Recipes

Recipes

Baked Eggs in Avocado + The Happy Egg Co. Giveaway

What’s more fitting than an egg recipe for Easter weekend?!

Before I begin, I wanted to remind everyone that this is a vegetarian blog! I eat so many greens and make so many vegan meals that a lot of my new readers think that I’m strictly vegan, but I’m not. I am mainly vegetarian but love cooking vegan/plant-based meals and creating vegan desserts. I find it an excellent way to add more fresh produce to my diet! I do consume Greek yogurt (dairy), and cook with eggs from time to time : ) Of course, all types of diets are welcome to my blog! If you are paleo, gluten-free, a meat eater, etc, I am always open to giving advice on swaps to make my recipes work for you! There is no diet judgement here, just healthy eating love!

For a one-two punch of omega-3s in your breakfast, try baking eggs in an avocado. Beyond the heart-healthy fatty acids and high protein count, this low-sugar and fiber-filled breakfast will kick off your day on a healthy high note.

This recipe is super easy to do and requires little prep!
Healthy, tasty, easy. YES!

This is a basic recipe to bake eggs in an avocado, but it would be eggcellent with pepper and fresh chopped chives or herbs, a tablespoon of salsa, a little hot sauce, or even better… Sriracha!

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A super cute little package arrived at my doorstep just in time for Easter!

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The Happy Egg Co. sent me an adorable “Miss Freda” plushie, grocery shopping bag, spatula, and tonssss of information to share with you guys!

The special thing about The Happy Egg Co. is that the hens, affectionately called “The Girls,” are free to frolic and roam outdoors on at least four acres of lush green pasture every day. In an industry where 90-95 percent of eggs come from caged hens that spend their entire lives in a cage the size of printer paper, that’s a big deal. In fact, happy egg hens have access to more than 14 sq. ft. per bird.!

At The Happy Egg Co. farms, their hens even have access to other amenities such as a large barn for sleeping that also includes pecking toys, clean water, and feed! It’s definitely 5 star hen treatment!

The-Happy-Egg-Co-Eggs-Baked-in-Avocado-2 I’ve never referred to a carton of eggs as gorgeous until I opened these. My carton was filled with all different shades of rich brown eggs that lined up to the perfect ombré.

The-Happy-Egg-Co-Eggs-Baked-in-Avocado-3 For a fun Easter craft this weekend, try dyeing The Happy Egg Co. eggs! When dyed, the signature brown shells make gorgeous natural pigments. They produce jewel-like tones versus dyeing with the same coloring methods on white shelled eggs!

If you’re not dyeing Easter eggs this weekend, you definitely have to try this delicious omega and protein packed breakfast recipe! I’ve included step by step photos for anyone who has ever been curious how to bake an egg inside an avocado!

The-Happy-Egg-Co-Eggs-Baked-in-Avocado-4When selecting an avocado, imagine fitting a whole egg inside of each half. You will want to hollow out your avocado so that the egg fits inside without overflowing.

Tip: Crinkle a strip of foil and wrap it around the bottom of the avocado before adding the egg so that it doesn’t roll around in the pan. This will keep the avocado level and in place so that the egg doesn’t spill over.

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Baked Eggs in Avocado
Serves 2

1 large avocado
2 The Happy Egg Co. Eggs

Preheat oven to 475. Slice avocado in half and remove pit. Using a spoon, scoop out some of the avocado “meat” so that the size of your egg can fit inside of it without spilling over the top. Place a crumbled strip of foil around each avocado half so that they stay level and do not rock. Crack 1 egg and drop into half of the avocado. Repeat with second egg and avocado half. Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the egg turns white and firm. Enjoy hot.

Topping Ideas: black pepper and fresh chopped chives, herbs, salsa, hot sauce, or Sriracha.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: none
Whole Grain:  none – this would be delish with 1/2 cup brown rice
Protein: egg
Plant Based Fat: avocado

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Must use a valid email address and be a US resident to enter.
Giveaway ends on Sunday, April 20th at 11:59pm PST.
3 winners will be announced on Monday, March 21st.

Bright Eyed & Bushy Kaled Bites

You guys are seriously too cute. I loved reading all of your comments about why I should keep writing personal posts! My favorite is when a couple of you said “If I only wanted to see recipes, I would just buy a cook book!” That totally stuck with me : )

Soooo ever since I started working with DOLE Salads, I’ve been BEGGING them for kale! At every event I would raise my hand and say “WHERE’S THE KALE?!” Seriously, this bunny can’t get enough kale!

