healthy eating

Yuma Medjool Date Festival + Natural Delights Medjool Dates Giveaway (CLOSED)

Hi my loves!

Life is pure craziness right now! I picked up a huge graphic design job for Beckley Boutique and have been working like a madwoman recently. I’ve also been MOH (Maid of Honor) of the century organizing all sorts of fun things for the bride (my sister)! I’ve been so busy that I wasn’t able to work on my new batch of “Eat More Rabbit Food” shirts until last week. Ughhh I feel like such a slacker, but not haha. Yaknowwhatimean? I’m trying my hardest to get them completed this week so I can have them listed in the store and ready to ship before christmas!

Now for a recap of my trip to Yuma, Arizona for the Medjool Date Festival. Be sure to read all the way through for your chance to win some Natural Delights Medjool Dates!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-8Last month Natural Delights asked me if I would be a guest judge for the recipe contest at the Annual Yuma Medjool Date Festival! Me, a guest judge? WHATTT?! So cool! I love everyone at Natural Delights and I loveeee dates, so I was really excited to visit Yuma again for the festival. Brett (my lovely bunny model) also came along for the festival!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-11The trip started off with necessary bathroom mirror selfies (should I say us-ie?). We’re such girls.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-5Then we boarded the plane and prepared for takeoff.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-12Unfortunately our plane had different plans as our right engine started smoking! Sooooo we deplaned waited for a new aircraft.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-18I don’t know if I have talked about my bad luck with planes before, but I am literally always delayed, cancelled, or end up with a broken plane!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-15After our new plane arrived we were off to Yuma, AZ!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-4
Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-10First cactus sighting at the airport!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-17The next morning, Brett and I woke up to a gorgeous Arizona sunrise and enjoyed coffee and breakfast at our hotel before heading to the festival.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-14
Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-2
Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-3We got to meet Miss Medjool! SO FREAKING AWESOME!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-7Brett and I had some free time to roam around the festivals so for our first stop, we explored the gallery where they had gorgeous photos of the Medjool date growers from Natural Delights.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-1They even had Medjool date art created by local kids! Seriously too cute for words!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-9Had to take a photo with the giant fork in downtown Yuma, because Im cool like that.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-16Brett and I made our way to the Imperial booth for fresh date shakes. Imperial is part of the Bard Valley Growers Association and also grows for Natural Delights!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-19Our shakes were to die for! We downed them within minutes.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-6
Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-13Standing with the recipe contest sign! Eeeeeeek!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-25Then it was time for the main event; the recipe contest. Look at the excitement on my face, it just screams “DATESSSSSS!”

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-24We got to try so many incredible recipes submitted by local date enthusiasts.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-22And the winner wasssssss: the most incredible salty sweet cheese loaf with date and nut coating. The judges and I couldn’t get enough!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-23All of the Judges and the winner of the 2013 Recipe Contest!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-21To end an already amazing day, I did an on camera interview speaking about using dates for natural healthy sweetener in lightened up recipes! Brett and I had so much fun sampling dates from all of the vendors and getting to hangout with the Natural Delights team. It’s always a tasty and fun time visiting Natural Delights!

READ BELOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN SOME NATURAL DELIGHTS MEDJOOL DATES.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-26
In collaboration with Bard Valley Natural Delights Medjool Dates, I am hosting a giveaway!
One lucky RFFMBT winner will receive: Two 1 lb packages of Fresh Medjool Dates!

For your chance to win:
1. Comment on this post telling me your favorite way to eat Medjool dates.

2. Follow Natural Delights on Twitter.
– Leave a separate comment with the url to your tweet!

3. Like Natural Delights on Facebook.
– Leave a separate comment letting me know that you liked them!

This means you can earn up to 3 entries!
Contest ends on Thursday, December 12th at 11:59pm PST.
Winner will be announced on Friday, December 13th.
Must use a valid email address when entering. Open to U.S. residents only.

I have complied a list of some RFFMBT recipes that include Medjool Dates:

Cashew Cookie Larabars
Date & Olive Tapenade
Campfire Kisses
Medjool Date BBQ Sauce
Valentine’s Day Cookie Sandwiches

Chocomole 

Raw Bites
Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies
Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip
Healthy Vegan Banana Bread
Black Bean and Spinach Brownies

Hail To the Kale Salad Dressing

For fun & fresh holiday recipes using Bard Valley Natural Delights™ Medjool Dates, be sure to download their free Holiday eZine!

*This giveaway has ended. A Winner will be announced on Friday, December 13.
** Congratulations to the winner: Victoria F!
winner

Rabbit Food Pyramid Refresher

Today’s post is a little different than the norm. After reading a comment from a reacher: Stephanie, I noticed that I haven’t talked about the Rabbit Food Pyramid since I started my blog in 2012! Since I often have new readers, I think now would be a great time to re-introduce the rabbit food pyramid and how it works!

