Tag Archives: soup

Sweaty with Chance of Meatball (& Wilted Greens) Stew + Tabata WOD

Posted on by
23

Wilted Greens, Beans & Beef Meatball Stew from TheFitFork.com

Yes, I realize that I’m opening every blog post this month with “it’s still hot in Austin.”  Even as a huge fan of warm weather, I’m starting to get sick of it too.  So, what do I do? I make soup and stew! Nothing like slurping up a piping hot bowl of my Wilted Greens, Beans & Meatball Stew after a run in near 90 degrees or a no air-conditioning CrossFit WOD.  I’m not being snarky, I’m being serious – I’m not going to let Mother Nature infringe on the length of my soup season. And, good news, the weathermen are predicting a cold front  . . . . we’ll be dipping down into the upper 70s for the high this weekend. HA!

Looking forward to Austin's upcoming "cold front" !!

Looking forward to Austin’s upcoming “cold front” !!

While my Chipotle Squash & Chickpea Soup is always yummy, the soup in my pot this week is a delicious, easy and super healthy Wilted Greens, Beans & Meatball Stew that I first created for Litehouse Foods.  The beauty of this recipe is that you can use whatever winter greens you have on hand like spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens or Swiss chard – use a mixture, that’s even better. It’s always sad to say my temporary goodbyes to vine-ripe tomatoes and zucchini as the sun fades out on summer, but the farmer’s market will be brimming with all of these vitamin-packed, nutritious winter greens. According to the USDA, dark leafy vegetables are plentiful in potassium, manganese and iron. Not to mention, they are all a good source for vitamins A, C, K and E as well as calcium, folic acid and fiber. So eat up!

Winter Greens, Beans & Beef Meatball Stew - TheFitFork.com

 

Wilted Greens, Beans & Beef Meatball Soup Recipe

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup chopped carrot
  • 8 ounces sliced button mushrooms
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 1 15-oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Garlic (or fresh chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Parsley(or fresh chopped)
  • 1 tablespoons Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Chives (or fresh chopped)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Litehouse Food Instantly Fresh Thyme (or fresh chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 Parmesan rind (dry end from wedge optional)
  • 8 cups of coarsely chopped mixed winter greens (spinach kale collards chard)
  • 24 pre-cooked “mini” or “party size” lean beef meatballs
  • Garnish: shaved Parmesan cheese if desired
  1. In 6-quart Dutch oven or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and mushroom and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened and lightly caramelized.
  2. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add beans, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, chives, thyme, pepper, and parmesan rind. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Add one half of mixed winter greens to pot; stir for 2 to 3 minutes to allow leaves to “wilt” down thus providing room for remaining greens. Add remaining greens and continue to stir and cook down for approximately 2 minutes.
  4. Cover pot with lid and keep heat on low. Reheat meatballs according to manufacturer’s instructions in microwave or oven. When reheated, drain on paper towels, if needed, and add to stew. Use a spoon to remove any remnant of the parmesan rind.
  5. To serve, ladle among four bowls and top with shaved parmesan cheese if desired.
  6. Serves 4

Please visit the Living Litehouse blog for lots more yummy and convenient recipes that will work with your healthy lifestyle.

Jump, Slam & Squat Tabata Workout from TheFitFork.com

To help you work up a sweat, I’ve got a Tabata workout that will definitely make you earn that piece of cornbread with your soup. If you’re not familiar with the Tabata concept, it’s basically 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest and then repeat, repeat, repeat for four minutes. Tabata workouts are meant to increase the capacity of both your aerobic and anaerobic systems – do a couple per week and you’ll be a machine! However (disclaimer), my Tabata workout kicks it up from 4 minutes to 15 minutes – I must really like to suffer.  If it’s too much for you, please stop and catch your breath with extra rest in between exercises.

Tabata #WOD + Recovery Wilted Greens & Meatball Stew #Recipe #EAT #Fitfluential

Click To Tweet

So, would you rather drink a smoothie on a cold day or have soup on a hot day? What is your favorite soup?

Chipotle Squash & Chickpea Soup #SilkProteinPower

Posted on by

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.

On Being Plankful . . . . and Soup Season!

Posted on by
5

SAMSUNG

Every November makes me realize how I need to be more intentionally thankful, but sometimes it is difficult to count all my blessings when I’m caught up in the busyness of life. However, if something is a priority, I need to carve out the time for it – what a person puts her focus into tends to grow. However, when I fall back into that familiar “there’s not enough time” excuse to avoid reflection, meditation, prayer or whatever you want to call it, I give myself a little kick in the butt. I have access to exactly the same number of hours per day that everyone else in the world does (including really awesome and inspirational people); I need to use them wisely.

This month, I am going to be purposefully “plankful.” I’ll set aside a mere 5 minutes per day to focus on my core strength, literally and figuratively.  Literally, holding the plank position (in all it’s different variations) creates a strong core Not only does planking work just about every muscle in your mid-section and arms, it also gives you some inescapable “alone time” with yourself – ahh, the perfect time to give thanks!

jennifer fisher - thefitfork - rock plank

Figuratively, I see the plank pose as a life metaphor for gratitude and thanksgiving. If you’ve never planked, watching someone else hold the position looks so easy. So does observing someone live a life filled with gratitude. But, both are surprisingly challenging exercises –for me anyway. The good news is that, the more I practice, the better I know I’ll become at both!

If you’d like to join me, it’s easy. Just plank for a minute or two per day, you can even work up to several sets. Spend your time in the plank pose by reflecting on all the wonderful things life has given you and how, in turn, you can show gratitude to others. You can also be “plankful” with a friend; after all, who isn’t thankful for a good friend who has your back?!

hood to coast planking with emily

Another thing to be thankful about this November – soups! Finally, it is cool enough to enjoy soup in Texas without melting into a big puddle. Soup totally fits my lifestyle – you can make it ahead of time, toss in the season’s bountiful produce, and it almost always tastes just as good (if not better) as leftovers!  Check out the 101 healthy soups from Cooking Light, there is a soup here for everyone and enough recipes to make a new soup every night for the next 3 ½ months!

creamy-sweet-potato-soup-ck-l

I’m making Creamy Sweet Potato Soup, it was the star soup on the cover of Cooking Light this month! It looks delicious and I’m curious as to find out how it’s so creamy looking with a base of mainly chicken stock – sounds healthy and I’m always looking for a new way to use those nutritious sweet potatoes!

I’ve posted this one before, but I have a really yummy recipe for Loaded-but-Lite Baked Potato Soup (below) that is a real winner with everyone in the family. It’s hearty, healthy and perfect for those nights when it’s a bit chilly!

jennifer fisher_thefitfork_lightened yet loaded baked potato soup