Lunch

Lunch

Black Bean Fajita Tacos

When I think of Mexican food, a few words come to mind: greasy, fat, oil, salty, and fried.

It’s easy to classify Mexican food as unhealthy because of the way it is often prepared, but not all Mexican food has to be bad for your waistline.
I’ve swapped the oil and salt for healthier alternatives such as:
Oil : low sodium vegetable broth
Salt : No-Salt added seasonings & beans
Fried taco shells : soft whole corn tortillas

Question: Have you even seen how much sodium is in a can of black beans?
There is up to 550mg of sodium per serving in some brands. Even labels that read “low-sodium” can be completely misleading, adding up to 400mg of sodium per serving! Make sure to take an extra 30 seconds to read the nutrition labels and pay close attention to the sodium content and servings!


Black Bean Fajita Tacos
Serves 1

2 whole corn soft taco sized tortillas
1 cup green bell pepper
1 cup onion
1/2 cup no salt added black beans (I use 365 Organic)
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth (I use Pacific)
1/4 Hass avocado
1/4 small jalapeño
lime juice – to taste
garlic powder – to taste
Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning (no-salt added) – to taste

Pour the vegetable broth in a pan over medium-high heat. Chop bell pepper and onion into long strips and add to the pan. Sprinkle with garlic powder and Fiesta Lime seasoning. While the vegetables are cooking, cut the avocado and remove 1/4 of the “meat.” Finely chop the jalapeño and combine with 1/4 avocado in a small bowl. Add lime juice and mix until desired taste is reached. Set the guacamole aside. Place the beans in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir the vegetables until broth has been absorbed and veggies are tender. Heat the corn tortillas in a microwave for 20 seconds. Transfer the warm tortillas to a plate and then add the vegetables, beans, and top with fresh guacamole.


The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: bell pepper & onions
Whole Grain: whole corn tortillas
Protein: beans
Plant Based Fat: avocado
Free Extras: jalapeño, garlic powder, lime juice, vegetable broth, fiesta lime seasoning.

Now Sam and I are off for a run!
Did you get your exercise in this morning? 

Gargantuan Green Giant

Prepare yourselves for the greenest green smoothie ever:
THE GARGANTUAN GREEN GIANT!

I was really craving ice cream the other night so instead of giving in, I started experimenting in the kitchen. I pulled out all of my favorite ingredients at the moment and decided to combine them into a smoothie. It turned out soooo creamy and actually tasted like a sugar cookie. Strange how those things work, right? Use healthy ingredients… end up with a creamy melty sweet treat! I love when that happens! Although I had this for dessert, I would probably have it for a meal because it has a great balance of whole grains, produce, and healthy fat. All you need is some protein powder and you would be good to go! The smoothie ended up being pretty big, so I told myself that I would only have half and save the rest for later. Well, that didn’t happen… and then I ended up wide awake pinning things on Pinterest! You guys are going to love this one! It’s a huge energy booster and so healthy, yet extremely delicious! Plus it is really hearty and filling, you won’t be hungry again for hours.

The ingredient list may look overwhelming and long, but everything can be found at Whole Foods or your local health food store. To get more organized and make the process faster, get out all of the measuring cups and ingredients and put them on the counter before you begin. This way everything will be easily accessible and ready to scoop and blend!

Gargantuan Green Giant
Serves 1

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 cups fresh spinach
1 frozen banana
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp almonds
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp Spirulina powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 drops liquid stevia or other natural sweetener
6 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy cold.
Note: If you do not have a high powered blender such as Vitamix or Blendtec, start by blending the hard ingredients (i.e. almonds, oats, and spinach) with the almond milk to ensure they are thoroughly blended. Then gradually add the other ingredients. You could use a Tbsp more of almond milk or water to get the blender running smoothly because this smoothie is rather thick.
Side Note: If your blender cannot handle almonds at all, substitute for 1 Tbsp of unsalted almond butter.

Tomato & Lemon Pepper Toast

It’s Toast Tuesday!

Today is a variation of one of my old favorite treats. I used to love bagels with cream cheese, tomato and lemon pepper in high school. Nowadays, I still enjoy this flavor combination, but I’ve swapped the bagel for sprouted grain toast and traded in the regular cream cheese for a fat-free version.


Tomato & Lemon Pepper Toast

Serves 1

1 slice Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Low Sodium Bread
1 Tbsp nonfat cream cheese
2 slices tomato
lemon pepper to taste

Toast the bread, spread with cream cheese, top with tomato slices, and a sprinkle of lemon pepper.

Green Goddess

My friend Jillian and I used to get lunch after class every week at a cute little café in Pasadena called Little Flower Candy Co. We oohed and aahed for their huge bowl of fresh butter lettuce and crisp veggies. It was always the most absolutely satisfying combination of greenery. Their salad usually came with a creamy dressing, but Jillian would usually substitute it for sherry vinegar, which I quickly became obsessed with. I am a vinegar junkie, I love all flavors! Since I am not in the Pasadena area as often, I decided to try the  Green Goddess on my own.

Green Goddess
Serves 1

½ head butter lettuce
10 green beans
10 sugar snap peas
¼ cup sliced cucumber
1/8 nonfat cup feta cheese
½ hard boiled egg
1 Tbsp sherry/red wine vinegar

Combine the lettuce, green beans, snap peas, and cucumber. Toss sherry vinegar. Top with feta and hard boiled egg.

Quinoa Orange Breakfast Bowl

My friend Taryn and I went to Zinc Café on Sunday and decided to try their new quinoa bowl. It was filled with red quinoa, oranges, almonds, and topped with rich ricotta cheese. Zinc Café served their dish hot, which I really enjoyed since the weather has taken a turn. I wanted to try making the quinoa bowl at home,  and used cold quinoa that I had prepared and stored in the refrigerator the night before. I might even try making it into a parfait by alternating the layers of quinoa with ricotta in a glass jar. Perfect to have waiting in the fridge for mornings where I don’t have time to make something. Hot, cold, or in a jar, this is definitely going to be one of my new breakfast staples!

Quinoa Orange Breakfast Bowl
Serves 1

½ cup cooked red quinoa
1 cup Mandarin orange slices
¼ cup nonfat ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp slivered almonds
½ Tbsp fresh orange zest
½ Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp honey if desired

Cook quinoa to package instructions. Combine quinoa with orange slices, orange zest, orange juice, and slivered almonds. Top with ricotta cheese, and garnish with a pinch of orange zest and honey if desired. Enjoy warm.
Note: You can use 2 small fresh mandarin oranges, 1 cup of canned Mandarin orange slices (no sugar added), or slices of 1 tangerine or orange!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: Mandarin orange
Whole Grain: quinoa
Protein: ricotta cheese
Plant Based Fat: almonds

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