Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread Recipe & #R3Summit Recap

Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread - TheFitFork.com Whew, things have slowed down enough that I can share with you the great experience I had at Prevention’s R3 Summit. Happy to say that I “R3’d” the day away – relaxing, refreshing and reinventing! Jennifer & Mom at Prevention R3 SummitSome of the highlights for me were getting to spend some quality time with my mom – even though she lives in Austin, most of the time we’re together it’s with all my kids in tow. We enjoyed ourselves at the reception Friday night (I actually drank an entire glass of wine, so it we’re talking wild times) and caught the screening of Resistance, a documentary about antibiotic resistance being perpetuated the medical and agricultural industries.

R3 Summit Cartwheel

HA! Cartwheeling at the R3 Summit LAST year!

Saturday we spent the entire day listening to panels on topics like eating clean, loving your age, and more – Andie MacDowell was the featured speaker and she seemed just as lovely on the inside as out. Prior to the event, I was able to “ask” her a question about getting older and it was published in an article on Prevention.com . In that interview and in-person, she mentioned that she likes to do handstands and cartwheels – a lady after my own heart.  I would like to challenge her in a handstand-off! Henna Tattoo R3 Summit AustinBetween speakers, Mom and I got our chakra cleared, had our stress reduced with Reiki healing and took part in a few fun workouts. Again, this year, one of my favorite appointments was with the henna artist who painted me up with a beautiful tattoo – I was sad to see if fade away a couple weeks later.

TheFitFork Wild Planet Cook Off R3 SummitOf course there was food – healthy, healing, good-for-you food. Quinoa salad, yogurt and fruit, almonds, green teas and – fish! One of the companies on site was Wild Planet Foods – they sell sustainably caught seafood (think canned tuna, sardines, anchovies – but YUMMY!) while supporting the conservation of wild marine ecosystems.  They were sponsoring a Food Network-style “Chopped” competition using their canned tuna — oh, you know I was SO up for this. Ten of us battled it off to come up with a tuna recipe using a provided array of ingredients – in 10 MINUTES from start to finish.  In my mind, I hatched my recipe, execution and plating strategy before we even started (that’s the competitor in me) – my finished product was Tuna & Quinoa Salad with Creamy Lemon Gremolata Dressing . . . . served in scooped out lemons. I must say, it was lovely. When I have time to sit down and recollect my thoughts, I’ll be sure to share the recipe!

So, SAVE THE DATE – I don’t know exactly when, but I imagine the 3rd annual R3 Summit will be in October 2015 in Austin (editors told me they love, LOVE the health and fitness scene here).  Meanwhile, start reading Prevention Magazine – not just the website but a good old-fashioned paper version that is mailed straight to your house! I have conveniently provided you a link to subscribe here and at the bottom of this post. This month’s issue was packed with good stuff – including a bunch of healthy chocolate recipes including this Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread (they called it cake, but I’m not going there) which I recreated with some minor tweaks for you!

Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread = TheFitFork.com Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread Recipe

  • 1 ½ cup flour
  • 1 cup maple sugar (or regular sugar)
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¾ cup milk (or milk substitute)
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
  • ½ cup crystalized ginger, chopped
  1. Heat oven to 350 F degrees. Lightly coat three mini loaf pans with baking spray. Actually, I think lining the pans with parchment paper worked better.
  2. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and ginger.
  3. In another bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, olive oil and vanilla extract.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together with spatula until just combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips and ginger pieces.
  5. Bake on center rack for approximately 35 – 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center pulls out clean.
  6. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Prevention provided me free admission and products to attend this event. However, all opinions and commentary are strictly my own.

Chipotle Squash & Chickpea Soup #SilkProteinPower

The weatherman said we had a cold front today, dropping the temperatures down into the upper nineties. Yeah, you heard me right 98 degrees in September, but that’s the trade-off for getting to live in the awesomeness that is Austin, Texas. Getting an outdoor workout this time of year can really take a toll, and I always have to remind myself to bring plenty of water for hydration and a healthy snack for immediate post-workout refueling. Because my tummy usually doesn’t want solid food right after a high-intensity, high-heat run or WOD I often rely on Silk Chocolate Soymilk in the shelf-stable 8-oz boxes – it’s a favorite to pack in my gym bag for healthy carbs, no cholesterol and plant protein.

In anticipation of cooler weather, I’ve been playing around with soup recipes. I love soups that are CREAMY, but I don’t like the added fat and calories. Light bulb moment – why not substitute the cream with a healthier option, such as Light Original Silk Soymilk. If you’re curious about the nutritional benefits of Silk Soymilk, head over to Silk.com to learn more about soymilk – they can explain it all in every delicious, nutritious detail, but in a nutshell (or a legume pod, as the case may be)– soymilk is a smart addition to any healthy diet.

So, despite the heat, everyone at the dinner table slurped up my latest soup creation – Smoky Chipotle Butternut Squash & Chickpea Soup. Perfect for a weeknight meal, this soup is super easy to make because it relies on frozen butternut squash, canned chickpeas, and a blender. After the soymilk and other ingredients are ingredients are incorportated, it can quickly be heated up on the stove or in the microwave. Between the soymilk and the chickpeas, this autumn-inspired soup packs a nice little punch of protein power to support overall wellness and a “Meatless Monday” or vegetarian meal.

Smoky Chipotle Butternut Squash & Chickpea Soup Recipe

  • 1 10-oz bag frozen cubed butternut squash, thawed
  • 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 oz. chipotle peppers with adobe sauce (from 7.5 ounce can)
  • 2 cups Light Original Silk Soymilk
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste
  • 2 tablespoons minced dried onion
  • Garnishes: crumbled queso fresco, chipotle chili powder, fresh cilantro, jalapeno pepper slices, pepita seeds
  1. In blender, add all the ingredients except for the garnishes. Puree for approximately 1 minute or until mixture is smooth.
  2. Transfer to 2 quart pot and heat on medium low until desired temperature is achieved (or microwave loosely covered with a lid) in consecutive 30 second blasts, stirring between, until heated.
  3. Garnish with toppings of choice. Makes 4 large servings.

Okay, you know I #LoveMySilk, so when I saw this outdoor marquee photo from one of my favorite restaurant in Austin, I knew it was too silly not to share!

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.