Tomato Cucumber Salad and Old Favorites

July 31, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Does anyone else watch TV shows that they have seen a million times? I do. All the time. While I love watching new shows and finding new things to love, a part of me loves the comfort of an old favorite. If you know anything about me, you can probably guess which show I always turn to.

Friends

I own all of the episodes on DVD (even though they are now on Netflix, I still watch the DVD version because there are scenes that are cut out on the Netflix versions) and I will routinely watch them over and over. I can pretty much quote whole episodes, recognize obscure lines, and know what each scene looks like. If Marta Kaufmann and David Crane called me up and told me they needed someone to recreate every single episode on their own, I would be perfect for the job.

Why do I continue to watch Friends over and over and over again? It’s a security blanket. When I’m feeling blue, I know one of Chandler’s jokes can cheer me up. When I’m under the weather, there is no better medicine than Phoebe’s ditzy yet surprisingly poignant logic. I see myself in some of Monica’s obsessive tendencies, Joey gives me encouragement that even if I’m not great at something if I keep at it I can achieve some kind of greatness, and who doesn’t love the on again off again relationship between Rachel and Ross?

It also connects me to the people I love. My mom, sister, and my friend Ashley are all just as big a fans as I am when it comes to Friends. I can randomly text them lines from the show and they know exactly what episode I’m watching. I often relate my life to certain scenarios and they know exactly what I mean. So to make a long story short, Friends is awesome and I’ll never stop watching.

This simple salad is almost as awesome as Friends. It’s the perfect summer side dish because it takes 2 minutes to put together, doesn’t require a stove or oven, and uses in season vegetables. You probably already have most of the ingredients, so whip up a big batch to eat all weekend long because the longer this salad marinates, the better it gets!

Tomato Cucumber Salad- based on this recipe from Rachel Ray

2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced
16 oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quartered
3/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste

Wash, peel, and cut the cucumbers and place into a large bowl. Wash and cut the tomatoes and add those in along with the red onion. Mix everything so it’s well combined
Pour in the vinegar and olive oil and stir once again. Finally, add in all the seasonings. Mix everything really well.
Cover and place in the fridge and if possible allow it to marinate overnight. Once it has marinated, taste and adjust any seasonings.

Also, if you’re looking for a delicious and healthy treat to cool off during this hot weekend you should check out my post on Girl.ish this week. I made a PB & J milkshake that tastes like it should be so bad for you but it’s not! Go try it and let me know what you think!

Have a great weekend everyone!

DIY Wednesday: Coconut Whip Cream

July 29, 2015July 29, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Full Disclosure: I do NOT like whip cream. I know, I know, I’m not American, but it’s a texture thing for me. For some reason, I don’t like the way whip cream feels in my mouth. Yes, I’m a weirdo and I’m ok with that.

Second Full Disclosure: I did NOT come up with this recipe. There are plenty of blogs/websites out there that have this recipe but I wanted to share it with you guys to show you how easy it is to make your own whip cream.

When you think about it, the method to this is right there in the name. You are just whipping cream. Fresh whipped cream can be a beautifully simple thing and it’s fun to watch cream turn into something light and fluffy. Unfortunately, many people rely mostly on cans or tubs of whip cream and that’s where things get messy.

Fresh whip cream is meant to be eaten right away and not stored for a long period of time. In order to make the whip cream sold in stores have a longer shelf life, chemicals and preservatives are added. Things like stabilizers, gums, sugar are all used to make sure you can use your whipped cream for a long period of time. Luckily, it’s really easy to make your own whipped cream and you don’t have to add any questionable ingredients. This recipe is even better because those of you who have/choose to avoid dairy can still enjoy this dessert topping.

Add it to berries for a simple dessert, try it on top of your favorite cobbler or crisp, put some in your yogurt and create a parfait, or use it on your banana split. You can use this whip cream just like store bought and feel better about the ingredients and the cost!

