onion

California Summer Wrap

Motivation Monday:Be stronger than your excuses.

Since it’s getting hot out, I’ve been craving lettuce wraps of all kinds.
Try this filling wrap for a picnic in the sun or a beach day!
My favorite type of greens to use for wraps are collard greens, but I was actually out when I made this wrap. Of course any leafy green will work! Greens = delish!

California Summer Wrap
California Summer Wrap

California Summer Wrap
Serves 1

3oz tempeh
1/4 cup cooked quinoa – chilled
1/4 avocado
1 lettuce leaf (romaine, iceberg, or collard)
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp lemon juice
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Cook quinoa to package instructions and chill in the refrigerator beforehand. Cut tempeh into long thin strips and cook to package instructions on stovetop. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and chop onions. Combine tomatoes and onions with quinoa. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the mixture and gently stir together. Pour the mixture into one washed lettuce leaf  and top with tempeh and avocado slices. Roll up into a wrap, cut in half,  and enjoy.

California Summer Wrap

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: lettuce leaf, onions, and tomatoes
Whole Grain: quinoa
Protein: tempeh
Plant Based Fat: avocado

What is your favorite green to use for lettuce wraps?

Lentil Loaf

Motivation Monday: “Eat to live, don’t live to eat.”

Hoppy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend! Things here have been busy busy busy. The past week was jam packed with exciting meetings and events, and later this week I’m off to San Francisco to speak at the 2013 Produce for Better Health Annual Conference: The Consumer Connection! I’m so lucky to have this dream job! You have no idea how happy I am to be back blogging. It’s so inspiring to hear from readers about their accomplishments with healthy eating. You guys make me so happy and proud! Love my little bunny fam!

Did you guys catch Justin Timberlake dressed as a block of tofu in the “Veganville” skit on on SNL? TOO FUNNY! I was crying laughing, and of course I spent my entire Sunday singing “Brown Rice Baby” and “Awww Veg Out!”

SNL VeganvilleYou have to watch JT’s Veganville skit!

A few days ago I asked the RFFMBT Facebook community if they have any food allergies. I found out that tons of you guys have not so fun allergies like myself. I’m not sure if I have elaborated on this before, but I am allergic to blueberry, acai berry, blackberry, boysenberry, mulberry, cranberry, goji berry, strawberries, huckleberries, current, pomegranate, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, pumpkin, zucchini, and squash. Yes you read that right, squash. I found out the hard way after eating my Acorn Squash and ending up in the walk-in just minutes later. THANK YOU EPIPEN! Just when I thought I couldn’t be allergic to anything else, I’ve been having chronic hives every single day. Ugh, it’s totally getting on my nerves! It makes me so itchy and uncomfortable that at times I can’t sleep.

I made a last minute emergency appointment with my allergist when I woke up last Wednesday covered in hives. I haven’t changed my laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, face wash, or anything else along those lines. We’re trying to determine what the heck is going on, and so far… my doctor wants to have me tested for other possible autoimmune diseases (mainly Lupus) as well as Celiac Disease. Skin/scratch testing for other allergies is out of the question since I have Dermographia. If you haven’t heard of Dermographia, it’s a skin condition in which red, itchy lines and hives appear when the skin is scratched or irritated. It’s basically a fancy word for “I can write my name on my skin.” Do any of my readers have Dermographia? I wold LOVE to talk to you!

Enough allergy talk. Onto the food! Lentil Loaf is a great option for anyone who wants to try a Meatless Monday dinner! This Lentil Loaf is hearty, filling, and packed with plant power! Also Gluten free, soy free, and dairy free! I have a feeling this one could be boyfriend or hubby approved. It’s darn good.

Why Lentil Loaf is a serious plant POWERhouse:
Lentils: Excellent source of fiber and plant based protein.
Carrots: Contains beta carotene, which is essential for eye health.
Onion: Flavonoid antioxidant, quercetin provides anti-inflammatory benefits.
Garlic: Contains antioxidant properties and helps to maintain healthy blood circulation.
Parsley: Vitamins A and C strengthen the body’s immune system and work as anti-inflammatory agents.
Walnuts: Omega-3 fatty acids.
Whole Rolled Oats: Filled with fiber to keep you full and regular.
Sun Dried Tomatoes: Vitamins A, C, E, and Lycopene.

Lentil Loaf

Lentil Loaf

Lentil LoafI placed the finished Lentil Loaf over a bed of red kale in attempt to get a pretty photo. haha. These pictures don’t do it justice!