Through the past year I’ve been pleasantly surprised seeing kale pop up in DOLE’s Chopped Salads, buttttt the moment has finally come for an entire package of kale! Drumroll please…

DOLE POWER UP GREENS!!!
DOLE Power Up Greens come in 3 different varieties:

Dole-Power-Up-Greens-Kale-Bites-3 Baby Kale: Just baby kale
Baby Kale and Greens: Baby spinach, baby kale, baby green chard, baby red chard
Spring Mix and Greens: Arugula, baby green oak, baby green romaine, baby red oak, red baby romaine, green chard, green tango, lola rosa, mizuna, red chard, tat-soi, spinach, baby kale, curly endive, green leaf, red tango, mache. <<< The perfect mix for the ULTIMATE green smoothie!

DOLE has been challenging me to think outside of the bowl by using salads in different ways, and for their new Power Up Greens, they’ve asked me to create a super power snack that is pop-able and bite-sized! My friend Beth has been telling me to use the name “Bright Eyed & Bushy Kaled” for months now, and I finally found the perfect time to use it! These adorable little Kale Bites resemble “cotton tails!” They may be cute but they’re tasty too!

These little morsels are baked not fried, and loaded with antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and K from the DOLE Power Up Greens! They’re an easy super power snack to serve to your friends and family that’s healthy and delish.

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Bright Eyed & Bushy Kaled Bites
Yields about 15 kale bites

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 packages (4 cups packed) DOLE Power Up Greens – Baby Kale
1 large scallion
1 egg
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a pan over medium high heat, sauté yellow onion in olive oil until softened and translucent. Add kale to frying pan, sautéing until the kale wilts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Place cooked kale and onion into a food processor along with the chopped scallion, and pulse for several seconds. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the egg, breadcrumbs, and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix with a spoon until well combined. Using a one Tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop the kale mixture into 1 Tbsp sized balls. Place kale balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Tip: After 15 minutes, turn your oven to broil and let the tops of the kale balls brown for about 1 minute.

DOLE has definitely been thinking outside of the bowl, and they’ve created some super power recipes for you to try!

It’s a chip, its healthy, it’s Kale Chips!
These oven-baked chips are the crunchy, satisfying snack you’ve been craving. And, because they’re made from DOLE® Power Up Greens™ Baby Kale, they have the calcium and manganese your body needs. Try them as an accompaniment to a sandwich, a topping on a pasta dish, or enjoy a big bowl of them while you veg out!

Lentils “Meatballs” with Kale Pesto
Meatballs are a hit at nearly every mealtime and occasion. But what about a meatball without the meat? Round, flavorful morsels, our “meatballs” turn lentils and greens into small pleasures that even the most ardent meat lover will enjoy. A great way to get your protein, and topped with a robust kale pesto, it is easy to see why these little goodies are a favorite among vegetarians.

Interested in DOLE Power Up Greens?
Use their Store Locator to find greens near you!

Beet and Mandarin Orange Salad

I am just in love with all of the healthy meals that Paulette Lambert, R.D. made for us at the DOLE Summit. I felt so spoiled having all of these incredible meals prepared for me during my trip. I pretty much died and went to rabbit food heaven! I learned so many creative healthy ways to use DOLE packaged foods that I never would’ve thought of before! If only I could have Paulette in my kitchen every day! Le sigh.

I am definitely a texture person, and this salad was filled with the perfect combination of textures from chewy quinoa to juicy mandarin oranges and crisp lettuce. I loved the addition of quinoa because it makes the salad extra filling and satiating. Plus, it’s Rabbit Food Pyramid approved! I’ve broken it down for you at the end of the post!

This salad would be just delightful for a weekend brunch with a Pineapple Apricot Bellini!
Oh yes, I have a recipe for that too!

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Beet and Mandarin Orange Salad

Recipe By: Paulette Lambert, R.D., CDE
Serves 8
Calories per serving: 95

Salad
4 large beets, rinsed and trimmed
2 heads of frisee lettuce, outer leaves removed (or baby greens)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup DOLE Mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 cup DOLE golden raisins
1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 cup cooked tri-colored OR red quinoa
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Vinaigrette
1 1/2 Tablespoons grape seed oil
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon orange flower water
1 1/2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Wrap beets in foil and roast on a rimmed baking sheet for 45-60 minutes, until tender. When finished roasting, and cool enough to handle, peel and dice beets into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. In a large serving bowl, toss frisee, beets, onion, oranges, raisins, olives and quinoa. In a small bowl, whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, toss gently and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: frisee, beets, red onion, mandarin oranges, golden raisins
Whole Grain:  quinoa
Protein: goat cheese
Plant Based Fat: olives and grape seed oil from vinaigrette
Free Extras: orange flower water, red wine vinegar, parsley , salt & pepper

Brunch it up, take a walk on the wild side and pair this with Pineapple Apricot Bellinis!