DIY Coconut Whip Cream

1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk, chilled overnight in the fridge
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

Place your can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight so it can chill and create the cream.
Pour off that liquid on the top…
Open the can from the bottom and pour out the liquid into a cup or bowl and set aside. Scoop out the cream and place into a large bowl or into the bowl of your mixer. Add in the maple syrup and optional vanilla extract.
…and scoop out the cream on the bottom.
Using a hand mixer, immersion blender, or stand mixer, whip the coconut cream until it is light and fluffy.
Use the whipped cream right away. It will last a few hours in the fridge but not much longer than that.

What is your favorite thing to top with whip cream?

3 Common Myths About Exercise

July 27, 2015July 27, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Diet and Exercise. Those two go together like peanut butter and jelly. They are the first pieces of advice for anyone trying to lose weight. Both of these things are important pieces of the puzzle that is getting healthy, but that is the key. They are just pieces, neither is the whole thing. While both diet and exercise get a lot of talk, I think sometimes that exercise gets more of the emphasis. This emphasis creates some myths about exercise and its role in a healthy lifestyle. Today I want to address some of those myths so you can better incorporate exercise into your life and health!

1. Exercise is the best way to lose weight

Exercise is great and I’m not going to bash it or anything like that. But exercise really isn’t the only or best way to lose weight. Don’t get me wrong, exercise does help you lose weight, but it isn’t as big a factor as you might think. Your body is a very tricky thing when it comes to exercise. It likes to be efficient in all things and it will always find the easiest way to go about its daily tasks. After you have been exercising awhile your body will adapt to the change and you will actually burn fewer calories every time you workout. This doesn’t mean exercise is a hopeless cause, you just have to be smart about it. Try different workouts, different intensities, different times, and don’t rely totally on exercise to get the body or health that you want. The food you put in your body is what you really want to focus on but more on that later.

2. Exercise has to be vigorous/hard/long or it doesn’t count

This one took awhile for me to wrap my head around. When I first really started getting into exercising I thought that I had to be dripping in sweat, lying on the ground exhausted, or sore beyond belief for my body to get the full benefit of exercise. Soooooo not true. You don’t have to destroy your body in order to reap all the good stuff that comes with exercise, and in fact, that can lead to injury and burnout. Vigorous exercise does have its time and place, hard workouts aren’t evil, and sometimes you have the time for a longer workout. But there are times when it’s better to take it easy, do a shorter workout, or even have a rest day. You need to listen to your body and give it what it needs not beat it up just because you think that is the only way to get fit.

3. Exercise will cancel out any “bad” food that I eat

This common myth is one of my biggest pet peeves. I hate when I hear someone say, “Oh it doesn’t matter what I eat, I work out.” It seriously makes me want to rage throw a table. But instead of throwing tables, I am going to calmly address this myth right now. First, don’t put food into a good group or a bad group. Food is food, not a miracle and not evil. There are better choices that will benefit your health, but you shouldn’t feel guilty about eating anything. You’re an adult you can choose what to eat. Second, the saying you can’t out exercise a bad diet is SO TRUE. You can’t just eat a piece of cake go run 3 miles to “burn it off” and be healthy. The first problem with that mindset is that exercise doesn’t burn as many calories as most people think (see first myth). The second problem is that in order to function, as well as exercise, you need to get certain nutrients. If you are constantly filling your body with things like cake and cookies and processed food your body is missing out on vital things it needs. The last problem with this is that getting in the habit of working out just to cancel out what you eat is a really good way to develop exercise bulimia. Exercise bulimia is a very real and serious disorder that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Choose the food that will help you reach your health goals and the exercise that makes you feel better.

Exercise is good, it has tons of benefits, and it works in tandem with a healthy diet to make you feel your best. Just make sure you aren’t falling for some of these common myths and use exercise to your advantage.

What is one thing about exercise that you found wasn’t true?

Crispy Coconut Crusted Avocado Fries

July 24, 2015July 23, 2015 / ktbuchs87

You don’t cook avocados and you really don’t fry them. That doesn’t mean that people won’t do it, I mean for goodness sake we’ll fry anything in this country. Candy bars, ice cream, pickles, shoes… anything. I have seen a few recipes for avocado fries and while I initially balked at the idea of hot avocado I was intrigued. I’ve made eggs in avocados and they turned out delicious, so I thought I would take a stab at avocado fries.

