snacks

Breakfast, Desserts, Lunch, Recipes, Snacks, Treats, Vegetarian

My Big Nonfat Greek Yogurt Recipes

Incase you haven’t already seen my Featured Blogger post for Chobani about healthy desserts and Greek yogurt recipes, you can read them below!

As a vegetarian, I find it hardest to get protein into my diet, but Chobani makes it so much easier. I love that I can grab a single serving cup of CHO when I’m on the go, or use it in both sweet and savory recipes. Chobani helps to fill my need for protein, which is necessary to build, repair, and restore muscle, without adding unnecessary fat, sodium, or calories. Not only is it a great low calorie, low carb source of protein, but it also an excellent source of calcium and contains 5 live & active cultures, including 3 probiotics! They are so many pros to CHO, you can’t go wrong!

Don’t forget, you still have a chance to enter my Chobani Giveaway for a chance to win a free case of Cho! The contest ends Friday, June 1st at 11:59pm PST!

Here are my big nonfat Greek yogurt recipes:



Protein Popsicles

Fill popsicle molds with your favorite Chobani flavor. Freeze overnight and enjoy cold.
.
. 

Individual Protein Cheesecake
serves 1

Filling
6oz Chobani plain 0% Greek Yogurt
1/2 Tbsp Jell-O sugar-free instant pudding mix – cheesecake

Crust
1/2 cup fiber bran cereal
4 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp unsalted almond butter
1/4 tsp stevia
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Add the cheesecake flavored pudding mix into the yogurt and stir until well combined. Set yogurt mixture aside. In a food processor or blender, grind the bran to a fine texture. In a small mixing bowl, add the ground bran with all dry ingredients, (stevia, cinnamon, and  nutmeg) and mix evenly. Then add the almond butter and water and stir until it becomes moist and sticky. If the batter is still crumbly, add additional water in 1 tsp increments until desired consistency is achieved. Pour the crust mixture into a small 4in circular pan. Pack the crust along the bottom and sides of the dish to create a pie shape. Pour the filling on top of the crust and smooth evenly along the top. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and enjoy cold.
.
. 

Honey Wheat Protein Pancakes
makes 4 four inch pancakes

6 oz Chobani 0% Honey Greek Yogurt
2 egg whites
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda

In a mixing bowl, mix the whole-wheat flour and baking soda. Then add the yogurt and egg whites. Stir until a thick batter is formed. Lightly coat a pan with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Pour the batter into 4in circles. Flip the pancakes once they start to bubble. Cook until both sides are golden brown.
.
. 

Apple Pie Parfait
serves 1

1 small fuji apple
6 oz Chobani 0% Honey Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup cooked chilled quinoa
2 Tbsp walnuts
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cook quinoa to package instructions and refrigerate beforehand. Chop the apple into small chunks. Place apple chunks in a microwave safe bowl, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover with saran wrap and microwave for 1-1.5 minutes until apple becomes soft. Stir and set aside. In a glass jar, layer half of the yogurt along the bottom, followed by half of the quinoa, walnuts, and apple mixture. Repeat layers to create a parfait and store in the refrigerator or enjoy warm.
.
. 

Honey Yogurt Covered Grapes

6 oz Chobani 0% Honey Greek Yogurt
Seedless grapes of your choice

Wash and dry grapes, and remove stems. Using a toothpick, pierce a grape and dip in the yogurt until it is evenly coated. Place the grapes in a freezer safe contained lined with wax paper (remove the toothpick after each dip). Repeat until all grapes are covered. Freeze the grapes overnight and enjoy as a frozen treat.
Note: The yogurt will start to melt within 5 minutes, so these are best enjoyed at home or work where a freezer is nearby.

| 34 Comments
Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Snacks, Tips, Vegetarian

Road Trippin’ Rabbit Food Style

Sam and I headed out of Houston on Monday morning at 7am in route to Los Angeles.
The first day of driving was long, but so much fun. We ended up getting to Tucson around 9pm and were so happy to get out of the car and sleep!
Tuesday was our final stretch, leaving Tucson at 8am and arriving in LA at 3pm. So hoppy to be home! I slept like a baby last night.

Road trips can be really challenging to eat healthy. From state to state you are surrounded by fast food joints, mini marts, and all-American diners off of the highway. We made it our goal to eat as healthy as possible on this road trip and I have to say it was a success!

In preparation to leaving, we went to the grocery store to buy some Larabars, bananas, apples, and water bottles to have on hand. We  made a few stops for meals along the way and I did my very best to stick with my Rabbit Food guidelines!

