You what stinks about getting older? You have to start worrying about things you never worried about as a kid. Insurance, repairs, jobs, and diets. No, I'm not talking about one of those ridiculous culinary trips people take where they cut out all grains or only eat grapefruit or whatever other crazy idea is currently trending. Dieting in that sense is a joke because, let's face it, you can't just eat grapefruit for the rest of your life. I'm talking about just keeping your diet (what you eat everyday balanced). I admit, the bowls of melted gummi bears I used to devour as a kid probably doesn't fit into any kind of balance, which is probably why I [sadly] haven't had one of those in years. Well, Mike's been a bit ill lately and junky foods seem to be the culprit. Good thing I used to be a vegetarian. :-) Let's look at how we can make rabbit food interesting!
The Greens
I hate iceberg lettuce! Never buy that crap! Good, now that that's out of the way, let's face it, there are loads of choices when it comes to salad greens. I personally love baby spinach. It goes really well with just about anything, so there's your everyday salad green. Mike really likes Caesar salad, so Romaine is his top choice, and a good Caesar salad is a powerful recipe to have in your back pocket. Want to fancy it up? Rocket lettuce! Better known as arugula. It goes really well with sweet fruits like strawberries and pears since it's a bit bitter. You can always get mixes too that make it pretty easy to get variety.
The Croutons
Hey people, do you know how easy it is to make your own croutons? Cut up a baguette into pieces of your size-liking. Spread onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toast in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown. Mix those babies in with your salad. That's all there is to it. Get adventurous! Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to make them cheesy or cayenne or paprika for some heat. Break free, people! Don't limit yourself to what's sold in a bag and marked up by ridiculous margins.
The Dressing
Dressing is so easy. Most can simply be mixed up in a jar with a screw top (thanks for the idea, Nadia G). Here's a good example. The most difficult ones--and I use that descriptor loosely--require a blender. Oh wait, I didn't have a good quality blender...until recently.
I'm a ninja, I'm a blendy ninja! Here's a recipe for a fantabulous Caesar dressing that uses tofu for the creaminess and a delicious, garlicky gem. Again, it's just so easy it's silly.
The Extras
Here's where it gets dicey. The extra stuff can make or break the healthfulness of your salad. Adding some fresh fruit is great. Adding a pound of cheese is perhaps not such a good idea if you're trying to eat healthily, so just think before you start throwing in a whole bunch of extra stuff. Nuts, fruit (dried and fresh), and fresh herbs and spices are all easy and gulit-free-ish ways to kick your rabbit food up a notch or two.
It's probably best that we've started implementing at least one salad a week into our meal rotation. Sure, no one really gets all jazzed up about a salad. That just means they haven't had the right one yet. Get creative, you'll find some family favorites.
The Greens
I hate iceberg lettuce! Never buy that crap! Good, now that that's out of the way, let's face it, there are loads of choices when it comes to salad greens. I personally love baby spinach. It goes really well with just about anything, so there's your everyday salad green. Mike really likes Caesar salad, so Romaine is his top choice, and a good Caesar salad is a powerful recipe to have in your back pocket. Want to fancy it up? Rocket lettuce! Better known as arugula. It goes really well with sweet fruits like strawberries and pears since it's a bit bitter. You can always get mixes too that make it pretty easy to get variety.
The Croutons
Hey people, do you know how easy it is to make your own croutons? Cut up a baguette into pieces of your size-liking. Spread onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toast in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until they are lightly golden brown. Mix those babies in with your salad. That's all there is to it. Get adventurous! Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to make them cheesy or cayenne or paprika for some heat. Break free, people! Don't limit yourself to what's sold in a bag and marked up by ridiculous margins.
The Dressing
Dressing is so easy. Most can simply be mixed up in a jar with a screw top (thanks for the idea, Nadia G). Here's a good example. The most difficult ones--and I use that descriptor loosely--require a blender. Oh wait, I didn't have a good quality blender...until recently.
I'm a ninja, I'm a blendy ninja! Here's a recipe for a fantabulous Caesar dressing that uses tofu for the creaminess and a delicious, garlicky gem. Again, it's just so easy it's silly.
The Extras
Here's where it gets dicey. The extra stuff can make or break the healthfulness of your salad. Adding some fresh fruit is great. Adding a pound of cheese is perhaps not such a good idea if you're trying to eat healthily, so just think before you start throwing in a whole bunch of extra stuff. Nuts, fruit (dried and fresh), and fresh herbs and spices are all easy and gulit-free-ish ways to kick your rabbit food up a notch or two.
It's probably best that we've started implementing at least one salad a week into our meal rotation. Sure, no one really gets all jazzed up about a salad. That just means they haven't had the right one yet. Get creative, you'll find some family favorites.
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