Tag Archives: snacks

Refuel & Recover – Easy Protein Snacks for Athletes

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Yup, I’m a serious snacker. But, I try my best to stay away from the sugary, salty, highly-processed stuff. Instead, I recover from my workouts, give myself an afternoon energy boost, and treat my late-night sweet tooth with small, protein-rich meals. Compared to carb-only snacks, higher protein options offer longer-lasting energy, regulate blood sugar and moderate hunger. Protein snacks are also super important for athletes; a 4:1 to 3:1 ratio carbohydrate-to-protein snack is what most experts recommend consuming within a 30 minute window of intense exercise. That’s because the amino acids in protein help to rebuild damaged muscle tissue while encouraging the hormone activity needed to stimulate muscle growth. Aim for about 20 grams of protein at a time (or a little more depending on your size); anymore at one sitting and your body can’t really process it all.Jennifer Fisher thefitfork AFMI explain all this in more detail and share five portable protein-packed snacks in the March 2014 Issue of Austin Fit Magazine — pick it up on stands here in Austin or read it online.  As a preview, I’ll share one of these pumped-up protein snack that your mouth and your muscles will love.

greek yogurt with hemp and raspberries

Hemp Heart & Berry Greek Yogurt

This is a go-to snack for me, there is absolutely no cooking – just a little stirring! Take a 6-ounce cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt and stir in ¼ up of your favorite berries like blueberries, strawberries or raspberries. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of raw shelled hemp seeds on top for a nutty, crunch protein bonus. If you’ve never munched on hemp seeds, you should start now. Hemp seeds lend a nutty flavor and robust texture to foods and provide a plant-based, complete chain of amino acids. Each single serving of this yummy yogurt snack has 184 calories and 23 grams of protein.

Check out my other healthy snack recipes at AustinFitMagazine.com

  • Garlicky Chili Chickpeas
  • Chocolate Almond Java Truffles
  • Blueberry Flax Microwave Mug Muffin
  • Lucky Lime Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

So, seriously, I need a lot of protein to pull off stunts like this at my age. Every Thursday, my friends and I think of a new challenge for our weekly “fit, fearless and forty-something” photo.

yoga pyramid

What protein snacks have you munched on this week? What have you done this week to get outside your comfort zone (and yet still have fun) this week?

Sensible Sweets | Salted Pistachio Chocolate Cookie Recipe #Paleo

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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.