Vegetarian

Vegetarian

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.

Chocolate-Covered-Strawberry-Overnight-Oats-1

Chocolate-Covered-Strawberry-Overnight-Oats-3

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!

Chocolate-Covered-Strawberry-Overnight-Oats-4

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

Chocolate-Covered-Strawberry-Overnight-Oats-2

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
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!

Apple-Pie-Oatmeal-1
Apple-Pie-Oatmeal-3

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!

Apple-Pie-Oatmeal-2
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

nd-promo-january-popup
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
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-12

Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-11
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-1
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-2
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-3
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-4
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-5
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-6
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-7
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-8
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-9
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-10
Quinoa-Beet-Kale-Dolmas-13
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 : )

Balela-Salad-4
Balela-Salad-2

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.
Balela-Salad-1
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
Recipes, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Spinach Chips

Hoppy Monday everybunny!
I am so excited to announce that I am taking over the Natural Delights Medjool Dates Facebook page this week! I have a special recipe for tomorrow and I’m hosting a live chat this Thursday (1/9) at 12pm (noon) PST! The live chat will take place on the Natural Delights Facebook page, so if you have any questions about cooking or weight loss, be sure to join me!

Spinach-Chips8

This could be my new favorite recipe. I’m calling it right now, Spinach Chips are the new Kale Chips. Actually, I’m probably way late to this party since I remember a few readers mentioning spinach chips before haha. But man oh man are they good! They literally melt in your mouth. I’m pretty sure you’re going to LOVE these. They’re super easy to make, have a short baking time, and only 4 ingredients! What’s not to love? They’re the ultimate healthy snack!

My friend Anna Marie and I just ate the entire batch of them, so I’m not sure how well they store if you have leftovers. Pretty high change you will eat these in one sitting, but no shame or guilt, they’re actually good for you! Completely gluten-free, vegan, low-calorie, and awesome! Not to mention, packed with vitamins and minerals!

Spinach-Chips96 Facts About Spinach:

  • Filled with powerful antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, zinc and selenium, which combat the onset of osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
  • One cup of spinach contains over 337% of the RDA of vitamin A that protects and strengthens “entry points” into the human body, such as mucous membranes, respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts.
  • One cup of spinach has nearly 20% of the RDA of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, and curbs overeating.
  • The abundance of vitamin K contributes to a healthy nervous system and brain function.
  • Contains two anti-inflammatory epoxyxanthophylls; Neoxanthin and violaxanthin.
  • Packed with magnesium, folate, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6, and a great source of selenium and niacin.

Spinach-Chips1
Spinach-Chips2
Spinach-Chips3
Spinach-Chips4
Spinach-Chips5
Spinach-Chips6
Spinach-Chips7
Spinach Chips
Serves 1-2

2 large handfuls of spinach (I used about 1/2 the bag)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp Italian herb seasoning  (I use Frontier & sometimes McCormick)
1/8 tsp sea salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Massage oil into spinach until all leaves are completely coated.  Add italian seasoning and salt, combine until evenly dispersed. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place leaves on the parchment paper so that they aren’t overlapping (this will allow them to cook evenly). Bake for 9-12 minutes until crispy.

| 23 Comments

1 … 12 13 14 15 16 … 43