Lentil Loaf
Serves 4-5 – Chef AJ

1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
1 1/2 cups carrots (chopped)
1 cup finely chopped red onion (about 1 onion)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 cups raw walnuts, divided
1 cups uncooked whole rolled oats, divided
1 tablespoons sundried tomato powder – see note 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Puree the cooked lentils in a food processor until smooth. Transfer lentil paste to a mixing bowl. Puree carrots until smooth (it is ok if they become slightly liquid like. Transfer pureed carrots to the mixing bowl. Place onion, garlic, and parsley in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer onion, garlic, and parsley to the mixing bowl. Put half a cup of the walnuts and half a cup of oats in the food processor and blend until flour-like consistency is achieved. Transfer the ground walnuts and oats to the mixing bowl. Roughly chop (into small pieces) the remaining half cup of walnuts and add to the mixing bowl along with the remaining half cup of whole uncooked oats (for texture). Add sun dried tomato powder and mix all ingredients together. Lightly coat a standard 9 x 5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour mixture into the pan and bake 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving dish. Invert onto a plate, slice, and serve hot.

Note 1: If you cannot find sun-dried tomato powder, you can easily make your own. Just grind sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil) in a magic bullet or coffee grinder! Just Tomatoes are dryer than most, so it will turn out more like a powder. Any sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil will work great. Store extra sun-dried tomato powder in the fridge.
Note 2: Don’t worry about cleaning the food processor in between foods as they will all be mixed together in the end.
Note 3:  You can drizzle with your favorite organic condiments such as ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce or even some leftover Vegan Tomato Soup!

Lentil Loaf

Lentil Loaf

Come to think of it, this would make excellent vegan burger patties or maybe the filling for a stuffed pita pocket! Lunch and dinner for the next couple of days… done and done!

Mediterranean Lentils

Today started off with a magical phone call from the Apple store telling me that my computer was ready to be picked up! After arriving at the apple store, they told me that my baby got some brand new shiny parts: logic board, track pad, wifi antennas, right fan, rubber foot, and 2 new screws. I was so pumped and ready to take my little lappy home until the dreaded word dun dun dun…”unfortunately” came out of the employee’s mouth. He said, “Unfortunately we were not able to replace your battery because that is not considered a repair, but a new purchase and installation, so we’re going to have to do that in the store.” He told me that they are usually able to replace batteries in MacBook Pros during Genius Bar appointments but due to an overbooking of appointments that were then running 45 minutes behind, they could not replace my battery at that time and had to keep it overnight. Boooooo! So off went my computer in a bright white apple box… Hopefully we will be re-reunited tomorrow morning!

Yesterday, an amazing RFFMBT reader, Tamiko completed the Skinny Bunny Cleanse with a total loss of 7 lbs! Tamiko also shared her awesome one day meal plan for her first day post cleanse so I thought you guys might like to see what she’s whipping up in her kitchen! Thank you so much for sharing your success and meals with me and the RFFMBT community Tamiko, you are so inspiring! Don’t forget to join the RFFMBT Facebook community for more updates and discussions like this!

If you are interested in doing the Skinny Bunny Cleanse and have any questions, make sure to read through the comments on the post to see if your question has already been answered. There are tons of comments from readers regarding questions and their success stories after the 5 day cleanse!

TAMIKO’S ONE DAY RABBIT FOOD MEAL PLAN

BREAKFAST:
Produce: 1 Apple
Whole Grain: 1 Slice of Toasted Whole Grain Bread
Protein: 1 Cup of Soy Milk
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp. Almond Butter

LUNCH:
Produce: 1 Cup Peas and 1 Cup Carrots
Whole Grain: ½ Cup Cooked Whole Grain Couscous
Protein: 3oz Chicken Breast
Plan Based Fat: 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

DINNER
Produce: 1 Cup Broccoli and 1 Cup Asparagus
Whole Grain: ½ Cup Cooked Brown Rice
Protein: 3oz Salmon
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

SNACK
Produce: 1 banana
Whole Grain: ¼ cups rolled oats + ½ cup water
Protein: 1 Cup Soy Milk
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp. Almond Butter

I have found that the serving sizes and combinations listed on my blog in the Rabbit Food Pyramid work perfectly for me. Everyone is different and not every day or workout is the same, so it could take some tweaking to find the perfect amount of food is for your body. Since I am maintaining, I do add in some extra fruit throughout the day if I am hungry and usually incorporate a post workout protein shake if I exercise that day. The pyramid is meant to be a guide to build healthy balanced meals to lose weight, and can be adapted for your individual needs, so if this is not enough food for your body/exercise level, or you are now maintaining, you can add another small meal or up your protein to fit your needs!

Earlier this week I posted a photograph on Instagram of a nutrition label for a round of “NAME THAT FOOD!” After tons of great guesses, a RFFMBT reader was able to identify that the label belonged to a bag of dry lentils! You guys had tons of great questions about lentils and I got a few requests for a lentil recipe, so here it is: vegan Mediterranean Lentils!

Let’s get to know these little legumes know as Lentils!

  • High in fiber with an average of 10-15g per serving.
  • Helps to regulate blood sugar by providing steady, slow-burning energy and balancing blood sugar levels from the high amount of fiber.
  • Loaded with iron, making them an excellent choice for vegetarians, vegans, and people who don’t eat red meat.
  • The protein in lentils makes up 26% of its overall calories, which makes them an outstanding source of protein for vegans.



