recipes for weight loss

Spinach Hummus + Cabo Chips Giveaway

Who’s ready for the Super Bowl?!

Since Super Bowl Sunday is usually a day of snacking while watching the big game, I wanted to introduce you to my favorite chips and healthy dip!

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Let me start off by saying that Cabo Chips won’t cure health issues, but they are definitely one of the healthiest tortilla chips on the market, and most importantly… they taste delicious!

If you grew up in Southern California like me, you probably grew up eating Have’a Corn Chips. Well let me tell you, that as someone who was raised in Orange County and ate Have’a Chips with every sandwich, Cabo Chips are actually better. They’re evenly coated in soy sauce so that each chip that touches your tastebuds is loaded with that perfect soy flavor. You won’t have to search the bottom of the bag for the broken pieces of “dark” chips that actually taste like soy sauce! (California kids… You totally know what I’m talking about!) There is no other way to describe these chips than LEGIT! NON-GMO verified, 100% whole grain, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher. OH EM GEEE. As Healthy as tortilla chips can get!

Cabo Chips are unique because they are truly authentic restaurant/cantina style tortilla chips. It starts with stone ground non-gmo corn cooked fresh daily into delicious tortillas which are hand cut into triangles and cooked in non-gmo expeller pressed soybean oil. They are then seasoned by hand with real ingredients – no powders or “natural flavorings” here just real lime juice and either gluten free soy sauce or sea salt depending on the flavor. Cabo Chips are light, crispy, and flaky, and they’re great on their own but also sturdy enough for dipping.

Again, Cabo Chips are one of the few non-gmo project verified corn tortilla chips and they’re are also vegan, gluten free, 100% whole grain, and Kosher! I’m in Love!

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Now for the dippage:
Spinach Hummus

1.5 cups spinach, packed
1 15oz can garbanzo beans
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 glove garlic
1/8 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and puree until creamy and smooth. The mixture will resemble a thick paste.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is my first giveaway using Rafflecopter, so we will see how this goes!
Contest ends Sunday, February 2nd at 11:59pm PST.
Winner will be announced Monday, February 3rd.
Open to U.S. residents only.

Rabbit Food Pyramid Refresher

Today’s post is a little different than the norm. After reading a comment from a reacher: Stephanie, I noticed that I haven’t talked about the Rabbit Food Pyramid since I started my blog in 2012! Since I often have new readers, I think now would be a great time to re-introduce the rabbit food pyramid and how it works!

How it started:
After being on Nutrisystem for a few months and not liking the groggy lethargic feeling that overly processed shelf stable foods gave me, I branched out on my own to continue my weight loss journey. After reading numerous health and fitness magazines and articles by registered dietitians and nutrition experts, I experimented with different styles of eating and found what works for me. I quickly realized that drastic diets and cutting out food groups following “no-carb” or “fat-free” fads were not for me. It left me hangry (hungry and angry) all the time, which led to uncontrollable binging and even worse, a severe eating disorder of restrictive eating, and eventually bulimia and a brief stint with anorexia. As you can tell, food rules were a terrible idea for someone like me who has OCD perfectionist qualities.

Determined to lose weight the proper way this time, I educated myself on how to portion meals properly with balance. That meant carbs, fat, produce, and protein to keep my body nurtured and healthy. This is when the Rabbit Food Pyramid was born. I gathered the proper recommended* serving sizes of each food/food group into a huge list and divided them into four categories.

Weight loss using the Rabbit Food Pyramid: 4 small meals per day!

Breakfast:
1 serving of fruit
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Lunch:
2 servings of vegetables
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Dinner:
2 servings of vegetables
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Snack Meal:
1 serving of fruit
1 serving of whole grain
1 serving of protein
1 serving of plant based fat

Free Extras:
Spices! Anything from cinnamon to chipotle or even zero calorie natural sweeteners like Stevia.

Now that you know the formula for each meal, all you have to do is pick your food for each category! I’ve provided ideas and sample servings for each category here.
If you aren’t sure what the proper measurement is for a certain food, refer to the Rabbit Food Pyramid page to double check!

LET’S START WITH AN EASY BREAKFAST:
PB & Banana Toast

Breakfast:
Produce/Fruit: 1/2 sliced banana
Whole Grain: 1 slice whole wheat bread
Protein: 1 cup (8oz) of soy milk
Plant Based Fat: 1 Tbsp unsalted peanut butter
Free Extras: Sprinkle of cinnamon

Easy peasy! No calories, points, carbs, or macros required! Just balance from each food group!
NOW LETS GET TRICKY WITH A BREAKFAST RECIPE:

Whole Wheat French Toast

Breakfast Recipe: French Toast
Produce/Fruit:
 1 cup fresh raspberries
Whole Grain: 1 slice of whole wheat bread
Protein: 1/4 cup egg whites
Plant Based Fat: 2 Tbsp sliced almonds
Free Extras: 1/8 tsp cinnamon & 3 drops liquid stevia

Combine egg whites, cinnamon, and stevia in a bowl.  Soak the slice of bread in the egg mixture until it is absorbed. Place the bread in a pan lightly coated in cooking spray over medium heat. Pour excess egg mixture on top of the bread. Flip and cook both sides until the egg is no longer runny. Transfer to a plate and top with fresh raspberries and sliced almonds.

Maintenance:
To maintain my weight, I learned that adding one additional snack meal or protein shake per day worked perfectly for me. Of course it took some trial and error to figure out what worked for me!

I hope that this breakdown of the Rabbit Food Pyramid helps you to better understand the way that I portion my meals and create recipes!
Health & Happiness xo
Catherine

Let me know if this was helpful or if you have any questions about the Rabbit Food Pyramid!

*What works for me, might not work for everyone. The suggested serving sized are based on my own personal experience. Everyone is built differently, so if you are taller or heavier than my starting weight, you may need another small meal in your diet to fit your nutrition needs. Please consult a doctor before making any changes to your diet. This is only a suggestion based on my personal experience.