avocado

Creamy Avocado Fettuccine

/ ktbuchs87

I am really into avocados lately.  I buy a big bag at the beginning of the week and add them to my smoothies and soups and anywhere else I can squeeze them in.  They make things creamy and delicious.  Plus they are full of good for you stuff.Creamy Avocado Fettuccine | Life Healthfully Lived

People sometimes shy away from avocados because of the fat content, even though I think most understand it’s good fat.  Fat still scares people because it just makes sense that fat would make you fat.  Don’t worry, I get it.  You want to eat the best food for your body as possible and you don’t want to gain weight.  Don’t fear fat.  Trust me, fat is good and it will help you reach your goals all while being super tasty.

Now, don’t go hog wild on fat.  Too much of anything, even a good thing like fat is a bad thing.  But start including it in your diet and don’t feel guilty or worry.  And if you’re looking for a new way to use avocados other than guacamole, try this creamy avocado fettuccine.

It’s a great weeknight dinner because it comes together in less than 20 minutes.  And it’s good enough that no one will realize that there is no dairy in the sauce.  You can even make it paleo and serve it over vegetable noodles instead of brown rice ones.  It tastes good both ways, trust me, I tried it.

Creamy Avocado FettuccineCreamy Avocado Fettuccine | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 2 Hass avocados
  • 2 tbsp cheesy garlic spread
  •  juice of half a lime
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder OR 3 to 4 fresh chipotle chili’s
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 package brown rice fettuccine OR spiralized vegetable noodles (butternut squash & sweet potato work really well)
  • 2 to 3 tbsp fresh cilantro
  1. Cook the fettuccine according to the directions on the package, drain, and set aside.  Or if you’re using vegetable noodles, prepare those by cooking on a large baking sheet at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes or sauteing in a large pan with a lid until soft.
  2. Meanwhile, slice the avocados in half and remove the pit.  Scoop out the flesh into a blender.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the coconut milk.  Pulse a few times until everything is pretty mixed together.
  3. Add the coconut milk a few tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  I ended up using about 1/3 cup for a fairly thick but still pourable sauce.
  4. Once your sauce is at the right consistency and the noodles are done, add them back to the pot they cooked in and pour all the sauce on top.  Stir everything together until all the noodles are coated.
  5. Sprinkle in the cilantro and stir just to combine.  Serve it up and enjoy!

This recipe is probably going to make it into the regular rotation because it’s quick, healthy, and tastes so darned good! Creamy Avocado Fettuccine | Life Healthfully Lived

Quick BBQ Dishes

/ ktbuchs87

Happy Labor Day everyone!  As we all enjoy this last long weekend of summer, I thought I would bring you a quick post highlighting some of my recipes that are easy to make and great to bring along to a party.

Maybe you totally forgot that you said you would bring something for the BBQ you’re headed to later today, don’t worry I’ve got you covered.  These recipes come together quick and are a big hit with the masses.  Plus they’re healthy, what more could you ask for?!

Even Better BBQ Sauce– Quick, delicious, and great for meat or vegetables!BBQ

Quinoa Cornbread Bites– Tasty little bites that are quick and gluten free! 

Tomato Cucumber Salad– One of my favorites, and perfect on a hot dayDSC_1760

Avocado Chicken Salad– A fun and tasty spin on the classic chicken salad

Tahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake– This one is great because it can be served hot or coldDSC_1843

Penne Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes– Who doesn’t love pasta, pesto, & tomatoes?DSC_1172

Key Lime Popsicles– Make these immediately.  You and other party-goers will thank me. DSC_1818

Healthy Brownie Bites– A healthy version of brownies and a crowd pleaser! 

Hope these help you out and you enjoy your Labor Day!  See you on Wednesday!

Avocado Chicken Salad

/ ktbuchs87

A few weekends ago, Adam and I went to a cookout for his grandpa’s birthday.  It was great, full of family, friends, and food.  Oh was there food.  Now let me say that Adam has quite a large family.  Nine aunts and uncles, plus their spouses/significant others, plus all their children so there needs to be a lot of food.  Along with all the appetizers and side dishes, there was a mountain of chicken.  I am not exaggerating.  There were three different kinds of wings, grilled chicken, marinaded chicken, smoked chicken, chicken chicken… You get the idea.  Long story short, we were sent home with a bag of chicken.  After adding chicken to stir frys and frittatas, I wanted to come up with a simple and tasty chicken dish.  Because it was uber hot, I went with a chicken salad.  It came together quickly and hit the spot on a hot summer night, plus it’s healthy!  So if you are loaded down with chicken, give this recipe a try!

