recipe

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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Slam Dunk Lettuce Wraps + Dole Giveaway

I love DOLE Chopped Salads because it’s a quick and easy way to eat more rabbit food. They’re filled with all sorts of goodies like different lettuces (green cabbage, red cabbage, and kale), broccoli slaw, carrots, and even snap peas! It’s an easy way to change up my usual all spinach or all kale salad and get some different textures and new flavors in the mix. My fav way to eat a chopped salad is to pour the entire bag (yup, all 4 servings! Only 100 calories and 8 grams of fiber for the entire thing!) into a gigantic mixing bowl, throw on some homemade dressing, mix it up, and nom nom that shiznit up. Straight out of the mixing bowl. Awww yeahhhh. But besides eating the entire bag like a rabbit, I love branching out and making new recipes. For example, I love filling spring rolls with the Asian Blend for a quick and easy appetizer when friends come over!

Since March Madness is just around the corner and basketball is all about those slam dunks, I teamed up (no pun intended!) with DOLE Salads to make the ultimate dunk recipe! Serve them up while watching the March Madness games as a fresh snack that’s so healthy, you can dunk into that sauce alllll you want! I love that the Asian Blend is filled with green cabbage, red cabbage, kale, broccoli slaw, snap peas, and carrots. It makes for a super easy veggie filling for my lettuce wraps with little prep!

These fresh Asian lettuce wraps are so easy to make, and even easier to devour!
They’re a total slam dunk!

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Dole-Chopped-Salad-Asian-Blend-Helathy-Lettuce-Wraps-4Love this adorable chopping block from DOLE to chop my ingredients! This bamboo Mezzaluna style chopping block comes with a double-bladed herb knife that actually stores inside of the unit when it’s not in use!

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Slam Dunk Lettuce Wraps
Serves 4-5 as an appetizer or 1 as a meal!

Lettuce Wraps:
2 cups DOLE Chopped Asian Blend
1/2 cup cooked quinoa, chilled
2 Tbs cashews, chopped
2 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
5 butter lettuce leaves

Sweet Chili Sauce:
3/4 cup rice vinegar
3/4 cup honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp chili pepper, finely chopped
2 tsp red-pepper flakes
1/2 tsp coarse salt

Cook and chill quinoa beforehand. Combine all ingredients for the sweet chili sauce, mix well, and refrigerate. In a mixing bowl, combine the DOLE Chopped Asian Blend, quinoa, and sweet chili sauce. Scoop the filling into lettuce wraps using a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Dunk into sweet chili sauce as desired, and enjoy while watching March Madness!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: Dole Chopped Asian Blend and butter lettuce
Whole Grain:  quinoa
Protein: none
Plant Based Fat: cashews

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I’m hosting a giveaway in collaboration with DOLE Salads & EatingWell!
One lucky RFFMBT reader will win:

(Free) DOLE Salads coupons to try DOLE Chopped Salads
DOLE chopping block
DOLE reusable grocery bag
The Simple Art of EatingWell Cookbook
EatingWell Fast & Flavorful Meatless Meals Cookbook

*Must use a valid email address and be a US resident to enter.
Giveaway ends on Friday, March 14th at 11:59pm PST.
Winner will be announced on Saturday, March 15th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Want more dunk able March Madness recipes to make with DOLE Chopped Salads?
Checkout their “Super Dunk” dip & “Avocado Spring Rolls,” both featuring DOLE Chopped Asian Blend!

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!

Yuma Medjool Date Festival + Natural Delights Medjool Dates Giveaway (CLOSED)

Hi my loves!

Life is pure craziness right now! I picked up a huge graphic design job for Beckley Boutique and have been working like a madwoman recently. I’ve also been MOH (Maid of Honor) of the century organizing all sorts of fun things for the bride (my sister)! I’ve been so busy that I wasn’t able to work on my new batch of “Eat More Rabbit Food” shirts until last week. Ughhh I feel like such a slacker, but not haha. Yaknowwhatimean? I’m trying my hardest to get them completed this week so I can have them listed in the store and ready to ship before christmas!

Now for a recap of my trip to Yuma, Arizona for the Medjool Date Festival. Be sure to read all the way through for your chance to win some Natural Delights Medjool Dates!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-8Last month Natural Delights asked me if I would be a guest judge for the recipe contest at the Annual Yuma Medjool Date Festival! Me, a guest judge? WHATTT?! So cool! I love everyone at Natural Delights and I loveeee dates, so I was really excited to visit Yuma again for the festival. Brett (my lovely bunny model) also came along for the festival!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-11The trip started off with necessary bathroom mirror selfies (should I say us-ie?). We’re such girls.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-5Then we boarded the plane and prepared for takeoff.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-12Unfortunately our plane had different plans as our right engine started smoking! Sooooo we deplaned waited for a new aircraft.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-18I don’t know if I have talked about my bad luck with planes before, but I am literally always delayed, cancelled, or end up with a broken plane!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-15After our new plane arrived we were off to Yuma, AZ!

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Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-10First cactus sighting at the airport!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-17The next morning, Brett and I woke up to a gorgeous Arizona sunrise and enjoyed coffee and breakfast at our hotel before heading to the festival.

