Tag Archives: paleo

Cottage Cheese, Please! Lemon Chia Tea Cakes with Berries Recipe #GlutenFree

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The following post is sponsored by Fitfluential LLC on behalf of Daisy Cottage Cheese.

Today, it’s cottage cheese, please! But, as I kid, I expressed my displeasure with this curd-style dairy product with the same gusto that was reserved for having blood drawn, getting grounded, having to babysit my brother instead of hang out with friends  — no, please, please, please don’t do this to me!  Crying, screaming, gnashing of teeth and so on. Boy, how times change! I barely wince at a needle prick, never get in trouble with my parents anymore and would welcome the opportunity to spend more time with my brother.  And . . . as you probably have guessed, I now love cottage cheese!

berries daisy cottage cheese container 700

When I headed down to the store to get my carton of Daisy Cottage Cheese, I noticed that the brand has rolled out new packaging – it’s so catchy with the white carton, blue lid and signature flower. It’s easy to figure out if you’re buying delicious full-fat Daisy (dark blue lid) or low-fat Daisy (light blue lid) — these little details matter, especially if I’m in a rush! But a great carton isn’t the only #DaisyDifference when it comes to stacking up this product against similar seeming cottage cheese brands on the shelves.  Daisy Cottage Cheese just plain uses better ingredients (and fewer) than the competition. Made from only four ingredients, this stuff is straightforward and simple – just the way it should be. I feel confident serving Daisy to my family knowing it isn’t gunked up with unnecessary additives, preservatives and thickeners.

Nutrition Label for Daisy Low-Fat 2% Cottage Cheese

Nutrition Label for Daisy Low-Fat 2% Cottage Cheese

What I’ve found as a mom and athlete is that cottage cheese is a great way to pack a wallop of protein into any meal of the day– even snacks and treats! Did you know that a ½ cup serving of 2% Daisy Cottage Cheese has just 90 calories and 14 grams of protein – getting me well on my way to achieving my daily protein requirement.  As a runner and fitness enthusiast who often works out two times a day, I require extra protein to help my body recover and rebuild muscle.  It’s so easy to add cottage cheese to a smoothie, a salad, or on top of a baked potato – I even blend up cottage cheese to transform it into a creamy sauce and silky, smooth baking ingredient.  Plus, since our family is on a budget, I really appreciate the value that cottage cheese offers as a protein source.

In honor of spring and all its fresh flavors, I whipped up this yummy batch of Lemon Chai Tea Cakes with Berries. It’s a healthy dessert that is balanced with protein – actually, I think it would also be great for breakfast!   As a bonus, this recipe is gluten-free and doesn’t have a lot of added sweetness – only a bit of honey and lemon curd. 

lemon cake cottage cheese

Lemon Chia Tea Cakes with Berries Recipe

  • 2 cups gluten-free oat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cup 2% Daisy Brand cottage cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup lemon curd
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Sauce and Garnish

  • ½ cup 2% Daisy Brand cottage cheese
  • ¼ cup lemon curd
  • Blackberries and raspberries
  1. In large bowl, mix together oat flour, baking powder, chia seeds and salt until combined.
  2. In blender, mix together cottage cheese, lemon juice, lemon curd, honey, vanilla, eggs and oil until smooth.
  3. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring until just combined but not over mixing.
  4. Spoon batter into 4 free-standing paper baking cups (4” diameter) or 8 standard size muffin tins.
  5. Bake for approximately 20 – 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center pulls clean.
  6. While muffins are baking, make sauce by adding ½ cup cottage cheese and ¼ lemon curd in blender; blend until smooth.
  7. To serve, spoon sauce over cooled tea cakes and top with berries. Serves 4.

low fat daisy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Miss the Twitter Chat with Daisy Cottage Cheese

Find out how to “Power Your Way Through the Day” with cottage cheese, a versatile protein source for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks – as well as for workout fuel and recovery. I can’t wait to learn more about the benefits of cottage cheese from the experts and find out some of the Fitfluential community’s favorite recipes.

Twitter Chat:
Hosted by: FitFluential
Date: April 10, 2014
Theme: Power Your Way Through the Day
Time: 9:00 pm EST
#DaisyDifference

Healthy Chocolate Recipe Round-Up!

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healthy chocolate recipes small

Have yourself a merry little Christmas and let all your treats be light. Dig into my favorite healthy chocolate recipes and your troubles will be out of sight. Troubles out of sight? Okay, there are still a few holiday headaches going on at my house (nothing major), but at least sabotaging all my hard work on the track and in the gym isn’t one of them. Now, if you’re looking for splurge chocolate recipes, check out my Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies or Chocolate Mint Crinkle Kiss Cookies.