Our first stop was at Dunkin’ Donuts in Houston. I am obsessed with coffee, but beyond obsessed with Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. It is so good! When people say “Dunkin’ Donuts has the best coffee!” you better believe it. It’s the best. Hands down. Whenever I visit Sam in TX, we always grab coffee at DD because we don’t have it in CA! I always stock up on K-Cups for my Keurig coffee maker, and this trip was no exception. For some reason, Dunkin’ Donuts only sells their K-Cups in stores, so if you live in CA, good luck! I usually fly home, so I don’t have enough space in my carry-on to bring K-Cups, but because we were driving back, we had tons of room for my purchase of six 24 packs! Yes, you heard that right, and yes there is photographic evidence! DD needs to either A) Change their slogan from “American runs on Dunkin'” to “American run’s on Dunkin, unless you live in CA” or B) Open up a franchise in CA. Did you hear that Dunkin’ Donuts? COME TO CA! So jealous of everyone who has a DD near them.

 I started my day with a nonfat latte, all bran muffin, and a fuji apple. I didn’t have any nuts or other plant based fat options, so I struck out in that category. I’m sure that muffin contained some fat though… after all, it was from a donut shop!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: fuji apple
Whole Grain: all-bran muffin
Protein: nonfat milk (in the latte)
Plant Based Fat: 0

 The next stop on our trip was for fuel & lunch in a small town before a long stretch of open fields and no civilization. The only food option was either a mini-mart or Dairy Queen. We decided to scope it out and to my surprise, DQ had a salad option. It came with crispy fried chicken on top and even after asking for a salad sans-chicken, they didn’t really understand. I’m probably the first person to ask for a salad without chicken at this location haha. No worries, Sam ate the chicken for me anyway! I didn’t have a whole-grain option to work with so I also struck out in this category, but overall it wasn’t bad for Dairy Queen.

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: iceburg lettuce and tomato
Whole Grain: 0
Protein: cheese
Plant Based Fat: balsamic (olive oil based) dressing

 During an extra long stretch in the middle of New Mexico, I ended up snacking on a Cherry Pie flavored Larabar which falls into the plant based fat (almonds) and produce (cherries & dates) categories.

Right before arriving in Arizona, we stopped to refuel and grab some dinner at Subway. I opted for a 6-inch veggie delight with pepperjack cheese, olives, and red wine vinegar on whole wheat. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to use as my plant based fat (avocado, black olives, or olive oil – with vinegar). I ended up choosing black olives and red wine vinegar as my dressing instead of oil since the olives count as a plant based fat. It was yummy!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: lettuce, spinach, tomato, onions, bell peppers, pepperoncinis
Whole Grain: whole-wheat bread
Protein: pepper jack cheese
Plant Based Fat: black olives

Sam even ate some RFFMBT approved snacks along the way including his first Larabr. He chose Apple Pie. The Verdict? He said nothing compares to his Granny’s Apple Pie recipe, but it was pretty good!

 After 2 days and 24 hours of driving, we are happy to be in CA!
It may seem tricky to eat healthy while driving across the country, but it’s not impossible! With the right knowledge and guidelines, it can be done!

Now time to rest up before we go to Body By Design OC Bootcamp with Kandace!
Health & Happiness

| 11 Comments
Snacks, Tips, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian

Travel Snacks

I am taking a break from packing… or should I say downsizing my suitcase, because I am going to Japan today!

I love traveling, but sometimes it gets tricky to find healthy foods at airports. I like to prepare little emergency snack kits for my carry on bag just incase I get hungry or healthy choices aren’t available.

If you are traveling somewhere far, it can be nearly impossible to bring fresh food along with you. Meal replacement bars are a great option, but some of them have ingredient lists longer than the dictionary and are filled with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and some questionable ingredients. I have done my research to find you the healthiest meal bars and snacks that are TSA approved, portable, shelf stable, and yummy! The best part? These snacks have no preservatives, and tiny ingredient lists with the largest list containing only 7 ingredients, all of which we can pronounce and locate in a grocery store!

Meet your new travel buddies:

Ak-Mak Whole Wheat Sesame Crackers: These generously sized whole grain crackers contain only 7 ingredients such as: organically grown whole wheat flour, clover honey, sesame oil, dairy butter, sesame seeds, yeast, and salt. They add up to only 110 calories and 4 grams of fiber per serving of 5 crackers! I love these crackers because they are perfectly crunchy and not to mention Armenian (I’m part Armenian), scoreee!

