Snacks
It’s Toast Tuesday!
Today, is a little boost of protein and sweet pear with spices for an afternoon pick me up.
Cottage Cheese Pear & Nutmeg Toast
Serves 1
1 slice whole grain bread
¼ cup nonfat cottage cheese
1 bosc pear
nutmeg to taste
Cut the pear into thin slices . Toast the bread, spread with cottage cheese, layer with pear slices, sprinkle with ground nutmeg to taste.
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
Sometimes it’s hard to make it from breakfast to lunch, or lunch to dinner without a little pick-me-up in between. From time to time I get midmorning and mid afternoon energy slumps and need something small to tie me over until the next meal. One of my favorite simple snacks is what I like to call a Protein Lollipop!
One Teaspoon of your favorite unsalted nut butter, and a drizzle of honey is all you need to get a quick boost that won’t spoil your next meal!
Protein Lollipop
serves 1
1 Tbsp unsalted nut butter
drizzle of honey
It’s Toast Tuesday!
Creamy almond butter and fresh berries contribute to this tasty little treat that is reminiscent of a PB&J, only this is much better!
I’m allergic to blackberries (I usually use bing cherries), but I shot a picture of this slice when I made it for a friend! She said it was blog worthy!
Almond Butter & Cinnamon Blackberry Toast
Serves 1
1 slice Julian 12-grain bread
1 Tbsp unsalted almond butter
1 cup blackberries
cinnamon to taste
Toast the bread, and spread with almond butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with fresh blackberries.
If you were a fan of my original Cinnamon Apple Pie Quinoa Parfait, then you will love this variation as well. This protein packed treat is ultra convenient and easy to make, store, grab, and eat!
Quinoa, Grape, & Sunflower Seed Parfait
Serves 1
1 cup frozen green seedless grapes
6oz or a single serve cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup cooked chilled quinoa
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to taste
Cook quinoa and refrigerate beforehand. Cut frozen grapes into halves. In a glass jar, layer half of the yogurt along the bottom, followed by half of the quinoa, sunflower seeds, and frozen grapes. Sprinkle grapes with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Repeat layers to create a parfait and store in the refrigerator or eat right away.
Note: If you don’t like the tartness of Greek yogurt, you can mix a 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract and natural sweetener such as stevia to give more flavor.
The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: grapes
Whole Grain: quinoa
Protein: Greek yogurt
Plant Based Fat: sunflower seeds
