protein

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!

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Breakfast, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Quinoa

I’m so excited to be home and back to creating new recipes for you guys! I know that’s why you’re here visiting my blog anyways : ). I think that my favorite meal of the day is breakfast, and since I often get bored of the same breakfast over and over again, I’m always creating new things. Today’s recipe is a similar to traditional oatmeal, but instead using quinoa as the whole grain. Nutritionally renowned for its protein content, quinoa makes an excellent addition for vegan and vegetarian dishes. But it’s not just the protein content that is so special, it’s the type of protein. Quinoa contains the perfect balance of all nine essential amino acids! No wonder it’s considered a “superfood!”

I am in desperate need of some new props for my blog! I realized that I don’t have any fun bowls or utensils since my kitchen is all black and white. I like to call it the Chanel kitchen haha. Time to add some color! Prop shopping will be happening this weekend. For now, my favorite cow creamer is making his debut!

Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Quinoa
Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Quinoa
Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Quinoa
Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Quinoa
Serves 1

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or nonfat dairy milk)
1/4 cup dry uncooked quinoa
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbsp sliced almonds
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and quinoa in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower heat and cover for 10-15 minutes until the milk has been soaked up. While quinoa is cooking, place raisins in a small bowl of water and let them soak. After quinoa has finished cooking, strain the plump raisins from water and add to quinoa along with the almonds. Serve hot.
Note: I think the light sweetness of the raisins is perfect with the quinoa, but if you like a sweeter breakfast you can add half a tablespoon of agave or honey to the quinoa and milk while it’s cooking.

Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Quinoa
The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: raisins
Whole Grain: quinoa
Protein: milk
Plant Based Fat: almonds

| 5 Comments
Breakfast, Recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian

Mango Avo Smoothie

Motivation Monday: “I can & I will.”

Ok soooo shirts are still not up in the store guys! I thought I could get it done last week, but I’ve been so busy! Five days in, and August has already been a crazy month!

I haven’t done a smoothie recipe for quite some time and sine the weather is heating up here in Southern California, I thought it was about time. Have you ever tried avocado in a smoothie? Not only does it add a dose of healthy fats, omega-3, vitamins A, C, E, K and B6, along with an enormous amount of potassium, but it adds the perfect creaminess to your morning schmoozie. If you aren’t a fan of avocados, this is a great place to start since the flavor is very mild and almost unrecognizable in this mix of mango and yogurt.

Add some healthy plant-based fats to your morning smoothie with a little dose of avo!

Mango Avo Smoothie
Mango Avo Smoothie
Mango Avo Smoothie
Mango Avo Smoothie
Serves 1

1 cup chopped frozen mango
6 oz Plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 medium avocado
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2-3 Tbsp water

Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. Add water as needed to get the blender going.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: mango
Whole Grain: enjoy with 1 slice of whole grain toast. I love Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Low Sodium Bread
Protein: Greek yogurt
Plant Based Fat: avocado

| 12 Comments
Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian

Rustic Ricotta & Peach Pizza

Everyone loves pizza, right?
And homemade pizza? Even better!
What if I told you that you could have this entire pizza, for yourself?
That’s right, this homemade pizza is personal sized!
Dough and all, from scratch – following The Rabbit Food Pyramid!

Grab your ingredients, preheat your oven, and get ready for the best pizza of the summer!
My Italian side is very happy with this little creation!

Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza
Rustic Ricotta & Pear pizza

Rustic Ricotta & Peach Pizza
Serves 1

Dough:
¼ cup whole-wheat flour
1 egg white
1 Tbsp almond milk
½ tsp oregano
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Ricotta mixture:
1/4 cup nonfat or lowfat ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp scallions (or chives), chopped
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil

Toppings:
1/2 peach, thinly slices
1 tsp balsamic glaze

Preheat oven to 450. Combine all of the dough ingredients and mix well. Generously spray a baking sheet with nonstick or olive oil cooking spray. Thinly spread the dough on the baking sheet. In a new bowl, combine the ricotta ingredients and mix well. Spread the ricotta over the uncooked dough, leaving 1/2 inch of the outer edge for crust. Thinly slice 1/2 of a peach and place slices over the ricotta. Transfer the pizza to oven and bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges become golden brown. Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Cut and serve hot.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: scallions and 1/2 peach
Whole Grain: whole grain flower in the pizza dough
Protein: ricotta cheese and egg white
Plant Based Fat: olive oil

| 5 Comments
Contests & Giveaways, Snacks

Chobani WTFlavor Giveaway (CLOSED)

First things first: Congratulations to the winner of my Nutrex Hawaii Spirulina Giveaway, Jasmine B!
Be sure to check your email so I can get your prize to you!

Second thin: because I love you guys so much, I have another giveaway for you!

Chobani sent me a huge case of  unlabeled “classified” 60z cups filled with their new flavors for me to sample. For their new campaign #WTFlavor, they wanted me to identify the new flavors in a blind taste test! I love Chobani’s creative marketing & social media teams! They are absolutely hilarious, witty, great writers, and such a joy to work with. The only problem with this campaign? Probably not a great idea for someone who has numerous food allergies haha. Talk about yogurt roulette! Never fear I talked to my friends at CHO and was guided on which cups to stay away from. Those flavors went to my sister to enjoy haha.

If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw my yogurt roulette photos as I tried to identify the flavs, and ohhhhhh was I excited (especially) about one of them! I had been secretly campaigning for the Key Lime flavor ever since it made it’s debut in the Chobani Flips. I would Instagram, Tweet, Facebook, and Blog about how much I loved the Key Lime flavor. Basically anything to get it through to CHO that I was completely obsessed with this flavor. Low and behold, the third “classified” cup that I tried was KEY LIME!!! Yesss The Greek (yogurt) Gods had answered!

Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
Chobani WTFlavor
The new flavors unveiled: blackberry, key lime, apricot, coconut, and orange vanilla!
Chobani WTFlavor

In collaboration with Chobani, I am hosting a giveaway!
One lucky RFFMBT reader will win an assorted case of 12 (twelve) 6oz cups of the new Chobani flavors (with labels haha)!

For your chance to win:

1. Comment on this post telling me which new flavor you are most excited about.

2. Tweet ” Enter @EatRabbitFood’s #giveaway to #win a case of @Chobani’s new flavors! #WTFlavor http://bit.ly/18eedjL ”
– Leave a separate comment with the url to your tweet!

This means you can earn up to 2 entries!
Contest ends on Sunday , July 14th at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be announced on Monday, July 15th! All entries must use a valid email address. Contest open to U.S. residents only (I’m sorry international bunnies!).

Make sure you like RFFMBT on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram!

* This giveaway has ended.
** Congratulations to William G.!

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