Getting The Most Out of Your Food

June 27, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I don’t have a new recipe for you this Friday. I am in the middle of recipe testing a few new ideas as well as learning how to take better food pictures. No more iPhone pictures on this website! I do, however, have some food related advice for you today. How to get the most out of the food you buy, healthwise and moneywise.

I have talked before about eating well on a tight budget, but it is a subject that should be talked about again. One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about eating healthy is that it is way too expensive. This will keep some people from even trying to eat better because they think that they don’t have the funds to sustain a healthy lifestyle. But have no fear, I am here to squash those misconceptions and show you that it is fairly easy and inexpensive to eat well on a budget.

Real talk: Adam and I have not had a paycheck come in for over a month. We knew that this would happen, and we made sure to save and budget well in the months before this happened, but we still have had to be very conservative with our budget these past few weeks. I take care of all the purchasing of food in our house and I have made some tweaks to make sure that we are still eating well along with not shelling out too much money. It does take some planning but it isn’t impossible, so here are the ways that I have been keeping our grocery bill to a minimum.

Cook more meals. Yup. You need to get in the kitchen and get out of the restaurants when you are trying to save some money. Adam and I rarely go out to eat and when we do, it’s usually to a place that we have a gift card or a coupon for. It is much cheaper to plan your meals and cook them at home than to eat the same meals out at a restaurant for twice the cost. Look around online, might I recommend this very blog, and find some recipes that you can handle and look tasty. Learn to make a few healthy meals really well, then branch out from there and soon you will have a handful of meals that you can whip up in no time!

Keep it simple. When looking for recipes to make, keep it simple! Don’t pick a meal that will require you to purchase a bunch of ingredients that you will only use once or that cost a ton of money. What I like to do when I am thinking of meal ideas is to take stock of my fridge and pantry and see what I can make from the ingredients that I already have. That way I don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of extra things, just one or two that I might not have in my stock. Plus by keeping your meals simple, you can really learn your way around the kitchen as well as keep your plate healthy!

Follow the sales. Pretty much every grocery store will have sale items each week. If a product you normally buy goes on sale, stock up. I like to do this with canned foods, like diced tomatoes, but I also do it with fresh food. A lot of fresh produce can be frozen so it doesn’t spoil before you use it. Last week our grocery store had a sale on avocadoes (large Hass avocados for 99 cents!), so I stocked up. When the avocadoes ripened, I cut them in half, removed the pit, wrapped each half in saran wrap, and then placed them all in a large freezer bag and stuck them in the freezer. You can do that with a lot of fruits and vegetables, here is a great website that shows you how you can store a lot of fresh produce. So keep an eye on sales, and when you can, stock up on those items. Note, DON’T buy things just because they are on sale. That will be a waste of money because you’ll end up buying products you don’t normally use, so you will have no idea how to use them and they will go to waste. That isn’t very budget savvy now is it?

Check out your freezer aisle. Speaking of frozen foods, check out your freezer section and see what they have to offer in terms of fruits and vegetables. Frozen foods are just as healthy as their fresh counterparts and will cost less money. Just make sure to read the labels on the fruits and vegetables to make sure that there is ONLY fruit and vegetable in the package. The one time last week that I didn’t read labels on two bags of frozen vegetables, I got home to find out that one had added salt to their peas and another had add a preservative. It was a doh! moment on my part and a great reminder to always read the ingredient list even on things as harmless as a bag of peas. Also don’t even think about wasting money on frozen dinners. Even if they say they are healthy and all natural, they are usually loaded with chemicals and preservatives. Spend your hard earned cash on better food.

Use all of your food. What I mean by this is don’t be so quick to toss out what you think isn’t edible. This mostly goes for fresh vegetables. Many people will throw away the stalks of vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower without even realizing that those are perfectly edible! Cut up the broccoli stalks into bite size pieces and steam them along with the rest of the vegetable. Or shred or grate the stalks into a salad. Don’t throw away the tops of beets or other root vegetables. Wash and cut up the leaves and use in a salad or saute them with some pepper and lemon juice. You can even save scraps of onions, carrots, and garlic and make a homemade vegetable stock. The point is, make sure you are using your food to it’s full potential. You get more bang for your buck this way!

A few other quick tips:

Check to see if your grocery store offers discount days or refunds for using reusable bags
If a store near you has a bulk section, use it! Stock up on beans, grains, pasta, and even spices. Bulk items are much cheaper in the long run
Check online for coupons for products that you normally buy
Try to cut down on processed food products. These may seem cheaper but they take a toll on your health and your wallet
Make a meal plan and list before you head to the store, that way you only buy the items you need and not whatever looks appealing

By taking just a little extra time and thought with your food as well as using some of these ideas, you should be able to minimize your grocery bill all while still maximizing your health. Two pretty good things in my opinion!

