kale

Miso Tempeh Wrap

Don’t forget you still have until Midnight tonight (July 11) to enter for your chance to win some Spirulina & other goodies from Nutrex Hawaii!

Speaking of Hawaii, my grandparents go to Hawaii every year for my grandma’s birthday on July 6th. This year, my grammy celebrated with her friends at a raw vegan restaurant called Maui Kombucha in their “Eat More Rabbit Food” shirts and Carrot Logo Leggings!
I died when she sent me these photos! Isn’t she the cutest?!

Eat More Rabbit Food MauiFrom left to right: My grammy Gail (76), Barb (86), and Carol (72)

Barb’s husband Don is 100% vegan, so she is pretty much vegan/vegetarian.
As for my grandma and Carol, they’re big time veggie lovers!
My grandma said that the owner brought out free kombucha shooters for the table when they arrived haha, how fun!

 

I loveee food blogs, especially when I cannot decide on what to make for dinner. Yes, bloggers read blogs too! While browsing around, I was totally inspired by (and drooling over) the lovely Kathy Patalsky’s recipe for Kale Avocado Wraps w/ Spicy Miso-Dipped Tempeh. I knew I had to try it, so I made all of the ingredients in proportion with the Rabbit Food Pyramid guidelines, and dinner was served! I love showing you guys how easy it is to make other recipes Rabbit Food Pyramid friendly!

Miso Tempeh Wraps
Miso Tempeh Wraps
Miso Tempeh WrapsI even made the Miso Tempeh again the next day, subtracted the wrap, and added 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice to make a salad/rice bowl!

Miso Tempeh WrapsSince I didn’t have miso paste on hand to make Kathy’s Chipotle Miso Dressing I used a shortcut Low-Fat Miso Sesame Seed Dressing by Galeos. Not exactly the same as her dressage, but the results were excellent, and the nutrition stats are awesome! 1 Tbsp Galeos Miso Sesame Seed Dressing = 25 calories, 1g fat, 4g carbs, .5g sugar, and only contains 8 ingredients that you can actually pronounce! Not too shabby!

Miso Tempeh Wraps
Recipe adapted from Kathy Patalsky
Serves 1

1 medium whole wheat or sprouted grain tortilla
3oz tempeh
1 1/2 cups kale
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 avocado, sliced
2 Tbsp Galeos Low-Fat Miso Sesame Seed Dressing, divided
a pinch of ground chipotle
pinch of fresh ground pepper

Rinse and dry chopped kale. Massage with 1 Tablespoon of miso dressing. Chop tomato and onion and add to the kale, set aside. Slice avocado and set aside. Lightly spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook tempeh in 1 Tablespoon of miso dressing over medium heat and sprinkle with a pinch of pepper and chipotle. Allow the tempeh to cook on both sides for about 2 minutes each. Transfer the tempeh to the tortilla and add kale, tomato, onion, and avocado. Wrap tightly together, cut in half, and enjoy!

Try: Kathy’s Chipotle Miso Dressing on her blog Healthy. Happy. Life.!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: kale, tomato, and onions
Whole Grain: whole wheat tortilla
Protein: tempeh
Plant Based Fat: avocado
Catherine and Kathy DisneylandKathy and I on Splash Mountain at Disneyland! This photo was taken before we got completely soaked!

Tuscan Kale Salad

You may have heard me talk about my FAVORITE kale salad before. If not, let me introduce you to the Tuscan Kale Salad from True Food Kitchen. True Food’s menu was created by  Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet, but “you don’t have to be a die-hard Yogi to dine at True Food Kitchen. You need only a desire to give your body nutrients, and your palate something memorable. The basis for Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet isn’t meant to deprive a healthy body of great flavors, it’s meant to take popular trends in cuisine and pair them with healthy living.”

The Tuscan Kale Salad is my all time favorite. Ever! Since There isn’t a True Food Kitchen everywhere, I am bringing the restaurant to your kitchen with a single serving Tuscan Kale recipe! This particular salad doesn’t come with smoked tempeh on it, but it’s my favorite way to order. Since I don’t have a smoker, I found an awesome short cut to get the same smokey flavor!

So what is tempeh?
Tempeh (tem-pay) is similar to tofu because it is made from soybeans, but it’s taste and texture are completely different. Tempeh is much more textured and firm since the soybeans are cooked and slightly fermented, and has a mild nutty flavor. It’s low in fat and high in protein and calcium, making it a great addition to salads!

Where do I buy Tempeh?
Most grocery stores such as Ralph’s, Kroger, Pavillions, Trader Joe’s, and health food stores like Whole Foods carry tempeh. It’s usually located by tofu and other vegetarian foods in the refrigerator section. I used Tofurkey Brand Smokey Maple Bacon Flavored Tempeh from Whole Foods for this recipe.

P.S. I love when my sister lets me use her camera and fancy lenses!