How it started:
After being on Nutrisystem for a few months and not liking the groggy lethargic feeling that overly processed shelf stable foods gave me, I branched out on my own to continue my weight loss journey. After reading numerous health and fitness magazines and articles by registered dietitians and nutrition experts, I experimented with different styles of eating and found what works for me. I quickly realized that drastic diets and cutting out food groups following “no-carb” or “fat-free” fads were not for me. It left me hangry (hungry and angry) all the time, which led to uncontrollable binging and even worse, a severe eating disorder of restrictive eating, and eventually bulimia and a brief stint with anorexia. As you can tell, food rules were a terrible idea for someone like me who has OCD perfectionist qualities.

Determined to lose weight the proper way this time, I educated myself on how to portion meals properly with balance. That meant carbs, fat, produce, and protein to keep my body nurtured and healthy. This is when the Rabbit Food Pyramid was born. I gathered the proper recommended* serving sizes of each food/food group into a huge list and divided them into four categories.

Weight loss using the Rabbit Food Pyramid: 4 small meals per day!

Breakfast:
1 serving of fruit
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Lunch:
2 servings of vegetables
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Dinner:
2 servings of vegetables
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Snack Meal:
1 serving of fruit
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Free Extras:
Spices! Anything from cinnamon to chipotle or even zero calorie natural sweeteners like Stevia.

Now that you know the formula for each meal, all you have to do is pick your food for each category! I’ve provided ideas and sample servings for each category here.
If you aren’t sure what the proper measurement is for a certain food, refer to the Rabbit Food Pyramid page to double check!

LET’S START WITH AN EASY BREAKFAST:
PB & Banana Toast

Breakfast:
Produce/Fruit: 1/2 sliced banana
Whole Grain: 1 slice whole wheat bread
Protein: 1 cup (8oz) of soy milk
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp unsalted peanut butter
Free Extras: Sprinkle of cinnamon

Easy peasy! No calories, points, carbs, or macros required! Just balance from each food group!
NOW LETS GET TRICKY WITH A BREAKFAST RECIPE:

Whole Wheat French Toast

Breakfast Recipe: French Toast
Produce/Fruit:
 1 cup fresh raspberries
Whole Grain: 1 slice of whole wheat bread
Protein: 1/4 cup egg whites
Plant Based Fat: 2 Tbsp sliced almonds
Free Extras: 1/8 tsp cinnamon & 3 drops liquid stevia

Combine egg whites, cinnamon, and stevia in a bowl.  Soak the slice of bread in the egg mixture until it is absorbed. Place the bread in a pan lightly coated in cooking spray over medium heat. Pour excess egg mixture on top of the bread. Flip and cook both sides until the egg is no longer runny. Transfer to a plate and top with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds.

Maintenance:
To maintain my weight, I learned that adding one additional snack meal or protein shake per day worked perfectly for me. Of course it took some trial and error to figure out what worked for me!

I hope that this breakdown of the Rabbit Food Pyramid helps you to better understand the way that I portion my meals and create recipes!
Health & Happiness xo
Catherine

Let me know if this was helpful or if you have any questions about the Rabbit Food Pyramid!

*What works for me, might not work for everyone. The suggested serving sized are based on my own personal experience. Everyone is built differently, so if you are taller or heavier than my starting weight, you may need another small meal in your diet to fit your nutrition needs. Please consult a doctor before making any changes to your diet. This is only a suggestion based on my personal experience.

Single Serving PB Cookie

Hoppy Fridayyyyy my little bun buns!

A few of you have asked me for more before and after photos because they help you to stay motivated and on track. I searched my computes for quite some time to find old photos, but noticed that I don’t have too many full body pictures of myself. I was usually very covered up or couldn’t stand photos of myself, so I deleted them. Anyways here is another before and after to show you guys what rabbit food can do for your body! I hope that this can inspire you guys to eat more rabbit food!
Before & After
So last week I said that I was going to go prop shopping for my kitchen/blog photos. That semi-happened, but I literally cannot get away from black and white props! It’s my fav! The Coco Chanel kitchen lives on!

I love love love dessert. I get my sweet tooth from my mom, who can literally eat candy and cookies like there’s no tomorrow and maintain her petite frame. I wasn’t blessed with that same gene, but man I love me some sugaaaa! I’m the kind of person that cannot live without dessert or a little something sweet every day. Instead of traditional store bought cookies loaded with oil, salt, refined sugar, and bad saturated fats (not to mention the totally addictive-cannot-stop-eating-one-after-the-other feeling that comes along with them!), I took to my kitchen to give an old fav a healthy spin! I wanted to make a super clean, healthy, peanut butter cookie that can be enjoyed with coffee and good conversation. Something that feels indulgent and naughty, but is actually quite filling and good for you!

Believe it or not, this recipe only calls for 7 ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen already!

