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!

A Little April Update

I feel like I have been totally neglecting my blog for the past week! I’m so sorry I haven’t had any original recipes recently. The craziness all started when I posted my new “Eat More Rabbit Food” shirts for sale. Thanks to all of my adorable little bunnies, you have kept me super busy in the packing and shipping department! The first day I listed my shirts, I sold over 300 orders! OH MY GOJI!

Packing Eat More Rabbit Food Shirt ordersGift with purchase guarding all of the packages! Just kidding, you can’t have him, I am obsessed with my little nugget, Teddy!

I cannot thank you enough for all of your support! I love that two years later I’m still selling “Eat More Rabbit Food” shirts. I’ve even noticed repeat customers since I first started my blog! Ahhh it’s the coolest thing!!! I love you guys so much!

I couldn’t even believe my eyes when the lavender shirts sold-out within the first hour! I contacted my supplier, but they are completely out of stock of the lavender oversized shirts, so unfortunately I won’t be able to get more. Hopefully they will be making more one day, since it’s def a fav color of my little bun buns!

Selling Eat more Rabbit Food Shirts

So after I packed up the first day’s orders, Clare Crawley from The Bachelor posted a picture wearing my white “Eat More Rabbit Food” shirt on Instagram and a huge rush of orders came in my inbox! If you guys didn’t already know, Clare is super passionate about healthy eating! She makes green smoothies all the time! All of the rabbit food definitely pays off, she looks so radiant and fit!

Clare Crawley Eat More Rabbit Food Shirt
Safe to say, April has been an amazing month so far, and I am so thankful for all of my readers! I will be posting recipes ASAP after I get the next batch of orders out : )
Love you guys!
Here’s a little glimpse into what I’ve been up to!

Fresh ProduceI went to a local grocery store called Gower’s Direct and loaded up on fresh produce to make juices and smoothies. Their prices are unreal! All of this was $20.06! 2 ruby red grapefruits, 1 oro blanco grapefruit, 4 lemons, bunch of 6 bananas, 10 Fuji apples, ginger root, 5 bunches of kale, 2 bunches of celery, 1 pineapple, and 4 cucumbers!

Cucumber Lemonade JulieI made tons of juice all week long. One of my favorites is my Sweet Cucumber Lime Juice!

Sweet Cucumber Lime Juice
Serves 1

1 lime
1/2 cucumber
1/4 pineapple
1 Fuji apple

Juice and enjoy over ice!

Vegas High RollerI also went to Las Vegas with a few of my best friends for a little weekend getaway. It’s only a 4 hour drive from Southern California, so it’s fun to go for a weekend. We got to ride “The High Roller” which is the world’s largest observation wheel at 550 feet high!

Julia's first spin classI’m still spinning 6 days a week at Full Psycle and bringing new friends to try it out all the time! My friend Julia is totally hooked now!!!

Polar RC3 GPS HRMMy friend Brett’s cat, Tuna is never impressed with my hard work at spin. hahaha.

Eating a Pitaya Bowl from NekterStill obsessed with Pitaya Bowls from Nekter! I wore my hair straight for the first time in YEARS! Actually loving it haha.

Avocado Snack Andddd still obsessed with avocado with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, mashed onto whole wheat toast!

Kayleigh's weddingLast weekend I went to my friends Brett & Kayleigh’s wedding! Here is a photo from the big day with my other friends Brett, Michael, and Kevin!

Jessica's 1st Bridal ShowerLast Sunday was my sister’s first bridal shower! Yes, you read that right, she is having multiple showers because she is extremely loved! haha. Not to toot my own horn, but toot toot, I totally nailed it on that ribbon bouquet that she will use for her wedding rehearsal! Maid of Honor extraordinaire!

Jessicas-Shower-DecorMy mom’s friends threw the most gorgeous shower. I cannot even begin to tell you how lucky and blessed my family is to have such wonderful friends. My mom’s friends always give my sister and I so much love!

Vita Coco ShipmentVita Coco also caught wind of my addiction to Coco Cafe and using coconut water in smoothies, so they surprised me with a huge shipment of coconut water!!! Thank you Vita Coco, I love you guys!

So as I mentioned earlier, more RFFMBT original recipes will be coming soon!
Love you bun buns!

Health & Happiness
xo Catherine

P.S. Do you guys even like posts like this? Or just recipes? I feel like I should update you on my life, but I’m never sure what you want to see/read!

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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