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Breakfast, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Overnight Oats

The following post is sponsored by ICED Media on behalf of Arrowhead Mills and Maranatha. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

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My favorite thing about overnight oats is that they’re so simple to make, and easy to grab and go in the morning. There is no cooking when it comes to “ONOs,” just combine everything, mix it up, and let it soak overnight while you get your beauty sleep! Then come morning time, you can quickly grab your jar of fully prepped oats amidst the morning madness and eat them on your way to work or while getting ready. There is no excuse for skipping breakfast when it’s already prepared for you! I loveeee eating them cold, right out of the fridge.

Some of you may ask, what is the difference between whole rolled oats & steel cut oats?
The difference between rolled and steel cut oats is that while both contain whole grain oats, they are processed differently. Rolled oats are steamed, rolled, steamed again and toasted, ending up as thin flakes. Steel cut oats are made from oat kernels that have been chopped into thick pieces.

Both types of oats are great choices (especially compared to extremely processed instant oatmeal), but steel cut oats get even more points in my book because they digest slower than rolled ones. Like all other grains in whole or cracked form, steel cut oats rank lower on the glycemic index than rolled oats because they take longer for digestive enzymes to reach the starch inside the thicker pieces, slowing down its conversion to sugar. In a nutshell, they don’t cause a spike in blood sugar!

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Chocolate Covered Strawberry Overnight Oats
Serves 1

1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup almond or soy milk
1/4 cup Arrowhead Mills Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats
1/2 ripe banana, mashed
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and mix until well combined. Cover with lid and store in the refrigerator overnight.

Tip:
If you’re feeling adventurous, add some fun healthy toppings to send your tastebuds over the top into mouthwatering goodness!

Optional Toppings:
1 Tbsp Maranatha Sunflower Seed Butter
1/2 Tbsp dark chocolate chips

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The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: strawberries and banana
Whole Grain: steel cut oats
Protein: milk
Plant Based Fat: chia seeds
Free Extras: cocoa powder and vanilla

Show Arrowhead Mills & Maranatha some love!

Arrowhead Mills
Facebook: facebook.com/arrowheadmills
Pinterest: pinterest.com/arrowheadmills
Twitter: @arrowhead_mills
Website: arrowheadmills.com

Maranatha Foods
Facebook: facebook.com/maranathanutbutters
Instagram: @maranathafoods
Website: maranathafoods.com

| 46 Comments
Raw, Tips, Vegan

Banana Freezing 101

“How do you freeze bananas?”
This is a super common question that I get all the time. And no, it’s not a stupid question! Freezing bananas is something that I discovered along the way of my weight loss/healthy eating journey. I would buy a bunch of bananas and some weeks I could eat them all, and others they would be left alone on the kitchen counter to wither away and turn into brown blobs. Instead of wasting bananas and throwing them away, I learned about freezing them for smoothies! Frozen bananas are the best discovery I’ve made! When you use frozen bananas in your smoothie, there is no need for ice because it makes your smoothie so thick, creamy, and cold!

Now before we get into Banana Freezing 101, I want to teach you guys about ripe bananas. A banana is fully ripened when it is CHEETAH SPOTTED! There should be absolutely no green, even around the stem. At the cheetah spotted stage, the starches will have fully developed into sugars. If you have the astringent puckering feeling in your mouth after biting into one, you will know that it isn’t fully ripe! You know what weird taste/feeling on your tongue that I’m talking about? Yuck! Wait for the cheetah spots : ) they are the best for perfect shmoozies!

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Banana Freezing 101

1. Wait until the bananas have become cheetah spotted.
2. Peel
3. Place in a Ziploc bag.
4. Freeze!

-If you don’t have a high powered blender such as a Vitamix, you can chop up the bananas before freezing so it’s easier on your blender. I like leaving them in one piece so I know I’m getting a full banana serving when I use them in smoothies! You can literally store them in the freezer for months (although I make a lot of smoothies, Banana Nicecream, and Yonanas, so I go through them pretty fast)!

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I hope you learned something new today!
Have a healthy & happy weekend!
xo Catherine

| 24 Comments
Breakfast, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Apple Pie Oatmeal

For the first time all winter, today actually feels like winter. Since it was gloomy and a super chilly low of 60 degrees, I was craving a warm bowl of oatmeal. This recipe is extremely thick, filling, and naturally sweet. Stay warm little snow bunnies!

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Apple Pie Oatmeal
Serves 1

1 fuji or gala apple, chopped
1/2 cup whole rolled oats
1/2 cup milk of your choice
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Chop apple and combine with rolled oats, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer/boil, then cover and bring down to low heat. Cover and stir occasionally and until the oats and apple become cooked and liquid is absorbed. Top with chopped walnuts and enjoy!

