Strawberry Margarita Baby Bundt Cakes (Lightened) & Mixer Giveaway!

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

111

I have a lot of love for kitchen gear . . . it ranks right up there with my passion for fitness gear. On birthdays, Mother’s Day, Christmas and special occasions, I will be over-the-moon giddy with excitement if you gift me with the latest in running shoe technology or a shiny, new kitchen gadget that I “absolutely must have” and will probably only use once. But the great thing about being a food and fitness blogger is that I can rationalize all these frivolities in the name of workout research and recipe development – it’s a tough job, but someone has to suffer losing toenails because she wore the wrong compression socks during an endurance event or got “too cold” in the winter because she insisted on making smoothie after smoothie in search of perfection.

A couple pieces of kitchen gear I never grow tired of are my mixers. Hamilton Beach recently sent me two of their mixer models to try out – the 6 Speed Stand Mixer (Model 3326) and the SoftScrape™ 6 Speed Hand Mixer with Case (62637) (and another pair of these mixers are available in my giveaway at the bottom of this post). Whoohoo, I was so excited because I have had some pretty traumatic mixer distress over the last year. First, my cheapie hand mixer received as a wedding gift bit the dust in the middle of party preparations. To be fair, I had used this mixer quite a lot in the 20+ years of its life. Although, it was very convenient to have a hand mixer available for quick baking projects, I never replaced it since I had the highly-coveted Kitchenaid stand mixer begging to be put into use. But, let me tell you what happened next – the horror! One day, I was mixing the ingredients for a (I can’t believe I’m admitting this) Paula Deen-esque Truffle Pie, I turned my back on the machine while the machine did its thing. Then all of a sudden, a “clank” followed by a hideous, grinding noise and then total silence fell over the room. Apparently, the Kitchenaid logo metal piece-a-part (where the big attachments screw in) had become loose and the continued vibrations from the beating shook the entire thing loose. The big screw thing, fell into the bowl, got jammed between the beaters and broke a mechanism in the engine. I was so upset, I cried.

You could win this Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer to help you with your healthy baking!

I’m over it, especially now that I have these two new mixers! The big stand mixer is awesome and does pretty much everything the brand-that-shall-not-be-mentioned does, from what I can tell. It features that same single paddle of the “other guys” that spins while rotating around the entire perimeter of the 3.5 quart stainless steel bowl. There are three attachments for a variety of recipe needs (the paddle, the whisk and the dough hook). There are also six speeds as well as a special, slower folding setting. I could go on and on, but you can read more for yourself about this reasonably priced ($129) yet powerful Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer.

You’ll love how this hand mixer stands upright when not in use.

I also got to test a really cool hand mixer, the SoftScrape™ 6 Speed Hand Mixer. Love, love, love this easy-to-use mixer that retails for just $39. It has 6 speeds, so it can tackle a range of different tasks. It comes with regular beaters, a whisk attachment and also (drumroll) these really genius “SoftScrape” beaters that are coated in silicone (like a flexible spatula) to promote thorough mixing while keeping bowls and nonstick pots from getting scratched up. Another super practical feature of this hand mixer is that it comes with a storage case that attaches to the bottom and accommodates all the attachments and power cord. It also props up really nice on the counter when between tasks too, without toppling over and leaving a sticky mess.

Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer and SoftScrape Mixer details.

If you’d like a chance to win one of these fantastic Hamilton Beach mixers, head down to the bottom of this post and complete the instructions in the Rafflecopter app. Meanwhile, let me tempt you with the recipe I made while I tested my new kitchen gear out – “Lightened-Up” Strawberry Margarita Baby Bundt Cakes. I used a sugar substitute baking blend and no-fat milk to take some of the guilt out of this fun dessert – oh and the strawberry sauce isn’t much more than pureed berries and lime juice with a little splash of tequila!