How to Pack a Healthy Lunch

June 25, 2014 / ktbuchs87

It seems like such an easy thing to do. Who really needs a tutorial on how to pack a lunch? I mean, most of us have been packing a lunch since grade school. That’s where I see the problem. Most of us still pack a lunch like we’re in grade school. PB&J, package of chips, package of cookies, can of soda, and maybe an apple that won’t get eaten. Or maybe you haven’t packed a lunch since grade school and choose to eat out and spend a lot of money on food that might not be all that healthy. I thought it would be good to show you how easy, health, and budget friendly it is to pack your own lunch for work, school, or wherever you’re headed for the day.

Pick a main course. There is such a variety of food out there that you can pack as the main bulk of your lunch. You should step outside your realm of quickly thrown together sandwiches. The easiest and cheapest thing to do is to use leftovers as the bulk of your meal. I like to make more food than Adam and I can eat for dinner, and then use the leftovers for lunch the rest of the week. You could also spend some time on the weekend and make a big batch of a few different meals and use that. Salads are a really great and easy way to make a bunch of food that won’t spoil quickly throughout the week. Try my Simple Vegetable Millet or Curried Quinoa Salad. Get creative too. Use the grilled chicken you made over the weekend in a whole wheat pita pocket, add some lettuce, tomato, and mustard and you have a yummy pita pocket. Or buy a bunch of collard greens and scoop quinoa salad into the middle and make a lettuce wrap. The possibilities are endless and you never have to have a boring main meal for lunch.

Slice up some sides. Rather than grabbing a bag of chips or crackers, slice up your own sides. Fresh fruit and vegetables are a lot healthier than most of the fair you will find in the snack aisle of your grocery store. Yes, it’s really easy to buy a big case of chips and then just grab a bag each day. It’s really simple to just walk to the vending machine in your office and get some pretzels or crackers too. But it isn’t helping your health or wallet either. Buy a big bag of carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, radishes, or any other vegetable that strikes your fancy. Then cut it all up and portion it out at home, then voila! You now have an easy to grab and healthy side for your lunch. Bring along hummus or homemade BBQ sauce to dip your vegetables in and you won’t have to be crunching on boring celery (although I don’t think any vegetable is boring… is that just me?). Fruit is also a great thing to have in your lunch and apple, pear, or orange slices are delicious and portable. The other good thing about eating fruit and vegetables for your sides is that they will fill you up with healthy fiber and help keep you fuller longer. That’s a win-win!

Hydrate up. This isn’t just a tip for lunch, you should be drinking water all day long. Invest in a really good water bottle that you can fill up and just keep sipping throughout your day. If you’re not into plain water, jazz it up with some lemon or lime slices, berries, cucumber, mint, or even watermelon. Just keep yourself hydrated. Often when we think that we are hungry, we’re really thirsty. Instead of reaching for food, try a glass of water first and see if your body just needed some water instead.

Plan for a snack. 3:00 pm rolls around and you find yourself wandering to the vending machine looking for a candy bar to tide you over until dinner. Or maybe you start downing cups of coffee to help you push through the last few hours of work. Instead of doing that, plan to bring a snack with your lunch. Adam likes hard-boiled eggs as his afternoon snack, and those are really easy to make a bunch at the beginning of the week. Plus they are portable. Eggs aren’t your thing? Try making a mix of dry-roasted almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds to keep you going. Need a little sweet? Add some raisins or other dried fruit to the mix. Just make sure to read your labels and check to see that there isn’t any added sugar. If you’re looking for salty and crunchy, try some roasted chickpeas. Also, don’t go overboard with your afternoon snack, just enough to keep you going until it’s time for dinner!

See? Packing a lunch doesn’t have to be hard or boring. Take a little time to plan what you are going to have for the week and then just throw it all in your lunch box and head out the door. Packing your own lunch is a great way to save money and support your healthy lifestyle. And if every once in a while a cookie finds it’s way into your lunch, that’s ok too!

Plantain Porridge Breakfast Bowl

June 20, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I love breakfast. It’s one of my favorite meals of the day and sometimes, I eat it for more than one meal of the day. Sorry, I’m not sorry. I usually have a rotation of a few different breakfast dishes that I go through depending on my mood for the day. One of my favorites is oatmeal. It’s just so hearty, plus you can put literally ANYTHING into oatmeal (meaning I put spoonfuls of peanut butter in mine) and make it taste amazing. As much as I love oatmeal, sometimes in the summer you don’t want a bowl of oatmeal. You want something a little lighter and a little cooler. Enter plantain porridge. The idea of eating porridge made from fruit might seem a little strange, but trust me it tastes really good. The best thing about this breakfast is that just like oatmeal, you can mix in an assortment of toppings. And let’s be honest, I’m all about the toppings. Give this quick and easy breakfast a whirl and tell me how you customize your bowl!

Plantain Porridge Breakfast Bowl

1 large plantain or 2 small plantains, yellow or black skinned (NOT green!)
Toppings of your choice (I like peanut butter, flax and chia seeds, raisins, goji berries, toasted buckwheat groats, and cinnamon)

1. Peel the plantain by slicing of one end and then cutting a slit down the center. Slice the plantain into smaller chunks.

