Watermelon Cherry Cake with Choco Coconut Cream

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

I love having my birthday the day before America’s – it makes me feel super patriotic and sparkly and sunshine summery. I’m usually celebrating at the lake, the river or beach along alongside a sea of other 4^th of July weekend revelers who are unwittingly my party guests – the more the merrier! One of the most memorable birthdays ever was on my 14^th year when a full orchestra of Culver Military Academy hunks stopped their steamboat by the dock and played “Happy Birthday” and shot off fireworks just for me, I was giddy and giggly for days. The girlfriend I was visiting with had the best grandma ever for pulling off that swoon-worthy surprise!

Jennifer Fisher Austin Runner and Fitness Enthusiast - TheFitFork.com

Celebrating my birthday early with family at the lake.

Please, no gifts — unless it’s a watermelon!

There are so many great things about having a 3^rd of July summer birthday – I can wear my favorite sundress and sandals or better yet, a just bathing suit and barefoot. I can float around on the river all day and stay late at the country dance boot-scootin’ and catching fireflies, no worries about getting up early the next day – it’s a holiday, y’all! Sometimes, I am lucky enough to celebrate with my Aunt and Sister-in-Law who both have birthdays during the same week. If we happen to stay in town, my birthday weekend always includes running the Freedom 5k with family and good friends– a race that features watermelon at the finish line.

So YOU are invited to my birthday this year, can you come? There will be lots and lots of fun along with my favorite foods, especially watermelon. The dress code is casual and there’s no need to bring a gift. .. err, unless you want to wrap up a watermelon.

The cake will be a fruit, fun and fabulously fit dessert – Watermelon Cherry Cake with Choco-Coco Cream! You may have seen these “cakes” that feature a big hunk of watermelon as the base instead of traditional spongy, sweet cake. In honor of my favorite seasonal flavors, my cake is piled high with ripe red cherries and topped with and alternative chocolate cream made frm whipped full-fat coconut milk to keep it paleo-ish, raw and dairy-free. Don’t miss the easy recipe at the end of this post. Even a huge slice is a light way to end my favorite birthday bash meal of flame-kissed burgers and avocado, black bean and corn salad.

Our beverages will also be watermelon inspired — Watermelon Caipirinhas! But I’ll lighten up this boozy Brazilian drink with just a half shot of cachaça because I’m a certified lightweight! Kids will keep cool with my drinking my Watermelon Coconut Cherry Sippers – tasty, healthy and hydrating! I think I’ll have one of these too!

Check out the other delicious watermelon cakes and desserts at Watermelon.org and follow my Living on the Wedge Watermelon board on Pinterest for lots of great watermelon recipes and ideas.

Happy Birthday to Me! Cherry Chocolate Watermelon Cake #LivingOnTheWedge @WatermelonBoard http://bit.ly/1IwJHlT

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What are you doing this weekend to celebrate? Will you have watermelon? Share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

The post is sponsored by the National Watermelon Promotion Board. However, the opinions and content (unless otherwise noted) shared are my own and NWPB did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Cherry Chocolate Watermelon Cake

Prep Time

30 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Course: Dessert, Fruit

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 medium-large seedless watermelon
1 14 - 15 ounce can coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk chilled 8 hours or overnight
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp stevia powder
3 pounds fresh cherries with stems
1 bunch fresh mint
14 cup chocolate curls

Instructions

Cut ends off watermelon so that it sits flat on platter, reserve ends for use later. Continue to cut rind off, starting at top of watermelon “cylinder” going downward.
Chill mixer bowl in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Add heavy cream and whip with whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Whip in cocoa powder and stevia (may substitute ¼ powdered sugar, if desired).
Cut stems off cherries, leaving a 1/3” stub to secure into watermelon. If cherry is missing its stem, use a toothpick to secure. Start at bottom and work around watermelon going upward until entire sides are covered.
Pour chilled coconut milk into cold mixer bowl, beat with cold mixer paddles for 30 seconds. Add cocoa and stevia, beat and additional minute or until incorporated and creamy.
Pile up whipped coconut cream on top of cake. Use melon baller to scoop out watermelon balls from ends.
Decorate top with watermelon balls, cherries and mint. Use store-bought or homemade chocolate curls (or mini chocolate chips) as the chocolate garnish.

Creative and Healthier Ways to Serve Hot Dogs

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Grilling up a good hot dog is a rite of passage in the summer. I don’t eat franks often, but when I do, I usually end up putting a creative spin on the situation — ya know, something outside the bun!