When friends and family gather near over the holidays, many of my delicious chocolate recipes are made as special requests – some I even package up in pretty wrappings to give as Christmas gifts. How can you not love holiday treats that are as healthy as they are heavenly tasting – it’s a win-win when your willpower is waning!

I don’t even need to rationalize making all my healthy chocolate recipes; research does it for me. Studies have shown that the flavanols (compounds found in cocoa) have antioxidant properties that help repair damage done by free radicals. The flavinols can also help reduce the risk for heart disease by relaxing artery walls and preventing blood platelets from getting clogged up.

The more cocoa in the chocolate the better it is for your health; this means darker chocolates are healthier than milk chocolates. Eating raw cocoa can be a bitter shock at first; ideally you should try to eat chocolate that is made from 70% cocoa – even this takes some getting used to. But, I think we’re all willing to hang in there when it comes to eating chocolate, right?! So, let’s get to the recipes!

jennifer fisher core power chocolate peppermint sorbet

It’s still pretty warm here in Austin, so we’ve been enjoying this frosty and festive Chocolate Peppermint Sorbet I created for the Core Power blog. Made with the Chocolate Light flavor of Core Power High Protein Shakes, it’s the perfect treat for recovery after a long run or hard workout.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - salted pistachio chocolate cookies

If you have company coming and they are living the caveman lifestyle, you might what to whip up a batch of these Salted Pistachio Chocolate Cookies. The cookies are dairy-free, gluten-free with a sweet-salt addictive quality!

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - chocolate date candy bars

Craving a candy bar, but aren’t willing to give in? My recipe for Chocolate Date “Candy Bar” Bites makes a healthy and heavenly substitution. Also Paleo-friendly, these chocolate treats make a thoughtful gift packaged up inside a sparkly gift tin – that is, if you don’t eat the whole batch up front.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - chocolate strawberry protein donut holes

Power up a holiday breakfast with a handful of Chocolate Strawberry Protein “Donut” Holes. Protein powder giveS my baked doughnut holes a little extra oomph and will satisfy your hunger until lunch!  I’ll let you in on a secret; I like to sneak a few as a bed time snack!

baked chocolate protein donuts

If you want the whole donut, then I’ve got you covered with these Baked-and-Better Chocolate Protein Donuts – ahh, the chocolate glaze is delish!

jennifer fisher thefitfork.com choco cherry protein granola

Another chocolate breakfast yum-yum (and fantastic healthy snack) is my Choco-Cherry Protein Granola. Eat by the handful right out of the container or sprinkle over Greek yogurt – this doesn’t last long at my house.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - paleo pumpkin bread chocolate chip cranberry

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread is great anytime of the year; have a piece with your salad, as a snack or a sensible addition to your morning cuppa Joe. Oh, and this one is paleo-friendly and gluten-free too!

jennifer fisher thefitfork corepower chocolate chai

And finally, check back next week and I’ll share my blog post for steamy, silky Chocolate Chai made with Core Power protein drink (and other healthful stuff) – they sell something similar at Starbucks, but this is way better for you!

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Pumpkin Bread Recipe { #Paleo & #GlutenFree }

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In the summer, everyone put up with my peach obsession. Now, like the rest of the fall-loving foodies, I’ve become really sweet (and savory) on pumpkins. It’s pumpkin-palooza over here!  While I have not yet tried the Pumpkin Latte at that (ahem) coffee chain not to be mentioned, I have made my fair share of goodies with this great gourd of the season.

My latest recipe is Paleo Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries & Chocolate Chips. Yeah, I know what y’all are thinking – the Stone Age moms didn’t make pumpkin bread, they were too busy tearing the meat off carcasses, sweeping out the cave, and getting drug around by the hair.  But, let me just quote the forward of one of my favorite healthy cookbooks, Paleo Comfort Foods.

 “Paleo (diet) is a logical framework applied to modern humans, not a historical reenactment.”

Whew, this means I can admit to using my KitchenAid stand mixer to whip up these scrumptious mini loaves that are perfect for breakfasts, snacking and sharing with friends. If you prefer not to use mini loaf pans, just put the entire batch of batter into one regular size loaf pan and increase the cooking time to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center pulls clean.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - paleo pumpkin bread chocolate chip cranberry

 

Paleo Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries & Chocolate Chips         

  •  2/3 cup egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ can pure pumpkin – not pumpkin pie mix (about 1 cup)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, room temp
  • 2 teaspoons Stevia (or 3 tsp if you like sweeter)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/3 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat your oven to 350º and brush pan with coconut oil (or use cooking spray).