2. If your plantain is soft enough you can mash the slices right in the bowl until it is a creamy almost yogurt-like texture. If it is a little firmer, place in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times until smooth.

3. Place in your bowl and top with whatever you feel like. Try almond butter or tahini. Try any type of berries like raspberry or strawberry. You could add sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, cashews, or even pistachios. Get creative and try some new combos.

In case you hadn’t noticed, (which you might need to get your eyes checked if you didn’t…) this is the “relaunch” of my blog! Welcome to Life, Healthfully Lived. This is a space that you can come and learn some simple but effective ways to start changing your health for the better. I am so excited to start sharing my thoughts and advice on this new page and can’t wait for the awesome projects I have coming your way soon! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and I’ll see you soon!

Dairy Free Lasagna

May 2, 2014February 19, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I don’t eat dairy anymore, and for the most part, I really haven’t missed it all that much. But every once in awhile, I get a hankering for something gooey, cheesy, and delicious. Those hankerings usually lead to creative and tasty recipes. This one is no different. You might be thinking to yourself, “There is no way that you can have a delicious lasagna without wonderfully yummy ricotta cheese.” And I say to you, nay nay. You can have a delicious lasagna without wonderfully yummy ricotta. Just ask my husband who has no problem with dairy and would love it if there were more of it in the house (there’s none). He loved this meal and devoured second helpings. I may have too…

Dairy Free Lasagna

1 batch of my tomato sauce, or store bought sauce (just make sure to read the ingredients!)
1 package of lasagna noodles (I used brown rice to keep it gluten free but whole wheat would work well too)
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
1 to 2 tsp italian seasoning
1 to 2 cloves garlic

*If you’re using my tomato sauce, you can prepare it ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. That way you can just assemble everything.

1. Cook noodles according to instructions on the package. Once cooked drain and set aside to cool a little bit. You might want to undercook your noodles just a little so they won’t turn to mush when you cook them in the oven.

2. While the noodles are cooling, drain soaked cashews and place into a blender or food processor. Add in water, lemon, salt, rice vinegar, italian seasoning, and garlic. Pulse to combine everything and then let it run to smooth everything out. You can leave it a little chunky or totally smooth, it’s your preference.

3. Preheat oven to 375 and get out a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Line up the tomato sauce, noodles, and cashew cheese for easy assembly. Pour a little tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan so the noodles don’t burn. Then put a layer of noodles down, then a layer of cheese, and finally a layer of tomato sauce. Keep layering everything until you run out of noodles. You might have a little cheese and sauce leftover, that’s fine You can use it to dress up another dish!

4. Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and take of the aluminum foil. Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Take lasagna out of the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes (this helps it set so when you cut it, it doesn’t fall apart). Cut into squares and eat up!

This lasagna tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded and really set. So make sure that you leave some leftovers for later!

Roasted Chickpeas

April 25, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Hello everyone! I hope that you have had a great week and that you are starting to emerge from the caves of winter into the warmth (sort of) of spring! I know that I haven’t done a regular post that doesn’t include a recipe in a while, but I have a few coming your way soon and once this move is over they will be coming more often! Today I have a quick and healthy snack recipe for you. I have been having a love affair with chickpeas lately, I can’t seem to get enough of them! I eat them any way I can, in hummus, in salads, sauteed with greens, and roasted. Roasted chickpeas are a great crunchy snack that you can season any way you like. If you want a sweeter snack you can use cinnamon or nutmeg and if you are craving salty you can try garlic and pepper. The options are endless!

Roasted Chickpeas

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and rinsed (you could use canned, but the texture isn’t quite the same)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
seasonings of your choice (I like garlic, garam masala, cumin, or italian seasonings)
silpat or parchment paper (aluminum foil doesn’t work well with these)
large baking sheet

1. Cook your soaked and rinsed chickpeas in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20-30 minutes. You want a firm texture, not too mushy.

2. Preheat oven to 425. Place your silpat or parchment paper on to a large baking sheet. You want the baking sheet to be big enough that the chickpeas will have enough room to spread out, otherwise you’ll get chewy not crunchy chickpeas

3. Pat the chickpeas dry and place into a large mixing bowl. Add in the olive oil (enough to cover the chickpeas, but don’t drown them in it) and whichever seasonings you’re going to use. Mix well so everything is coated.

4. Spread the chickpeas out in a single layer on the baking sheet, making sure they have a enough room between each and place in the oven. Cook for about 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and cook for about 5 more minutes. Keep an eye on them for the last 5 minutes so they don’t burn.

That’s it! Remove them from the oven and let them cool a bit before you dig in. I promise I have never burnt my fingers or tongue trying to eat these right out of the oven… Enjoy your tasty and healthy snack! Have a great weekend and see you all on Monday!