Like these Beef Hot Dogs in a “Jalapeno” Bun — no enriched, white flour bread products, just a spicy flame-kissed pepper instead. It’s not hard to find big jalapenos that will sub in nicely for a bun, and you just split them open to grill — they take just about as long as the dogs do on the grates. Afterward, insert the hot dog (I prefer 100% Beef) and add crumbled queso fresco, Sriracha sauce, cilantro and crunch raw radish slices for garnish.

Or, how about just keeping it super simple and eating them with ketchup, mustard and some classic pickle relish like I did at the Prevention R3 Summit this year (again, you can tell I don’t care for the bun)! Maybe hot dogs sans bread aren’t Paleo diet approved per se, put they are Paleo-ish!

Also, you don’t want to miss the creative hot dog topping ideas I did for Litehouse Foods last summer — the versions include Greek God Hot Dog, Garlic Green Machine, and Cha-Cha Chipotle Dog and use their low-fat, protein-packed line of OPAdipity Dips made with Greek yogurt!

Creative (and Healthier) Ways to Serve Hot Dogs #July4th #Grilling #FitFluential http://bit.ly/1C0ADEs

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So, how do you take your hot dog? Please share in the comments below – XOXO Jennifer

3 No-Cook Summer Jicama Recipes + More Yum

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Mr. Jicama Head!

Have you ever tried jicama? It’s not the prettiest pick in the produce section (in fact, you’ve probably buzzed right by it), but it’s certainly a cool and crispy addition to no-cook summer recipes. Jicama is an edible root from Mexico that resembles a cross between a potato and turnip. Jicama has a thin brown skin that is easily removable with a vegetable peeler and the white flesh inside is crispy, crunchy and very mildly sweet – some say it reminds them slightly of pear or apple mixed with a water chestnut texture. But, unlike pears and apples, a convenient thing about this root is that it doesn’t oxidize when cut open and exposed to air – which means you can prep your dishes well in advance and not worry about the vegetable turning brown.

Another perk of jicama is that it’s pretty darn inexpensive and for just a few bucks you can get one big enough to make several recipes. Or, just cut raw jicama up into sticks and eat like celery sticks with your favorite sweet or savory dip! Some sweet dips I love to use with jicama are Opadipity By Litehouse Foods Sweet Greek Yogurt Dips — three flavors including Cheesecake, Strawberry Delight and Vanilla Almond. Lower in calorie and higher in protein that similar products you’ll find at the store – plus, everything is free of preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.

Berry & Yogurt Jicama Crust Dessert Pizza – Perfect for when you need something sweet but are being mindful of your diet. This healthy dessert recipe was first shared on the Living Litehouse Blog, check it out!

Raw Vegan Jicama Nachos – A meatless, non-dairy take on the quintessential patio happy hour food! Another bonus of this healthy appetizer recipe is that no cooking is required!

Jicama Jalapeno Confetti Fruit Salad – This delicious bowl of fruit and jicama is the definition of eating a rainbow! Kicked up with jalapeno, the jicama adds a crisp crunch to all the best fruits of the summer season.

Check out Cooking Light for more healthy recipe ideas using jicama — I think this vegetable is going to become one of your new favorites! You’ll also find great tips on how to pick out this root vegetable at the market and how to best store and prep it at home.

I’ve been working on my yoga practice – I try to do a little bit each day to improve my runner-impaired hip and hamstring mobility (some of the simplest moves are the hardest for me)! I have lots of fun trying some of the arm balances – they use so much concentration, strength and balance. I’m just waiting to break my face on some of the crash landings!

3 No-Cook, Vegetarian Summer Jicama Recipes #Fitfluential

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Are you a fan of jicama? Do you have any favorite jicama recipes?

What is a new fitness-related thing you’ve tried lately?

Berry & Yogurt Jicama Crust Dessert Pizza

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Indulge your sweet tooth with this healthy option for a light summer dessert.

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Snack, Vegetable

Cuisine: American, Southwestern

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

1 6" diameter jicama sliced into 1/3" thick rounds (there will be leftover)
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 pint fresh blackberries
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
8 strawberries
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt can substitute Litehouse Food's Opadipity Greek Yogurt Dip -Cheesecake or Vanilla
stevia to taste
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped or substitute Instantly Fresh brand mint

Instructions

Slice jicama into 1/3" rounds. Rinse berries, set aside to dry.
Mix greek yogurt with stevia to achieve desired sweetness. Spread evenly over tops of jicama rounds.
Top Greek yogurt with berries as desired and sprinkle with fresh mint.