Mediterranean Lentils

Serves 1

1/2 cup cooked lentils (you may use dry or canned)
1/2 cup cooke whole-wheat couscous
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup tomato
1/2 cup onion
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
10 pitted kalamata olives
1 Tsp  balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp minced garlic
lemon juice to taste

Cook the lentils to package instructions (usually 1:4 lentil water ratio). Cook couscous to package instructions (in only water – no butter if suggested). Chop the onion and tomato. Mix the vegetable broth and garlic and pour into a pan over medium high heat. Cook the onion and spinach in the vegetable broth. Once the spinach has wilted, add the tomatoes to the pan (to avoid overcooking). Rinse the lentils once they have finished cooking, and combine one half cup lentils with the cooked vegetables. Add balsamic vinegar and chopped pitted olives to the lentil mixture and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to taste. Place the couscous on a plate and top with the lentil mixture.
Note: If you use canned lentils, rinse and strain lentils, and cook in the pan with the vegetables to heat them.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: spinach, tomato, onion
Whole Grain: whole wheat couscous
Protein: lentils
Plant Based Fat: olives

Pasta Primavera

Pasta pasta pasta where do I even begin?
Pasta can get a pretty bad rap due to it’s often fattening cream sauces, high carbohydrate count, and low nutritional value, but I’m here to tell you that not all pasta is bad! You can still eat pasta and lose weight, or maintain your toned figure. The keys to eating pasta are knowing what kind, and how much.

“Pasta doesn’t make you fat. How much pasta you eat makes you fat.”
– Giada De Laurentiis (Health Magazine, May 2012)

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Weather you are trying to maintain or lose weight, you could virtually eat anything that you want, as long as you know the correct amount and portions!

Today’s recipe is a healthy Pasta Primavera made with whole wheat pasta. Whole wheat pasta is made from flour that uses the entire grain and contains slightly more protein, and two to three times more fiber than refined pastas allowing you to stay fuller longer while stabilizing blood sugar levels.


Pasta Primavera
Serves 1

1/2 cup cooked whole wheat pasta
1 cup bell pepper (I used 1/2 cup red and 1/2 cup green)
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup yellow onion
1/4 cup nonfat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth (I use Pacific)
2 Tbsp pine nuts
1 tsp  salt-free Italian seasoning (I use Frontier)
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Cook the pasta to package instructions. Chop the bell pepper, onion, and mushroom and cook in vegetable broth in a pan over high heat.  While the pasta and vegetables are cooking, combine the ricotta, Italian seasoning, garlic, and pine nuts in a separate bowl and mix evenly. Once the pasta has finished cooking, strain and combine with the ricotta mixture. After vegetables have finished cooking, gently fold into the pasta and ricotta. Serve hot.
Note: If you are allergic to nuts, you can omit the nuts and cook your veggies in 1 Tbsp of olive oil (instead of vegetable broth) for your plant based fat serving.


The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: bell pepper, mushroom, onion
Whole Grain: whole wheat pasta
Protein: nonfat ricotta cheese
Plant Based Fat: pine nuts

Cashew Ginger Rice Bowl

First things first: This is my 100th post on Rabbit Food For My Bunny Teeth! I cannot even believe it! Seriously? I have 100 recipes & healthy tips on my very own blog?! WOW! I really cannot believe how much my blog has grown and what it is turning into. I cannot thank my readers enough for visiting my blog every day. I love you little bunnies and I cannot wait to see what else is in store for the future of RFFMBT!

Second: Congratulations to my Physique 57 Giveaway winner Sam B! I cannot wait to hear how your complimentary class goes!

Third: Do you ever crave a certain type of food? America, Mexican, Chinese, Indian, etc.?
One of my favorite types of cuisine is Chinese, but sometimes it’s hard to find something tasty without all of the added oil and super salty elements. Ordering steamed veggies isn’t always the most exciting dish…

Today I have a healthy Vegan Chinese inspired lunch/dinner recipe for you! This brilliant bowl is filled with colorful veggies and plant protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.


 Cashew Ginger Rice Bowl
 Serves 1

1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup shelled edamame
1/2 cup bell pepper
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup celery
1/2 cup spinach
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth (I use Pacific)
2 Tbsp chopped cashews
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Cook brown rice to package instructions. In a separate bowl, whisk the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and ginger together and place in a pan over medium heat. Chop the bell pepper, onion, celery, and add into the pan along with the spinach. Cook the vegetables until they absorb most of the cooking liquid and become tender. Add in the unshelled edamame and stir until cooked. Add the cooked brown rice and gently mix into the vegetables. Top with chopped cashews. Serve hot.
Note: You could serve the veggies and cashews on top of the bed of rice or mixed in, whatever you prefer.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: bell pepper, onion, celery, spinach
Whole Grain: brown rice
Protein: edamame
Plant Based Fat: cashews

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