Tuscan Kale Salad
Tuscan Kale Salad
Tuscan Kale Salad
Tuscan Kale Salad
Tuscan Kale Salad
Tuscan Kale Salad
Tuscan Kale Salad
Tuscan Kale Salad
Serves 1

4 Strips of Smokey Maple Bacon Flavored Tempeh
2 cups chopped Tuscan kale (aka dinosaur kale)
1 Tbsp shaved parmesan (or shaved cheese blend)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 garlic clove – mashed
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of hot red pepper flakes

Wash and dry kale. Cut kale into half inch strips and place in a bowl. Mash garlic with a fork and combine with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and hot red pepper flakes. Massage dressing into the kale and set aside. Place 4 strips of tempeh in a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat. Cooke each side of the tempeh for 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove tempeh from the stove and cut into one inch pieces. Toss the tempeh and parmesan in the salad and enjoy.

Tuscan Kale Salad
The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: kale
Whole Grain: enjoy with one serving of whole grain crackers or a side of quinoa
Protein: tempeh and cheese
Plant Based Fat: olive oil

Disney Magic of Healthy Living

I hope everyone is having a magical week!
Congratulations to the winner of my BeckleyByMelissa Scarf Giveaway: Celina!

Yesterdays delayed Monday Motivation: “To change your body, you must change your mind.”

Ahhh Disneyland. The worlds biggest human trap operated by a mouse!
A magical land of discovery, dreams, and really unhealthy food!
I’m quite spoiled, living only a short drive from the Disneyland resort in California. My best friends and I all have annual passes and love going as much as we can, even if it’s just for one ride a fireworks. See, I told you. Very spoiled living so close… I LOVE Disneyland. I’m a total kid at heart and am in awe of it’s magic every time I go. One small problem I’ve always had with Disneyland is that it’s not so easy to eat healthy there.

A quick flashback story: When I was trying to lose weight, I never wanted to go to disneyland with my friends. I basically cut one of my favorite things to do out of my life because I had a fear of the sugary fatty temptations that were at the park. I thought that if I went to Disneyland, I wouldn’t be strong enough to avoid the temptation and go on a crazy sugar binge of churros and Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Sandwiches and gain 20 lbs overnight. We all know that isn’t true… but at the time, my disordered mind told me that it would happen. So ya, you read that right. I was basically scared of Disneyland! Who is scared of Disneyland? Speaking of wanting to stay “healthy” and only eat “healthy foods” I should’ve known how unhealthy I actually was at that point. After I was able to get back on my feet and recover from my eating disorder, I started going to Disneyland with friends again. I was in a much better place where I didn’t fear food or the house of mouse, and allowed myself to have fun and enjoy a churro. It’s all about balance!

RFFMBT DisneylandToning my arms on the Teacups! haha just kidding!

 

For a company who promotes the “Disney Magic of Healthy living,” there are not many healthy options for us at Disneyland. Or at least not advertised around the park! I did some super detective work to find the best options to stay healthy while having fun at Disneyland. Call me Catherine: Mouse Detective! During my exploration at Disneyland for healthier foods, I discovered some excellent options!

Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.” – Walt Disney
Enter Tomorrowland: bringing inspiration, ingenuity, and ideas of building a better tomorrow.

Did you know that Tomorrowland is home of the only all-healthy-food cart at Disneyland, CA?
The Tomorrowland Fruit Cart is the only cart that strictly sells healthy foods. You won’t find any tempting chips or sodas at this cart! Just 100% healthy, wholesome foods to nourish your body during a long day at the happiest place on earth. Here’s what the Tomorrowland Fruit Cart has to offer!

Red and green apples, bananas, oranges, sliced pineapple, sliced mango, grapes, apple slices, strawberries & blueberries, pickles, veggie sticks with ranch dip, Sabra Hummus & Pretzel Pods, Disney Freeze Dried Fuji Apple Crisps, OceanSpray Craisins, and OceanSpray Craisin Trail Mix! They also sell Vitamin Water Zero, Powerade Zero, Honest Tea, Smart Water, and Dasani.

Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Did you know that all of the plants in Tomorrowland are edible?
The visionary landscaping doubles as a potential farm, projecting an ecologically astute future, where humanity makes the most of its resources. It’s a great big beautiful tomorrow, in Tomorrowland! I absolutely love this idea of an agrifuture. I never noticed the gorgeous display of veggies until now.Look how gorg that red kale & rainbow chard is? Umm inspiration for my future house’s landscaping! I would take a kale bouquet over flowers any day!
* I wouldn’t recommend eating the Kale landscaping at Disneyland! haha

Disney Magic of Healthy Living
Disney Magic of Healthy Living
At Frontierland in Disneyland, CA there is a pretty good Mexican restaurant by Thunder Mountain called Rancho de Zocalo. The restaurant has different stations for tacos, burritos, and tostadas. There is a great vegetarian option for tacos called Soft Tacos Monterrey which contains two tacos with sautéed vegetables, rice, and beans in a flour tortilla along with a side of spanish rice and beans, guacamole, salsa and shredded lettuce. This huge plate of deliciousness is $10 (annual pass discounts available here, score!)
*You can make these tacos vegan by requesting no cheese and no sour cream.