#ReadySetCamp – Avoid Pesky Summer Camp Problems

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

I’ve relied on MinuteClinic (at CVS Pharmacy) to give my kids the requisite check-over that is required for camp physicals. It’s just so easy to drop into one of the many CVS Pharmacy locations to secure a camp physical without the wait and ordeal of scheduling with your regular pediatrician. Without an appointment, the nurse practitioners and/or physicians assistants will review your child’s health and immunization history, perform a through physical, and complete and stamp paperwork – just remember to bring relevant health information and requisite forms required by the camp. These medical professionals can also recommend the right over-the-counter treatments and, if appropriate, write prescriptions to help treat many of the common woes of summer.

Speaking of summer woes, there are some little minor medical issues that can happen to your child while away at camp. Don’t fret, there will be trained medical personnel on hand at camp to handle these pesky summer problems – however, it’s still a good idea to educate your child before he or she heads off to camp.

Poison Ivy & Oak: Show your children how to spot this nasty rash-making plant. Poison ivy has three pointed leaves that can grow as a bush or vine and changes colors with the season – in the summer, the leaves are green! Poison Oak also grows as a bush or vine and has three leaves shaped in lobes that resemble the leaves on a traditional oak tree. Sumac is also a poisonous plant, it has seven to 12 leaves per stem and grows on a small tree in wet, wooded areas. Teach preventative measures – instruct your children to cover up with long sleeves, pants, socks and closed-toe shoes when out in overgrown, brushy areas. If contact is made with a poisonous plant, exposed skin, hands and under fingernails should be washed with soap and water or rubbing alcohol immediately. If a rash is going to happen, it will usually start in about 10 minutes.

Bug Bites and Stings: Bees, wasps, mosquitos and no-see-ums, along with a host of other flying, crawling critters are just waiting to take a little bite of your sweetie if he or she isn’t properly protected. Before leaving for camp, show your child how to safely apply insect repellent (please use organic or 50% DEET or less) by avoiding eyes, mouth, scrapes and irritated skin. When applying to the face and neck, it’s best to spray a bit into palms of hands and then carefully rub in – remembering to wash hands afterward.

Sunburn: This is always the biggest issue for my kids who hate to use sunscreen – but I insist, not only because of the painful redness and possible blistering, but also the long-term health consequences. Remind your kids before they go to camp to “grease up” before any and all outdoor activities. I’ve found that bringing them along to CVS Pharmacy and letting them help pick out the sunscreen type (like lotion or spray) while educating them in the process has been a pretty effective way to get them to follow through with application. Also, I teach them the general measure of UV exposure – a shadow longer than body means exposure low while a shadow shorter means exposure is high. Pack enough full-coverage clothing for them, along with a brimmed hat and UV-proof swim shirt to minimize exposure.

So, head on over to the walk-in MinuteClinic at your neighborhood CVS pharmacy for those last-minute camp physicals. You’ll be in and out in no time and you can pick up all those last-minute camp essentials (repellant, sunscreen, bandages, lip balm, flashlights and more). And, after camp or anytime through the summer, swing in to have those minor summer problems checked out — bug bites, sunburns, poison ivy and more.

Yeehaw! Get Kids Summer Camp Ready@MinuteClinic #ReadySetCamp #Ad

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So are where are your kids heading to camp this summer? I loved horseback riding – do you remember your favorite activity from camp? Please share in the comments! XOXO Jennifer

Last Minute Ideas for Grill – Burgers, Bananas & More Recipes!

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

I’m not a plan-aheader. I used to make lists, follow detailed workout schedules and fret about the future. I’d also worry what we were going to eat days in advance — not that meal planning is a bad thing, actually it’s awesome. It’s just right now, where I am in life coupled with how busy my family is, there is just no telling who will be home for dinner when. So typically, I just wing it knowing that if I keep lean meats in the freezer and fresh produce in the fridge, I can always whip up a quick and reasonably healthy meal out on the grill. Lucky to be in Austin where I can pretty much grill year-round.

Showing folks how to grill (indoors) at Whole Foods with Sarah from Mix 94.7 !

Grilling is one of my cooking methods; I’ve taught classes on it and you could say I flip for it! Not only does it make beef, chicken, fish and all the veggies (and fruits) taste fantastic, it’s a healthy way to prepare food because you are not adding any additional fats. However, research has shown that meats cooked over high heat can cause carcinogens to form — but there are easy ways to keep grilling safe. Namely, marinate if possible to create an “invisible” barrier, clean the grill grates, par cook thicker cuts in microwave, prevent and flare ups of fire by cooking over medium heat – these will all help carcinogens heterocyclic amine (HCA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from forming. However, if you do get crispy bits, don’t freak – just cut that part off.

Here are some great grilling recipes for a last-minute BBQ bash! Enjoy!