 

Avocado Chicken Salad

  • 2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1 large avocado, diced
  • 1 tbsp mustard (I used spicy brown mustard)
  • 1 tbsp tahini (sunflower seed butter would work well too)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tbsp almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • corn kernels/celery, optional (but they add a nice crunch!)

 

1.  Shred your chicken and set aside.  In a large bowl, mash up your avocado pieces.  You want this to be fairly smooth, so make sure there are no large chunks.  Add in the rest of the ingredients, except corn/celery and chicken.  Mix together well.

2.  Add in chicken and corn/celery and stir to coat everything with the avocado.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  You can serve this right away or let it cool in the fridge.

Pretty easy, right?  This goes well over lettuce, in tortilla shells, or on your favorite type of bun.  Don’t like chicken?  Try it with canned tuna or salmon.  Don’t eat meat?  Make it with chickpeas or your favorite kind of bean.  It’s a pretty easy recipe to adapt to your tastes.  It is also a good one to make a big batch of and share at a party or gathering.  Enjoy!

Avocado and Corn Gazpacho

/ ktbuchs87

I’m going to be honest with you, I haven’t been the biggest fan of gazpacho in the past.  The idea of cold soup isn’t super appealing to me but this gazpacho has made me rethink my tastes.  The avocado adds a really nice creaminess and this dish is super refreshing on a hot summer night.  If you don’t like gazpacho, try this one out before you swear them off forever.

 

Avocado and Corn Gazpacho

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  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels (if using frozen let them thaw first)
  • 2 cups diced tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch scallions chopped
  • 1 3/4 vegetable broth or water
  • 2/3 cup almond milk
  • salt and pepper

 

1.  Peel and mash avocado with the lime juice, set aside

2.  Saute the corn, garlic, and half the chopped scallions for about 5 minutes.  The corn should have a little bit of char on it.

3.  Place the corn saute, and avocado into a blender and blend until smooth.  Add in the broth or water and almond milk and blend together.  Top with rest of scallions and salsa if desired.

You can serve this at room temperature or let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.  The gazpacho improves with time so the next day it will taste even better!  Just a word of warning though, this soup will only last about a week before the avocado starts to turn brown.  So eat it as fast as possible, which shouldn’t be a problem!

Chili-Spiced Polenta with Avocado Sauce

/ ktbuchs87 / 4 Comments

On Friday’s in our house, I usually try out a new recipe.  I usually have a little more time to make dinner and it’s fun to try something new!  I have made polenta before, but I forgot how easy and how delicious it really is! This is a pretty simple meal to throw together and it tastes fantastic!

Chili-Spiced Polenta with Avocado Sauce

photo (18)

For Polenta:

  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 1 tsp cumin

For Avocado Sauce:

  • 1-2 medium avocados
  • juice and zest of one lime
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp water

1.  First prepare your polenta.  This can be done ahead of time so it will be ready come dinner time! Bring the 3 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  While pouring the cornmeal into the water, keep whisking so that no lumps form.  Turn heat down to a simmer.  Keep stirring the polenta every so often scraping the bottom of the pan so none sticks.  The polenta will be done when it is nice and thick and no longer sticks to the side of the pan. Add your spices and pour the polenta into an oiled bread pan (or whatever dish you have handy.  Just make sure it has high enough sides so polenta won’t pill over) and place pan in fridge to set.

2.  While your polenta is chilling in the fridge, dice your avocados and place into a food processor or blender, I used my ninja.  Add the rest of your ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.

3.  After about 30 min, take polenta out of the fridge.  Now you can do one of two things.  You can slice up your polenta and eat it cold or you can heat it up.  I like it heated up because it gets a nice little crisp to it.  Turn oven to 4o0 and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.  Place polenta slices onto baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil.  Place in oven and bake for 10 min, flip them over and bake for 10 more minutes.

Once the polenta is done you can top it with the avocado sauce.  I also like to put homemade salsa on top.  I’ve also topped with pinto beans and corn.  You can do whatever you like, it will be delicious no matter what! Enjoy!