In large bowl, mix together eggs, vanilla and pumpkin. Let it sit a few minutes to bring to room temperature. Add coconut oil (liquefied) to mixture, stirring quickly to incorporate (may solidify if eggs and pumpkin are too cold).  Next, mix in Stevia, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves until incorporated. Add almond flour and coconut flour, stirring until well combined. Fold in cranberries and chocolate chips.

Distribute batter evenly among two mini loaf pans (or one larger loaf pan)

Bake in 350º F oven for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center pulls clean (for single loaf, add approximately 10 minutes).

Remove from oven and let cool in pan before removing. Cut with serrated knife.

Makes two mini loaves or one standard loaf.

thefitfork.com pumpkin tip

Also, if you don’t know what to do with the extra pumpkin left in the can, you have a couple of options. Either double the recipe, or freeze the leftover pumpkin in ice cube or mini muffin trays for use later in a seasonal smoothie or sauce.

If you’re looking for more traditional pumpkin bread recipes that are still healthy, check out the Pumpkin Bread Recipes at Cooking Light.  Yum, yum – I am drooling over the Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Buns and would eagerly make and partake in some of these for a special occasion brunch!

pumpkin cinnamon-buns-ck-521609-l (1)

 

Paleo Countdown Spice Rub & 4-3-2-1 Workout

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Editor’s Note: Updated 10/2/2019

There is something satisfying (and easy to remember) about rattling off numbers backward in a countdown. In fact, this ritual is even so important in some professions that it’s become part of popular culture – just think of NASA and their huge countdown clock.  As a kid, I counted down the days until Halloween, Christmas and the end of the school year.

As an adult, I count down the number of weeks until my next marathon and, admittedly, have even used a countdowns to threaten motivate my kids to accomplish tasks. Today I have a 4-3-2-1 Countdown Spice Rub recipe that is so simple, you don’t even have to write it down. Read on to get the paleo recipe: Continue reading →

Summer Loving |Roasted Strawberry Coconut Milk Sherbet

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jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - roasted strawberry coconut mile sherbet 1Roasting strawberries, hmmm. Normally I would never have enough leftover strawberries in the fridge to consider getting creative with them, but after a trip to the market today I was blessed with a windfall of red, ripe strawberries that were just begging for an adventure. Since it’s been so hot here in Austin (and everywhere else, I’ve heard), I decided that a strawberry sherbet would be the ideal way to end the day. Actually, I think I have a thing for frozen strawberry treats, check out my recipes for Strawberry Lemonade Coconut Water Pops and ‘Whey Cool’ Frozen Strawberry Pie.

strawberry rinse

But, today my mind is going elsewhere with the strawberries; I’m looking to put a new spin on a sure-thing sherbet. In the past, roasting other fruits has worked well for me, magnifying the flavors and intensifying the sweetness. So, I decided to throw caution to the wind, turn on the oven, and give these beauties a blast of heat. I also used coconut sugar and unsweetened coconut milk (the kind from the carton, not the thick sweetened stuff from a can) in my recipe to keep it gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and paleo-friendly. Whoohoo, Roasted Strawberry & Coconut Milk Sherbet for everyone!

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - roasted stawberry shebet scoop

Roasted Strawberry & Coconut Milk Sherbet Recipe

  • 4 cups strawberries (approx. 1 lb), hulled and halved
  • 1 cup coconut sugar*
  • 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (from carton)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

 Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.

Combine strawberries and sugar on a rimmed metal baking sheet, tossing until all berries have been coated with sugar.

jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - roasting strawberries

Roast strawberries, stirring occasionally, about 12 – 15 minutes until juicy and bubbling. Keep a close eye on oven to make sure sugar doesn’t start burning. Let mixture cool to room temperature.

Add strawberry mixture, coconut mile and sea salt into blender and puree for until smooth, approximately 1 minute.

Process sherbet mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer sherbet to freezer-proof, airtight container until ready to serve.

Let soften for 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.

Serves 6.

*Coconut sugar is actually dried sap from the coconut tree and has a lower glycemic index than conventional sugar. However, it does have a brown color which makes the sherbet have a darker color. If you want “pink,” you’ll have to use white sugar . . . uh, and maybe food color (eek)!