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Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-3We got to meet Miss Medjool! SO FREAKING AWESOME!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-7Brett and I had some free time to roam around the festivals so for our first stop, we explored the gallery where they had gorgeous photos of the Medjool date growers from Natural Delights.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-1They even had Medjool date art created by local kids! Seriously too cute for words!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-9Had to take a photo with the giant fork in downtown Yuma, because Im cool like that.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-16Brett and I made our way to the Imperial booth for fresh date shakes. Imperial is part of the Bard Valley Growers Association and also grows for Natural Delights!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-19Our shakes were to die for! We downed them within minutes.

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Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-13Standing with the recipe contest sign! Eeeeeeek!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-25Then it was time for the main event; the recipe contest. Look at the excitement on my face, it just screams “DATESSSSSS!”

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-24We got to try so many incredible recipes submitted by local date enthusiasts.

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-22And the winner wasssssss: the most incredible salty sweet cheese loaf with date and nut coating. The judges and I couldn’t get enough!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-23All of the Judges and the winner of the 2013 Recipe Contest!

Yuma-Medjool-Date-Festival-21To end an already amazing day, I did an on camera interview speaking about using dates for natural healthy sweetener in lightened up recipes! Brett and I had so much fun sampling dates from all of the vendors and getting to hangout with the Natural Delights team. It’s always a tasty and fun time visiting Natural Delights!

READ BELOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN SOME NATURAL DELIGHTS MEDJOOL DATES.

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In collaboration with Bard Valley Natural Delights Medjool Dates, I am hosting a giveaway!
One lucky RFFMBT winner will receive: Two 1 lb packages of Fresh Medjool Dates!

For your chance to win:
1. Comment on this post telling me your favorite way to eat Medjool dates.

2. Follow Natural Delights on Twitter.
– Leave a separate comment with the url to your tweet!

3. Like Natural Delights on Facebook.
– Leave a separate comment letting me know that you liked them!

This means you can earn up to 3 entries!
Contest ends on Thursday, December 12th at 11:59pm PST.
Winner will be announced on Friday, December 13th.
Must use a valid email address when entering. Open to U.S. residents only.

I have complied a list of some RFFMBT recipes that include Medjool Dates:

Cashew Cookie Larabars
Date & Olive Tapenade
Campfire Kisses
Medjool Date BBQ Sauce
Valentine’s Day Cookie Sandwiches

Chocomole 

Raw Bites
Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies
Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip
Healthy Vegan Banana Bread
Black Bean and Spinach Brownies

Hail To the Kale Salad Dressing

For fun & fresh holiday recipes using Bard Valley Natural Delights™ Medjool Dates, be sure to download their free Holiday eZine!

*This giveaway has ended. A Winner will be announced on Friday, December 13.
** Congratulations to the winner: Victoria F!
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Light Vegan Apple Crumble for One

I hope you guys had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I am so very thankful for all of my readers.
You make me so happy and inspire me every single day.
Thank you for allowing me to do what I love for a job.
It’s incredibly rewarding and I love hearing your success stories!

Thank you so much for being patient with me the past few weeks! A lot has been going on recently.
Now that the cat’s out of the bag, I can finally tell you guys why I have been so MIA!
I’ve been traveling a ton meeting with RFFMBT brand sponsors,
buttttt the big news is: my sister got engaged!
And of course amidst the chaos along came Thanksgiving and tons of family events!

This was seriously the cutest proposal in the world! I’ve had to keep my mouth closed for a month and it has been the hardest thing in the world! Patrick had asked my dad for his blessing, and then told my mom and I that he wanted to propose. Patrick actually asked me to be a part of the proposal which was so sweet! My sister is a photographer, and since photography is obviously very important to her, Patrick asked if I would hide and capture the proposal on camera (um duhhh this is every girl’s dream!). Of course I was all over it! I ended up hiding in a bush at the beach for 3 hours in the rain while Jess was “photographing” the beach and sunset until they made their way to the proposal sight where Patrick had written “Jessica will you marry me?” in shells and rocks! Both families were waiting at our house with champagne when they got back! It was too cute and I am soooooo happy that I was a part of it! My sister was beyond surprised, she had NO clue it was happening : ).

Of course for me, this means bridesmaid bootcamp! I’m ready to get those arms and shoulders toned for the wedding! I’m patiently waiting for the fiancés to set a date!

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proposalGreetings from my hobbit hole!

Since the holidays are here and dessert is essential at every gathering in my family, I have been inventing some new healthy single serving sweets for you guys. This recipe is the ultimate quick and easy dessert. Serve with nostalgia and the warm cozy feeling of fall!

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Light Vegan Apple Crumble
Serves 1

For the Apple Filling
1 medium fuji or gala apple
2 Tbsp almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt

For the crumble
1/4 up rolled oats
1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup or 1 packet stevia
1 tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread with Olive Oil or coconut oil

Optional: Top with 1 cup of Chobani 0% Vanilla Greek Yogurt as a light & healthy ice cream replacement.

Chop apple into small pieces and combine with almond milk, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Microwave for 4-5 minutes until apple becomes soft. In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, maple syrup, and earth balance. microwave for 1 minute and stir. Place cooked apples in a bowl and top with the crumble mixture.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: apple
Whole Grain: rolled oats & whole wheat flour
Protein: Greek yogurt
Plant Based Fat: Earth Balance Buttery Spread
Free Extras: salt, cinnamon, nutmeg

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