Larabar: Well, I’m speechless on this one… I don’t know how they do it! Larabars are possibly the greatest meal bars to hit the market. Ever. Larabars are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, vegan, and kosher but do not exclude flavor. Famous for their simple ingredient list, pure delicious taste, and and outstanding nutrition, Larabars are the simple way to eat on the go. My favorite flavor “Cashew Cookie” contains only cashews and dates and actually tastes like a cookie. Amazing! The nutritional stats aren’t too shabby either. Made from whole fruits and nuts in their most natural state, it contains 230 calories, and 3 grams of fiber! They come in a variety of flavors and have been popping up in grocery stores and some Target stores all over.

Blue Diamond Almonds, 100 Calorie Packs: Almonds are great portable snack and an excellent source of  vitamin E, fiber, copper, phosphorous and riboflavin. Sometimes it’s easy to get carried away and suddenly a handful turns into an entire bag, so this mini 100 calorie pack of whole, natural, unsalted almonds takes the guesswork out for you. Talk about good things in small packages!

Justin’s Classic Almond Butter, Single-Serve Packet: These convenient single serve packages contain 2 tablespoons of almond butter at 200 calories per packet. Smear some on crackers for the perfect snack without the jar, measuring spoons, and mess! These handy little packets come in a variety of different nut butters and flavors.

That’s It: I just recently discovered these bars and have become completely obsessed! I like to call them “adult fruit leathers!” The bars consist of two servings of fruit per bar… yup… that’s it… just like the title implies. Crazy right? My Apple & Pear bar contains one whole apple and one whole pear. That’s it (I can’t stop saying that out loud, I’m truly amazed)! No added sugar, preservatives, no nothing. Oh, and don’t forget, they’re also fat free, gluten-free, kosher, and vegan. At only 100 calories and a whopping 3 grams of fiber, That’s It bars are your new bff. These thick, chewy fruit bars are a great option if you don’t feel like lugging an apple around in your purse, or don’t feel like buying one at an airport café for say $5.

Just Tomatoes: Just like the package says, these are just tomatoes! Veggies can be the trickiest food to travel with, but this awesome brand Just Tomatoes, just made getting our veggie servings in so much easier. Just Tomatoes uses a special dehydrating process, which allows nutrients to stay intact and leaves them with the perfect chewy texture. Just Tomatoes makes a variety of different vegetable snacks from peas to corn and are always kosher, GMO free, and never contain additives, preservatives or sweeteners. At 90 calories and 2 grams of fiber per ounce, these make a great snack with whole grain crackers!

| 7 Comments
Tips

Snack Attack

AHHH snack attack! We all get them. I can eat clean all day, but once nighttime comes around, I get the craziest cravings for sweets and junk food. Cravings will usually pass within 15 minutes if your body is not truly hungry.

Try going for a walk around the block to distract yourself from thinking about food and try drinking a glass of water to determine if you are just thirsty. If 15 minutes go by and you are still craving something to snack on, I have some tricks for you!

Kick those cravings in the hiney with these simple treats that will satisfy without derailing your day of healthy eating!

Frozen Fruit: I like to buy bags of frozen fruit from Trader Joe’s and keep them in my freezer. Fruit is great for a sweet tooth, but frozen fruit is even better because it will slow down the rate at which it is consumed so you become fuller faster. My favorite fruit to freeze are green grapes. These bite-sized sweet snacks are an awesome alternative when you are craving candy or sugar. Frozen grapes take longer to eat since they are cold, which will help you to eat less compared to grapes at a normal temperature.
Tip: wash and dry grapes and remove them from the vine before freezing.

Shelled Pistachios: When I want something salty I will eat a small serving of shelled pistachios. De-shelling each nut takes more time and effort than grabbing a handful of unshelled nuts, which will make you more aware of how many you are eating.

La Croix: If you ever crave soda, this is a great alternative for you. I love this pure sparkling water because it is flavorful and bubbly and does not contain any added sugars, artificial flavors, or chemicals that other popular soft drinks have. It only contains carbonated water and natural flavors. Lemon is my favorite! La Croix can be purchased at Whole Foods and most Target locations.

Swiss Miss Diet Hot Chocolate: If you ever crave chocolate, this is the answer to your prayers! For only 25 calories and 2g of sugar, you can have your chocolate without throwing off your day of healthy eating! Works like a charm.

As with any snack, don’t forget to measure out a serving and watch your portion size to prevent eating too much of a good thing!

Question: What do you do when you get a late night snack attack?

| 4 Comments

1 2