“Lightened-Up” Strawberry Margarita Baby Bundt Cakes Recipe

1/2 -cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar substitute baking blend with 1:2 replacement ratio*
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 eggs
2 1/3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
½ cup chopped fresh strawberries

* if using regular sugar, double the amount to 1 1/3 cups

For the Sauce:

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon tequila

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour 6-count mini-Bundt pan. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar substitute until fluffy.
Beat in the lime juice, lime zest, and eggs until well combined.
In a separate bowl stir together the cake flour and baking powder. Add alternately with the milk to the egg mixture. Beating just until combined after each addition.
Sprinkle scant amount of coarse sea salt into to bottom of each mini Bundt pan, distributing the 1 teaspoon equally across Bundts. Next divide approximately ½ cup chopped strawberries equally among the bottoms of each cake (about 2 teaspoons each). Add the batter to prepared pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let the cakes sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife between the cakes and the pan, if needed, and remove to a baking rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make sauce by blending remaining 1 ½ cups chopped strawberries with 3 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon tequila in blender until pureed. Transfer mixture to small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve sauce over cakes and garnish with fresh strawberry, if desired.

Disclosure: Hamilton Beach has provided me with product to review and giveaway. However, all opinions, recipes and commentary are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Zooma-ing into Spring & Tommie Copper Performance Apparel #Giveaway

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Finally a warm and sunny day, I am so glad that Austin has finally decided to embrace spring. The bluebonnets have appeared out of nowhere this week and I’m looking forward to running a race on one of the most challenging (and gorgeous) courses in Central Texas area in a couple weeks – the Zooma Texas Women’s Race Series. I’m running the half marathon (actually defending my overall win from last year), but the race has a little something for everyone including a 5k, new 10k and pool area for those who would rather get straight to the rest and relaxation part of this destination race weekend! I have been a race ambassador for three years and am not at all biased, but (ahem) this run is my top pick in girl-powered spirit and support. Did I mention that Zooma has massages and wine at the finish line? An every runner gets an overflowing swag bag that includes goodies such as a pair of Feetures brand running socks and cute tech tee just for registering and a necklace-style medal for finishing? It’s not too late to register and you can save 10% on any race distance by using by ambassador discount code at the checkout– TXAMB3 (code expires 4/9).

This is my favorite race photo ever – Zooma Half Marathon 2013!

In addition to running through wildflower speckled, Texas hill country roads and partying afterward with wine, massages and friends, spring weather makes me want to celebrate being active in the great outdoors – play basketball with the kids, take my paddle board for a spin or just jump like a fool on the trampoline!

My new Tommie Copper Pink Compression Capris taking me higher!

I recently became acquainted with a great brand for all my active endeavors – Tommie Copper. The brand was founded in 2010 as a natural solution for reaching peak performance by speeding along muscle and joint recovery through compression. The unique hook of Tommie Cooper is that their compression and active fit (not so tight) lines of performance apparel are fashioned from fabric infused with high density activated copper. Not only does the proprietary copper fabric serve as an anti-bacterial agent, it also releases ions which may help reduce harmful oxidants in the body. While many of their garments are pretty straight-forward and functional (and would totally appeal to my husband), others are just as functional yet super fun and colorful – such as my sassy Pink Compression Capri Pants and comfy Active Fit Pacific Blue Tank Top.

I’ve worn both these items to the gym, to row, to ride my bike and to lift weights – no chaffing, good wicking and not so omg-compression tight that I want to rip ‘em right off. In fact, I’ve had the pants on now for going on 12 hours – uh, eventually I will get my shower (and thank goodness for those anti-bacterial properties) . One of you lucky readers will win your choice of the two Tommie Copper items I’ve been describing – either the Pink Compression Capri Pants or the Active Fit Pacific Blue Tank Top.

