salad

Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegetarian

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!

Beet-and-Mandarin-Orange-Salad
Beet-and-Mandarin-Orange-Salad-1
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!

Pineapple-Apricot-Bellini
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!

| 2 Comments
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!

| 8 Comments
Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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!

| 2 Comments
Recipes

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

| 5 Comments
Lunch, Raw, Recipes, Vegetarian

Sunset Bunny Bowl

Hi everyone, I hope you had a fantastic bunny day yesterday!

Motivation Monday: “You don’t get what you wish for, you get what you work for.”

Obvi my favorite holiday since I was a little tike… haha Bun and a bun!

Easter Throwback
This bun is in bunny heaven!Bunny Heaven
Since I’m sure most of us ate our weight in Easter candy and… plug your ears… chocolate bunnies, NO! A Tragedy! It’s time for a little Easter detox. This Bunny Bowl was inspired by a photograph on Chobani’s Instagram. After seeing the photo, it was all I could think about, so I headed to the grocery store for some fresh ingredients to make a similar concoction. After a very long deliberation on what this delectable bowl should be named, I ended up going with “Sunset Bunny Bowl” which was reader Julie Scott’s idea! Please note that my awesome recipe names were vetoed: Rainbow Bunny Bowl, Chop Chop Bunny Bowl, and Veggie Nom Nom Bowl. April Fools on the last one haha. I thought those named were suh-weeeet, but apparently not so much! Easter Detox Bowl was a close second, but this “salad” if you will, can be made ANY day!

This colorful bowl is filled with protein, fiber, and micronutrients. It’s the perfect lunch for a warm day! Don’t forget healthy food should be pretty, we eat with our eyes! Pretty food= delish food!

Sunset Bunny Bowl

Sunset Bunny Bowl
Sunset Bunny Bowl
Serves 1

1/3 cup red bell pepper
1/3 cup orange bell pepper
1/3 cup yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup mushrooms
1/3 cup tomatoes
1/3 cup carrots
1/4 medium avocado
1/4 cup white cannellini beans
1/4 cup plain 0% Chobani Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp sliced almonds
Salt, pepper, & lemon juice to taste

Wash and chop produce into small pieces. Rinse and strain cannellini beans. Arrange chopped produce, beans, avocado, and almonds in a bowl and top with Chobani Greek yogurt. Add salt, pepper, and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Toss, and enjoy cold.
Note: I used canned low-sodium cannellini beans

Greek yogurty goodness:

Sunset Bunny Bowl
Sunset Bunny Bowl
The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots
Whole Grain: none
Protein: cannellini beans and 0% Greek yogurt
Plant Based Fat: almonds and avocado

| 4 Comments

1 2 3 4