Single Serving PB Cookie
Single Serving PB Cookie
Single Serving PB Cookie
Single Serving PB Cookie
Serves 1

1 Tbsp almond flour
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Tbsp egg whites
1/2 tbsp chocolate chips (or 1 tsp mini)
1 packet stevia

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Spread the dough onto a microwave safe plate and flatten into a cookie shape. microwave for 1:15-1:30 minutes.

Single Serving PB Cookie

Guest Blogger: Lauryn {The Skinny Confidential}

Today I am so so so excited to introduce you to my final guest blogger: Lauryn Evarts from The Skinny Confidential! She’s a super gorg San Diego girl, model, Proformer Pilates instructor, and future nutritionist with a passion for healthy eats.  Her blog: The Skinny Confidential is all about fitness, diet modifications/substitutions, fashion, creating, photography, blogging, beauty, & clean living. She’s always trying to help others make healthy decisions when it comes to food & exercise, what’s not to love?

RFFMBT Guest Blogger The Skinny ConfidentialHi guys! I’m Lauryn from The Skinny Confidential : ).
Today I’m talking BREAKY!Start Your Day Off Healthy: Coconut Blueberry Oatmeal

Get rid of the “I’m running late excuses” and make time for your health, diet, and figure. Fueling your bod with oatmeal in the AM allows you to feel full for hours. Instead of opting for boring, predictable oats, add a few blueberries, banana slices, almond milk, some unsweetened coconut shavings, a dash of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. My favie oatmeal benefits? It’s low on the cals, rids cravings, and contains tons of protein, antioxidants, & fiber.

Be careful when selecting a oatmeal brand at the market. Don’t let the low-sugar kind fool you: it’s filled with Aspartame and crap. Look for words like “steel cut” and/or “whole grain.” As far as milk goes, I prefer almond, flaxseed, or rice milk. Besides being easier on the stomach than typical hormone-filled milk, they’re all dairy-free!

And plus, who doesn’t anything with coconut?!

Recipe: Coconut Blueberry Oatmeal 
 ** Serves two
2 cups of Quaker oatmeal
1 handful of blueberries
1 sliced banana
1 cup almond milk
2 sprinkles of unsweetened coconut shavings
1 dash cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg

Slice banana & clean blueberries. Cook oats on the stove for about five minutes. Drain oats and add blueberries and bananas. Sprinkle coconut shavings, cinnamon and nutmeg over fruit. I like to let it sit for 2 minutes so fruit dissolves into the oats. Add 1/2 cup of dairy-free milk. Enjoy with fresh orange juice!

The Skinny Confidential's Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal 1
The Skinny Confidential's Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal 2
The Skinny Confidential's Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal 3
The Skinny Confidential's Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal 4
The Skinny Confidential's Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal 5Follow Lauryn on:

Chobani WTFlavor Giveaway (CLOSED)

First things first: Congratulations to the winner of my Nutrex Hawaii Spirulina Giveaway, Jasmine B!
Be sure to check your email so I can get your prize to you!

Second thin: because I love you guys so much, I have another giveaway for you!

Chobani sent me a huge case of  unlabeled “classified” 60z cups filled with their new flavors for me to sample. For their new campaign #WTFlavor, they wanted me to identify the new flavors in a blind taste test! I love Chobani’s creative marketing & social media teams! They are absolutely hilarious, witty, great writers, and such a joy to work with. The only problem with this campaign? Probably not a great idea for someone who has numerous food allergies haha. Talk about yogurt roulette! Never fear I talked to my friends at CHO and was guided on which cups to stay away from. Those flavors went to my sister to enjoy haha.

If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw my yogurt roulette photos as I tried to identify the flavs, and ohhhhhh was I excited (especially) about one of them! I had been secretly campaigning for the Key Lime flavor ever since it made it’s debut in the Chobani Flips. I would Instagram, Tweet, Facebook, and Blog about how much I loved the Key Lime flavor. Basically anything to get it through to CHO that I was completely obsessed with this flavor. Low and behold, the third “classified” cup that I tried was KEY LIME!!! Yesss The Greek (yogurt) Gods had answered!

Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
The new flavors unveiled: blackberry, key lime, apricot, coconut, and orange vanilla!
Chobani WTFlavor

In collaboration with Chobani, I am hosting a giveaway!
One lucky RFFMBT reader will win an assorted case of 12 (twelve) 6oz cups of the new Chobani flavors (with labels haha)!

For your chance to win:

1. Comment on this post telling me which new flavor you are most excited about.

2. Tweet ” Enter @EatRabbitFood’s #giveaway to #win a case of @Chobani’s new flavors! #WTFlavor http://bit.ly/18eedjL ”
– Leave a separate comment with the url to your tweet!

This means you can earn up to 2 entries!
Contest ends on Sunday , July 14th at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be announced on Monday, July 15th! All entries must use a valid email address. Contest open to U.S. residents only (I’m sorry international bunnies!).

Make sure you like RFFMBT on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram!

* This giveaway has ended.
** Congratulations to William G.!

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