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Pineapple Apricot Bellinis
Serves 4

1 cup sparkling white wine or sparkling cider
1/2 cup DOLE Pineapple Juice
1/2 cup apricot nectar

Combine sparkling wine, pineapple juice, and apricot nectar in a pitcher. Stir with a spoor; pour into champagne flutes. Garnish with apricot or pineapple wedges, if desired.
Please drink responsibly!

Gingered Carrot and Orange Soup

The healthy DOLE recipes continue!

This is a Gingered Carrot and Orange Soup that we got to enjoy at the DOLE Summit. The soup is vegan and gluten-free, while still remaining creamy and thick. There’s also an unexpected ingredient; DOLE Mandarin Oranges, that give it a little extra flavor! Paulette Lambert, R.D. also added a dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt atop of our soups which is of course optional, but totally delicious!

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Gingered Carrot and Orange Soup
Recipe By: Paulette Lambert, R.D., CDE
Serves 8
Calories per serving: 95

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
2 quarts reduced sodium, fat-free, organic vegetable broth
1 cup DOLE Mandarin Oranges, drained
1 teaspoon sea salt (or more, to taste)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt (optional)
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Saute carrots, onions and ginger until soft. Add broth and simmer until carrots are fork-tender. Working in batches, puree Mandarin oranges and cooked vegetables in a blender, food processor or use an immersion blender (or your Vitamix! Just add to blender at this step then puree until smooth and very hot, continuing on with step four). Return soup to Dutch oven. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve hot or cold. Garnish with Greek yogurt and chopped cilantro.

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DOLE Summit Signature Cocktails

As you saw in my previous post, we got to sip on some seriously delish cocktails made by blogger and mixologist Jordan Catapano at our first event at the DOLE Summit!

Dole Summer Cocktails with Frozen Fruit

Jordan Catapano is the author of This Girl Walks Into a Bar: A Women’s Guide to Professional Bartending and Home Mixology, and has had long experience as a professional bartender and mixologist. She blogs daily for  ThisGirlWalksIntoABar.com, is the mixologist blogger for BevMo!’s Thirsty Timeswrites regularly forAnswers.com as their drinks expert, and writes the Mom’s Night Out drinks column for ModernMom.com. She has contributed her cocktail expertise to several online sites including PBSFood,The Huffington PostSaveur MagazineThe Sacramento Bee, and The Bellingham Herald. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and children.

Long story short, you MUST try her cocktail recipes!

I was serious obsessed with her Pineapple Island Cocktail that she create with DOLE Frozen Pineapple Chunks in place of ice! I may or may not have had two of them! Shhh!

Today I’m sharing the recipes for Jordan’s signature drinks that she created for our DOLE Summit! Enjoy, and please drink responsibly! Of course Jordan also has provided nonalcoholic mocktail recipes for you guys too!

Dole Cocktail with Frozen Pineapple
Pineapple Island Cocktail
Recipe By: Jordan Catapano
This Girl Walks Into a Bar

1 cup DOLE Frozen Pineapple Chunks
1 ½ ounces Malibu Caribbean Rum
2 ½ ounces coconut juice
¾ ounce banana liqueur
½ ounce fresh lime juice
lime slice for garnish

Pineapple Island Mocktail
1 cup DOLE Frozen Pineapple Chunks
2 ounces DOLE Pina Colada Juice
3 ounces coconut juice
¾ ounce banana simple syrup
½ ounce fresh lime juice
lime slice for garnish


Dole Cocktail Champagne with Frozen Blueberries
Blueberry Vista Champagne Cocktail
Recipe By: Jordan Catapano
This Girl Walks Into a Bar

1 cup DOLE Frozen Blueberries
1 ounce Bombay Dry Gin
1 ounce Ginseppe Alberti Limoncello Liqueur
4 ounces Korbet Brut
1 squeeze of lemon juice

Blueberry Vista Champagne Mocktail
1 cup DOLE Frozen Blueberries
4 ounces sparkling lemon water
½ ounce blueberry simple syrup
1 squeeze of lemon juice


Dole Cocktail with Pineapple Juice

Summer Golden Cocktail
Recipe By: Jordan Catapano
This Girl Walks Into a Bar

2 ounces DOLE Pineapple Juice
1 ½ ounces Kettle Citroen Vodka
½ ounce homemade sweet & sour
½ ounce mint simple syrup
2 ounces club soda (optional)
mint leaves for garnish

Summer Golden Mocktail
2 ounces DOLE Pineapple Juice
2 ounces homemade lemonade
½ ounce mint simple syrup
2 ounces club soda
mint leaves for garnish

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