Doughboy and am an eater of all things, these Salted Pistachio Chocolate Cookies are whipped up especially for my Paleo diet-following friends with more caveman and cavewoman-inspired eating habits.  The cookies are dairy-free, gluten-free with a sweet-salty surprise! If these cookies look familiar, that’s because they are the base cookie recipe from my White Chocolate Protein Ice Cream Sandwich recipe. That’s right people, double the recipe and keep the extras in the freezer for sustained snacking options –today it’s a simple but oh-so-good topping of chocolate and salty nuts and next week maybe the frozen protein filling! Oh, and the Paleo cookies are good plain too!

Salted Pistachio Chocolate Cookie Recipe

  • ¾ cup coconut flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼  cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons almond milk
  • ½ cup dairy-free, organic chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup salted, roasted pistachios, coarsely ground

In a medium bowl, add coconut flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl whisk together the melted coconut oil, eggs, and milk. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until thick dough is formed. Dough will be fairly crumbly at the beginning; use your hands to form it into one big ball.

On a clean work surface, roll out the dough to approximate ¼” thickness. Using a round 2 ½” diameter cookie cutter, cut out circles. Reroll dough scraps as necessary and continue cutting circles until all dough used. Dough should create enough for 16 cookies. Bake cookies on a lined baking tray at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove to wire rack to let cool completely.

With sharp knife or food processor, coarsely grind pistachios. Place in shallow bowl, set aside.

Place chocolate chips in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until smooth, melted consistency achieved.

Spoon chocolate over top of a cookie and spread around with back of tablespoon. Immediately sprinkle with pistachios. Repeat for remaining cookies.

Makes 16 cookies.