My order: Soft Tacos Monterey without cheese or sour cream.
* This meal is big enough to split with someone!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: sautéed vegetables
Whole Grain: flour tortillas & rice (two servings of grains, but very filling)
Protein: beans
Plant Based Fat: oil that the veggies are sautéed in

Soft Tacos Monterey
I’ve also found a pretty healthy vegetarian option at California Adventure. The Lucky Fortune Cookery in the Pacific Wharf area at Disney’s California Adventure Park has a variety of Asian Rice Bowls with your choice of protein and sauce over sautéed Asian vegetables and steamed rice for about $9 (annual pass discounts available here too, wooo!).
*All of the sauces are vegan except for the Thai Coconut Curry sauce!

My order: Asian Rice Bowl with tofu and sautéed veggies and some teriyaki sauce on the side.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: sautéed vegetables
Whole Grain: rice
Protein: tofu
Plant Based Fat: avocado (guacamole), and oil (that the veggies are sautéed in)

Asian rice bowl
With a little bit of faith trust, and pixie dust, you can stay on track with your healthy eating while visiting Disneyland! Balance is key. Healthy produce for snacks all day, a well balanced meal, and a little something special like a churro to indulge in!

RFFMBT DisneylandWith my main squeezes Boo & Kitty a.k.a. Sully!

Health & Happiness xo

All Green Everything

Hi loverbuns!

Just incase you were wondering, yes the title of this post was inspired by Young Jeezy’s song “All White Everything.” I couldn’t resist.

I’m writing to you from San Francisco, CA! I’m here speaking at Produce for Better Health’s Annual Conference 2013: The Consumer Connection! I’ve been enjoying the past few days in the city trying some fun restaurants, meeting new friends, and walking up lots and lots of hills! My gluteus and calves are going to look superb when I get home. My stay in San Francisco have been incredible and I feel so lucky to be a part of DOLE and work alongside such talented bloggers like Kathy Patalsky of Healthy. Happy. Life. I will get into more detail and post photos from the conference when I get back!

Ok I don’t know what it is, but recently I have been absolutely obsessed with all things green. Maybe because it’s March and St. Patrick’s day is on Sunday? Oh, and I’m not just talking about the color. I’m talking about micronutrient rich green veggies my friends.

For the past week, I have been living off of clean green meals. I’m pretty sure this obsession is all thanks to Suja Juice (ummm how cute is their packaging?), who sent me a shipment of their finest USDA certified organic cold pressed juices. Which ones do I go for first? The vibrant emerald green juices!

Some of you have been asking on Instagram, Twitter, and FacebookWhere do I find Suja Juice?” Suja informed me of their awesome Suja Locator feature on their website! Just type in your zipcode and it will show you where it’s carried!

Here’s a look at my recent green rabbit food addiction:

All Green Everything
All Green Everything
All Green Everything
All Green Everything
All Green Everything
All Green Everything
All Green Everything
All Green Everything
All Green Everything
Kale Chips

And in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I have to leave you guys with an awesome green monster smoothie recipe! This is one of my absolute favorite green smoothies, and it totally deserves some love. So I’m bringing this recipe back out of the archive! This was created by the incredible Chef AJ, and I have been hooked ever since she first made it for me. This smoothie is an excellent “first green smoothie” for anyone who is hesitant to try them.

green smoothie

It’s Easy Being Green Smoothie
Recipe by Chef AJ
serves 3

1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup almond milk
1 bunch kale
2 frozen ripe bananas (peel and freeze beforehand)
2 cups frozen mango
about 1 cup of mint leaves (start with less and add to taste)

Start off by combing orange juice and almond milk with kale and blend until smooth. Then add the frozen banana, mango, and mint leaves.
Blend until thick and smooth, pour into 3 glass jars and enjoy. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

All Green Everything
Have a happy St. Patricks Day!
EAT YOUR GREENS! xo

Quick Kale Salad

I just found the best dressing at Wold Foods! You guys know that I am obsessed with Chef AJ’s Hail to the Kale Salad. Well, I found a quick fix for the dressing if you don’t have the ingredients on hand or are short on time. Whole Foods is now making a Health Starts Here: Sesame Ginger Dressing with no oil added. I swear this dressing was created by Chef AJ herself. It is almost spot on to her original recipe and I am soooo excited!

Quick Kale Salad
The Sesame Ginger Dressing is gluten-free and has excellent nutrition stats coming in at only 70 calories, 5g fat, 4g carbs, 2g sugar, and 2g protein per serving (2 tablespoons).
Plus the ingredient list isn’t too bad either:  sesame tahini , pear juice , almonds, tamari, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, ginger puree, chives, and xanthan gum.

To cut down prep time even more, grab a bag of Harvest Sensations pre-washed Organic Kale! There is no excuse for not eating a healthy lunch because this is the absolute easiest thing to prepare. Massage the kale with Sesame Ginger Dressing and store in an airtight container. I love kale salads after they have marinated overnight in the fridge. It really let’s the flavor absorb and makes the kale less tough.

Eating this as I type!
Quick Kale Salad

Quick Kale Salad

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