Toppings: Enjoy with 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts, or if you’re feeling crazy, try 1 tablespoon of peanut or almond butter!

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The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: apple
Whole Grain: rolled oats
Protein: milk
Plant Based Fat: walnuts (or 1 Tbsp nut butter!)
Free Extras: cinnamon & nutmeg

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I’m so excited and honored to be featured in Natural Delights free eBook “Nature’s Power Fruit” this month! Click through the image to download the free ebook featuring 5 recipes!

Health & Happiness
xo Catherine

| 6 Comments
Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Quinoa & Beet Kale Dolmades

Thank you so very much for your comments on my last post. You are all so beautiful and I appreciate you sharing your personal stories with me : ) Your support is incredible and I’ve never been so moved my complete strangers before. What am I talking about, I feel like I know some of you by now because I get to talk to you on Facebook and Instagram all the time! I just adore you guys!
Oh, and I just realized that I really need to update my fitness page since my routine has definitely changed from when I first started this blog. Working on that right meow!

To start the weekend off right, I made some Quinoa & Beet Dolmades made with Tuscan kale for the ultimate veggie snack! The idea was inspired by my friend’s mom who is a chef (she makes amazing Greek food)! Instead of traditional dolmas with meat and grape leaves, I changed it up with quinoa & kale! They’re so refreshing, I think you will absolutely love them slathered in hummus. The cooked kale wrap turned out awesome and I cannot wait to try this same technique with some more recipes! I hope you have an amazing weekend and eat lots and lots of rabbit food!

xo
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Quinoa & Beet Kale Dolmades
Serves 1

4 leaves of dinosaur/Tuscan kale
1/2 cup beets, grated
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa + 1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp orange zest

Cook quinoa to package instructions. Fill a separate pan with water and bring to medium/high heat. Place washed kale leafs spine/stem side down in the warm water, cover, and soak for 10-15 minutes until the leafs become flexible (This will help you to roll the dolmades without the leaves breaking). Add grated beets, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and orange zest to the cooked quinoa. After the kale leaves have become pliable, remove from the water and pat dry. One by one, place kale stem side up, add 2 Tbsps of quinoa mixture, fold edges in and fold tightly (like a burrito). Once all leaves have been rolled up, place them in a pan with olive oil and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and set to medium/high heat. You want the water and oil to simmer but not boil. Let the dolmas cook in the covered pan for 45 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water at a time if needed throughout the process. Once the leaves have darkened, remove from the pan and transfer to a plate. Enjoy with hummus!

Note: I love these after the have chilled in the refrigerator!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: kale & beets
Whole Grain: quinoa
Protein: none – enjoy with 1/4 cup hummus
Plant Based Fat: olive oil
Free Extras: lemon juice, orange zest, & balsamic vinegar

| 11 Comments
Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Balela Salad

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you: a healthy Middle Eastern dish!

I’ve been addicted to Trader Joe’s Balela Salad (Middle Eastern chickpea & black bean salad) for a while now. Balela is savory and tangy with a gratifying bite. Plus, thanks to the amazing plant-based protein and fiber, it’s quite filling. I’m pretty sure you guys are going to be hooked like I am!

It’s amazing on it’s own, but if you are following the Rabbit Food Pyramid, you can add some lettuce and tuck it into a whole wheat pita pocket, or serve over a bed of lettuce and quinoa!

Love my new bunny bowl that Brett gave me for Christmas! It’s so photogenic : )

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Balela Salad
Serves 1
1/2 cup chickpeas, cooked (I use Eden Organic – No Salt Added Chickpeas)
1/4 cup black beans, cooked (I use 365 Organic No Salt Added Black Beans)
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
Pinch of cayenne
Salt & Pepper to taste

Rinse and strain cooked chickpeas and black beans. Chop, tomato, garlic, red onion, parsley, and mint. Combine together with the chickpeas, beans, lemon juice, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Add cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Note: This dish is best after the chickpeas have marinated for several hours of overnight.
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Make your meal RFFMBT Pyramid approved:
Serve over a bed of lettuce and quinoa
or
Add lettuce and tuck it all into a whole grain pita pocket!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: tomato, garlic, red onion, parsley, mint (1 cup of lettuce if desired)
Whole Grain: None (1/2 cup of cooked quinoa – or 1/2 whole wheat pita pocket if desired)
Protein: chickpeas & black beans
Plant Based Fat: olive oil
Free Extras: lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, salt & pepper

… I love rabbit food!

| 8 Comments

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