Southwestern Shrimp & Guacamole Starters + Avocados & Athletes

Southwestern Shrimp & Avocado Starters - TheFitFork.com

Avocado Superfood

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 - TheFitFork.com

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.  

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!

Holiday Appetizers from Cooking Light

Snack Nation Box - TheFitFork.comI 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?

Batch o’ Hatch Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms & Other Filled Fungi

mushroom loveI came to love mushrooms later in life. Why I avoided them for so long, I’ll never know. Well, actually I do know – I found these fungi that pop up from decomposing organic material to be disturbingly earthy. A playground friend reinforced my concerns by telling me that mushrooms grow in the spots where frogs pee (this is NOT true) and too many childhood stories ended with a sympathetic character dying at the hand of a poisonous mushroom.

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But, now that I’m (ahem) more mature, my taste buds finally won out over my worries – although, you’ll still never find me foraging through the woods popping wild mushrooms in my mouth, willy-nilly.  What I do love about mushrooms, however, is their meatiness and amazing umami taste. Umami is our fifth taste receptor which sends off sirens of delicious, savory satisfaction when foods rich in naturally-occurring glutamates and ribonucleotides co-mingle (this is science, people). The reason why mushrooms, beef, red wine, Parmesean, blue cheese and Worcestershire sauce all go together wonderfully in one combination or another is that they get the umami action going exponentially.   Mushrooms are also like little sponges that soak up the flavor profile of any given recipe – mild and mellow, bright and lively, exotic and unexpected – you get the idea!

mushrooms stuffed with pepper jack, hatch green chile and kale

Today, I’m sharing an easy recipe for mushrooms stuffed with kale, pepper Jack cheese, green chiles and a sprinkling of queso fresca. It will be raining Hatch green chiles (from New Mexico) here in Austin for the remainder of August and my recipes for Hatch chiles keep popping up like (errr) mushrooms.  I originally made these Hatch Chile Stuffed Mushrooms to serve as a side with my Strip Steak with Roasted Hatch Relish – these little guys would also work well atop a salad or as appetizers. And, if you have leftovers (and that’s a big IF), chop them up and put in your omelet the next day!

Hatch Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms Recipes

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 16 large (2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter) white mushrooms (1 lb)
  • 1 large Hatch green chile, seeded and coarsely chopped (about ½ cup)
  • 1 cup packed chopped kale
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ cup shredded pepper jack
  • ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400°F.

  1. Pull stems from mushroom caps to create space for filling. Finely chop stems and set aside.
  2. In medium skillet, sauté chopped stems and Hatch green chiles over medium heat until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add kale, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté together for another 2 – 3 minutes.   Cool for about 10 minutes and then toss with pepper jack cheese.
  3. Mound mushroom filling in mushroom caps, pressing gently to pack in as much as possible. Top with a sprinkle of queso fresco cheese. Bake in middle of oven until mushrooms are tender and cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
  4.  Serves 8 (2 each)

thefitfork beef bluecheese mushrooms plated small text

Looking for some other stuffed mushroom ideas?

Check out my recipe for Beef and Blue Cheese Mushroom Buttons (left) or another favorite recipe hearty enough for an entree – Greek Beef and Kale Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms.

 

 

 

 

pepita-pesto-stuffed-mushrooms-ck-l

A stuffed mushroom recipe from Cooking Light that looks delish is Pepita Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms – it’s next up on my must-make mushroom list!

 

Football Food | Healthy “Team Colors” Pudding Pies Recipe

Protein Pudding Pies

Even though the Super Bowl is just hours away, it’s not too late to put together some healthy snacks. Did you know that the amount of food scarfed down by Americans on Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving Day, according to the US Department of Agriculture.  Most of the country’s pig-out party fare isn’t the most nutritious; included in the collective smorgasbord of snacking is 324 million gallons of beer, 1.23 billion chicken wings (BILLION!), 11 million pounds of potato chips, another 8 million pounds of tortilla chips and countless millions of pizzas –the Domino’s chain, alone, estimates they’ll deliver 11 million slices!

The Calorie Control Council, an industry group representing low-fat and sugar-free food and drink companies, reports that the average Super Bowl snacker will consume 1,200 calories and 50 grams of fat in snacks alone  — that’s not even including a meal! While one day of salty-fatty-carby indulgence probably won’t harm you (especially if you exercise regularly), but it will probably cause you feel sluggish and icky if you’re not used to the diet.

Sugar Free Pudding Pies with Fruit

So, I have some healthy ideas for Super Bowl snacks that are also quick and easy to make. I’m expecting my “Team Colors” Pudding Pies (made with Core Power High Protein Shake) to score big with party guests. Each little mini pie is made with sugar-free pudding and a protein-packed vanilla shake; dress the tops with fruit in your favorite team’s colors – kiwi and blueberries for the Seattle Seahawks or mandarin oranges and blueberries for the Denver Broncos! These are no-bake pies; anyone can do it – even those kitchen-avoiding guys! Head over to Core Power to check out their high protein shakes and if you’re watching the big game on Sunday then use the hashtag #CPBowl for live tweets and to post pix of your own Core Power inspired dips and snacks!

Mini “Team Colors” Protein Pudding Pies Recipe
• 1 box sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (11.5-oz) bottle vanilla protein shake
• ¼ cup plain, 0% fat Greek yogurt
• 6 mini graham cracker crumb crusts (I used Keebler brand)
• 1 (6-oz) can mandarin orange slices, drained
• 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup blueberries
In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix, Core Power, and yogurt until free of lumps and starting to thicken. Pour mixture equally into 6 mini crusts. Arrange fruit decoratively on top of pies. Chill for 30 minutes. Serves 6.

 

 

 

baked-sweet-potato-chipsIf you must eat chips, why not do baked chips? Store-bought baked chips are a healthier swap than the full-fat versions, yet still loaded with sodium. Make your own baked chips at home in the oven and keep control over all the ingredients – no guilt, no clogged arteries. Check out my recipe for Baked Spicy Sweet Potato Chips – you can dunk them right into one of America’s favorite dips (guacamole).  Did you know that more than 80 million avocados will be enjoyed Sunday, I say YUM to that!

Gluten free chocolate chip cookies

My Gluten-Free Quinoa Almond Chocolate Chippers are ready to tackle even the most hard-core sweet tooth. The quinoa in there packs a little extra protein punch which may help put a stop to your linebacker-sized appetite.

Also, check out Cooking Light – they have made-over five iconic foods eaten at football game viewing parties from coast to coast.

Healthy super Bowl Snacks