Enter through the Rafflecopter App below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Grace & Grit} Carrot Cake Muffin Recipe + Slim Down South Cookbook Giveaway

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

Yay, I love cookbooks . . . I devour them like fiction and use them as inspired fodder for my own recipe creations. Recently, Southern Living sent me a new one by Carolyn O’Neil, MS, RD called The Slim Down South Cookbook. It’s all about eating well and living healthy in the land of bacon and biscuits. The title really spoke to me because I DO consider myself a southern girl with an extreme fondness for the regional cuisine. I remember my grandmother making FRIED chicken the traditional way, in a cast iron skillet filled with lard, and gobbling up gooey pecan pie with nuts harvested at home right under the trees.

But, as dang tasty as it is, southern–style food has a reputation for being (errrr) less than healthful. This bad rap gets me madder than a wet hen — there are plenty of healthful southern recipes if you can see past the two-stick of butter ones. Thankfully, this on-point cookbook shares loads of healthy recipes, shows you how to make-over signature southern dishes with a lighter profile, and even how to tackle tricky eating situations (such as celebrations) with grace and grit.

You bet your biscuits – southern women are strong!

I’ve been provided a copy of the cookbook to review and another to give away (entry at bottom of post)! Of course, this healthy cookbook is loaded with 120 nutritious recipes including creative spins on signature dishes of the South – my favorites include everything from Fried Green Tomato Sliders and Hoppin’ John Parfaits to BBQ in a Jar and Carrot Cake Muffins. I’m sharing the recipe for Carrot Cake Muffins, hope you enjoy – and don’t forget to enter the cookbook giveaway!

Carrot cake reminds me of birthday celebrations for aunts and uncles when I was young. My mother always told us kids we had to have “grown up “ tastes to enjoy this veggie and fruit packed dessert but I now realize it was a ploy to keep more of the scrumptiousness for the adults. Yes, I’m up with the jig and have greedily learned the ropes — even my own recipe for Caramel Apple Carrot Cake is one that is downplayed with the young-uns.

breakfast carrot cake muffins

However, I do like to make (and share) Carrot Cake Muffins with my whole crew of baked goods gobblers. This recipe, from the “Southern Living: The Slim Down South Cookbook,” sneaks in carrots for my veggie-avoider and pineapple for my fruit-avoider and is actually a quite sensible snack for a healthy diet considering there’s no cream cheese frosting in sight! If you are looking for more dietary modifications, you can always swap out half the flour for whole wheat flour or substitute an egg white equivalent for the whole eggs – I’ve done both with success.

Carrot Cake Muffins Recipe

From Southern Living: The Slim Down South Cookbook

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 (8-oz) cans crushed pineapple, drained
2 large eggs
2 cups shredded carrots

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Mix first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in the center.
Whisk together the next 3 ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring until just moistened. Fold in shredded carrots. Place paper muffin cups in 18 tins and coat with baking spray; spoon batter into cups; filling two-thirds full.
Bake at 350 F degrees for 20 to 25 minute or until a wooden pick inserted into the middle pulls out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 18 muffins.

For a chance t win your own copy of “Southern Living: The Slim Down South Cookbook,” follow the rafflecopter entry instructions below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oat Yeah! Caramel Cashew Energy Bars & OatWorks Smoothie Giveaway

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

The holidays aren’t over just because December has come and gone. January is National Oatmeal Month and that’s 31 days of whole grain goodness to celebrate. Now, before I get all mushy about oatmeal, I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the stuff porridge-style — except when it is dressed up with nuts and honey and fruit. Okay, okay, I love it! I also love to use oatmeal in many of my healthy recipes, everything from granola (oh, you know there will be a granola-palooza post next week) to grinding it up and using it as a “flour” in all sorts of baking and crusting.

I recently created this super easy, super yummy recipe for Tropical Caramel Cashew Energy Bars for Litehouse Food. Dried mango and pineapple along with cashews are tossed with a hearty pile of old-fashioned oatmeal (and shelled hemp seed for extra protein) and then coated with a packaged light caramel sauce. Baked into chewy perfection, these bars have less than 190 calories per serving, 5 grams of protein and 2 grams of dietary fiber. Easy to wrap ‘em up and tuck into a lunch box or gym bag, ready to provide sensible, satisfying relief when hunger strikes.