Right away I knew that I wasn’t going to actually be frying anything.

1. I’m not buying that much oil just to throw most of it away

2. We all know frying stuff isn’t healthy

3. I would probably start a massive grease fire and I just don’t want to deal with that.

So that left baking them. I managed to make a coating that turns nice and crispy without frying. It’s also gluten-free so that’s an added bonus! These are really simple to make and turn out surprisingly good. The creaminess of the avocado almost makes them mozzarella stick like and the crunch can’t be beat. Be a rebel and try cooking an avocado, I’m pretty sure you’ll like it.

In other news, Adam and I are going to see a movie next weekend. I’m super excited because we don’t go see movies in theaters that often (we’re on a budget yo) and we also haven’t had many date opportunities this summer. It’s been jam-packed with weddings and parties and other obligations, so it will be nice to do something fun together. Adam said that I get to choose the movie and I’m trying to decide between Ant-Man and Pixel. Ant-Man because Paul Rudd and Pixel because it just looks fun plus Peter Dinklage is in it and he’s awesome.

What movie do you think we should go see?

Crispy Coconut Crusted Avocado Fries

Batter:

1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp coconut flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt

Breading:

1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
1/4 tsp salt
1 ripe avocado
1 lime

Preheat oven to 450. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a Silpat. Slice the avocado in half and cut each half into fry shaped wedges.
Whisk together all the batter ingredients and pour into a shallow dish. In a large bowl, mix all the breading ingredients together (not the lime juice or avocado)
Pat the avocado wedges dry with a paper towel. Dip the wedge into the batter and shake off the excess. Roll the wedge into the breading and then place on the baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the wedges.
Squeeze the lime juice over the fries and then sprinkle a little salt over them. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the fries turn a golden brown
Remove the fries from the oven and let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes. Eat immediately because these don’t keep very well.

DIY Wednesday: Chocolate Caramel Candy

July 22, 2015July 22, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Sometimes you just need something sweet, preferably covered in chocolate. There are days that a piece of fruit is just not going to satisfy your sweet tooth. I used to think that I had to fight that sweet craving because it was a sign of my weakness. I would ignore it and tell myself that I was making my willpower stronger. I was really just making myself miserable.

Having a craving for sweet stuff doesn’t mean that you are weak, it means that you are human. Indulging in a sweet treat every once in a while is totally fine and better for your sanity in the long run. You just have to do it the right way. If you find yourself reaching for a candy bar multiple times throughout the day, then maybe you need a little sugar detox. But if you’re looking for a little bite every now and then, this DIY is just for you.

Homemade food is always going to trump store bought because you are in control of the ingredients. That is especially true for this candy. It’s only two simple ingredients, but will still satisfy that craving for a little something decadent. You can even add nuts or seeds for a little crunch and texture. Make a batch and keep them on hand for whenever you need a little bite of chocolatey caramel-y goodness!

Chocolate Caramel Candy

10 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced in half (you could also use prunes)
1 cup dark chocolate chips (read notes for another substitution)
1 tbsp coconut oil
pinch of sea salt
peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts, almonds (optional)

Place pitted and sliced dates into a bowl and cover with hot water. Let dates soak for 10 to 15 minutes until very soft
Drain the dates and place them into a blender with the pinch of salt. Blend until everything is completely smooth.
Spoon about a teaspoon or so of the date caramel mix into a silicone mold. You could also put them on a parchment lined cookie tray. If you’re using nuts, press one into each caramel now. Freeze for 30 to 45 minutes.
Melt the 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips and 1 tbsp coconut oil. You can do this in the microwave in 20-second intervals stirring until all the chips are melted and it’s smooth. Or you could melt the chips in a double broiler.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Remove the frozen date caramel and pop them out of the molds. Using a fork, dip the caramel into the chocolate and place onto the cookie sheet, working quickly. Place the sheet into the freezer once they’re all covered
Freeze for 15 minutes then enjoy! Keep the candy in a container in the freezer so they don’t melt.

*Note* You can also use baking chocolate for the coating. Use 100% cacao and melt in a double broiler with 1 tablespoon coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey. Stir constantly until completely smooth.