So, what’s so great about oatmeal? There have been numerous research studies that link the consumption of oatmeal with a host of positive health benefits. You can read about these perks in detail at the Whole Grains Council, but here are the bullet points:

Oats may reduce asthma in children
Oats may boost nutrition profile of gluten-free diets
Oats increase appetite-control hormones.
Oat Beta Glucans improve immune system defenses.
Oats help cut the use of laxatives.
Oats may help reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Oats may improve insulin sensitivity.
Oats lower bad cholesterol.
Oats help control blood pressure.
Oats #3 overall, #1 for breakfast in overall satiety index.

Did you also know that you can drink your oats? Yup, just throw a handful (approx. ¼ cup) into the blender when making a smoothie. In order to keep your smoothie from being lumpy and clumpy; It works best to grind the oats in the blender before you add the liquid ingredients.

However, are if you are having a crazy morning or need a post-workout snack, OatWorks Oat-Powered Natural Smoothies are a fantastic, fitness-focused and flavorful option to a home-made smoothie. The company sent me some product to try out, tell you about, and share through a giveaway (read on to the bottom for entry instructions).

Made with natural oat fiber (the soluble fiber called beta glucan) and real fruit juices, these individually- bottled beverages are vegan friendly, gluten free, dairy free, cholesterol free, non-GMO and Kosher. There is also no added sugar, artificial sweeteners or artificial anything. So what DO these OatWorks drinks have? Well, each 12-ounce bottle of Oatworks is packed with as much soluble fiber as two bowls of oatmeal, has loads of vitamins and minerals, and is naturally sweet, smooth and delicious. You also get all those oatmeal benefits that I bullet-pointed earlier!

Choose from three not-at-all lumpy flavors —Strawberry-Banana , Pomegranate-Blueberry or Peach-Mango. If you can’t find these smoothie drinks at your market, you can stock up on Amazon. Or, you may be my lucky winner who will receive 6 bottles (3 each flavor) of OatWorks Oat-Powered Natural Smoothies.

To enter, just enter through the Rafflecopter app below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Eat Fit in 2014 – $200 MyFitFoods Giveaway

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

It’s a NEW YEAR, a time when many of us start planning for improvements in our health and fitness – eating clean is always at the top of my list. Not only does enjoying healthy, nutritious meals and snacks keep me at a steady weight and help prevent a host of medical issues, it provides the quality fuel I need to perform my best as a runner and general fitness enthusiast. Typically, it’s easy for me to stick to the diet I prefer – lean proteins, low-glycemic carbs and heart-healthy fats. But, that’s because creating new healthy recipes and experimenting around in the kitchen is my passion. The only time I really fall off the wagon is when life gets super busy and over-scheduled – that can be frequently as a mom of three trying to keep a full work and training schedule.

“Life getting in the way” is probably why some studies have shown that only 8 percent of New Year’s resolution makers have “stuck with it” by year end. However, that doesn’t have to be the case when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle — especially when companies like MyFitFoods are around to help us meet our goals. When my schedule is slammed and I’m out and about during a mealtime, it’s easy to say no to (insert gagging noise) traditional fast food knowing I can hit one of the multiple locations of MyFitFoods in Austin to pick up a well-balanced, nutrient-packed, perfectly-portioned meal that also tastes damn good – way better than a (eek) McDonald’s salad.

Currently operating in California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois, this company is growing like crazy — check out the location map to see which store is nearest to you. When you drop into MyFitFoods, you’ll see all of their pre-packaged menu offerings on display to either grab-and-go– or heat up and eat in the café area of the store. When I say pre-packaged, I’m not talking about old school frozen meals – these are refrigerated meals made in their local kitchens with freshest produce, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. All the nutrition information, calorie and ingredients are printed right on the label so that you can make the best-informed choices as possible. Also, a “best by” date is on the label in case you want to stock up on a few meals to take home for later.

From breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, you can count on getting a fresh, delicious and nutritious meal prepared with your health in mind at MyFitFoods. The menu is diabetic friendly and there are plenty of options for special diets including vegan, vegetarian and dairy-, gluten- and soy-free. After scanning the menu, it also looks like there are options for devotees of the Paleo diet too. Meals are sold in a range of portion sizes to meet your unique needs – I’m fairly active and am not trying to lose weight, so the Medium size works for me. But, you can get more or less – or buy a Large and share!

Another neat thing about the company is their 21 Day Challenge. On-site nutritional coaches will provide a complementary consultation on how MyFitFoods can help you lose weight, build muscle, increase energy levels and enjoy better sleep quality. Company founder, Mario Mendias, totally gets it – as a past personal trainer, he saw a need to make fit-focused meals for his time-crunched and non-cooking clients who were too often risking their hard work in the gym for a convenient yet unhealthy meal.

To help you make healthy living and eating an easy reality this year, MyFitFoods is letting me giveaway a $200 gift card. The winner can load up for a week’s worth of food at once or grab a healthy meal now and then – there are so many choices at MyFitFoods. Here are some of the yummy, healthy meals I enjoyed this week.

Good Morning Sunshine – With a taste of the southwest, lean ground turkey, converted rice and eggs topped with fresh pic de gallo and a pinch of real cheese. The medium size only has 430 calories and 29g carbs for nearly a pound of food that packs 40g of protein. I feel my muscles growing already!

Ancho Chicken Breakfast Tacos – Eggs and shredded chicken nestled into three corn tortillas along with ancho sauce make a very filling breakfast. The medium-sized dish has 450 calories 55g carbs and 30g protein to satisfy even the hungriest post-workout appetite.

Gimme More Chicken Salad – Thumbs up to this lightened chicken salad that is made with lean breast and Greek yogurt with just a dash of real mayo. Chopped celery, cranberries and tarragon add the finishing touches to the generous scoop that rests on a bed of chopped romaine with lemon wedges. Available in one size, 320 calories, 16g carbs with 28g protein and just 15g of fat which is way less than the fat found in traditional chicken salad.

Beef Fit Up! – It’s no secret I like beef, especially tenderloin. This low-carb dinner didn’t disappoint with sliced beef tenderloin cooked to medium and topped with onions and mushrooms over cauliflower mash and green beans. Here’s my tip for reheating so the beef doesn’t get overcooked: heat the veggies separately on high for a minute or so. Next, reheat the beef alone on the “defrost” button for just about a minute, basically to just take the chill off off rather than cook it. Replate and enjoy! Medium size is more than a pound of food with 450 calories, 18g carbs and 45g protein. I could have shared, but I didn’t.

Cilantro Lime Turkey – This is a light and lively dish that tastes really good; lean ground turkey is seasoned just right and served on a bed of converted rice mingled with cilantro. Broccoli rabe and a refreshing lime slice finish it up. The Medium portion makes a hearty yet healthy meal with 500 calories, 51g carbs and 39g protein.

Enter the Giveaway through the various options below – please note that MyFitFoods is currently operating stores in California, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma and Illinois (so please only enter if you live in one of these states — check out the store map for exact locations):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

thefitfork.com

The Fit Fork

Tag Archives: giveaway

Strawberry Margarita Baby Bundt Cakes (Lightened) & Mixer Giveaway!

Zooma-ing into Spring & Tommie Copper Performance Apparel #Giveaway

{Grace & Grit} Carrot Cake Muffin Recipe + Slim Down South Cookbook Giveaway

Oat Yeah! Caramel Cashew Energy Bars & OatWorks Smoothie Giveaway

Eat Fit in 2014 – $200 MyFitFoods Giveaway